Under a Starless Sky novel Chapter 5

“I’ve never seen a male baby that didn’t cry. Go get me that needle over there, I’ll fix this,” G’Ma said.

The look on the infants face caused laughter.

“No, mother,” Lanore said.

Lanore, Ceolla, Tell, and G’Ma looked down into the bassinet holding the twins. They were both relatively quiet. The girl had made a fuss when separated from his brother.

“That is the ugliest baby I have ever seen,” Tell said.

“You said it would look better in a day or so,” Ceolla said. “This is not better.”

“It reminds me of Eirwen,” Tell said.

“Are you sure you only slept with the Water People?” Tell asked.

“Yes,” Lanore said.

“I thought maybe this ghost woman you told me of was albino, but this is not that,” Tell said.

“Maybe the water people have this in them. Maybe the stories of being casted out on water in baskets are actually truth. Even they can’t stand this look,” Ceolla offered.

“We should kill it,” G’Ma said.

“We are not killing it,” Lanore said. “It suckles. It’s thriving.”

“You can’t leave it with your daughter like this,” G’Ma said.

“I don’t think this is catchy,” Lanore said.

“You must admit, this bond they have is strange,” Tell said. “They can’t stay together forever.”

“Maybe her soul divided into two babies,” Ceolla offered.

“Seriously?” Lanore asked her.

“This is your fault, Lanore,” G’Ma said. “You consult with ghosts, you get ghosts. I warned you about this Heart path. You have led us further from Sinter and now have brought evil into the world.”

“It is a baby, not evil,” Lanore said.

“It is a male. You don’t know what gifts it will bring!” G’Ma said.

“It’s so ugly, it’s not likely to have any opportunities to give gifts,” Ceolla said.

“That is certain,” Tell said. “I can’t see how allowing this to continue is kindness.”

G’Ma frowned, not wanting to agree with Tell. She left the room, angry.

“Worst case scenario, he offers nothing. He is a mouth to feed,” Ceolla said.

“In other words, just another man,” Lanore lamented.

“I could train it for the fights,” Tell said. “Hell, people would likely pay just to see him. And if he proves any good, well, people will want to fight the ghost.”

“I don’t like the games,” Lanore said.

“A man either brings gifts, or he fights,” Tell said. “There is no way this one will bring gifts. He will fight, or he will be a burden. If you get a reputation for being soft, you’ll have every beggar from Midelay inwards wanting to come here.”

Lanore picked up the girl. She could hold her. She could feed her. If she put her in her own basinet, she cried. She tried it again, just to prove a point. She put the daughter back in the basket with the boy.

“He has given me the gift of quiet,” Lanore said. “Surely that is something?”

“Do you think she’s protecting him?” Ceolla said.

“It’s a baby,” Tell said. “How much discernment do think it holds.”

“Don’t we all bring secrets into this world?” Ceolla said.

“We’ll stay the course,” Lanore said. “I have got enough milk for both.”

Tell laughed. “You got enough milk for half your village,” she said.

“We have honey,” Ceolla offered.

Tell was mad. “I was joking. She is not a goat,” she said.

“Goat milk is for goats. Human milk is for humans,” Ceolla said.

“You people are strange,” Tell said.

“And yet, you tarry,” Ceolla said.

“Well, now I’m guaranteed to be here at least three years,” Tell said.

“Why?” Lanore asked.

“I must see how this fiasco turns out,” Tell said.

निर्मित

“The tern looks good on you,” Lanore said.

“I am surprised anything this comfortable could come from pineapple pulp,” Tell said, pouring herself tea.

Lanore’s eyes fell on Candace, who was teaching her younger sister letters. Candace marked on a slate with chalk, pronouncing letters and naming things; Tama repeated after her. Lanore’s stare finally drew Candace’s attention.

“What?” Candace asked.

“I have asked you not to do that in front of him,” Lanore said.

“He’s stupid, what harm is it for him to watch?” Candace asked.

“Dumb is not stupid,” Lanore said, for a millionth time. “Now send him outside.”

“I send him outside, she won’t sit still and do lessons with me,” Candace said. “I mean, really, L’Ma, maybe if he is capable learning letters we could eventually have a dialogue with him.”

Lanore got up from her desk, took Shen by the arm, and led him outside.

“If you don’t stop coming in here, I will bounce you to barrack early,” Lanore said.

“Maybe you should,” G’Ma said. “Maybe they’ll beat some words out of him.”

Lanore snapped her finger at Tama. “Focus!”

Ceolla entered. “L’Ma.”

Lanore looked to Ceolla. “What?”

“I am sorry to disturb you, but they’re back,” Ceolla said.

“Who’s back?” Lanore said.

“The water people,” Ceolla said. “Three are in the circle.”

“They got all the way to the circle without being seen?” Lanore asked.

“Their ship is not visible from the Light. I am guessing they’re further up the coast?” Ceolla offered.

“I’ll be there directly,” Lanore said.

Ceolla bowed out. Lanore sat down, studying the image she had been trying to manifest. It looked like similar to a jelly, like a man of war. The pencil didn’t do it justice. Her vision had more depth, more colors. They were bright things in a dark place, as if only they existed.

“You can’t see everything, Sister,” Tell said.

“I know,” Lanore said. “But my whole village can’t be blind.”

“Come. Let’s meet our guests,” Tell said, touching her shoulder.

Lanore nodded, She got up and retrieved her staff. She motioned Candace and Tama to remain. G’Ma followed Lanore and Tell out the study, out of the Lanore’s estate, across the courtyard, and out the main gates. Three women, holding bamboo staffs, and kneeling, heads bowed, per a custom as old as anyone could remember. Lanore entered the circle, brought her hands together and bowed, asking them to stand. They stood, tracing circles over their heart.

“You are the Master of this Light?” the one in the center asked.

“I hold this Light. I hold the sanctity of this circle,” Lanore said. “You honor the path, so I greet you in peace. My name is Lanore.”

“I am Neva,” the one in center spoke. “These two are my apprentices, Cari, and Foam. We come from the Seaship, Kailini.”

“I see no city ship,” Lanore said.

“It is beyond the horizon,” Neva said. “It may be visible in a week. Or perhaps a month. Unless the sea changes its mind.”

“You swam from beyond the horizon?” Lanore asked.

“We did not,” Neva said. “We came by Kayak. You’ll find it and our supplies by the river, on the side favoring the Sleeping Forest. I have come to petition education.”

“I have two apprentices already,” Lanore said.

“Surely, there other Masters here from whom I might learn,” Neva asked.

“There is my Sister Tell, but she, too, has two apprentices,” Lanore said.

“I wish to learn the way of the Heart Path,” Neva said.

“You’re a little old to be afraid of the dark,” Lanore said. “Besides, you said you are already raised a Master? You can’t spark a Light?”

“I am so raised,” Neva said. “But even Masters can still learn. You said two Master live here? Doesn’t it take three to hold a light?”