The Fuller's Apprentice (The Chronicles of Tevenar Book 1) by Angela Holder

Author:Angela Holder [Holder, Angela]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: fantasy, magic, wizards, healing, young adult, coming-of-age, apprentices
Publisher: Deore Press
Published: 2015-09-07T22:00:00+00:00

Seventeen

But… surely there’s something you can do?” The woman’s voice had been low, directed only at Elkan, but now it rose, so Josiah could hear it clearly across the empty hall. He sat at his table near the door, finishing up the day’s records. It was their fourth day of healing in Shalinthan, and only now at midafternoon had the steady flow of patients dried up. The woman had waited patiently all day, sitting quietly in a corner knitting, deferring to others, until finally the room emptied and she could have privacy. Josiah felt guilty for his curiosity, but he shifted in his chair until he could see anyway.

Elkan sighed and stroked Sar. “I’m afraid not, Hansine. The scarring is extensive and long healed. If a wizard had seen you back when the infection occurred, something could have been done, but now… It was probably years ago, and you might not have had any symptoms at the time. It can happen that way, with no indication that anything is wrong until a couple tries to conceive.”

Hansine stared at him, biting her lip. “I thought surely, when the wizard came… You’re saying I can never have children?”

Elkan’s fingers tightened in Sar’s mane. “That’s right.”

For a moment more Hansine looked at him. Then she turned away, bending to gather up her bundle of knitting from the floor beside her. “Thank you for your time, Wizard. I’ll be going now.”

Elkan reached a hand toward her, then let it fall. “I’m very sorry…” The woman ignored him.

Elkan watched her go, but before she reached the door he jumped up and hurried to stop her. They were right in front of Josiah. He made himself as small and inconspicuous as possible. Across the room, Sar laid his ears back and snorted.

“Hansine, I know you’re not ready to hear this, you need time to grieve first, and in any case it should be your place to seek out counsel, not mine to impose it on you. But the time will come when you need to know this, and I won’t be here. So I’m going to say it now.” He took a deep breath. “Hansine, all creation is sacred to the Mother. Bearing children, raising them, is a way to honor her by carrying on her work, but it’s only one, and she values it no higher than any other. Your condition… it’s just an unfortunate chance. You might come to feel it’s some sort of judgment, but I assure you, it’s not. The Mother loves you, and values you, and though your path of service to her won’t include bearing children, it’s no less precious to her for that.”

Hansine just looked at him, her eyes cold. Elkan stepped back from the door, ran a hand through his hair, and gestured for her to exit. “Again, I’m very sorry. I know I can’t really understand what you’re going through—”

“No,” she cut him off. “You can’t.” She swept out, pushing the door so hard it swung wide, bounced on its hinges, and crashed shut in her wake.

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