The Warrior's Path by Catherine M Wilson

Author:Catherine M Wilson
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
Tags: ! Yes
ISBN: 9780981563619
Publisher: Shield Maiden Press
Published: 2008-10-15T05:00:00+00:00

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As we walked back up the hill, I thought about Maara’s words. I want to go home. Such a simple wish. I remembered how eager I had been to get away from home, but my home was still there waiting for me, would always be there waiting for me, while Maara might walk from one end of the world to the other and never find what she was seeking.

I felt Maara’s eyes on me. “Are you having second thoughts?” she said.

“No,” I said. “I was thinking about you.” I stopped and faced her. “You gave me what I wanted. I wish I could give you what you want.”

“You gave me something I didn’t know I wanted,” she replied. “No one else has ever asked me what I wanted.”

Vintel’s Apprentice

Sparrow was eating her breakfast in the kitchen. I sat down beside her, leaned close to her ear, and said, “Do you want to be Vintel’s apprentice?”

Sparrow scowled at me. “Didn’t your mother teach you how to say good morning?” She sounded out of sorts.

“Good morning,” I said. “Do you want to be Vintel’s apprentice?”

“Too late,” she said.

“What?”

“Vintel says that you will be her new apprentice.”

“Vintel is wrong.”

“She’s already spoken about it.”

“To you?”

“To everyone.”

“I haven’t accepted her.”

“Apparently she thinks you will.”

“I won’t,” I said. “Especially not now.”

I thought I understood what Vintel was doing, or perhaps it was the Lady’s idea. Once something had been spoken of publicly, it was a thing that was accomplished in everybody’s mind. In order to undo it, I would have to go against the ideas of everyone in the household. It would put me in a bad light, and it would also shame Vintel. If Vintel had taken it upon herself to speak without my consent, it was a shame she deserved to bear, but not if the Lady had assured her that I would do what she wanted me to do.

“Answer my question,” I said to Sparrow.

“About being Vintel’s apprentice?”

“Yes.”

“Why would she accept me?”

“Let me worry about that,” I said. “Just tell me if it’s what you want.”

“Of course,” said Sparrow. “It would be an honor.”

“So they tell me.”

“You’re a fool to turn her down.”

“They tell me that too.”

When I started to get up, Sparrow caught my wrist and held me there.

She looked around to make sure we couldn’t be overheard.

“You be careful how you cross Vintel,” she said.

But now I was angry. “Vintel had best be careful how she crosses me.”

“By the Mother, hush,” said Sparrow, “or I’ll find your little body lying in a snowbank.”

“Why would you bind yourself to someone who would do that?”

Sparrow thought for a minute before she spoke.

“I know Vintel,” she said. “I’ve known her since I came to Merin’s house, and I knew of her from Eramet. She’s a skil ful warrior and a powerful leader.

She is strong-willed and must have her own way in things, and people don’t always like Vintel’s ways, but every girl here would put up with her failings for the sake of learning from her.

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