eyes of D’ol Genaa, had been wet with tears.
CHAPTER TEN
D ARKNESS WAS SPREADING AND the first fine fall of the night rains had begun before Teera returned to the D’ok nid-place. She had been gone for only a day, but for Pomma it had been the longest and most miserable day of her whole life. Her fear for Teera, mixed with her shame that she had done so little to help her, had grown more intense as each minute crept by.
It had been, perhaps, no more than half an hour after Teera and D’ol Genaa had gone that Raamo and D’ol Neric arrived. They appeared suddenly, obviously breathless and troubled, and they seemed even more worried when Pomma told them what had happened and how D’ol Genaa, too, had been crying when she and Teera left. The two Ol-zhaan left hastily, and Pomma was alone with her fears and worries.
Not long afterwards Hearba returned with Ciela, and Pomma had to hide her fears and pretend only disappointment that the Ol-zhaan guests had come early and had taken Teera away with them—to be questioned at the Temple. And if Hearba saw her daughter’s wet lashes and sensed her despair, she undoubtedly thought only that Pomma grieved over her separation from her friend. Pomma wished fervently that she could tell her mother all that had happened. It would have been comforting to share her fears and to receive Hearba’s sympathy and reassurance. But it was impossible. There was so much that Hearba did not know and could not be told—about Teera, and the Pash-shan, and the terrible mystery of D’ol Genaa.
As the hours passed, Pomma walked anxiously to and fro in her nid-chamber, hurrying out onto the balcony from time to time to watch and listen. Several times she thought of asking her mother for a handful of Berries, but although the thought was sweet and tempting, she did not act upon it. It seemed wrong, somehow, that she should comfort herself with cloudy dreams while Teera was, perhaps, in great danger.
At last, as the soft green forest light slanted into twilight, Raamo returned, and with him came D’ol Genaa, D’ol Neric—and Teera—and quite suddenly everything was changed beyond imagining.
The moment they entered the common room, Teera and the three young Ol-zhaan, the change was apparent. Even the air around them seemed to be charged with high emotion; and all of them, and most particularly D’ol Genaa, seemed transformed. D’ol Genaa’s dark eyes were drowned and dim, and her mouth was blurred by wavering smiles, and yet her beauty had never been so astonishing. She looked, Pomma thought, like someone lost in a joyful dream. And as for Teera—Pomma could pense her happiness with no effort at all.
The hour was late, and there was little time. Songs of greeting and parting were intermingled as the three Ol-zhaan hurriedly departed, leaving Teera behind them. Although Hearba and Valdo had been told that Teera had been taken to the Temple for questioning, Pomma could tell that they, too, were aware of something extraordinary, and were plainly very curious. When Pomma tried to hurry Teera away to their nid-chamber in order to question her, Hearba followed them. She busied herself about the room, lowering the night hangings across the latticed windows and fluffing the comforters on the nids. At last, turning to Teera she asked, “Did you enjoy your visit to the Temple, Teera?”
“I—I was told not to speak of—of the things I did today,” Teera faltered.
Hearba laughed and lifted her hands, palms downward, in the Kindar gesture that asked for pardon. “Of course,” she said. “And wise counsel, too, I am sure. The Ol-zhaan will know when it is time for you to speak freely. In the meantime, I beg pardon for having questioned you. But I will ask one more question. Have you eaten lately, or would you like a few morsels?”
Teera smiled delightedly. “I am very hungry, Hearba. I thank you greatly for your question.”
So Hearba hurried away to the pantry, and at last Pomma was
CHAPTER TEN
D ARKNESS WAS SPREADING AND the first fine fall of the night rains had begun before Teera returned to the D’ok nid-place. She had been gone for only a day, but for Pomma it had been the longest and most miserable day of her whole life. Her fear for Teera, mixed with her shame that she had done so little to help her, had grown more intense as each minute crept by.
It had been, perhaps, no more than half an hour after Teera and D’ol Genaa had gone that Raamo and D’ol Neric arrived. They appeared suddenly, obviously breathless and troubled, and they seemed even more worried when Pomma told them what had happened and how D’ol Genaa, too, had been crying when she and Teera left. The two Ol-zhaan left hastily, and Pomma was alone with her fears and worries.
Not long afterwards Hearba returned with Ciela, and Pomma had to hide her fears and pretend only disappointment that the Ol-zhaan guests had come early and had taken Teera away with them—to be questioned at the Temple. And if Hearba saw her daughter’s wet lashes and sensed her despair, she undoubtedly thought only that Pomma grieved over her separation from her friend. Pomma wished fervently that she could tell her mother all that had happened. It would have been comforting to share her fears and to receive Hearba’s sympathy and reassurance. But it was impossible. There was so much that Hearba did not know and could not be told—about Teera, and the Pash-shan, and the terrible mystery of D’ol Genaa.
As the hours passed, Pomma walked anxiously to and fro in her nid-chamber, hurrying out onto the balcony from time to time to watch and listen. Several times she thought of asking her mother for a handful of Berries, but although the thought was sweet and tempting, she did not act upon it. It seemed wrong, somehow, that she should comfort herself with cloudy dreams while Teera was, perhaps, in great danger.
At last, as the soft green forest light slanted into twilight, Raamo returned, and with him came D’ol Genaa, D’ol Neric—and Teera—and quite suddenly everything was changed beyond imagining.
The moment they entered the common room, Teera and the three young Ol-zhaan, the change was apparent. Even the air around them seemed to be charged with high emotion; and all of them, and most particularly D’ol Genaa, seemed transformed. D’ol Genaa’s dark eyes were drowned and dim, and her mouth was blurred by wavering smiles, and yet her beauty had never been so astonishing. She looked, Pomma thought, like someone lost in a joyful dream. And as for Teera—Pomma could pense her happiness with no effort at all.
The hour was late, and there was little time. Songs of greeting and parting were intermingled as the three Ol-zhaan hurriedly departed, leaving Teera behind them. Although Hearba and Valdo had been told that Teera had been taken to the Temple for questioning, Pomma could tell that they, too, were aware of something extraordinary, and were plainly very curious. When Pomma tried to hurry Teera away to their nid-chamber in order to question her, Hearba followed them. She busied herself about the room, lowering the night hangings across the latticed windows and fluffing the comforters on the nids. At last, turning to Teera she asked, “Did you enjoy your visit to the Temple, Teera?”
“I—I was told not to speak of—of the things I did today,” Teera faltered.
Hearba laughed and lifted her hands, palms downward, in the Kindar gesture that asked for pardon. “Of course,” she said. “And wise counsel, too, I am sure. The Ol-zhaan will know when it is time for you to speak freely. In the meantime, I beg pardon for having questioned you. But I will ask one more question. Have you eaten lately, or would you like a few morsels?”
Teera smiled delightedly. “I am very hungry, Hearba. I thank you greatly for your question.”
So Hearba hurried away to the pantry, and at last Pomma was
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