mount to this boulder so you can get up more easily."
"What was that bit about asking for a wife?"
Megaan scowled at him. "You are too young for a wife."
"I was just kidding."
"I do not find you funny." She handed him the reins. "Can you get on your animal, or do you want me to do that for you too?"
Mark climbed up on the boulder, gritted his teeth and hopped on. Megaan was already on her beast, heading back through the trees. He trotted up behind her. "Thanks for coming to look for me, Megaan."
"You are welcome. But it was nothing. I would have done it for anyone. Even a nonperson. Besides, I suppose I do owe you for saving our lives."
She kicked her beast into a run and left Mark in the red dust.
chapter
29
The storehouse and some of the other
structures were still smoldering when Megaan and Mark rode in. The tower guard announced their arrival with the horn but most people were too busy rebuilding to pay any attention. A few stopped what they were doing long enough to wave or yell out their gratitude as Mark rode past.
Several beasts were tied outside Dagon’s cabin. Megaan helped Mark dismount. "Go into the house, Kakon. I will take care of our mounts."
Mark limped to the door and opened it. Dagon and some men were sitting on long benches at a large wooden table.
"Come in, Kakon. The council and I were just talking about you." Dagon indicated an empty seat. "Sit down and hear how the Tsook reward those who help them."
Mark hobbled to the end of one of the benches. "Megaan has told me that you have made me an equal. I thank you."
"Did she also tell you that as soon as the village is defensible again, we will hold a great feast, inviting all the Tsook of Transall? When the Overlord, the great Merkon, sends his emissary, then the rites of warriorhood will begin."
"For me? You want me to be a warrior?"
"You have proven yourself worthy."
"Again I thank you, but..." Mark looked around the table at the war-hardened faces. How could he tell them that all he really wanted was to be free to search for the light and go home?
He swallowed. "What I mean to say is that you have already given me far too much. The place of warrior should be reserved for the sons of the Tsook."
Dagon pounded the table. "It has been decided. Anyone who disagrees with this will answer to me."
The men of the council stood and filed out of the room. Dagon remained sitting. "You are allowed to choose a plot of land, Kakon. While you are trying to decide, you may live in the house of Hagis. He was a brave warrior who died fighting the Rawhaz. I will send Megaan to make sure it is well supplied. Is there anything else I can do for you?"
Mark looked down at the steel band around his ankle. "Did Megaan tell you the reason why I no longer wear the weight on my foot?"
"She explained that she needed an extra hand in the field that day for the harvest, so she ordered it to be taken off. If I had been here I would have been angry, but as it turned out she made the right decision. Do not worry. I will have Tybor, the blacksmith, remove the rest. There is no need for it now."
Mark stood. He couldn’t remember ever being so tired. "I’d like to go to that house now. My leg is starting to bleed again and I must sleep."
"Of course." Dagon went to the door and called for his daughter. Megaan appeared and he gave her instructions.
Outside, Mark untied his mouse-colored beast and led it down the road. "I’m sorry for teasing you earlier, Megaan. It really was kind of you to come help with my wound."
Megaan kept walking.
"Your father gave me an odd explanation of how the iron bar came to be off my leg."
"Would you rather I had told him you were a runaway slave?" Megaan snapped.
"Why didn’t you?"
"This is the house." Megaan stopped in front of a one-room cabin. "Hagis was an old bachelor. There is no telling what we will find inside." She pushed open the door and went in.
Mark wrapped the reins around a post and followed her in. She started
"What was that bit about asking for a wife?"
Megaan scowled at him. "You are too young for a wife."
"I was just kidding."
"I do not find you funny." She handed him the reins. "Can you get on your animal, or do you want me to do that for you too?"
Mark climbed up on the boulder, gritted his teeth and hopped on. Megaan was already on her beast, heading back through the trees. He trotted up behind her. "Thanks for coming to look for me, Megaan."
"You are welcome. But it was nothing. I would have done it for anyone. Even a nonperson. Besides, I suppose I do owe you for saving our lives."
She kicked her beast into a run and left Mark in the red dust.
chapter
29
The storehouse and some of the other
structures were still smoldering when Megaan and Mark rode in. The tower guard announced their arrival with the horn but most people were too busy rebuilding to pay any attention. A few stopped what they were doing long enough to wave or yell out their gratitude as Mark rode past.
Several beasts were tied outside Dagon’s cabin. Megaan helped Mark dismount. "Go into the house, Kakon. I will take care of our mounts."
Mark limped to the door and opened it. Dagon and some men were sitting on long benches at a large wooden table.
"Come in, Kakon. The council and I were just talking about you." Dagon indicated an empty seat. "Sit down and hear how the Tsook reward those who help them."
Mark hobbled to the end of one of the benches. "Megaan has told me that you have made me an equal. I thank you."
"Did she also tell you that as soon as the village is defensible again, we will hold a great feast, inviting all the Tsook of Transall? When the Overlord, the great Merkon, sends his emissary, then the rites of warriorhood will begin."
"For me? You want me to be a warrior?"
"You have proven yourself worthy."
"Again I thank you, but..." Mark looked around the table at the war-hardened faces. How could he tell them that all he really wanted was to be free to search for the light and go home?
He swallowed. "What I mean to say is that you have already given me far too much. The place of warrior should be reserved for the sons of the Tsook."
Dagon pounded the table. "It has been decided. Anyone who disagrees with this will answer to me."
The men of the council stood and filed out of the room. Dagon remained sitting. "You are allowed to choose a plot of land, Kakon. While you are trying to decide, you may live in the house of Hagis. He was a brave warrior who died fighting the Rawhaz. I will send Megaan to make sure it is well supplied. Is there anything else I can do for you?"
Mark looked down at the steel band around his ankle. "Did Megaan tell you the reason why I no longer wear the weight on my foot?"
"She explained that she needed an extra hand in the field that day for the harvest, so she ordered it to be taken off. If I had been here I would have been angry, but as it turned out she made the right decision. Do not worry. I will have Tybor, the blacksmith, remove the rest. There is no need for it now."
Mark stood. He couldn’t remember ever being so tired. "I’d like to go to that house now. My leg is starting to bleed again and I must sleep."
"Of course." Dagon went to the door and called for his daughter. Megaan appeared and he gave her instructions.
Outside, Mark untied his mouse-colored beast and led it down the road. "I’m sorry for teasing you earlier, Megaan. It really was kind of you to come help with my wound."
Megaan kept walking.
"Your father gave me an odd explanation of how the iron bar came to be off my leg."
"Would you rather I had told him you were a runaway slave?" Megaan snapped.
"Why didn’t you?"
"This is the house." Megaan stopped in front of a one-room cabin. "Hagis was an old bachelor. There is no telling what we will find inside." She pushed open the door and went in.
Mark wrapped the reins around a post and followed her in. She started
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