Winter Tithe Read online

  "Why would a kas'injin do such a thing?" Tokara's grandfather asked, bafflement in his normally staccato voice.

  "To complicate my day just a little bit more, Yoshihiro-so," Kadana said, exasperation heavy on her tongue.

  Tokara's grandfather nodded sagely. "The keeper of the land—"

  "Is the keeper of the people," Kadana finished. "And the kas'injin."

  Tokara wasn't sure what passed between her mother and her grandfather, but it seemed more along the lines of agreement than another verse of the mild bickering they often engaged in.

  Tokara felt awkward and shy, looking at her mother. While Kadana had subdued the beast, she had taken a beating during the battle. Kadana shrugged off her chain mail hood, copper-streaked hair still tightly bound by a leather strap, to reveal a purplish bruise forming on the right side of her face. The mar spanned from her hairline to just under her cheekbone.

  Momma got hurt and it's my fault.

  "Come here, my girl," Kadana called and held out her left arm, her right hand securing Olegan's Hammer at her side.

  Tokara flung herself into her mother's arm, causing more than just a little pain to herself and calling forth a loud oof from her mother.

  "Easy now, little one," Kadana said softly.

  Only then did Tokara realize that she was crying. She buried her wet face into her mother's warm cloak, the downy rabbit fur tickling her nose. All she wanted to do was tell her mother that she was sorry, but when she opened her mouth to apologize, a stream of words fell out before she could close her lips. "I just wanted to help Caia find Howler. She was so sad. And we climbed out the big arrow loop in the curtain wall. And there were no footprints in the snow. And we thought he'd run to Wood Frog Pond. Because we took him there to swim in the summer and he likes to swim. So we went to Wood Frog Pond. And it was frozen. And he wasn't there. And then we had a snowball fight and then the monster came and it took me and I woke up in the cave. And I thought I'd never see you again, and Caia, and Daddy, and the boys, and Baba, and the dogs, and everyone, everyone." Tokara took a deep breath that hurt her ribs, so instead of continuing to rattle off the day's events, she forced in a tiny breath through her nose and tried not to cough.

  "Shh," her mother soothed while hugging her tight with one arm. "Shh. Shh. Shh."

  Tokara relaxed slightly, grateful to let her mother take over.

  "What do you need me to do?" Reeve asked, cheeks red with excitement. He had joined them without making a sound. Her brother put a gloved hand on Tokara's head and stroked her hair, cautious as if he were afraid she'd break.

  "We need to find the tall tree with the silver bells, and then you, my boy, are going to climb it like the monkey you are and get them all down," Kadana said, tired laughter in her voice. "Can you do that for me, without any other disasters befalling us today?"

  "Yes, Mother," Reeve said, sounding sincere.

  "How's Rask?" Kadana put her arm around Tokara as they walked toward the sleigh.

  "I helped him to the bench and covered him with blankets," Reeve offered.

  "And dogs, I see." Kadana glanced at her sleeping son and his snuggled-together dog guardians.

  "He said he felt fine, but then he fell right asleep." Reeve tilted his head. "Should we wake him up, Momma?"

  Kadana set Olegan's Hammer on the floor of the sleigh, leaning it against the front bench. She held her hand to Rask's cheek, then gently pulled back his eyelids to study his pupils. Neither the dogs nor the boy stirred.

  Tokara held her breath while her mother examined Rask.

  Please let him be well. Please let him be well. The thoughts flew through her head like a swarm of bees; she couldn't concentrate long enough to send her plea anywhere specific. Please let my brother be well.

  "Astra will take care of him when we get back," Kadana said, thoughtful. "He'll be all right for now."

  Tokara and Reeve let out twin sighs of relief.

  "Which doesn't excuse you and your brother from barging into the cave without waiting for me." Kadana gave her son a stern look. "Your baba and I were right behind you with the sleigh."

  "Rask and Reeve saved me, Momma," Tokara burst forth. "It was really bad. And the boys and the dogs came in just at the right time." She threw her brother a big, grateful smile. "You and Rask saved me."

  "And you saved Rask," Reeve said quickly. "And Momma saved all of us."

  "I found your tree with the silver bells," Baba Yoshihiro interrupted stoically.

  A breeze stirred the trees, carrying with it the tinkling of bells, many bells. It sounded as if a choir of silver-tongued Dragonbards were warming up their voices for a concert.

  Tokara looked up, putting a hand over her eyes to block out the sun.

  Atop the hill that housed Bumpus' cave grew a lone tree — old and gnarled but taller than any Kharakhian oak Tokara had ever seen. Not a true evergreen, the great Kharakhian oak had dropped many of its leaves and the exposed branches were delicately ornamented with spindly icicles. The longest of the branches had been hung with the stolen silver bells of the Chain, which chimed and spun madly in the wind like partners at a Caydelee dance. The sound was rowdy and enchanting all at once, and fit the icy landscape as if it were a hymn to praise the winter day.

  "Ah, the wind is kicking up," Kadana said. "Wonder if he'll hear it."

  Reeve and Yoshihiro looked confused, but neither asked.

  Tokara wondered if her brother and grandfather would have believed the explanation even if it had been given. She wasn't sure if she believed all she had seen and heard that day.

  "Off you go then. Get the bells," Kadana instructed Reeve. "Catch him if he falls out of the tree," she threw over her shoulder to her father-in-law. Before Reeve could scamper toward the lone Kharakhian oak, Kadana reached out and deftly detached the leather bag from his belt.

  "Nice try, son of mine." She sounded less enthusiastic than she had a moment ago. "We will have a long conversation about personal property and powerful magical objects that will kill you if you touch them without permission."

  Tokara had to suppress a snicker. With everything I did wrong today, Reeve is the one who got in trouble.

  "Let's collect the treasure," her mother said to Tokara. Sounding almost bored, she added, "I'll show you how to work Rhivoli's Mighty Carryall." She shook the bag and winked.

  Reeve let out an annoyed groan and stomped toward the foot of the hill.

  "I'll show him the path around the back," Baba Yoshihiro said calmly as they watched Reeve starting to work out hand and foot holds in the iced-over rock face.

  "Do," Kadana agreed. "But not right away . . . My son has a few things yet to learn. Asking his betters for help is one of them." She chuckled. "Your brother is too much like me." She tweaked Tokara's nose. "And so are you, rascal face."

  Tokara giggled.

  Yoshihiro set off through the snow.

  "The dogs will alert us if anything tries to bother Rask or the Trotters," Kadana assessed. "We should work quickly, though. I want us home by dinner."

  "Momma," Tokara started just before they reentered the cave. "Can I ask you about Bumpus?"

  Her mother stopped in her tracks. She had taken up Olegan's Hammer again, but had wrapped her free hand firmly around the plain leather bag. "You worked that out?"

  Tokara shrugged, not knowing what to say but unable to lie to her mother.

  "Despite what you think you may or may not know," Kadana said firmly, "this creature is dangerous. He is ancient, older than you can imagine. And he carries a pain so deep . . . I hope you will never understand that kind of pain."

  "But he is so lonely."

  "Don't mistake anything that happened today for friendship." Kadana's words sounded sharp. "He is not your friend. He is not a thing to be pitied."

  "But Momma . . . He cried . . ."

  "You have a good heart, my sweet." Kadana dropped her voice. "But you have to be very cautious, always. There are things you do not know yet, so you must trus
t me. Bumpus broke an agreement. He is growing impatient. He may sleep another ten thousand years, or he may return to wreak havoc by spring. I don't know. But for now, he will return to his hibernation. He believes I can help him." She scoffed.

  "You know a lot of very powerful people," Tokara said. "Maybe—"

  "He is asking the world," Kadana countered. "He doesn't know it, but he is asking too much. Too much of me . . ."

  "Maybe when I'm big . . ." Tokara trailed off. Her mother's green eyes on her made her feel warm, and a flush crept over her face. "I don't know if I'll ever be a great hero like you."

  "I'm not a great hero," Kadana said very deliberately. "I've fought alongside great heroes in great battles, but I am not a great hero. I did what I had to do, and I was very lucky."

  Tokara heard the distant peal of bells, and laughter from Reeve. Must be plucking them off the tree already.

  "You have many things yet to see and learn, my girl." Kadana smiled. "Before you take on the quest of a lifetime, be sure you know what you are giving up. Life is full of surprises and challenges. Don't chase after the first challenge thrown your way. Chase after the right challenge."

  Tokara thought about her sister and Howler. "Helping Caia was the right challenge," she said resolutely, despite the scolding she was bound to get.

  "Yes, it was," her mother agreed, surprising Tokara.

  When Tokara and Kadana entered, the cave seemed slightly warmer than before, though Bumpus was no longer in the center. Tokara noticed his giant tracks leading to the far tunnel, the one she hadn't followed.

  Must be where he sleeps.

  "There's nothing we can do for the frozen people. They've been dead a long time," Kadana said, carefully studying Tokara's face.

  Tokara pressed her lips together and firmly nodded her head.

  Nothing we can do.

  "But let's take care of this," her mother said and walked directly to the largest pile of treasure. "Before he changes his mind."

  Tokara's mother set the war hammer down on the ground and took to unknotting the leather bag's cord. "Watch carefully," Kadana mumbled and crooned a Ven'tarian rhyme while picking at what turned out to be a far more intricate knot than Tokara had realized.

  Tokara knew the language was Ven'tarian, but since she had only recently started studying Ven'tarian with her tutor, she did not know what the words meant. Rhivoli's Mighty Carryall. Rhivoli was the first sorcerer king of Ven'taria. Thousands of years ago. Could it be?

  Her mother turned the bag's opening toward the pile of gold. "You could scoop the coins in," Kadana said. "But I've found with the right chant, the bag will do all the work for you."

  Coins and jewels quivered and then inched their way toward the bag, disappearing down the opening as if sucked down by a large straw. Within moments more coins had disappeared from the pile than could fit into the medium-sized pouch.

  "Where is it all going?" Tokara asked.

  "Into the bag."

  Tokara walked around her mother, examining the leather bag from all sides. The heap of gold and silver grew smaller by the second, as precious coins and colorful baubles disappeared down the carryall's leather throat.

  "How do you get it back out?"

  "Generally, I just shake it out," Kadana confessed. "I hear there are ways of compartmentalizing and drawing things out neatly. For me it's just . . . Jumble in. Jumble out."

  Tokara laughed. Her mother's warrior side had awed Tokara so greatly since her valiant battle with the snow beast Bumpus, she was happy to see Momma's goofy side poke through.

  "There . . . you see." Kadana picked up on the laughter. "I don't know everything."

  Tokara saw the Elder of Ginster's black onyx disappear into the folds of the bag, its golden chain trailing down it like long wiggly worms after a rainstorm.

  "Grab that brooch!" Kadana yelled out.

  Tokara grasped the silver and ruby circle, nearly piercing her finger on the sharp pin as she snatched it from the wavering suction emanating from the bag.

  Kadana threw both hands around the bag's neck in a strangling motion. "We have to make sure there is nothing else sharp!" The alarm in her voice frightened Tokara. "If the bag is punctured or ripped from the inside, it will swallow up everything around it," her mother said, clearly shaken. "Including us!"

  Tokara took an involuntary step away from the bag.

  "I told you it was dangerous." Kadana tied the bag closed again.

  "What if someone stabs it while it is on you?" Tokara thought of how Reeve had fastened it to his pouch belt.

  Kadana raised an angular eyebrow. "I like the way you think, my girl." The thought played across her mother's mind. "But, no. The bag is impenetrable from the outside. The magics that protect it are strong. But from the inside . . ." She paused. "Let's not let that happen while we are anywhere near it. Deal?"

  "Deal," Tokara said but felt uneasy. She frowned at the leather bag, not liking an unpredictable, potentially dangerous magical artifact in Mother's hand. She glanced over at the ancient hammer. I guess we have a lot of strange magics in the castle. She swallowed a breath.

  "Quick as a bunny," Kadana interrupted her brooding, "check for sharp things. Pins, brooches, blades. Anything that can cut or pierce."

  Tokara got on her knees and started scooping through the pile of treasure. "I feel like a pirate queen, Momma."

  Kadana laughed out loud. "Or maybe a dragon. They like to hoard treasure too."

  Tokara let out her best imitation of a dragon's roar. It turned out high-pitched and squeaky, sending them both into fits of laughter.

  "Oh, Momma," Tokara gasped, her ribs aching. "I sounded like a goose."

  "A dragon goose!"

  "A dragon goose," Tokara blubbered, repeating her mother's words.

  It took them longer than anticipated to collect the treasure from the main cave, but snowy-white Bumpus never showed himself despite Tokara and Kadana's continuing merry laughter.

  When they were done, Kadana surveyed the nearly empty chamber. "We will have to leave the barrels of honey mead. They are too awkward to fit in the bag, and there are too many to shove in the sleigh."

  "I wonder how Bumpus got them here."

  "I imagine there is a lot about Bumpus we do not know," her mother said and threw a thoughtful look in the direction of Bumpus' sleep cave. "Let's leave him the barrels anyway. He might enjoy them."

  Tokara wrinkled her nose. "For something that has a sweet name like honey mead, the stuff sure tastes awful."

  Kadana laughed out loud. "Fermented drink is an acquired taste, and I am just as happy if you never acquire it."

  With that, mother and daughter left the cave. The marvelous leather bag, having swallowed up all of the precious things stolen from the three villages, still looked flat and empty.

  Tokara cast one final glance back down the icy tunnel. Wonder if I will ever see Bumpus again. She felt her skin crawling at the thought of all that Bumpus could have taken from her if her family hadn't saved her. But I still feel sorry for him. Bumpus has no family. He's all alone. I can't be angry with him . . . But Momma said I have to be careful.

  For all of her confusion, Tokara felt safe at her mother's side. Stepping from the cave mouth, she treasured the beauty of the encroaching twilight. Her tight chest relaxed, and she breathed easier despite the shooting pains encircling her aching ribs.

  Their cherry-red sleigh stood ready, the polished wood glimmering against the lightly falling snow. The Trotters snuffed out puffs of cold air. Baba Yoshihiro held the larger of the horses by the collar and patted its stout neck.

  Miraculously, the entire sleigh sparkled and jingled with small to medium-sized bells. Reeve knotted the end of the rope to the dash and surveyed his work, obviously proud of his accomplishment. He had stretched the long rope from the front around the back and all the way to the front again, arranging the braiding in flawless loops and attaching the silver bells in even measures.

  Tokara noticed the th
ree large temple bells crammed against each other on the floor under the bench where Rask and the dogs were still cozied together in deep sleep.

  Reeve looked at his mother expectantly.

  "That is nice work, my boy," Kadana said.

  Reeve smiled broadly.

  Guess he's been forgiven,Tokara thought, glad her brother had redeemed himself. She climbed on the middle bench, her legs and feet suddenly feeling like they were made of lead. Through half-closed eyelids, she watched her grandfather take up the Trotters' reins. Her mother and Reeve squeezed onto the bench from both sides, squashing her between them.

  Is there anything better? She smiled drowsily.

  Baba Yoshihiro called out to the horses, and with an abrupt bump, the sleigh started back down the narrow path it had carved earlier.

  The wintry forest grew thicker and darker on either side of them. The woods reminded Tokara of the splendid illustrations in her favorite faerie-story books. She bent her head back and directed her eyes to the firmament. The night sky appeared to her like voluminous blue velvet bedclothes bedecked with sprays of lustrous diamonds.

  Gradually the snowfall increased, and thick flakes crowded out the sights of the forest at night. But the lovely clear tinkling of bells continued to accompany their ride like a joyous chorus.

  Snuggled under her mother's cloak, Tokara felt safe.

  Kadana took her hand, momentarily freed it of its mitten and planted a kiss in her palm. "I am very proud of you, my girl. And I am very relieved," her mother said in a whisper. "This could have gone a whole other way."

  Tokara blinked up at her mother, eyelashes heavy with snowflakes. The look on Kadana's face was hard to interpret. Tokara read happiness and relief there, certainly, but there was steel behind her mother's green eyes too, worry and resolve.

  At the last moment, Tokara turned back to watch Bumpus' cave disappear.

  "You're thinking about him," her mother said, not with judgment but with curiosity.

  "I am thinking about how he is all alone, Momma."

  She thought her mother would say something else wise and comforting, but Kadana only pulled her closer. At the same time, her mother also grabbed Reeve who responded in typical fashion and tried to wiggle away. But, Kadana wouldn't allow him to escape. She hugged both children close, and they all listened to the sound of the bells jingling and of horse hooves clop, clop, cloping through the winter night.