Luthiel's Song: Dreams of the Ringed Vale Read online

  “Not even Lorethain can catch me,” she said. She seemed to have found what she was looking for and balled her hand around it so Luthiel couldn’t see.

  Leowin’s face, though still happy, suddenly became more somber. She placed a hand on Luthiel’s chest and gently pushed her away as she stood. She took a moment to brush herself off with her free hand.

  “You sure made a mess of me,” Leowin said.

  “I can only take half the blame,” Luthiel replied. “You’re the one who jumped into that muddy pond.”

  “That I did,” Leowin said with a grin.

  Then, she stepped forward and embraced Luthiel.

  “Happy birthday Luthiel,” she breathed into her ear, pressing something round and cool into her hand.

  Luthiel laughed. “So I had to catch you before you’d give me a birthday present?”

  Leowin’s eyes twinkled with mischief as she nodded her head. “I wanted to make you earn it.”

  Luthiel shook her head and laughed. “Well, it certainly is an odd way to get a present.”

  “Odd? It’s a surprise,” Leowin said and then motioned at Luthiel’s hand. “Aren’t you going to take a look at your present?” she asked.

  Luthiel’s eyes dropped and she opened her hand. In it she held a perfectly round crystal. The Stone was clear as glass but the light that fell through it somehow came out brighter, more like silver. It was as if it washed the light. Luthiel’s mouth fell open in wonder.

  “Leowin, it’s beautiful,” she said, her voice touched with awe. “I’ve never seen a thing do that to light. What is it?”

  Leowin smiled at her mysteriously.

  “I’m glad you like it. Here, let’s get off the path a bit,” she said, grabbing her wrist and walking her over to the side of the road.

  Luthiel nodded, still staring at the treasure she held in her hands.

  Far in the distance Luthiel could hear the shriek of a Romas candle. Soelee had started to set. The festivities would begin soon. For the moment, though, she didn’t care. She was captivated and surprised by Leowin’s gift.

  Leowin guided Luthiel away from the road, finally sitting her down on the wide roots of an oak.

  “Just sit here and watch the Stone,” Leowin said.

  Luthiel couldn’t have done otherwise; it was as if some spell had captured her eyes.

  Suddenly, unexpectedly, Leowin began to sing. The words of the song were simple; the tune, one she’d never heard before.

  More graceful than willows, more lithe than the birds

  Softer than Silva, she’s the kindest of words

  For she’s wise as the ocean, a great mystery

  And her love is as endless, with depths I can’t see

  Luthiel! Luthiel!

  Her name is for water both gentle and strong

  Like the waves on a seashore she sings her own song

  No mountains may bar her she carves her own path

  And her timeless will no thing can outlast

  Luthiel! Luthiel!

  No truer one I’ve known!

  Luthiel! Luthiel!

  The water through stone.

  The song lulled through the forest and surrounded Luthiel like a pair of loving arms. She felt her cheeks become hot as her sister sang and in her heart she felt a deep, aching warmth. Then, as Leowin stopped singing, the Stone trembled in her hand. A note, so pure and forlorn that it drew a tear from her eye, rose up from the Stone. The sound seemed both loving and full of sorrow. The note became louder and the aching in her chest grew until it seemed unbearable. She couldn’t restrain it any longer. Before she knew what she was doing, she opened her mouth.

  The sound that came out was both loud and pure. It blended with the music of the Stone, coming into harmony with it. The song continued, drawing all the air from her. When she could sing no more, the Stone’s music abruptly stopped.

  Luthiel gasped for breath, but she still couldn’t take her eyes away from the Stone.

  Then, a brilliant light bloomed from its depths, bathing the forest in a silvery-white glow, making the trees cast long shadows in a ring around them. As Luthiel watched, breathless, the light shone on for about three heartbeats and then slowly dimmed until all that remained was a small silver glimmer in the center of the Stone.

  Finally, she was able to tear her eyes away.

  She felt different—as if something had changed her.

  Luthiel didn’t know what to say.

  “What is it? What’s it done to me?”

  Leowin, who’d been watching Luthiel with a fascinated gleam in her eye, grabbed her hand.

  “Luthiel, it’s all right, don’t be afraid. What just happened is wonderful,” she whispered in excitement.

  Luthiel could only stare back at her.

  The Stone rested in her trembling palm. But she kept her eyes from it. She felt an urge to let it roll over her fingertips and off her hand. But she didn’t. Instead, she blinked her eyes and licked the beads of sweat off her lip.

  What has Leowin done? she thought.

  “The Stone is a secret thing,” Leowin continued, “I didn’t know what it was when I found it. Sure, I had my suspicions. I’ve read a bit in the libraries at Ithilden about such things.”

  Leowin had taken a few trips to Ithilden with Father Glendoras and Uncle Hueron. Often she would brag of her exploits there in the late night when most of the flir bugs had dimmed into slumber. Her most daring were her forays into the forbidden halls of Imûl.

  A great library of lore long considered dangerous was secured there. Only those with special permission could enter and study. Except, of course, for Leowin who was exceptionally good at getting into places she shouldn’t.

  Leowin was quite proud of her exploits.

  Luthiel, whose voice had been taken from her only moments earlier, was having difficulty finding it again.

  “You!” Luthiel said finally. “You’ve got me wrapped up in some Secret Finder’s game. Why?”

  Leowin looked at the Stone and then smiled up at her. There was mischief in that grin—but there was also wonderment.

  “Well, I’ve always wanted to be one,” she said. “Maybe discovering this means I am.” She motioned to the Stone. “There’s only one type of thing that can do what it does to light,” she explained. “I spent days gazing at it, watching it turn flir bug’s glow from yellow to silver. So I thought I’d give it a test. Now I know.”

  “What do you mean, a test? What have you gotten me into?” Luthiel asked.

  “No, Luthiel, you don’t understand—this is wonderful!” Leowin said. “It’s a treasure! A Wyrd Stone, one of the few crafted by the hands of Vlad Valkire.”

  Luthiel felt her mouth fall open in disbelief. She knew of Vlad Valkire only from the old ballad called the Lilting. It was just a myth—telling how Valkire freed all of Oesha from the Vyrl and how, in the end, his father killed him. She didn’t believe in it. It was just a sad old tale, one that tried to explain things for which there were no explanations.

  Luthiel looked at Leowin.

  “How can this be? I never even believed in the old song.” She held the Stone before her eyes as though seeing it for the first time all over again. There was dismay in her voice. “I am not Valkire. I am only Luthiel. Why should I keep his Stone? It should stay in the fairy tales with him.”

  Leowin put her hand on Luthiel’s shoulder.

  “Don’t worry, Luthiel. ‘Truth’s existence never depended upon belief.’ If Valkire left us with it, then it is a gift we should not refuse.”

  “He also left us with the Vyrl,” Luthiel said.

  Leowin sighed. “The Stone is not a creation of the Vyrl, Luthiel. It is a good thing and it chose you.” She was smiling at Luthiel again. “I had to give it to you the right way, though—with love and with a song. And I did.”

  “What’s it for?” Luthiel asked.

  Leowin looked at her with a level gaze and a serious expression. “Luthiel, it’s whatever you want it t
o be for. But don’t worry about all that right now. Just accept it.”

  Luthiel gazed at the Stone for a long time before she spoke again. It was such a simple thing—so smooth, so round. But it had a way of holding her eyes. It was like staring into a pool of water so clear she couldn’t tell if the bottom was near, or very far beneath. Something about it drew her—making her want to dive inside. “I don’t know what to think of your gift. It feels light in my hand but when I look at it, it seems a strange weight has been laid on my heart. It’s not a good or a bad weight, though, just something that is.”

  Leowin only smiled knowingly.

  Luthiel felt apprehensive, but she didn’t want to refuse Leowin’s gift. She was still trying to take it all in when a sudden thought rose to the surface of her muddled mind.

  “Leowin, where did you find this? You said a number were made but I’ve never seen one.”

  Leowin stared off into the distance for a moment and then met eyes with her. “There weren’t many even to start with. Now there are only a few.”

  “But where did you find this one?” Luthiel said.

  A nervous grin spread over Leowin’s face.

  “I stole it from Elag.”

  “You did what?” Luthiel’s back stiffened and her head jerked upright. “Leowin, that’s just too far! The sorcerer is dangerous. You remember what happened last time!”

  Leowin shrugged her shoulders. “But we only took carrots.”

  Luthiel waved the Wyrd Stone in front of her. “This is more than carrots!”

  “He’d locked it up.” Leowin nodded at the Stone. “So I spied on him. I saw him trying to use it, over and over again. But so long as he held it, it darkened. He was doing it all wrong. He needed to sing to it and then give it away freely to the right person before it would work properly. Instead, he kept it locked in an iron box and never let even the dimmest light touch it. Even without all the secrets I’ve discovered over the years, I’d have known that the magic within the Stone was starting to die. But you don’t just go telling someone like Elag that they’re making a terrible mistake.”

  Luthiel wondered if it was a mistake at all.

  “One thing’s certain,” Leowin continued. “He wanted to keep it for himself. You should have seen the things he did to protect it! Didn’t work, though. It was much happier after I’d saved it from him. In his hands it was all dull and cloudy. But I knew how to turn it back to silver. It was very relieved.” Leowin seemed quite pleased with herself.

  Luthiel looked down at the Stone with wonder and, for a moment, set aside her fear. “You speak as if it were a feeling thing.”

  “Well, it’s supposed to be.” Leowin replied. “I read that if the Stone is around someone who is in extreme pain, or has fallen into madness, or has bad thoughts it darkens.”

  Luthiel wondered once again if it would be wise to keep the Stone. Valkire, Elag, and its magic all implied a business she did not want to become involved in.

  “If Elag ever finds out, Leowin, he’ll have us both thrown out of the Minonowe or worse. He’s very well respected in Ithilden. Besides, he doesn’t like you and he hates me. He’d take any excuse he could get.”

  “Will you stop worrying about Elag? I know all about him and there’s no reason for Ithilden to respect him. Why, with all the things he’s been dabbling with, he’s the one who should be exiled. All the more reason why I had to take it.”

  “Do you realize what you’ve done? I can’t keep this.” Luthiel said, trying to press the Stone into Leowin’s hand.

  Leowin pushed it back toward her.

  “Luthiel—you don’t understand. It’s yours now. Others may keep it but it will be yours for as long as you live. Likely it would find its way back to you even if you did return it to Elag.” Leowin leaned closer and her voice became a low whisper.

  “Besides, Lorethain said that it was with you when you came to the Minonowe and that Elag took it from you then.” Leowin’s lips formed a half-smile. “Lore was drinking too much honeywine again. He’ll talk about anything when he’s like that.”

  “What are you saying?” Luthiel said, her voice catching in her throat. “It came with me?”

  “Well, Lorethain didn’t say much. But yes, it came with you.”

  “Then it could be from my parents,” Luthiel said, staring at the Stone with renewed interest. “But Elag took it?”

  Leowin nodded.

  “What did he do? Snatch it from my bower?” Luthiel said hotly. “Did they just stand by and let him?”

  “Well, I don’t know,” Leowin stammered. “Lore was really drunk and he mumbled a lot. I don’t know how it happened.”

  “Then how do you know that it’s mine?”

  “Well, Lore was clear on that part. I’m certain it was yours.”

  Luthiel looked at Leowin for a long moment, unsure whether to believe her. It seemed so improbable.

  “Does Lorethain know you stole it from his tutor?” Luthiel whispered. Though no one was around, she felt the sudden urge to be quiet.

  “No, of course he doesn’t. He’d feel obligated to tell Elag. Luthiel, I’m just returning what was yours. Your mother or father must have left this with you. I can only imagine who they were.” Leowin’s eyes fell to the ground.

  Luthiel felt anger rising in the pit of her stomach. She didn’t like such talk. It made her feel like she didn’t belong.

  “I never knew them. Leowin, you are my family,” Luthiel said.

  Leowin returned her gaze sadly. “Luthiel, it’s not wise to disregard who you are—whatever that may be.”

  Luthiel sighed and looked down at the Stone apprehensively. It’s just a stone, she told herself. Still, she carefully placed it in a silken pouch and tied it to the silver chain that hung around her neck.

  “I don’t know if I understand what it is that you’ve given me, but I wish you’d stop talking about me like that. I’m not ever going to leave the Minonowe. There’s no place in all of wide Oesha I’d rather be than here.” Luthiel paused for a moment and then looked directly into Leowin’s eyes.

  “I want you to know that I’ll always cherish the gifts you’ve given me—both the song and the Stone,” Luthiel said.

  Leowin stepped forward and put her hand on Luthiel’s shoulder. “You’re just a mystery. Sometimes, I’m afraid that whoever brought you here might come back and take you off again.”

  “What are you talking about? Why would I leave?” Luthiel asked.

  Leowin shrugged and shook her head. “I don’t know,” she said. “I’m glad you like your birthday present, Luthiel.” Then she smiled at her. “Oh, and I almost forgot to tell you. If you want to use the Stone, just sing to it but also think of someone who loves you very much. You could think of me!” Then the smile faded and she placed both hands on Luthiel’s shoulders and looked her directly in the eyes. “Understand?”

  Luthiel nodded stiffly, wondering at Leowin’s sudden mood changes.

  “Good,” Leowin said. “Now let’s go back before we miss all the fun!” She laughed and Luthiel managed to smile back at her.

  A Blade Dancer Comes

  I don’t understand anything, she thought to herself as they turned down the East Wind road toward Flir Light. While they walked, she found her thoughts returning, as they often did when strange things happened, to the sorcerer.

  Luthiel couldn’t remember a time when the sorcerer didn’t scare her. Her brother Lorethain, who was Elag’s apprentice, always laughed at how she’d jump at just the mention of his name. She used to chide herself for her fear. But that was before she and Leowin got it into them to steal some of Elag’s carrots.

  She remembered the sickening sensation of a tree branch slithering around her ankle just before she was jerked upside-down and then hauled into the heart of Elag’s Fae holme. Once inside, the great tree split open and began stuffing her and Leowin into a gaping fissure in its trunk. Gnarled knobs in the wood ground into them like great wooden teeth. Her right arm was
pinned between two of the knobs. She cried out as it was slowly crushed.

  Elag was there, but he only stood and laughed.

  “My, my, see the great rabbit my tree has caught!” He grabbed Leowin’s foot and gave it a painful twist. “And look at this weird one!” he said to Luthiel. “A fine bit of fertilizer you’ll make!” His laughter was cold and he just sat there watching with a gleam in his eye as the tree began to close about them.

  The nobs crushed against her, forcing the breath from her lungs and wrenching her arm. She could feel the bones grinding together. She cried out again, but Elag just stood there, watching.

  Then one of Elag’s wind charms tinkled, announcing a visitor. Elag made a quick wave of his hand and Luthiel was spat out of the tree’s maw as it sealed itself behind her. Luthiel cradled her painfully twisted arm close to her body.

  Lorethain walked in briskly and handed something to Elag. He raised an eyebrow when he saw them laying on the floor all covered in sap.

  Elag chuckled. “See the two rabbits my tree caught? Trying to pilfer carrots from the garden. They’re fortunate I was here. Who knows what could have happened if I wasn’t?” Luthiel gasped at the disappointment in his voice.

  He and Luthiel had locked eyes then. There was something cold in his gaze that she couldn’t shake from her mind. It kept coming back to her, like the ache in her arm when the weather changed.

  “Well, you’d better take these carrot thieves home for a bath,” Elag said with a sneer and a dismissive wave of his hand.

  Luthiel remembered how she’d limped home. Remembered how she’d made Leowin swear never to set foot under the twisted branches of Elag’s fae holme again. But Leowin wasn’t much for promises when there was a bit of mischief to be had.

  She should have never gone back. Especially not for my Stone, she thought. Elag will kill us. The thought hung in her mind and she could see his cold eyes staring at her once more.

  “Leowin?” she said.

  “Mmmm?” Leowin smiled at her.

  “I just had a thought about Elag.”

  “Not him again!”