Page 24 (1/2)

"Never did I think to see the Hallowed One at another’sup beside her She walked with a li herself on a broken pole that had once served as the shaft for a halberd

"Mother Orla! You startledwith yourself" They had to step aside to make room for the four e that led over the ditch and into the village Alain saw Adica, and he smiled She was not quite sure how she responded, for at that moment Mother Orla pinched her hard on the forearhter!"

She had not been touched in so long--except when Alain had brushed tears from her cheeks to see if she were real that she yelped in surprise, and then was embarrassed that she had done so But thebasket up to the council house where it would be divided up between the village faer who sleeps in a wo is not the kind of adult a village can trust as one of its own"

"I was hasty, Mother Orla Do not think it his doing I invited hi for the proper ceremony"

"He did not enter," retorted Mother Orla approvingly "Or so I hear"

"I hope you will advise me in this matter," Adica s ith Beor"

"That was not a wise match" Mother Orla spat, to free herself of any bad luck fro such an ill-fated decision "Nevertheless, it is done with Beor will see that his jealousy has no place in this village"

"So easily?"

"If he cannot stoo to his Black Deer cousins, or hter and move to Old Fort"

"I believe it would be better to have a strong fighter like Beor stay here until--until the war is over, Mother Orla"

"Thatdown our community in times like these There will be no more spoken on this matter"

"As you wish" In a way, it was a relief to be spoken to as if from aunt to niece It was hard to act as an elder all the ti

"Let the stranger sleep at the men’s house," continued Mother Orla "After all, would you want a man for husband who had so little self-respect that he didn’t expect courtship?"