Dreamsnake

“You needn’t guard yourself against serpents,” Snake said.

Ignoring him, ignoring Snake, the mayor leaned toward Melissa. “Child, have you been to a women’s teacher?”

Melissa hesitated, but finally she answered. “I don’t know what that is.”

“No one would accept her,” Ras said.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Our teachers don’t refuse people. Did you take her to one or not?”

Ras stared at his knees and said nothing more.

“It’s easy enough to check.”

“No, sir.”

“No! No?” The mayor flung off the bedclothes and got up, stumbling but catching himself. He stood over Ras, a big man confronting another big man, two huge handsome creatures facing each other, one livid, one pale before the other’s rage.

“Why not?”

“She doesn’t need a teacher.”

“How dare you do such a thing!” The mayor leaned forward until Ras was pressed back in the chair away from him. “How dare you endanger her! How dare you condemn her to ignorance and discomfort!”

“She isn’t in danger! She doesn’t need to protect herself—who would ever touch her?”

“You touch me!” Melissa ran to Snake and flung herself against her. Snake hugged the child close.

“You—” The mayor straightened and stepped back. Brian, appearing silently, supported him before his leg failed him. “What does she mean, Ras? Why is she so frightened?”

Ras shook his head.

“Make him say it!” Melissa cried, facing them squarely. “Make him!”

The mayor limped to her and stooped down awkwardly. He looked Melissa directly in the face. Neither he nor she flinched.

“I know you’re frightened of him, Melissa. Why is he so frightened of you?”

“Because Mistress Snake believes me.”

The mayor drew in a long breath. “Did you want him?”

“No,” she whispered.

“Ungrateful little brat!” Ras yelled. “Spiteful ugly thing! Who else but me would ever touch her?”

The mayor ignored Ras and took Melissa’s hand in both his.

“The healer’s your guardian from now on. You’re free to go with her.”

“Thank you. Thank you, sir.”

The mayor lurched back to his feet. “Brian, find me her guardianship papers in the city records—Sit down, Ras—And Brian, I’ll want a messenger to ride into town. To the menders.”

“You slaver,” Ras growled. “So this is how you steal children. People will—”

“Shut up, Ras.” The mayor sounded exhausted far beyond his brief exertion, and he was pale. “I can’t exile you. I have a responsibility to protect other people. Other children. Your troubles are my troubles now, and they must be resolved. Will you talk to the menders?”

“I don’t need the menders.”

“Will you go voluntarily or would you prefer a trial?”

Ras lowered himself slowly back into the chair, and finally nodded. “Voluntarily,” he said.

Snake stood up, her arm around Melissa’s shoulders, Melissa with an arm around her waist and her head turned slightly so the scar was almost concealed. Together they walked away.

“Thank you, healer,” the mayor said.

“Good-bye,” Snake said, and shut the door.

She and Melissa walked through the echoing hallway to the second tower.

“I was so scared,” Melissa said.

“So was I. For a little while I thought I’d have to steal you.”

Melissa looked up. “Would you really do that?”

“Yes.”

Melissa was silent for a moment. “I’m sorry,” she said.

“Sorry! What for?”

“I should have trusted you. I didn’t. But I will from now on. I won’t be scared any more.”

“You had a right to be scared, Melissa.”

“I’m not now. I won’t be any more. Where are we going?” For the first time since Melissa had offered to ride Squirrel, her voice held self-confidence and enthusiasm with no undertone of dread.

“Well,” Snake said, “I think you should go on up north to the healers’ station. Home.”

“What about you?”

“I have one more thing I have to do before I can go home. Don’t worry, you can go almost halfway with Gabriel. I’ll write a letter for you to take, and you’ll have Squirrel. They’ll know I sent you.”

“I’d rather go with you.”

Realizing how shaken Melissa was, Snake stopped. “I’d rather have you come too, please believe me. But I have to go to Center and it might not be safe.”

“I’m not afraid of any crazy. Besides, if I’m along we can keep watch.”

Snake had forgotten about the crazy; the reminder brought a quick shock of memory.

“Yes, the crazy’s another problem. But the storms are coming, it’s nearly winter. I don’t know if I can get back from the city before then.” And it would be better for Melissa to become established at the station, before Snake returned, in case the trip to Center failed. Then, even if Snake had to leave, Melissa would be able to remain.

“I don’t care about the storms,” Melissa said. “I’m not afraid.”

“I know you’re not. It’s just that there’s no reason for you to be in danger.”

Melissa did not reply. Snake knelt down and turned the child toward her.

“Do you think I’m trying to avoid you now?”

After a few moments, Melissa said, “I don’t know what to think, Mistress Snake. You said if I didn’t live here I could be responsible for myself and do what I thought was right. But I don’t think it’s right for me to leave you, with the crazy and the storms.”