Stone of Tears

“That, too, Sister Margaret, is not for you to know. Do you wish to bring me pain, to attempt to make me tell you?”

She picked up the book of prophecy off the desk. “No, Nathan, I will not do that.”

“Then, will you deliver a message to the Prelate for me?” She nodded, sniffling back the tears that still burned at her eyes. “What would you have me tell her?”

“Will you take this, too, to your grave, and tell no other but the Prelate?”

“If you wish it, although I don’t see why. You can trust the Sisters.

“No. Margaret, I want you to listen to me. When it is the Keeper you battle, you must not trust anyone. I am taking a dangerous chance in trusting you, and the Prelate. Trust no one.” His bunched eyebrows gave him a frightening look. “Only those you trust can betray you.”

“All right, Nathan. What is the message?”

He peered intently at her. At last his words came in a whisper. Tell her that the pebble is in the pond.”

Margaret blinked at him. “What does that mean?”

“You have been frightened enough, child. Don’t tempt your endurance again.”

“Sister Margaret, Nathan,” she said softly. “I am not “child,” but Sister Margaret. Please treat me with the respect I am accorded.”

He smiled. “Forgive me, Sister Margaret.” Sometimes his eyes ran shivers up her spine. “One more thing, Sister Margaret.”

“What is it?”

He reached out and brushed a tear from her cheek. “I don’t really know of your death.” She sighed inwardly with relief. “But I do know something else of importance pertaining to you. Of importance in the battle with the Keeper.”

“If it will help me to bring the Creator’s light upon the world, then tell me.”

He seemed to draw himself inward, looking out at her as if from a great distance. “A time will come, soon, when you stumble upon something, and you will have need to know the answer to a question. I don’t know the question, but when you have the need to find the answer, come to me, and that, I will know. This, too, you must tell no other.”

Thank you, Nathan.” She reached out and touched his hand. The Creator’s blessing on His child.”

“No thank you, Sister. I do not wish anything more from the Creator.”

She stared at him in surprise. “Because we keep you locked inhere?”

His small smile returned. There are many different kinds of prisons, Sister. As far as I am concerned, His blessings are tainted. The only thing worse than being touched by the Creator is being touched by the Keeper. And of that, I am not even resolved.”

She took her hand back. “I will still pray for you, Nathan.”

“If you care so much for me, then free me.”

“I’m sorry, I can’t do that.”

“You mean, you won’t do that.”

“Look at it how you will, but you must remain here.”

At last he turned away from her. She started for the door.

“Sister? Would you send a woman to visit me? To spend a night or two with me?”

The pain in his voice almost made her weep. “I thought you would be beyond that age.”

He slowly turned to her. “You have a lover, Sister Margaret.”

She reeled at this. How could he know? He didn’t know; he was guessing. She was young, and thought attractive by some. Of course she would be interested in men. He was only guessing. But then, none of the Sisters knew what he was able to do.

He was the only wizard they couldn’t trust to be truthful about his powers.

“You listen to gossip, Nathan?”

He smiled. “Tell me, Sister Margaret, do you have the day planned out in advance, when you will be too old for love, even if it is only for a time as fleeting as a night? Exactly how old, Sister, is it, when we lose the need for love?”

She stood silent, ashamed, for a time. “I will go myself, Nathan, into the city, and bring back a woman to visit you for a time. Even if I must pay her price myself. I can’t pledge she will be beautiful to your eyes, as I don’t know what your eyes fancy, but I can vow she will not be empty between the ears, as I think you value this more than you will admit.”

She saw a single tear fall from the corner of his eye. “Thank you, Sister Margaret.”

“But Nathan, you must promise me you will tell her no prophecy.”

He bowed his head slightly. “Of course, Sister. I swear it on my word as a wizard.”

“I mean it, Nathan. I do not wish to have a part in being responsible for people dying. Not only men died in those battles, but women, too. I could not bear having a part in it.”

His eyebrows lifted. “Not even, Sister Margaret, if one of those women would bear, had she lived, a boy child who would grow into a brutal tyrant who would go on to torture and slaughter tens of thousands upon tens of thousands of innocent people, women and children among them? Not even, Sister, if you had a chance to choke off this fork of a terrible prophecy?”

She stood stunned, frozen. At last she made herself blink. “Nathan,” she whispered, “are you saying…”

“Good night, Sister Margaret.” He turned and strode off to the solitude of his small garden, pulling up his black hood as he went.

Chapter 6