---------------------------------------- The Quartz Key Chapter Fifty-Seven by Lianne Burwell February 2003 ---------------------------------------- Judas scrubbed at his face, even though he'd let no tears fall. Even though it was not yet noon, he felt exhausted. He straightened and composed himself when he felt the arrival of the midday meal, though. The conversation with the High Priestess had been disheartening to say the least, although at least he had a better idea of what life in the temple was like, and what his place would be in it. Despite his readings, both in Ajantha and here, he had not realized just how tightly controlled the temple was by the clan leaders. He had known that women of the south had little freedom, but the temple was populated by women only, devoted to a goddess. He would have thought that they, at least, would have some say in their lives, but it seemed that it was not so. Indeed, the higher the rank, the less freedom was had, with the High Priestess a virtual prisoner, never allowed to leave the temple or walk among the people she was supposed to serve. And the idea that those men who made the decisions might expect him to father children, and with Nahanna no less, was almost sickening. His stomach clenched at the thought of lying down with anyone but Nemir. Nemir had been his first, and he had thought would be his last. He would have had to share Nemir with a wife, eventually, but Judas had no desire to marry himself. It was not likely that he would find a woman who would be interested in a man who had been a slave, let alone with his freakish coloring. Even in Nemir freed him and gave him a place in the court after his marriage, he would not be considered proper marriage material. He would remain true to Nemir, much as Lord Konda had been true to the Prince, Nemir's father, before him. The High Priestess -- whose name he still did not know -- had left shortly before the meal, promising that she would come to speak with him again. Judas hoped that she would, even though he knew that the only reason that she had been sent to him was to convince him to accept his place; something that he had no intention of doing. The midday meal was a simple one, with a bowl of soup and bread still warm from the ovens. The soup was a savory mix of vegetable broth with pieces of potato and carrots. Meat was something he had not tasted since his arrival at the temple. The avoidance of meat was one of the facts of temple life that no one had explained to him, and he had not bothered to ask. It would not do to show too much interest, he thought. He ate slowly to fill the time, then set the dishes aside. He was thankful that they no longer tried to feed him. He had proven that he could feed himself, even though it might have been wiser not to show them that much competence. Then he got to his feet and carefully shuffled towards the side of the room where his bed waited. The midday services were ongoing -- services that he was not expected to attend as of yet -- so he would be left alone for some time to come. There had been no books left behind the day before, no doubt in anticipation of his morning visitor, so instead of sitting and waiting, he decided to take a nap. >>>~~~<<< "Just because they expect you to follow their rules does not mean that you must," the Lady said from her seat in the window overlooking the city of the cavern. She held a strange instrument, shaped somewhat like a guitar, but held across the lap, facing up, plucking idly at the strings, filling the air with a soft music. It was eerie in tone, but suited her completely. Her hair was black as midnight, cascading down her back and to the floor. Her eyes were a pale silvery gray that matched her garments. They were embroidered in silver and black with images of the night sky and strange, mythical creatures. "I am blind, and trapped in the heart of the land they control. What choice do I have?" Judas said bitterly, almost throwing himself on a pile of cushions at the Lady's feet. If she had a name, he had not learned it, although he had his suspicions who she was. Certainly, she had to be more than simply a dream wraith, haunting him. "You do not seem terribly blind to me," she said with a soft smile. Judas sighed. "Not here, but in the waking world, I can see little." "You see more than you think," she said, enigmatically. Judas shook his head, then rested it against his knees, his bent legs hugged to his chest. "I miss him," he said softly, barely more than a whisper. The music stilled, and a gentle hand stroked his head for a moment before returning to the instrument's strings. "I know you do," she said, just as softly, and with a touch of sadness. "But do not despair. You may see him again." "And what of the plans the clan leaders have for me? Not the plans that no one can explain, of how they think I can kill the God-King, which I do not believe is possible. The plan to use me to breed more children for them." "Would that be so terrible?" Judas lifted his head and stared at her in horror. "Yes! To bed any but Nemir..." He shuddered. Then his expression hardened. "And if they expect to use me as stud, it had best not be Nahanna. If she comes within my grasp, she will not leave it intact." The Lady's laughter was like silver bells. "So blood- thirsty you are, little one," she said lightly, although her tone was slightly disapproving. Her words punctured his anger, and his breath left him in one long hiss. "I wish I knew where Nemir is, what he is doing. If I could only see him again." There was silence for a moment, a silence that seemed full of portent. Frowning, Judas looked up and found the Lady looking at him with an approving expression. "I wondered if you would ever ask," she said. She set the guitar-like instrument aside and stood, holding out her hand to him. "Come," she said, and he took her hand. Her grip was strong for so slight a woman, although he was again surprised at her height; even a little taller than himself, and he had met few that came even close to his own height, even in the south. Still holding his hand, she turned to the window, drawing him to her side. "Look, and tell me what you see," she said, gesturing towards the window with her other hand. Judas frowned. "I see the cavern, and the lake," he said. "I see the lights of the gems and the strange plants you showed me before. It is lovely, like a landscape under a full moon, but it is a sight I have seen many times before." "Of course, for that is what you expect to see. It goes with what you have always been told you should see. Now, close your eyes." When he hesitated, she released his hand and covered his eyes. "Close them, sweet child. Now think of your love. Picture him in your mind." Judas sighed. He did not seen the reason for this, but he did as she asked. To this time, none of the lessons she taught had been without a point, so he trusted that there was one to this exercise. He pictured Nemir as he had last seen the man, dressed in dusty robes, haggling with the jeweler for the heavy necklace that he wore all the time. At times it surprised him that he had been allowed to keep it, as wells as the quartz stone that hung from it, but the priestesses of the temple did not seem to even notice it. He was grateful, for if they had tried to take it from him, they would have had to kill him, for he would not surrender it while he lived. "Open you eyes, child, and see," the Lady said, with satisfaction plain in her voice. Obediently, Judas did as he was told, and gasped. The window no longer opened onto the cavern. He no longer saw the gleaming stones, the still waters, the glow. Instead, he saw bright sunshine and water that flowed slowly. A river wound its way through a lush landscape, full of greenery he did not recognize, and on the edge of the river, three men rode. Two rode together, one slender and the other both taller and broader. The third rode ahead, all his attention focused on the land around him. Judas watched that man hungrily, and for a moment was dizzied as Nemir's image suddenly grew until it nearly filled the window. "He looks tired," he said, seeing the dark marks under the man's eyes. Nemir looked tired, and thinner, and yet, at the same time, he seemed full of health and energy. Nemir tilted his head back, closing his eyes briefly as he turned his face to the sun overhead. The lines were deeper on his face, and yet, his skin was tanned darker than it had been since they day they met, when he had just returned from his time in the desert guard. Sunlight added highlights to his hair that were almost gold in color, to match his skin. Then Nemir opened his eyes, and Judas frowned. His eyes, normally a rich, dark brown, seemed wrong somehow. And yet, he had no doubt that he was seeing his beloved, as he was now, not some product of his own mind. Without thinking, Judas reached towards his beloved, desperate to touch him, for a moment believing that he truly was there, just on the other side of the window opening. But as his hand seemed to touch the image, it vanished, like a soap bubble bursting, and all he saw was the cavern and the silent lake once again. He sagged, suddenly exhausted, but the Lady caught him before he could fall to his knees. "Easy. Seeing requires great strength of will, and it can be draining to those who are just learning how. But your will is already strong, and the time is coming when it will need to be stronger still. Dark days are coming, child, and it is time you learned the skills that you will need in them." Her grip was now even stronger, more so than it should have been, and her gray eyes glowed with the light of the night sky. Judas found himself sinking into them, the darkness enveloping him like a warm cloak, and he fell. END CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN