Rhiannon

Rhiannon didn’t even stop brushing her hair. "I would comply and open myself to you."

"What!" he said in astonishment. "Have you no shame or pride?"

Rhiannon put her brush down and focused on Thomas. "‘Tis not I who would feel shame, sir. ‘Twould be you for forcing yourself on another. Why do you persist in trying to be something you are not? You could no more force yourself on me than kill a man for his purse."

Thomas kneeled on the ground for better balance and roughly pulled her to him. Looking into her eyes he said, "Do not be too sure, madam."

She looked right back. "I am sure. ‘Twould be different if I were issuing an invitation to you or responding to one of your making. But forcing me, nay. I am sure. You are only trying to convince yourself otherwise. Keep trying to fool yourself if you wish but you do not fool me."

He gripped her even harder for an instant and then let go so abruptly that she fell back on her hind side. She didn’t move as she watched him stand up, walk two paces from her and then circle right back. Helping her to her feet, he said almost pleadingly, "Look at me. Tell me exactly what or who you see." And so she did and when that was completed she invited him along with Jabal and Karl to go back to the streambed. There, she did a ritual, cleansing him of his pain, his anger, his false pictures of self and his desecration. Then she and Jabal left him to cry tears of relief, joy and gratitude in the arms of his good friend, Karl.

That night, plans were discussed as to how to change the course of Thomas’s life. Their present location was but a fortnight from his father’s land, which was only another fortnight from the town that Rhiannon and Jabal sought. ‘Twas decided that all would head toward his father’s home. Karl would seek out his own father to see how things bode at the keep and even if Thomas’ father was still alive. Thomas would show the travelers the way to the town of the Twin Peaks but would leave them at its outskirts since his family and his story were well known to the locals. What would happen from there remained to be seen. But there was no doubt about the lifelong friendships that were forged that day.

he town of The Twin Peaks was not at all as Rhiannon had anticipated -- though she would have been hard pressed to say what it was she had expected. Nestled comfortably between the two impressive mountains, the town was built around a very large mountain-fed lake that obviously sourced the town’s visible prosperity. ‘Twas an unpretentious sort of place where affluence manifested as nicely appointed cottages, simply but well dressed and shod people, ample food on the table and a finely-kept church. Although the land about the lake was quite fertile, there was little of it, save for a small-forested area, which provided wood enough for the boatworks. Farms that supplied most of the food for the town were found a short way up the gradually sloping mountains. There too, were rich fields easily watered from the numerous streams flowing down the mountainsides. The mountain people were a bit different from the fisher people but frequent interaction and interdependence bred respect and friendship. Marriage between the two communities was not unusual and was accepted by both. There was, however, a third group of people, known as the high dwellers, that were not so readily accepted. These were the mountain trappers and other loners whose isolated ways of living and infrequent appearances had done little to endear them to the town folk. Indeed their odd ways were sometimes viewed with suspect. Rhiannon and Jabal learned all this from Greta, the talkative wife of the innkeeper. It was also through her that they eventually discovered the identity of the unknown woman they sought. On their third morning as the two were being served breakfast by Greta, another woman entered the inn. Greta’s smile froze on her face but it stopped her rather malicious tongue for only a moment. "That woman," she said, pointing to the newcomer, "has disobeyed the will of God." Shuddering and crossing herself, the innkeeper’s wife continued, "Her infant son was very sick and when our herbalist failed to help him, she took her son to the priests. They declared him incurable and said it was the will of God that he should die. That woman, Liza, spat in the face of the priest and took her son away. And we think she took him to the heathen healer up in the mountains, who put some sort of spell on him. Now the baby looks healthy enough but what of his soul? I pity the child. What kind of mother would do such a thing?" she asked with outrage.

Rhiannon’s first impulse was to wipe away the woman’s smug expression masquerading as righteousness. But when Jabal laid a restraining hand upon her arm, Rhiannon took a deep breath and instead asked, "How know you this healer is a heathen who opposes the will of God?"

Greta brought her face close to the priestess’ and whispered, "Why, ‘tis common knowledge that she and her clan talk to animals, cast spells on unsuspecting Christians and hold unholy rituals." She shivered. "The mountain men say the clan has disappeared and all that is left is the old lady. She was old when I was a child. If not for magic, how could she still live and all alone up in the mountains? But maybe that is a mountain tale for she has not been seen in this town since the priest accused her of witchcraft many turns of the wheel ago." She scratched her ample chin in confusion. "But if she is dead, who cast the spell upon the child?" Unable to figure it out, she fell silent.

"And where," asked Jabal, "might one go if he thought to find this woman -- if she is indeed alive?"

Greta looked horrified. "Surely sir, you jest." She turned to Rhiannon. "You would not allow your guard to thusly engage?"

Rhiannon looked at the woman not unkindly as she answered. "In truth, our business takes us into the mountains. Nay," she continued, holding up a hand as if to physically stay the woman’s inevitable questions, "I am not free to share the nature of our travels. Jabal only does his job when he seeks to know who and what we might encounter. Any information you can share would be appreciated."