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now I face a world with less
fear. But perhaps with less love."
"Bethsany?" Aimee's face was stained with slight tears, like the old
matron's. "How did you come to leave Darachmod? That was the second half
of your tale."
"Aye," Bethsany replied. "So it was. And we have not much time to
tell it. But I shall endeavor to do my best."
In the spring of the following year, as in every year, the women of
Darachmod prepared to travel down to the city of Melefar to trade the
products of the past winter's efforts. Darachmod was poor in metals but
rich in growing things, and frequently the lower cities coveted the fruits
of our fields. We used this to our advantage, dressing our travellers in
great baubles of steel and copper, outfitting our warriors with the
brightest of armors. Lost in all that and as badly in grip of their
testicles as ever, the metalsmiths of Melefar were easy prey for the deals
of our best merchants.
I asked to go with them. It was a trade I wished to learn and, truth
be known, I could no longer stand to live in the house that Myr had built.
Perhaps not the outside shell, but every trace of the indoors looked of Hisami's
and smelt of her. Hisami's herbs I still found in the pantry; one whiff
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