I intended, *actually*, not to post any more of this story up here because I wanted to have something different to excerpt. Seeing as how I seem to have spent my entire evening watching "Labyrinth" for the 27 millionth time (David Bowie: "Just fear me, love me--" Me: "Okay!"), I guess I have little choice...
---
[we left off at: ìHealing doesnít leave marks, tigress Eshtine,î the queen said gently. ìIt takes them away.î]
The way she said this brought to Eshtineís mind anotherís words, a similar comment in a different tone of voice. ìWhy shouldnít we try to heal the old division? Why shouldnít we reconcile?î
Veedah the doe had said this. The tigress and she were picking their way over a rocky patch. The stones were worn, the remains of an old streambed. Sometimes they were cracked and Veedahís slim hoof would catch, sliding into the mud of a crevice. Once she was so thoroughly stuck Eshtine had to help push the foot in a complete revolution before they could slip it out.
Veedah had kept to her theme as they clambered over the rocks. ìI donít know why we never got along. Unicorns and deer, I mean. I know why your kind and mine never did.î
ìDeer were jealous, I suspect,î Eshtine had answered. ìThe deer is common and the unicorn rare. You are so alike but all praise the unicorn as much more beautiful, closest to perfection.î
ìThey are what they are, we are what we are,î Veedah had said, her mouth set in a tight line. She had stopped, turned to face the tigress, challenged her with her eyes. ìThe queen doesnít believe in keeping up enmity for the sake of tradition, and neither do I. Someoneís got to heal things sometime.î
ìMedicines, then,î the Queen Unicorn said, snapping Eshtine back to the present. She whistled through the twin spirals of her horn.
In a moment a sleepy bear stumbled into the clearing, followed by a squirrel and a wood pigeon. ìYou called for messengers, your Majesty?î the squirrel asked.
ìYes, and you came,î she said warmly. ìI have errands for all of you. Our guardian tigress has a terribly swollen foot. Kentek, will you find bitterbark for me? We will need enough for Eshtine to chew for three days or soóI expect thatís how long her pain will last.î The squirrel bowed and scampered into the underbrush. ìHoolohs, if you will please gather the seeds and grains for a poultice.î
ìBegging your pardon, your Majesty, but do we have cloth to wrap the seeds in and fire to warm it by?î
ìThe mice will have cloth and a bowl to heat the water and the mash; I will have our bear fetch us fire. Thank you for thinking of it.î The pigeon bowed and flew away. ìNow, bear Grahnah, your task is more complex. Will you go to the human village and ask for the healer? She should have a quantity of dried Ravenay-flower. You may pay her with coins from the treasury or with spice-nuts, whatever she will take. And also please ask for a torch.î
The bear stood, bowed awkwardly, and lumbered off.
Once again the unicorn and the tigress were alone in the clearing. Waves of nausea were beginning to hit Eshtine, and the queen could feel the heat of her fever even from a distance. But the tigress wasnít thinking about that. She was thinking about how she had gone on a journey with the queenís best friend and only one of them had returned.
ìYou know she is dead, donít you?î
The unicorn nodded. The word escaped her in a sigh. ìYes.î
ìYou saw it in your Archives?î
She nodded again.
ìDid you go to check up on us while we were gone?î Eshtine accused. Just as she said this, another, crueler possibility occurred to her. ìOr did you know before we even left?î
The unicorn looked at her. The tigress had wondered sometimes about the emotions that moved like shadows across her queenís face. She had almost never been able to read them. She had decided maybe unicornsí emotional senses were sharper than hers, as cats could smell and hear things others could not, as hawks could see farther than anyone else. So while the queen seemed always aware of her moods, she rarely knew the queenís. Only this timeÖthis time, the unicornís eyes were an easy read.
ìEshtine,î she called, but the tigress was not about to turn back.