Rhistmaege

Starting Over

Bisby, true to his word, took the time and care to show Dovi around his sleeping quarters. Surprisingly Dovi actually enjoyed sharing the cozy cave with Bisby. The odd little man's company was quite comforting and allowed him to drift off to sleep.

After awakening the next day refreshed, Dovi washed up, and broke his fast upon a small table set in the sun drenched meadow. He rubbed at his belly and sipped a sweetened coffee Bisby claimed to have imported from beyond the Strait of Hexbelocke.

"I meant to ask you. You never spoke to me in Avrenhalde. Why?  Wouldn't that have made it easier on me?" asked Dovi.

Bisby nibbled at a heel of crusty brown bread smeared with a thick blackberry jam.

"Remember, Meregrund here, is not - How should I say? It's not connected to Avrenhalde. Think of it as a- a- a bubble of Rhist, if you will." Bisby stopped and licked at the tips of his fingers. "When you leapt into that crevasse, Tuck opened our pocket of Rhist to you. Outside of this pocket, in hawk form, my intelligence is, well rather limited."

"Limited?"

"Without Tuck's mental aid I would spend all day hunting. I crave small game, but Tuck forces me to sustain on Tiger worms, Grey worms, and low how I hate to admit it, worst of all, are the disgusting, Dung worms. You do know why they call them dung worms, don't you?" Bisby dropped the last bit of bread down upon his plate, and made a sour face. "I've lost my appetite."

"Is it like controlling a Bog Reaver?"

"Not quite. That's the dumbed-down version. I'm always in contact with Tuck. He sees through my hawk eyes and gives rudimentary commands a hawk would ordinarily perform. Mostly follow this or go grab that. Simple stuff."

"Good morning gentleman," said Tuck, who had sidled up next to them.

"Hello," said Dovi without much enthusiasm. I hope he has the sense to apologize for last night.

"Bisby, if you don't mind, could you prepare yourself for a traveling. I'd like to find out what happened to Montiverus, and want an eyeball put on Craeve and Ruenwall. See you in about an hour," said Tuck with a smiling nod.

Bisby dabbed at the corners of his mouth, then bowed and walked back towards his quarters.

"I hope Bisby has seen to your needs. I apologize for the dated clothing. The fabric is well-made and at least it all seems to fit you well."

Dovi rubbed a thumb and forefinger on the lace-trimmed collar of his dark gray doublet, then self-consciously smoothed the wrinkled long-sleeves of his white cotton shirt. Black cotton pants were a tad loose in the thighs, but were tapered well at the ankle.

"Thank you. Bisby has been quite the host. He has made me feel most welcome." Unlike some others here.

Tuck sat, glanced towards the sky, closed his eyes and basked in the sunlight.

After an awkward five minutes, Dovi broke the silence. "So, what am I supposed to do now?"

Tuck continued with his deep relaxation, and ignored Dovi's question.

"Hey, I asked you a question. Are you always this rude?" I swear!

Again, there was no response.

Dovi felt his breath quicken, and the tips of his ears grew warm. His arrogance is just sickening. Craeve treated me better than this.

"If this is how I'm going to be treated, I want to go back. Send me home. Y-You probably just don't have a clue what to do. Is that it? Washed up Maege, who doesn't know what to do," said Dovi, silently cursing himself for sounding like a spoiled brat. I don't care. He has no right to ignore me.

Tuck opened his eyes, which were now a deep green, stood and walked away from Dovi without uttering a word. He made his way to the cottage, opened the door and disappeared inside without so much as a glance back.

"Son of a bitch," Dovi said out loud to himself. What's this about? Another damn test? "I'll get to the bottom of this."

Dovi ran across the grass field and skipped down the steps to Bisby's room. Bisby started as Dovi burst through the door.

"Your boss is a horse's arse. What's his problem?" asked Dovi, all in a huff.

Bisby smiled, then turned and continued straightening up his things.

"I remember the first time I met him. Had quite similar thoughts. Spitting arrows at the way I was treated. That was back in Wroughton Grove. Nemmy and I had been so happy. Tuck implored us to leave. Said it wasn't safe, but couldn't say why. I didn't know him from the south side of a pig's bottom. I was all bluster and blither back then. Knew it all. Knew what was best for Nemmy and I." Bisby shook his head. His eyes became glassy. "I should have listened to him back then."

Dovi felt the flaring anger in the pit of his stomach fall away. A wave of embarrassment swept through him. "I'm sorry. I heard- stories about Nemmy. Must have been horrible for you."

Bisby smoothed the checkered red and brown quilt sitting atop his short feather bed. "Past is passed. Long journeys lie ahead, but the longest journeys lead back to the man you used to be. Isn't that the saying? Well, I wallowed in misery for a very long time. Tuck finally made me see the way to let go. He is not as bad as he seems. Unconventional? Yes, but he always has your best interest at hand."

"If you don't mind me asking...who was Muck Sooth? Stories say he was Nemmy's caretaker, after you, after, well, the stories say you disappeared. Muck Sooth was found spiked on a tree. Like what happened to Longbeard and Wulfgen, and Rabby." He swallowed hard.

"Some things lose the grip of truth as the years pass, but that is not for me to say, right now. These things are best explained by the wise, who know when to tell. Listen to what Tuck is saying to you."

"But, that's the whole problem. He never says anything," said Dovi with exasperation.

"Then listen to that."

"Riddles. Everyone speaks in riddles. If you'd both just speak plainly, things would be much easier. I could learn all about my Rhist, and be on my way. Isn't there some type of book I could just read? You know, like Maege Spells from A to Z. I'd prefer to learn at a faster pace then, well, then mired at a freaking standstill."

"Might want to do some soul searching before you go searching for all the answers. Rhist cannot be forcibly brought to the surface. That much I can tell you. It will come to you only when you're ready for it. Listen to what Tuck says, especially when he says nothing."

Bisby walked across the room and patted Dovi on the back of his arm. "I've got to go. Tuck has a way of finding Dung worms for me whenever I'm late for a traveling." He smiled warmly and hurried up the stairs, leaving Dovi alone with his thoughts.

"What am I supposed to do?" Dovi said out loud. He laid down and laced his fingers behind his head.

So what does this madman mean when he says nothing to me? Logically, he wouldn't be ignoring me just for the sake of ignoring me. That would just be stupid. What is he trying to tell me? He said, "Purified Rhist must be wielded by a purified heart." Ugh. My heart is far from purified.

Anger and hurt welled up within Dovi. I can't just let all this go without paying them back for what they've done.

He closed his eyes tight, willed his tears away and tried to force the image of his mother's death out of his head.