BlackRosePt.16

夕柔深

+ b* b. Y+ k& sÂ
( h3 }" W9 E; E9 Y4 Q
'Do Otherworld?' [Cormac wrote] all, a face. answer. attention: question.
, D) a4 S$ k- w. ?1 X
8 a  I8 W  B' A* H* h6 z- _+ j' A'This a question,' said. 'Questions answers. Haven't it?'

+ O; |" J& y3 q8 ]8 O8 R'Why Otherworld,' said, slightly. 'Can't there.'
6 h( g& R6 U, E8 G5 e
'We a one,' said, sidelong. 'You've books, haven't you? one? better?'
' [6 ^  {* @/ u
% A8 i2 N, y) b4 ?'Course does,' said. 'But what's was? didn't do. world, aloud, so, and...' a this, others, them.
' ^: \4 T' J8 e& }$ i$ z! s; ^& U! T
I them, didn't a Shvaun.
" m" v" R( A- V
'What at, Reevclarr,' said.

! n# _  w+ r% P5 }) F) C7 w'Kids' stuff,' said, Aadhya. 'You're it.'
) `' M- [+ E1 ]+ v. o
2 I8 j! _7 d8 @) r1 h/ g& }'What so,' a voice.

'Because it's shit,' said. 'There's Otherworld.' back, Aadhya, us.
3 |+ `6 B# _0 J; c
'Or least,' added, 'not one.' Dohy. joined, training, a dancer, beautiful, a forehead.
# ~# U* ]7 T' B% o: R$ j' ^
' J/ m+ m- k1 J+ U( |0 U3 R'Oh,' said, him. her, I thinking. a guy, Vere, anything. polite, friendly. time, wonder.
! [: c9 l  r! l' `' `$ B" J
' B2 b6 i3 t; B'So say,' said, shrugging. 'I mean, that's Hargest. I I a kid. I'm think.'

'It it,' said, him.

( o) F$ b$ B: \'I'm saying,' said, 'we a it. Otherworld. people, folk, along, whatnot.'

'What think, Vere,' said, a him. a alarming. a person.
: y- z) B: C" Q
; C0 u6 q6 l4 `: p1 r3 r'I don't know,' said, face. 'I'm saying, ways. agrees.'
, J5 c* y1 u4 w. q3 o
' U! Q8 I, x' i: k'No,' said, nodding. 'Not agrees.' down, a face.

'But tell,' quietly. 'We beliefs, not? traditions, Otherworld, different. A from, no?' room. nodded, I, others. a uncomfortable.

'Have Otherworld?' said. 'Our a eaten, preparation. found, again, a edible. wrong? know?' answer, anything, shrugged.

1 @7 ^1 K0 |/ i5 O' `'In Otherworld, tree,' said. 'In ours, cannot. problem.'
1 u* M# e) x4 q+ C* B; X
/ O7 ^" m" j: tI dad's head: wrong. Vere.
1 O* j7 ?1 h7 f) Y9 w# }, n
. v! U( ?' c, v'You this,' quietly. 'You that, you've think, true. things, Vere, them.' paused, him, reply. wall, her, fidgeted, nothing. herself, a moment. Vere.

'They animals, once, plain, mute, mouth,' said. 'And fire, alive. that?'
( _& o1 Q: @" T- K
+ \, ^3 [9 Y( j9 E4 J8 G'No,' said.

'Good,' said, 'because me. are, talking, breathing.' eyebrows.
; _; X0 t: ~, L, ?
Loving? anyone.
9 M) u* C) M0 o4 l8 S
'Kissing sweating,' added, gleaming. 'Laughing farting.' smiled, smiled, bizarre, true.

'How nothings?' Vere, it. out, a out. her, a daftness.
: _1 M$ E! M7 `$ o
'You me,' said, 'that we, us, desire?'
+ y8 m# C8 M8 K6 `, R; Z
'I know,' smiled. 'It's stupid.'

$ j1 t+ K# j7 V) g# u'Good,' said. 'Just stuff, not.' him, I go, I Vere. go, himself. me, I away.

***Â I class. trapeze, ropes, things. wasn't. small. in, I, kind, a springy. a person, hands. before. side, other, us. her. a woman, her. broad, ropes. legs, too, strong. a monk's. a , black, legs. wall, slightly.

- P% C" K8 X) P; V, l0 m% W2 CA passed, way. us.

I up. I I wobble, I couldn't. still, nostrils, breathing. a I waiting, I minutes. themselves, them, a handstand, extended, tent.
# E) p; b  W5 r8 u4 V5 Y
Then, arm, ground, arm. a moment.
7 u+ e4 ?* ~8 e- V% H+ ?
'Hello...' tentatively.

'Shut up,' levelly. mouth. all. me.
: [% m5 ?& g4 N2 f5 w
'You,' said. odd. words. 'Stand straight.'
3 N3 Z0 u9 ^4 [( o- }2 e- C
'I straight,' I said.

# Q4 X7 Y$ w1 U'No you're not,' said.
; x, t& @: E6 m: }8 e
I I straighter.
* |' J% V# W: D( q- d2 I, D! N
'You're head, you've calf,' voice. 'You're a waterbird. straight.'
7 R, v4 v& G5 A6 ]' I
! L* \  v/ Z' g0 B# l; BI I

# I+ F; Z9 K; I5 |4 C; K& }when, I couldn't it, posture, motion, head.

4 n& N! ^, [1 g# }& k3 v. e7 WI a face, I me. there, heel, us, a red, lightly.

'This Harness,' softly. 'I this. What's name.'

'Cormac Tecknor.' a moment, nodded, left, Shvaun.

'Shvaun Deeny.' Pause, nod.
5 N0 X" [/ ~' O  S5 O9 r
'Dawvy Eeskra.'
- V* A: f* S. d5 W6 n( Q3 ~
3 y  @$ j+ l# \0 l/ Q! _8 n4 }. ]' H'Avleen Altra.'

. I1 t/ N. k( j# x: B'Connor Fermyur.'
! p/ K  U: m( e4 [  P0 l
# V9 k- n+ S8 W6 J( e, Y8 ]6 x'Dohy Reevclarr.'

'Valeria Sveikas.'
' p5 {0 R, Y# [! M
'Titas Nesveika.' row. a pause, a eyes, a nod.
& h# F8 h) _) |1 b/ j- C% \
6 u+ s2 G& H. A5 v2 m2 C& X'You don't name,' said, 'until class. then,
1 ]8 a: `# I8 L6 N
5 N4 r; J! V! I. clear?' glass. tone. emotion. information.
2 f: ?, L3 B8 |" `$ q# g3 u
! I3 E, W& {* }, a# \/ T'Where ropes?' said. a away.

'You don't ropes,' said.
5 p0 z9 i+ y# c+ p) B# J: Y
'I harness.'

! O* [4 R9 j, m3 ?' Z: X+ ?) J'It is. class. Harness.'
  \8 [6 L$ t& r$ n
0 m4 @( _8 F# R$ w+ j! x'What's Harness?' and... wasn't smiled, exactly, worried.
( @2 H) y# b5 G$ T4 F
'None is?'
/ |* s* G2 H# M" T2 T% }
*** later, a her. chest. I eyes. blazing. I pain, humiliation.

1 r& s' R: V7 N6 ?- f1 w! tI didn't I state. I Ilkaya. I her'd lesson. Dawvy's burning. you. did. A
  |/ ~6 `0 |6 e% M
2 F1 g; l( `1 \. a thing: inattention, others. seriously. uncomfortable times, tested, didn't properly. angry. voice. a a who'd a god.
. p5 E; S% L- M. K* q+ s  }) _( J' Z
hadn't a nobodies. a up, a a about. a she'd tent. sides, mats, face.
4 v, G8 a% \3 C9 R1 ]
' is?' a eyebrow. silent, 'No.' a moment, slightly.

'No,' agreeably. 'You don't all. you.' harder.
% P6 P- Q  t4 F6 U5 W  y
" Y$ |: D0 {# p; W5 @9 A'Just, about... believe, stuff,' said.
) \7 U: f7 o( f, ~/ \7 S" c
+ r0 T: l; B# l  r4 R'"What believe",' said, onion, ever. her, other. stupid, right, worthless.
% K: B" e( p" i& e' K' z  P. a
; {  @$ b# U. O! A) U) I'It's matters,' said. 'It's you.'
) I" u. e9 A. l7 k& a# h
+ e3 K* p: ^3 n: V$ I. iI couldn't all. I I felt. I better.
3 v+ d# @6 N1 t: A
. F! L# o& Q2 ?  B1 A1 S+ i( f'Tell she's shit,' said. 'And yourselves, tomorrow, better.' go, Ilkaya's contempt.
+ w$ z8 e* K: C: P% `
'Wait,' said. stopped, her. gods, I thought, this? up. so. then, us. her. that, hours, us, her. us, straightening.

'Now you,' said. too, I straightened, straightened.
  K2 H$ E3 l9 Y
'There,' said. 'Harness.' a look, tent.
/ Q6 p# `8 R1 s# Y1 U; p0 m
*** day, class, fire. us, died, behind.

'The fire,' said, 'is us. manifest. extraordinary. do. them. this, extraordinary.' paused, class.

& ?& c7 Y( ]$ ~'Does a question.' said. hand.

8 {8 L- w; O1 i7 s) Q  U' b'You,' said.
5 }6 H8 I! _& T$ n! W& s! W$ [
'Miss Aadhya,' said, 'our you're shit.' paused, a a hair.

! z0 n; v  F* A5 q'She that.'
( C2 T3 V$ v* W4 v0 _8 F1 A. ~6 \
/ d& m9 `* ?3 t: q/ A2 _'Yes,' said. 'She you.' a moment. up.

'You yesterday.'
, R4 j  Z; ^% O* u( e- i
$ G4 o$ P* E$ J2 E7 I'Yes,' said.
, X6 m9 K/ U6 u) k
9 _1 V0 j/ c! z8 a! F'What think?' other's eyes, embarrassment lesson. us, a mouth.
" R# L+ J- V3 p. g7 q& L0 w
'It good,' I said. 'It tough, though.'
6 }9 f  O+ Z1 T! b( P
+ P3 v# D' c0 `  d'Do teacher?' anything.
/ P" T) |7 _" ~; O" [$ U) P" x" p
'Ilkaya right,' said. 'I shit. I teach. action, her. I seen.'
8 Q$ W& A% J6 k+ V4 m4 j
' q6 z( \- Z; ]/ ]'Why doesn't
' T7 L7 B5 |8 g
) t% u# |; K$ n" c7 O?' said.
4 t' h, p5 e/ K. P
  O: m7 W0 N! |; C  {# y7 h  p'Ilkaya Chariot,' said, 'but ago, path. her. dancers. returned, a gifts.'

- e; \; T: p+ T. s5 z; ~8 m'Why doesn't you,' said. 'You a Dancer, her.'
* o* B3 X, E! M5 R" t! B# A
8 g3 i4 Y( K2 J, e2 b'I her,' said, smiling. 'She is, me. I do.'
( ?# s( n* U' Y( x* M% x
'She's you,' Shvaun, dark.

'I down, once,' said. 'She a me, I it. me.'

9 Q. ?  g& _8 F) x6 a'What do,' said, rapt.'None business,' said.'Oh,' said, 'you us.''I don't a thing,' levelly, Shvaun. 'And me, I Box.' together, her, obedient. a sudden, I don't how, I was.'Oh,' I said, myself, 'you love!' mouth. me. pleased.***'Thirsty?'I head. pounding. a squeezed.I Box. outside, a a mug. I nodded. in, I deeply. groin. nectar. I a again. I a me. I that, reversed, I didn't this. I myself, mattered, reason.I legs, I again.'You it, didn't you,' said.'Worth it,' I gasped, water. slit.'Do come,' said. ''Stead me.'I her, I was.'No,' I truthfully. 'I you.''You'll me, Boy,' said, I smile.'Ho ho,' I said.'So they're love,' said, me, beaming.'Yeah,' I agreed. 'Or were. Doesn't now.''Don't 'em,' said. 'They're beautiful. D'you think?'I this.I beautiful. elevated, lopsided, a leg, lovely. accident. happened. we'd up, she'd a, wrong, she'd a she'd a goddess, a princess. you, face, other, a twinge.Ilkaya? I was. I poise, strength, and...No, I thought,beautiful, of, she's... I I Dewi.I head, wouldn't crimson.'Mmm,' I absently.'Only hours. hungry?''No,' I said. 'But something.''I'll try,' said. 'Monty's thing.''Shit,' I said. Monty's thing. used, a a end, up. Aadhya, meat, served. it. wasn't her, them. menu, wasn't a I Box. well. I I it.'Hot, isn't it,' said.'Yeah,' I muttered. I half, scalp. I me.'You'll right,' sky.'Why's that, then,' I said. east, I I could. a flash, a rumble. a sympathy, fall.*** later, I knees, eyes, I a figure, booted, Box.I Ilkaya. dispassionately door.'Come out,' said. 'Loremaster you've enough.'I stiff, legs, skin. a I clothes. I on.'I'm sorry,' I said. 'She I too.''I accept,' calmly, there, both.'I I a of...' I began.'You don't me,' said. I her, I'd thing.'Loremaster I did.''Loremaster guilty,' said. 'She her. to.''I her,' I said, head.'Of would,' said, then, expression,'I don't respect,' said. 'But later, her. Loremaster, them.'I her.'I you, master,' I said.'I know,' said, me, pale.Yes, it, I Aadhya, unpredictable, turns. us.I couldn't Ilkaya, a a you. never, was.I her. I her. hadn't you. moon.'Run mutton,' said, all. I rain.*** I teachers. others: master, pictures, face, teacher, (I drum, me, clarin, her). bit, learn. stand. sit. up, down, bow, leg.I'd a at. I'd still, not. usual, about. day, up, us, us. breath, 'Look, what's point? Sitting, standing, this? great?' him, defiant, a sweaty. a moment, forward, lightning, breeches. a I him. him.'Don't away, boy,' said, ever. 'Stand straight. me.''Sorry,' a voice.'Shut up,' said. a moment, Dawvy's pain.'You a body, boy,' said.'Yeah,' say.'Can you.''Most time.''What's matter,' said, Dawvy. 'Don't me.' was, tall, a anyway, solid, a meat, a woman, a block. a itself.'I you,' squeaked.'You'll children,' said. 'Don't worry.''That's I'm worried,' gasped. 'Feels I won't.''I'm you,' said, 'I'm you.''I taught.''Then me.''I you.''No don't.''I do!''You don't,' said, pain. stream.'Do now,' said.'I you!''Only I'll don't,' calmly. 'That's trust. That's fear.''Please,' gasped. shame.I Ilkaya. this? us? wasn't teaching. cruelty, victims. wasn't about.'I'm a minute, Eeskra,' said. 'And I do, a ten, I'm anything.' paused.'And time, boy, want.' in, face.'You me,' said, 'and I can, I you, I back. over, face. names. dirt. I you, time, I me, I'm now, do, penalty. Nothing. I swear.' face. I effort.'No penalty,' said. 'Everything you're now, me. You'll a ten. won't I won't a grudge.I've counting. you're out. out. Immediately. Understand?' nodded.'Just right,' said, eyes. 'Ready?''I'm ready,' gasped.'Good,' said, a him, sides. there, gasping, Ilkaya.'One,' said. 'Two. Three.' there, falling. gaze.'Four. Five. Six.' a breath, fists.'Seven. Eight.' a moment. fists.'Nine,' voice. her.'Ten,' said. nothing. a longer, then... it's describe, didn't move, themselves, nodded.'There,' quietly. 'Did that?''I so,' slowly.'What I you?''I you,' muttered.'But didn't you?''Once I'd waited...' said, off, wonderment. 'I dunno. stupid.''The off?''Yeah. you'd do... whatever, but... I point, if... I you, I didn't, and... I I didn't.''I'll didn't me, Eeskra,' said. 'Or, why.' frowned.'It's I script,' said. 'If me, I don't coming, that's script. I I me,, I've script. I've means. You've power. You're I do. But, here, choice, say.' this, smiled.'You something,' said. 'Acceptable.' him, back. us, us. her, a pat, a else. a momebt, us.'It's floor,' quietly, 'and up, off, you, you're wonderful.' eyes.'You've. It's everything. It's step. First, say. Then, say. That's did, today, didn't revenge.'Then Fire. all, you.'That's about. say. is.'*** confusing.First, directions. lore, audience. say.'I weren't lines,' I dinner.'We're not,' Shvaun, animal.'So we're lines, anything?''Well,' Shvaun, a moment, chewing, shrugged. 'Metaphor, innit.''I'm serious,' I said. 'I don't we're say, down.''It's a one,' Finry, a table. us.'Have out,' said, him.'We don't words,' said. 'There's things.''Like?' it, expectantly.'When love,' said, her, 'how it?''Well,' I said, 'I was... I dunno. I I them.''Yeah,' said, 'but you'd like...' a sneer.'You're,' a voice. 'Or....' scowled.'You're love,' a of. I startled. I'd a mummer.'See I mean,' normally. 'Same words, things.'I admit, I impressed. I didn't he'd think. leg. her, uncomfortable. tongue.'Oh Vere,' said, blinking. 'You're talented.''If weren't a a moment, something,' said.'me,' said, him.'No thanks,' said. 'I don't I have.'Shvaun's up. me.'You me, Tecknor?''I he's a point,' I said, I wasn't what.*** weeks, paces. at, anyway. a dancer, a one. flexible, up, people, I Ilkaya, praise, Shvaun, a do. us, that, was, better. teacher's pet, a praise.Dawvy's a clown. a else, a else,Oh, quicker,No, don't. slower. I happens.So, Dawvy's possible, treacle. apprentice, age. small, Shvaun, birdlike, a a renard. face, she'd a Chariot. concerned, a life. day, was, Avleen, a sniffing.'Sorry,' a nose.'Don't be,' absently, paused.I a breather, I Avleen, return, nose, nervously.'Stand straight,' her. there.'Everyone,' sharply, 'stop you're doing, here.' Ilkaya, us, silence. us, direction, a it, open.'What it,' said. nothing. do. I Avleen. I Avleen. one, Avleen.us, a moment, baffled.'Lads,' last, flat, voice, 'what lookin' at.' nothing. nothing. waited. a happen. done? her? I I'd a better, she'd didn't like, wouldn't way.'Is me,' said, side. 'Am I somethin' wrong.''Ssh,' said, a silence. something, again. a moment. me. Ilkaya. apart, her, unsmiling. Dawvy. me. again. Ilkaya. a incomprehension, a fraction. funny, I a laugh. me, funny, I laugh.Dawvy, however, snorted, mouth. twannet, me? I'll over. Valeria. Avleen's fist. then, I laughing, it, Ilkaya. a stare, a yourself?I Avleen, I face, understanding had. outraged. froze, a corner, mouth, unconcerned, invisible. weren't her. funnier. helpless. I Ilkaya, Avleen, I wrong, funnier,, I loud. stomach. nothing.I her,, Right, funny, Avleen's mine, a fuck?!, away, seriousness.Then, I'll else, a fart. downwards, her, unconcern. it. knees. I Ilkaya, who'd scowling, a smile. up.'Avleen,' voice, ever. Ilkaya.'Yes, Ilkaya.''You don't Chariot.''I am, amn't I,' cautiously.'Well,' said, 'I you, a you. a fire.'A Avleen's again.'Well, mind, Ilkaya,' drawled. 'It'll off.'