{"id":129,"date":"2018-02-16T16:11:17","date_gmt":"2018-02-16T16:11:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/?p=129"},"modified":"2018-02-16T16:11:17","modified_gmt":"2018-02-16T16:11:17","slug":"thirty-one-whispers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2018\/02\/16\/thirty-one-whispers\/","title":{"rendered":"Thirty-One: Whispers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Raizel watched the conversations move around in circles. \u00a0They were trying to be deferential, but she was a kid by their reckoning (and they weren\u2019t far off), and she wasn\u2019t firm or authoritative enough to make it easy for them. <\/span><\/p>\n

Raven got up after a bit and went wandering, came back, and murmured in Cailing\u2019s ear. \u00a0She flushed an interesting color and, after a few hissed exchanges, got up and went with the Raven. <\/span><\/p>\n

Raizel fought down an irrational surge of irritation. \u00a0It wasn\u2019t like he could go back home, not on a train heading towards the capital. \u00a0And what was Cailing going to do?<\/span><\/p>\n

Her mind provided her with several images of what Cailing might do. \u00a0She reminded herself firmly of Amos and Emma back home. \u00a0Amos. \u00a0Emma. \u00a0Not the Diamond Raven, not a lovely girl she happened to own, not…<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPsst. \u00a0No, don\u2019t turn around, just stay like you are.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Raizel froze, then relaxed slowly. \u00a0\u201cWho are you,\u201d she murmured under the sound of the conversation. \u00a0The whisper had come from right behind her…<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNobody, not anymore. \u00a0If you lose your – anyway. \u00a0I\u2019m nobody, but you are known. \u00a0Your name is spoken.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo I\u2019m noticing.\u201d \u00a0She\u2019d wanted to be known, hadn\u2019t she? \u00a0She\u2019d wanted to be famous enough that Amos and Emma would be able to convince their families that the three of them should be wed. <\/span><\/p>\n

She\u2019d wanted to be rich enough to have it not be an issue of her family\u2019s money – such as it was – and their families\u2019 money. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She hadn\u2019t quite gotten rich enough yet, although for a moment she wondered what all these slaves would be worth, if she sold them to the highest bidder. <\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \u00a0No, she would find a-<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \u201cHold still and keep looking lost in thought. \u00a0Just stay there.\u201d \u00a0The voice brought her back to the world in front of her, the slowly rattling train. \u00a0\u201cI know you are looking for answers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cHow-\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cAnd that is an answer, too. \u00a0I know how you can find those answers. \u00a0All of them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cI only have one question left,\u201d she protested.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cThat is only one way to get answers. \u00a0If you truly wish to know why you, why you have been singled out, and everything that is going on that has touched you, you need to look for the right answers. \u00a0And you\u2019re not looking in the right places.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cI\u2019m not even looking for answers! \u00a0I\u2019m just trying to get to the capital and pay my taxes!\u201d \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    It didn\u2019t feel true coming out of her mouth. \u00a0She wondered when she\u2019d stopped thinking of this as a trip to pay her family\u2019s taxes and get home as soon as possible. <\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cYou don\u2019t want to know why you\u2019ve been singled out?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cI look like the sort of person people can take advantage of, so they do.\u201d \u00a0Just because she hated it didn\u2019t mean it wasn\u2019t true.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cYou\u2019re many things. \u00a0You\u2019re just barely not a child. \u00a0You are on a quest that will benefit many people. \u00a0You are responsible \u00a0You want love. \u00a0You want recognition. \u00a0All of these things make you a target. \u00a0And all of these things lead in to the answers you don\u2019t have.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cAnd you know how I can get the answers, I suppose.\u201d \u00a0She twisted to turn around, but something pushed her head towards the front again. <\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cNot if you look. \u00a0If you look, I can\u2019t help you at all. \u00a0Keep your eyes up there. \u00a0And what you need to do to is easy. \u00a0You don\u2019t even have to leave the train. \u00a0Just go to the last car behind you, and find the missing Bear. \u00a0It\u2019s not an animal, I can assure you of that. Find the missing Bear, and cast an entanglement spell on her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cI -what? \u00a0I don\u2019t have any spells.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cThe woman who has faced down spectres and pixies says she has no magic.\u201d \u00a0The whispering voice scoffed. \u00a0Nobody else seemed to notice that she was talking to someone. \u00a0They were all in their own whispered conversations. \u00a0\u00a0\u201cOf course you do. \u00a0Now listen to me, this is what you will say to the Bear when you find her. \u00a0On-paritet, on-jerimem, on-feckeron, on-paritet.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cOn-\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cHssst, no, not here. \u00a0On-paritet, on-jerimem, on-feckeron, on-paritet. \u00a0Say that <\/span>to the Bear<\/span><\/i>. \u00a0And then you will have the answers to all of your questions.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cAll of my questions?\u201d \u00a0She thought about Amos and Emma. \u00a0\u201cOr just the ones that concern you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cAll of your questions. \u00a0Now, will you do it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    The Raven was busy. \u00a0Her slaves didn\u2019t seem interested in her. \u00a0\u201cI suppose I will.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cGood.\u201d \u00a0There was a brief breeze and the whisper spoke no more. \u00a0A moment later, Raizel turned. \u00a0There was a figure moving towards the back of the car, its gait strange, its shoulders hunched over so that it fit at all in the train. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Had <\/span>that<\/span><\/i> been what was talking to her? \u00a0She suppressed a shudder. \u00a0And she would have to go by it to get to the back. <\/span><\/p>\n

    To cast a spell on the Lost Bear. <\/span><\/p>\n

    She steeled herself and stood up. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Raizel watched the conversations move around in circles. \u00a0They were trying to be deferential, but she was a kid by their reckoning (and they weren\u2019t far off), and she wasn\u2019t firm or authoritative enough to make it easy for them. Raven got up after a bit and went wandering, came back, and murmured in Cailing\u2019s… Continue reading Thirty-One: Whispers<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Side Quest Chapter Thirty-One: Whispers","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-129","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-quest"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8Tn4Q-25","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":58,"url":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2017\/07\/25\/eleven-the-diamond-raven\/","url_meta":{"origin":129,"position":0},"title":"Eleven: The Diamond Raven","author":"Lyn Thorne-Alder","date":"July 25, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Esteronzerai was the biggest town Raizel had been in yet, and it was where the carriage\u2019s route diverged from Raizel\u2019s, whether or not she had been stopping to lasso a wizard. \u00a0She bowed to the driver and, her grandfather\u2019s words in her mind, tipped him, although she had not been\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Quest"","block_context":{"text":"Quest","link":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/category\/quest\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":60,"url":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2017\/07\/27\/twelve-watch-what-you-say\/","url_meta":{"origin":129,"position":1},"title":"Twelve: Watch What You Say","author":"Lyn Thorne-Alder","date":"July 27, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"The man who might or might not b the Diamond Raven struggled, but he couldn\u2019t seem to do anything about the cord around his neck and, rather than have Raizel tug it tighter, he followed her. \u00a0\u201cI have things I should get-\u201d he protested, but she didn\u2019t listen, and then\u2026","rel":"","context":"With 2 comments","block_context":{"text":"With 2 comments","link":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2017\/07\/27\/twelve-watch-what-you-say\/#comments"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":54,"url":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2017\/07\/21\/nine-yederya-wizard\/","url_meta":{"origin":129,"position":2},"title":"Nine: Yederya Wizard","author":"Lyn Thorne-Alder","date":"July 21, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"The woman studied Raizel. \u201cYou have skills I don\u2019t?\u201d \u201cWell, I can\u2019t design a building,\u201d Raizel admitted, \u201cor build one. \u00a0But in the last two days I\u2019ve been dusted by a pixie, blessed by a spectre, and kissed by what might have been a goddess.\u201d \u00a0Also by two whores, but\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Quest"","block_context":{"text":"Quest","link":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/category\/quest\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":117,"url":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2018\/01\/05\/twenty-seven-the-train\/","url_meta":{"origin":129,"position":3},"title":"Twenty-Seven: The Train","author":"Lyn Thorne-Alder","date":"January 5, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201cAm I really here?\u201d Raizel muttered to the Diamond Raven. \u00a0It felt unlikely. \u00a0She had been trying for this for what seemed like months, even if it had only been days, and here they were, on the platform, buying two tickets for the train. \u00a0 That she had the Diamond\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Quest"","block_context":{"text":"Quest","link":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/category\/quest\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":110,"url":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2017\/10\/31\/twenty-six-the-price\/","url_meta":{"origin":129,"position":4},"title":"Twenty-Six: The Price","author":"Lyn Thorne-Alder","date":"October 31, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Raizel shared a look with the Raven. \u00a0He looked at her, then at the two attendant, at the woman, and back at her. She cleared her throat. \u201cYour husband is a sword?\u201d \u201cMy husband is The Blessed Sword. \u00a0It was given to him by the gods. \u00a0To become the sword\u2026","rel":"","context":"With 6 comments","block_context":{"text":"With 6 comments","link":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2017\/10\/31\/twenty-six-the-price\/#comments"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":124,"url":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2018\/01\/26\/twenty-nine-overheard\/","url_meta":{"origin":129,"position":5},"title":"Twenty-Nine: Overheard","author":"Lyn Thorne-Alder","date":"January 26, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Raizel napped for a while, only to wake to very quiet conversation circling around her. \u00a0Her head was on the Raven\u2019s shoulder, and his was resting on her head. \u00a0It felt cozy, the way she\u2019d only ever felt with - she felt a stab of guilt. It had been days\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=129"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":130,"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129\/revisions\/130"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=129"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=129"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=129"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}