Or maybe Aunty Moss was right, and when the meat was out the shell was empty.”
Witch-thoughts, she thought. And to turn his mind and her own, and because the soft, fiery wine made her wits and tongue quick, she said, “Do you know, I’ve thought-about Ogion teaching me, and I wouldn’t go on, but went and found myself my farmer and married him-I thought, when I did that, I thought on my wedding day, Ged will be angry when he hears of this!” She laughed as she spoke.”
“I was, “ he said.” She waited. He said, “I was disappointed.” “Angry,” she said.” “Angry,” he said. He poured her glass full.
“I had the power to know power, then,’ ‘ he said. “And you-you shone, in that terrible place, the Labyrinth, that darkness
“Well, then, tell me: what should I have done with my power, and the knowledge Ogion tried to teach me?’ ‘
“Use it.”
“How?”
“As the Art Magic is used.””
“By whom?”
“Wizards,” he said, a little painfully.”
“Magic means the skills, the arts of wizards, of mages?”” “What else would it mean?”
“Is that all it could ever mean? “ ‘
He pondered, glancing up at her once or twice. “When Ogion taught me,” she said, “here-at the hearth there-the words of the Old Speech, they were as easy and as hard in my mouth as in his.” That was like learning the language I spoke before I was born. But the rest-the lore, the runes of power, the spells, the rules, the raising of the forces-that was all dead to me. Somebody else’s language. I used to think, I could be dressed up as a warrior, with a lance and a sword and a plume and all, but it wouldn t fit, would it? What would I do with the sword? Would it make me a hero? I’d be myself in clothes that didn’t fit, is all, hardly able to walk.”
She sipped her wine.
“So I took it all off,” she said, “and put on my own clothes.”
“What did Ogion say when you left him?’ ‘
“What did Ogion usually say?”
That roused the shadowy smile again.” He said nothing.
She nodded.
After a while, she went on more softly, “He took me because you brought me to him. He wanted no prentice after you, and he never would have taken a girl but from you, at your asking. But he loved me. He did me honor. And I loved and honored him.” But he couldn’t give me what I wanted, and I couldn’t take what he had to give me. He knew that.” But, Ged, it was a different matter when he saw Therru.” The day before he died. You say, and Moss says, that power knows power.” I don’t know what he saw in her, but he said, ‘Teach her!’ And he said . . .
Ged waited.”
“He said, ‘They will fear her.”’ And he said, ‘Teach her all! Not Roke.”’ I don’t know what he meant.” How can I know? If I had stayed here with him I might know, I might be able to teach her. But I thought, Ged will come, he’ll know. He’ll know what to teach her, what she needs to know, my wronged one.””
“I do not know,” he said, speaking very low. “I saw- In the child I see only-the wrong done. The evil.”
He drank off his wine.”
“I have nothing to give her,” he said.
There was a little scraping knock at the door.” He started up instantly with that same helpless turn of the body, looking for a place to hide.
Tenar went to the door, opened it a crack, and smelled Moss before she saw her.”
“Men in the village,’ ‘ the old woman whispered dramatically. “All kind of fine folk come up from the Port, from the great ship that’s in from Havnor City, they say.” Come after the Archmage, they say.
“He doesn’t want to see them,’ ‘ Tenar said weakly. She had no idea what to do.
“I dare say not,” said the witch.” And after an expectant pause, “Where is he, then?”
“Here,” said Sparrowhawk, coming to the door and opening it wider. Moss eyed him and said nothing.”