The Tattooed Woman Pt. 10

The girl looked about nervously as she timidly reached out to touch the stone. It felt cold, ancient, and solid.

The girl chuckled to herself, "Of course it's solid you twit, it's a bloody great boulder. What did you think it would feel like, a sponge pudding?"

Seeing a small flat protrusion in the smooth surface Cassie pondered a while before reaching into the small pouch she carried and taking out an apple, one of the last filched from the inn so long ago, and almost on a whim, she placed it upon the stone.

"No need for that you know."

Cassie gave a tiny shriek of alarm as the voice came from nearby and a figure rose from a small bundle of blankets lying in the shadows at the base of the stone.

The slave breathed a sigh of relief as she saw it was but an old crone, bent and haggard. The woman gave a small cackle and looked at the girl with an all but toothless smile, "Forgive me, I did not mean to frighten you so, but you need not leave an offering you know. Shelter is to be freely found here for those that seek it."

Cassie blushed in embarrassment at being so easily startled and she stammered, "Well, you see Maggie said..."

"Hmm?"

"Well, Maggie always said that if you ever visited someone's house, especially if you should call unannounced, it was polite to bring something. You know, to thank them for their hospitality. Not that I ever got invited to anyone's home that is, but I did visit the smith once and Maggie gave me a nail to take. He thanked me and gave me a bit of pie. It wasn't as good as Maggie's but he was a widower you see and made it himself... and I have no idea why I'm babbling so, I'm sorry."

The woman shuffled forward and the girl saw she was clutching an old broom, "That's alright dear, I startled you is all. This Maggie sounds a wise woman," she gestured with the end of the broom, "that'll be her sleeping over yonder I imagine."

"Aye, she's a cook."

"So, I've her to thank for the skewered pork I had for supper? She's a good cook as well as a wise woman. It seems the gods gifted her well."

Cassie nodded, "She's... she's kindly."

"You'll be Cassie then?"

"How did you know?"

The woman cackled, "I could claim some strange wisdom here if I were trying to be mysterious, as is my want from time to time, but no, some of the young ones spoke your name is all."

Cassie giggled, "Sorry, I all but thought you a witch or wight for a moment when I saw you. Forgive me, I'm just a foolish girl."

The woman nodded and gave her a smile, "Not so foolish it seems, the apple is red, a fine colour for an offering here."

"Well, my sist... friend, said that would be best."

"Sist... friend? What is this?"

Cassie blushed again, "T'is a joke the Dark Elf Captain played on us I think. She says the woman is to be my sister, but in truth, I have no family of my own. Save Maggie I suppose, who's looked after me since I was but a bairn."

"Oh, and do you mean yon painted woman asleep by the door? Is she your sister?"

"Aye," the girl looked perplexed, "it's a strange thing, I don't ever recall seeing her sleep before now. She's always still up when I doze off and awake again when I rise."

The crone nodded, "Perhaps she's just tired?"

Cassie shrugged, "I... suppose so."

The old woman looked back at Cassie and grinned, "And does your sleepy friend know that she's your sister only by fete of this Dark Elf's jest do you think, or does she have her own opinion?"

"I... I don't know."

The woman nodded and her old eyes seemed to twinkle with mischief. She indicated towards the apple, "What are you asking the Goddess for?"

"Huh?"

The old woman cackled with glee, "People make offerings for a reason child. They would make an offering and ask for a good hunt, or successful harvest, or perhaps a fruitful union if they were young lovers," she leered at Cassie and waggled her overgrown eyebrows suggestively and then cackled again at the girl's blushes.

"In the old days though they would make a sacrifice and ask for success in battle or doom to their enemies for the Goddess is not always kindly."

"Goddess?"

"Why she is The Morrigan child, some call her the Queen of Night, The Morrigu, Goddess of war and fate, and she was mighty."

Cassie looked up at the image on the wall for a long moment before turning back to the crone, "Was?"

She chuckled quietly, "They say the Gods have withdrawn from the affairs of men, but then, we are not men," and she winked.

The old woman picked up the apple and polished it on her tattered old cloak, "So what would a little slave girl like yourself ask of The Morrigan child?"

Cassie blinked and turned back to the woman, "Huh? Well, nothing really."

"Nothing? That is most passing strange child. I doubt I've heard the like in many a year. There's no treasure or boon you seek, no true love's kiss to dream of, or some secret wisdom mayhap? I would have thought a young maiden might seek a handsome prince at the very least," the woman grinned at Cassie, "or a young slave might dream of freedom surely?"

Cassie laughed, "I wouldn't know what to do with a handsome prince if I found one in my soup! And as for freedom, I think I'd rather bide with those that have cared for me. The Goddess would be better served gifting Maggie or my sister, they deserve it more than me, I'm just a slave, and I don't really need anything."

The woman looked down at the apple and whispered, "I think they have gifts enough Cassie."

The woman took hold of the apple and neatly tore it in half, "There is no price put on shelter here lass, but if you have a mind I'll share this apple with you," she cackled, "I doubt as fine a lady as The Morrigan would begrudge us."

Cassie smiled but shook her head, "You can have it if you like, it would be ill of me to leave a gift and then ask for half of it back."

"Maybe Maggie's wisdom has rubbed off on you after all. When you speak to her, tell her I enjoyed her cooking."

"Oh, you can tell her yourself in the morning, she'll be pleased you liked it."

"Maybe I will at that one day."

As they had talked the woman had shambled back towards the door of the temple where she paused to look up at the moon for a long moment and then down at the sleeping form of the tattooed woman lying still by her little fire. The crone bent low and flicked a scarlet strand of the woman's hair back from her face before standing and turning to the little slave, "You should be abed Cassie, are ye not tired?"

"What of you ma'am, do you need help back to your blankets?"

"I'll manage, set yourself down lass, I need little sleep these days and it's a nice night. I might go out for some air."

"Will I come with you for the company perhaps?"

"That's alright girl, you get some rest and leave an old woman to her memories. You can sleep at peace here, there is nothing that can harm you."