72 The treasures of this world may be taken
away, but the treasures The Lords prepare for us no man can touch. That
is what the poem means. Do you understand?"
73 The child nodded. "Now," announced The
Voice, "it is late! Off to your beds and have good dreams!"
74 As the little girl climbed off The Voice's
lap she kissed him on the cheek. "I love you!" she whispered, and
hurried off.
75 The Voice smiled. "I think," he
continued, "I will lay down my head, also." As he entered his
room he found Sweet Blossom there, staring at the floor.
76 "Did you mean all that?" she asked. "Do you really beleive all those things?"
77 "Of course! answered The Voice. "If I did not, I wouldn't be here!"
78 "If The Lords protect Their Children," she
continued, "how can a little girl be dragged off to a house of
pleasure, bitterly used for many months, then when her captors think
she is dying be taken out and thrown in an alley where she lies for
days before someone finds her, and takes her to a Healer, who gives her
back her health, but can never fix what those animals did inside of
her, so she can be like other women, so she can burn for a man?
79 If your Lords love Their Children, and protect Them, how can anything like that ever happen?"
80 The Voice sat down. "The Lords protect
Their Children," he answered, "as best They can. But evil is strong,
sometimes it overcomes Them. They cannot always promise that
nothing evil will ever happen to anyone.
81 They can't always protect our bodies.
Sometimes bad things must happen, because if they didn't happen it
might lead to far worse.
82 We cannot see this, we cannot understand
this. We know only the here and the now. We don't know tomorrow
or next year. Perhaps if this young girl had not been taken, had
not suffered as she suffered, there would have not been a fire inside
her to fight evil, to keep such things from happening to other young
girls.
83 Perhaps because she can have no children of
her own makes the children of others more precious to her.
84 It is hard to see the rhyme and the
reason. In these bodies we know little, but The Lords know all. I
cannot give you a definite answer. I do not know why this child
cried, but The Lords do, and maybe someday They'll tell her.
85 If she'll open her heart and listen, not
reject Their love but accept it, not blame Them for what They could not
prevent, but praise Them for what They did.
86 It would have been just as easy for her
captors to have cut her throat, to make sure she couldn't speak, but
they didn't! The fever she had could have consumed her, but it
didn't. The Healer might not have been able to restore her
health, but he did.
87 We can always look at the bad things, to complain and over-look the blessings we have."
88 Sweet Blossom rose. "You know
something," she screamed, "everything you said is dog droppings;
useless! There are no gods, there are no Lords, there is
nothing. Before you ask, I won't sit in your Circle. But
I'll continue to work for MY reasons, for MY joy."
89 As she started out the door, The Voice
called after her. "Be careful! The hate inside you can devour
you! Find something else to replace it before it eats you away
completely!"
90 The girl stepped through the door and
slammed it behind her. The Voice laid down wondering if he'd ever
be able to reach this tormented young woman.
91 A voice inside him said "Just let it be," so he drifted off to sleep.
92 In the morning The Voice left the
house. Wandering through the city he spoke with many people, but
found none that pleased him. Then, walking by some workers laying
stones in the street, he heard one of them speaking of The Lords, and
how the people should rise up against The City Speaker. Some of
the other workers shushed him.
93 The Voice walked over and tapped the young man on the shoulder. "What's your name?" he asked.
94 "Walking Crow," the man answered.
95 "Come to The House of Great Bear," The
Voice told Walking Crow, "and I will teach you to lay the stones of
Faith."
96 "I will come," the young man agreed, "this evening."
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