Floren sat on the edge of the mattress and watched Juno sleep. The bulk of Floren's life had been controlled by rules, the so-called Goddess's laws, and now she was going to perpetuate them again. An unwilling participant willingly continuing a tradition that had destroyed a portion of her humanity. The boy had paid, and it was her duty to provide. It was why she was the Mother of the house. She closed her eyes and hoped Kelton was as he appeared, and not playing some cruel game.

"Juno," Floren whispered. She pushed Juno's hair back to expose her youthful face. Floren was young once, a plaything for men. She had a different power then. Most of the men she pleased, desired to please her as well. Most times, it took nothing but a smile to have them where she wanted them. Most men. Not all men. Some took pleasure in pain. "Juno," she repeated a bit louder.

"Mother," Juno said, wiping the sleep from her eyes. She tried to sit up, but Floren smiled and carefully pushed her shoulders back to the mattress.

"You have a client for two nights, though he has offered to let you be."

"I don't understand," Juno said. Sleep still had a grip on her.

"He says he cares not if you wish it to be your time. He desires only that you don't serve others for the two days. It was what he could afford."

"Kelton!" Juno was wide awake now.

"It will hurt more if you go to him," Floren warned. She knew it from experience.

"He would never hurt me."

"You know him so well. One night of words and you know all about him, huh?"

"I cared for him for two nights," Juno argued.

"And he spoke another's name. Do you think he'll speak your name like he does hers?" Juno's eyes left Floren's and found the wall.

"No. He does not desire that from me." Floren could see the moisture in Juno's eyes. Not enough to produce tears, only weaken their sharpness.

"And what do you believe he desires?"

"A friend. A sister at most."

"He is a strange boy," Floren thought out loud. Most boys his age would gladly have a roll with one such as Juno. Their minds usually dropping between their legs at the first sign of anything pretty. "You wish more from him, though." Juno's eyes came back to Floren's. Her mouth tried to move, but the words faltered. Floren waited patiently, carefully pushing more of Juno's hair away from her face. It was a mother's caress, and at that moment Floren felt like one.

"I would burn the curse from my arm for him," Juno said as the tears began to flow. "I wish to die in his arms a hundred winters from now."

"After only one night of words?" Floren embraced her faux child. She had sensed it, and now she knew. Juno had the dream, and it was a powerful one.

"He is not like other men, Mother. All of this," Juno said, waving her hand at the world around them. "It's like he sees it for the first time. He hates what he sees, but he doesn't hate me. He cares so much and doesn't understand why everyone else can't see it. He doesn't even realize he's Kuschel's Answer."

"He's only a boy," Floren whispered. "The prophecy is an old one, and we keep it for the hope it provides, nothing more. Do not dream of what will not be."

"I want to, Mother" Juno stammered.

"We all do," Floren admitted. "But we are cursed, and not allowed such things. We make the best of what we have, and in you is a great healer. There is no breaking the curse."

"Yes, there is," Juno said, breaking away from Floren's embrace. "His witness has done it. She has a family and..."

"What witness? I heard nothing of a witness."

"He killed the Brother to save her family. The daughter was to be chosen."

"We know that."

"The mother, she had burned off her curse." Juno wiped her hand across her tattoo. "She is his witness. He didn't think so, but she is, isn't she? It doesn't matter if she burned herself, does it?"

"How do you know all this?"

"He told me. He didn't mean too, but he did."

"You had lots of words. What else did he say?" What followed was a loving repeat of what Kelton and Juno talked about. Juno was leaving parts out, little things she didn't want to share with Floren, but Floren knew that the essential parts were present. She could see Juno's eyes come alive when she spoke of his initial shyness and how she broke through. The boy had no idea of his power over her. Floren suspected Kelton thought he was powerless.

"I think that's everything, Mother," Juno said when she was done.

"That is quite a lot," Floren said, adding a smile to sooth Juno's concern. "Do you intend to go to him tonight?"

"Yes." There was no hesitation in her response. "And tomorrow night as well."

"Good," Floren said, nodding her head. "But you will tell him no more about the prophecy. The boy has too much worry as it is. If he is what you say, then it will happen without your help."

"You think he is." Juno was smiling ear to ear.

"Prophecy is nothing but words. Words have a way of changing their meaning dependent upon the speaker." Floren shook her finger at Juno. "His head was not on fire, though that hair is red enough. It may be nothing but a coincidence, and his life is worth naught once the King's Own catch up to him. Then again, there is a witness."

"I wish to believe it," Juno said and allowed Floren to hug her again. Floren wished it as well, though many difficult years had quashed those hopes to the size of a pea. She had always felt it best to leave them small and ignored. It didn't hurt so much that way.

"Be his friend," Floren whispered in Juno's ear. "It is what he needs." She chuckled. "I told him your clothes will remain on, though I was thinking only of your feelings at the time."

"He gave you coin for two days?" Floren felt Juno's lips curl.

"And over paid. I doubled the cost to deter him the one night. He was having none of it and paid for two. In truth, you are free for four as the house sees it."

"I will be a good friend," Juno said.

"It will hurt when he leaves."

"It will be worth it." Floren didn't doubt Juno's words. He was a strange boy, and sometimes different is worth its weight in silver.

Floren had waited until Juno was off before summoning Claudia into her room. Juno was floating on dreams and didn't need any more validation. Claudia, a heavyset woman usually assigned to the kitchen, came in a moment later. She was a low coin earner, most men preferring not to be crushed. Cooking suited her well, and the house was better for it. Today they would eat poorly because Floren couldn't afford to send another with a troop of the King's own on the way.

"You sent for me, Mother?" Claudia asked. It was a silly question since they both knew well she had.

"I need you to take a message to the house in Hardland," Floren said. "You will speak to no one but Mother Francee." Claudia nodded. "I mean no one, Claudia."

"Yes, Mother."

"You will tell the Mother that the redheaded boy the King is searching for had a witness." Claudia's eyes widened. "This news is for the Mother's ears alone. You will not speak of it here or anywhere else."

"He's the one," Claudia said.

"We don't know that yet," Floren warned. "There are many things wrong and many right. A lot has not happened. Mother Francee will know what to do with the message. After you deliver it, you'll come right back here. I'll expect you tomorrow, fit to cook the evening meal."

"Right back here, Mother." Claudia nodded her head emphatically.

"The witness's name is Joycelyn. She is hiding in the south with her mark burned off her arm." Floren wiped her hand across her tattoo so there would be no misunderstanding.

"Oh!"

"Repeat it back to me." Claudia repeated the message, was corrected once, then repeated it flawlessly. "Have Torry help you hitch the wagon, and speak to no one but Mother Francee about this."

"Yes, Mother." Claudia moved quickly, or as quickly as her bulk would allow.

It was rare for Floren to invoke the Whispering Way, the cursed way to send information across the land. Each house was tasked to pass information to one other house. It took time, but the information would circle through all the houses and eventually return to the sender. It has been so for over a thousand winters. In all her time as Mother, there had never been as many messages as there has been since Kelton killed the Brother. Her message was the fourth. That boy had stirred many things to life.

Floren took a deep breath once the door was closed. The easy part was done. Now she had to prepare for the King's Own, Captain Devro among them. He was an angry man who enjoyed inflicting pain. Lucky for her girls, he prefers those in charge. More humiliating that way. She stretched her neck, knowing there would be bruises tomorrow. He brought with him the true meaning of being cursed. 'Better me than the young ones,' she thought.