Or rather, in the instant glare of a splintering streak of lightning, he saw a vision. He saw a woman, tall and silver and naked, standing with her arms raised to the sky's white fire. The lightning went, yet the image of the woman stayed in Thomas's head, glowing, and then the lightning struck again, slamming into the eastern hills, and Genevieve had her head back, her hair was unbound, and the water streamed from it like drops of liquid silver.
She was dancing naked beneath the lightning.
She did not like to be naked with him. She hated the scars that Father Roubert had seared into her arms and legs and down her back, yet now she danced naked, a slow dance, her face tilted back to the downpour, and Thomas watched in each successive lightning flash and he thought she was indeed a draga. She was the wild silver creature of the dark, the shining woman who was dangerous and beautiful and strange. Thomas crouched, gazing, thinking that his soul was in greater peril still for Father Medous had said the dragas were the devil's creatures, yet he loved her too ...
HERETIC
The third book of the Grail Series
Bernard Cornwell
France, 1347-8
The mill wheel turned sluggishly, as the falling waters pushed on it splashing downward, flowing towards the sea. Katherine advanced to the brink of the pond. She gazed down into the dark brown depths where long grasses bent in the rushing water. She clasped her hands against her breasts and stood swaying on the brink.
She felt a grip on her arm, a deep gentle voice said, 'No, my sister. That is not the way.'
Ketherine turned her head and her wild dilated eyes stared down into the calm tender brown ones of the hunchback. 'Jesu, let me be!' she cried on a choking sob. 'Leave me alone.'
His grip tightened on her arm. 'You cry on Jesus' name?' he said softly. 'But you do not know what He has promised. He said not that we should not be tempested, nor travailed nor afflicted, but He promised, Thou shalt not be overcome!'
A little wind rustled through the willow fronds, mingling with the sound of the river water as it splashed against the turning mill wheel. She stared at him, while a quiver ran down her back. She did not see him clearly, his brown eyes were part of the beckoning dark depths of the pond. 'That was not said for me,' she whispered. 'God and His Mother have cast me out!'
'Not so. It is not so,' he smiled at her. Since He has said, I shall keep you securely. You're as dearworthy a child of His as anyone.'
KATHERINE
Anya Seton
England and France, 14th century
The Elder sat on top of the stairs that led to the water, facing the island of Biga, sacred territory where Osiris rested. No lay person was allowed to set foot on it. After a long rest, the Elder said that he wanted to go abd walk on the portico once again; he looked out on the landscape of water and rocks. His face betrayed intense disappointment.
'My sight is going,my ears are deaf, my strength is leaving me, my mouth can no longer utter words, my bones are painful and my thoughts unclear; would I be capable of interpreting an omen if one came? I have but one joy left, and that is my daughter. Did you know that Isis belongs to the noblest lineage, that she is a descendant of Cleopatra, the last of the great queens? She dreamt of rebuilding the pharaoh's empire.
The Elder was immersed in his memories and the name of his daughter kept recurring.
Sometimes his sentences were incomprehensible. He mixed real words and imaginary ones, moving through the past in turmoil of dying hopes.
Staring fixedly, he suddenly stood up.
'Look! Look at the sun!'
From the blinding light came a flock of wild ducks in a triangular pattern. The leader plunged towards Nectanebo's pavilion; the others followed his movement with grace. Sabni left the colonnade to observe the admirable ballet. The mallards changed direction and whirled above him.
'The omen!' shouted the Elder.
The birds, flying in a triangle once again, regained height and flew off into the blue sky. The old man fell into the arms of the young man.
'The sign I was waiting for You will be the Head of the community.'
