The First Life of Tanan Read Online Free PDF Page A

go fast to keep up.”
    “You know that I am a healer.  I use magic a little each day, to maintain my body.  I have been able, over the years, to slow down the effects of age.  Some healers have been able to live very long lives by using magic to slow the natural aging process.”
    “I think everyone should do that,” said Tanan.
    “Not everyone can do magic.  You know that.  And among those who can, not everyone has the gift of healing magic as I do.”
    “Do you think I might be able to do that kind of magic someday?”
    Lindelin looked at his grandson with affection and said, “It wouldn’t surprise me, Tanan.  And that is why we are going to visit Soama.”

CHAPTER EIGHT
    Soama was on hands and knees in his garden, pulling weeds from a row of onions when Lindelin and Tanan came walking up the path to his secluded mountain Abbey.  He was happy to see his old friend. He got to his feet, wiping dirty hands on even dirtier trousers, and wrapped Lindelin in an iron grip hug. Lindelin returned the embrace with enthusiasm. It had been far too long since he had seen his friend Soama.
    “Nine years?” asked the Abbot, grasping Lindelin firmly by the shoulders and inspecting him at arm’s length.
    “Nine years,” Lindelin replied, “and far too long at that.  How are you, my friend?”
    Soama patted his friend on the shoulder and said, “I am very well.  And I am so happy to see you.”
    He turned to Tanan.  “And you’re Tanan.”
    Tanan smiled awkwardly, “I’m pleased to meet you, sir.”
    Soama returned the smile.  “The last time I saw you, you were still a baby.  I see you’re grown up.”
    Soama motioned for them to follow him, and the group walked up the hill toward the Abbey.
    “You’ve come just in time for dinner,” Soama said, “I hope you’re hungry, because I’ve had a stew on since mid day.”
    Tanan, like most ten year old boys, was indeed hungry, and said so to the great delight and approval of Soama.
    When they reached the Abbey, Soama excused himself and disappeared into the building.  Lindelin walked into the Abbey, and Tanan followed him in.  They were in a small kitchen.  Lindelin pulled a chair back from the table that dominated the room and sat down with a sigh of relief.  It had been a long walk, and despite the increased vitality his magic gave him, he was still an old man.
    Tanan looked around the room.  In Port Billen, most of the buildings were made from stone.  Soama’s Abbey was built entirely of finely cut, carved and polished wood.  In the corner of the kitchen was a large black stove with a pipe running up through the roof.  Unlike the stoves in Port Billen, which were built from brick and had only plates of iron on the top, this stove was made entirely of iron.
    When Soama returned, he had washed up and changed out of his dirty gardening clothes and into the simple blue cassock that Abbots normally wore.
    “Food!” cried Soama, and began clearing books and papers from the table.  He pulled down intricately painted and very delicate bowls from a  cupboard and handed them to Tanan, who set one at each place.  A large brown loaf of bread, wrapped in dark paper, appeared from somewhere and was placed upon the table.
    While Soama ladled stew into the bowls, Lindelin and Tanan stepped outside to wash their hands using water from a bucket next to the well.  They returned to the kitchen where they joined Soama at the table and dug into the stew.
    “How do you like the it, Tanan?” asked Soama, after a few bites.  Tanan thought the stew was terrible.  It tasted like dirt in his mouth.
    “Uhm, it’s very good,” the boy replied.
    Soama and Lindelin roared with laughter.
    “You’re a poor liar,” said Lindelin, “and Soama is an even worse cook. The only reason he can eat his own cooking is because his taste buds gave up and died many years ago.”
    “It’s true,” said Soama with a shrug and a grin.
    The bread was quite good.  Soama told