Her mother was more than surprised when she entered. “Mecora! Where in the forest have you been?!”
“Hiding with Spreak. I just came back to get some food.”
“Listen, dear, if you think I’m going to just give you some food so you can keep up this little game of yours, you’re badly mistaken! Do you realize what you did today? You humiliated me! I thought I had brought up a daughter who was polite and respectful of the elders and the community, and then you bite Stussell! That’s babyish!”
“Well. how else was I going to get Spreak free? I couldn’t shrug my shoulders and say, ‘I give up!’”
“And why not? Would it be so hard for you to do the right thing for once?”
“I did, Mom. I’ve already lost some friends to that flaming camp. I’m not gonna lose a brand-new friend.”
Her mother thought for a moment. “So, basically, you’re saying that your morality is better than the King’s.” The tone dripped with sarcasm.
But Mecora straightened her back and said, “Yes. In this case, I’m righter than the King.”
“Do you even have the slightest clue as to what the consequences are?”
“No. Do they matter? I mean, what can they do to me? I’m dark!”
“Mecora—”
“Now, are you going to let me have something to eat, or should I get it myself?”
Her mother just stood there as she collected her glowworm lamp and a few things from the cool closet. Then she left, back out into the darkness.

As she started up the steps toward the monastery, Mecora realized with a start that she would have just as much trouble finding the hole as the elders had, if Spreak had closed it up again. She lit the lamp, deeming it safe now that she was on the far side of the tree. However, he hadn’t closed the hole completely. It was pretty small, about the size a woodpecker would make.
“Spreak! I’m back.”
There was a few hummed notes, and the hole grew. “Great. What did your mom say?”
Mecora recounted the conversation, editorializing in places. “I can’t believe that a whole town of people— especially elders— could just give up like sheep rolled on their backs.”
“You did it again.”
“What?”
“You used a metaphor again.”
“Oh, the sheep? Yeah, I guess I did.”
“I’m glad you’re not a sheep.”
“Me too.” She paused, and realized she was still holding the food and the lamp. The latter she set down between them. “Oh, uh, I’ve got some meal-grain here. I’m sorry it’s not made into bread or anything, but, uh, I’ve got some fruit, too...”
“It’s enough. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
A few more uncomfortable moments passed, when the silence demanded to be broken, but she couldn’t think of anything to say— at least, nothing that wasn’t silly in some way.
Finally, he said, “So, tell me about these friends you mentioned...”
They talked themselves to sleep.

They stayed up there most of the time. The monastery had few visitors, none of which even noticed the little hole. No one noticed Mecora’s nightly forays, either, though they did notice her absence at the parties. Handa’s mom once even commented that she kinda missed her morning visits.
“Sorry, I’ve got something more important in my life than parties now,” was generally Mecora’s reply, but she never said what. She kind of suspected that the town knew it was Spreak that was more important, but she didn’t care. Just as long as they never tried to take him away.
In the meantime, they talked at night, and slept during the day. One day, however, they were awakened by the characteristic rumble of more light Vle going by. “What’s that?!” Spreak asked.
“Light Vle moving northwest.”
“By the Great Master, is that what it sounds like? I never imagined...”
“Well, you would have heard it, if you were in one.”
“Yeah, but you don’t realize just how loud it is, or how it carries through the forest. Hey, you know, hunting would be great a ways in front of that.”
“Spreak! How can you think like that! Those are your kinsmen down there, walking their lives away, and you think about the hunt? I thought you weren’t that good, anyway.”
“I’m not, so I’ve had to learn special techniques. And, by the way, those are your kinsmen, too.”
“Yeah.” Duh. How could she of all Vle have forgotten that? “Sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
They watched the rest of the ‘parade’ pass from their slightly widened hole. No one apparently noticed them watching, not even the soldiers.