쿠나리 타마스란

유모 굿윈은 선원들이 그녀의 지갑을 들고 그 자리를 떠날 때까지 커크월 선착장의 단단한 돌바닥 위에 엎드려 있었다. 그녀가 일어나려고 애쓰던 차에 누군가 그녀를 돕기 위해 커다란 회색 손을 내밀었다. 그것은 어쩌다 보니 이 도시에 살게 된 거대한 뿔 달린 거인들, 쿠나리 중 하나였다.

"감사합니다," 유모 굿윈이 가방을 찾다가 머뭇거리며 말했다. "부두가 이렇게 위험한 곳인 줄은 몰랐어요, G___ 경의 경호원에게 아이들을 위한 약초를 사는데 동행해 달라고 부탁할 걸 그랬네요."

"넌 타마스란이다," 쿠나리가 말했다. "쿤 아래에서는 어떤 선원도 네게 시비를 걸지 않는다. 어째서 여기 있는 것이지?"

"저는 그저 G___ 경의 유모입니다," 유모 굿윈이 말했다, "G___ 경에게 아이들에게 치유용 약초가 필요하다고 말했지만, 그분이 제 말을 믿지 않으셔서 직접 사러 나올 수밖에 없었어요."

"쿤 아래에서는," 쿠나리가 말했다, "우리는 아이들을 돌보는 타마스란을 신뢰하고 경청한다. 어떤 약초든지 필요한 것이라면 지급할 것이다. 어째서 G___ 경은 네 말에 귀 기울이지 않는 것이지?"

"그분은 귀족입니다," 유모 굿윈이 말했다, "그리고 저는 그저 그분의 아이들을 돌보는 시종일 뿐이지요." 그녀는 선원이 남기고 간 검푸른 멍을 가리기 위해 숄을 끌어당겼다, 물론 G___ 경이 남긴 멍 자국 또한.

"쿤 아래에서는," 쿠나리가 말했다, "모두가 평등하고, 어떤 타마스란도 자신을 그저 아무것도 아닌 존재라고 여기지 않는다."

유모 굿윈은 쿠나리가 오늘 하루 잘 보내길 빌었고 그에게 작별을 고한 뒤 귀족 거주구로 돌아갔다. 수많은 생각거리와 함께.

—귀족들의 거짓말과 쿤의 진실에서 발췌됨, 저자 미상

 

Nanny Goodwin lay on the hard stones of the Kirkwall docks until the sailors left with her purse. As she struggled to her feet, a large grey hand reached down to help her. It was one of the Qunari, the great horned giants who had come to live in the city.

 

"I thank you," said Nanny Goodwin hesitantly, looking for her satchel. "I did not know the docks were so dangerous, or I would have asked one of Lord G___'s guards to accompany me as I bought healing herbs for the children."

 

"You are a tamassran," said the Qunari. "Under the Qun, no sailor would accost you. Why are you here?"

 

"I am but Lord G___'s nanny," Nanny Goodwin said, "and Lord G___ did not believe me when I told him that the children needed healing herbs, so I was forced to buy them myself."

 

"Under the Qun," said the Qunari, "tamassrans are trusted and listened to when caring for the children, and any healing herbs they needed would be provided. Why did Lord G___ not attend your words?"

 

"He is a noble," Nanny Goodwin said, "and I am merely a servant who cares for his children." She shifted her shawl to hide the bruises the sailors had given her, as well as the bruises Lord G___ himself had left.

 

"Under the Qun," said the Qunari, "all are equal, and no tamassran thinks herself a mere anything."

 

Nanny Goodwin bid the Qunari good day and returned to Hightown with much to think about.

 

—An excerpt from The Lies of the Nobles, the Truth of the Qun, author unknown