Salamander found a tankard and filled it from the barrel over by the servants hearth, then sat down on the bench not occupied by Gerrans boots.
It concerns Neb the scribe, Salamander said. He tells me hell be riding with the army. He shouldnt. He needs to be here in the dun. The fortguard cant keep watch against certain kinds of danger, but he can, if you take my meaning.
I do. Gerran had a long swallow of ale. Not that I like thinking about it.
I realize that. Salamander paused for a nervous glance around, but none of the servants were in earshot. I can take his place, if our good tieryn will let him stay behind. But I need a tale that will convince Cadryc, some clever ploy, some magnificent obfuscation, a lie, in short, since I cant tell him the truth.
Theres no need to pile up horseshit. Gerran set his tankard down. Youre not inventing a tale for the marketplace.
Well, what else can I do?
Leave it to me. Ill go speak to his grace right now.
Gerran found Tieryn Cadryc out in the stables, where he and the head groom were making an important decision: which horses the warband would take to Zakh Gral. Gerran waited for a lull in their talk.
Your grace? Gerran said. A private word with you?
Of course. Cadryc nodded at the groom. Ill be back straightaway.
They walked across the kitchen garden and out to the curve of the dun wall, where no one could overhear.
Whats all this, Gerro? Cadryc said.
Your grace, do you trust me?
What? Of course I do!
And do you trust my judgment? You dont think me daft or suchlike, do you?
Of course not! Gerro
Then grant me a daft-sounding boon on my word alone. Neb the scribe should stay here when we ride out.
For a long moment Cadryc stared at him narrow-eyed. On your word alone? No explanation?
None, your grace.
Cadryc shrugged and smiled. Done, then, he said. Its an easy enough boon to grant, eh? I can always ask Prince Dars scribe if I need a message written or suchlike.
Better yet, Salamander can read and write. Neb can give him what he needs for the job.
Well, there you are, then. Easy and twice easy.
Cadryc went back to the stables, and Gerran started for the broch. He took a shortcut through the kitchen garden, then realized that someone was lurking behind the cooks little gardening shed. He could guess who it was.
Come out, gerthddyn, Gerran said wearily. I should have known youd be eavesdropping.
Think of all the effort Ive saved you. Salamander strolled over to join him. This way you wont have to tell me what our noble tieryn said. My thanks, by the way. You were quite right. We didnt need the pile of horseshit. Ill just go tell Neb that the matters settled.
Salamander trotted off with a cheerful wave. As Gerran followed, he happened to glance up. Far above the dun the black dragon floated on the summer breeze. Although he didnt know where Arzosah was lairing, at various times during the day this strangest of all possible allies would appear, keeping watch over the dun. Shed take a turn or two over it at night, as well, when she was on her way to hunt down a wild meal. Gerran was never sure if her presence was comforting or terrifying. As long as she doesnt scare the horses, he thought. With a shrug he went inside to join the warband.
Well, it gladdens my heart to have that settled, Branna said. I feel horribly selfish, though. Im just so happy that Neb will be staying here safe in the dun.
Why not be happy? Salamander gave her one of his sunny grins. Life is short, so grasp what joy it gives you. As to safe, I hope you both will be, but youll need to be on your guard.
Because of the raven mazrak?
Precisely. He may not know who you specifically are, but dweomer can always smell out dweomer. He must know you have it, and that therefore youre a potential thorn in his feathered side.
Lets hope I can be a dagger, not a thorn.
Someday, mayhap, but not now. Salamanders voice dropped to a cold seriousness. Never challenge him. Merely watch. Hes got a hundred times the power you do.
Well and good, then. Will Arzosah be carrying messages back and forth? I can always send you one if I see him.
Alas, I doubt it. Well need the dragons with the army.
Rori will be there, too?
Oh, of course. He never was the sort of man you could keep out of a good fight.
Branna felt that she should know exactly what he meant, but the memories eluded her. She was about to ask more, but she heard voices behind her. They were standing just inside the honour door of the great hall, which was beginning to fill up for the evening meal. When she glanced over her shoulder she saw Aunt Galla and her daughter Adranna walking towards them. She stepped aside to let them enter. As they passed, Salamander bowed to both women. Galla favoured him with a smile and a wave of her hand, but Adranna strode on by with her mouth set in a thin line and poison in her eyes.
Alas, Salamander said. I fear me your cousin will never forgive me. Truly, if I were her I wouldnt forgive me, either. My heart aches for her loss.
Shes better off without Honelg, Branna said. So are the children.
No doubt, but it must be hard on a woman to return a widow to her fathers dun.
Little do you know how true that is! She and Galla squabble all the time.
That must be unpleasant.
It is, but at least shes here to help with the spinning. Branna reflexively rubbed her right wrist with her left hand. The more women the better for that. Its so tedious.
While they waited for the gwerbrets army to ride in, Branna had been spending as much time as she possibly could with her cousin. During their long talks, Adranna occasionally discussed her dead husband and even wept for him, briefly and now and then, but the loss she felt most keenly was nothing so domestic as lord and dun. That evening they left the dinner table early and went up to the womens hall, where they pulled their chairs over to a window and the cooler air.
You dont know what its like, Branni, Adranna said. Being part of a clan of believers, I mean. Thats how we thought of ourselves, as kin and clan, Alshandras people all, whether we were farmers or noble-born.
I feel that way when we go to the Moon temple on the feast days and suchlike.
Oh, that! Adranna tossed her head. Thats just tradition. Alshandra is real. You can feel her presence. Our ladys different, truly she is.
How can she be? All goddesses are one goddess.
Thats what the priestesses of the Moon say, but why should we believe them?
Branna decided to ignore the question. Alshandra certainly could be a new aspect of the goddess, she went on, but all that talk of Vandars spawn and the like that sounds like the Horsekin men to me, making up a new excuse to start wars and conquer other peoples land.
I have to admit that it sounded that way to me, too, especially the bit about Vandars spawn. They do want pasture for their horses, the Horsekin men. The ones that visited us, they practically came right out and said so, but well, I thought maybe Alshandra wants them to live on the grasslands.
Grasslands, perchance, somewhere or other. I wouldnt wager high on it. Goddesses dont draw up boundary maps like a village priest, deciding which son gets what when a farmer dies.
At that Adranna managed to smile.
Besides, Branna said, why would your goddess want the Westfolk destroyed? She
Hold a moment! Adranna leaned forward in her chair. The Westfolk? I never heard anything against the Westfolk.
But thats who Vandars spawn are, according to the Horsekin leaders. Salamander told me about it. The Westfolk lands are the ones they want for themselves.
That cant be true!
It is true. Ask Salamander if you dont believe me.
And why would I believe one word that lying viper says?
Well, why would he make that up? He only lies when hes got a good reason. He told me that he heard it from the priestess Rocca.
Still
Besides, Dallandra told me the same thing. Would she lie?
She wouldnt. Adranna whispered, and her hands tightened on the arms of her chair. But thats a horrible idea.
I rather thought so myself.
Adranna suddenly noticed, or so it seemed, that she was clutching the wood so tightly that her knuckles had gone white. She let go with a sharp sigh and let her hands rest in her lap. Branna waited for some little while to give her a chance to think things over.
From everything Ive heard, Branna went on, Id say that the Alshandra cult modelled her on Aranrodda. And Aranroddas an aspect of the one true goddess, isnt she?
She is, truly.
Well, then. Wouldnt that mean Alshandras an aspect herself?
Oh. Id not thought of it that way, but
Branna waited. Adranna sighed, leaning back in her chair, her face so uncharacteristically thin and drawn, pale against her dark hair, that Branna nearly wept from looking at her.
Youre exhausted, cousin, Branna said. Theres no need to go on talking now.
My thanks. Adranna managed a faint smile. Well have lots of time to talk while the men are gone to war. Thats one good thing to come out of this, I suppose.
So we will, truly.
Theres another good thing, Adranna continued. You know, the worst thing about living with Honelg was being terrified. Not of him, so much, though he did have that awful temper, but because of Alshandra. I was always afraid that someone would find us out and tell the priests or the gwerbret. I got so tired of being frightened. Every time someone rode up to the dun, Id tremble until I found out who it was. I really would, Branni. I couldnt hold a cup of water steady for the trembling. Now the worst has happened and been done with, and the children are safe. I dont much care what happens to me any more, but I prayed and prayed that my children would be safe. So, at least the fears over now.
Branna just managed to stop herself from blurting out the truth: the real time of fear had just begun.
Whenever Arzosah wanted to speak with Salamander, she would wait till evening, when the grooms had stabled the horses, safe from the panic her presence would cause. Normally she would fly low over the dun until he noticed, then go land in the meadow just below the motte upon which the dun stood. That particular evening, however, she landed directly on the flat roof of the broch. Salamander, who was up in his top-floor chamber, felt the tower shake as if in a high wind. Out in the ward several maidservants screamed.
That must be the dragon, he remarked aloud. Id best go see what she wants.
He climbed the ladder standing in the corridor outside and shoved open the trap door. In the hot, humid night, the vinegar scent of great wyrm nearly made him choke. He swung himself onto the roof from the ladders last rung, then stood up to bow to her. He could see her raise her enormous head in silhouette against the stars.
And a good eve to you, oh perfect paragon of dragonhood, Salamander said in Elvish.
My, you do know how to flatter a lady. Arzosah made the rumbling sound that signalled amusement. Even minstrels have their uses, I see.
And such as my poor skills are, theyre at your disposal.
Good. I need to know if the dun will be safe if I leave. I have to search for Rori. He was supposed to meet me here, and hes never arrived.
Thats true. He hasnt. I hope no harms befallen him.
I doubt that very much, since only another dragon could possibly harm him. No, Im sure hes merely being an utter dolt about facing you and Dallandra.
Cant Dalla summon him?
No, and all because hes not a true dragon in his soul. When she calls out his true name, he can feel the summons in the dragonish way, but it lacks power over him. Hes been ignoring her. Arzosah clacked her massive jaws. He can be infuriating.
You have to understand, Salamander said, that its a hard thing being caught between two peoples. Ive spent my whole life that way, and I know.
I suppose youre right. Arzosah considered this for a moment. I can see the difficulties Rori goes through. But the worst of them is that it makes so much trouble for me.
A terrible thing, truly. Well, once youve found him, why dont you join Dallandra out on the grasslands? I doubt if were in any danger here, not from armed enemies, at any rate.
Good. Ill do that. She started to spread her wings, then folded them back again. You know, youd best be off the roof before I fly. Id hate to knock you off it.
Id hate it even more. Good hunting, and Ill see you when we join up with Daralanteriels army.
Salamander climbed partway down the ladder, then shut the trap door. Just as he reached the safety of the corridor below, he heard her fly off in a great rush of wings like drumbeats.
Since his chamber was stifling in the summer heat, Salamander decided to take a turn around the ward in the cooler air before he tried to sleep. When he reached the bottom of the staircase, he discovered that half the dun was doing the same thing, noble-born as well as commoners. Bright points of lantern light danced around the dark ward and glittered here and there up on the catwalks. He could hear mens cajoling voices, speaking softly, and the giggling of serving lasses in return.
Off to one side Gerran stood talking with Lady Solla. In the light of the lantern he carried, his copper-red hair gleamed like the metal itself. Neb and Branna were strolling along arm-in-arm with Adrannas two children trailing after. A crowd of Wildfolk danced around them, led by Brannas skinny grey gnome, and Nebs fat yellow one. A gaggle of crystalline sprites flew above. When Salamander stopped to greet them, Trenni gave him a pleasant good evening, but Matto turned his head away and ostentatiously spit on the cobbles. The Wildfolk vanished.
Lets go inside, Branna said firmly. Trenni, you too. Its time for bed.
She grabbed a child by the arm with each hand and hurried them into the broch. Neb, however, lingered outside with Salamander. They wandered around the back of the broch and stood in a patch of candlelight falling through a window.
Do you think that Matto will ever forgive me? Salamander said. Im afraid I had a great deal to do with his fathers death.
Im not so sure its that, Neb said. More like, he blames you for losing him his home and making his mother so unhappy. Honelg lost every bit of the lads loyalty when he tried to kill him. Trenni outright hated her father, and I think me our Mattos coming round to her way of thinking.