Sanno! Lilli called.
With a laugh he threw his reins to a waiting groom and ran to greet her with a bear hug. She threw her arms around his neck and let him swing her free of the ground, as he used to when they were small children. After a few circles he set her down again.
You look well, little sister. He was smiling at her. Still as scrawny as ever, though.
So do you, brother, though youre getting fat about the middle, I see. Wheres your lady?
Back in Hendyr. He smiled in an exceedingly sly way. Shes too heavy with child to travel.
My congratulations to you both!
My thanks. It would be a splendid thing if the child were a son. His smile vanished. Id ride with a lighter heart if I knew Hendyr had an heir.
Just so. Lilli felt her voice catch and looked away.
Murmuring among themselves, the grooms were leading away the horses, while Anasyns guard waited patiently by the door of the main broch. While Lilli watched, the view suddenly blurred. With a muttered oath she reached up and wiped the tears away.
Dont weep, little sister. Anasyn laid a hand on her shoulder. Its in the hands of Wyrd, and what man knows the ways of that? He shrugged the moment away. Id best go present myself to the prince, but dine with me tonight, will you? You can tell me how things stand here in the dun.
Thinking of Bellyra, Lilli hesitated, but only briefly. Of course, gladly. And you can tell me how Hendyr fares.
Since as a mere tieryn Anasyn was seated some distance from the royal table, Lilli managed to keep a safe distance from the prince and princess both, though, just as the meal finished, she did see Degwa making her way through the crowded hall. Lilli smiled and waved, but Degwa hurried right past their table without a word.
And just who was that fine lady, Anasyn muttered, to treat you so coldly?
Someone whos been my enemy from the day we rode into Cerrmor, Lilli said. Shes a daughter of the Wolf clan, and shes never forgiven me for having been born a Boar.
Anasyn was about to reply when Gwerbret Daeryc strolled over. During the muster Lilli had only seen him from a distance, and now she noticed that hed lost more teeth over the winter one side of his face looked positively caved in. Anasyn scrambled up and bowed to his overlord, but Daeryc motioned to Lilli to stay seated.
I only want a word with your brother, Daeryc said, about this business of the white mare.
Theyve not found one, have they? Anasyn said.
Theyve not, or so they say. Daeryc looked profoundly gloomy. Who can trust what priests say, eh? But without the mare, the temple wont perform the kingship rite before the campaigning begins.
Indeed? Lilli put in. Thats a pity, but is it all that important?
Important? Daeryc snorted. You could say that twice and loudly, too.
If the wretched priests of Bel, Anasyn said to her, would condescend to proclaim our liege king before we all rode out, we could count on plenty of deserters from Braemyss army. Im willing to wager high that a lot of the lords still loyal to the Boars would come over if they had some noble reason to do it. They dont want to besmirch their honour, but if Maryn were the king? Well, then.
Id wager along with you, Daeryc said. Braemys just might have found his army disappearing like food on a gluttons table. But now? He shrugged. The good men will hold loyal till the end, most like.
After the meal Lilli went up to Nevyns tower room, where she discovered that the delay in confirming Maryns kingship was preying upon her masters mind as well. Nevyn delivered himself of a few choice oaths on the subject before explaining.
They have their reason all polished and ready, of course. The lack of the proper white mare for the rites. Huh. Let Maryn win the summers war, and white mares will doubtless pop up all over the landscape.
Theres somewhat I dont understand, Lilli said. Does great Bel really care about the colour of Maryns horse? Would we really be cursed if he rode a grey mare in the procession?
Of course not. But the lords and the priests and perhaps even the common folk would believe that he was cursed, and theyd look at him with different eyes. And Maryn himself hes as pious as any great lord is, which is to say, as pious as the times are hard, but he truly does believe that the gods have power over him. If he thought himself cursed, wouldnt he doubt his judgment and his luck?
I see. And he might do a reckless thing, or shrink back from a fight, and his men would think hed lost his dweomer luck.
Exactly. And theyve followed him for many a long year now, through famine and battle, mostly because they believe in his luck and the gods both.
Lilli considered this while the old man watched her from his seat on the window sill. But then, she said finally, the gods dont truly care what happens to their worshippers. It that what you mean?
Close enough. In time, Ill tell you a great deal more about the gods this autumn, when we have more leisure. But for now, remember that the gods want homage and little else from their ordinary worshippers. Does the high king care about each and every man who tends his fields? Not so long as that man hands over his taxes and dues.
That makes the gods seem so cold, though, and so very far away.
They are. Think well on this. Which youll have plenty of time to do once Ive gone with the prince.
Anasyn was the last lord to ride in, wasnt he? Lilli felt her heart turn over. Youll all be marching on the morrow.
Im afraid so. Nevyn glanced away, abruptly sad. And may the gods all grant that this summer sees the end of it.
As she walked down the stairs of Nevyns tower, Lilli was thinking of Branoic. Although she wanted to say farewell to him, her rank kept her from going to a place as lowly as the silver daggers barracks. She stepped inside the great hall, stood in the doorway on the riders side, and tried to catch the attention of one of the servant lasses, who would be glad to carry a message for her in return for a copper. In the smoky room, crammed with fighting men of every rank, the lasses were trotting back and forth, bringing ale, serving bread, dodging the mens wandering hands and answering back as smartly as they could to the various remarks they were getting. Lilli found herself thinking that she was as lucky as Prince Maryn. The summer past her clan had been destroyed, and she herself might have ended up carrying slops in some lords hall had it not been for Princess Bellyras generosity.
Lilli? A dark voice sounded behind her.
With a little shriek Lilli spun around to find Branoic grinning at her.
I didnt mean to scare you out of your skin, he said. I got one of my feelings, like, that mayhap you wanted to talk with me.
I do. She managed a laugh. I was just remembering last summer. It seems like a twentys worth of years ago, not just one.
The best summer of my life, it was.
Truly? Why?
You silly goose! Branoic was grinning at her. Because I met you, of course.
I dont deserve you, I truly dont.
Spare me that, if you please. Branoic reached out and engulfed her small soft hands with his, all battle-hard and callused. If our prince objects to my kissing my betrothed farewell, then bad cess to him.
I dont deserve you, I truly dont.
Spare me that, if you please. Branoic reached out and engulfed her small soft hands with his, all battle-hard and callused. If our prince objects to my kissing my betrothed farewell, then bad cess to him.
Clasped tight in his arms she felt safe, as if his embrace could shut out the entire war-torn world around them. Oh dear Goddess! she prayed. Let him come home to me!
On the morrow, Prince Maryn rode out at the head of his army to settle things once and for all with Regent Braemys. At the head of the line of march rode a pair of young lads carrying the red wyvern banner of Dun Deverry and the three ships banner of Cerrmor. Behind them rode Prince Maryn with Nevyn for company, and directly after, his silver daggers. The rest of the army arranged itself behind, each warband headed by its own lord in order of rank. At the rear came the provision wagons, servants, grooms with extra horses, and chirurgeons, all guarded by the foot soldiers spearmen, mostly, under Oggyns command owed to the prince by the various free cities in his dominions. All in all, they numbered over four thousand men, less than the summer before, but still one of the largest armies Deverry had ever seen.
Thanks to the carts and their slab wheels, this massive force could make about twelve miles a day on flat terrain. In the hilly country that lay ahead, they would be lucky to manage ten. Since clever manoeuvres were out of the question, the prince had decided upon a simple strategy. In his message Braemys had announced his intention of riding to Dun Deverry by Beltane. Maryn saw no reason to doubt him; Braemys had not the men to take the dun or even besiege it successfully. Maryns vassals had agreed that they should lead their army east towards Cantrae, over two hundred miles away. Somewhere, when the gods and their Wyrd decided the time was right, they would meet Braemys and his men upon the road.
Which is not to say, Maryn said, that the little pisspot wont try some sort of trick. Last summer we saw how clever he can be.
So we did, your highness, Nevyn said. Its a good thing I can scout for you.
Just so. Maryn turned in the saddle to give him a tight smile. And I thank the gods for it.
Since Nevyn had never seen Braemys in the flesh, simple scrying was impossible, and he was forced to resort to the etheric plane for his scouting. Every night when the army halted, he would assume the body of light and travel as far east as he dared. Below, the land would seem to burn with the vegetable auras of trees and grasses, pulsing with spring life. The streams and rivers swelled up into silver veils of elemental force, glittering and dangerous to a traveller such as he. To avoid them he flew above the dirt roads, but even they sported a faint russet glow. When the astral tides turned with the spring, the very earth came to the edge of life.
Yet, no matter how far Nevyn ranged, he saw nothing of Braemys and his army. He began to wonder if the message had been a ruse, if Braemys intended to stand a seige in Dun Cantrae. If so, taking it would cost another long effort and a good many mens lives. Well bridge that ditch when we come to it, he told himself. After all, there was naught else he could do but wait.
The army had been gone only a few days when Bellyra went into labour. Lilli waited with the other women the serving lasses, the cook, the swineherds wife, and the like down in the great hall while the midwife and the princesss serving women tended Bellyra during the birth. Out of habit they sat by the riders hearth, even though with the nobility gone except for young Prince Riddmar, they might have sat where they liked. Despite the size of the hall, the men left on fortguard went back to their barracks, as if they felt themselves in the way of these womens matters. The young prince trailed after them.
I do hope it goes easy for her highness, said the cook.
Shes delivered two before, Lilli said, and not had trouble.
Huh! The cook snorted. I had my first three easy as boiling barley, but my fourth? A lad, it was, and he cursed near killed me. I told him about it, too, I did, every year after.
Despite the cooks fears, the birth went fast. Bellyras labour had begun just after dawn, and not long after noon a triumphant Elyssa hurried down the staircase. She paused about halfway and called out, Another healthy son for the prince! Our lady fares well. Everyone answered with cheers and loud good wishes. Elyssa paused for a moment, smiling at them, then came down to the floor of the hall. She hurried over to the table where Lilli was sitting.
Lilli? Elyssa said. Could you spare me a moment?
Of course. Lilli jumped up and curtsied. What shall I do?
Just come walk with me a while.
Elyssa led her outside to the main ward. In the hot spring sun flies hovered, jewel-bright as they darted back and forth. Over by the watering trough a groom curried a dun palfrey, who stamped a lazy hoof and flicked his tail whenever a fly tried to land upon him. Otherwise the dun seemed wrapped in silence like some enchanted fortress. For a moment Elyssa stood staring at the cobbles; then she looked up with a little shrug.
I see no reason to mince words, Elyssa said. Are you minded to forgive the princess her fit of temper?
Me forgive her? Lilli heard her voice crack. Im the one whos done her harm.
Youre not. Its Maryn whos paid her the hurt she feels. In her worst moments shes blamed you, certainly, but when shes herself again she knows where the fault lies.
Truly?
Truly. Elyssa gave a firm little nod. Now, you know about the awful sadness that takes her after shes given birth.
I do. Is it happening again?
Not yet. The other two times, at least, shes done well for the first few days. Elyssa looked away, frowning. I wish the midwife understood it. Neither she nor the herbwoman can say aught but it passes, it passes. So it always does, but ye gods! the cost it takes while it lies upon her!
Its terrible, indeed.
So, I was wondering somewhat. Bellyra told me about that brooch of your mothers, the one that had some sort of evil spell upon it. Nevyn said that a thief would feel uneasy or suchlike from the handling of it. Is there such a thing as a spell that would cheer someone up, like, rather than cursing them?
There is. Lilli thought for a moment. I wonder if I could make such a thing? I think I know how, but Im not sure I have the skill. Im but an apprentice.
I know, but I thought mayhap youd try. Elyssa reached into the folds of her kirtle and drew out a small silver ring brooch. This belongs to her.
Ill gladly try. Lilli took the brooch and clasped it in her hand. The worst I can do is naught. You cant curse someone by accident or suchlike.
I did wonder about that. Elyssa suddenly smiled. Its good to talk with you again. If the princesss grief comes upon her, it would be a splendid thing if youd come to the womens hall. Any distraction would be a boon.
Even her getting enraged at me?
Even that, but I doubt me it would happen. Elyssa paused, glancing at the sky, when the sun had started its slide towards evening. Is it too late in the day to send the messengers off?
To the prince, you mean?
Just that. You know the lay of the land around Dun Deverry. Is there a dun nearby that would shelter them for the night?