[Lanen Kaelar 01] - Song in the Silence by Elizabeth Kerner Page A

in from the northeast. I
took it as a sign from the Lady. I would let the winds blow me south and west,
to Corli; if chance and the Lady willed it, to the Dragon Isle, following the
wind and my dreams—and when I wearied of wandering, at least now. I would
always know where home was.
    And Jamie would be there.
    He called me daughter.
    I let the words sink deep in my heart. I could
feel them like a cool drink on a summer’s day, spreading through my body,
quenching the hot dryness where I held images of a heedless Hadron. Sweet pain,
that brought such a feeling.
    I smiled. It had been a good parting after all,
and the only one that mattered.
    I turned back towards the inn, my heart and mind
full of time past and time to come, and walked straight into Bors of Trissen.
    We had to catch hold of each other to keep from
falling. I was glad to find that my heart did not pound as it had before in his
presence. Once I had my balance again I shook off his hands.
    He was smiling, looking genuinely pleased.
“Why, Lady Lanen, here you are! I’ve been looking for you. Won’t you come
fairing with me?”
    I was on the point of swearing at him when I
realised I could look at him without being dazzled. I wondered if that was the
result of knowing about his amulet.
    He laughed. “Dear lady, why so great a
frown? I have no dark designs, I only want to show you the fair.”
    “Why so great a deception?” I growled.
“I have no time for liars.”
    “What do you mean? How did I deceive
you?” He looked all innocence.
    “You know full well. My friend warned me,
for the spell did not affect him.”
    “Oh, you mean the amulet,” he said
calmly. “Why, my lady, surely you knew—oh, your pardon! I never
thought!” He went down on one knee to me, right there in the street, like
a prince (or a player). He looked genuinely penitent. “Lady Lanen, I pray
you will pardon this fool. I wore what I had purchased to find if it was what I
had paid for. I should have realised you would not know of such things, I know
they are rare outside of Corli and Elimar. I beg your pardon most
sincerely.”
    A crowd was beginning to gather. He looked such a
fool kneeling there in the road, it was all I could do not to smile at him. An
old woman called out, “Take him, lass, or leave him be, but don’t leave
him there in the dust!” It raised a general laugh. I reached down and drew
him to his feet.
    There was more laughter and the people dispersed.
“You great idiot,” I said, losing the battle and grinning at him.
“A simple apology would have done.”     .
    “I am truly sorry, Lanen,” he said
humbly. “I am not wearing it now, you know.” He grinned at me.
“Though that night in the inn, I must admit I thought it was not working.
I had hoped for a kiss at least.”
    “Be glad you didn’t get one,” I said.
“If I had kissed you because of a spell and found out about it later, I
might have—well, I should warn you, I have a vile temper.”
    Still he smiled. “I may not even hope?”
he asked, teasing. I batted at his arm to cover my confusion, not knowing
whether to be flattered or insulted. He was still a handsome enough man when he
smiled, and his voice at least was no deception. It still had all its power and
music, undiminished by the absence of the amulet. With such a natural gift, I
thought to myself, he could own the world if he so wished.
    “Come then, you deceiver,” I said,
smiling. “Show this ignorant country girl the fair, and don’t forget that
you’re the one who paid me three times what my mare was worth.”
    He laughed and took my arm. “And I shall buy
you supper on the strength of it as atonement for my fault,” he declared.
And so we entered the fair.
    We spent what was left of the afternoon going
round the booths and tents. I had never seen so many things before in one
place. It was like a swift glimpse of all the places I dreamt of seeing
someday. There were silks in all colours and patterns from