their way to their brother’s table.
“What a fine bit of luck!” said Garten.
“Can we join you?” said Trassan.
Guis shrugged amiably. “It’s not like I have company.”
The brothers exchanged hugs and took their seats. Trassan waved frantically at a harassed looking serving girl. He held up three fingers, she nodded wearily.
“Cider, ale and...?”
“Wine,” said Guis. “A bottle.”
“Wine!” shouted Trassan.
The girl waved at her ears, then pointed.
“She can’t hear me,” said Trassan.
“Are you surprised?” said Guis. “This is a rowdy night.”
“Ah, she’s coming back,” said Trassan.
“The god is over there then,” said Garten, craning his neck. Back off the main room was a large booth, almost a room in itself. At the very back a giant sat, a caricature of a rambunctious rural goodfellow, all good cheer, rosy cheeks and loud laughs.
“He is,” said Guis.
“Terrifying,” said Garten sincerely. He had never seen the god out of his case.
The god looked Garten right in the eye, winked and pressed one enormous finger against his nose. Faces about his table turned to look at the brothers. They raised their tankards and shouted salutations that were lost in the hubbub of the crowd.
“Why are they looking at us?” said Garten.
“He’s been expecting you, he’s been talking about you.”
“What?”
“You’ve never been in an alehouse with the god?” said Guis. “Why Garten, you are duller than you look. It is his habit to tell stories.” Guis patted at his shoulder where something stirred in his hair. “It is his habit to embarrass at least one of his listeners while doing so.”
“God of wine and drama,” said Trassan, pleased to have been anticipated.
Garten was dismayed. “It is no small thing to draw the eye of a god.”
“Don’t worry about it,” said Guis. “He does it to everyone. To be frank, he can be a bit of a cock. He enjoys disturbing people.”
“Where is that girl?” said Trassan. He fidgeted in his seat, craning his neck this way and that.
“Where have you been, brother?” asked Garten. “We’ve missed you.”
“Away up north, in Stoncastrum. I’ve been there for seven weeks or so,” said Guis.
“Have you moved?” said Garten incredulously. “Why didn’t you tell us. You should have written, sent a message, anything.”
“It’s just a short stay. I’ve been busy. I have a play on. I would have sent notice but, you know.” He smiled, but sadly.
“You should not keep your movements to yourself so. Does mother know you are back?”
Guis shrugged. The accompanying smile was a little sour.
“Well!” said Garten with forced cheer. He clapped his hands together and rubbed them. “We’re all here now, that’s the important thing. Three Kressind brothers in one place at one time, that’s worthy of celebration.”
“We’ll all be together tomorrow,” said Trassan ruefully. “Rel’s getting kicked out of the country. I assume you’re coming to see him off?”
“I did hear,” said Guis. “Any idea why?”
“Ah,” said Trassan dismissively. “He fucked the wrong man’s wife, is what I heard. They’ve had him banged up for a fortnight in the regimental prison. Big fuss about nothing if you ask me.”
“He’ll be missing Katriona’s wedding.”
“I can’t help but think that was intended,” said Trassan. “Alanrys is a sod, no matter what father thinks of him. There’s something going on there. Father pulled some strings,” said Trassan. “Apparently it was before the wedding or fighting Ocerzerkiyan corsairs.”
“He’ll be halfway across the continent in a week,” said Garten.
“Katriona will be livid,” said Guis.
Trassan huffed in agreement. “She is.” He picked up a pewter salt cellar and fiddled with it. There were few objects Trassan would not worry at. He was a devil with knickknacks.
“Leave it be!” Guis scowled; it settled into deep lines worn into his face by its many
“What a fine bit of luck!” said Garten.
“Can we join you?” said Trassan.
Guis shrugged amiably. “It’s not like I have company.”
The brothers exchanged hugs and took their seats. Trassan waved frantically at a harassed looking serving girl. He held up three fingers, she nodded wearily.
“Cider, ale and...?”
“Wine,” said Guis. “A bottle.”
“Wine!” shouted Trassan.
The girl waved at her ears, then pointed.
“She can’t hear me,” said Trassan.
“Are you surprised?” said Guis. “This is a rowdy night.”
“Ah, she’s coming back,” said Trassan.
“The god is over there then,” said Garten, craning his neck. Back off the main room was a large booth, almost a room in itself. At the very back a giant sat, a caricature of a rambunctious rural goodfellow, all good cheer, rosy cheeks and loud laughs.
“He is,” said Guis.
“Terrifying,” said Garten sincerely. He had never seen the god out of his case.
The god looked Garten right in the eye, winked and pressed one enormous finger against his nose. Faces about his table turned to look at the brothers. They raised their tankards and shouted salutations that were lost in the hubbub of the crowd.
“Why are they looking at us?” said Garten.
“He’s been expecting you, he’s been talking about you.”
“What?”
“You’ve never been in an alehouse with the god?” said Guis. “Why Garten, you are duller than you look. It is his habit to tell stories.” Guis patted at his shoulder where something stirred in his hair. “It is his habit to embarrass at least one of his listeners while doing so.”
“God of wine and drama,” said Trassan, pleased to have been anticipated.
Garten was dismayed. “It is no small thing to draw the eye of a god.”
“Don’t worry about it,” said Guis. “He does it to everyone. To be frank, he can be a bit of a cock. He enjoys disturbing people.”
“Where is that girl?” said Trassan. He fidgeted in his seat, craning his neck this way and that.
“Where have you been, brother?” asked Garten. “We’ve missed you.”
“Away up north, in Stoncastrum. I’ve been there for seven weeks or so,” said Guis.
“Have you moved?” said Garten incredulously. “Why didn’t you tell us. You should have written, sent a message, anything.”
“It’s just a short stay. I’ve been busy. I have a play on. I would have sent notice but, you know.” He smiled, but sadly.
“You should not keep your movements to yourself so. Does mother know you are back?”
Guis shrugged. The accompanying smile was a little sour.
“Well!” said Garten with forced cheer. He clapped his hands together and rubbed them. “We’re all here now, that’s the important thing. Three Kressind brothers in one place at one time, that’s worthy of celebration.”
“We’ll all be together tomorrow,” said Trassan ruefully. “Rel’s getting kicked out of the country. I assume you’re coming to see him off?”
“I did hear,” said Guis. “Any idea why?”
“Ah,” said Trassan dismissively. “He fucked the wrong man’s wife, is what I heard. They’ve had him banged up for a fortnight in the regimental prison. Big fuss about nothing if you ask me.”
“He’ll be missing Katriona’s wedding.”
“I can’t help but think that was intended,” said Trassan. “Alanrys is a sod, no matter what father thinks of him. There’s something going on there. Father pulled some strings,” said Trassan. “Apparently it was before the wedding or fighting Ocerzerkiyan corsairs.”
“He’ll be halfway across the continent in a week,” said Garten.
“Katriona will be livid,” said Guis.
Trassan huffed in agreement. “She is.” He picked up a pewter salt cellar and fiddled with it. There were few objects Trassan would not worry at. He was a devil with knickknacks.
“Leave it be!” Guis scowled; it settled into deep lines worn into his face by its many
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