off,’ she said. ‘How will he ever find a woman willing to suffer such a touch?’
‘Think on it a day or two before you make any decision,’ said Yalenna, then lowered her voice for the father alone. ‘Make sure she holds him soon. It may change things for her.’
He nodded wanly.
She touched his shoulder in comfort and released a blessing fashioned for him.
May you be proud of all your children.
And to the Lady Tanelle …
May you not care what others think.
And to their child …
May you be happy.
After that she found she did not want to be in the room anymore. She was painfully aware that her powers had contributed to this trouble, yet now she used them to assuage part of the damage. The trade-off was not even, and the whole situation made her feel worse than useless.
‘Threaders, out,’ she said. ‘You may return tomorrow, if the parents wish it.’
Uncertainlythey obeyed. Jandryn waited for her as she paused to look once more upon the lord and lady, uncertain what to else say to ease their pain. Carefully Lord Tanelle stepped around the bed, bringing the child closer to his teary mother, as the midwife continued to stroke her hair.
‘Come, my love,’ he said, offering the child.
Yalenna left their chambers, and outside in the corridor was somewhat relieved to find Rostigan waiting, if only because he understood.
‘The births have started again,’ she told him.
He grimaced. ‘It’s getting worse then.’
‘Yes.’
‘I have an idea to combat one of the problems we face.’
He held out a hand, evidently asking her to step away from other ears. She glanced at Jandryn apologetically.
‘Go then, my lady,’ he said stiffly.
‘I will speak to you later,’ she said, and went with Rostigan.
‘My lord,’ said a fellow called Commander Balen, ‘we are nearing Harten.’
‘Ah.’
It was the first town they would come to that owed no fealty to Tallahow, thus marking the edge of Forger’s territory. In the distance he could see its smoking chimneys and people fleeing in various directions, some on horses, others with their possessions on their backs.
‘Look atthem,’ said Forger. ‘At this rate there won’t be anyone left! What’s the point of conquering nobody? They should not run, but bow down as we pass.’
‘What do you want done, lord?’
‘Send riders after them. When they catch groups, kill one in every two. For the lone travellers, cut off a foot.’
If Balen balked at the odd savagery of the order, he did not show it.
‘I hate it when people run away,’ muttered Forger.
He was momentarily distracted though, as a couple of rocks rose from the grass before his feet and floated away, up into the air.
UNDER ALTHALA
Tarzi had nevertried to enter Althala Castle on her own before and, as expected, guards stopped her at the front entrance demanding to know her business. Luckily, when she told them she was looking for Rostigan, one of them recognised her.
‘He came here earlier today, Miss Tarzi, looking for Lady Yalenna. Would you like me to take you to him?’
‘That would be very nice, thank you.’
The guard led her through the castle, asking questions of others along the way. No one could give a definite answer about Rostigan or Yalenna’s whereabouts, until they found Jandryn in the armoury. Swords and polished metal hung from lines of racks, which Jandryn moved between with a scribe on his heels.
‘These can be sent to the camp,’ he was saying as they entered, and the scribe made a note.
‘Captain,’ announcedTarzi’s escort, ‘Miss Tarzi is trying to find Skullrender.’
Jandryn turned, and something flickered across his face. He dismissed the guard and nodded to the scribe to carry on without him. Once he and Tarzi were alone, he lowered his voice.
‘I must apologise, good minstrel, but it seems your warrior and the Priestess have left the castle.’
Despite half-expecting to hear such a thing, Tarzi was irritated.
‘Where did they
‘Think on it a day or two before you make any decision,’ said Yalenna, then lowered her voice for the father alone. ‘Make sure she holds him soon. It may change things for her.’
He nodded wanly.
She touched his shoulder in comfort and released a blessing fashioned for him.
May you be proud of all your children.
And to the Lady Tanelle …
May you not care what others think.
And to their child …
May you be happy.
After that she found she did not want to be in the room anymore. She was painfully aware that her powers had contributed to this trouble, yet now she used them to assuage part of the damage. The trade-off was not even, and the whole situation made her feel worse than useless.
‘Threaders, out,’ she said. ‘You may return tomorrow, if the parents wish it.’
Uncertainlythey obeyed. Jandryn waited for her as she paused to look once more upon the lord and lady, uncertain what to else say to ease their pain. Carefully Lord Tanelle stepped around the bed, bringing the child closer to his teary mother, as the midwife continued to stroke her hair.
‘Come, my love,’ he said, offering the child.
Yalenna left their chambers, and outside in the corridor was somewhat relieved to find Rostigan waiting, if only because he understood.
‘The births have started again,’ she told him.
He grimaced. ‘It’s getting worse then.’
‘Yes.’
‘I have an idea to combat one of the problems we face.’
He held out a hand, evidently asking her to step away from other ears. She glanced at Jandryn apologetically.
‘Go then, my lady,’ he said stiffly.
‘I will speak to you later,’ she said, and went with Rostigan.
‘My lord,’ said a fellow called Commander Balen, ‘we are nearing Harten.’
‘Ah.’
It was the first town they would come to that owed no fealty to Tallahow, thus marking the edge of Forger’s territory. In the distance he could see its smoking chimneys and people fleeing in various directions, some on horses, others with their possessions on their backs.
‘Look atthem,’ said Forger. ‘At this rate there won’t be anyone left! What’s the point of conquering nobody? They should not run, but bow down as we pass.’
‘What do you want done, lord?’
‘Send riders after them. When they catch groups, kill one in every two. For the lone travellers, cut off a foot.’
If Balen balked at the odd savagery of the order, he did not show it.
‘I hate it when people run away,’ muttered Forger.
He was momentarily distracted though, as a couple of rocks rose from the grass before his feet and floated away, up into the air.
UNDER ALTHALA
Tarzi had nevertried to enter Althala Castle on her own before and, as expected, guards stopped her at the front entrance demanding to know her business. Luckily, when she told them she was looking for Rostigan, one of them recognised her.
‘He came here earlier today, Miss Tarzi, looking for Lady Yalenna. Would you like me to take you to him?’
‘That would be very nice, thank you.’
The guard led her through the castle, asking questions of others along the way. No one could give a definite answer about Rostigan or Yalenna’s whereabouts, until they found Jandryn in the armoury. Swords and polished metal hung from lines of racks, which Jandryn moved between with a scribe on his heels.
‘These can be sent to the camp,’ he was saying as they entered, and the scribe made a note.
‘Captain,’ announcedTarzi’s escort, ‘Miss Tarzi is trying to find Skullrender.’
Jandryn turned, and something flickered across his face. He dismissed the guard and nodded to the scribe to carry on without him. Once he and Tarzi were alone, he lowered his voice.
‘I must apologise, good minstrel, but it seems your warrior and the Priestess have left the castle.’
Despite half-expecting to hear such a thing, Tarzi was irritated.
‘Where did they
Similar Books
