stepped closer to Haner. “The lower classes always make this unseemly fuss,” she said. “It can be quite heart-rending. They’ve hidden the weaklings, even though they know it won’t achieve anything. The two out here will be the stronger ones, and the others will be hidden somewhere in there.”
Daverak entered the house. The two dragonets he had inspected clung together in silence.
“Shouldn’t the priest be here?” Haner asked. She was shaken by the experience, especially by the wretched howling of the mother, which showed no signs of ceasing.
“The demesne’s too big for him to go everywhere. Daverak will send him the eyes,” Berend explained.
Daverak came out with a hatchling under each arm. They were small and green and clearly not fit to survive. Their mother set up a renewed wail at the sight of them, louder than ever. They were still moving, and responded to this with piping wails of their own, with which their healthier siblings joined.
Haner shivered. “I’m sorry to subject you to all this,” Berend said, politely.
“It is for the good of dragonkind, as the Church teaches,” Haner said, repeating the words by rote. “And they’re very clearly the kind of dragonets who really do need to be culled,” she added, looking at them.
“Nobody enjoys it, but it is necessary, and well-bred dragons endure it without this terrible racket,” Berend said, shouting to be heard.
The howling and wailing almost drowned out Daverak’s recitation of the prayers. Haner heard an occasional phrase drifting through, “Veld’s blessings,” and “Jurale’s mercy,” and “that the rest might grow stronger.” Daverak then dismembered the dragonets neatly. Once they were dead, the family fell silent. He dropped the eyes into a pouch, doubtless for the priest. Then he looked at the collected dragons.
“These unfit hatchlings died for the good of dragonkind and according to the teachings of the Church,” he said, sternly. Maje touched his claws to the ground in submission. His wife bowed her head. Daverak dropped two of the tiny limbs on the grass in front of the family. He handed another to Haner, who took it in surprise, and divided the remainder between himself and Berend, giving Berend almost all of one of the dragonets.
Haner looked at the leg hesitantly, aware of the eyes of the family on her as she put it to her mouth. They had not yet touched their portion. She took a bite, and at once felt the strong magical taste of dragonflesh burning through her, making her feel immediately longer and braver. She met the eyes of the mother, and saw in their whirling purple depths resentment, grief, and fear.
5
Exalt Benandi’s Demesne
17. FELIN AGORNIN
F elin Agornin stepped out of her home, arched her neck, leaned forwards, spread her wings to the wind, and soared upwards. It was a beautiful day. The sun shone, the trees were still green, but there was a chill in the early morning air that said that the month was Leafturn and that winter would soon be upon them.
It was the morning before Penn and Selendra left Agornin, the morning on which Felin had received her husband’s letter informing her of the addition to their household he had arranged. She had received the letter at breakfast and her emotions had chased each other over her countenance swiftly as she read it. She had been pleased and surprised to hear from Penn, then increasingly distressed by the news of the letter as it continued. Another servant! Another servant who had been Penn’s old nanny and would be full of herself and her importance to him and to his sister! Felin was ready to do her best to welcome Selendra into her establishment, but she wanted it to be quite clear it was
her
establishment into which Selendra was entering. Selendra was Penn’s sister whom they were choosing to feed and shelter and protect. She did not wantabject gratitude, but she did want the facts to be recognized. If Selendra was bringing her own servant
Daverak entered the house. The two dragonets he had inspected clung together in silence.
“Shouldn’t the priest be here?” Haner asked. She was shaken by the experience, especially by the wretched howling of the mother, which showed no signs of ceasing.
“The demesne’s too big for him to go everywhere. Daverak will send him the eyes,” Berend explained.
Daverak came out with a hatchling under each arm. They were small and green and clearly not fit to survive. Their mother set up a renewed wail at the sight of them, louder than ever. They were still moving, and responded to this with piping wails of their own, with which their healthier siblings joined.
Haner shivered. “I’m sorry to subject you to all this,” Berend said, politely.
“It is for the good of dragonkind, as the Church teaches,” Haner said, repeating the words by rote. “And they’re very clearly the kind of dragonets who really do need to be culled,” she added, looking at them.
“Nobody enjoys it, but it is necessary, and well-bred dragons endure it without this terrible racket,” Berend said, shouting to be heard.
The howling and wailing almost drowned out Daverak’s recitation of the prayers. Haner heard an occasional phrase drifting through, “Veld’s blessings,” and “Jurale’s mercy,” and “that the rest might grow stronger.” Daverak then dismembered the dragonets neatly. Once they were dead, the family fell silent. He dropped the eyes into a pouch, doubtless for the priest. Then he looked at the collected dragons.
“These unfit hatchlings died for the good of dragonkind and according to the teachings of the Church,” he said, sternly. Maje touched his claws to the ground in submission. His wife bowed her head. Daverak dropped two of the tiny limbs on the grass in front of the family. He handed another to Haner, who took it in surprise, and divided the remainder between himself and Berend, giving Berend almost all of one of the dragonets.
Haner looked at the leg hesitantly, aware of the eyes of the family on her as she put it to her mouth. They had not yet touched their portion. She took a bite, and at once felt the strong magical taste of dragonflesh burning through her, making her feel immediately longer and braver. She met the eyes of the mother, and saw in their whirling purple depths resentment, grief, and fear.
5
Exalt Benandi’s Demesne
17. FELIN AGORNIN
F elin Agornin stepped out of her home, arched her neck, leaned forwards, spread her wings to the wind, and soared upwards. It was a beautiful day. The sun shone, the trees were still green, but there was a chill in the early morning air that said that the month was Leafturn and that winter would soon be upon them.
It was the morning before Penn and Selendra left Agornin, the morning on which Felin had received her husband’s letter informing her of the addition to their household he had arranged. She had received the letter at breakfast and her emotions had chased each other over her countenance swiftly as she read it. She had been pleased and surprised to hear from Penn, then increasingly distressed by the news of the letter as it continued. Another servant! Another servant who had been Penn’s old nanny and would be full of herself and her importance to him and to his sister! Felin was ready to do her best to welcome Selendra into her establishment, but she wanted it to be quite clear it was
her
establishment into which Selendra was entering. Selendra was Penn’s sister whom they were choosing to feed and shelter and protect. She did not wantabject gratitude, but she did want the facts to be recognized. If Selendra was bringing her own servant
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