from a window in the keep upon a strange scene.
The acrobats who were to perform at the feast were filing through the castle gates and into the courtyard.
They were big men, their bulk accentuated by rough fur jackets and capes. They wore leather boots and trousers, and each carried a small pack over his shoulder. The last few to enter were laden with small chests, barrels and cloths and a pair of long, thick poles that looked freshly cut.
There were perhaps a dozen in the company. Orisian had never seen so many masterless folk together.
All were long-haired, their locks tied back and dyed in exotic hues of rust and gold. They walked lightly despite their size. When Orisian looked more closely he realised that there were a few women amongst them, a trifle smaller than the men but dressed just the same and looking no less powerful.
He found Anyara loitering in the doorway at the foot of the keep, watching the new arrivals with frank fascination.
'They're very . . . big, aren't they?' she said.
'I suppose. They all look the same.'
'Well, perhaps they're all related,' smirked Anyara. 'You know what they say about the breeding habits of masterless folk. Still, they look well enough put together to me.'
A few of the castle's guardsmen were gathered outside their quarters. Muffled laughter every now and again suggested some coarse discussion of the female newcomers, yet not one of the acrobats so much as glanced across. They worked with practised efficiency, in silence, as they arranged their equipment on the cobblestones and checked over it.
'It must be a good show, with so many of them,' mused Orisian. 'Where are they going to perform?'
'Ilain said they were going to give a show inside the hall, then do some tricks out here in the yard later.'
'Where do you suppose they're from? It must be Koldihrve, or somewhere near there, for there to be so many. Don't you think?'
Anyara shrugged. 'Or somewhere on the Kilkry coast. There are still masterless villages there, aren't there?'
As they watched, Bair the stablehand wandered across to peer at the collection of wares arrayed in the courtyard. He reached out to touch a coil of thick rope, but one of the acrobats flashed out a hand to seize his wrist. Surprise flung Bair's eyes and mouth wide, and had he not been mute he would surely have cried out. The man shook his head a little before gesturing Bair away. The boy edged backwards, continuing to watch with wondering eyes from one of the stalls in the stable block.
Orisian glanced up at the sky. It had darkened in the last half hour as the sun sank away. The castle yard was falling into shadow. Torches would be brought out soon, for Winterbirth was a night when darkness must be held at bay.
'We should be getting ready,' he said to Anyara. 'The feast will be starting before long.'
She nodded, turning to follow him into the keep with an almost wistful glance back over her shoulder towards the party of acrobats.
Inside, early arrivals for the night's feasting had begun to assemble, gathering in small knots in the great hall. There were bundles here and there of the gifts they had brought for the Thane. Already the mood was jovial. Animated conversations filled the hall with sound. Etha was moving along the tables, checking the trays of bread and flasks of ale and wine that had been set out. She was oblivious of the crowds around her as she muttered under her breath, no doubt compiling a list of reprimands for those who had laid the tables.
'It'll be a long night,' said Orisian, remembering Kylane's words at Glasbridge with a slight smile.
'Of course it will,' said Anyara. 'It always is.'
Inurian intercepted them as they made their way up to their rooms to change.
'There you are, there you are,' said the na'kyrim.
'Here we are indeed,' Anyara agreed with great gravity.
'Your father asked to see you both,' Inurian said. 'He sent me to find you.'
'He's up, then?' Orisian asked, feeling a little surge of hope. Perhaps
The acrobats who were to perform at the feast were filing through the castle gates and into the courtyard.
They were big men, their bulk accentuated by rough fur jackets and capes. They wore leather boots and trousers, and each carried a small pack over his shoulder. The last few to enter were laden with small chests, barrels and cloths and a pair of long, thick poles that looked freshly cut.
There were perhaps a dozen in the company. Orisian had never seen so many masterless folk together.
All were long-haired, their locks tied back and dyed in exotic hues of rust and gold. They walked lightly despite their size. When Orisian looked more closely he realised that there were a few women amongst them, a trifle smaller than the men but dressed just the same and looking no less powerful.
He found Anyara loitering in the doorway at the foot of the keep, watching the new arrivals with frank fascination.
'They're very . . . big, aren't they?' she said.
'I suppose. They all look the same.'
'Well, perhaps they're all related,' smirked Anyara. 'You know what they say about the breeding habits of masterless folk. Still, they look well enough put together to me.'
A few of the castle's guardsmen were gathered outside their quarters. Muffled laughter every now and again suggested some coarse discussion of the female newcomers, yet not one of the acrobats so much as glanced across. They worked with practised efficiency, in silence, as they arranged their equipment on the cobblestones and checked over it.
'It must be a good show, with so many of them,' mused Orisian. 'Where are they going to perform?'
'Ilain said they were going to give a show inside the hall, then do some tricks out here in the yard later.'
'Where do you suppose they're from? It must be Koldihrve, or somewhere near there, for there to be so many. Don't you think?'
Anyara shrugged. 'Or somewhere on the Kilkry coast. There are still masterless villages there, aren't there?'
As they watched, Bair the stablehand wandered across to peer at the collection of wares arrayed in the courtyard. He reached out to touch a coil of thick rope, but one of the acrobats flashed out a hand to seize his wrist. Surprise flung Bair's eyes and mouth wide, and had he not been mute he would surely have cried out. The man shook his head a little before gesturing Bair away. The boy edged backwards, continuing to watch with wondering eyes from one of the stalls in the stable block.
Orisian glanced up at the sky. It had darkened in the last half hour as the sun sank away. The castle yard was falling into shadow. Torches would be brought out soon, for Winterbirth was a night when darkness must be held at bay.
'We should be getting ready,' he said to Anyara. 'The feast will be starting before long.'
She nodded, turning to follow him into the keep with an almost wistful glance back over her shoulder towards the party of acrobats.
Inside, early arrivals for the night's feasting had begun to assemble, gathering in small knots in the great hall. There were bundles here and there of the gifts they had brought for the Thane. Already the mood was jovial. Animated conversations filled the hall with sound. Etha was moving along the tables, checking the trays of bread and flasks of ale and wine that had been set out. She was oblivious of the crowds around her as she muttered under her breath, no doubt compiling a list of reprimands for those who had laid the tables.
'It'll be a long night,' said Orisian, remembering Kylane's words at Glasbridge with a slight smile.
'Of course it will,' said Anyara. 'It always is.'
Inurian intercepted them as they made their way up to their rooms to change.
'There you are, there you are,' said the na'kyrim.
'Here we are indeed,' Anyara agreed with great gravity.
'Your father asked to see you both,' Inurian said. 'He sent me to find you.'
'He's up, then?' Orisian asked, feeling a little surge of hope. Perhaps
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