Moons' Dreaming (Children of the Rock) (16 page)

“
Yes,
”
he interrupted her.
“
I do.
”

The man in the wagon said nothing, but he and Ivey exchanged a glance that made Doron close her mouth. Her brother and Jordy had known one another for years, thanks to the wide travel required by their professions. Was the stranger also one of her brother
’
s friends, a trader or a minstrel, to have earned such a knowing look from Ivey? Maybe instead of yelling at Jordy she should have saved her anger for her brother.

“
Go,
”
Ivey told the carter.
“
We
’
ll catch up.
”

The wagon started up the road, and Doron and Ivey turned down the footpath that led toward her home. She let her temper cool before she spoke.
“
You
’
re looking well. That blue tunic matches your eyes.
”

His teeth flashed white in the dusk.
“
A gift from a lady.
”

“
Of course.
”

“
I
’
ve a piece for you at the house, too.
”

“
Are you going to tell me what this is all about?
”

“
Over dinner.
”
He squeezed her hand.
“
I
’
ve been cooking all afternoon. Thought I
’
d surprise you.
”

“
You have. So has Jordy, with his wounded passenger in search of a refuge.
”

“
Did Jordy tell you the name of this friend of his?
”

“
No, not yet. But you obviously know him.
”

They reached the cottage. Ivey pushed the door open and beckoned Doron inside.
“
Over dinner,
”
he repeated, and went to the hearth to attend the steaming kettle.

A few minutes later the room seemed to grow smaller as Jordy, his son, and the stranger entered with their bedrolls. Ivey lifted the kettle off the hook over the fire and placed it with a thump on the thick mat in the center of the table.
“
Dori, reach down the bowls, there
’
s a good lass.
”

Doron passed round bowls and utensils and took a seat at one end of the table, opposite Ivey. As the men began to eat, Doron studied Jordy
’
s unnamed passenger. His good looks were marred by a half-healed scar on his forehead, and a pallor that supported Jordy
’
s claim that he was ill. His clothing did not quite fit, borrowed perhaps from the shorter carter.

Jordy cleared his throat and turned to Ivey.
“
What news, minstrel? Have you been in Edian?
”

“
I
’
ve just come from there. I know about the princess.
”

His tone of voice alarmed Doron.
“
Which princess? What happened?
”

“
Our princess. She
’
s dead. She failed to successfully mediate a border dispute between Rhenlan and Dherrica.
”

Doron scowled.
“
Shapers!
”

“
Aye.
”
The carter
’
s growl echoed Doron
’
s opinion perfectly.

“
Where did you hear about it?
”
Ivey asked Jordy.

“
We were in Edian the day they killed her. A senseless thing. The Shapers are getting worse, if you ask me.
”

Ivey set his spoon in his half-empty bowl.
“
Do you also know what happened in Bronle?
”

Doron stared at her brother in alarm. Light-hearted Ivey was almost never solemn, and too cynical to be caught unprepared by random surprises from the gods. Or so she had always thought.

“
Aye. The queen is dead,
”
Jordy replied.
“
It
’
s said by Pirse
’
s hand.
”

“
Nonsense!
”
Doron said sharply.
“
She was his mother!
”

For the first time, the stranger spoke.
“
Thank you.
”

Silence fell over the table. At last, Ivey said,
“
The news in Bronle is that you haven
’
t been seen since the day after the queen died. I can see I
’
ve been questioning the wrong people.
”

Doron ignored her brother to stare at the stranger beside him.
“
You
’
re Pirse?
”

The man
—
the prince, the rightful ruler of her country, if Queen Dea was truly dead
—
nodded.
“
I thought Jordy told you.
”

“
She didn
’
t give me a chance,
”
Jordy said.

“
You believe that he
’
s innocent?
”
Ivey asked Jordy.

“
Aye. Don
’
t you? He
’
s no vowless Abstainer. Anyone can see that. Even your friend Aage vouches for him.
”

Doron held her tongue and let the argument flow around her. It was her house, and ultimately her decision. Before she chose, she needed all the facts. Her sweet-tongued brother might try to persuade her to do something she didn
’
t like, but only if he truly believed it was necessary. As for the carter, years of trade and travel had honed to razor sharpness his ability to assess situations and individuals. He might be stubborn as stone, but he had reasons for every opinion he held.

Ivey faced the prince.
“
If you didn
’
t kill the queen, who did?
”

“
A guess is worthless without proof.
”

“
Palle is calling himself king of Dherrica.
”

Jordy said,
“
It doesn
’
t need Dreamers
’
sight to know how the lad would fare if he
’
s captured by that vowless uncle of his.
”

Doron looked sharply at the carter.
“
These are the troubles you bring to my doorstep?
”

“
Aye.
”

“
I am trouble,
”
Pirse agreed.
“
But I
’
ll be gone soon enough. My word on that, Doron of Juniper Ridge.
”

“
A few ninedays,
”
Jordy coaxed.
“
This is really the only place he can go.
”

“
You know what will happen if he
’
s discovered.
”

“
Aye. That
’
s why I can
’
t keep him. A village can hide him. A wagon on the road can
’
t.
”

“
And a village discovered hiding him? What will Palle do to us?
”

Pirse said,
“
Would it help if I tell you that I won
’
t be captured alive in your village? If the situation becomes dangerous, I
’
ll accept your counsel and make for the forest.
”

She pushed a loosened strand of hair back from her face. As hard as she tried, she detected no hint of deception in the prince
’
s voice or manner.
“
You would, wouldn
’
t you?
”

“
Do you think Dherrica will prosper with Palle as undisputed king?
”
Jordy asked.

“
You know I don
’
t,
”
she snapped.
“
That
’
s not the point.
”

“
No. The point is, I
’
ve a sick man on my hands, you
’
ve a safe haven for him, and time
’
s wasting discussing it.
”

“
The point is,
”
Doron insisted through clenched teeth,
“
I
’
m used to my privacy.
”

“
He
’
ll be inconspicuous,
”
Ivey said.

“
I
’
ll be inconspicuous,
”
Pirse promised.
“
Quiet as a mouse.
”

“
He knows how to cook,
”
Tob contributed helpfully.

“
I
’
m really quite self-sufficient. In a day or two I
’
m sure I
’
ll be able to fetch water or chop wood
—”

“
Or kill dragons?
”
Doron suggested.

“
If you like.
”

She glared at Jordy and Ivey.
“
Oh, all right. He can stay. Until he
’
s healed. Not a day longer.
”

“
Not a day,
”
agreed the prince.

I
’
m the captain of the king
’
s guard. I don
’
t have time for this.

Dael hurried along the dark street, following the innkeeper who
’
d run to the guard post outside the castle. There was a brawl in her tap room and she wanted it stopped. Dael had called to Peanal and Nocca, the nearest pair of his guards, and set off for the inn. Not because a common bar fight needed the attention of the captain of the guard, but with the hope that duty would distract him from his thoughts.

Unfortunately, it wasn
’
t working.

Where was Vray? Sent to be among the Brownmothers, yes, but that was little help. There were Brownmothers in every town and village. As more and more ninedays passed, he
’
d started to make subtle inquiries everywhere he dared, but no one had seen the princess.

The brawl had gotten to the furniture-breaking stage by the time they reached the inn. Dael waded through the noisy crowd blocking the doorway, Peanal and Nocca following.

“
Stop it right now!
”
he bellowed at the top of his lungs.

The onlookers nearby stopped whatever they were doing and stared nervously at the advancing guards. The four combatants, still concentrating on damaging each other with the inn
’
s tables, chairs, and crockery, didn
’
t notice the uniforms or the sudden silence in the room.

Dael
’
s little brother Nocca, six and half feet tall and very strong, plucked one of the thick-necked drunks out of the melee. The drunk
’
s friend turned with an inarticulate growl and reached for the guard. He never saw Peanal step behind him, her truncheon raised. She smiled wolfishly as he went down. Dael nodded his approval at her. It was nice to see one of his light
ly
built students remembering his lessons in fighting dirty. Nocca dropped his drunk in one corner and put his boot on the man
’
s beer-splattered tunic. The third fighter raised his hands and retreated toward the wall.

The fourth man, red-faced with fury and drink, pulled a knife and dove straight for Dael. The crowd gave a collective gasp. Dael heard someone shout,
“
Fool! Not the captain! He
’
s a killer!
”