Moons' Dreaming (Children of the Rock) (19 page)

Dael grimaced.
“
That
’
s why I
’
m here. You
’
ll receive a delegation from Hillcrest today. They want a road repaired. You have to tell them to do their best without any help from Edian.
”

“
This can
’
t go on.
”

“
It will go on as long as guards are needed at the borders. We have to make do with what we have.
”

A knock on the door interrupted them.
“
What is it?
”
Oskin called.

The porter stuck his head in.
“
Will you hear a blood debt settlement, sir?
”

“
Now? It
’
s an hour before my witness arrives. Can
’
t they come back later?
”

“
The woman
’
s with the midwife now, sir. They weren
’
t expecting the baby this early.
”

“
I
’
ll witness as long as I can,
”
Dael offered.
“
I have to see the king in an hour.
”

“
Oh, very well,
”
Oskin agreed.
“
Send them up.
”

* * *

Because of the gentle rain which had been misting down all day, Doron did not expect to hear the sound of voices outside her dye shop. For that reason, and because she was concentrating so closely on the pigments she was grinding, she missed the beginning of the conversation. The first words that came clearly through the open window were in Prince Pirse
’
s good-natured voice.

“
Fine day for it, Tamik!
”

Doron raised her eyes from her mortar. Fine day for what? The voice of Tamik, an old shepherd who lived with his wife on the south edge of the village, sounded faintly through the rain.
“
Aye. It is that.
”

“
Is that Star, then?
”

The gate leading into the yard swung against the fence with its characteristic boom.
“
Nay, laddie. This is Myrtle. Star has the brown marking on her back.
”

“
I
’
ll try to remember that.
”

Shapers can
’
t remember anything
, Doron thought sourly. Then the nagging question returned: Fine day for what?

Tamik said,
“
You have a neat hand with that.
”

“
Plenty of experience, I
’
m afraid.
”

That does it. How can I concentrate with people talking in riddles outside my window
? Doron dropped her pestle into the mound of blue powder and stalked to the window.
When I
’
m alone no one interrupts me. Why did I ever think I didn
’
t like living alone?

Tamik said,
“
Perhaps you
’
d have time another day to come by my house? I
’
ve one or two blades could use proper attention.
”

“
Gladly.
”

Doron leaned one forearm on the windowsill. Blades. She might
’
ve known. Since Pirse had begun feeling stronger he
’
d been badgering her for useful things to do. He
’
d reset several stones in the hearth at her house, replaced half the fence at the east end of the yard, patched the roof of the storage shed in the dye shop yard, pulled weeds in the garden behind her house, and during the past nineday had begun the task of filling her woodshed for the winter. She admitted, at least privately, that he was a handy man to have around the place. She did not, however, recall giving him permission to get into her cutlery.

She stuck her head out the window.
“
Fine day for what? Good day, Tamik,
”
she added with an effort at friendliness.
“
Fine day to stay indoors, if you ask me.
”

Pirse straightened. His soft black hair was even curlier than usual, thanks to the damp weather. He was seated on one of her three-legged stools in the shelter of the overhanging eaves, an oblong block of oiled stone nestled in the palm of one hand, her best carving knife in the other. In a basket beside him were the rest of her cooking knives, as well as two pairs of shears from the dye tool shed and the small sewing scissors she kept on the chest at the foot of her bed.

“
Tamik
’
s going fishing,
”
Pirse told her.

“
Trout will be active, this weather.
”

Yes, of course. Trout.
Silly of me to even ask.
The shepherd had a long pole balanced over his shoulder and a woven basket hanging against his back. Water rolled in tiny droplets off of the dog Myrtle
’
s long-haired coat. She was looking larger every day.

“
When are the puppies due?
”
Doron asked.

“
Oh, not for a few ninedays.
”

Pirse looked closely at the dog.
“
Ah. Definitely not Star. Careless of me to have forgotten.
”

His echo of her earlier thought made Doron shiver. The Shaper did that too often for her liking. Tamik, meanwhile, had picked one of the knives from the basket and was examining the edge.

“
Nice work. Though not the quality of steel you
’
re accustomed to.
”

“
Betajj brought that knife back from Bronle for me,
”
Doron huffed in automatic defense.

“
Perfectly suitable for the use it
’
s put to,
”
Pirse agreed. She wasn
’
t entirely certain that was a compliment, but he continued before she could make a reply.
“
I could stop by after supper, if that
’
s convenient.
”

“
Aye, do that.
”
Tamik nodded pleasantly to Doron.
“
You
’
re welcome as well, dyer. Karalie and I haven
’
t seen much of you this summer.
”

That
’
s because an irate widow is poor company,
Doron thought, but all she said was,
“
My thanks, Tamik. Perhaps another day. I
’
ve no time tonight.
”

“
No time?
”
Pirse regarded her with undisguised disapproval.
“
Don
’
t be absurd! Would do you good to get out and visit your friends.
”
To Tamik he added,
“
We
’
ll come.
”

“
He
’
ll come,
”
Doron corrected sharply. The prince raised his eyebrows innocently at her.
“
If I have to kick you down the hill.
”

“
You wouldn
’
t.
”
He tried his dazzling smile on her.
“
You might enjoy the attempt. Far be it for our staid and serious Doron to enjoy anything.
”

“
Well, I
’
ll be going.
”
Tamik backed away from the shop.
“
Karalie and I will be expecting you.
”
He diplomatically left open the question of how many guests they
’
d be expecting. Diplomacy, or cowardice.

As soon as the shepherd was through the gate she reached down and rapped Pirse on the top of the head. He yelped. She said,
“
I enjoyed that.
”

“
Bully,
”
he complained.

“
So I am. I
’
ll thank you not to organize my life for me.
”

“
You
’
re not doing very well on your own, are you?
”

She stepped back inside, and just avoided hitting her head on the top of the window by a hairsbreadth. Insufferable man! The sooner he was fully recovered and out of the village, out of her life, the better she would like it.

* * *

“
You
’
re drunk.
”

“
Am I?
”
Must be drunk
, Dael thought.
Didn
’
t hear Nocca approach. And, little brother, you are not a quiet one.

He turned, somehow avoiding the big hand that tried to fall on his shoulder. He looked up at his brother
’
s broad, handsome, concerned features. Dael wasn
’
t a small man, but Nocca, eight years younger and in his first year in the guard, was half a head taller. He had the family
’
s gold hair, worn long in the style of the guard. A style Dael had started. He wasn
’
t happy to have a brother follow him into the guard. It wasn
’
t as though he
’
d chosen this life, or wanted to inspire anyone to be like him. It left only Ruudy at home to learn the goldsmith
’
s trade from their father. At least Ruudy
’
d brought home a wife with some skill at gem carving. Not that anyone could replace their dead sister, Milla.

He felt his eyes begin to mist with tears and knew he really was drunk. Milla would be the last to appreciate his being maudlin.

“
What do you want?
”
he asked his very big little brother.

Nocca shook his head.
“
Three days, Captain.
”
He looked around at the dimly lit inn with disapproval. The big room was nearly empty this early in the day. A pair of farmers sat in one corner, nursing mugs of ale. Dael had woken up behind the bar, on a pallet supplied by a pretty girl. He could remember her face and kindness, but not her name.

“
Three days?
”
he repeated.

“
You
’
ve been here three days.
”
Nocca tugged on his sleeve.
“
Come home. You can drink yourself into a stupor there. Or in your own quarters.
”

“
Can
’
t drink myself into a stupor,
”
Dael answered.
“
I
’
ve tried.
”
He lifted his mug and downed the ale in a few gulps. Putting it carefully on the counter before him, he said,
“
There
’
s a wine from Sitrine I
’
ve been meaning to try. It might do the trick.
”

“
Come home.
”
Nocca put his hands on his hips and looked insistent. Or tried. To Dael he just looked like a big, long-haired puppy with their father
’
s eyes.

“
I think they water the ale here,
”
Dael continued.
“
But they
’
re good to me, so I won
’
t report it to myself. I
’
m very good at not telling myself things.
”

“
You promised Father ninedays ago to travel with him to White Water when you could get leave.
”

“
So I did.
”

“
Have you asked the king?
”

Clattering noises came from behind the curtain strung across the opening behind the bar. Perhaps the pretty girl was up and working. Dael smiled at the thought of her. The thought didn
’
t go any further. He really was drunk. Drunk and incapable.
“
Ruin my disgusting reputation.
”
He looked at his brother.
“
Why would a princess want me?
”