Part 52 (1/2)
”And will he understand where that second heritage came from?”
Sioned gasped. ”Rohan-”
”I'm sorry, love. But he's bound to realize it someday. He's grown so much this spring and summer, Sioned. Perhaps it's time he knew. He's old enough to understand.”
”No! Not yet. Rohan, please. Not yet!” She held out one pleading hand.
After a moment he took her fingers. ”You know, of course, that the longer we wait. . . .”
”But he's still so young. He wouldn't really understand why-”
”Why his father raped his mother?” He gave a small, bitter laugh. ”I suppose so. Lleyn's teaching him to be too civilized, Sioned. Only barbarians comprehend rape.”
”Stop it. Don't do this to yourself, Rohan.”
”It's true, though, isn't it?” He shrugged and let go her hand. ”Once again, for all my pretensions to civilization, I did the good barbarian thing. I killed Masul. You know, Sioned, it doesn't count for much that I resisted so long. Better to be an honest savage and just do do it.” it.”
”If you say next that if you'd killed him when we first knew of him, Andrade might still be alive, I'll-”
He smiled ruefully. ”No threats. You're all too likely to carry through on them. Very well, no second-guessing. But there will always be those who believe Masul was indeed Roelstra's son. Somehow, I can't bring myself to care very much, as long as Pol's safe. But we'd better have a d.a.m.ned good explanation ready for him when he asks where his gifts really come from.”
She stirred the fire again with the twig, staring moodily into the glowing red coals. ”There's never been a word spoken anywhere, Rohan, in fifteen years. As far as anyone knows, you and I were imprisoned by Ianthe at Feruche and then let go. Even if someone knew that the child she bore was yours, they a.s.sume he died along with her when the castle burned.” She met his gaze briefly. ”I don't want him to know the truth. Ever. I don't want to hurt him.”
”I don't want to lose him,” he whispered. Sioned flinched, and he gestured aimlessly with one hand. ”A lapse. Ignore it. I'm just tired.” don't want to lose him,” he whispered. Sioned flinched, and he gestured aimlessly with one hand. ”A lapse. Ignore it. I'm just tired.”
She was wise enough to let the matter drop. Banking the fire, she stretched out on the blanket. Lying close together, they stared up at the silent, dangerous stars for which Pol had been named.
”Oh, excellent, Sioned!” Meath rubbed his hands together gleefully. ”Fresh stew tonight for dinner, thanks to that hawk of yours!”
The bird had settled daintily back on her wrist and was preening as if she understood every word of the praise. The hawk had indeed performed beautifully. Sioned had flown her once or twice during the journey, but never yet at prey. Today, however, she had brought back a rabbit twice her own size, deposited the kill gracefully at Sioned's feet, then leaped back up to her mistress' hand.
”And she only tore a little off for herself,” Pol observed, adding the rabbit to the two small birds taken down by his and Tobin's hawks. Rohan and Alasen had yet to fly theirs; he gestured gallantly and she rode forward, loosening the bird's hood but not yet revealing the fierce black eyes in an amber face. She glanced back over her shoulder at Ostvel and smiled.
”If she makes a good catch, my lord, will you sing for us tonight?”
His brows arched. ”It's a wife's duty to provide for her husband's needs. Why should I reward you for doing your duty?”
”Ostvel!” Chay reprimanded, grinning. ”That's no way to talk to a bride of less than twenty days! Especially one who hasn't seen your keep yet. Until she does and approves it, she can still un un-Choose you. So take care!”
Alasen was laughing as she waited for Ostvel's answer ”Well? Will you sing if I provide your supper?”
”No lullabyes,” Lleyn told him sternly, eyes snapping with mirth. ”I don't think singing her to sleep was exactly what she had in mind.”
”Providing for my my needs was more what I meant,” Alasen teased. needs was more what I meant,” Alasen teased.
”You know,” Sioned remarked, ”I thought I'd see his last blush years ago. Seems there are a few left. Congratulations, Alasen!”
”Enough!” Ostvel roared, causing the hawks to shake their feathers irritably. ”A song for a decent meal, eh? Very well, my lady. But it had better be a sizable catch. I find I've a hearty appet.i.te these days.”
”Legitimately come by,” Tobin drawled, winking at Alasen.
Sioned handed her own hawk to a servant after hooding the proud head and smoothing the iridescent blue feathers rippling down the bird's back. A memory of Camigwen tugged with painful suddenness at her heart. Ostvel's lute had been her wedding gift to him, mostly silent since her death. But Alasen had brought back his music.
The hood was removed and the amber-faced hawk flew. Gorgeous bronze and green and gold pinions flickering in the sunlight, she called out her joy in free flight. But instead of ranging through the low hills for grounded prey, she gave voice to a triumphant cry and wheeled northward.
”d.a.m.n!” Riyan exclaimed. ”We'll never catch her if she keeps on like that!”
Sioned gave in to temptation and wove a few threads of sunlight together. She followed the hawk, eyes closed and spirit soaring. This This was what it meant to be was what it meant to be faradhi: faradhi: skimming as free and wild as if she, too, had wings, borne along on wind and sunlight and her own strength. After all the pain and trauma her gifts had brought her during the skimming as free and wild as if she, too, had wings, borne along on wind and sunlight and her own strength. After all the pain and trauma her gifts had brought her during the Rialla, Rialla, this, the most beloved of her powers, was sheer delight. She flew with Alasen's hawk above rich hillsides and meadows tucked between them, saw the bird circle above a valley and then dive too swiftly to follow even at sunlit speed. this, the most beloved of her powers, was sheer delight. She flew with Alasen's hawk above rich hillsides and meadows tucked between them, saw the bird circle above a valley and then dive too swiftly to follow even at sunlit speed.
”Come on!” Sioned cried, ”I know where she is!”
It was a wild ride she led them, galloping through rolling foothills and jumping their horses across branches of a stream that within a measure became a summer-thin river. Thundering along its banks, Sioned called out a warning as the watercourse narrowed through a rocky, tree-lined defile that compelled them to ride slower and only two abreast. Pol splashed his horse through the shallows to catch up with her and Rohan. She could hear Meath cursing behind her, and Tobin laughing like a madwoman, and Chay yelling at them all to slow down. Sioned did no such thing, and when the path widened again, she coaxed her mare to prodigious speed through the forest.
All at once they burst out into the valley she'd glimpsed on sunlight. Sioned pulled her horse up short, gasping at the sight. A broad, lush flatland spread before them, fully ten measures long and half that across at its widest point. Trees heavy with fruit grew up the slopes, and lofty pines towered at the higher elevations where ragged gray stone thrust to the sky. The river wound its way on the eastern side, surrounded by meadow thick with blue and crimson flowers that together turned the land purple. In the distance, as the valley narrowed, was the sunlit s.h.i.+mmer of a small lake, tall gra.s.ses bending gracefully in the breeze, alternating gold and silver-green. Sioned caught her breath and flung an excited smile at Rohan, whose blue eyes had gone slightly gla.s.sy as he gazed at the beauty around him.
”Like the hollow of the G.o.ddess' hand,” Tobin breathed. ”Sioned-are those roses roses climbing up that hill?” climbing up that hill?”
”And wild grapevines, too,” Chay affirmed. He turned to one of the grooms who had managed to keep up with them. ”Go back and get the others. We camp here tonight.” With a glance at Rohan's transfixed face, he added wryly, ”And maybe for the winter!”
Rohan didn't hear him. He spoke his wife's name in a voice vibrating with suppressed excitement. ”Tell me what the soil's like.”
She blinked. ”Rohan, it's been years since I-”
”Do it.”
She jumped down off her horse and threw the reins to Pol. Walking-wading-into the ocean of wildflowers, she pulled off her riding gloves, knelt, and dug her hands into the rich dark earth. She squeezed it in her fists, inhaled its fragrance, sifted it through her fingers. The daughter of a farming lord remembered her lessons of a lifetime ago; she tested the soil with knowledge that had no use in the beautiful, dead Desert. Rising, she gave her husband a brilliant smile.
”This will grow anything you care to plant in it. Not that anybody should even have to test it by touching it-look around us! I've never seen anything so perfect!”
He nodded slowly, light dawning in his eyes. He dismounted and walked forward alone, the sun finding bright reflection on his blond hair, and the others watched in bewildered silence. All but Sioned; she knew exactly what he was thinking, and could barely restrain herself from telling everyone else.
At last he returned, and surprised even Sioned by seizing her around the waist and swinging her up into the air, laughing in triumph.
”You're right, you're right, it is is perfect!” he cried. ”Sioned, it's the most beautiful place in the world! And it's ours!” He kissed her and set her down, then turned to the others. ”Pol! Where do you think we should build your palace?” perfect!” he cried. ”Sioned, it's the most beautiful place in the world! And it's ours!” He kissed her and set her down, then turned to the others. ”Pol! Where do you think we should build your palace?”
”My-” The boy nearly fell out of his saddle. ”Father!”
Tobin gaped at them. ”Palace? What are you babbling about?”
”Oh, you know-walls, floors, painted ceilings and tapestries and carpets and-”
”And huge windows and stained gla.s.s and gardens and fountains and-and everything! everything!” Pol finished exuberantly. ”I can see it all right now!”
”So can I!” Tobin started herself with the words, and laughed. ”You're mad, every one of you! Where are you going to get the stone?”
”That's the nice thing about being rich!” Rohan grinned at her.
”Father-we won't have to spend a thing. Rezeld Manor!”