Part 15 (1/2)
William sighed. ”When I came here, I really thought I'd train and then head off to some frontier outpost.”
James laughed. ”You're the Prince's cousin, even if only by adoption. You didn't imagine they'd let any member of the family conDoin rot away at Highcastle or Iron Pa.s.s, did you?”
”Well, I just never thought of myself as a royal, that's all.”
”Living on that island out in the middle of that huge lake, I can see why you wouldn't.”
William yawned. ”Well, even if I don't have to report in, I could use some sleep.”
”Not yet,” said James, throwing his arm around William's shoulder. ”We have some business to conduct.”
”Business? Now?”
”Yes,” said James. ”And besides, I want to hear all about you and this Jazhara.”
William said nothing, but he rolled his eyes heavenward and silently said, Why me? Why me?
James opened the door into the noisy inn. William had been telling him the story of his relations.h.i.+p with the magician summoned from the island.
”So, you see, it was really a silly boy thing, and she was very kind about it, but it was very embarra.s.sing to say the least. I'll hardly know what to say when she arrives.”
”How old were you?”
”Sixteen.”
James glanced around the inn. ”I think I understand. You'll appreciate my view of such things is different. By that age I was very . . . familiar with women, in both the good and bad sense of'familiar'.” He motioned across the room. ”There's a table.”
William and James had to maneuver their way past several groups of men standing drinking at tall tables along the wall, and between larger round dining tables. Food could be seen here and there, but most of the crowd seemed to be intent on drinking ale, or the occasional goblet of wine.
As the two of them sat down, William said, ”Why are we here?”
James waved his hand around. ”Partially, to see what we can see.” William frowned, not having any idea of what James was talking about. ”And partially, sitting in your tiny room with that other young lieutenant. . .”
”Gordon,” supplied William.
”Yes, Gordon . . . would probably do nothing to keep you from some black despair or another over your handling of the mission-which was quite good, no matter how you feel. And lastly. . .”James waved his hand ”. . . I promised Talia I'd bring you back here.”
”You what-” he started to say, as Talia reached them.
”James, William, how lovely to see you. What is your pleasure?”
”Two ales, please,” said James.
She turned and gave William an extra little smile as she left to fetch their drinks.
”See,” said James.
”See what?”
”She likes you.”
William turned to watch her move through the press of bodies in the room. ”You think?”
”I know.” James leaned across the table and gave William's arm a brotherly squeeze, then sat back. 'Trust me. She thinks you're a Prince.”
”What?” said William, now confused. ”You told her I was a Prince?”
James laughed. ”No, you stone-crowned idiot. A 'Prince of a fellow.' A nice young man.”
”Oh,” said William, sitting back. Then he looked at James. ”So you really think she likes me?”
James could barely contain himself as Talia returned with two flagons. Setting them down, William admired the pretty girl for a brief instant, then looked away as she said to him, ”You've not been avoiding me, have you, Will?”
William glanced at her and saw that she was smiling, and he returned the smile. ”No, I was just on a . . . mission for the Prince.”
”That's fine,” she said cheerfully, scooping up the coins James put on the table for the ale and walking away.
William sipped his ale, then glanced at James. Before William could speak, James said, ”She likes you.”
”Oh,” William replied, turning his attention back to the ale.
James chuckled. They sat in silence for a few minutes, James appearing to be watching the crowd absently, but William noticed that his eyes were going from one man to the next, as if memorizing them or looking for something in those faces.
At last, James said, ”We need to leave. Drink up.”
”Why?”
James drained his ale and stood. ”Now.”
William took another sip, stood and followed James. As they edged through the crowd, Talia saw them leaving and called to them, ”Don't be strangers!”
William waved, but James just hurried through the door.
Outside the inn, James held up his hand and said, ”Wait.”
”For what?”
”For that fellow there,” James said, pointing to a man nearing a distant corner, ”to turn.”
The man turned the corner, and James said, ”Now. Hurry.”
”We're following him?”