Part 20 (1/2)
”Daimhin Feich has just declared your Lady of the Crystal Rose an enemy of the Throne. His Abbod has called her Wicke and demon and has suggested in recent gatherings that she is the representative of some supremely evil being. There are those who believe these things.”
Iobert moved restively in his chair. ”You are surely not among them. You saw her in the Hall. Her actions were not evil.”
”Her actions spoke of a power I have seen wielded by no other.” Madaidh held up the scroll, still dripping light. ”I hold a piece of this power in my hand.”
”That doesn't make her evil,” said Aine-mac-Lorimer.
d.a.m.n the girl! Saefren glared at her and signaled her to be quiet. Couldn't she keep her mouth shut even in an a.s.semblage of Chieftains?
She had caught the Madaidh's attention. ”This is so,” he said reasonably. ”But Daimhin Feich represents opposition to her. Powerful opposition. To ride into Creiddylad and ally yourselves to her by word or deed may be dangerous-to yourselves, to those of her followers who must exist within the city, even to those who possess no strong opinions. If Taminy-Osmaer is an enemy of the Throne, what does that make those who identify themselves with her?”
”She isn't an enemy of the Throne!” Aine protested. ”She's protecting Airleas Malcuim. Teaching him, preparing him to be Cyne.”
”You will never convince Daimhin Feich of that. He believes she perverts him, bends him to her will.”
Aine leapt from her chair, face flaming with anger. ”You're a coward, Madaidh! Afraid for your own skin, looking to your own interests-”
Saefren roared. ”d.a.m.n you, Aine! Sit down! Have you no sense in your head at all?”
The Madaidh silenced him, his dark eyes still on the angry girl. ”I am not a coward, child,” he said quietly. ”But I am wondering where the power is tipped at this moment. I am wondering what life will be like for those in Creiddylad if it is tipped to the side of Daimhin Feich.”
”He can have no power compared to the Meri's,” argued Aine. ”Compared to Taminy's.”
”You speak of spiritual power. I speak of temporal power. I do not think Daimhin Feich knows the difference. At this moment, that may give him an advantage.”
”So,” said Iobert Claeg, ”you'll side with him?”
”I side with no one, Iobert. The Meri's will out. Neutrality has its advantage.”
Iobert stood, the other Chieftains and Elders mirroring the movement. ”Then you will sit on the border?”
The Madaidh chuckled softly. ”We have always sat on the border. From here we can watch both friend and enemy come and go.”
”Perhaps the young waljan is right,” Iobert observed. ”Perhaps you are a coward, after all.”
The Madaidh bowed his s.h.a.ggy head. ”If it pleases you to think so.”
”No, Rodri. It does not please me. I doubt it pleases any of us.”
When they were out of earshot of the Madaidh Elders, Iobert Claeg gathered his allies to a council.
”Before we enter the city,” he said, ”we need to get the Lady Aine to safety. She mustn't be seen with us by Feich's people.”
You mean, Saefren thought, that we mustn't be seen with her. With the open enmity between her Mistress and Feich, Aine-mac-Lorimer was an exceedingly dangerous person to be around.
”Our Mistress intends that she go to the Osraed Fhada and Lealbhallain at Carehouse,” Iobert continued. ”I will take her there.”
Before Saefren could protest, The Jura spoke up. ”I'll go with you.”
”Nonsense.” Both Chieftains turned to look at Saefren.
”Rodri Madaidh is right about at least one thing,” Saefren told them. ”To be identified with Taminy-Osmaer right now could be fatal. I don't believe it would do for any of the Houses to lose their heads to Feich's purges.”
”There are no purges-” began Iobert but Saefren interrupted him.
”There soon will be. Think, Uncle. It's the next logical step. Declaring Taminy an enemy is but a heartbeat away from purging Creiddylad and beyond of her servants.”
”What are you suggesting, then?”
”I am suggesting that I take Aine to Carehouse-if, indeed, there's anyone there to greet her. Either of you will be easily recognizable in Creiddylad; I won't be. I don't think it wise that you be connected with Taminy-Osmaer at this moment.”
Iobert's face grew deeply red. ”It is far too late for you to worry about me being connected, Nephew. I would sooner die than disavow-”
”Iobert, Iobert!” The Jura patted his volatile companion on the shoulder. ”Saefren is right. We may go farther with Daimhin Feich if our allegiance appears uncertain. If we declare ourselves too openly we may undermine our Lady's Cause rather than help it. Let your nephew take the Alraed Aine to her companions in Creiddylad; let us sit down with the others and decide what our strategy must be with Daimhin Feich.”
Aine could not claim to be pleased that Saefren Claeg was to be her escort to Carehouse. His open disdain of her-and of Taminy-produced in her the most dreadful, sinking feeling. It also inspired her to flashes of equally dreadful anger. But, as they rode beneath the port city's open main archway and negotiated the evening streets, Saefren did not speak to her, disdainfully or otherwise.
Finally, she could take no more of the taciturn silence and asked, ”Do you know where you're going?”
He swept her with his colorless glance. ”My uncle wouldn't have sent me if I didn't.”
”Then you've been to Carehouse before?”
”Aye. Once or twice. And been past it often enough. There're some haunts in the neighborhood I've been fond of.”
”Oh? What sort of haunts?”
His gaze came back to her, bearing a touch of derision. ”I doubt Uncle'd be pleased with me if I discussed them with you. They're not the sort of places a cailin would find . . . agreeable.”
She knew what he meant, of course; she wasn't completely naive. Even a town the size of Tuine had ”haunts,” as he called them. She suspected her brothers knew those quite well judging from after-dark conversations she'd overheard. She was pleased not to have blushed or paled or done something else to give Saefren Claeg more to with which to mock her.
”So what's it like, this Carehouse?” she asked.
”It's a big, old stone place with miles of dusty, dark and damp corridors, tiny, cheerless rooms and rat-infested attics. It's like a little fortress . . . or a prison. Walled courtyard, parapets. Looks like it might have been an asylum once upon a time.”
”An asylum?” she echoed.
”Where they keep crazy people. If that's the case, I can't think all that much has changed.”
”They're not crazy,” she said, her voice deliberately soft. ”No more than your uncle is. They just . . . know something you don't.”
He pursed his lips. ”My uncle . . . I'll tell you what I think of my uncle. I think he may be under some sort of enchantment.”
Aine couldn't help but stare at him, nor could she keep the laughter from bubbling out of her mouth. ”Enchantment! What-by Taminy-Osmaer?”
Saefren jerked his head around. ”Hush, you! Keep your voice down! All that's holy, you crazy girl! Yelling that name in these streets could cost you your life!”
”Well, then you'd be rid of me. Though I wouldn't like to be you facing your Uncle Iobert if that happened.”