Part 30 (2/2)

Bleeding and rigid with agony, Dain could not find enough breath to answer. Sir Roye gave Mierre a nudge with his foot.

”You, get up,” he said without compa.s.sion.

Mierre rolled onto his side and groaned.

By now Kaltienne was floundering to his feet. Glaring, he pointed at Dain. ”He's a pagan cheat and traitor! He does not belong in here with us.” ”Aye, that's true enough,” Sir Roye muttered. He still had his hand on Dain's uninjured arm, supporting him. His yellow eyes glared at them all, then he glanced over his shoulder at Hueh, who was peeping openmouthed into the room. ”You!” he ordered. ”Collect these daggers and take them out of here. Now!” ”Yes, Sir Roye.” The boy scuttled into the room and picked up Mierre's dagger where it lay on the floor, then Kaltienne's. At last he came to Dain, who alone still clutched his weapon.

The page's head came only to Dain's waist. His face held the roundness of babyhood, despite his six or seven years. Brown curls framed his face. If he had fetched Sir Roye, then Dain knew he owed this child his life. Seeing Hueh's fear, Dain managed a smile that was nearly a grimace and flipped his dagger over to hand it hilt-first to the child.

The page's eyes brightened, and in that moment hero wors.h.i.+p filled his face. He took Dain's dagger and stepped back.

”Fighting in the presence of the prince,” Sir Roye was scolding them all. ”You know better, all of you.

It's forbidden to draw weapons before him. Morde a day, you deserve more than flogging. Your highness,” he said gruffly, ”where is Sir Los?”

Gavril shrugged. ”I gave him leave for the evening. I thought myself safe enough in the Hall.”

”Apparently not,” Sir Roye said.

”We weren't attacking him,” Dain said, but Sir Roye shook him so hard he cried out with pain.

”Silence! No one gave you leave to speak. Come on,” he said, pulling Dain toward the door. ”Out with you. Mierre and Kaltienne, clean yourselves up. And get this room put back to rights.”

Not waiting for any of them to reply, Sir Roye jerked a stiff little bow in Gavril's direction and marched Dain out.

As soon as they were in the corridor, Dain tried to explain, but Sir Roye refused to listen. In grim silence Dain was taken to the bathing chamber, deserted now except for two servants trying to mop up spilled water and gather up the towels someone had tossed about.

Sir Roye pushed Dain onto a stool. ”Sit.”

When he began probing at Dain's cuts, his fingers were far more gentle than his tone of voice. ”Shallow, most of it. Just one spot that's deep. You'll do,” he said with gruff relief. Tearing some strips off a towel, he bound Dain up efficiently. ”Thank you,” Dain said.

Sir Roye glared at him, his dark weathered face as stern as ever. ”I want you in good shape for the flogging that awaits you. Deserting the hold and Thod knows what else.”

Dain frowned, anxious to vindicate himself. ”I didn't do anything wrong. I just went with Lander to buy sword metal.”

”Explain yourself to the chevard,” Sir Roye said without interest, tossing the b.l.o.o.d.y cloths into a heap on the floor. ”I'm not your judge.” ”Why won't anyone believe me?” Dain asked. ”I didn't bring the Nonkind here-” ”Who says you did?” Sir Roye asked sharply.

Dain hunched his shoulders. ”Everyone.”

”Daft nonsense,” Sir Roye said. ”The raids came from the south. That's why Lunt Hold sent warnings.

Their lands have been raided too.” Relief filled Dain. He smiled at the protector, glad at last to find someone who believed him.

Sir Roye scowled back. ”Get yourself dressed and go to his lords.h.i.+p's wardroom.”

”Yes, sir,” Dain said, still smiling. ”Thank you for your help.”

Sir Roye refused to meet his gaze. ”I do not want your thanks.”

”You saved my life.”

”The page did!” Sir Roye protested fiercely. ”Running to me and bawling like a babe.”

”I must thank him too,” Dain said.

”You'll report to the chevard, the way you were told to the moment you set foot in the hold. Thod's bones, brawling before the prince. If he chooses to be offended, you're in for it.”

”But I-”

”And you can thank whatever pagan deities you pray and blaspheme before that Sir Los wasn't there.

He'd have gutted you the moment you drew your dagger. G.o.ds! Have you not learned any sense in all the time you've been among us?”

”They attacked me,” Dain began. ”I had to defend myself.”

”Brawl with your fists, you dolt, when the prince is there.” ”I had little choice in the matter,” Dain said stiffly, his back rigid with resentment. ”I did not start the fight.”

”And what does that matter?” Sir Roye said without a trace of compa.s.sion. ”Sir Polquin has taught you that a knight commands his combat. If honor requires, you move it to a place that's-” ”And if you have no choice?” Dain asked hotly. ”If there's no honor shown?” Sir Roye's single eye was stony. ”Honor is your responsibility. You don't don it or discard it according to the situation. That's where you will never be one of us, boy.” ”Enough of this talk. I am no keeper of yours, nay, and no teacher either. You have enough of those, and your head must be made of bone for all the good their work has done.”

Dain opened his mouth, but Sir Roye held up his hand for silence. ”As soon as you're done with his lords.h.i.+p, you go collect your gear and report to housekeeping. They'll house you elsewhere than the fosters' room. You never should have been in there in the first place.”

His censure stung. Dain looked down, frowning. ”I am glad to get away from Mierre and Kaltienne.” It was the truth he spoke, but he knew what Sir Roye meant. No doubt the protector thought he should be sleeping in the stables, if even in the hold at all. Glancing up, Dain added, ”Could Thum and I share a chamber?”

”Nay,” Sir Roye said with a snort of disgust. ”Thum, for all his spindly ways, has at least enough sense to stay out of trouble. He doesn't need to mix with the likes of you. None of them do. I told his lords.h.i.+p you'd bring grief to the place and sure enough you have.”

”But-”

”Keep your tongue!” Sir Roye said gruffly. ”Now jump to, and do as you've been told! I've wasted enough time with you.”

Dain sat there on the stool, seething from all the criticism. It was not fair that he should be blamed for first the battle and now this fight with the fosters. Why had Sir Roye bothered to save him if he thought Dain this worthless?

”Boy!” Sir Roye barked. ”On your feet like I said. If you feel faint, I'll pour one of the physician's potions down your gullet, but get to moving now. Any more dallying will be an open insult to his lords.h.i.+p, and then I'm within my duty to take you to the flogging block for that if naught else.” Dain gritted his teeth and rose to his feet. His eyes, hot with anger, met Sir Roye's. The protector gave him a stiff nod and walked out. Walking stiffly out of the bathing chamber with his wounded arm cradled against his side, Dain nearly collided with Thum, who was hurrying along the pa.s.sageway. Thum jumped back from him, holding up his hands to ask pardon. ”Dain!” he said anxiously. ”Are you much hurt? Hueh said you were bleeding-” ”Some cuts,” Dain said grimly. ”I will live.”

Thum's freckled face lit up with relief. His red hair lay plastered dark and wet against his head; rain had spotted his doublet. He sported a black eye that was healing in several vivid hues, giving his thin, rather serious face a rakish look. In one hand, he carried Dain's new wine-colored doublet. ”I'm glad you're not bad hurt,” he said. ”From the way Hueh's been telling it, I thought you were carried away swooning and b.l.o.o.d.y in Sir Roye's arms.” Little Hueh, Dain thought darkly, had been helpful, but the page had better not go embellis.h.i.+ng the tale of what had transpired. Dain shook his head at Thum. ”Do you really think Sir Roye would be that tender?” he asked with scorn. Thum grinned. ”Had you waited another few minutes, I would have been there to help you fight the oafs.”

”Be glad you weren't,” Dain said, reaching for his doublet. ”You're the only one of us not in trouble.

Well, you and Prince Gavril.”

”I know.” Thum gripped Dain's uninjured arm to usher him back inside the bathing chamber. ”Here, I will help you get dressed.”

He took the doublet from Dain's hands and threw it over Dain's head. With quick but gentle tugs, he pulled it down over Dain's shoulders. ”Tell me if I hurt you.” Dain was gritting his teeth with pain as he twisted his arm to fit it into a sleeve, but he said nothing. The new doublet was roomy and comfortable, large enough to allow for more growth. Pleased with it, Dain smoothed his hand down the front while Thum belted on his dagger for him.

”You're in greater trouble than just the fight, you know,” Thum murmured quietly, keeping an eye on the servants, who were still cleaning the chamber and clearly trying to eavesdrop. ”Thod's mercy, Dain, what made you run away like that?”

”Not you as well!” Dain cried in dismay. ”How can everyone think so ill of me? I went with the smith, that's all. If I'd known the Nonkind were going to attack Thirst, I would have been here to help fight.”

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