Part 13 (1/2)

”My duty.” Joyain shrugged. And then, ”It was fun, sort of.” She looked up at him, quizzically. ”Why are we doing this?”

She said, ”Your duty?”

”Yes, well . . . I suppose I meant: Why are you doing this?”

”Ah.” Iareth sounded thoughtful. ”I am Lunedithin.” She did not seem to be intending to add anything to that.

Joyain waited long enough to be sure, then said, ”Meaning I should mind my own business?”

”That would be a discourtesy.” They had come to a junction. Iareth paused. ”But it is not solely my secret.”

He looked up the street to his left, toward the n.o.bles' quarter and the emba.s.sy. Higher than the rest of Merafi, it was less misty. He could see lights s.h.i.+ning from the mullioned windows of hillside houses. Somewhere, a clock struck three. He said, ”Do you want to get straight back? I could use a drink.”

”I see no urgency.” She smiled. ”Will anywhere be open at this hour?”

”Several places. Although,” and he paused, ”they may not be suitable for a lady. Some of them are rough. The n.o.bility go there to gamble, and fights break out.” Too late, he remembered her connection with the duelist Valdarrien, and stopped. ”I'm sorry.”

Her expression was neutral. She said, ”Do you know an inn named The Pineapple?”

”In the old docks?” She was silent. He said ”Slightly. It's an infantry place. Cavalry don't go there.”

”Would it be open?”

”Probably.” That inn was in a bad area, between the old customhouse and the shantytown. It was a fair distance from where they were now. He said, ”I wouldn't recommend it. Especially for a . . .”

”A lady?” Iareth looked at him thoughtfully. ”You have served how long in the Queen's Own Cavalry?”

”Eight years. Since I was sixteen.”

”Consider, then. I was thirteen when I was first made kai-reth to Prince Keris. I have now some twenty-eight years. For all but three of the fifteen intervening, I have served as messenger and guard.”

Joyain was still having trouble with Lunedithin terminology. He said rather slowly, ”Kai-reth is guard, not kinsman?”

”It is both. Kin by blood and kin by vow.”

”I see.” She was four years his senior. She had served in an army over half as long again as he had. He said, ”We could go to The Pineapple if you like, but . . .”

”Cavalry are not welcome?”

”No. And I'm not in the mood for brawling.”

”Another time, then. Can you recommend some other tavern?”

He could think of one or two, although he still had reservations about taking a foreign envoy-a female foreign envoy-into any of them. He hesitated, then took his nerve in both hands. ”I was thinking we might go to my lodgings. They're just over the river, and I have a couple of bottles put by.” She looked at him. ”I don't mean anything by it . . . that is, a drink, not . . . I mean . . .” Uncomfortable, he looked down. ”It's a stupid idea, anyway.” He was probably out of his mind. Remember Valdarrien d' Illandre. The very dangerous (if deceased) Valdarrien d' Illandre.”I'm sorry.”

Iareth frowned a little. Her eyes a.s.sessed him. Then she said, ”It is thus. Prince Keris and his chief adviser, Urien Armenwy, do not wholly trust Kenan. Prince Keris is in favor of remaining on friendly terms with your country. Kenan is not. He has formed close links with a Tarnaroqui who was for a time envoy to my homeland. She is now here in Merafi. Prince Keris and the Armenwy have asked me to keep watch upon Kenan and to notify them if he resumed his connection with her. Hence my wish to follow him.”

It was a statement of trust. He said, ”I wasn't making a pa.s.s. Well, not just a pa.s.s.” Looking up, he saw that she was smiling. ”Thank you,” he said. She shrugged. He continued, ”I'm not entirely disinterested myself. I have an aunt, a haberdashery merchant. She asked me to keep an eye out for Tarnaroqui interest in your party.” Then: ”Did you learn anything tonight?”

”A little.” She took his arm. ”Am I invited to share your wine?” He looked at her. She said, ”Without any hidden meaning.”

”Yes, if you like.”

”I do not like overmuch to talk in the street. And it is a cold night.”

He smiled then, and they began walking down toward the Temple toll bridge. Their talk was of desultory matters. It was not until they reached his lodgings over the shop of a minor sugar factor that she returned to the subject of Kenan.

”Do you speak Tarnaroqui?” Iareth asked. His room was tidy enough but spa.r.s.ely furnished. There was only one chair. Iareth, rather to his surprise, elected to sit on his flat-topped tiring chest, and pulled up her legs tailor-fas.h.i.+on.

He lit the fire, then fetched mugs and a bottle from the cupboards. He said, ”Not really, no. I can ask for bread, and ale. Oh, and I know the words for 'My subaltern's horse has cast a shoe.' ” Iareth laughed. ”Not desperately useful. Do you?”

She said, ”A little.”

”Was that the language they were speaking, the people in that house?”

”I think not, although one of them had the accent.” Joyain handed her a cup. She took a sip before continuing. ”You recognized the speakers?”

”No.” Fog and distance had rendered them indistinct. ”Maybe Kenan's wh.o.r.e has a protector.”

”I think not.” Iareth hesitated. ”I had not before heard the voice of the one who opened the door. He may indeed be a servant, but not, I think, to a courtesan.”

Joyain sat down and put the bottle on the floor beside him. He did not bother to ask if she was sure. Instead, he said, ”Why not a courtesan?”

She smiled. ”Two reasons. First, I know Kenan. He has strong views concerning intimate relations with elor-rethin -with those born outside his clan. And second, I recognized the lady. She was for some time resident at the Lunedithin court. She became friendly with Kenan, although he was still a boy at the time.”

”That woman who came to see him with the Tarnaroqui amba.s.sador?” It made sense to Joyain. If Kenan had had some kind of affaire with her six years ago, he might well wish to renew it. It could be that. Or something more. Perhaps Amalie would understand better than he did. With the queen ill, it was only to be expected that Merafi's rivals would seek each other out.

”Quenfrida d'Ivrinez, aide to Amba.s.sador Sigeris,” Iareth said. They were both silent for several long moments. Then she said, ”The Pineapple . . . Might we visit it on some other night?”

He did not understand. He said, ”Of course. But . . .” She seemed to realize what was puzzling him. She said, ”Yviane Allandur told me of it.”

”Yviane Allan . . . ? Oh, Yvelliane d'Illandre?” She nodded. ”But . . .” Quite suddenly, understanding hit him. Coloring, he said, ”I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry. That was the inn where . . .”

”Where Valdin Allandur was killed, yes.” Iareth's voice was flat; reflective even. ”I'm not offended. Curiosity is understandable.”

He stared at his feet. His boots were going to need considerable work in the morning. And as for the marks on his breeches . . . Very carefully, he said, ”Is it a good idea to go there?”

”I know not. That is why I thought of it.” Still in that thoughtful tone. Looking up, he saw that her expression was equally pensive. She said, ”Although it would may-hap be better to go alone.”

”I don't think so.” She turned to look at him. ”It really isn't a good place for a woman-even if she's also a trained soldier.” He hesitated. ”I'll take you, if you really want to go, but . . .”

She smiled faintly. ”I think it most improbable that I would expose you to a fit of the vapors.”

”No. That wasn't quite what I meant . . . Wouldn't you simply be upsetting yourself?”

”As I have said, I know not.”