A Time of Exile - Katharine Kerr [114]
“I’ve got myself a nice warm spot in a badger’s hole. You brought me luck, Nevyn.”
“Good, good! I’ve settled into the village. No doubt we’ll see each other from time to time.”
• • •
“You know what?” Adraegyn said.
“I don’t,” Maer said. “What?”
“Da says he wants to hire more silver daggers if he can find them.”
“Does he now? Do you know why?”
“I’ll wager there’s going to be a war. Why else would he come fetch me back from Cousin Macco’s?”
“No doubt you’re right, truly.”
Adraegyn considered him for a moment. He was perched on the edge of the watering trough and watching while Maer cleaned his tack. Maer enjoyed the young lordling’s company; as the eldest of a family of seven, he was used to having children tagging after him.
“Do you have to polish that dagger a lot? Silver plates and stuff get dirty truly fast.”
“So they do. But the dagger’s different. It’s not entirely made of silver, you see.”
“Can I look at it? Or is that rude to ask?”
“You can look at mine, but never ask another silver dagger, all right? Most of us are a bit touchy about it. Now be careful. It’s sharp as the Lord of Hell’s front tooth.”
Grinning, Adraegyn took the dagger and hefted it, then risked a gingerly touch on the blade with the ball of his thumb.
“Have you ever slain a man with this dagger?”
“I haven’t, but then, I haven’t had it very long. Maybe I’ll get my chance if your father rides to war.”
“I wish I could go, but I’m still learning stuff.” Adraegyn sighed dramatically. “And I’ve got to waste all this time learning to read.”
“Truly? Now that’s a strange thing. Why?”
“Da says I have to. All the men in our clan learn to read. It’s one of the things that make us Maelwaedds.”
In a few minutes, the Maelwaedd himself came strolling over to lean on the watering trough beside his son.
“It’s always pleasant to see another man work,” Pertyc said. “Odd, but there you are.”
“So it is, my lord. Sometimes I’d be traveling and stop to watch some poor bastard of a farmer slaving out in the fields, just to be watching him.”
“Just so. Here, Draego, what are you doing with Maer’s silver dagger?”
“He let me look at it, Da. That’s all.”
“Careful—those things are blasted sharp.”
“I know, Da!” Somewhat reluctantly, Adraegyn handed the dagger back to Maer. “Da, I want to go riding. Can I take my pony down to the village?”
“By all means. Or here.” Pertyc hesitated for a moment. “Maer, go with him, will you? You can use some of the spare tack while yours is drying.”
“Done, my lord.” Maer looked up sharply. “Do you think there might be trouble?”
“The world’s as full of trouble as the sea is full of fish. I don’t think anything just yet, but listen, Draego, from now on, when you want to leave the dun, you tell me first and take one of the men with you.”
“Why? I never used to have to.”
“Do as I say and hold your tongue about it. I’ll tell you more when there’s more to tell.”
There was a fair amount of activity down in Cannobaen that afternoon, because it was market day. Most of the farmers and craftsmen had their goods spread out on blankets on the ground, though the weaver and local blacksmith did have little stalls. As Maer and Adraegyn strolled around, the lad would stop every now and then and ask a villager how his wife was doing or if his children were well, and he managed to remember everyone’s name in a most impressive manner. At the edge of the market, a young woman was sitting behind baskets of eggs. Maer was immediately struck by her. Although she wasn’t beautiful, she was handsome, with a slightly malicious touch to her grin and life