A Time of Exile - Katharine Kerr [143]
His eyes faintly mocking, Leomyr bit into the second apple.
“You’re turning into quite a courtier,” Leomyr said with his mouth full. “I never knew you could fence so well.”
“Practice always sharpens a man’s hand.”
“Did you learn from Pertyc? He seems cursed coy these days, as bad as a young maid.”
“There’s nothing coy about Perro. If he tells you a thing, he means it from his very heart.”
Leomyr took another bite and considered him.
“Most maids like a brooch as a courting gift,” Leomyr said at last. “And usually, the bigger the better, especially when it’s a ring brooch.”
“For the shoulder of a plaid cloak? Pertyc’s never cared for jewelry.”
“Well, of course, what Pertyc does is no concern of mine, as long as he doesn’t fight for the Deverrian.”
“Of course.”
“You’ll notice I’m here for the wedding. I brought our liege a splendid gift, too.”
“Well and good, then. I hope he and the new queen treasure it for a long time in good health.”
By a mutual, if unspoken agreement they sat down in facing chairs. Danry rested his hands on his thighs and waited.
“I’m mostly surprised at you, my friend,” Leomyr said. “I know you love the Maelwaedd like a brother.”
“I do, which is why I’m willing to let him do what he wants, not what I want him to do.”
“Umph, well. You know, I have only thirty men, not exactly enough to make a king.”
“And how many men do they have in Aberwyn?”
“A hundred and ten, which is no more than you do, Falcon, as you cursed well know. But I wonder if you know just how much the success of this rebellion turns on your loyalty.”
“I can count up the men available for an army as well as anyone else.”
“It’s beyond that. I’ve seen you fight, you know. You look like one of the gods themselves out there when the steel starts flashing. Men will follow you anywhere.”
Danry turned away in sincere embarrassment. When he spoke again, Leomyr sounded, oddly enough, amused.
“I hope the day doesn’t come when both you and our stubborn Badger regret this decision. I’ve never trusted Yvmur for a minute.”
“Neither has Mainoic.” Danry turned back. “I’ve no doubt things can work out to your satisfaction—if you care to spend a bit of time in Abernaudd.”
Leomyr looked at him sharply, then smiled. Danry smiled in return. One king’s enough for the jackels to fight over, he thought, as long as the blood smells fresh enough to attract them.
Later that afternoon, a page summoned Danry to the great hall to attend upon Cawaryn and his uncle. Most of the lords sheltered in the dun were there, seated at long tables in order of rank with Cawaryn at the head of the gwerbret’s own table, even though he was only a tieryn’s nephew, a gesture lost on no one. When Leomyr came into the hall and made a bow to the lad that was as close to a kneel as circumstances would allow, Danry was satisfied with the results of their conversation. Gwerbret Mainoic rose and cleared his throat for a speech.
“I called you together, my lords, to witness somewhat that might gladden your hearts. The merchant guilds of Abernaudd and Aberwyn have banded together to bring our Cawaryn a gift for his marriage.”
The guilds never wasted their coin on gifts for minor lords, only for gwerbrets—and kings. Slowly, gravely, in measured step, four pairs of merchants came in, carrying, on a sort of litter improvised from a plank, an enormous red velvet cushion, and on the cushion, a golden cauldron, all graved and worked in bands of interlace and spirals, that would hold a good twenty skins of mead. Danry caught his breath in a low whistle—the thing was worth a fortune! At his uncle’s prompting, Cawaryn rose to receive them just as they set their burden down.
“My humble thanks for this splendid gift,” Cawaryn said, with a sideways glance at his uncle. “To whom do I owe this honor?”
“To all the assembled trade guilds of Eldidd, Your Grace.”
The merchant who stepped forward was old Wersyn of Cannobaen. Well, well, well, Danry thought, and does Perro know about this? When Wersyn began a long and somewhat tedious speech,