All Shadows Fled - Ed Greenwood [104]
"Yes," Shaerl said, "and I've never known her judgment to be wrong yet. I feel as if you are an old friend."
Argast leaned a trifle closer to Amdramnar and muttered, "She's smooth, this one."
Amdramnar agreed with the slightest of nods, but just then the doors between the audience chamber and the forecourt scraped open and three farm folk came out. "The gods bless him!" the stout old woman in the forefront was saying.
"If he keeps his promise," her hired hand said doubtfully as they went out, not even seeing the two people on the bench.
The old woman turned and poked out a bony finger. "Now ye list and learn, Thurton! If there's one thing this young lord of ours does, it's keep his word! When my man, Undlejack, was still alive, he won a hand of card's off Mourngrym, playin' the night away at the Old Skull, and the lord asked him his price… A new roof, my man says, as bold as anything-'cuz that's what we needed, in truth-an' the next day, gods be blowed if the lord doesn't show up with half a dozen guards, n' do the roof right then! The lord himself, up on our cottage, sweatin' along with the rest of 'em! And when he's done, he asks if we want the fence set straight, seein' as they're here… an' up comes a cart, after, when we're talkin'-and out of it he serves us a feast, an' the neighbors what come to watch, too! Tells us it's no more'n we deserve!"
She turned and marched out of the forecourt, then pivoted back to face the astonished Thurton. "Ye find me another lord anywhere as does that for me-an' others what ain't high and mighty, an' can't do him anything great in return! Ye'll be lookin' from the Sword Coast to the weird lands past Thay, an' not be findin' one, neither!"
Another two dalefolk strode out, one of them weeping, and the other walking awkwardly beside her. "Now, Nan -he can't raise to life someone he can't find! He did say he'd walk you around those laid out in the temple for burial, to see if we can find him. No one could do more."
The next person to come to the door was Mourngrym, his face pinched with sorrow. Shaerl leapt up and threw her arms around him. "My love," she said in a low, tender voice as their arms tightened around each other. He kissed her gently, as if they were alone in the room, before lifting his head and saying, "Shaerl, ask Thurbal to pass the word. No one's seen Aglyn's grandsire since the battle, and Nan 's beside herself not knowing. If anyone…"
Mourngrym's gaze fell upon the priest of Tyr, waiting patiently to be introduced, and his face lit up. "Most Holy Arbeth! Be welcome, please, in Shadowdale! I'm sorry I didn't see you at once! Have you eaten?"
"If we could talk for just a few breaths, Lord Mourngrym, I'd be delighted to dine with you and your beautiful lady. I'd hoped also to meet the Lady Storm, but I hear she's… not to be found."
"That is so, I fear," Mourngrym said, "but come in, and we'll talk, the three of us-oh, yes: my lady and I rule as one." The priest's eyebrows were still raised as the doors of the audience chamber swung shut behind the three of them.
"He's a good ruler," Amdramnar said grudgingly.
"All the better for us, then," Argast said. "Let him manage our cattle until we're ready to rule here."
"Our foes the three bold rangers seem to have just departed on patrol… do we chase after them?"
"No, let them go. They'll return to us-and then we'll feed."
"Eat them?"
"Yes-I mean to eat them alive, limb by limb, slowly, while they plead. Well use our everfire wand to seal the joints and keep them living. They may last several days."
"And then?"
Then we'll reveal ourselves, and start on the rest of these cattle."
They had just time to fall silent and look as if they'd been that way for some time when a tall, silver-haired figure strode through the front doors, exchanged a salute, a wink, and a blown kiss that left old Guthtar blushing, turned into the forecourt, and strode to the audience chamber doors.
Argast turned. "Ah, my La-"
"Hist!" Amdramnar and