Bones of the Dragon - Margaret Weis [105]
The sacred grove of oak trees in which weddings were held was made ready. Children scoured the grounds, picking up fallen branches and twigs and sweeping away dead leaves and grass. In the Chief’s Hall (a longhouse far larger than the hall in Luda), men assembled the long tables and benches that would be used for the feast. Other men went hunting, bringing back deer and elk, while older children were sent to round up the pigs that had been turned loose in the woods to graze. Women began baking numerous loaves of bread. They would rise early the next morning to roast the meat and prepare stews and fruits and vegetables.
Skylan and Norgaard were given a longhouse in which to change their clothes and rest and eat. Norgaard did not stay there long. He went to the Chief’s Hall, where old friends were gathering. Skylan would have gone along, but his father insisted that he remain in the longhouse, rest, and see to his wounds. Norgaard sent Treia to tend to his son.
Weaker than he liked to admit, Skylan agreed.
Treia bathed the wounds, dressed them with poultices, and bandaged the cut on his leg. She was efficient in her ministrations, if not exactly gentle. She did not try to hide the fact that she found such work distasteful.
“Now you should rest,” she told Skylan when she was finished. “You will need your strength.”
“I want to see Aylaen,” Skylan said to her as she was about to leave. “Would you tell her to come to me?”
“No, I will not,” Treia answered dourly. “Tomorrow is your wedding. You must eschew the company of women until then.”
“Aylaen is my betrothed,” Skylan said, frowning. “She must be upset that I am marrying someone else. I need to explain things to her.”
Treia gave him a strange look. “Aylaen wishes you joy, Skylan. We all do.”
She left, again advising him to sleep, but Skylan had no intention of obeying. He had to find Aylaen. He was pulling on his boots, preparing to go in search of her, when she arrived, accompanied by Garn.
Skylan expected her to be grief-stricken, her eyes red with weeping at the thought that he must marry another woman. He was considerably taken aback when she seized hold of his hands and kissed him on the cheek.
“I am so proud, Skylan,” she said warmly. “And so happy for you! I think Draya is a lovely woman.”
Skylan regarded her in frowning astonishment. “I thought you would be upset and disappointed. I must break our betrothal—”
Aylaen immediately grew more somber.
“It is Torval’s will, Skylan,” she said, subdued. “We must accept the decision of the gods.”
Skylan turned to Garn. “My brother, I am sure you have much to do in preparation for tomorrow. There is no need for you to stay. I want to talk to Aylaen alone.”
Skylan wanted to tell her about his plan that she become a Bone Priestess and move here to Vindraholm to study with the Kai. He could see her every day. Be with her every night . . .
“I have work to do myself, Skylan,” Aylaen said. “I am helping the other women with the baking. You are hurt and you must be exhausted. I will let you rest.”
“But I don’t want you to go, Aylaen,” Skylan said bluntly. “Garn, you may leave.”
“No, Garn, wait.” Aylaen drew near Skylan and again pressed her lips against his cheek. “With all my heart, I wish you joy.” She smiled at him, then hurried out the door. “Get some sleep!” she called over her shoulder.
Skylan seized hold of Garn. “You talk to her. Tell her she has to become a Bone Priestess.”
“I don’t think—” Garn hesitated. “It’s just that Aylaen has never expressed any interest—”
“What does that matter?” Skylan demanded brusquely. “Tell her this is the only way we can be together.”
“You cannot be together, Skylan. You will be married,” Garn said, troubled.
“I have thought it all over,” Skylan said. “We all know this marriage is only ceremonial in nature. Horg had concubines. All married men do—”
“I do not think Aylaen would be a concubine, Skylan,” Garn said. “Even if she agreed, would you subject her to such dishonor?”