Days of Blood and Fire - Katharine Kerr [177]
“Well, envoy,” Rhodry said. “And does the settlement strike you as fair?”
“It does, though Otho may have other feelings.” Garin paused for a grin. “There’s the quittance fee, of course, for the assumption of clan debt by the heir of Haen Marn, and then the indemnity we pay his mother, in case some evil thing befalls him, and the replenishment of Haen Marn’s stores for the provisioning of this expedition. All in all, it’ll amount to a nice pair of matched gemstones for the lady of Haen Marn to tuck away safelike. However, since Enj here insists that it’s best if you and he go alone, then Otho’s free of the indemnity for young Mic, so he’ll save a fair bit there.”
When Rhodry glanced at Mic, he found the lad on the edge of tears.
“Ah now, here, Mic, if you go and prentice yourself to Garin, there’ll be more excitements coming your way.”
“So the envoy and Uncle Otho say.”
“It truly be for the best,” Enj broke in. “Where we’ll be going, Rori, it’s too long a road to carry even half of what we’ll be needing upon it. Otho did tell me that you’ve got a good hand with a bow, and I’ve one with the fishing, but if the game be scant, feeding four or even three—” He shrugged to show the uncertainty of it.
Mic got up and stomped out of the hall.
“Lin Serr owes Gwerbret Cadmar a contingent of axmen,” Garin said and very softly. “I think me our Mic’s going to have more excitement than he’ll like, and soon.”
“No doubt we all will.” Rhodry felt suddenly profoundly weary. “Well, Otho, on the contingency that these fees he paid over promptly to Haen Marn, I hereby release you from your life’s debt to me in front of these witnesses.”
“Done then.” With a sigh Otho stood up to shake hands. “And I agree. When we return with the provisions, and that’ll be as fast as we can walk back and walk here again, the lady shall have her pick of the best gems I own.”
“And I’ll make sure he brings the best, too,” Garin remarked to Angmar. “I can’t return myself, but a man I trust will.”
“I do have faith in that, envoy, for always have you dealt fairly with me and mine.” She glanced at Enj. “You’ve done well.”
After the evening meal, while Angmar tended her daughter and the envoy and his party gathered provisions for their trek home, Rhodry and Enj walked by the lake. The last light, glancing between hills, sent shades of pale gold and faint color onto the quiet water of the shallows, while across by the farther shore, the mists were rising and gathering in the coves.
“One thing worries me,” Rhodry said. “Your mother’s safety while we’re gone. I’ve got enemies who might track me here, and if they do, they’re dangerous. Does Haen Marn have vassals or allies round here that might owe you men?”
Enj laughed.
“There be no other dun or settlement round here for miles and miles. But Haen Marn won’t be in any danger.”
“Are you sure? These enemies are utterly ruthless, not human nor dwarven, either.”
“Any enemy has to find a dun before they can be taking it, human or not.”
“Well, true spoken, but they’ll have powerful dweomer of their own on their side, powerful beyond anything I’ve ever seen before, certainly.”
Enj considered. Rhodry could just see him frowning down at the sand.
“I’ll just be going to say a good night to my sister,” he said at last. “And I’ll tell my mam what you’ve just told me.
Sometime later, Rhodry was sitting drinking with the dwarves when Angmar appeared at the door of the great hall. At her beckon he left them and joined her outside in the flickering spill of candlelight. By then the night wind had come up, sighing and snuffling round like some gigantic hound between the crooked trees.
“Rori, I would not have you worry about me and mine.”
“How can I not? I’d rather turn myself over to my enemies and