Doom of the Darksword - Margaret Weis [83]
The girl held out a flower. It was a tulip, Saryon saw, staring at it in bewilderment. Just as he was about to take it into his hand, he noticed that it was a purple tulip — a bright purple tulip … with a bright red sash and a dash of orange….
Closing his eyes, Saryon groaned.
“And so you are telling me, Gwendolyn of the House of Samuels, that these … gentlemen are invited guests of your father’s?” The Kan-Hanar glanced at Joram and Mosiah dubiously.
After Gwendolyn told her story to the Gate guards, the Kan-Hanar had taken them all to one of the guard towers. Magically shaped to stand next to the Earth Gate, the tower existed primarily for the convenience of the Kan-Hanar, giving them a place to rest during times when the Gate wasn’t busy, and containing supplies for their official duties. It was rarely used for interrogating those seeking admittance to Merilon — that was generally handled at the Gate itself with quick dispatch. But — due to Simkin’s dramatic arrival and even more dramatic disappearance — the Kan-Hanar discovered the crowd growing just a bit too interested in the proceedings. Therefore, he had herded everyone into the tower and now they stood, crowded together, in a small hexagonal room that had never been intended to accommodate six people and a tulip.
“Yes, of course,” the young woman replied, toying prettily with the flowers she held in her hand.
Putting a blossom near her soft cheek, Gwen regarded the archmagus over its petals in a coquettish manner that the man found quite charming. He didn’t take any particular notice of the fact that one of these blossoms happened to be an unusual-looking tulip, or that the young woman’s speech contained many pauses and hesitations. On the contrary, he attributed this to a maidenly reserve he considered most proper and becoming in a young girl.
Saryon knew the real reason, however — the young woman was being coached in what to say, and she was being coached by the tulip! The catalyst could only wonder bleakly whether this was going to help matters or simply add to their long list of crimes. There was nothing he could do about it now, except to play his part and trust Simkin and the girl to play theirs.
As for Joram and Mosiah, Saryon had no idea whether they had figured out what was going on or not. The Kan-Hanar was watching them all closely, and the catalyst dared not give them any type of sign. He did risk a glance at them, however, and was somewhat startled to find Joram’s gaze fixed on the girl with such burning intensity that the catalyst hoped she didn’t notice. Such ardent and undisguised admiration might frighten and confuse her.
Seeing Joram’s look, Saryon realized that he might have an entirely new set of problems to contemplate. Although losing one’s heart wasn’t exactly in the same category with losing one’s life, the catalyst remembered his own days of tortured, dreaming youth and gave a despairing sigh. As if they didn’t have trouble enough….
“You see, sir,” Gwendolyn was explaining, the tulips petals brushing thoughtfully against her bejeweled earlobe, “Simkin and my father, Lord Samuels, the Guildmaster — You know him?”
Yes, the Kan-Hanar knew her honored father and indicated so with a bow.
Gwen smiled sweetly. “Simkin and my father have long been friends (this would have been news to Lord Samuels) and so when Simkin and his … his” — a pause — “tr-troupe of” — another pause — “young actors made known their intention to … to … perform in Merilon, my father extended an invitation to stay at our home.”
The Kan-Hanar still appeared doubtful, but it wasn’t over the young woman’s story. Simkin was well-known and well-liked in Merilon. He often stayed at the very best homes. Indeed, the wonder of this was that he should consent to reside at the relatively humble dwelling of a mere Guildmaster. Lord Samuels and his family had a most honorable reputation, generations of them haying dwelt in Merilon practically since its founding with not a breath of scandal attached to the name. No, the Kan-Hanar was in truth wondering how to cope with this awkward