Elfsong - Elaine Cunningham [104]
"Jarun hurt his shoulder yesterday," explained a deep voice behind them "He's favoring one side too much."
Morgalla snorted, not bothering to turn around. "He'd do both sides a favor if'n he put down his staff and took up tapestry."
Danilo turned at the familiar, hearty laughter that the dwarf's comment evoked. Behind them stood Caladorn, dressed for the practice field in leggings and a linen shirt, which was unlaced nearly to the waist. The short red curls on his head and on his well-muscled chest glistened in the bright midday sun.
"Sweet Sune!" Danilo exclaimed, casting an arch glance at Caladorn's state of half-dress. "What sort of events are you preparing for, and where can I sign up?"
Caladorn laughed again and patted the sword at his hip. "It's hot work, Dan, swinging seven pounds of steel in the midday sun."
When Danilo responded with a delicate shudder, the swordsman chuckled and clapped him on the back. "You'll not take me in with that act, lad! If I recall aright you had the same swordmaster as did your brother Randor, and he's a fine hand with a sword. Would you care for a match? I could use a bit of a challenge."
"If you would for one moment consider me a challenge, things here must be in a sorry state," Danilo said lightly.
Caladorn's handsome face turned grim, and he raised a hand in the gesture of a fencer acknowledging a hit "I'll tell you all about it some time over a few tankards."
"How about now?"
"I wish I could, but I had to stop by the palace on tournament business, and I can't afford to take any more time from the training. The games are tomorrow, and there remains much to do. I've got to put these boys and girls through their paces," Caladorn said, eyeing the field with a resigned expression.
The firm manner in which Caladorn spoke, not to mention the indisputable evidence in the contestants around them gave Danilo little hope of changing the fighter's mind. He was about to take his leave when Caladorn spoke again.
"The stableboy said you've been waiting for me an hour and more. I'm sorry for that, Dan, but I ran into Khelben on my way to the field, and he kept me talking for some time. You know how the good archmage can run on."
"Only too well," Danilo replied with a rueful grin. In truth, he thought Caladorn's comment rather odd. His Uncle Khelben was not given to idle, social chitchat. The Harper decided to probe for a bit more information. "Don't tell me, Caladorn: you tried to talk the archmage into giving you a love potion to slip into Lady Thione's wine!"
The fighter good-naturedly shrugged away Danilo's teasing.
"I knew it!" Danilo crowed. "I've been wondering how a pitiful specimen such as yourself managed to hold the lovely lady's interest."
A wistful expression crossed Caladorn's face. "To tell you the truth, there is little I wouldn't do to win the lady's heart, barring that" he said, his voice suddenly serious. "I have asked Lucia for her hand, but she is not yet ready to entrust it. When that day comes, I am determined to be worthy of the honor."
The words were put forth simply, with a dignity and an old-fashioned courtliness that reminded Danilo of the knights of an earlier time. The love and reverence in Caladorn's eyes when he spoke of his lady made Danilo feel vaguely ashamed of his earlier jest. After promising Caladorn a match at a later time, he and Morgalla left the tournament field.
"Where to?" the dwarf asked.
"We're to meet the others at the Broken Lance, a tavern not far from here," Danilo said, leading the way down a side street "Let's hope that one of them has fared better than we have!"
*****
While her troublesome houseguest took a midday nap, Lucia Thione slipped away from her villa and hurried to Caladorn's townhouse in the Castle Ward. To her dismay, she found all the cupboards locked. Her young lover was not at home. His manservant did not have the keys, but he informed her that Caladorn had left early, and that he'd had business with the archmage.
Although society deemed the hour far too early to be making calls,