Fire Dragon - Katharine Kerr [50]
“Messages, Your Highness, from your husband.” Lilli held out the tubes. “The men that brought them are down in the great hall.”
“My thanks.” Bellyra took the tubes. “I was sorry to hear about Branoic's death. You have my sympathies.”
“My thanks, Your Highness.”
“I had hopes that he'd take you away from Dun Deverry. My husband honors his men highly, after all, and what he wouldn't do for us, he might have done for one of them.”
Lilli tried to answer, but her mouth had gone too dry. Bellyra continued with her slow scrutiny.
“Oh, I'm sorry, Lilli,” the princess said at last. “It's truly not your fault. I just can't stand the sight of you, is all.”
With that she slammed the door shut. Lilli stood in the hallway and trembled for some while before she could summon the breath to leave.
Maddyn led his straggling procession into Dun Deverry late on an afternoon when clouds hung heavy in the western sky. Light the color of beaten copper slanted under the swelling thunderheads and made them blaze over the black towers and walls of the dun. As they rode through the last gate into the ward, Maddyn was hoping that the storm would break soon. The heat seemed to have turned the air too thick to breathe.
Servants swarmed out of the broch, and grooms came running. As Maddyn dismounted, he saw Grodyn the chirurgeon limping across the ward with his stick for support. Pages scurried at the old man's orders to help the wounded men down. Lady Lillorigga, with young Prince Riddmar at her side, stood waiting in the doorway of the main broch. As Maddyn hurried over, he noticed that her skin looked oddly pale except for the hectic red upon her cheeks. I wonder if Nevyn knows about this, he thought. When he started to kneel, she stopped him.
“Don't, Maddo,” Lilli said, and her voice quivered with tears. “If the gods had been kinder I'd have been a silver dagger's wife, and I shan't have his comrade kneeling to me.”
“My heart aches for you, my lady,” Maddyn said, “and for my own grief as well. I'd ridden with Branno for many a long year.”
“I know.” Lilli raised one arm and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. “But it was Wyrd, and what can we do about that?”
“Naught, truly.” Maddyn reached into his shirt and brought out the two silver message tubes. “One of these is for you, but I can't read the names upon them.”
Lilli took them, slid one parchment out, then handed it and the tube both back to him.
“This is for the princess,” she said. “It's odd how when there's a choice of two things, one always chooses the wrong one.”
Her voice twisted with such bitterness that Maddyn heard a tale's worth of meanings in her words. “So it is,” he said. “Is the princess in the great hall?”
“She's not. I suppose I could take that letter to Elyssa to give to her.”
“Or you could just take it up to the women's hall.”
“I can't.” Lilli looked away. “But you know, I think our princess would like to see you. Maybe you can distract her a bit. Let me just find Elyssa.”
While Lilli went upstairs, Maddyn and the rest of the escort sat themselves down on the riders' side of the great hall. Servant lasses brought them ale, then hovered around them, asking after various men who'd gone to the battle. For some it was a sad asking, because their men had been slain, but most could laugh and rest easy, knowing they'd ride home again soon. Maddyn kept watch on the great staircase while he prayed that Bellyra would be well enough to come down.
In but a little while his vigil was rewarded. With Lady Elyssa beside her the princess appeared at the top of the stairs. Bellyra wore a pair of green dresses, and her richly embroidered head scarf pulled her honey-colored hair back from a face gone pale and gaunt. Barely thinking, Maddyn rose and hurried to the foot of the stairs. Bellyra was frowning a little, concentrating on taking each step down as if she were exhausted, so carefully, so sadly, really, that he longed to pick her up and carry her down in his arms. When the women were about halfway down, Elyssa waved, gesturing that he should come up to meet