Fire Dragon - Katharine Kerr [65]
Maryn glared at him over the rim of the goblet, then took another sip.
“Treachery among your vassals?” Nevyn went on.
Maryn lowered the goblet and sighed. “You'll hear the truth of it anyway,” he said. “Your apprentice has decided that she loves me no longer.”
“Ah. I see.”
“She tells me that you had naught to do with this.”
“I didn't. I'm as surprised as you are.” Nevyn spoke the simple truth. He'd never thought that Lilli would be able to hold to her resolve.
“Very well.” Maryn stared into his goblet and swirled the mead. “The kingdom's full of lovely lasses.”
“It is.”
“Some of them a good bit more womanly than her. Ye gods, people must think I'm a miser. My wife and my mistress both look half-starved.” Maryn's mouth twisted. “Forgive me, I mean my former mistress.”
Those few people in the great hall had all turned to watch their prince; they stood silently, staring at him. Maryn finished the mead in another long swallow.
“I'm retiring to my apartments.” Maryn stood up. “Tomorrow we'll need to meet in council.”
“Whenever His Highness commands.”
Maryn stalked off, kicking another dog, grabbing a wayward chair and throwing it to the floor. He bounded up the staircase. Nevyn had the feeling that everyone in the hall held their breath until at last he disappeared at the top. It was a lucky thing, he decided, that the prince had a good many urgent affairs of state these days to occupy his mind.
The prince had been gone but a little while, and Nevyn himself was thinking of leaving the great hall, when
Lady Elyssa came hurrying down the staircase. She glanced around, saw Nevyn, and trotted over to him.
“My lord,” Elyssa said. “There's somewhat I need to ask you.”
“Let me guess. You want to know if it's true that Lilli's ended her affair with the prince.”
“Exactly that.” Elyssa smiled, but wryly. “Do you know?”
“The prince himself told me, and I see no reason for him to lie.”
“Me either.” Her smile turned sunny. “I'll just be getting back, then. This will gladden Her Highness's heart.”
With Nevyn home, Lilli returned to her habit of fetching them both breakfast on her way to his tower room. When she went down that next morning, she was terrified that Maryn would be in the great hall, but a page told her that the prince had risen early and gone out for a ride on his favorite horse.
“Not alone, surely?” Lilli said.
“Of course not, my lady. His silver daggers went with him.”
Lilli got a basket of bread and a chunk of cheese from a servant lass, then carried it to the main door. On the threshold she hesitated, because out in the main ward the grooms, pages, and menservants were leading the stabled horses out to drink in the watering troughs, so many that she might get kicked or stepped upon in the confusion. In the clammy heat, the smell of horse lay thick under a cloudy sky. Lilli turned back, crossed the great hall, and started out the back door in order to go round to Nevyn's broch by another way. Familiar voices stopped her, sounding just outside, talking and laughing together: Degwa and Oggyn. Rather than face Degwa's haughty looks, Lilli waited, hoping they'd just move on.
Degwa was telling Oggyn some long involved anecdote about Bellyra while he encouraged her with questions. Lilli waited, listening to Degwa prattle on about the princess and her doings.
“Well, I'm sure it's all innocent enough,” Degwa was saying. “Elyssa tells me I'm a dolt to worry, but really, that awful bard! He seems entirely too devoted to her, if you take my meaning.”
“Oh, I think me I do,” Oggyn said, and something about his voice made Lilli think of warm grease sliding over meat. “I do indeed.”
“I just worry, that's all. Now I really must be going, Oggo dearest. No doubt our princess needs me.”
“I'll walk with you, my love.”
Lilli waited until they were well past before she stepped outside, but for the rest of that afternoon she kept an eye on Degwa and her doings until at last she could catch her alone. Lilli put some thought into her approach as well. If she admitted that she'd overheard the conversation, Degwa