The Shadow Isle - Katharine Kerr [148]
“Like a leech,” Dalla said. “Malamala’s little leech.”
Dari took no notice. Dallandra leaned back and watched the gray mist falling softly outside the window. Nursing her daughter filled her with a great tenderness toward the smelly little bundle, yet she wondered if she could honestly call it love. When she’s older, Dalla thought, she’ll be more interesting then.
“Nasty weather to be riding in,” Sidro remarked.
“I hope it clears by tomorrow.” Dallandra craned her neck and considered the pale gray clouds. “It probably will, but I don’t much care. I want to get on the road.”
“You must miss the banadar dreadful like.”
Dallandra sighed and considered what to say. “Him, too,” she said at last. “But more to the point, I’m needed up there, and so are all of us, you, me, Grallezar, Branna, and, of course, Solla, for Gerran’s sake.”
“I see.” Sidro thought this all over carefully. “You know, Wise One, it’s all been so much to my good, knowing you and Valandario. Before I did play with the dweomer like a toy, but now I see that it be a duty for those who have it, beyond what they might want in life.”
“Very well put. Tell me, do you still long for Laz?”
“I know not if I do or not. The more days I do spend with Pir, the more I think he should be my first man, mayhap my only man, but truly, often before did I think to break free of Laz, and never could I do it.” Sidro raised both hands palm up, then shrugged. “If never I do see him again, my heart will ache, but Pir’s will be gladdened, and so I ken not if I wish Laz back or not.”
"Your hands, they be mostly healed,” Marnmara said. "It no longer be needful to pull the scars apart.”
"I cannot tell you how much it gladdens my heart to hear that,” Laz said.
They were sitting in Haen Marn’s great hall at a table under a window. Sunlight streamed in and glinted off the surface of the bowl of herbed water in which Laz’s hands were soaking. He lifted out his right hand and considered the scars while the water dripped away. They were soft, pink, and whole without the painful cracks between them. The left hand also looked as healthy as it would ever be. When Marnmara handed him a rag, he dried his hands, then laid them on the table for her inspection.
“Truly,” she said, “there be naught more for me to do. Mayhap you’ll master the fingers better as time goes on.”
“I’ll hope so. I suppose I’d best be on my way.”
She smiled at the hesitation in his voice. “It were best,” she said. “Your wyrd lies not here.”
When Angmar came downstairs for the evening meal, Laz told her that he’d be leaving on the morrow morning. She considered him sadly, then nodded her approval.
“My lady?” Laz said. “Has Avain seen Berwynna in her basin?”
“She has,” Angmar said. “Surrounded by stone, Avain said, so I think me Mic and Enj did take her down to Lin Serr.” For a brief moment she smiled. “Avain did see Enj. He be coming home, at least.”
The smile faded, and Angmar walked on past without another word. She sat down at the head of the table in her usual place, then leaned back, staring out across the great hall. Marnmara took Laz to one side and whispered.
“Her heart be so torn with fear for my wretched sister,” Mara said, “that she does think of naught else.”
“It’s a sad thing.” Laz dropped his voice as well. “I suppose Wynni loves her Dougie too much to let him go off without her.”
Marnmara’s eyes grew wide, and she stared at him, as puzzled as if he’d spoken in some foreign tongue. “Here,” she said finally, “be that why she did run away? Because of Dougie?”
“I’m assuming so. Surely you knew she’d been creeping into his chamber at night.”
“Never did such a thing occur to me! The little slut!”
“Here, that’s a vicious thing to say! Why do you hate your sister so?”
“I don’t hate her.” Mara scowled at the floor. “It be just that Mam does favor her over me. Huh! Look at the small reward Wynni did give her for it, too.”
“What? When did she ever favor Wynni?”
“Always does she talk of the work Wynni does for us all.”
“Oh? Well, I’ve heard her speak more of the Lady of the Isle than