The Wyvern's Spur - Kate Novak [105]
Near the end of the meal, Gaylyn excused herself to check on the baby, and Aunt Dorath went with her. In his aunt's absence, Giogi asked Olive to tell them all about her travels last season with Alias of Westgate, and Frefford insisted. So the halfling complied, without actually mentioning the secret of Alias's- and Jade's and Cat's-origins. She made a point of mentioning the help they had from the Nameless Bard, but none of the Wyvernspurs seemed to have heard of their black sheep ancestor.
As she spoke, Olive grew aware that Lord Sudacar was studying her more intensely than he ever had when she had told the same story in the Five Fine Fish. Then she remembered that she still wore the device of the Harpers. The king's man did not interrupt her, however, nor question her about the pin. Her story carried them to the end of the meal, and when Giogi announced that they must be going, Olive sighed inwardly in relief to be escaping Sudacar's stare. In the tavern he seemed just a retired adventurer, but here he represented the law of the land, and Olive was always uncomfortable with laws.
The sky was still clear and bright, and the sun still high in the sky, when Olive and Giogi climbed into their rented carriage. Olive sat beside Giogi on the driver's seat, partly to keep him company and partly to avoid the crush of food boxes they'd been volunteered to take up to the temple for that evening's memorial service. Dorath apparently expected a big turnout and didn't want to be caught short.
"I've spent all winter here in Immersea," Olive said as they pulled away from the castle, "but I've yet to visit this temple. People tell me it's very impressive. I've never met Mother Lleddew, either. She's a bit of a recluse, I understand. What's she like?"
"I don't know exactly," Giogi said. "I haven't seen her since I was a boy. My parents took me up to the temple a few times to have tea with her. After my parents died, Uncle Drone only took me up there to watch eclipses, and then there were so many people there that I never really got to see much of her. When I got sick or hurt, Aunt Dorath took me to the shrine of Chauntea. I think Aunt Dorath disapproves of Selune, but I don't know why.
"Anyway, from what I remember, Mother Lleddew was a big woman, older than Aunt Dorath, with shaggy black hair and funny brown eyes. Her temple is all open, just pillars and a floor and a roof. I never figured out where she lived. When we came for tea, my parents and I, it was more like a picnic. We'd sit in the surrounding meadow beside a little fire. Mother Lleddew would serve berries and fresh herb teas.
'There's a silver bell you ring, and she shows up. Mischievous kids used to sneak up the hill, ring the bell, and run off, watching from the woods, but she always seemed to know when it was a practical joke, and never showed up."
"Any of those mischievous kids used to live at Redstone?" Olive asked.
Giogi grinned. "Some of them. According to Sudacar. Lleddew adventured with my father, but she never travels anymore. Frefford said he tried to get her to go down to Suzail to officiate at his wedding, but she wouldn't leave the temple."
"There was a priestess of Selune at the wedding, though," Olive recalled.
Giogi nodded. "She was someone from Suzail. Couldn't have a Wyvernspur wedding without Selune's blessing. Paton Wyvernspur-our family's founder-was said to be favored by her."
They reached the intersection of the two main roads that ran through Immersea. Giogi steered the horses west and had to slow the carriage for the tradesmen, teamsters, and fishmongers who crowded the streets.
"Mistress Ruskettle, could I ask your advice on something^" the noble asked.
"Never play dice with anyone named High-Roll," Olive said.
"Pardon?"
"Just a little joke. Sorry. Of course, Master Giogioni. Please feel free to confide in me at any time."
"Well, if you had someone who was a friend, not someone you knew really well but someone you thought was a capital fellow, and he became involved with someone else who you thought might not be so capital but