Gate of Ivrel (9 page)

"Most probably," she said. "However, it is chancy. The fires have certain potential for harm. I know the safety of Aenor-Pyvvn. It could do no bodily harm. But I should not chance Leth's fires unless I had seen them. They are by the lake, which seems to take so much toll of Leth. I should rather other aid than that, lord Leth. Seek Aenon-Pyvvn." She still gave him only a part of her attention, continuing to push the great moldering pages back one after another. Then her eyes darted

to the aged scholar. "Thee looks almost old enough to remember me."

The poor old man, trembling, tried the major obeisance at being directly noticed by Morgaine, and could not make it gracefully. "Lady, I was not yet born."

She looked at him curiously, and then laughed softly. "Ah, then I have no friends left in Leth at all. There are none so old." She thumbed more pages, more and more rapidly. "... This sad day was funeral for Leth Tohme, aged seventeen yeares, and his Consort. . . lady Leth Jeme . . . Indeed, indeed—at one burying."

"My grandmother hanged herself for grief," said Kasedre.

"Ah, then your father must have become the Leth when he was very young. And Zri must have had much power."

"Zri. Zri. Zri. Tutors are boring."

"Had you one?"

"Liell. Chya Liell. He is my counselor now."

"I have not met Liell," she said.

Kasedre bit at his lips. "He would not come tonight. He said he was indisposed. "I"—he lowered his voice—"have never known Liell indisposed before."

". . . Liell of the Chya . . . has given splendid entertainments ... on the occasion of the birthday of the Leth, Kasedre, most honorable of lords . . . two maidens of the ... Indeed." Morgaine blinked, scanned the page. "Most unique. And I have seen a great many entertainments."

"Liell is very clever," said Kasedre. "He devises ways to amuse us. He would not come tonight. That is why things are so quiet. He will think of something for tomorrow."

Morgaine continued to scan the pages. "This is interesting," she assured Kasedre. "I must apologize. I am surely wearying you and interfering with your scribe's recording of my visit, but this does intrigue me. I shall try to repay your hospitality and your patience."

Kasedre bowed very low, thoughtlessly necessitating obeisance by all at the immediate table. "We have kept in every detail the records of your dealings with us in this visit. It is a great honor to our hall."

"Leth has always been very kind to me."

Kasedre reached out his hand, altogether against propriety—it was the action of a child fascinated by glitter—and his

trembling fingers touched the arm of Morgaine, and the hilt of Changeling.

She ceased to move, every muscle frozen for an instant; then gently she moved her arm and removed his fingers from the dragon blade's hilt.

Vanye's muscles were rock-hard, his left hand already feeling after the release of his nameless sword. They could perhaps reach the midpoint of the hall before fifty swords cut them down.

And he must guard her back.

Kasedre drew back his hand. "Draw the blade," he urged her. "Draw it. I want to see it."

"No,' she said. "Not in a friendly hall."

"It was forged here in Leth," said Kasedre, his dark eyes glittering. "They say that the magic of the Witchfires themselves went into its forging. A Leth smith aided in the making of its hilt. I want to see it."

"I never part with it," said Morgaine softly. "I treasure it greatly. It was made by Chan, who was the dearest of my own companions, and by Leth Omry, as you say. Chan carried it a time, but he gave it to me before he died in Irien. It never leaves me, but I think kindly of friends in Leth when I remember its making."

"Let us see it," he said.

"It brings disaster wherever it is drawn," she said, "and I do not draw it."

"We ask this."

"I would not—" the painted smile resumed, adamant— "chance any misfortune to the house of Leth. Do believe me."

A pout was on Leth Kasedre's features, a flush upon his sweating cheeks. His breathing grew quick and there was a sudden hush in the hall.

"We ask this," he repeated.

"No," said Morgaine. "This I will not."

He snatched at it, and when she avoided his grasp, he spitefully snatched the book instead, whirled to his feet and cast it into the hearth, scattering embers.

The old scholar scuttled crabwise and sobbing after the book, spilling ink that dyed his robes. He rescued it and sat there brushing the little charring fire from its edges. His old lips moved as if he were speaking to it.

And Kasedre shrieked, railing upon his guests until the froth gathered at the corners of his mouth and he turned a most alarming purple. Ingratitude seemed the main burden of his accusations. He wept. He cursed.

"Qujalin witch," he began to cry then. "Witch! Witch! Witch!"

Vanye was on his feet, not yet drawing, but sure he must.

Morgaine took a final sip of wine and gathered herself up also. Kasedre was still shouting. He raised his hand to her, trembled as if he did not quite have the courage to strike. Morgaine did not flinch; and Vanye began to ease his blade from the sheath.

Tumult had risen in the hall again: it died a sudden death, beginning at the door. There had appeared there a tall, thin man of great dignity, perhaps forty, fifty years in age. The silence spread. Kasedre began instead to whimper, to utter his complaints under his breath and petulantly.

And incredibly this apparition, this new authority, walked forward to kneel and do Kasedre proper reverence.

"Liell," said Kasedre in a trembling voice.

"Clear the hall," said Liell. His voice was sane and still and terrible.

There was no noise at all, even from the bandits at the rear; the uyin began to slink away. Kasedre managed to put up an act of defiance for a moment. Liell stared at him. Then Kasedre turned and fled, running, into the shadows behind the curtains.

Liell bowed a formal and slight courtesy to them both.

"The well-renowned Morgaine of the Chya," he said softly. Here was sanity. Vanye breathed a soft sigh of relief and let his sword slip back. "You are not the most welcome visitor ever to come to this hall," Liell was saying, "but I will warn you all the same, Morgaine: whatever brought you back will send you hence again if you bait Kasedre. He is a child, but he commands others."

"I believe we share clan," she said, cold rebuff to his discourtesy. "I am adopted, kri Chya; but of one clan, you and I."

He bowed again, seemed then to offer true respect. "Your pardon. You are a surprise to me. When the rumor came to me, I did not believe it. I thought perhaps it was some charlatan

with a game to play. But you are quite the real thing, I see that. And who is this, this fellow?"

"It is all family," Vanye said, a touch of insolence, that Liell had not been courteous with Morgaine. "I am Chya on my mother's side.

Liell bowed to him. For a moment those strangely frank eyes rested directly upon him, draining him of anger. "Your name, sir?"

"Vanye," he said, shaken by that sudden attention.

"Vanye," said Liell softly. "Vanye. Aye, that is a Chya name. But I have little to do with clan Chya here. I have other work.... Lady Morgaine, let me see you to your rooms. You have stirred up quite a nest of troubles. I heard the shouting. I descended—to your rescue, if you will pardon me."

Morgaine nodded him thanks and began to walk with him. Vanye, ignored now, fell in a few paces behind them and kept watch on the doors and corridors.

"I truly did not believe it at first," said Liell. "I thought Kasedre's humors were at work again, or that someone was taking advantage of him. His fantasies are elaborate. May I ask why—?"

Morgaine used that dazzling and false smile on Liell. "No," she said. "I discuss my business with no one I chance to leave behind me. I will be on my way soon. I wish no help. Therefore what I do is of no moment here."

"Are you bound for the territory of Chya?"

"I am clan-welcome there," she said, "but I doubt it would be the same warmth of welcome I knew if I were to go there now. Tell me of yourself, Chya Liell. How does Leth fare these days?"

Liell waved an elegant hand at their surroundings. He was a graceful man, handsome and silver-haired; his dress was modest, night-blue. His shoulders lifted in a sigh. "You see how things are, lady, I am well sure. I manage to keep Leth whole, against the tide of events. As long as Kasedre keeps to his entertainments, Leth thrives. But its thin blood will not breed another generation. The sons and grandsons of Chya Zri—who, I know, found no favor in your eyes—still are the bulwark of Leth in its old age. They serve me well. That in hall—that is the get of Leth, such as remains."

Morgaine refrained from comment. They began to mount

the stairs. A pinched little face peered at them from the turning, withdrew quickly.

"The twins," said Vanye.

"Ah," said Liell. "Hshi and Tlim. Nasty characters, those."

"Clever with their hands," said Vanye sourly.

"They are Leth. Hshi is the harpist in hall. Tlin sings. They also steal. Do not let them in your rooms. I suspect it was Tlin who is responsible for your being here. The report was very like her misbehaviors."

"Hardly necessary that she trouble herself," said Morgaine. "My path necessarily led to Ra-leth. I had the mood to come this way. The girl could prove a noisome pest."

"Please," said Liell. "Leave the twins to me. They will not trouble you.... What set Kasedre off tonight?"

"He became overexcited," said Morgaine. "I take it that he does not often meet outsiders."

"Not of quality, and not under these circumstances."

They wound up the remaining stairs and came into the hall where their apartments were. The servants were busy at their tasks, lighting the lamps. They made great bows as Liell and Morgaine swept past them.

"Did you eat well?" Liell asked.

"We had sufficient," she said.

"Sleep soundly, lady. Nothing will trouble you." He made a formal bow as Morgaine went inside her own door, but as Vanye would have followed her, Liell prevented him with an outthrust arm.

Vanye stopped, hand upon hilt, but Liell's purpose seemed speech, not violence. He leaned close, set a hand upon Vanye's shoulder, a familiarity a man might use with a servant, talking to him quickly in whispers.

"She is in great danger," said Liell. "Only I fear what she may do. She must leave here, and tonight. Earnestly I tell you this." He leaned closer until Vanye's back was against the wall, and the hand gripped his shoulder with great intensity. "Do not trust Flis and do not trust the twins above all else, and beware of any of Kasedre's people."

"Which you are not?"

"I have no interest in seeing this hall ruined—which could happen if Morgaine takes offense. Please. I know what she is seeking. Come with me and I will show you."

Vanye considered it, gazed into the dark, sober eyes of the man. There was peculiar sadness in them, a magnetism that compelled trust. The strong fingers pressed into the flesh of his shoulder, at once intimate and compelling.

"No," he said. It was hard to force the words. "I am ilin. I take her orders. I do not arrange her business for her."

And he tore himself from Liell's fingers and sought the door, trembling so that he missed the latch, opened it and thrust it closed, securely, behind him. Morgaine looked at him questioningly, even offering concern. He said nothing to her. He felt sick inside, still fearing that he should have trusted Liell, and yet glad that he had not.

"We must get out of this place," he urged her. "Now."

"There are things yet to learn," she said. "I only found the beginnings of answers. I would have the rest. I can have, if we remain."

There was no disputing Morgaine. He curled up near their own little hearth, a small and smoky fireplace that heated the room from a common duct, warming himself on the stones. He left her the bed, did she choose to use it.

She did not. She paced. Eventually the restlessness assumed a kind of rhythm, and ceased to be maddening. Just when he had grown used to that, she settled. He saw her by the window, staring out into the dark, through a crack in the shutters, an opening that let a further draft into their chill room.

"Folk never seem to sleep in Leth-hall," she commented to him finally, when he had changed his posture to keep his joints from going stiff. "There are torches about in the snow."

He muttered an answer and sighed, glanced away uncomfortably as she turned from the window then and began to turn down the bed. She slipped off the overrobe and laid it across the foot, laid aside her other gear, hung upon the endpost, and cloth tunic and the fine, light mail, itself the worth of many kings of the present age, boots and the warmth of her leather undertunic, stretched in the luxury of freedom from the weight of armor, slim and womanly, in riding breeches and a thin lawn shirt. He averted his eyes a second time toward nothing in particular, heard her ease within the bed, make herself comfortable.

'Thee does not have to be overnice," she murmured when he looked back. "Thee is welcome to thy half."