The Lady's Man (7 page)

Chapter Five.

Genivere hurried across the clearing, trying as always not to show any haste. It was indecorous and people would have frowned at her. Children ran and laughed and played. Adults were more measured in their ways, and she was no child. Still, when the messenger had come and told her that her presence was requested by Annalisse Brial Lon, it had set her pulse hurrying a little.

She was surprised to have been summoned by the elder. More than surprised. She was just an acolyte, too young and inexperienced to yet have been granted the rank of priestess or to have made a name for herself. And if all she had wanted was an acolyte there were many others like her in Hammeral. The elder could have chosen any of them to do her bidding – whatever it was. But of course she hadn't. She was a foreteller and whatever she did she did because she knew it was for the best. Therefore she had a reason for calling her and not any of the other acolytes.

Unless of course she was just being awkward.

Many did say that she was just that. That she enjoyed making people's lives difficult from time to time. None though would ever say that to her face. Not even Avenall Alloeshall though he had cause.

As part of her duties as an acolyte Genivere was normally attached to the thirteenth rangers under Captain Ysabel, but when they were in the city her duties were often extended to other ranger patrols. So she had spoken with the fifth Hammeral rangers a few days before as she had tended to their horses and listened to the rangers “talking” about their patrol. Complaining albeit quietly was closer to the truth.

First they had encountered a wild heart barbarian in the Hammeral forest, something that shouldn't have happened and which had somewhat alarmed them – as it should. The stories of such people were more than terrifying. So why the elder had brought him to their land was far from certain. Surely they should have thanked him for his service and then gone their separate ways. Then the wild heart had somehow managed to insult the captain openly. And as if that wasn't enough the patrol had then been given the difficult duty of escorting the elder and her family back to the city. A duty made more onerous by the elder's complete disregard for protocol.

She'd told them off if they dared to refer to her as her standing demanded. She'd berated them when they tried to feed her before the children. And while she'd changed the patrol's mission as she'd insisted that they bring her and her family back to the city, she'd refused to explain what was so important that she had to reach Hammeral so quickly. Or what had brought her all the way from the Saravaile Forest across dangerous country in the first place. So the captain had been left with a difficult ride, unanswered questions and an unfinished patrol. Needless to say he hadn't sounded happy about it, and since the wild heart wasn't around to blame, a lot of his unhappy words had fallen on the elder.

A wild heart! Just the thought sent a shiver down Genivere's spine. It disturbed her so greatly that she almost failed to smile and nod politely to Aros Anos, the leader of the satyr trade caravan that had arrived in the city. Despite the fact that she quite liked the trader.

Many didn't like satyrs. They considered them too simple and not properly educated. They whispered that the horns on their heads and the hair on their legs were the marks of beasts. But she liked them. Maybe that was because she was one quarter dryad. She was used to dealing with other peoples. Either way Aros Anos was a friendly sort with a welcoming smile, and his wares were good too. He certainly had some of the freshest of the herbs she needed for her work.

Genivere quickly forgot about the trader though when she reached the main ramp leading up to the southern part of the city. Her thoughts turned again to the elder and the wild heart. The rangers had said that the wild heart had saved them from slavers and had been their escort for three days. They had also said that the elder had appeared to have a fondness for the man. Who could be fond of a wild heart? They were wild, dangerous savages, who did unspeakable things – to women especially.

But it was not her place to judge an elder. Least of all Annalisse Brial Lon, the most respected foreteller in all the elven realms. Especially when there were rumours floating around the city that she'd come to Hammeral specifically to warn the elders about some sort of calamity coming. That others were coming too. And most especially not when she'd specifically sent for her.

At the top of the ramp Genivere turned left and headed across the platforms lining cedar row towards the scholars quarter of the city. It was there that most of the schools were located, as well as the great library and the various academies. And it was there that Annalisse and her family had been found accommodation.

The walk brought back memories of her own childhood. Especially when she passed by the various classes and saw the children sitting on the floor being given their first instructions in letters and numbers, in history and thought. Many of the children turned to watch her as she walked by, and she had to resist the impulse to smile as she saw them. Once she had been just like them. Sitting in those classrooms on the hard floor, trying not to squirm, and really more interested in what was happening outside than what the master or mistress was writing on the slate. Especially on a warm sunny day when the sun was shining and the birds were singing, and all she'd really wanted to do was go outside and play with her friends on the huge common below.

But she'd struggled through her five years in the seedling classes and then another five in the sapling classes before finally being allowed to join the temple and begin her true study. These children would too, even if they didn't want to. What was more they would all master their lessons. In some of the other realms she understood that wasn't so certain. The dwarves in keeping with their venal natures, ran a pass and fail system, where many of their children ended up leaving school early and barely able to read and write. They preserved their most advanced lessons for only a few. Schooling cost gold. The humans had a simple schooling system and then sent all the students out at an early age to learn trades. Their new masters finished their education. The satyrs only had five years of schooling. And the dryads, her own grandmother's people, didn't have schools at all. The children were taught by their parents.

Beyond the few dozen platforms supporting the classrooms was a small merchant area spread out over six more platforms. These were the established traders of the southern city, most of whom were clothiers or carpenters. There were also a couple of food merchants and a hostelry.

Most visitors to Hammeral – at least those who weren't elves – were surprised by how the city was laid out. How there was no one merchant section and one industrial area. But the city was laid out in a giant circle around a clearing that was one and a half leagues across. It was simply too large for everyone to be grouped together. To add to the confusion of course no horses and wagons could make it on to the platforms. So the visiting traders had their own little market areas on the clearing under the base of the trees.

But that just added to the wonder of the city in her view. Especially for the children. It meant that wherever you went there was food to buy, a hostelry to lay your head in, a hall to spend some time with friends in, and of course play areas.

The children of course spent most of their time avoiding the play areas and running around the city, chasing one another along the ramps, through the platforms, and even bouncing in the safety nets that underpinned the entire city no matter how many times they were told not to. But that was simply the way of things. You brought children toys and they played with the wrapping. You built them play areas and they ignored them and ran wild through the rest of the city. It was as it was meant to be. The Mother had created children to play and have fun however they wanted – not however their parents thought they should. It didn't matter whether they were kittens, foals or elves, the young were all the same.

Beyond the merchant platforms she found the ramps leading up to the higher platforms where the houses were, and she took the nearest of them. Elves loved to live in the tree tops with the clear blue sky above them. It was there that they felt most comfortable. Most at home. But it did make for a lot of climbing.

Still, the foreteller's home wasn't far and she soon reached the front door. She knew it was the right one because someone had already painted the family name Brial Lon on the front door. In everything else it was the same as all the others. A little larger perhaps because there were so many in her family, but otherwise identical.

Genivere knocked on the beautifully carved oak door and waited.

“
Yes?”

The door opened and a woman of middling years poked her head out, while somewhere behind her Genivere could hear young children laughing and playing.

“I am Genivere Lin, Acolyte of the Mother. Elder Annalisse Brial Lon sent for me.”

“Of course, follow me.”

The woman held the door for her and then led here through the house. Through the large main room where three or four children were playing happily with building blocks and small wooden toys, through the hallway beyond which connected the many bedchambers in the home, to a second living room at the rear of the home where the elder was sitting at a writing desk waiting for her. Waiting with a smile on her face that made Genivere a little nervous. It wasn't that she thought the elder might have some dark design in mind for her. It was that she was a foreteller, and she might well know what was coming in Genivere's life. It looked to her like a knowing smile.

“Elder Annalisse.”

Genivere nodded to the elder as was proper and immediately regretted it. Even before she heard the elder protest. Had she not heard the fifth rangers say that the elder hated formality? But it was too late to take her words back.

“Enough of that child!” The elder sounded annoyed. “Now come in and let me see you properly instead of standing there in the doorway like a statue.”

Genivere did as she was asked, walking into the room, somehow keeping herself from apologising for her mistake, to stand in front of the elder. She stayed like that as the elder stood up and started examining her. But she did redden a little as the elder started commenting on what she found.

“Yes. Just as I saw. Part dryad and an acolyte. Tell me child, you ride with the thirteenth yet your hair is not braided?”

“Yes Elder. I care for the horses, tend to the injured and act as a guide through many of the forests. But my weapons are only the longbow and staff.”

She wasn't expected to fight, and in truth Captain Ysabel would have told her off if she'd tried. Her skill as a warrior was not great.

“So be it. The one I am sending you to assist will not need your help in battle. He is the most capable of warriors.”

“Elder?”

She was being sent to assist a warrior? That didn't sound right to her. Besides, the elder was a foreteller, not one of the council. She couldn't give her orders.

“Yes. Captain Ysabel is being given her orders now and you will join them in time. But her orders are only to meet with Yorik at the appointed place and time. Yours are to accompany him on his journey until your return to Hammeral. And Yorik will need to be treated carefully. That is why I asked that I be allowed to speak directly with you of what will be needed.”

“Why am I to accompany a warrior?”

“Because it is necessary child.” Annalisse sighed quietly. “We are entering a difficult time. A time of darkness and war. I see Yorik as important in this time to come. He is part of the light of the dawn to come. But only if things are done as they should be done. To that end there are things I see and things which have not yet been given to me to see. And of those things which I see I may only reveal some to you.”

“But you may be assured that I see Yorik as important. I see this journey of his as important. And I see your presence on his journey as important.”

War and darkness? Genivere wanted to ask the question but she knew she wouldn't get an answer. For over a week the elders had been locked in meetings as they prepared for whatever was coming. And the rumours had flown. Especially when other foretellers had started arriving. But none were speaking to the people. Not yet anyway. So instead she asked the question she thought she might get an answer to.

“Yorik?”

That didn't sound like an elven name. But she had heard it somewhere before.