Spellsong - The Soprano Sorceress - Spellsong - The Soprano Sorceress Part 39
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Spellsong - The Soprano Sorceress Part 39

Firis bowed. "If ever I can offer aid, you know where I am."

"You already have. Thank you." She lowered her voice. "Thank you very much."

The captain stepped up to the sentry. "I am escorting the lady Anna to see the lady Gatrune."

"She is expecting you, ser." The blonde sentry opened the wide louvered door that stood behind the open, iron-banded main door.

A young, white-capped woman stood in the small entry hall. "If you would follow me, captain and lady..."

The serving maid led them down the narrow corridor to a wide set of brick steps and then up two flights and along another hallway to a room resembling a salon-except that the northern side was open to the courtyard below, the only barrier being a waist-high, wrought-iron railing.

A big-boned woman with white-and-blonde hair stood from the padded leather chair and stepped forward, the first woman the sorceress had seen in Liedwahr who was both substantially taller and bigger than Anna was.

"This is the lady Anna," Fins said. "Lady Gatrune."

"Thank you, captain." Gatrune's eyes studied Anna for a moment. "We are indebted to you, and I am pleased to meet you."

"If you do not need me. . ." Fins said quietly.

"You may go. Thank you."

As Firis slipped away, Gatrune gestured to the leather chair that faced and matched hers. "You look tired. Please be seated. I would like to talk with you for a bit. Then you can wash up and change-do not worry. There are plenty of gowns in your room. And then we will have something to eat. You look as though you have been starving."

Anna did not stand on ceremony, but dropped into the chair, easing the saddlebags to the floor by her feet. Starving? Did she look that bad?

"Would you like some mulled cider?" asked the aging blonde.

"Yes, if you wouldn't mind."

Gatrune poured the amber liquid from the pitcher into an empty goblet sitting on the low table between the two chairs. Then she refilled the other goblet and took a deep swallow.

Anna sipped hers, enjoying the faint bite, but fearing that too much too soon would leave her on the floor.

"I had heard that there was a sorceress at the battle, but until Captain Fins introduced you, I never would have guessed. You look so young..." Gatrune extended the enameled wooden tray that held sliced apples.

"I'm not." Anna took several of the apple slices, eating them between words as she summarized and sanitized her long tale, beginning with her arrival and ending with a shrug. "It's proved very disconcerting, and provided more than a little trouble." Should she tell Gatrune of her encounter with the chandler? She frowned.

"Your frown says there is more to your tale, and it is not pleasant. I would not impose."

Anna smiled ruefully. "One lord's consort was convinced I was going after him, and your local chandler attempted to rape me. I was successful in defusing the issue with the consort."

" 'Defusing' .. . a strange word."

"We reached a rough understanding," Anna amplified. "The chandler was not so. . .

reasonable. When I stopped him gently-the spell was to keep him from touching me- he tried to kill me with a bow, since he couldn't touch me.

"That would have been Forse, no doubt. I won't let any of the serving girls go near the chandlery." Gatrune frowned. "So what did you do?"

Anna sighed. "I turned him into a bonfire. It was the only way I had left to protect myself after he and his friend barred the door."

"Kysar had always told me that Forse was to be watched, but I had thought of that in terms of the serving girls or Herene-she is my younger sister, and ward, now that our father has passed on."

"I'm sorry," Anna said automatically, even as she wondered exactly why she was sorry.

"You are dangerous." The widow laughed. "So Forse received his due, even after a warning."

She took a sip from her crystal glass. "Many of the men in Pamr will be distressed, I'm sure. I cannot think of a single woman who would be."

"But it's sad," Anna said. "Why is it that some people only respect force?" And why do 1 have to be the one to apply that force?

"Most of them are men," Gatrune said.

"Is that because they're men, or because they're powerful and don't want to give up any power? If women were as powerful, would they be any different?" Am I any different? if sorcery makes me more powerful, will I turn out like them?

"I think I might like to find out. Even now, strong as I am, I must rely on a strong captain, and the fact that I have a brother, who is a lord. That's Nelmor-he holds the estates at Dubaria- they're a good two days' ride north of Denguic, and the ground is rocky enough that our next ruler, that so-called Prophet of Music, hasn't bothered even to seek fealty. The ground won't support much except goats and sheep, but those in Denguic and Elioch and even Falcor will pay for good goat cheese." Gatrune laughed. "I prefer cow cheese, personally. That comes from all the years of making the goat cheese."

"I'm not much for goat cheese," Anna shifted position in the leather chair. Comfortable as the chair was, every part of her body seemed sore.

"Anyway, with my next dispatch, thanking him for the cheese, and it is useful, especially for feeding the staff, I will tell him of you, and that you are to be trusted." Gatrune lifted her goblet.

"I can tell who is and who isn't.

Kysar was always surprised, but I've never been wrong yet, and it's been years." She shrugged. "What good our support will do, one never knows, dear, these days, but..."

Anna felt dazed by the outpouring, but she nodded. "You trust your feelings."

"Exactly. Too many people rely on proofs or words. Words are spoken on the wind; feelings are rooted in the soil and the harmonies." Gatrune refilled the goblet. "Then there's Firis. He is convinced that he owes you." Gatrune smiled. "Because he does, and because he returned with enough levies to protect the hall and holding, Kyrun and I owe you."

"Kyrun is your son?"

Gatrune nodded. "You will meet him later, but don't expect much. He's but five." The lady of the hall took a long pull from her goblet, then looked at Anna. "Will you serve Lord Behlem?"

"You must have read his proclamation." Anna was taken slightly aback by Gatrune's directness.

"I did. I also agreed to his terms, as you will, if I'm not mistaken."

"I am new to this world," Anna said slowly, taking an-other sip of the strong spiced cider.

"But it would appear that Lord Behlem might be preferred over the dark ones."

"He doubtless is, but-" Gatrune shrugged. "It won't be easy, especially for you. No matter how old you really are, and it is hard to believe you have children as old as my younger sister, you look young, and you are beautiful, and that will have Cyndyth ready to have you killed, if she can manage it. If you don't help Behlem, they'll both want you out of the way. I don't envy you."

"Cyndyth? I beg your pardon.., but I am new..."

Gatrune laughed ruefully. "I apologize. Even in this time of sadness, it is refreshing to talk to a woman who doesn't look over her shoulder for her lord, and I forget that you do not know everyone. Cyndyth is Lord Behlem's consort, and she is also the daughter of the Liedfuhr of Mansuur." With a look at Anna's face, she continued. "Mansuur is the westernmost country in Liedwahr, well beyond the Great Western Forest, and about the size of Ebra, Nordwei, Defalk, Ranuak, and Neserea all together."

"Oh..."

"It's not exactly a great holding, but almost a confederation. I think that by joining Cyndyth to Behiem he was hoping to induce young Behiem to join Mansuur. Either that, or have him assassinated, and then move to annex Neserea in the guise of protecting Rabyn-that's his grandson, Cyndyth's only child. Something like that. The Norweians oppose Mansuur, and they've offered some support to Neserea. Even the Matriarch of Ranuak has been warmer to Neserea-with some caution."

Anna tried to concentrate on Gatrune's words, but she was tired, and some seemed to slip through her brain without totally registering.

"You're still hungry and tired, and I'm prattling on. It's lonely here, and Kysar was really the only one I ever could talk to. For all his bluffness, he was a good sort, and I never thought I'd find a consort." For a moment, wetness clouded Gatrune's bright eyes-but only for a moment.

The older woman stood. "You need to wash up, and then we'll eat, and you can tell me about the mist worlds."

Anna had to struggle to her feet as she followed the taller lady from the salon. She hoped she would last until dinner. Starving? How could she force herself to eat more? It seemed as though all she did was eat. . . eat and ride... and watch her back. She almost tripped as her boot caught the edge of a floor tile, but she caught herself and continued after Gatrune.

57.

As stood by the arched doorway, her stomach full from the warm bread and hot spiced apples, Anna wanted to yawn. She did not want to climb on Farinelli and ride for another two or three days. She just wanted to go back to bed. . . almost any bed. How long had it been since she had really been able to sleep? Even in Ames, if it hadn't been teaching, or rehearsals, or the job at the Lutheran Church, or...

Gatrune, in garb similar to Anna's brushed and washed riding clothes, was bright-eyed and smiling, as though she had been awake for hours-glasses, Anna corrected herself-and the lady of Pamr probably had. Everyone in Liedwahr rose at ungodly hours-or should she try to think of them as dissonant glasses? Either way...

"Here are two scrolls-one's for Nelmor, just in case you run into him before my messages reach him, and the other is for Lady Essan. You remember, you were sleepy last night, but she is Lord Donjim's widow, and she still has friends and influence in Falcor. Don't seek her out at first, though, because that would set Behlem to worrying, and there's nothing worse than the suspicions of a young and insecure Prophet." Gatrune extended the scrolls to Anna, who balanced the saddlebags across her thigh and slipped them inside.

"I appreciate your kindness, and I will do what I can when I get to Falcor." Anna glanced toward the shadowed entry hall behind the lady of Pamr, "I did enjoy sleeping in a real bed, and eating hot food. Inns are not exactly plentiful on the roads."

"The inn in Zechis is good. Kysar and I stayed there. It is the Black Pony, and Visula runs it.

You might try it," suggested Gatrune, "although it is a long day's ride."

"A very long day's ride," added Herene. The younger blonde woman offered a wry smile.

"Thank you. There's a lot I have to learn about Defalk."

"That is true of all of us," replied Gatrune, ruffling Kyrun's hair. The boy, already tall for his age, stood beside his mother, wearing a sleeveless tunic and shorts. He was barefoot, and a cowlick gave his short blonde hair a tousled appearance. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, as though he wished he were someplace else.

Anna grinned down at him. "I'll be gone in a bit, and then you can go play or do whatever you do."

"Lessons, first," Gatrune said, "then play."

"Do I have to?"

"Yes." Gatrune and Herene spoke simultaneously.

"Yes, Mother." Kyrun's tone was polite, but resigned, without being pouty.

"What you learn in your lessons can be useful later in life." Anna paused, then added.

"Especially when you have to act before you have the time to learn what you should have learned as a child."

"Remember that," suggested Herene. "Great sorceresses do not come along often."

A great sorceress? Anna had more than a few doubts about that.

"You are. You will see," predicted Gatrune. "But you need to begin your journey, and my talking will only make it longer." She nodded toward the door, and the stable across the expanse of packed earth.

"Thank you... again," Anna said.

"No thanks for what best be done. Don't forget Lady Essan."

"I won't." Anna hefted her saddlebags and headed toward the stable.

Daffyd was leading the gray mare out of the cracked walled stable that seemed far older than the hall itself as Anna crossed the packed earth from the hall. Markan looked up from securing the saddlebags behind his saddle.

"How did you sleep?" she asked.

"Well enough," answered Markan.

"Better than on the road," Daffyd agreed. "Hot food was good, too."

"Better than travel bread or cheese," added Stepan, bringing out one of the pack mares.

As usual, Farinelli was unsaddled, and whuffed as Anna neared.

"I can't believe you ride that beast, lady," offered the stablehand as Anna slipped the saddle blanket in place. "He like as chased Greize right out of the stall last night."

"We get along," Anna said, trying to stifle a yawn. "We're both temperamental." She eased the saddle in place, half realizing that it no longer felt particularly heavy, then went to work positioning it and tightening the cinches. Farinelli edged sideways a fraction, then planted himself as though in resignation. "It's not that bad, old fellow."

As usual, by the time she was ready and had led the gelding out into the too-early morning sun, everyone else was outside and mounted. Two brown-and-gold dogs sat by the corner of the stable, both already panting, with long pink tongues lolling from the corners of their muzzles.

Whhhhunnn... Anna glanced toward the whinny from the stable, but could see no one and guessed that some mount wanted to say something to another, or something. With the sun falling on her uncovered forehead, she found her hand feeling for the floppy hat tucked into her belt.

"Lady Anna." Firis had arrived as well and bowed.

"Captain Firis." Anna returned the bow. "We appreciate your hospitality, and I wish you well here in Pamr."

"I wish myself well, also," responded Fins, his hand smoothing the salt-and-pepper beard that made him look older than his years. "It was good to see you, lady, and may your journey to Falcor be speedy and free of difficulty."

"Thank you." Anna looked around. Only she was unmounted. She climbed into the saddle, with a great deal nore ease and skill than just a few weeks previously.

"Ready, lady?" asked Markan.

"Yes."

Firis offered a half salute as they rode across the packed yard toward the road leading downhill to the gates.

Anna glanced around. She did not see Meris, but realized Gatrune still stood by the hall entrance.

Anna waved and got a wave in response.