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Her words brought nods, and she turned and began to follow Firis toward the
stable. Behind her came Rickel and Lejun
Once at the stable, Lejun took both guards' mounts, while Rickel remained
within a few steps, his hand on the hilt of his blade as Anna led Farinelli
into the large stall clearly reserved for the big gelding.
Firis stood for a moment at the end of the stall as Anna loosened the girths,
and then swung the saddle onto the rack above the stall wall.
"You still amaze me, lady."
"Why? Because I take care of Farinelli?" She slipped off the blanket and found
the brush.
Firis laughed. "That... and many other things."
"Pamr seemed.., quiet.... What have you heard?"
Firis' smile died away. "It is far too quiet, my lady. No one in the town
talks to us, any of us, except when they must." He shrugged. "Yet... one
cannot punish folk for silence."
"Is anyone forging arms or anything?" Anna patted the gelding and began to
brush out the dust and road dirt. "Easy, there, fellow."
"We have seen nothing. We have heard nothing. More of the men's consorts have
come here to live. Few live in town any longer."
As she continued to groom Farinelli, Anna pursed her lips, silently pondering
the situation in Pamr. Should you have done something? What?
Firis stepped back. "Best I see that quartering is going well." Anna smiled
and nodded. As Fins stepped away, from farther inside the stable, Anna heard
some murmurs.
"...doesn't even bring a lancer to groom her mount..."
"...you want someone to groom your mount?" Kinor's voice was loud enough for
Anna to identify.
"Not... seemly..."
"It's more than seemly," answered Jecks, not quite sharply. "And it is
effective, Lord Jimbob. Your sire and your mother groomed their own mounts as
well. When rulers do such, then lancers and others do not complain and are
more willing to heed orders."
Anna nodded, wondering how long-if ever-it would be before Jimbob understood
the power of example. And the finer points in using guilt? She laughed to
herself.
Not all people could be guilt-tripped, especially not all men.
Rickel and Lejun returned, and Rickel picked up the cased mirror, and Lejun
Anna's saddlebags.
"Are you ready, my lady?" Jecks appeared at the end of Farinelli's stall as
Anna stepped away, carrying her lutar.
"More than ready. I'm hungry and filthy."
Lejun and Rickel flanked Anna and Jecks as they left the stables. Kinor and
Jimbob-and Liende and Himor-followed the four, if several paces back. Again,
Anna felt as though she led a parade of sorts.
"Young Captain Firis ... is somewhat..." Jecks shook his head.
"Familiar?" Anna grinned. "Why... Lord Jecks. . . you sound almost jealous."
"Me?"
Despite Jecks' denial. Anna could see the flush under the tanned skin of the
older lord. She touched his arm gently. "If I should choose to be...
familiar...
with anyone...it would not be Firis. He's far more like a fresh younger
brother who sometimes needs a scolding."
"My lady...I did not..."
Anna squeezed his shoulder again. "You don't need to apologize." She smiled.
"Your... I'm glad you care." Her boots clicked on the stones of the lower
outer landing leading to the steps up to the house. She glanced up to see Lady
Gatrune
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and several others standing under the portico, waiting. "Ready for more
pleasantries, Lord High Counselor?"
Jecks squared his shoulders. "A quiet dinner with you, even with piles of
scrolls, would be more to my taste."
"Mine, too... but that's not in the cards."
Again, as a puzzled expression flitted across Jecks' face, Anna was reminded
of how idioms didn't translate, even in similar languages. Like George Bernard
Shaw or whoever it was that said the Americans and British were divided by a
common language.
"Regent, Lord Jecks." A broad smile crossed the face of Lady Gatrune, whose
blonde-and-white hair was drawn back into a bun of sorts, and bound with
silver-
and-purple cords. "You remember my son Kyrun?"
Kyrun retained the short blond hair Anna vaguely remembered, and the cowlick
she clearly recalled. "Lady Regent, Lord Jecks." He bowed, then straightened.
"Lady Gatrune, Kyrun," Anna inclined her head to the taller Gatrune, then to
her son.
Jecks repeated the salutations.
"We are glad to see you, but will not trouble you until you are refreshed and
we can talk at dinner." Gatrune offered another smile.
"Thank you. It's always good to be here," answered Anna. "I don't know if you
knew, but Lord Jecks is also now Lord High Counselor."
"Defalk could scarcely do better," replied the rangy lady. "My brother speaks
highly of you, Lord Jecks, and he seldom speaks highly of anyone."
Anna half-turned, gesturing to those who followed. "Lord Jimbob, Kinor, my
chief of players, Liende, and Overcaptain Himar."
"I am pleased to welcome you all to Pamr," Gatrune said. "We will settle you
in your rooms, first."
After following Gatrune down one corridor and up a set of wide stairs and down
a second corridor, Anna found herself in the largest guest suite, one with an
oversize and netted four poster bed and a separate bathing chamber-with the
tub already filled. Jecks had the adjoining chamber on one side, and Jimbob on
the other. I suppose Jimbob will be irked that he doesn't have the chamber of
honor, too. Careful... he might not be thinking that at all. Right...
Anna glanced at the bolt on the dark-stained oak door, then set the lutar on
the bench at the foot of the bed, beside the mirror and the saddlebags.
While she bathed, Anna sang a set of vocalises to warm up her voice. Then,
after dressing in the single all-purpose green gown she carried everywhere,
Anna took out the lutar and tuned it. Setting it aside, she went to the door
of the second-floor guest chamber and opened it.
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