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the buildings. "There's someone riding down the lane from the main road. Looks
to be Kustyl. Wonder why he's here. Best go see." He looked to
Alucius. "You can bring 'em in."
While Royalt rode toward the other herder, Alucius guided the flock toward the
shed for the night. The two were still talking when Alucius finished closing
up the shed, and continued even after Alucius had stabled and groomed the gray
he had ridden. So he walked toward the house, knowing that Royalt preferred
his talks with Kustyl not to be interrupted or intruded upon.
'Where is your grandsire?" called Lucenda from the kitchen as Alucius headed
for the washroom after hanging up his jacket on a peg in the back hall and
using the boot brush.
'He's talking to Kustyl out by the sheds."
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'Have to hold supper, then."
Alucius could hear both his mother and grandmother chuckling.
They were both seated at the kitchen table when Alucius joined them. The big
iron stove exuded a welcome warmth, and the rich scent of a spiced beef stew
and the smell of biscuits filled the room.
'Might as well sit down at the table, Alucius," suggested Lucenda. "I poured a
glass of ale for you."
'Thank you." Alucius sat down on the side, opposite his mother, who had her
chair turned so that she could get up easily. He took a slow and small swallow
of the ale. "Tastes good."
'How did they handle the weather?" asked Veryl.
'Some of them Lamb and some of the rams prefer the cooler weather."
'Doesn't look like it's raining much," Lucenda observed.
'Just a mist. We could use more, especially out toward the plateau. Not much
in the way of new growth out there. Could hurt their winter coats."
'And we'll be paying for that come spring," Veryl pointed out.
'We might get some rain," Alucius said. "Clouds were getting darker, even
before dusk."
'Best we hope so."
The thump of a closing door announced Royalt's entering the house through the
north porch door. Shortly, the three heard the sound of the hand pump in the
washroom, and then Royalt walked into the kitchen.
'What did Kustyl want?" asked Lucenda.
'He was stopping by on his way back from town," Royalt said, settling into the
chair at the head of the table. "Just stopped to talk for a moment."
'Kustyl never stops just to talk." Lucenda pointed out.
'You didn't invite him for supper?" Veryl rose from the table and turned to
the stove.
'Asked him. He said Mairee would have his hide if she made supper and he
didn't get there to eat it. Said he was already late and too old for two
suppers."
Royalt grinned. "What are we having?"
'Stew, from the beef shoulder we had last night." Lucenda eased the basket of
biscuits onto the table.
'Better than mutton."
'Mutton's good," Alucius said. "If we don't have it too often."
'That's true of anything. Absence sharpens the appeal." Royalt grinned.
Lucenda shook her head.
Veryl turned. "Alucius& if you would& Then I'll just serve from the stove. Be
hotter that way."
Alucius glanced at his grandsire, then began. "In the name of the One Who
Is& "
After the supper prayer, and the serving of the stew into the big bowls, there
was silence for a time, before Royalt cleared his throat and set down his big
spoon. "The Reillies hit two steads south of Sou-lend. That's what Kustyl
said."
'How bad was it?" asked Lucenda.
'Wiped out everyone at the first. Second was ready. Lost some of their stock,
but no one was hurt."
'Do you think they'll be headed south?" Lucenda held her glass of ale without
drinking.
'Kustyl doesn't think so. They wouldn't try that until they've taken the
softer steads to the north, and that wouldn't be till midwinter at the
earliest. They also might just move north."
'Hard life there," Veryl pointed out. "They'd not like that."
'No. But the Matrites are moving into their western reaches, and we'll be
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raising more for the militia here. Better a hard life than none."
'Hope for their sake they see that way," replied Veryl.
'I'm not that charitable," Lucenda said. "The Reillies are reaping what
they've sowed."
'That may be, daughter," Royalt replied, "but we could get caught in that
terrible harvest."
Like his grandsire, Alucius wondered if they would. Or how long the Matrites
would hold off. Another half year or year?
THE LEGACY CONFLICTED
As the grays pulled the wagon southward toward Iron Stem in the early summer
morning, under a clear silver-green sky, Alucius looked to the west, then to
the east, sending out his Talent-senses as far as he could, but he couldn't
discover anything except the distant red-violet of a sander and the muted
gray-violet of a sandwolf and, of course, the looming sense of the Aerial
Plateau to the northeast, and its dead-metal feel. With not a single tree
anywhere around, not until they reached Iron Stem, which had but a handful,
the plateau always dominated the eastern horizon.
'Grandfather's worried," Alucius said, his eyes still on the road ahead. "More
worried than he's been in years."
'Why do you think so?" asked his mother.
'The water barrels we're picking up. The only use for them is if we have to
retreat to the armory or the hidden retreat off the cellar."
'He wants to be prepared. In another few weeks, you'll be eighteen. Some time
after that, you'll be called into the militia. He's not going to want to leave
the stead as much once you're gone. He's even talked about hiring Tynan's
second-oldest grandson to help."
Alucius nodded. He understood. If his grandfather left the stead, with his
grandmother's slow weakening something Alucius could do nothing about that
left only his mother able to handle a rifle. "I worry about you and
Grandfather and Grandma'am."
'We managed before, and we can do it now," his mother replied.
'I'm sure you can, Mother." He offered a smile.
The road was empty of other travelers until they had almost reached the green
tower before the Pleasure Palace, when four riders in the black and green of
the Iron Valleys Militia rode past.
The lead rider nodded to Lucenda. "Morning, Madame Lucenda."
'Good morning, Delar. Are you patrolling?"
'No, ma'am. We were running dispatches to the Council. We're heading back to
the new outpost on the midroad west of Soulend."
'Have a good trip." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]