[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
"She did not, after Tevis " Hart paused to cor-
rect himself, gritting the name through his teeth.
" after Lochiel." He forced himself to relax, blue eyes bright in remembered
anger. "But she met a
Solindishman of respectable family with whom she fell in love after much too
long alone; she is past thirty." Hart grinned. "And she would be quite put out
if she heard me say that. But she
126 Jennifer Roberson and her lordling married eight months ago, and now there
will be a child."
"But the rest .. ." Brennan glanced around.
"They are here?"
"All of them."
"lisa?"
"All of them. They insisted. My girls are " he paused delicately, " somewhat
firm in their con-
victions."
Brennan eyed him. "You never were one for self-
discipline, Hart. Why should I expect you to be capable of ruling your
daughters when you never could rule yourself?"
Page 59
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"I understand discipline quite well, leijhana.
tu'sai," Hart retorted. "But there are times when my girls make such things
difficult."
Brennan studied Hart a moment. "You have not changed at all, have you?"
Hart grinned unrepentantly. "No,"
"Good." Brennan clapped him on the back.
"Now, come inside."
It was abrupt, if unintended, but dismissal nonetheless; they turned as one
and strode into the palace without a word or a glance to the boy they knew as
the Prince of Homana.
"Wait!" But they were gone, and a hand was on
K-ellin's shoulder, pulling him back.
"Begrudge them nothing, lad." It was Blais, smiling faintly as he moved to
stand beside Kellin.
"But what about me?" Kellin was aggrieved.
"Grandsire dismissed the Lion, and now they dis-
miss me"
"They were twin-born, my lad, linked by far more than a simple brother-bond.
And they've not seen one another, I am told, for nearly twenty years."
"Twenty years!" Kellin gaped. "I could have been bom twice over!"
A TAPESTRY OF LIONS 127
Blais nodded. "When you are a king, 'tis not so easy to find the time or the
freedom to go where you will. Hart and Brennan are halves of a whole, parted
by title and realm for much too long a time." He briefly touched Kellin's
shoulder. "Let them be whole again, lad. They'll be having time for you
later."
Kellin scowled. "And weddings, too?"
"Weddings! What has this to do with wed-
dings?" But as Blais stared after his vanished un-
cles, his expression changed. "Aye, it could be that. 'Tis a topic of much
import in royal Houses."
He grinned. "Thank the gods / am not in line for a throne, or surely they'd be
disposing of me, too!"
"And me?" Kellin demanded. "Am I to be mar-
ried off with no say in the matter?"
Blais did not appear unduly concerned. " 'Tis likely," he confirmed. "You're
to be Mujhar of Ho-
mana. one day. I'll not doubt there've been letters about your future bride
since you were formally
invested."
"Ckeysula," Kellin said darkly, proving to his cousin he knew the Old Tongue,
too, "and I'll choose my own."
"Will you. now?" Blais ran a hand through thick black hair, mouth quirking in
wry amusement.
" 'Tis what Keely claimed of herself, when she chafed at her betrothal but in
the end she wed the man they promised her to."
"Scan." Kellin nodded. "I know all about that."
He was not interested in his great-aunt, whom he had never met. He cast a
speculative glance up at his kinsman. "Then you are not promised?"
Blais laughed. "Nor likely to be. I'm content to share my time with this
woman, or that one, with-
out benefit of betrothals."
Keilin understood. "Meijhas," he said. "How many, Blais?"
128 Jennifer Robersoa
"Many." Blais grinned. "Would I be admitting how many? A warrior does not
dishonor his meij-
Page 60
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
has by discussing them casually."
"Many," Kellin murmured. He grinned back at his cousin. "Then I'll have many,
too."
Blais sighed and clapped his hand upon a slen-
der shoulder. "No doubt you will. No prince I ever knew lacked for company.
Now shall we go in?
I'm for meeting these Solindish kin of ours."
Ten
In short order Blais and Kellin met all of the
Solindish kin en masse in Aileen's sunny solar.
The chamber seemed small of a sudden. Kellin duly took note of all his
assorted kinfolk: lisa, the
Lady of Solinde, with her profusion of white-
blonde hair and gloriously expressive gray eyes;
the middle daughters Cluna and Jennet, twins like
Hart and Brennan, who reflected their mother's coloring and the beginnings of
her beauty aug-
mented by Cheysuli heritage; and Dulcie, the youngest the girl whom Hart had
said might be-
come Kellin's cheysula.
To the latter daughter Kellin paid the most at-
tention. His knowledge of weddings and marriages was slight, but he took it
more personally now
that his name had been linked with hers.
He was, however, briefly distracted. Blais, whom he had decided was everything
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]