C J Cherryh – Morgaine 02 – Well Of Shiuan

“There will be no delay,” said Hetharu.

Again Roh bowed, only as much as need be; and turned his head and for the first time looked down on Vanye, who knelt between his guards. “Cousin,” Roh said sorrowfully, as a man would reproach a too-innocent youth. Heat stung Vanye’s face; and something in him responded to the voice, all the same. He looked up into Roh’s brown eyes and lean, tanned face, seeking Liell, struggling to summon hate. It only came to him that they two had known Andur-Kursh, and that he would not see it again; and that when Roh had left, he would be alone among qujal.

“I do not envy you,” Vanye said, “your company on the road.”

Roh’s eyes slid warily to Hetharu, back again; and Roh bent then, and took Vanye’s arm, drawing him to his feet in spite of the guards. His hand lingered, kindly as a brother’s.

“Swear to my service,” Roh said in a low voice, for him alone. “Leave hers, and I will take you with me, out of here.”

Vanye jerked his head in refusal, setting his jaw lest he show how much he desired it.

“They will not harm you,” Roh said, which he needed not have said.

“What you will is not law for them,” Vanye said. “I did not kill Bydarra: on my oath, I did not. They have done this to spite you; I am nothing to them but a means of touching you.”

Roh frowned. “I will see you at Abarais. With her, I will not compromise—I cannot—but with you—”

‘Take me with you now if you hope for that. Do not ask an oath of me; you know I cannot give it. But will you rather trust them at your back? You will be alone with them, and when they have what they want—”

“No,” Roh said after a moment that trust and doubt had seemed closely balanced “No. That would not be wise of me.”

“At least take Jhirun out of this place.”

Again Roh hesitated, seeming almost to agree. ”No,” he said. “Nothing to please you: I do not think you hope for my long life. She stays here.”

“To be murdered. As I will be.”

“No,” said Roh. “I have made an understanding for your welfare. And I will see it kept; we have bargained, they and I. I will see you at Abarais.”

“No,” said Vanye. “I do not think you will.”

“Cousin,” said Roh softly.

Vanye swore and turned away, bile rising in his throat. He shouldered through his guards, who lacked orders and stood like cattle, confused. None checked him. He went to the window slit and looked out at the rain-glistening stones, ignoring all of them as they made their arrangements to leave, with much clattering of arms and shouting up and down the corridors.

Group by group, to their various purposes, the gathering dispersed. Roh was among the first to leave. Vanye did not turn his head to see. He heard the room deserted, and the door heavily sealed, and distantly in the halls echoed the tramp of armed men.

Out in the yard there began a tumult among the people, and the clatter of horses on the pavings. Voices of men and women pierced the commotion, for a moment clear and then subdued again.

One lord was leaving Ohtij-in; the former could not possibly have been buried yet. Such was Hetharu’s haste, to ride with Roh, seeking power; and such Roh had doubtless promised him, with promises and threats and direct warnings to bring him quickly to Abarais, before flood should come, before the way should be closed. Perhaps Bydarra had opposed such a journey, inventing delays, but Bydarra would no more oppose anything—perhaps at Roh’s urging; it was Hetharu’s cruel humor that had placed the blame where Roh least wanted it,

Vanye heard the number of horses in the yard and reckoned that most of the force of Ohtij-in must be going.

And if Morgaine lived, she would have to contend with that upon the road—if she had not already, more wary and more wise than her kin, skirted round Ohtij-in and passed toward Abarais.

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