remonstrated with Faraday over both skirt and hair, but Faraday had managed to hold her
ground. Embeth shifted in the saddle a little.
―We appear to be slowing down,‖ she called, reining in her horse slightly so that Merlion
and Faraday could draw level. ―There‘s a hollow about five hundred paces ahead; perhaps the
BattleAxe will be kind to us and decide to make camp there.‖ She had seen several
Axe-Wielders ride out ahead of the main body of the column, inspect the site, and report back to
Axis, plainly visible on his grey stallion at the head of the lead ing unit.
―One can only hope so,‖ Merlion grumbled, her wispy pale hair starting to drift loose
from underneath her headdress. She looked tired and dishevelled and fifteen years older than
when she had set out. ―The man obviously has no idea that women should not be made to travel
so fast. My maids are so exhausted at night they can hardly attend to my needs.‖
Faraday exchanged a brief smile with Embeth. ―This is no pleasure jaunt, mother. The
BattleAxe rides at a soldier‘s pace.‖
Axis had studiously ignored the lot of them thus far. Although the soldiers pitched the
women‘s tents close to Axis‘ personal campsite at night, he spent most of the time moving from
campfire to campfire in the evening, talking to his men and conferring with his officers. He only
returned to his bedroll late at night, and then only to collapse into an exhausted sleep. The
women sat at their own campfire talking amongst themselves, a small pocket of femininity
among the thousands of men surrounding them. While Merlion trusted her daughter to retain her
virtue, she kept a careful eye on the maids who travelled with them. They had shown a
disconcerting willingness to disappear from their bedrolls at night.
A horseman rode back from the head of the column and drew level with the women.
―Timozel!‖ Embeth cried delightedly, for she had hardly seen her son on this march.
Timozel grinned at his mother and sketched a bow to the other two women. ―My ladies, I
trust you have enjoyed your excursion thus far.‖
Faraday smiled at Timozel, taking an instant liking to him. He was a year or two older
than her, and still with the slightly thin and big-boned frame of a youth yet to fill out into
maturity. He had the look of his mother with a shock of rich brown curls and dark blue eyes, but
must have inherited the wide mobile mouth and hooked nose from his father. Despite his youth
he handled his rangy bay gelding with the skill of an experienced horseman, and the axe and
sword that hung to each side of his body gave him the look of a man rather than a boy.
Timozel looked at Faraday and his grin widened for a moment. Faraday reddened
slightly, although her own smile widened to match his own and her eyes sparkled with pleasure.
Embeth watched the exchange with some amusement. What a shame that Faraday had been
betrothed before she could experience the simple enjoyments of flirting at court. Now she would
never have the chance. Not with Borneheld to watch over her.
―Ladies, mother, I‘m sure you‘ll be pleased to hear that we‘ll be stopping a little earlier
today. There‘s a good campsite just ahead, with excellent shelter and water. The BattleAxe is
pleased with the progress we‘ve made thus far and wants to take advantage of this campsite to
rest both ourselves and our horses a little longer this evening.‖
―The man has mercy!‖ Merlion muttered, trying in vain to tuck her hair back into order
beneath her headdress.
―The BattleAxe has requested that I extend an invitation on his behalf for the Ladies
Merlion, Embeth and Faraday to join him at his campfire this evening to share the evening
meal.‖
Timozel kept his tone light and charming, although he had his own reservations about the
message he delivered. Though his mother did not realise it, Timozel had been aware for some
time of her relationship with Axis. The knowledge had soured Timozel‘s previous admiration for
his BattleAxe. But Timozel hid his doubts well, and neither Axis nor Embeth had any idea of the
simmering resentment beneath his good-natured and courteous exterior.
Embeth‘s mouth twitched in amusement at Timozel‘s message. She doubted Axis had
managed to put the invitation so politely. She turned to Merlion, who, as the senior lady present,
would have to accept or refuse on their behalf.
Faraday‘s eyes pleaded with her mother. ―Please, mother! The evenings have been so
dull. Perhaps Timozel can join us.‖
―It would be my pleasure, my lady,‖ Timozel smiled, inclining his head towards Faraday
and then turning to bow politely at her mother.
Timozel‘s display of courtly manners impressed Merlion. If this youth would join them,
well, perhaps they would have some polite conversation after all. Even Merlion had missed
masculine company in the evenings. Brother Gilbert, if and when he joined them, hardly
counted.
―We will accept the BattleAxe‘s gracious offer. Kindly tell him that we will be pleased to
share the evening meal with him.‖
For a while after they finished eating the group watched the campfire spit and hiss in the
chill evening air. Gilbert, Timozel and Belial had joined Axis and the three noblewomen so that,
in the best courtly tradition, the number of men exceeded the number of women. There had been
enough time, after making camp, for the women to wash with water brought from the nearby
stream and to brush their hair out. While Merlion and Embeth had both dressed their hair on top
of their heads, Faraday had left hers in the long braid, wispy tendrils brushing her cheeks.
The meal had been simple but good. Axis was in a fine mood, feeling more relaxed than
he had since Jayme‘s urgent message reached him in Coroleas. This was the first time he had
taken virtually the entire Axe-Wielders on such a hard and fast march, and he had fretted about
their speed and myriad other small details. But things were going well and they were moving
even faster than he had hoped. Years of planning and training were paying off. His men were
doing him proud.
The large hollow, several hundred paces across, sheltered them from the cold wind. Axis
stretched his legs out before the fire so that his booted feet could take maximum advantage of the
flames, leaned back against a waist-high rock, and contemplated Faraday.
―My Lady Faraday,‖ he said smoothly, ―it has been bothering me that I should find your
face so familiar when, to my knowledge, we have never met before this march.‖ He wondered if
she would admit to her ill-mannered stare the night of the banquet.
Faraday smiled uncertainly, her hands clutching her knees where they were drawn up to
her chest. ―Really?…ah…‖ Her voice trailed off. She wasn‘t sure how to address him.
―BattleAxe‖ was so inappropriate in the relaxed mood about the fire, yet ―Axis‖ seemed too
familiar. She could hardly call him ―my Lord‖, because to all intents and purposes his
illegitimate birth placed him beyond that respectable and noble title.
―You undoubtedly saw me at Priam‘s nameday banquet in the Chamber of the Moons.
I‘m afraid that I was staring. The Axe-Wielders have such a legendary reputation in Skarabost,
indeed, around all Achar itself, that I have long desired to see one. I was fortunate that my first
sight of an Axe-Wielder was of their BattleAxe himself. I apologise from my heart for my bad
manners that night, Axis Rivkahson.‖
Embeth‘s mouth dropped open in shock—and hers was not the only one. Never had she
known anyone to address Axis so. He was extraordinarily sensitive about the circumstances
surrounding his birth, so that no-one, no-one, ever referred to his mother or to his illegitimate status to his face. Yet…yet…Embeth had to admit that she was stunned, not only by Faraday‘s
explicit mention of Rivkah, but by the girl‘s exquisite handling of what was undoubtedly an
embarrassing moment for her. In the end, Faraday had done the impossible; she had referred to
Axis‘ illegitimate status in such a graceful manner as to make Axis‘ connection to his mother a
virtue rather than an embarrassment.
Axis looked as stunned as Embeth felt, but Embeth could see that emotions battled inside
him. His instant reaction had been a surge of anger and humiliation that Faraday had referred so
openly to his illegitimacy, but now he was confused by the fact that neither her eyes nor her tone
held any trace of mockery. He groped for something to say, but such a complex mix of emotions
surged through him that he could find no words.
Faraday clearly understood what she had started and she understood as well that having
started it she would have to lay it to rest. She spoke again into the absolute silence about the