“All that I need is Random. He is a good man.”
I was strangely moved to hear her speak of him in this fashion.
“Then I am happy for you,” I said. And, “Younger, smaller . . . he might have had it a bit rougher than the rest of us,” I went on. “Nothing quite as useless as another prince when there is already a crowd of them about. I was as guilty as the rest. Bleys and I once stranded him for two days on an islet to the south of here…”
“. . . And Gerard went and got him when he learned of it,” she said. “Yes, he told me. It must bother you if you remember it after all this time.”
“It must have made an impression on him, too.”
“No, he forgave you long ago. He told it as a joke. Also, he drove a spike through the heel of your boot-pierced your foot when you put it on.”
“Then it was Random! I’ll be damned! I had always blamed Julian for that one.”
“That one bothers Random.”
“How long ago all of this was . . .” I said.
I shook my head and continued eating. Hunger seized me and she gave me several minutes of silence in which to get the upper hand on it. When I had, I felt compelled to say something.
“That is better. Much better,” I began. “It was a peculiar and trying night that I spent in the skycity.”
“Did you receive omens of a useful nature?”
“I do not know how useful they might prove. On the other hand, I suppose I’d rather have had them than not. Have there been any interesting happenings hereabouts?”
“A servant tells me your brother Brand continues to rally. He ate well this morning, which is encouraging.”
“True,” I said. “True. It would seem he is out of danger.”
“Likely. It-it is a terrible series of happenings to which you have all been subjected. I am sorry. I was hoping you might obtain some indication of an upturn in your affairs during the night you spent in Tir-na Nog’th.”
“It does not matter,” I said. “I am not that sure of the value of the thing.”
“Then why-Oh.”