country in the Empire – hardly more than mentions in the chronicles of Venafer
and Mattathan, or the Natural History of Kahayavesh. How do you happen to come
here?’
‘Oh-ah, I’m a younger son of our king, and I thought I’d see a bit of the world
before settling down. Not that I packed any wealth along to speak of. But what
with one thing and another, hiring out hither and yon for this or that, I get
by.’ Jamie paused. ‘You, uh, you’ve far more to tell, milady. You’re from the
crown city of the Empire, and you’ve got book learning, and at the same time you
come out to see for yourself what land and rocks and plants and animals are
like.’
Cappen decided he had better get into the conversation. Not that Jamie would
undercut a friend, nor Danlis be unduly attracted by a wild highlander.
Neverthless –
Jamie wasn’t bad-looking in his fashion. He was huge, topping Cappen by a head
and disproportionately wide in the shoulders. His loose-jointed appearance was
deceptive, as the bard had learned when they sported in a public gymnasium;
those were heavy bones and oak-hard muscles. A spectacular red mane drew
attention from boyish face, mild blue eyes, and slightly diffident manner. Today
he was plainly clad, in tunic and cross-gaitered breeks; but the knife at his
belt and the axe at his saddlebow stood out.
As for Danlis, well, what could a poet do but struggle for words which might
embody a ghost of her glory? She was tall and slender, her features almost cold
in their straight-lined perfection and alabaster hue – till you observed the big