“If she can reach it.”
“Oh, I was worri’t leavin’ her! We stacked that firewood high as she could deal with, but the rest in the shed, it’s all big pieces, an’ if her coughin’ starts up fierce…”
“Look, she can bring the animals inside. Remember the winter we did that. They’ll heat a room.”
“That don’t feed them. Or her.”
He drew a deep breath. “Paisi, it’s just three days back there.”
“It ain’t three days wi’ this storm.”
“But wouldn’t you go?”
“Aye,” Paisi said. “Aye. I would. I would. But she’ll skin me. I swore I’d watch over ye!”
“We could tell the king, all the same, and he’d keep secret how we knew. He was Lord Tristen’s friend. Wizard-work isn’t any surprise to him.”
“There is that.”
“He could just write a letter to Lord Crissand.”
“Oh, aye, and they’d take their time, and some soldiers would come out t’ th’ house an’ ask if she was well, and she’d swear she was well if she was dying.”
“Then go, go right this morning and see how she is, and fix the chimney. And then I’ll tell the king what’s happened, and I’ll come after, soon as I can.”
“No, now, me lord, don’t be foolish.”
“I’m not ‘my lord.’ ”
“Ye’re his son. The king give ye them fine clothes for holiday. He’s got ’is mind set, is what. It’s what you got to do. I’ll go see to Gran, and you stay an’ do as ye have to.”
“And what will I do if Gran died?”
“Don’t say it!” Paisi said, and made a ward sign against the thought. “Oh, I should ’ave prepared better! I should ha’ fixed that damn chimney…”
“You did everything you could! We didn’t reckon with the snow just keeping on and on like this. We didn’t plan on Gran needing help, but you know what she says: some dreams are a warning, is all, and it’s what may happen, not what is happening.”
“Oh, aye, an’ I’ll walk in and she’ll curse me for a fool. But if it is a warning-dream, we’re summat ahead of it, ain’t we? But ye’re right. I’ll see to that chimney, then come on back, wi’ no delay.”
“You’ll get there before the Bryalt holidays start, as is. And if it’s nothing, Paisi, you should just stay the whole holidays with Gran. This isn’t going to be like ours.”
“Oh, that ain’t fair, an’ you wi’ nobody to see ye get meals…”
“I can perfectly well see to myself! And you can be there to spend holiday with her, so she’s not alone.”
“I ain’t at all sure.”
“Have a cake at the shrine and think of me. I’ll be perfectly safe, and you can write to me straightway as you get there and let me know how things are.”
“Now ’ow will I get a letter out?”
“Well, they change out the Guard every month, don’t they, even in bad weather. And if it’s a message to somebody in the Guelesfort, they’ll carry it. They will. And coming home, you know they’ll go as fast as they can.” He took comfort in the plan. It was one of his best. “Which is as fast as the king sending somebody, isn’t it? That’s how the merchants send things.”
“Still,” Paisi said.
“If it turns out I have a place here through spring, you know, you’d only have to go back when the garden goes in. You know Gran can’t do the heavy plow—she’ll put the garden in, but the rest will take the push-plow, won’t it?”
“Farmer Ost’ll bring his oxen over. He’d do it for her. That were the plan, that were what she said, if need be.”
“Well, but then Gran will have your help doing the other things. So you could just stay on a little.”
“You’re trying to make me stay there the spring, and I said I wouldn’t!”
“I’m not.”
“Are so. You and Aewyn are having a rare good time—as should be, m’lord, don’t mistake me.”
“We’ll be perfectly well.”
“Only so you stay friends while I’m gone and don’t get in any trouble. Boys is apt to quarrels.”
“I shan’t, with him, Paisi. He’s my friend, he’s my true friend, besides being my brother.”
“Gods hear that ’un, Otter-lad. But I’ll feel better if I know Gran’s set.”
“And you come back to me when the chores are done and the planting is in.”
“But if I go—if I go, how’s you even to draw your bath or get your food in this great place? You don’t know the ways…”
“Once you’re well away, and they can’t stop you,” Otter said, “then I can tell the king, and he’ll see I have someone.”
“Oh, somebody in my place, will he be? I won’t like that!”
“Never in your place, Paisi. You’re my brother.”
A grunt. “Which I ain’t, an’ that’s the fact an’ ye know it. Nor be so cheeky wi’ ’Is Majesty, neither, wi’ askin’ for help as if ye’re due the sun an’ the moon besides. It’s dangerous to assume about lords at all. They can be generous, but they got their moments, too, an’ they think thoughts we don’t know about, so don’t be cheeky an’ don’t tell ’im too late.”
“He won’t be angry. He’ll just be glad we saw to matters ourselves, and it’s not as if I’m going to starve here for a day.”
“Well, ye may, if ye ain’t careful. Ye can’t store food here, not on Fast Day. Ye got to clean the place out an’ go without food in the premises, dawn to dark.”
“I’ll find my own way to the kitchens perfectly well, I’ll follow every rule, and I promise, Paisi, I promise no one will ever, ever take your place. I’ll wear my Festival clothes and sit and listen to us being cursed, being ever so quiet and good, and you—you take your holiday clothes home. You can be quite the sight in the Bryalt festival, won’t you? You’ll have the Guelen Guard saluting you.”
“Oh, m’lord, I’d look the fool. They’d arrest me on the spot!”
“Well, then, but Gran at least should see you in your fancy clothes, shouldn’t she?” Otter flung himself to his feet and pulled Paisi up to his. “And we sit planning when we should be doing. Get what you need. Take the short sword with you. It’s just getting light. We can get out to the stables.”
“What’s to do at the stables? My horse is way down in pasture.”
“Feiny’s here.”
“He’s the king’s gift!”
“He’s mine, and you can borrow him. Now, now listen. There’ll only be the one boy in the stables until after breakfast. You dress in your livery, so’s you look important. I’ll ride down to the gate, you walk with me, and then we go out the gate and get your Tammis out of pasture, and there you’ll be, on the road…”
“… lookin’ rich as a lord and ripe for robbers. And where’s a bridle nor even a halter for me horse?”
“Well, but you can wear your plain cloak, then, after you’re away, and change later. And I’ll get a bridle for Tammis when I get Feiny. You can take Feiny’s saddle for Tammis, and there you are!”
“Feiny’s bigger n’ Tammis. And look at it comin’ down, out there, even yet! Ye’re apt to fall off wi’ no saddle, ye’ll come back half-froze, if ye don’t get lost out there, and wouldn’t your father hear about that?”
“Well, well, then take Feiny once we reach the gate.”
“Oh, now I’m ridin’ ’Is Majesty’s own gift.”
“He’s mine to lend.”
“Oh, aye… an’ how am I to feed that tall great horse once I get home wi’ ’im, for that matter? We never did know that bit, when your father give us them horses—wherever’s food for them? Gran don’t have it.”