Vanyel raised his head, glaring back at her with every bit of the arrogance he’d ever shown. “He’s nothing but a-”
“He outranks you,young man, and you’d do well to remember that!” she snapped. “Consider yourself confined to your quarters for the duration! If I learn you’ve set one toot out of the suite when you aren’t at lessons, I’ll ship you back to your father so fast the wind of your passing will tear the thatch from the roofs! Now march!”
Vanyel set his jaw, and pivoted where he stood, setting off toward Savil’s suite through the rain - taking the opposite course that Tylendel had followed. He was more than half staggering, and it made Savil’s ankle ache in sympathy to to see him struggling through the mud, but she made no move to help him. Instead, she stalked along behind him, as if making certain that he reached his goal.
But once they had rounded the corner and were out of sight of the doorway, she dropped her pose and her dignity and scrambled through the slippery grass to reach his side.
“Lean on me, lad,” she said, coming up beside him, and pulling his arm over her shoulder. “I’ve been called an old stick before this, I might as well act like one.”
“Aunt - thank the gods - “ he gasped. “I thought we’d never get out of sight.” He stumbled and nearly fell, all of his weight suddenly landing on Savil, making her stagger. “Please, I’ve got to rest a minute. Gods above, this hurts.’’
“How bad is it?” she asked, as he shivered beside her in the cold rain.
“Don’t know.” He managed a wan grin. “Hurts more than a thorn in the toe, less than when I broke my arm. That tell you anything?”
“Hardly,” she snorted. “Come on, the sooner I get you inside, the happier I’ll be.
And I hope my protege has the sense to thinkand not come running out to help.’’
The lights of Savil’s windows were in sight - and her heart sank for a moment when she didsee someone running toward them through the rain. Then she saw a second silhouette beside the first, and realized that it was not Tylendel who was coming to help them in, but Mardic and Donni.
The youngsters took over the task of supporting Vanyel. That left Savil free to go on ahead of them; for which she was truly grateful. She was chilled right down to the bone, and those bones were starting to ache rather persistently.
She stepped in through Vanyel’s outer door; almost as soon as she’d stepped across the threshold she found herself enveloped in a warm blanket and practically carried into the common room. It was Tylendel, of course; he stayed with her just long enough to settle her in her favorite chair and put a mug of mulled wine in her hand, then he was gone.
He was back again in a moment, Vanyel’s arm around his shoulder, the latter hopping awkwardly beside him.
There was already a blanket waiting on the couch; Tylendel got Vanyel bundled into it and pressed another mug of the wine into his hands.
Mardic and Donni piled in right behind them; giggling, shaking the rain out of their hair, and heading straight for the kettle of wine on the hearth. Vanyel was more interested in his lover’s black eye and swollen lip than the wine.
“Gods - ‘Lendel, I did notmean that - “ he mourned, reaching out hesitantly to touch the edge of the bruise. “Oh Lord and Lady, whydo I have to be so clumsy?”
“Oh, you just fight like a girl,” Tylendel teased. “All flying knees and elbows. It was myown stupid fault for getting my face in the way. It’s your ankle I’m worried about.” He started unlacing Vanyel’s boot, fighting the wet laces and swearing under his breath when they wouldn’t cooperate.
“I’m all - ouch!”
Tylendel froze. “Did I - “
“No,”Vanyel said around clenched teeth. “Just get that damned boot off before you have to cut it off.’’
But Tylendel dithered over the task until Mardic pushed him out of the way and took over, getting the boot off with an abrupt yank that blanched Vanyel to the color of pure beeswax. He clutched Tylendel’s hand while Mardic examined the ankle, pronounced it “probably not broken,” and bound it up.
“Havens, teacher,” Mardic laughed, rescuing his cup from Donni and returning to sit at her feet across from Savil, “Were weas moonstruck as that? Gods, I feel like I’m being smothered in syrup!”
He nodded at the two on the couch, each assuring the other that his own hurts were less than nothing and fussing over the other’s injuries.
“For at least the first five or six months,” Savil replied dryly, after sipping her wine. “Just as moonstruck, and just as cloying. And even more sentimental.” She raised her voice a bit. “You two mightthank me.”
“Certainly, Savil,” Tylendel replied, craning his head around. “If you’d tell us what we’re thanking you for.”
“Gods. Vanyel, don’t you ever listen?”
“I’m sorry, Aunt,” he said, looking confused, his hair still trailing over one eye. “My foot hurt so much I wasn’t paying any attention; it wasn’t a reallecture, after all.”
She cast her eyes up to the ceiling. “Give me strength. I just confined you completely to the suite for as long as I care to enforce my decision, you little ninny. I just got you awayfrom the girl-gaggle and gave you ordersto stay here indefinitely. Except for lessons, you’ll be here waking and sleeping. That includes taking meals here.”
“You did?” he said, dazed. “I am? You mean I can stay here?”
“With ‘Lendel, and not arouse any suspicions,” she interrupted. “That’s exactly what I mean. Fact of the matter is, your damnfool father will probably be pleased to hear that you were - “
She broke off, seeing that she no longer had the attention of either of them. Across from her she heard Mardic snicker.
She favored the lifebonded with a sardonic glance. “Don’t feel too smug,” she told them. “Or I’ll start trotting out tales about youtwo.”
“Yes, Savil,” Mardic replied, not in the least repentant. “Whatever you say. Would you care for honey in that wine?”
Savil spared a glance back toward the couch. Tylendel was rebandaging Vanyel’s ankle, treating it as if it were as fragile as an insect’s wing. She made a face.
“I think not,” she replied. “We’ve got enough sweetness around here for one night.’’
Tylendel looked up, and stuck his tongue out at her, while Vanyel blushed.
Savil chuckled and sat back in her chair, well content with her world. At least for the moment,she thought, taking another sip of spiced wine, which is all any Herald can reasonably hope for. I’ll worry about tomorrow when tomorrow gets here.
Seven
Tylendel sprawled in his favorite chair, and watched Vanyel restringing his lute, sitting cross-legged on the bed. Candlelight reflected in a honey-colored curve along the round belly of the instrument.
Is it time?he wondered. He plays for the girls, but they don’t matter. He doesn’t care if he plays well or badly for them. Will he play for someone he loves, someone whodoes matter? Can he? Has he recovered enough?
Only one way to find out, though.
‘ ‘Ashke,’’he said quietly, extending his little Gift of Empathy as far as it would go. Van lifted his head from his work; he looked rather comical with the old strings dangling from his mouth like the feelers on a catfish.
“Mph?” he replied.
“When you get Woodlark in tune, would you play for me?”
Vanyel froze. Tylendel Feltthe startlement - and the ache. And reacted to them.
“Please? I’d like it.”
Vanyel took the strings out of his mouth, and Tylendel could sense his withdrawal. “Why?” he asked, bitterly, his eyes shining wetly. “There’s dozens better than I am right here at Bardic. Why listen to a half-crippled amateur? ‘‘