Time had lost all order in the press of work. On my third day at Ruatha, all but a few of us had gone outside to eat a delayed and well-deserved evening meal when suddenly Alessan, Desdra, and Tuero, consulting the maps, lists, and charts, gave out whoops of exultation.
"We've done it, my loyal crew!" Alessan shouted. "We've got enough! And enough over the requirement to take care of any spillage and breakage in dispatching. It's wine all round!
Oklina, take Rill and get four flasks from my private store."
He tossed her a long slim key, which she caught deftly in midair. She grabbed my hand and, laughing with delight, hauled me to the kitchen and then on down to the stores, beyond the cold room.
"He is really pleased. Rill. He rarely parts with bottles of his own store." She giggled again. "He guards them for a special purpose." Then her charming little face saddened. "And I hope he will again," she added cryptically. "He must soon in any case. Here we are."
When she had unlocked the narrow door and showed me the racked flasks and wineskins, I gasped in astonishment. Even in the dim light from the glowbasket down the corridor, I could see the distinctive Benden flask. Quickly I dusted off a label.
"It is Benden white," I cried.
"You've had Benden white wine?"
"No, of course not." Tolocamp would not have approved of his daughters drinking rare vintages; the foxy Tiliek pressings were good enough for us. "But I've heard about it." I managed to giggle.
"Is it really as good as they say?"
"You can judge for yourself, Rill."
She locked the door again, then relieved me of half the burden.
"Did you finish your training at the Healer Hall, Rill?"
"No, no." Somehow I could not lie to Oklina even if it meant demeaning myself in her eyes. "I volunteered to help nurse, as I wasn't needed any longer in my own Hold."
"Oh, did your husband die of the plague?"
"I have none."
"Well, Alessan will see to that. That is, of course, if you wish to stay on in Ruatha. You've been such a help. Rill, and you seem to under- stand a great deal about Hold management. I mean, we shall have to start all over again, so many of our people died. There are many holds empty, and while Alessan is going to approach the holdless in hopes that some are suitable, I'd rather have a few people about us whom we already know and trust. Oh, Rill, I'm putting this so badly. But Alessan asked me to sound you out about staying on here at Ruatha. He has great respect for you. You have been such a help. Tuero-" Oklina giggled again "-plans to stay, no matter how he and Alessan go on about the salary and perks."
That discussion had been running between harper and Lord Holder whenever they passed each other or worked on a common chore. Tuero had come to the Gather with other harpers to assist the Hold's regular harper, another victim, as were Tuero's companions. I couldn't imagine Ruatha Hold without Alessan and Tuero bickering in the most amiable fashion.
When we returned to the Main Hall, the men had stacked some of the cartwheels and the large jars back against the wall. Alessan and Tuero were clearing space on the trestle table, where we had been consuming our hasty meals. Dag and Fergal came up from the kitchen with the stew; Deefer brought plates and cutlery; Desdra had an armful of bread loaves and a huge wooden bowl full of fruit and cheeses, including the one forwarded by Lady Gana. I wouldn't have thought that that would have lasted past my bringing it here. Follen arrived with the cups and the cork pull.
Outside I could hear the subdued revelry of the others who had now been released from their unremitting labors of the past two days.
So it was only the eight of Alessan's loyal crew, an odd assortment to sit down at any table for any meal, but the knowledge of an almost impossible task timely completed made companions of us all, even Fergal. He refused a cup of wine with an insolence that I'm certain Alessan excused only because the boy had worked so hard. I'd wager that Fergal was as knowledgeable about such restricted treats as anyone else here. Fergal's sort is born knowing. In spite of his impudence and suspicious nature, I did like the boy.
That dinner was a very happy event for me. Alessan had taken the seat next to me, and I found his proximity strangely agitating. I tried to avoid touching him, but we were rather crowded on the benches, companionably so for everyone else. Since he was close to me, his arm resting on the table touched mine, occasionally his thigh brushed mine, and he grinned at me when Tuero said something particularly amusing. My heart raced, and I knew that my answering laugh was a little high and foolish. I was tired, I expect, over-reacting to the success we were celebrating, and very much unused to the fine white Benden wine.
Then Alessan leaned against me deliberately, touching my forearm with his fingertips. My skin tingled.
"What's your opinion of the Benden, Rill?"
"It's made me giddy," I replied quickly so that if he noticed my unusual behavior, he would know the reason, even though I wished to do nothing to lower myself in his good opinion.
"We all need to relax tonight. We all deserve it."
"You more than anyone else, Alessan."
He shrugged and looked down at his cup, his fingers idly twisting it around by the stem. "I do what I must," he said, speaking in a low voice. The others were involved in an argument.
"For Ruatha," I murmured.
He looked at me, mildly surprised at my rejoinder, his strange green-flecked eyes for once candid. "That's perceptive of you, Rill. Have I been such a hard taskmaster?"
"Not for Ruatha's sake."
"This-" he waved his hand at the cartwheels and empty jars "-has not been for Ruatha's sake."
"Oh, but it has. You said so yourself. Ruatha can do this much for Pern."
He gave a slightly embarrassed laugh. But his smile was kind, and I think he was pleased.
"Ruatha will be herself again! I know it!" It was safer to talk about Ruatha's future.
There was an odd expression in his eyes. "Then Oklina spoke to you? You'll consider staying on with us?"
"I would like to very much. The plague left me holdless."
His warm strong hand closed on mine, squeezing lightly in gratitude. "And do you have any special requirements, Rill, to cement our relationship?" There was a real gleam in his eye now as he tilted his head toward Tuero.
His question had come up so unexpectedly that I'd had no time to think about anything beyond the fact that my wish to remain in Ruatha had been granted. I stammered a bit, and then Alessan once again gripped my arm.
"Think about it, Rill, and tell me later. You'll find that I hold fair with my people."
"I'd be surprised to find aught else."
He grinned at my vehemence, poured more wine into my cup and his, and so we sealed the agreement in the traditional manner, though I had trouble swallowing past the lump of joy in my throat. Companionably, we finished bread and cheese, listening to the other conversations at the table and to the music outside.
"I wasn't so taken with that Master Balfor, Lord Alessan," Dag was saying, his eyes on the wine in his cup. He was speaking of the man presently designated to become Beastmaster at Keroon.
"He's not confirmed in the honor," Alessan said. I could see that he didn't wish to argue the matter right now, especially not in front of Fergal, who was always listening to matters he ought not hear.
"I'd worry who else might have the rank, for Master Balfor certainly hasn't the experience."