Crap!
She back-pedaled but not fast enough; Kero got to her and literally swatted the blade out of her hand.
She did the unexpected-as Kero had been trying to get her to do. She rushed the Captain. barehanded, shouldering past her and springing for the next sword on the floor.
This time, she didn't even get a chance to get her hands on it. Kero beat her to the spot and kicked it away before she reached it.
She dove after another, sliding belly-down across the wooden floor; she got it and started to roll over-but Kero was on top of her, and swatted that one out of her hands. too.
This one fell short. and Elspeth made a short dive and grabbed it again; her hand tingled, and she had trouble feeling her fingers, but she got it all the same, just as Kero reached her and cut down.
This time she didn't lose it. This time she managed to hold onto the hilt long enough to counter Kero's first three attempts at disarming her-even though her grip was an entirely unorthodox, two-handed one, and she never managed to return a blow.
"That's enough," Kero said, stepping back and wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. Elspeth simply collapsed where she lay for a moment, spread-eagled on the floor. She blinked several times to clear her eyes, and rolled over onto her side. And when Kero offered her a hand to help her up, she took it without shame.
"Not bad," the Captain said, as she started to pick up the scattered swords. "Not bad at all." Elspeth cast her a startled glance. "oh, I mean it," the Captain grinned. "You were exhausted, your hands were numb-and you still always managed to get a weapon in your hands before I could close with you. Good job, kitten." And this is the person Alberich says is better than he is. For a moment Elspeth truly did not know what to say in reply. Finally, she managed to think of something that wouldn't get her into trouble. "Do you think I could have kept myself alive for a little while longer?" she asked.
"At least until help came-and if Gwena couldn't get to you in time to help, you'd be in deeper compost than anyone could be expected to get out of," Kero told her, as she got the remainder of the practice blades and took them over to the wall to rack them. "And that is all anyone can ask for." Someone cleared his throat conspicuously, and Skif emerged from the shadowed entry of the door leading to the outside of the salle. "Excuse me, Captain," he said meekly, "but if you're through with Elspeth, the Circle and Council want to talk to her."
"Now?" Kero asked, her eyebrows arching.
Dear gods, now what? Elspeth wondered. Skif looked very odd, and unusually subdued.
"Well, yes, sort of," he replied, uncomfortably. "I mean, they're meeting now, with the Queen, and they really wanted to talk with her now."
"Well, they can just give her a moment to sluice herself off," Kero replied firmly. "There's no sense in making her show up looking like a shambles."
"Kitten," she Mindspoke, in private-mode, "there's a set of my Whites and a kind of wash area in my office; you'll fit my uniform closely enough. I know from experience that it's easier facing an official situation if-you feel as if you look presentable."
"thanks," Elspeth replied gratefully, surprised a little at the Mindspeech.
Kero seldom used it, except with Eldan and her Companion, having had to conceal the fact that she had the Gift for most of her life.
She was almost as flattered by Kero's use of it with her as by the Captain's earlier compliments.
Elspeth darted into the Weaponsmaster's office before Skif had a chance to stop her; there was, indeed, a pump and a deep basin in a little room in the back behind a screen, and a stack of thick towels beside it. The basin was deep enough for her to duck her head under water, and she did so. The water, fresh from the pump, was cold enough to make her yip, but it revived her considerably. She was toweling off her hair when the promised set of Whites appeared over the screen.
She scrambled into them, and discovered, as Kero had promised, they were a close fit.
I didn't think Kero had a set of whites-I thought she'd convinced everybody she was never going to wear them. Well, there are times when she plays the uniform game with everyone else. Not often, but I've seen her do it. I suppose if she absolutely has to show up as a formal Herald, this is as good a place to keep her Whites as any.
They were a little loose across the shoulders and tight in the chest, but no one was likely to notice. And she realized, as she wound her wet hair into a knot at the back of her neck, that she did feel a little more confident.
Skif was still waiting for her when she trotted out of the office, and he didn't look too impatient. "Let's go," she said; he just nodded, and fell into step beside her. The two left the building side-by-side, setting a brisk pace toward the Palace.
She glanced at him in open inquiry, but he avoided her eyes. Dear gods. What is it I'm supposed to have done? she wondered. Is this over that argument I had with Mother about recruiting mages? She tightened her jaw stubbornly. If it is-I'm not backing down. I'm right, I know I'm right.
Why would they take her to task about that, though? What was the problem? It wasn't as if she was espousing open revolt against the Crown ...On the other hand, she'd been pressuring Selenay to allow her to do the mage-hunting. That might well be the problem. Some of the Councilors considered her to be impetuous, and sometimes hotheaded. Maybe they figure I intend to go riding out of here anyway, with or without permission.
Now that was a stupid idea, if that's what they were thinking. Not that I hadn't considered it... if I could get Gwena to go along with it.
But I didn't think about it for more than a couple of heartbeats. Really, it was a stupid idea. the only way I could get a decent mage to go along with this, would be if I had official blessing-and how would I have gotten that by running off on MY own?
But while she had been thinking about that, would anyone have "eavesdropped" on her? She didn't think so.
But if they had-She stifled a slow wave of hot anger. No use in getting angry over something that might not have happened.
But if it has-someone is going to pay.
They kept her cooling her heels for some time before finally letting her into the Council Chamber. Skif left her at the door and disappeared, leaving her no one to question, and being kept there did not help her smoldering temper any.
But after she had waited, impatiently, for what seemed like hours, she heard footsteps coming down the hall leading to the Council Chamber.
She turned to see the rest of the Council approaching-and at that point the door to the Council Chamber opened, and they all filed in to take their places. Elspeth no longer felt quite so annoyed at being dragged off to see the Circle, then left in the hall.
Though it would have been nice if someone had bothered to tell her they were waiting for the other Council members to arrive.
She took her seat with the rest, casting covert glances at the faces of those Councilors who were also in the Heraldic Circle: Teren, who had taken Elcarth's place as Dean of the Collegium; the Seneschal's Herald, Kyril; the Lord Marshal's Herald, Griffon; the Queen's Own Herald, Talia; Selenay; and Prince Daren. Their expressions didn't tell her much; their faces were tightly controlled. That, in itself, was something; it meant they were worried. And since there was a White-clad Herald with the silver-arrow insignia of the Special Messenger sitting on the extra chair reserved for guests and petitioners, chances were slim that the Circle and Council were going to take Elspeth to task for her notions.