Magic's Pawn

'Gods - 'Lendel, I did not mean that - ' he mourned, reaching out hesitantly to touch the edge of the bruise. 'Oh Lord and Lady, why do I have to be so clumsy?'

'Oh, you just fight like a girl,' Tylendel teased. 'All flying knees and elbows. It was my own 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 we as 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 might thank 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 real lecture, 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 away from the girl-gaggle and gave you orders to 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 you two.'

'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 who does 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 Felt the startlement - and the ache. And reacted to them.

'Please? I'd like it.'