This was the first time Vanyel had seen his sister 'on duty,' or in any kind of official capacity. She was certainly a far diiferent creature from the careless, untidy hoyden he remembered her being as a child, or even the wild rogue she could become off-duty.
'Captain Ashkevron.' Withen returned her salute, visibly torn between worry and pride.
'Permission to bivouac the troops, sir.'
'Granted.' Pride won out, and Withen beamed. 'The South Home Pasture's been vacated; it's all yours, Captain.'
'Thank you, my lord,' she replied formally. 'Sergeant Grayse, front and center!'
A Guardsman with a brown, round face that seemed vaguely familiar to Vanyel marched crisply from the front rank to Lissa's right stirrup, and waited.
'South Home Pasture; lead the troops there and bivouac. I'll join you shortly.'
The sergeant saluted and pivoted, heel and toe, and Vanyel realized why he seemed familiar; Grayse was one of the holding families, and this solid young man must be one of the sons. He barked out a series of orders as Lissa moved her horse off the road; turned again and stepped out with the rest of the troop following as promptly as if they hadn't just spent all day on their feet. Lissa stayed on her horse at semi-attention until the last of her troop was out of sight, then grinned and tossed Vanyel her helm. She dropped her horse's reins as she vaulted out of her saddle, ground-tethering him. As soon as her feet hit the ground she made straight for Withen. Vanyel caught the tumbling helm as she flung her arms around her father's neck and kissed him soundly, and then he held it out of the way as she made it his turn for an enthusiastic embrace, an embrace which he returned one-handed.
'Weil, Father,' she said, after kissing Vanyel just as thoroughly. 'What do you think of my youngsters?'
'Fine!' Withen glowed. 'Damn fine! Gods, I hardly knew my little daughter, up there on her warhorse and in her uniform and all!'
'I've never seen you on duty either, Liss,' Vanyel reminded her. 'I think you look wonderful.'
She hugged him again, then stood beside him with her arm around his waist. 'I'm just sorry it has to be under alert-conditions,' she said soberly. 'I'm sorry, Father. The last thing I ever wanted to do was -'
'Don't worry about it,' Withen interrupted. 'Now, is there anybody you want to quarter at the keep?''
'My Healer; I want him to have an infirmary set up. I bivouac with the troops.'
Withen looked a little disappointed, but Vanyel found himself grinning with approval. 'Good!' he said. 'I didn't think it was my place to say anything, but it seemed to me down at the Karsite Border that all the best officers stayed with their troopers.'
'So I'm told,' Lissa replied. 'Don't worry, Father, you'll see more of me than you think.' She hugged Vanyel hard. 'Come on, little brother, help me get this nag in a stall, hmm?'
He let her go and handed back her helm. She caught up the bay's reins and walked beside him to the stable.
'Lord Marshal doesn't like the way things are shaping up,' she said in a quiet voice as soon as they got out of earshot. 'Vedric has been making himself into the Linean patron saint, what with supporting their protests to Randale and all. I
She reached into her belt-pouch and took out a much-creased note with Randale's private seal on it, and handed it to him. Vanyel noticed that it was addressed only to her, and opened it.
Vanyel handed it back to her with no other comment than a slightly raised eyebrow.
'He's covering for you, Van,' she said worriedly, 'but he can't do that for much longer. Have you got any idea of what you can do?'
'Not at the moment,' he told her. 'But I soon will.'
His generous room seemed very crowded with both Savil and Jervis sprawled across the window seat and a chair, respectively.
