The Robin And The Kestrel

quite enough room for two vehicles the size of Harperus' monster to pass on this section of the road, and it was very obvious that the local Sire took his road-tending duties very, very seriously. There was scarcely an uneven place in the roadway, much less one the size of the pothole that had brought their wagon to grief.

Gradford had no Sire; it was a political entity unto itself, although it owed allegiance to the King of Rayden. The inhabitants referred to it as a 'city-state,' or a 'Free Trade City,' and it was very nearly the equal of Kingsford in size and importance.

Located deep in the hills, it commanded an impressive number of resources; water, mines, and an advantageous position on a trade-road. The sole disadvantage to its location was the terrain; the hills grew steeper and rockier with every passing hour, and they often got out of the wagon and walked alongside it to spare the horses. These steep grades were very hard on them; going down, holding back the weight of the wagon, was very nearly as wearing for them as climbing.

They were so caught up with watching the mares for strain that it was almost nightfall before Robin noticed a peculiar lack of traffic on the road, and mentioned it to Kestrel.

He furrowed his brow for a moment, and shook his head slightly, but he waited until they took a breather for the horses before he spoke.

'It's f-fall,' he pointed out, but with uncertainty. 'Its the off-s-season f-for t-trade.'

But she shook her head vigorously. 'No it isn't!' she contradicted him sharply. 'Not for the variety of trade that Gradford does! Oh, maybe the Faires are over for the year, but there should be a lot of people on this road, and there's no one! We haven't seen anyone all day!'

'W-we might not,' he told her. 'Th-they c-could be r-right ahead of us, and w-we'd n-never s-see them. N-not with all th-these h-hills.'

By the look in her eyes, she clearly did not believe him, or his explanation. 'W-we'll s-stop at an inn,' he promised. 'I w-want a r-real m-meal and a b-bath, if w-we c-can g-get one. Y-you'll s-see.'

But when they did find an inn_fortuitously, just over the top of the next hill, for the mares needed a real rest_she was not the one who found her notions contradicted.

Robin finished ordering supper, and went hunting her husband. She found Kestrel out in the stable, making certain that the mares were getting all the care he had paid for. She dragged him away from his interrogation of a hapless stable-boy, and into the common room of the inn. Their supper was waiting, but that was not why she had brought him in here.

The dark but cozy common room was half empty, and from the forlorn expressions on the faces of the barkeeper and the serving girls, this was not an anticipated situation. They had been the last travelers to seek shelter here tonight, and most of the few patrons had already had their dinner and sought their rooms or wagons_but she had managed to find one man, at least, who was willing to delay his rest and talk to them in return for a pitcher of beer. The quiet of the common room, holding nothing more than the vague murmur of talk and the crackle of the fire in the fireplace at their end of the room, was relaxing and prompted confidences.

'Kestrel,' she said, tugging him towards the table she had taken, in the corner, and away from any other where they might be overheard as they talked. 'This is Rodrick Cunart. Rod, this is Kestrel.' She did not bother to introduce Jonny as her husband; Rod was a pack-trader, a man whose entire life during trading-season was contained in a single pack carried by a donkey. He knew the road and the life on it; if a Gypsy with a bird-name was wandering the roads with another with a bird-name, it was safe to assume they were 'together.' And not safe to take liberties.

'Rod trades in books in the north, and ribbons and laces in the south,' she continued, as Jonny took his place beside her, and gave Rod a nod of greeting. 'And he's going up to Gradford, because of some news he got.' She was pleased to see Jonny's interest perk up at that. 'I asked him to tell us what's going on up there.'

Kestrel settled down to his dinner of shepherd's pie without a word, but his eyes never left Rodrick's. The pack-trader poured himself a mug of his beer and took a long pull of it before beginning.

'It's a good thing yer lady found me,' he said, slowly, his accent marking him as coming from one of the Southern Kingdoms. 'You bein' Free Bards an' all. It could be bad for ye in Gradford. They've gone religious, they have, an' they don't look well on musickers, 'less they be outa the Church itself. Even Guild is lookin' a bit thin there, these days. Not much trade in anythin' but Church music, an' even the Guild musickers get mortal weary of that. As for us'_he shook his head_'thas' why ye see nobbut on road. 'Tis dead to trade, is Gradford.'

Even Robin, who had been expecting some sort of bad news, had not been prepared for so bald a statement. 'What happened?' she asked, incredulously, the hearty meal before her entirely forgotten for the moment.

Rodrick finished his first mug of beer before replying. 'Its all on account of one Priest,' he told them, his eyes thoughtful, as if he was putting things together for himself right there on the spot. 'Very persuasive. They say the birds come down offa the trees t' hear his sermons. He was a Count, Count-Presumptive, that is. Count Padrik he woulda been, if he'd waited till his papa died 'fore he joined the Church. But_likely he made the better choice, if ye read him as a man with a bita ambition. He's been a-risin' in the Church like a lark in the mornin'. Fact is, he can't be no older'n me, an' already he's been made High Bishop of Gradford.'