' What does matter is that you did help us; for that, we made you a Wingsib. Because we made you a Wingsister) you became entitled to training. Not because of a crown, and not because of a title. Not even because you asked us. Because you are part of the Clan. And what's more, the only ones willing to train you were myself and the gryphons.
Everyone else has more important matters to attend to.'
That wasn't precisely the truth, but it was close enough that it might shake her up a bit.
'So.' No doubt about it, she was angry.' I don't matter, is that it?'
'No, that's not it. You matter; your title doesn't.' He hoped she could see the difference. 'So you might as well stop walking around as if there was a crown on your head. Kings don't mean much, out here.
Anyone can call himself a king. Having the power to enforce authority that's something else again. Until you have that, you'd best pay a little closer attention to the way you treat those around you because we are not impressed.'
'oh, really?' He sensed an angry retort building.
But then, she said nothing. Nothing at all. He tensed, waiting for an outburst that never came. He wondered what she was thinking.
Finally she yawned and stretched, water dribbling from her arms.
'I'm tired,' she said, yawning again. 'Too tired to think or react sensibly. I'll sleep on what you just said.'
'Please do, and carefully, Elspeth. More could depend on it than amiable learning conditions.' He looked down and sighed. 'I do like you, and would prefer not to spend my time with you deciphering what you really mean under the royal posturing.' She rose, surprising him, and hoisted herself out of the pool, wrapping a towel around her wet hair, then bundling one of the thick, heavy robes around herself. She turned and looked down at him.
'You've said quite a bit,' she told him quietly. 'And I'm not sure what to think. Except that I'm certain you weren't being malicious. So good night, Darkwind. If there's anything to say, I'll say it tomorrow.' She gathered her dignity about her like the robe, and walked off into the darkness, leaving him alone.
*Chapter Ten - The Heart-stone
mm~
Twice Darkwind tried to wake up; twice he turned over to climb out of bed. Twice he closed his eyes again, and fell right back to sleep. And since no one came to fetch him, and there was hardly ever any noise around Starblade's ekele, he slept until well past midmorning unaware of how long he'd been dreaming.
When he finally awakened and stayed awake, he lay quietly for a moment, feeling confused and a bit disoriented. The light shouldn't have been coming in at that angle...Then it finally occurred to him why it was doing so.
I haven't overslept like this in I can't think how long.
Feeling very much as if he'd done something overly self-indulgent, he snatched his newly-cleaned clothing from a shelf and hastily donned it.
There was no one in the ekele except Vree, who was still dozing. He vaulted the stairs to the ground and hurried down to Elspeth's ekele only to find her gone.
He was both embarrassed and annoyed. Annoyed that she had left Without him; embarrassed because she'd needed to. She had at least left a note.
It looked like gibberish, until he realized that she had apparently spelled things the way they sounded to her.
Takt tu Starblaad n Winrlit sins we r not owt. Taa sed tu werk on bordr majik wit grifons. We r al waading fer u wen u waak up.
It took him a moment to puzzle out that she had checked with Starblade and Winterlight about what she and he should do since they weren't on patrol. He surmised that they had both asked her to work on border protections under the gryphons' tutelage. All three of them were expecting Darkwind whenever he got there. She hadn't even told him where they were working. They could be anywhere.
Once again, as with everything Elspeth did, he had mixed feelings.
Pleased that she had taken it upon herself to find something useful to do; miffed that she hadn't consulted him.
He snatched a quick meal, and wondered if he should try to find Winterlight. Presumably the scout leader would know where they were.
Then it occurred to him that he hadn't bothered to ask the most obvious 'person.' Vree. The forestgyre was still back at Starblade's ekele. Undoubtedly, recovering from the way he'd stuffed himself yesterday.
He sent out a mental call, and was rewarded within a few moments by a flash of white through the high branches. He held out his arm, and Vree winged in, diving down to the ground and pulling up with spread wings in a head-high stall. He dropped delicately down onto Darkwind's wrist. U -A ic . C.Iratch 'Mes The gyre chirped at him, and inclined his e r sages?' he asked. th the mental emphasis of im: From Horse,' Vree replied. Horse-wi importance-could only mean the Compamon.
Vree's intelligence was limited; he had to get messages in pieces. 'Who is the message from Horse about?'
'Female and Big Ones.' Vree leaned into the scratch, his eyes halfclosed in pleasure.
'What is the message?' He had long ago given up being impatient with this slow method of finding things out. It was simply the way Vree and every other bondbird worked.
'At magic-place,' Vree replied.
