“Hellfire, Captain!” Shallan snarled, so fiercely it forced Kero to turn to look at them. “This was the only way these damn whitecoats’d let us keep you! You think we’re gonna let you go kiting all over this heathen country by yourself? Not likely! If you’re gonna find some action, we want a piece of it!”
“Adalnda, Captain, you’ve gone and landed us in the cream,” Geyr said shrewdly. “Scratcher has not told you our hire. The Queen is deeding us a border town.”
“Can you imagine it?” Scratcher chuckled. “Us! Landed gentry, no less! There is no way we’re letting you out of our sight! You took the Skybolts from half a Company to landed status—we wanta see what else you come up with! We may yet wind up dukes or something!”
“’Sides,” Shallan growled, scuffing her boot-toe against the stone. “These folks need us. An’ some of your damn morals is rubbin’ off on us.”
:High time, too.:
:We’ll see about that. You people could use a good shaking up, Sayvel.: Kero shook her head, and looked down at the pure white tunic. “Damn. Guess I don’t have a choice, if I’m going to convert you ruffians to honest citizens.”
Geyr made a rude sound, and Shallan did her “village idiot” imitation.
“Dear gods, what have I gotten myself into?”
“We’re gonna shake ’em up, Captain,” said Scratcher, echoing her earlier retort to Sayvel.
“They could use it,” she agreed. “Gods, there’s one thing I’d like to do—is there any way we can camouflage this ‘oh shoot me now’ uniform?”
“Could be, Captain,” Scratcher said with a wink. “I’ll work on it.”
“I guess they’re just going to have to get used to a new kind of Herald, Captain,” Shallan grinned.
:High time for that, too. We’re supposed to be flexible. You can keep us all on our toes, and you can start with Eldan, I think. And you should have guessed that your troopers noticed how you two feel about each other. They think this is a perfect solution for that, too. And they’re taking bets on when the handfasting’s going to be.:
Kero chuckled. :Lady, you’re going to get flexible like you’ve never seen before. And Eldan’s going to get some real surprises.: “In that case, I think this is going to work out.” She saluted them, and all three returned the salute.
“Come on,” she told them. “Let’s go scandalize Valdemar.”
“For starters,” Shallan observed, “We’re going to have to teach these whitecoats how to have a real party.”
:As the Tayledras say, “May you live in interesting times.”:
Kero threw back her head and laughed. :You got it, horse-lady :
:And may you get—not what you deserve—but your heart’s desire.:
:You know, lovely lady,: Kero sent back to her, as she followed her troopers down to tell the rest that she’d accepted their solution, :I think I have. Beyond all logic and expectation, I actually think I have.:
