but the lyrics Morn sang were different from the ones Joel had learned. The bard noted them with interest.
As the melodies shifted between the two men, the others around them grew quiet and all conversation died away. A few sang along, but quietly, in half mumbles. There were no outstanding voices beyond Morn's, which was not too unusual, but it was odd that no one else sang out with gusto. No wonder Randal was anxious to play with another minstrel.
At the close of 'Dalesman's Holiday,' Joel launched into 'The Toasting Song.' The tune was an old staple, and Morn strummed along as Joel set aside his pipes to sing.
The Toasting Song' was what bards called a button song. Its chorus was easy to learn and repeat, and the meter of its verses so simple anyone could 'button' any number of names and situations into the song. In general, it was used to thank-or tweak-one's host, or to report on everything from the weather to the latest court gossip. Joel rose from his chair and sang the standard chorus:
'And now we give a Toast, a Toast To guests and friends and hosts, and hosts For lies and tales and boasts, and boasts Of who can drink the most, the most!'
Then Joel fired off the first impromptu verse:
'We toast the folk of Daggerdale, Whose hearts and minds will never fail, Whose land holds wondrous firestars And truly great and noble bars!'
There was laughter and a few cheers from the crowd, and some members of the audience joined in on the chorus. A few even smiled when Joel met their gaze. The bard cornered Kharva as she tried surreptitiously to clear away the tureen from Joel's table. The dwarven woman frowned sternly as the young man sang a verse in her honor.
'We toast good Kharva's cooking skills, Which cure all human and dwarven ills, For with each sip and with each bite, We're soon too stuffed to start a fight!'
Kharva guffawed heartily, and laughter burst from the crowd. More joined in on the chorus. One table punctuated the last two words of each line by pounding on the table, creating an accompanying percussion section. Joel walked about the table until he stood behind his next victim.
'We toast Lathander's paladins, Whose lives are without stains or sins, Who'll leap into every fray or mess, Provided they have the proper dress!'
Holly squealed and covered her face with her hands. Joel could see the flush beneath her dark skin. Now nearly the whole house sang the chorus, each group trying to outshout or outpound the others. Next Joel circled behind the stoic form of Bear, still grim-faced and silent, his arms folded.
'Let's toast the absent Zhentarim, Who loose upon us evil grim. To know these fools and avoid their sting, Just watch for those who will not si-'
Bear's fist came out of nowhere. One moment Joel had a clear view of grinning dalesfolk, and in the next a small meteorite of flesh closed directly with his nose. There was a flash of light, then darkness. When Joel's eyes opened again, he was lying on the floor. Holly was hovering over him, obstructing his view, but he could hear Randal Morn castigating the huge bodyguard.
'What did you do that for?' the Rebel Lord snarled.
'He insulted me,' Bear grunted. 'Us. Daggerdale. He was mocking us.'
'The only insult was the interruption of our song,' Morn snapped. 'If you'd paused to look around, you might have noted that everyone else was laughing and singing.'
Bear blushed deeply and reiterated, 'I thought he was insulting us.'
'Save your offended zeal for fighting the Zhentarim,' Morn retorted. Turning to Holly, he asked, 'How is he?'
Holly had placed her hands on Joel's face lightly, but the pressure was nearly unbearable. Then the bard recognized the rosy-hued aura of the paladin's healing touch. The sharp pain in the back of his head subsided to a dull throbbing and an unpleasant itching all about his nose.
'Feeling better, Joel?' the girl asked.
Talk about your rough audiences,' Joel muttered.
Morn grunted agreement and reached out with his hand. Joel missed the hand the first try, but grabbed it the second. The Rebel Lord pulled the Rebel Bard to his feet.
Joel cocked his head at Bear. 'If he hits the Zhents that hard, you'll soon have no worries,' the bard joked. Then the room swayed about him, and he had to steady himself against the table.
Take him to one of the cottages to rest,' Morn instructed Holly. 'When he's recovered and wants to continue his journey, Bear will serve as his escort, by way of an apology.'
Neither Holly nor Bear looked pleased with that arrangement. Bear opened his mouth, no doubt to argue, but shut it again a moment later. The huge man nodded to his lord, then turned on his heel and disappeared into the crowd. A few members of the audience raised a mug to Joel, but most of them had returned to their earlier diversions. Another typical evening in Daggerdale, the young bard suspected.
Morn handed Joel his pipes. 'Sorry about that,' he said sheepishly. 'Bear often sees threats where none exist. He's a good man, though.'
'So you've said,' Joel replied, taking the pipes with one hand while holding his tender nose with the other. 'Really, though, you needn't spare him for my sake. Holly's been a wonderful guide.'
'Yes, but I'm afraid I have need of her skills in the days to come. Yet I would prefer knowing you were escorted safely through my land.'
'Bear it is, then,' Joel agreed, though only so as not: appear disagreeable to Morn.
'I'll have someone see to your horse while Holly shows you to your quarters,' Morn said.
Holly led Joel to the door. Outside, the air had turned cool. The moon had not yet risen, and the sky was a jumble of stars. Not far off, hidden in the dark, a large cat snarled. Joel remembered the guardian that had scared his horse.
A young dwarf handed Holly a lantern, and the paladin led the bard away from the manor down a meadow path. Firestars zipped about them. Holly halted at the door to a small cottage and set the lantern down on the front stoop.
'I'm sorry I can't escort you farther,' the girl said.
'I understand. You have a duty to Morn. I'll be fine with Bear.'
'About Bear…' Holly paused, as if searching for the right words. 'Just watch yourself with him.'
'I'll stay out of arm's reach,' Joel assured her with a grin.
'I don't trust him,' the paladin whispered.
'Why not?' Joel asked, thinking immediately of the legendary paladin's ability to plum the depths of the soul.
'It's not what you think,' Holly replied. 'I don't sense evil about him. And it's not that he's ever done anything really wrong. He's just so utterly devoted, so grim, so humorless. He makes my stomach knot. It's not exactly something I can tell to Lord Randal.'
Joel nodded with understanding. Morn wasn't likely to have his judgment swayed by a girl's gut instinct, even if she was a useful and loyal subject. 'I'll keep my eyes open,' he assured her.
'Just take care of yourself,' she ordered. 'And thanks for everything back there, with the Zhents.'
'My pleasure,' the bard insisted. He thrust out his hand, and Holly grasped his wrist as he held hers.
'Good-bye and good luck,' the girl said. A moment later she disappeared into the darkness.
'Good luck to you, Holly Harrowslough,' Joel sang softly after her. Then he picked up the lantern and retired into the cottage.
Once inside, Joel tugged off his boots and flopped down on the bed. Placing his fingertips across his brow, he sang a short discordant scale and concentrated his energies as Jedidiah had taught him. His hands glowed a soft blue, and a moment later the throbbing in his head and the tingling in his nose dissipated.
He still felt a little fuzzy, but that, he suspected, was the ale. Just need to get some sleep, he told himself. A few minutes later he was snoring softly.
The next morning the young dwarf who'd served him ale brought by a tray of bread and milk and a message from Bear that he was waiting at the manor and would be ready to leave whenever the bard gave the word.
Joel sent back word he'd be ready within the hour.
Scrubbed and fed, the bard strolled down to the manor house where Butternut was tied up, groomed, fed, bridled, and saddled. Bear stomped up leading a heavy black draft horse for his own mount. Joel greeted him a
