“I have been away from the family for a long time,” I admitted, looking at the familiar sights around the fire.
“One is a bad number for an Edema on the road,” Alleg said persuasively, running a finger along the edge of his dark beard.
I sighed. “Ask me again in the morning.”
He slapped my knee, grinning. “Good! That means we have all night to convince you.”
I replaced my lute and excused myself for a call of nature. Coming back, I knelt next to Anne where she sat near the fire. “What are you making for us, mother?” I asked.
“Stew,” she said shortly.
I smiled. “What’s in it?”
Anne squinted at me. “Lamb,” she said, as if daring me to challenge the fact.
“It’s been a long while since I’ve had lamb, mother. Could I have a taste?”
“You’ll wait, same as everyone else,” she said sharply.
“Not even a small taste?” I wheedled, giving her my best ingratiating smile.
The old woman drew a breath, then shrugged it away. “Fine,” she said. “But it won’t be my fault if your stomach sets to aching.”
I laughed. “No, mother. It won’t be your fault.” I reached for the longhandled wooden spoon and drew it out. After blowing on it, I took a bite. “Mother!” I exclaimed. “This is the best thing to touch my lips in a full year.”
“Hmph,” she said, squinting at me.
“It’s the first truth, mother,” I said earnestly. “Anyone who does not enjoy this fine stew is hardly one of the Ruh in my opinion.”
Anne turned back to stir the pot and shooed me away, but her expression wasn’t as sharp as it had been before.
After stopping by the keg to refill my mug, I returned to my seat. Gaskin leaned forward. “You’ve given us a song. Is there anything you’d like to hear?”
“How about ‘Piper Wit’?” I asked.
His brow furrowed. “I don’t recognize that one.”
“It’s about a clever Ruh who outwits a farmer.”
Gaskin shook his head. “I’m afraid not.”
I bent to pick up my lute. “Let me. It’s a song every one of us should know.”
“Pick something else,” Laren protested. “I’ll play you something on the pipes. You’ve played for us once already tonight.”
I smiled at him. “I forgot you piped. You’ll like this one,” I assured him, “Piper’s the hero. Besides, you’re feeding my belly, I’ll feed your ears.” Before they could raise any more objections, I started to play, quick and light.
They laughed through the whole thing. From the beginning when Piper kills the farmer, to the end when he seduces the dead man’s wife and daughter. I left off the last two verses where the townsfolk kill Piper.
Laren wiped his eyes after I was done. “Heh. You’re right, Kvothe. I’m better off knowing that one. Besides . . .” He shot a look at Kete where she sat across the fire. “It’s an honest song. Women can’t keep their hands off a piper.”
Kete snorted derisively and rolled her eyes.
We talked of small things until Anne announced the stew was done. Everyone fell to, breaking the silence only to compliment Anne on her cooking.
“Honestly, Anne,” Alleg asked after his second bowl. “Did you lift a little pepper back in Levinshir?”
Anne looked smug. “We all need our secrets, dear,” she said. “Don’t press a lady.”
I asked Alleg, “Have times been good for you and yours?”
“Oh certainly,” he said between mouthfuls. “Three days ago Levinshir was especially good to us.” He winked. “You’ll see how good later.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“In fact.” He leaned forward conspiratorially. “We’ve done so well that I feel quite generous. Generous enough to offer you anything you’d like. Anything at all. Ask and it is yours.” He leaned closer and said in a stage whisper, “I want you to know this is a blatant attempt to bribe you into staying on with us. We would make a thick purse off that lovely voice of yours.”
“Not to mention the songs he could teach us,” Gaskin chimed in.
Alleg gave a mock snarl. “Don’t help him bargain, boy. I have the feeling this is going to be hard enough as it is.”
I gave it a little thought. “I suppose I could stay. . . .” I let myself trail off uncertainly.
Alleg gave a knowing smile. “But . . .”
“But I would ask for three things.”
“Hmm, three things.” He looked me up and down. “Just like in one of the stories.”
“It only seems right,” I urged.
He gave a hesitant nod. “I suppose it does. And how long would you travel with us?”
“Until no one objects to my leaving.”
“Does anyone have any problem with this?” Alleg looked around.
“What if he asks for one of the wagons?” Tim asked. His voice startled me, harsh and rasping like two bricks grating together.
“It won’t matter, as he’ll be traveling with us,” Alleg argued. “They belong to all of us anyway. And since he can’t leave unless we say so. . . .”
There were no objections. Alleg and I shook hands and there was a small cheer.
Kete held up her mug. “To Kvothe and his songs!” she said. “I have a feeling he’ll be worth whatever he costs us.”
Everyone drank, and I held up my own glass. “I swear on my mother’s milk, none of you will ever make a better deal than the one you made with me tonight.” This evoked a more enthusiastic cheer and everyone drank again.
Wiping his mouth, Alleg looked me in the eye. “So, what is the first thing you want from us?”
I lowered my head. “It’s a little thing really. I don’t have a tent of my own. If I’m going to be traveling with my family . . .”
“Say no more!” Alleg waved his wooden mug like a king granting a boon. “You’ll have my own tent, piled with furs and blankets a foot deep!” He made a gesture over the fire to where Fren and Josh sat. “Go set it up for him.”
“That’s all right,” I protested. “I can manage it myself.”
“Hush, it’s good for them. Makes them feel useful. Speaking of which . . .” He made another gesture at Tim. “Bring them out, would you?”
Tim stood and pressed a hand to his stomach. “I’ll do it in a quick minute. I’ll be right back.” He turned to walk off into the woods. “I don’t feel very good.”
“That’s what you get for eatin’ like you’re at a trough!” Otto called after him. He turned back to the rest of us. “Someday he’ll realize he can’t eat more’n me and not feel sick afterward.”
“Since Tim’s busy painting a tree, I’ll go get them,” Laren said with thinly veiled eagerness.
“I’m on guard tonight,” Otto said. “I’ll do it.”
“
Josh and Fren came out of the other wagon with a tent, ropes, and stakes. “Where do you want it?” Josh asked.
“That’s not a question you usually have to ask a man, is it, Josh?” Fren joked, nudging his friend with an elbow.
“I tend to snore,” I warned them. “You’ll probably want me a little away from everyone else.” I pointed. “Over between those two trees would be fine.”
“I mean, with a man, you normally know where they want it, don’t you, Josh?” Fren continued as they wandered off and began to string up the tent.
