about genealogies and the histories of each House? It's all nonsense. Bores me rigid. I'm Aud Ulfar's-daughter, of Arne's House.' She stuck out a grubby hand, frowned at the palm, then hastily wiped it on her kirtle. 'Don't know where that came from. Must have been living in the tree. Didn't think they came out this season. There – it's cleaner now.'
With some hesitation Halli grasped her hand, struggling to remember what he knew of Arne's House far down-valley. He had an idea Ulfar Arnesson was his mother's cousin . . . Certainly the man had visited on several occasions. Halli vaguely recalled his parents approving of Ulfar for his knowledge of the law.
'I have met your father,' Halli ventured. 'He is a wise and judicious man.'
The girl wrinkled her nose. 'Really? Stuffy and pompous, I'd say. You're not like that, I hope?'
Halli bridled instantly. 'No.'
'Good. So why aren't you at the Gathering, then, all decked out in the official colours? The rest of your family were lined up when we rode in. That sister of yours is a stiff piece of work. Ver-ry haughty. Looked me over like I was something grey washed up in the torrents. And I hadn't even got my kirtle dirty then.' She suddenly ran her hand through her disordered hair. 'And now the clasp's gone too, so that's the end of that braid.' She shook her head. 'My aunt really is going to kill me . . . You were saying?'
Halli blinked. 'I was?'
'About why you're skulking up here in your everyday rags.'
'Um . . .' Halli ran through a range of lies and obfuscations, but none seemed credible. He shrugged. 'I'm forbidden to attend.'
'Why?'
'I took action against my brother on a matter of honour.'
The girl raised her eyebrow. 'Mm-hmm? Which means what, exactly?'
'He hit me. I pushed him into the dung heap.'
Aud Ulfar's-daughter gave an odd little laugh, short and sharp like a dog's bark. She said: 'In truth, you're not missing much at the Gathering. Everyone's parading between tents, trying to outdo each other in displays of wealth. The Eirikssons have a bear tethered at their booth; the torc around its neck is gold, they claim.' Another abrupt little laugh. 'Whether that's so or not, it peed on their reception rug just as the Ketilssons came calling. Old Ljot Eiriksson had to sit there talking through his teeth while his leggings grew wet. Couldn't get up for loss of face.'
Her glee made Halli laugh for the first time in days. Then he sighed. 'You speak of these great folk with such familiarity,' he said. 'I wish I knew them as you do. I have never yet been to a Gathering.' It did not occur to Halli to keep this matter secret; the girl's directness had awoken the same quality in him.
'Oh, the Founders' families are very tiresome,' Aud said. 'Present company excepted, of course. The worst are the marshsiders, the Ormssons and Hakonssons with their ridiculous hair and revolting swagger. The Hakonssons came smarming round our booth just now. Made my blood boil to see my father acting the lick-spittle, grovelling and cowering as if he weren't also descended from a hero! That's why I came away. Wandered up and found this place. You don't mind if I take some apples, do you, Halli Sveinsson? It's all stodge and beer down there.'
Halli made an easy gesture. 'Please. By all means. I'll help you.'
They stooped to the ground, gathering the windfalls from the turf. Halli scrabbled a few together in his hands and stood again, waiting. He watched Aud crouching on her haunches, turning the apples over, setting a select few in the lap of her skirt. The air was warm in the orchard; he felt a little flushed. A cheer rose from the distant meadow beyond the House, making him blink and look away through the trees.
Aud straightened, brushing her hair from her face. 'Well, I'd better get back.'
Halli blew out a breath. 'I'll escort you,' he said abruptly. 'If you like. I know a short way through the House. If you don't mind climbing the wall.'
She grinned. 'All right.'
At the edge of the
With some hesitation Halli grasped her hand, struggling to remember what he knew of Arne's House far down-valley. He had an idea Ulfar Arnesson was his mother's cousin . . . Certainly the man had visited on several occasions. Halli vaguely recalled his parents approving of Ulfar for his knowledge of the law.
'I have met your father,' Halli ventured. 'He is a wise and judicious man.'
The girl wrinkled her nose. 'Really? Stuffy and pompous, I'd say. You're not like that, I hope?'
Halli bridled instantly. 'No.'
'Good. So why aren't you at the Gathering, then, all decked out in the official colours? The rest of your family were lined up when we rode in. That sister of yours is a stiff piece of work. Ver-ry haughty. Looked me over like I was something grey washed up in the torrents. And I hadn't even got my kirtle dirty then.' She suddenly ran her hand through her disordered hair. 'And now the clasp's gone too, so that's the end of that braid.' She shook her head. 'My aunt really is going to kill me . . . You were saying?'
Halli blinked. 'I was?'
'About why you're skulking up here in your everyday rags.'
'Um . . .' Halli ran through a range of lies and obfuscations, but none seemed credible. He shrugged. 'I'm forbidden to attend.'
'Why?'
'I took action against my brother on a matter of honour.'
The girl raised her eyebrow. 'Mm-hmm? Which means what, exactly?'
'He hit me. I pushed him into the dung heap.'
Aud Ulfar's-daughter gave an odd little laugh, short and sharp like a dog's bark. She said: 'In truth, you're not missing much at the Gathering. Everyone's parading between tents, trying to outdo each other in displays of wealth. The Eirikssons have a bear tethered at their booth; the torc around its neck is gold, they claim.' Another abrupt little laugh. 'Whether that's so or not, it peed on their reception rug just as the Ketilssons came calling. Old Ljot Eiriksson had to sit there talking through his teeth while his leggings grew wet. Couldn't get up for loss of face.'
Her glee made Halli laugh for the first time in days. Then he sighed. 'You speak of these great folk with such familiarity,' he said. 'I wish I knew them as you do. I have never yet been to a Gathering.' It did not occur to Halli to keep this matter secret; the girl's directness had awoken the same quality in him.
'Oh, the Founders' families are very tiresome,' Aud said. 'Present company excepted, of course. The worst are the marshsiders, the Ormssons and Hakonssons with their ridiculous hair and revolting swagger. The Hakonssons came smarming round our booth just now. Made my blood boil to see my father acting the lick-spittle, grovelling and cowering as if he weren't also descended from a hero! That's why I came away. Wandered up and found this place. You don't mind if I take some apples, do you, Halli Sveinsson? It's all stodge and beer down there.'
Halli made an easy gesture. 'Please. By all means. I'll help you.'
They stooped to the ground, gathering the windfalls from the turf. Halli scrabbled a few together in his hands and stood again, waiting. He watched Aud crouching on her haunches, turning the apples over, setting a select few in the lap of her skirt. The air was warm in the orchard; he felt a little flushed. A cheer rose from the distant meadow beyond the House, making him blink and look away through the trees.
Aud straightened, brushing her hair from her face. 'Well, I'd better get back.'
Halli blew out a breath. 'I'll escort you,' he said abruptly. 'If you like. I know a short way through the House. If you don't mind climbing the wall.'
She grinned. 'All right.'
At the edge of the
Similar Books
