mountains?”
Kadar shook his head. “Not bandits.”
Ware disappeared from view and Kadar turned to her. “Stop frowning. The fault is not yours. You didn’t know.”
She still didn’t know, she thought with exasperation. He was making no sense. “I only asked him to fetch me some mulberry leaves, and you act as if I’d asked him to conquer a town.”
Kadar smiled. “He would have taken an army if you’d asked him to conquer a town. He could not, in honor, take one to conquer a mulberry tree. He says he has no honor, but you can see that is not true.”
“I know nothing about his honor. I know only that you’re making too much of a simple task.”
“Perhaps you’re right.” He took her elbow. “At any rate, we cannot help Ware now. We can only wait. Would you like to see my falcons?”
“You raise falcons?” She let him lead her toward the steps. “For hunting?”
“Partly for hunting. Partly to watch them soar. There’s no more glorious sight on earth than a falcon in flight.” He stopped as they entered the castle. “But first you must break your fast. You’re still not well.”
“I’m much stronger today, only a little tired.”
“Weariness can lead to illness. Garner your strength. You will need it to nurture all your worms. Are you truly a fine embroiderer?”
“The finest in Constantinople.” She looked at him in surprise when he burst out laughing. “Well, I am.”
“I don’t doubt it. I was just delighted by your charming lack of modesty. In truth, I find confidence very admirable. It’s like the lovely sheen on a piece of exquisite wood.”
“Lord Ware told you of our discussion? I wasn’t certain he would remember anything I told him last night.”
“He remembers everything.” His smile faded. “Which is sometimes a curse.”
“Yes.” She herself had memories she would rather forget.
“I thought you would understand.” Kadar led her toward the great hall. “Now, let us get you fed so that you can admire my beautiful birds.”
“THIS IS ELEANOR.” He took the falcon out of her cage. “Is she not handsome? I named her for Eleanor of Aquitaine.”
The bird was indeed splendid. “Why?”
“Because she’s wily and fierce and has a profound dislike for being held captive. It took me over a year to train her.” He chuckled. “Which is better than King Henry did with his Eleanor. He never succeeded in taming her.”
“Did your father tell you of Eleanor?”
“My father gave my mother his seed and never looked back. My mother told me he died a great death battling her people.” He smiled into the beady eyes of the falcon. “It’s a pity he never realized his greatest achievement was producing me.”
There was no antagonism in his voice, she realized wonderingly. “You don’t hate him?”
“When I was a boy, I hated him. My mother died when I was five, and life was not easy for me on the streets of Damascus. I was a purloin and shunned by both my peoples.” He put Eleanor back in the cage and opened the next enclosure. “But I rose above it.”
“How?”
“Knowledge. I stole learning as I did fruit from the bazaars. I learned from the Franks and I learned from my mother’s people.” He took out another falcon. “To my horror I discovered both were right…and wrong about most things. How can you hate when there is no truth that cannot be challenged?” He held out the bird to her. “This is Henry. He’s less fierce than Eleanor and does not have her sense of purpose. She never relents once she sights prey. I’ve discovered that the female can often be more determined when in full flight.” He met her gaze. “Haven’t you made that discovery also?”
He was no longer referring to his falcons. She said, “But first she must reach full flight,” then added, “And there are always those who wish to put her in a cage or use her. Even you, Kadar.”
He nodded. “It’s the nature of man.” He put the falcon back in the cage. “But
Kadar shook his head. “Not bandits.”
Ware disappeared from view and Kadar turned to her. “Stop frowning. The fault is not yours. You didn’t know.”
She still didn’t know, she thought with exasperation. He was making no sense. “I only asked him to fetch me some mulberry leaves, and you act as if I’d asked him to conquer a town.”
Kadar smiled. “He would have taken an army if you’d asked him to conquer a town. He could not, in honor, take one to conquer a mulberry tree. He says he has no honor, but you can see that is not true.”
“I know nothing about his honor. I know only that you’re making too much of a simple task.”
“Perhaps you’re right.” He took her elbow. “At any rate, we cannot help Ware now. We can only wait. Would you like to see my falcons?”
“You raise falcons?” She let him lead her toward the steps. “For hunting?”
“Partly for hunting. Partly to watch them soar. There’s no more glorious sight on earth than a falcon in flight.” He stopped as they entered the castle. “But first you must break your fast. You’re still not well.”
“I’m much stronger today, only a little tired.”
“Weariness can lead to illness. Garner your strength. You will need it to nurture all your worms. Are you truly a fine embroiderer?”
“The finest in Constantinople.” She looked at him in surprise when he burst out laughing. “Well, I am.”
“I don’t doubt it. I was just delighted by your charming lack of modesty. In truth, I find confidence very admirable. It’s like the lovely sheen on a piece of exquisite wood.”
“Lord Ware told you of our discussion? I wasn’t certain he would remember anything I told him last night.”
“He remembers everything.” His smile faded. “Which is sometimes a curse.”
“Yes.” She herself had memories she would rather forget.
“I thought you would understand.” Kadar led her toward the great hall. “Now, let us get you fed so that you can admire my beautiful birds.”
“THIS IS ELEANOR.” He took the falcon out of her cage. “Is she not handsome? I named her for Eleanor of Aquitaine.”
The bird was indeed splendid. “Why?”
“Because she’s wily and fierce and has a profound dislike for being held captive. It took me over a year to train her.” He chuckled. “Which is better than King Henry did with his Eleanor. He never succeeded in taming her.”
“Did your father tell you of Eleanor?”
“My father gave my mother his seed and never looked back. My mother told me he died a great death battling her people.” He smiled into the beady eyes of the falcon. “It’s a pity he never realized his greatest achievement was producing me.”
There was no antagonism in his voice, she realized wonderingly. “You don’t hate him?”
“When I was a boy, I hated him. My mother died when I was five, and life was not easy for me on the streets of Damascus. I was a purloin and shunned by both my peoples.” He put Eleanor back in the cage and opened the next enclosure. “But I rose above it.”
“How?”
“Knowledge. I stole learning as I did fruit from the bazaars. I learned from the Franks and I learned from my mother’s people.” He took out another falcon. “To my horror I discovered both were right…and wrong about most things. How can you hate when there is no truth that cannot be challenged?” He held out the bird to her. “This is Henry. He’s less fierce than Eleanor and does not have her sense of purpose. She never relents once she sights prey. I’ve discovered that the female can often be more determined when in full flight.” He met her gaze. “Haven’t you made that discovery also?”
He was no longer referring to his falcons. She said, “But first she must reach full flight,” then added, “And there are always those who wish to put her in a cage or use her. Even you, Kadar.”
He nodded. “It’s the nature of man.” He put the falcon back in the cage. “But
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