current maps, not heard of since the last big war. Which was, what, 70 years ago? “ You're sure it's still there? ”
“ Eben says it is, ” Lottres said.
“ Someone must live there, since you've been summoned, ” Therula pointed out. She sat, making a great production of smoothing her skirts, and reached into a bag beside her chair for an embroidery hoop. One fair brow arched when she saw him make a wry face. “ You'd better mind your manners there. That would be my advice. ”
Though irritated, he forced a smile. “ More advice, dear sister, is not what I want. A little more concrete information would be nice. ”
Cliodora stirred restlessly. “ Well, it doesn't have to be all that bad, does it? ”
Brastigan laughed. When she winced, he added gently, “ I suppose not. ” He was old enough to know that any court scheme boded ill. He was also old enough to envy his little sister her innocence.
The girl murmured restlessly, “ At least you get to go somewhere. I never get to do anything except sewing. ” She made a face.
“ It's a useful skill for a lady, ” put in Therula as she sat, serenely sewing.
“ You, too, eh? ” Brastigan smiled ruefully. First Lottres, now Cliodora. Everyone wanted an adventure. He hugged her lightly. “ Well, I'd love to have you with us. ”
She brightened. “ You would? ”
“ Sure! You'd — . ”
“ The queen would never hear of it, ” Therula interrupted severely.
“ I know, ” Cliodora sighed.
“ Oh, come on. A princess needs to know practical things. Right? ” Brastigan turned to Lottres for support, and found him again deep in thought. It didn't look like he was mooning over the forthcoming noble mission, but still...
“ Hey, Pup. ” Brastigan reached out to kick the leg of his brother's chair.
Lottres again started. “ Hmm? Oh, I'm sorry, Clio. What were you saying? ”
“ Nothing, ” she answered softly, pouting.
Therula relented. “ It is a bit dull here in the castle. Perhaps Lionor and I can come up with something suitable for an all girls excursion. For now, I want you to run along, Cliodora. Your mother will be worried about you. ”
“ She's just down the hall, ” the girl protested.
“ Cliodora. ” Her older sister fixed her with a stern gaze.
Reluctantly, Cliodora turned to hug Brastigan, burying her face in his chest. “ Be careful, ” she said to his tunic. “ And come back soon. ”
“ Of course I’ll be careful! ” He laughed to reassure her. “ Why are you going on about this? Sure, the talking bird is weird, but I'll be in no danger. ”
“ I hope not. ” She didn’t sound convinced.
“ Besides, I’m the greatest swordsman in Crutham, ” he boasted cheerfully. “ Come on, now. Nothing is going to happen. ”
Both Lottres and Therula rolled their eyes at his bravado.
Perhaps it was paranoia, but Clio's distress seemed off to him. So did Therula's bossiness and Lottres's distraction. What else was going on that he didn't know about?
Another prim glance from Therula herded the younger girl from the room.
“ You wouldn’t really bring her along, would you? ” Lottres asked doubtfully as the door swung shut.
“ No, ” Brastigan drawled scornfully. Then he darted a glance at Therula. “ But don't you tell her that. Just because she's youngest, she gets left out of everything. ”
“ As if I would, ” Therula sniffed, but then she smiled. “ And since when are you the concerned older brother? ”
“ Maybe you don't know me as well as you think, ” he retorted.
“ Well, don't tease her, ” his sister advised.
“ How could I take her with us when I don't even know where we're going? ” Brastigan added, shooting another glance at his brother. Lottres was staring at the fire and didn't answer.
Brastigan didn't care much for book learning, but he knew vaguely that Sillets was an empire across the high mountains of Verelay, to the north. Crutham and Sillets warred periodically. In fact, Joal
“ Eben says it is, ” Lottres said.
“ Someone must live there, since you've been summoned, ” Therula pointed out. She sat, making a great production of smoothing her skirts, and reached into a bag beside her chair for an embroidery hoop. One fair brow arched when she saw him make a wry face. “ You'd better mind your manners there. That would be my advice. ”
Though irritated, he forced a smile. “ More advice, dear sister, is not what I want. A little more concrete information would be nice. ”
Cliodora stirred restlessly. “ Well, it doesn't have to be all that bad, does it? ”
Brastigan laughed. When she winced, he added gently, “ I suppose not. ” He was old enough to know that any court scheme boded ill. He was also old enough to envy his little sister her innocence.
The girl murmured restlessly, “ At least you get to go somewhere. I never get to do anything except sewing. ” She made a face.
“ It's a useful skill for a lady, ” put in Therula as she sat, serenely sewing.
“ You, too, eh? ” Brastigan smiled ruefully. First Lottres, now Cliodora. Everyone wanted an adventure. He hugged her lightly. “ Well, I'd love to have you with us. ”
She brightened. “ You would? ”
“ Sure! You'd — . ”
“ The queen would never hear of it, ” Therula interrupted severely.
“ I know, ” Cliodora sighed.
“ Oh, come on. A princess needs to know practical things. Right? ” Brastigan turned to Lottres for support, and found him again deep in thought. It didn't look like he was mooning over the forthcoming noble mission, but still...
“ Hey, Pup. ” Brastigan reached out to kick the leg of his brother's chair.
Lottres again started. “ Hmm? Oh, I'm sorry, Clio. What were you saying? ”
“ Nothing, ” she answered softly, pouting.
Therula relented. “ It is a bit dull here in the castle. Perhaps Lionor and I can come up with something suitable for an all girls excursion. For now, I want you to run along, Cliodora. Your mother will be worried about you. ”
“ She's just down the hall, ” the girl protested.
“ Cliodora. ” Her older sister fixed her with a stern gaze.
Reluctantly, Cliodora turned to hug Brastigan, burying her face in his chest. “ Be careful, ” she said to his tunic. “ And come back soon. ”
“ Of course I’ll be careful! ” He laughed to reassure her. “ Why are you going on about this? Sure, the talking bird is weird, but I'll be in no danger. ”
“ I hope not. ” She didn’t sound convinced.
“ Besides, I’m the greatest swordsman in Crutham, ” he boasted cheerfully. “ Come on, now. Nothing is going to happen. ”
Both Lottres and Therula rolled their eyes at his bravado.
Perhaps it was paranoia, but Clio's distress seemed off to him. So did Therula's bossiness and Lottres's distraction. What else was going on that he didn't know about?
Another prim glance from Therula herded the younger girl from the room.
“ You wouldn’t really bring her along, would you? ” Lottres asked doubtfully as the door swung shut.
“ No, ” Brastigan drawled scornfully. Then he darted a glance at Therula. “ But don't you tell her that. Just because she's youngest, she gets left out of everything. ”
“ As if I would, ” Therula sniffed, but then she smiled. “ And since when are you the concerned older brother? ”
“ Maybe you don't know me as well as you think, ” he retorted.
“ Well, don't tease her, ” his sister advised.
“ How could I take her with us when I don't even know where we're going? ” Brastigan added, shooting another glance at his brother. Lottres was staring at the fire and didn't answer.
Brastigan didn't care much for book learning, but he knew vaguely that Sillets was an empire across the high mountains of Verelay, to the north. Crutham and Sillets warred periodically. In fact, Joal
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