me of their victory."
" How many troops are out there?"
Ro ger laughed. "They brought the army, because even though I'm giving them Jeram, you can count on Vista fighting."
" What about your Father?"
Roger snickered. "What about my Father. He's old, he doesn't matter any more. He's in the way."
Kurt grabbed one of the troopers and pulled him out of the room. Liz couldn't hear what was said, but Kurt came back and the trooper didn't.
"Vickers, you're jailer for now. We'll see about a proper cell for the baronet real soon."
" Ladies, if you could step out here for a minute?"
His arm seemed to find its way around her shoulders, then jerk away.
"What was that?" he asked. "That wine?"
" The Wine of the Gods," December answered. "It is a powerful healing spell, and rejuvenation, and fertility, and it's an aphrodisiac of incredible power. It's magic. Where I come from magic is . . . not really more common, but it has survived strongly in a few spots. Gisele and Wolf made it, years ago . . . " She frowned. Who are Gisele and Wolf?
" Magic." Kurt seemed to think that over for a long moment. "What, beside giving a eunuch a hard one, can you do."
" I'm not sure. The trauma or whatever . . . I might be able to stop fires, and any building or digging you need to do in rock, I can help. Metal, I'm good with metals. I think."
" I see." Kurt eyed her dubiously, raised a eyebrow at Liz.
" Not me. I'm ordinary."
" Never that." He turned his head as booted feet tramped in the building. "Stone? M'lord Baron? Come this way please."
Liz looked at December. At the bottle in her arms. "Well, magic or not, we are about to be besieged."
" And me with a baby. This isn't good."
" It's not good even without a baby." Liz said, following the lady back to their rooms.
" Ah, but here you are with your Prince."
Liz crossed her arms and scowled. "I'm the horsemaster's possibly illegitimate daughter. Don't go all romantic. I hear Quail crying."
Quail was yelling and definitely angry, and was even a bit slow to nurse.
"Oh, dear, you're too little to hold grudges." December told her. "I'm sorry I left you alone, but we had an emergency. Liz, all that wine I bought is under the bed, will you pull it out?"
" Are you going to magic it all?"
" Yes. We may see a lot of injuries really soon now." December settled down in a chair as Quail's hunger over came her indignation. "And we're going to be cramped for space, depending on how many farmers can get inside the town walls."
" Even the baron, and . . . his household. M'lady! I left my brother out there. I left him."
" Wait until there's news, or enough time that there ought to have been news. Then rip yourself up. In the mean time, step outdoors and see what the mood is. Warn the tavernmaster that if it's not too late this would be a good time to lay in some extra supplies."
From the front hallway, Liz could tell that the tavernmaster was already trying to lay in more supplies, a glance out the doors was all it took to know that the news had spread. Siege soon. A farmer's wagon of hay creaked down the road, and Liz was nearly knocked down as the tavernmaster charged out to try and buy it.
Phant om. Horses get eaten in sieges . Her gut twisted, and then she spotted her mother, Avis in arms, Christopher and Benjamin clinging to her skirts and Margarite herding the older three. Only Lonnie was missing.
"Oh. Lizzie, here, can you put the children somewhere, I have to get back and help pack, we don't have anything but the clothes on our backs, and the baroness said she was going to take all the empty rooms here, and the whole staff is going to have to fit in somehow."
" Food, Mother. Food is much more important than clothes. Margarite go with her, load up on preserved and dried foods. Strip the pantry of everything you can carry." She took Avis, and Benjamin and Christopher transferred to her, just as they had a week and a half ago, before . . . everything. "C'mon guys, we'll go to my room,
" How many troops are out there?"
Ro ger laughed. "They brought the army, because even though I'm giving them Jeram, you can count on Vista fighting."
" What about your Father?"
Roger snickered. "What about my Father. He's old, he doesn't matter any more. He's in the way."
Kurt grabbed one of the troopers and pulled him out of the room. Liz couldn't hear what was said, but Kurt came back and the trooper didn't.
"Vickers, you're jailer for now. We'll see about a proper cell for the baronet real soon."
" Ladies, if you could step out here for a minute?"
His arm seemed to find its way around her shoulders, then jerk away.
"What was that?" he asked. "That wine?"
" The Wine of the Gods," December answered. "It is a powerful healing spell, and rejuvenation, and fertility, and it's an aphrodisiac of incredible power. It's magic. Where I come from magic is . . . not really more common, but it has survived strongly in a few spots. Gisele and Wolf made it, years ago . . . " She frowned. Who are Gisele and Wolf?
" Magic." Kurt seemed to think that over for a long moment. "What, beside giving a eunuch a hard one, can you do."
" I'm not sure. The trauma or whatever . . . I might be able to stop fires, and any building or digging you need to do in rock, I can help. Metal, I'm good with metals. I think."
" I see." Kurt eyed her dubiously, raised a eyebrow at Liz.
" Not me. I'm ordinary."
" Never that." He turned his head as booted feet tramped in the building. "Stone? M'lord Baron? Come this way please."
Liz looked at December. At the bottle in her arms. "Well, magic or not, we are about to be besieged."
" And me with a baby. This isn't good."
" It's not good even without a baby." Liz said, following the lady back to their rooms.
" Ah, but here you are with your Prince."
Liz crossed her arms and scowled. "I'm the horsemaster's possibly illegitimate daughter. Don't go all romantic. I hear Quail crying."
Quail was yelling and definitely angry, and was even a bit slow to nurse.
"Oh, dear, you're too little to hold grudges." December told her. "I'm sorry I left you alone, but we had an emergency. Liz, all that wine I bought is under the bed, will you pull it out?"
" Are you going to magic it all?"
" Yes. We may see a lot of injuries really soon now." December settled down in a chair as Quail's hunger over came her indignation. "And we're going to be cramped for space, depending on how many farmers can get inside the town walls."
" Even the baron, and . . . his household. M'lady! I left my brother out there. I left him."
" Wait until there's news, or enough time that there ought to have been news. Then rip yourself up. In the mean time, step outdoors and see what the mood is. Warn the tavernmaster that if it's not too late this would be a good time to lay in some extra supplies."
From the front hallway, Liz could tell that the tavernmaster was already trying to lay in more supplies, a glance out the doors was all it took to know that the news had spread. Siege soon. A farmer's wagon of hay creaked down the road, and Liz was nearly knocked down as the tavernmaster charged out to try and buy it.
Phant om. Horses get eaten in sieges . Her gut twisted, and then she spotted her mother, Avis in arms, Christopher and Benjamin clinging to her skirts and Margarite herding the older three. Only Lonnie was missing.
"Oh. Lizzie, here, can you put the children somewhere, I have to get back and help pack, we don't have anything but the clothes on our backs, and the baroness said she was going to take all the empty rooms here, and the whole staff is going to have to fit in somehow."
" Food, Mother. Food is much more important than clothes. Margarite go with her, load up on preserved and dried foods. Strip the pantry of everything you can carry." She took Avis, and Benjamin and Christopher transferred to her, just as they had a week and a half ago, before . . . everything. "C'mon guys, we'll go to my room,
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