The Windsingers. Megan Lindholm

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СКАЧАТЬ around the end of the table, managed to snag his food dish. He sent it spinning across the room. It shattered against the door frame, and their opponents momentarily vanished. ‘It seemed to me that what he was saying was just as applicable to us as farmers and weavers. But…’ he cut in swiftly as Ki’s face darkened and she lowered her brows. ‘Now is not the time to renew that discussion.’ Ki groped around her end of the table and came up with her glass. She took hasty aim and hurled it. From the other room came the scuffling of feet as more ammunition was gathered. Vandien went on speaking calmly. ‘Your words were the perfect catalyst for the situation. Not one of them wanted to agree aloud with the tinker, for in their hearts they knew the foolishness of opposing the Windsingers. But he made them feel guilty and cowardly for such thoughts. Just when they would have had to agree with him, or slink off with their tails between their legs, here comes Ki to stand up and voice their craven opinion for them. Thus making it possible for them to take out all their frustrations on us, instead of turning it on themselves or the Windsingers.’

      As he spoke, Vandien tried his strength against each table leg in turn. The short stout legs were firmly affixed to the sand table, possibly in foresight against situations like this one.

      ‘I don’t consider it a craven opinion,’ Ki hissed. ‘It’s common sense!’

      ‘Whatever!’ Vandien shrugged and ducked at the same time. A mug clipped the upper edge of the table and bounced from the wall to fall harmlessly beside him. He returned it quickly. ‘Shall we argue about it before or after they get up enough courage to rush us?’

      ‘All journeys begin from where you are!’ Ki grunted out the old Romni saying as she popped up, grabbed two jugs from the shelf behind them, and crouched down again.

      ‘Meaning all solutions start in the now, not by looking for someone to blame,’ Vandien said loftily as he snatched down ammunition of his own. ‘Ki, this is decent drink, a rare thing in Dyal. I know, for I’ve sampled around. You don’t mean to throw full jugs?’

      ‘Watch me!’ Ki retorted, and dared to stand to let one fly. She had the satisfaction of seeing it shatter on the door frame, drenching at least two of their attackers and sending flying shards of pottery across the room. Ki laughed as they cringed. The stinging odor of splashed Burgoon rose.

      Vandien pulled her down barely in time; the basin that hit the wall behind her spattered them both with the brown slime of fermented Kessler beans. They gasped in the stench. Vandien’s reluctance for throwing full jugs vanished. Grabbing both of his, he rose and heaved them with a windmilling motion. Ki took advantage of his cover to seize two more jugs on the shelf. As they ducked together behind the table, several cries rose from the outer room. ‘We got one!’ Ki smiled savagely. As her eyes met Vandien’s, a spark jumped between them. This was dangerous, reckless, and above all a waste of good drink, but, damn, it was fun! The tension between them evaporated. The scar up Vandien’s face rippled with his shout of laughter as his flung jug took the tinker in the paunch and cleared him from the doorway.

      Ki heard an ululation of dismay. From the low T’cherian door that led to the kitchen, a dark set of stalked eyes peered at them. The shrilling rose and fell. Other eyes ventured around the frame to peer in. The tavern keeper. Ki sent a bottle to smash against the kitchen door, and the T’cheria darted back to shelter. Maybe now that her stock was being destroyed, instead of metal cups and mugs bouncing about, she would take action.

      Ki guessed correctly. Just as Vandien heaved the last jug they could reach without leaving the shelter of the table, she heard the warning shouts of the city guard outside the inn. The ruckus was over as suddenly as it had begun. Ki heard the rattle of retreating boots and shuffling Kerugi. Silence fell. She sent a delighted grin to Vandien that changed to a dismayed laugh as she tried to brush bean mash from her clothing. But Vandien’s face went suddenly blank, and she turned to follow the direction of his stare. The T’cherian tavern keeper stood in the doorway, flanked by two huge Brurjan. They wore the neck chains and harness of city guards. Their huge faces split in mirthless grins as the tavern keeper shrilled in lisping Common. ‘Those are the two! They started the riot, and must pay the full damages!’

      It was full dark when Ki and Vandien emerged into the dusty street.

      ‘Where’d you leave the wagon?’

      ‘A clearing outside town. Looks like a house burned down there, and someone abandoned the land. Good pasturage still.’

      They moved off down the street, taking long, swift strides. The night was rapidly becoming as chill as the day had been hot. Puffs of greyish road dust rose with every footfall.

      ‘How much did they leave us?’

      ‘Five dru.’ There was deep disgust in Ki’s voice. ‘After you settled for your room and meals…’

      ‘At a reasonable price,’ Vandien interjected.

      ‘After you went to get your gear, the innkeeper reckoned up the damage – not only what we did, but also what the others did. The innkeeper told the guard that, but for my arguing, the tinker would have had his little drunk and done no harm. And she insisted that the jugs of Burgoon we threw held Sheffish brandy.’

      ‘What?’ Vandien stopped and rounded on her, aghast.

      ‘Yes.’ She confirmed it grimly. ‘That’s what took most of the money. I had no way to prove it was Burgoon. Arguing with a Brurjan did not appeal to me.’

      ‘I doubt if there is a drop of Sheffish brandy in this whole town, let alone jugs of it.’

      ‘Nonetheless,’ Ki replied, ‘if she was going to be paid for liquor spilled and soaking into the floorboards, why not be paid for fine Sheffish brandy instead of cheap Burgoon? The Brurjan saw it her way.’

      ‘Moon’s blood.’ Vandien spat. They resumed their striding pace. The streets were all but deserted, and few lights showed from slit windows. Door hides had been dropped and tied over the slats. Beggar dogs ran free in the streets, sniffing out whatever they could. An odd sort of peace welled up in the shuttered town.

      ‘Well. We may as well push on toward Bitters tomorrow, then,’ Vandien ventured.

      Ki glanced over at him. ‘Why Bitters? I plan to pull my team and wagon into the hiring mart tomorrow and take whatever is offered. Five dru will not keep the team long in grain. I’ve almost run out of supplies myself. I can’t go on to Bitters on the chance of work there, and arrive completely coinless.’

      ‘But just beyond Bitters is False Harbor. There we would have food and lodging, for a few days, and a chance to find work afterwards.’

      She rolled her eyes at him. ‘Will you put that out of your head? Hasn’t it brought us enough trouble?’

      ‘You perhaps. Not me. Having given my word, I intend to see it through.’

      ‘Not with my team,’ she said flatly.

      ‘Of that I’m aware, my friend. So it must be another. Which means that I had best start for False Harbor immediately, to allow myself time to rent or borrow a team in Bitters.’

      ‘Rent?’ Ki asked incredulously.

      ‘Payment conditional upon my getting paid.’ Vandien shrugged off the difficulty.

      ‘Well, if anyone could talk a team owner into a deal like that, you could.’

      ‘Unless СКАЧАТЬ