Just before the
evening meal, Egeria heard an equis neigh. Radan opened the door, shouted a
greeting and ran into the yard. “Jetan, come to the house. Why did you take so
long to reach the farm?”
Egeria watched the
men. The newcomer’s green eyes shone with laughter. His light red hair hung in
a braid to the middle of his back.
“Been busy. Stopped
here and there to earn coins by tending beasts.” He pointed to the equis. “This
beauty was a gift from the Thamaturg after I treated his favorite mare. I’ve
coins aplenty.”
Radan laughed. “For
poor boys we’ve prospered. Look at my farm and house. Makes Pa’s look like
nothing to brag about. There’s an orchard and a woodlot across the road that’s
mine, too. Trag, take his equis.”
They brushed past
Egeria. Their faces showed they shared a heritage, but the younger man was
taller and leaner. He moved with a lithe grace. His eyes held none of the anger
that smoldered in his brother’s eyes.
“Set a second
place,” Radan ordered. “Jetan comes to stay a bit. Tave, fetch the jug of
fermenti and move your things into Trag’s room.”
Malara offered hot
herb-scented cloths. The man washed and sat at the table.
“My thanks, lady,”
Jetan said.
Radan punched his
brother’s shoulder. “No thanks needed. She does what is right to honor a guest.
Have you grown soft since I last saw you?”
Jetan shook his
head. “Just using the manners Ma taught us.”
“The family? Have
they recovered from the earth shakes?”
“Last I heard. Not
been home for more than a year. Ma was ailing. Pa beat her bad when the last
born was a girl. Couldn’t help her so I left. I won’t go back.”
Radan poured
fermenti into two small cups. “Neither will I. We’re best gone. Nothing for us
there.” He touched his cup to Jetan’s. “You can find a place here. Lots of
families need a man with coins to pay their taxes.”
Egeria placed a
platter of fried pullet and hearth-roasted taters on the table. Radan gestured
to Malara. “She’s first woman of my court. Carries my quickened seed.” He
pulled her onto his lap. “Next week I’ll go to Angara
and fetch a second woman.”
Jetan pointed to
Egeria. “And her?”
Radan snorted.
“Moon-touched. Locals believe to bed her will bring ill luck. Don’t want to
stir them so I leave her alone.”
Jetan lifted a piece
of pullet from the plate. Moon-touched? He could swear he’d seen awareness in
her blue eyes. His gaze followed her movements at the hearth and his body
heated with thoughts of plowing her. If he could win her, there would be no
thoughts of sharing with Radan. Where did she sleep? Though if she was proscribed,
he’d have to be wary. “Maybe I should visit the pens. Been near three months
without a woman.”
Radan shook his
head. “One of us must stay and I’ve a great need to get away. Since taking the
farm at harvest, I’ve been no further than the village. Spend some days here
and see if there’s a woman on one of the nearby farms you fancy.”
Jetan’s gaze drifted
to Egeria. She walked like a filly newly come into season. Moon-touched? Maybe
and maybe not.
No comments:
Post a Comment