Honor-Bound [ Lore of Penrua: Book III ]

42

"I don't see why I'm supposed to care about these girls," said Diarmán. He had not even bothered to unpack anything. In the midafternoon light, he lay on his back on the grass, gazing up at the swaying canopy of trees. Nearby, Uarria was making messy work of grooming Farra. Spikes of Farra's fur stuck up in all directions; she had one eye closed as Uarria worked on her ear, lying patient and still, but her tail flicked, revealing a hint of impatience. Ealin watched the cats, her gaze unfocused.

"I don't know if we should care about them or not." Uachi flung a water skin to Diarmán. It landed with a slosh on the ground at his right hand, where he left it, ignored. "I'm saying there may be something to it. Don't you think it's odd that Koren would take women into battle?"

"Girls, more like. Too young to marry off—or just old enough, perhaps."

"So what does that make them, then? Children? Children, Diarmán, at the front?"

"What am I, a Lorekeeper?" Diarmán sounded miffed. "I don't know, Uachi. They were part of this world before I was, and I've been out of the forest for thirteen years. Young teenagers, if I had to wager. Sixteen at the outside."

"Children."

"Maybe they're warrior maidens. I've heard you've your share of them among the rebel Arcborn of Penrua."

"Doubtful," Uachi said. He grunted as he slid the saddle off of his horse and let it fall heavily to the earth. Then he knelt to search one of the saddlebags for something to eat. "I can't say I've met many noblewomen in my time, but they're not known for wielding anything more dangerous than a needle. Or a sharp tongue, perhaps."

"Well, what else do you think?" Diarmán asked.

"I think there's a reason he wanted to keep them close, that's all. If he's like his father was, he won't do anything without a good cause. And what cause would he have to keep the daughters of an ally near to hand, Diarmán?"

The lordling gave a frustrated sigh. "I don't know, Uachi! To pinch their softest bits when he's feeling lonely? What does it matter?"

"Think!" Uachi straightened, scowling at Diarmán. "I'm trying to help you!"

"I don't need your help. You've done what was asked of you."

"Goddess above, I'm not used to this bellyaching from you. Did that woman strip away all of your jokes and good humor?"

"You didn't seem to enjoy my jokes while I had the good humor to make them. I'm not obligated to cheer you, Uachi."

"I'm not in the mood to be cheered. I want you to listen to me. I think Koren took those princesses with him to keep their mother in line. Wards of state. Something like that. If she moves against him, her children are as good as dead."

Diarmán didn't speak. After a moment, he rolled onto his side and propped himself up on an elbow. "So?"

"So...I don't know." Uachi tried to tear a hard roll in half, but it was too stale. He tossed it to Diarmán, who caught it out of the air. "Say they are not as strongly allied as we believe. Say he took her daughters so that she would not betray him. Say she's under his thumb, made vulnerable by a mother's love. That would give her a reason not to do the wise thing and turn the Corpsemaker's whelp over to Matei."

"I don't see what this means to either of us. If Koren took the princesses, he has the princesses. Be damned to them, and to Coratse as well. I don't care what becomes of any of them; they care as little, or less, for me and mine. Unless I can get my hands on the ladies and use them to barter for my own good, I've no interest in what you're going on about."