The King's Bastard - By Rowena Cory Daniells Page 0,26

had banned the use of their feathers for all but royalty. Not that Piro wanted a head-dress adorned with hercinia feathers, no, she just wanted to see them for herself to discover if they were as brilliant as the feathers of her own pet foenix. Privately she doubted that any bird, Affinity or otherwise, could be as handsome.

While the milliner fitted her mother's new head-dress for the midwinter ceremony, Piro gazed out the window into Rolenton Square. She could just see the base of the shop's sign.

A familiar profile, carried on broad shoulders, strode by.

Piro gasped. 'Byren!'

'Byren?' her mother echoed. 'Surely he hasn't brought the Royal Ingeniator back already?'

'It is Byren!' Piro dashed towards the door, throwing it wide open. Sure enough. There he was, unmistakable because he was so much taller than everyone else. And he was with Garzik as well as Orrade, so he must have gone on to Dovecote estate. They all wore packs on their backs, slung with skates.

'Byren!' With a yell she set off after him. Heads turned.

He spun around, saw her racing across the cobbles and gave that crooked grin that made one dimple appear in his cheek.

She laughed, throwing herself at him. He caught her around the waist, lifting her into the air and swinging her around. She loved it.

Effortlessly, he set her down. 'Uh. You're getting too big for this, Piro!'

'I don't even come up to your shoulder!' She laughed.

'I meant too old.'

She ignored that. The longer she could put off growing up, the better. Being a grown woman meant always behaving with decorum and a thousand restrictions that would drive her mad. No, she'd fight every step of the way. Why limit herself, when she'd rather be out riding with Byren than sitting in her mother's solarium balancing the castle's books or cross-checking the kingdom's laws? 'What are you doing back already, Byren?' She nodded to Orrade and grinned at Garzik. 'So your father finally let you out without a nursemaid, Garza? Where's Elina? What happened to your head, Orrie?'

The three of them exchanged looks and Orrade fingered the bandage.

'A branch fell on me,' Orrade said. 'Elina's not well. She may not come to the midwinter ceremony.'

'Oh, no.' Piro didn't try to hide her disappointment. 'What's wrong with her?'

Orrade opened his mouth but nothing came out.

'Piro?' Byren frowned at her. 'What are you doing running around Rolenton like a seamstress's apprentice on half-day? Mother wouldn't approve. Where is she by the way? Have you snuck away again?'

'Not this time,' Piro admitted then saw his expression. 'Oh, don't be angry with me, Byren. It's such a pain being expected to behave like a -'

He looked past her. 'Tell that to Mother. Here she comes!'

Piro winced but the queen only had eyes for her son, as she swept towards them.

'Byren, it is you!' Queen Myrella grabbed his vest and pulled his face down to hers, planting a kiss on each cheek. Then she stepped back beaming. Only a single stray curl revealed how she must have thrown off her head-dress to dart after Piro. She smiled at the two Dovecote brothers. 'Orrade. And Garzik, how you've grown! I trust your father is well.'

'Well enough,' Orrade answered stiffly.

The queen touched his bandage briefly. 'What happened to you, Orrie? Are you all right?'

'A small head wound. It's nothing.'

'That must have given your father a fright. Where is he?'

'What are you doing, Mother, strolling around Rolenton without the honour guard?' Byren chided. 'You're setting a bad example for Piro. No wonder she's half-wild!'

The townspeople, who watched them at a respectful distance, smiled as the queen laughed like a carefree girl. It wasn't as if they needed a guard in their own home town.

'Lence took the guard to get an ale while we did our shopping,' the queen explained.

'Oh, I'm so glad to see you, Byren,' Piro announced. 'You can take me down to the wharfs to watch the sled ships.'

'You're just glad to see me because you hate shopping,' he teased, then grew serious. 'Mother, have you heard from Winterfall or the Royal Ingeniator?'

'No. Is something wrong?'

'We found a new seep, but don't worry. They're sending for sorbt stones and the Affinity warders will control it.'

'Queen Myrella,' Orrade began. 'There's something you should know. I've -'

'Queen Myrella!' An old woman threw off her hood, shuffling out of the crowd to confront them. Even though her voice was little more than a rasp, it carried on the cold, still air. 'Queen Myrella, true heir to Merofynia, heed