She nodded. The progress had been her idea, after all. Visiting each keep would spare them the bother of a vassals’ meeting at Stronghold before the Rialla. Sioned would go to the southern holdings while Rohan toured the north. The tactic was satisfactory on many counts. Each athri would be honored by the presence of one of his rulers, which would emphasize his personal relationship with them and underline Sioned’s status as a working princess—as well as prevent the vassals from coming together to indulge in their usual squabbles. Besides all that, Rohan and Sioned would be able to see for themselves the state of each holding, and not be dependent on other sources of information regarding crops and herds. The convocation of vassals would be held after their return from Waes this year, when Rohan would present them with the terms he had won from the other princes on their behalf.
“I’ll miss you,” he said, stroking her braid with one finger.
“You’ll have a care to yourself won’t you?” she asked wistfully.
“Walvis and Tilal will see it to. I’m sure you gave each of them a list a measure long.” He took her face between his hands. “Smile for me, beloved. When you don’t smile, the whole world is dark.”
She rubbed her cheek to his palm and closed her eyes.
“Sometimes I wish I was a Sunrunner, too, or had inherited at least a little of what Tobin did. Then I could talk to you when we’re apart.” He embraced her, rocking gently back and forth. “You take care as well, my lady.”
“Ostvel says if you give him one more lecture on the subject he’ll tear his hair out.”
“I haven’t been that bad, have I?”
“Worse.” She drew away and smiled. “Remember to give Eltanin’s little boy the present I sent along. Walvis has it, and gifts for the others as well.”
“Hadaan will be furious that I didn’t bring you along to Remagev so he can flirt with you.”
“Your kinsman is a sweet old devil who flirts better with his one eye than most men do with both! Give him this for me.” She kissed Rohan’s lips soundly.
When she drew back he said, “I’ll tell him about it. Most of it.”
“Well, don’t tell him about this one.”
When she finally let him up for air, Rohan reflected dazedly that it would be nothing less than kindness to omit a description; Hadaan was an old man. Rohan was a young one and wasn’t sure he’d survive.
He kept and arm around her waist as they walked through to the hall. “Come downstairs with me?”
“Certainly not. There’ll be a stormcloud of dust and I’ll be coughing for days. I’m going to be a properly forlorn wife and stand on the battlements waving my scarf.”
Rohan made a face at her. “And people call me a fool!” He paused at the top of the stairs. “One of Andrade’s itinerant faradhi is supposed to be at Tiglath soon. If there’s any news, send to me there.”
“I will.” Sioned smoothed back his hair and smiled. “Goddess watch over you and bring you home safe, love.”
After kissing both her palms in homage, he hurried down to the courtyard. A short while later he was at the head of the seventeen riders wending their way through the tunnel into the Desert. Tilal was just behind him, Rohan’s standard proudly secured in his right stirrup. Walvis came next as knight-commander of the squadron. Emerging from the tunnel into glaring daylight, Rohan waited until he was sure he could see the keep, then turned in his saddle. He nearly burst out laughing, for there was the promised slender figure—waving a piece of silk the size of a battle flag. He called a halt and Walvis, understanding his wink, had the riders wheel smartly about to salute their princess.
Rohan saw the smiles on even the craggiest warrior faces. His people loved Sioned nearly as much as he did. They were proud of her beauty and her status as a Sunrunner; they approved of her care of him and his obvious happiness with her; and they loved her for herself. She tended their wounds and sicknesses, helped their wives in childbed, and had established a school for their children. From her household monies she dowered their marriageable daughters and sons. That she was utterly useless when it came to the everyday running of the keep was a matter for affectionate laughter, a foible that endeared her to them. Rohan knew that if he was ever