terraced fields yielded enough to feed a small herd of sheep and not much more. But somehow Lord Farid endured and even profited from his herd and his small quarry, and rarely asked anything of his prince other than wine or a little food to tide him through an unusually long winter.
Rohan had visited Skybowl as a child, and the sight of so much water in one place had astonished him. Wonder had given way to terror when his father had picked him up and tossed him into the shallows. Zehava had jumped in a few moments later to make sure his heir did not drown while he learned perforce to swim. Lord Farid, however, had taken Zehava to task for scaring Rohan, and in the days that followed had taken the boy out to demonstrate the finer points of the art of staying afloat. Rohan had overcome his fear of water and even regretted leaving Skybowl—and had never forgotten Farid’s defense of him.
The second vassal chosen was Eltanin, who ruled Tiglath, a walled northern city formerly held by the Merida. Eltanin was a young man and had inherited from his father only a few years earlier, and his eagerness to attend the Rialla was augmented by his hopes of finding a wife there. Rohan liked him, and in their conversations Eltanin shyly admitted that he could understand exactly how Rohan felt about being an inexperienced young man in an important position.
Rohan was not completely happy about the third choice, but he hoped to use Baisal of Faolain Lowland to advantage. The athri’s new keep was his sole concern, which in some ways made him the perfect advocate for the other lords. Stone for his castle was far down on everyone’s list of priorities, so he would fight tooth and claw for the other lords’ wants in the hope that Rohan would eventually get around to haggling for his Syrene stone. The young prince marveled at the odd logic of his vassals in sending Baisal, but it made sense of a sort. At least they hadn’t saddled him with Abidias of Tuath Castle.
The journey was a miracle of organization, especially as there were nearly a hundred people to oversee. Princess Milar’s chamberlain had stayed at Stronghold to help with remodeling chambers for Rohan’s use, and the loss of his nervous fluttering was a blessing. Rohan had expected Urival, as Andrade’s chief steward, to take official charge, but instead the duty had fallen to Ostvel and Camigwen. The young woman was a wellspring of capability and firmness, and her Chosen was a man of tact and good humor. Between them they provided meals that were both delicious and on time, efficient organization of the camp, and strict supervision of everything. Rohan mused about persuading Andrade to part with them. His mother’s chamberlain would drive him utterly mad if they dealt with each other on a daily basis, and Sioned had admitted a total lack of the talents Camigwen had long since mastered. Besides, she would like having her friends with her at Stronghold.
Accordingly, on the fourth afternoon of the journey Rohan instructed Walvis to bring Ostvel up from his usual place with the faradh’im. Respectful but not obsequious in manner, with an open, cheerful smile, Ostvel spoke to him not as underling to prince—which would have made Rohan uneasy—but as knight to lord. The difference was one Rohan appreciated more and more as time went by and his new power set him apart.
“I wanted to thank you for keeping this menagerie in line on the trip,” Rohan began.
“Thank you, my lord, but it’s not really so difficult. Not with my Camigwen ordering everyone around!”
“Please compliment your lady for me. Do you plan to marry soon?”
“Well, my lord, she comes of a very good family up in Firon—as you can tell by the color of her skin and those eyes of hers—”
“Mmm, yes. Those eyes,” Rohan murmured, and Ostvel smiled at the compliment.
“I’ll confess, my lord, the minute I saw them—” He shrugged and gave a comical wince. “And we weren’t more than fifteen, either of us! Her people aren’t as highborn as some of Sioned’s, but certainly they’re more exalted than my family. I told her long ago that until I could offer her the chief steward of Goddess Keep for her husband, I wouldn’t offer her anything.”
“I’m sure it wouldn’t matter to her. But pride makes us do odd things, doesn’t it?” he added with a rueful smile.