Cold Magics (20 page)

“It wasn’t the legs he was talking about,” said John. He turned to Thomas. “I assume she cleans up well?”

“Henry,” said Richard while Thomas was still formulating an answer, “what is she doing here? Or her brother, for that matter?”

“It’s a long story,” said Henry. “I’ll tell you everything when I speak to Father. Where is he, by the way?”

“With the city council,” said John. “They’re panicking about trade in the spring. Worried nothing will be left.”

“Can’t say as I blame them,” said Henry. “Now come. Food and drink, then rooms for my friends so they can clean themselves up.” He bowed to Eileen. “If I offered a bath, would I earn some forgiveness?”

“Mine, maybe,” said Eileen. “Good luck getting forgiveness from George.”

“I will strive to earn it,” said Henry, handing the first of the newly arrived mulled wine mugs to George. “Beginning with this.”

***

Two hours later, warmed thoroughly from a lunch of stew followed by a guided trip to the bathhouses beneath the castle, Thomas sat on a bench in the great hall. The castle was cold, and Thomas wore a thick sweater over his clean shirt and breeches. He’d kept his rapier on at Henry’s instruction.

The great hall was not empty anymore. A dozen young men were sitting around one of the tables and shooting dice. They didn’t notice Thomas immediately, and Thomas, unsure who they were, left them alone.

“Hey, there!”

One of the young men had risen to his feet. “Who are you?”

“Thomas Flarety,” said Thomas, rising and bowing slightly. “And you?”

“Lord Percy of Dunham,” said the young man, looking Thomas up and down. “What are you doing here?”

”Waiting for Lord Henry.”

“You’ll have a long wait, then,” said another. “He’s gone south.”

“He’s returned,” said Thomas.

That gained him everyone’s attention. “Who told you that?” demanded Lord Percy. “No one told us that.”

“I rode with him,” said Thomas. “We arrived about two hours ago.”

The others were all on their feet, now, and closing with Thomas.

“Did the king send men?”

“How many mercenaries did he bring?”

“Are any of his precious students coming?”

“Do we have enough to march out in force?”

“Did you see any of the enemy?”

“Where is he now?”

“The king is sending men,” said Thomas, thanking the training from his law classes that helped him keep all the questions straight. “Barons Cavish and Meekin are bringing them north along with the mercenaries, the foodstuffs, and those students who were given permission to come.”

“What about the enemy? Did you see them?” demanded a bulky, blond young man.

“Don’t be stupid,” said another. “If they’d met the enemy they wouldn’t be here.”

“Henry had his knights.”

“Henry had his knights before,” said a brown-haired one. “Didn’t stop him from getting beat and running away.”

“And he probably ran away again this time.” The blond one turned on Thomas. “So, did you see the enemy?”

“Aye,” said Thomas.

“Told you!” crowed the blond one. “No one would be getting here without the enemy spotting them. How many did you lose?”

“Two,” said Thomas. “Sir Michael and Sir Gareth.”

“Only two?” sneered the dark-haired one. “You must have run fast.”

“We didn’t run,” said Thomas. Before anyone could ask anything more, Thomas added, “But that’s Henry’s story to tell, not mine.”

“Lord Henry,” corrected Lord Percy. “He’s Lord Henry to you.”

“Who’s that?” said another of the young lords, shoving his chin to the direction of one of the inner hallways.

Eileen was standing in the door, wearing a clean skirt and thick sweater.

“Now there’s a pretty thing,” said another of the lords. “Tell me she isn’t Lord Henry’s.”

“She isn’t,” said Thomas.

“Then she’s fair game.”

“Thomas?” Eileen called.

Thomas smiled at the others and bowed slightly. “If you gentlemen will excuse me.”

He didn’t bother waiting for an answer before going to Eileen and taking her hand, bowing over it and kissing it. When he straightened, she was looking askance at him. “And what’s that about?”

Thomas made a slight motion of his head at the young men behind him. “Just disabusing them of whatever notions they were holding.”

Eileen looked. “And what notions were they holding?”

“They’re boys,” said Thomas. “What do you think?”

Eileen humphed, but squeezed Thomas’s hand in hers. “Have you seen Henry?”

“Not since the baths. He said to wait for him here.”

“This place is huge. I got lost twice on the way back from the baths.” She looked past Thomas’s shoulder. “They’re coming over.”

“Of course they are,” muttered Thomas, turning.

“Now, friend Thomas,” said Lord Percy, stepping past him to stand beside Eileen. “You have yet to introduce us to this lovely lady.”

“A sad lack of manners on your part,” said another of the young lords, stepping past him on the other side.

“Thomas was saying that you are currently unattached,” said a third.

“Was he?” Eileen’s eyebrow went up.

“Thomas was saying you were not with Lord Henry,” corrected Thomas.

“Well, he is right about that,” said Eileen.

“Then you must be open to better offers,” said a fourth. “After all, Henry is many things, but he could hardly be the first choice for a young lady as pretty as yourself.”

“He wasn’t.”

“Just as well,” said Lord Percy. “You could do so much better.”

Eileen smiled at Thomas. “I have.”

“Pretty as you are,” said another young lord, “why have we not seen you here before?”

“I came north with Henry,” said Eileen. “Along with my brother.”

“A family affair, is it?” said Lord Percy. “Tell me… I never did get your name.”

“No,” said Eileen, “you didn’t.”

A chuckle ran through a few of the young lords, and Percy managed half a smile. “Tell us then, missy,” he said. “What are you to Lord Henry, if not his lady?”

“A friend,” said Eileen. “That is, he is a friend of mine.”

“I’m sure he is,” said another of the lords, sneering at her. “I can’t imagine why.”

“I see,” said Percy. He turned back to Thomas. “And what are you, exactly? You’re not a noble or you’d have said so. Your weapons are wrong for a mercenary, and your clothes aren’t right for a merchant, so what are you?”

The main doors to the hall opened, bringing in a gust of cold air and a large-framed, older man wearing a long fur cloak and a sword. He was taller than Henry and his hair was streaked with silver, but Thomas could still see the resemblance. A half-dozen knights followed behind him, while servants scurried forward offering to take his cloak. When the man handed it off, Thomas could see the mail shirt he wore underneath.

The lords immediately left off and went to the man, bowing. He waved them away, and his eyes went to Thomas. “And who are you, that you wear a sword in my halls?”

Thomas advanced and bowed low. “Thomas Flarety, your Grace. I came with Lord Henry—”

“Henry’s back?” the duke’s eyes lit up. “Where is he?”

“I don’t know, your Grace,” said Thomas. “He was in the baths, last I saw him.”

The duke looked at Thomas’s rapier. “We don’t usually wear swords in my halls, young Thomas.”

“Your pardon, your Grace—”

“My fault, Father,” called Henry from the door. He, too, had changed, though rather than wearing a sweater like Thomas or Eileen, he had chosen richly dyed, fur-lined jacket. George followed him, wearing only a shirt and breeches and seeming unaffected by the cold.

The duke smiled. “Henry!”

The two met in the middle of the room, the duke embracing his son hard. “I was worried, boy.”

“Me, too, Father.” Henry stepped back and bowed. “It is good to see you.”

“And you! Did you have any success?”

“Some, though not as much as we’d hoped.” He stepped aside and raised a hand toward Thomas. “May I present Thomas Flarety.”

“We just met,” said Duke Antonius. “Henry has said many good things about you, Thomas, both in his letters home and in our conversations.”

Thomas bowed deeply. “I hope he didn’t exaggerate too much.”

“I hope the same,” said the duke. “Will you aid us, then?”

“To the best of my ability.”

“And may I present his friends,” said Henry, gesturing George and Eileen forward, “George and Eileen Gobhann.”

“Friends?” The duke frowned. “And one of them a girl?” He looked to Henry for an explanation.

“It was unfortunately necessary,” said Henry. “I did offer them shelter here, on your behalf.”

The duke’s eyes narrowed at Henry, but he nodded. “Of course. Any guest of my son is a guest of mine.” He looked over Henry’s head. “Approach.”

George and Eileen both looked rather nervous as they came forward to stand beside Thomas. George bowed stiffly and Eileen dropped into curtsey.

“Our thanks,” said Eileen.

“And why was it unfortunately necessary that you come?” asked the duke.

“That is something we should discuss privately,” said Henry before Eileen could reply. He pointed at his father’s mail coat. “Have city council meetings grown more dramatic these days?”

The duke was unfazed by the sudden change in subject. “There’s been talk of unrest in the streets. There are many refugees, and not enough food for them all.”

“I saw. What happened?”

“The same as was happening when you left. The enemy fights well in the snow.”

“So we’re hiding from him?”

The duke’s expression darkened slightly. “We’re letting him starve himself through the winter so we can fight him better when spring comes.” He inclined his head in Thomas’s direction. “Now tell me why you thought it was a good idea for this one to be wearing his sword.”

“I thought it would keep the servants from asking him questions until you had an opportunity to talk.”

“An interesting idea,” said the duke. “However, servants are not the only ones he met.”

Henry took in the young nobles and nodded a greeting to them. “Of course not.” He turned back to Thomas. “I take it none of them accosted you?”

“Not me,” said Thomas. Henry frowned, and George cast a speculative look down the hall at the young noblemen.

“I would speak with you, Thomas Flarety,” said the duke.

He dismissed his knights with a gesture and they filed out of the hall. “Henry, where are your brothers?”

“Here, Father,” said Lord John, dodging past two of the knights. Richard was practically on his heels. Thomas remembered what Henry had said about the network of spies in the castle and wondered who had run to inform each brother of their father’s arrival. “How was the meeting with the council?”

“They listened to me,” said Duke Antonius, “though few are happy about my decision.”

“Richard should have gone with you,” said John. “Two voices would have served better.”

“I would have sided with them,” said Richard. “If they were asking you to send out troops.”

Duke Antonius frowned at his eldest son. “They understand that we must hold what we have. Fighting a winter war is never wise.”

“As you say, Father,” said Richard, bowing. “I see you’ve met Thomas.”

“I have,” said the duke, “And would now like some quiet conference with him. Join us.”

The duke led them all out of the hall. The young lords watched as they passed, and while their eyes followed Eileen with interest, the duke’s presence kept them from saying anything more.

Duke Antonius took them up a flight of stairs and down a twisting hallway to a long chamber with a table running the length of the room, surrounded by a score of chairs. Three large candelabras lined the middle of the table, the candles unlit. The walls hung were with banners and weapons. A fireplace, stood in one wall, unlit. Pale light came in through a row of windows. The room was cold enough that Thomas could see his breath. The duke walked to the head of the table and sat.

“Close the door, sit down, and let us hear of this trip, Henry. Has the king promised men?”

“He has, Father,” said Henry as they all took places at the table, “though not as many as we had hoped. The king is giving us two hundred men, and some twenty students from the Academy will be marching with them. Barons Meekin and Cavish will be bringing five hundred mercenaries and supplies when they come.”

“I had hoped for twice the number from the king,” said the duke. “They will be enough to bolster our own forces, at any rate.” He looked to George and Eileen. “And why are these two here?”

“They were with us at the beginning of the summer,” said Henry. “They’re here because our actions raised some enmity among the Church of the High Father.”

“I meant in my council chamber,” said the duke, smiling. “But that does explain why a certain Father Roberts accosted me in the streets, claiming a great need to speak with me.”

“It does,” agreed Henry. “I suggest not seeing him any time soon.”

“I’m sure you do,” said John, “given your part in those troubles. What are we going to do with your friends?”

“George is a smith,” said Henry. “I’m sure we can find some use for him.”

“Can you forge weapons?” asked the duke.

“I can,” said George. He untied the knife sheath from his belt and offered it to Duke Antonius.

The duke pulled the long blade free from the sheath and examined it closely. “Very good work,” he said. “If you can make this, you can make arrowheads and spear-points.”

“I can,” said George. “And if your armourers are willing to teach me, I’ll make swords as well.”

Thomas wondered if George knew that he sounded exactly like Eileen did when she talked about going to the Academy.
Like brother, like sister
, Thomas mused, realizing a moment later that Eileen was going to be stuck without anything to do while she was in the city.

“And you,” said Duke Antonius to Eileen, as if reading Thomas’s thoughts, “What shall we do with you?”

“I… I don’t know, your Grace,” said Eileen.

“We can find something to keep her occupied, I’m sure,” said Henry. “Shall we give them both chambers in the family wing?”