Silver May Tarnish

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Authors: Andre Norton

BOOK: Silver May Tarnish
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To Linnette Horne, old friend, and a very good companion at many conventions
—L. McC.
Lorcan
I
was born in Erondale in the Year of the Pard. It was not a large dale, yet it was prosperous. My father was of the House of Paltendale and of that House men whispered. As well they might. My older brothers told me tales of some of our bloodline who had done monstrous things. But I was a child. Tales such as these were ancient stories told around the fire and their truth could not be easily measured.
When I was old enough to understand, I was told that our wise woman had foretold for me at my birth, and the fate she had given me was strange. She had studied my tiny hands before peering deep into wine in the bottom of a cup. Then she had spoken.
“Three sorrows shall come upon him in this place before he goes from it. Nor shall grief be done with him.” At which point I am told my mother cried out and my father rose to say “enough.”
“For all men there is sorrow,” he said.
“That is the truth, Lord Joros. Yet for this one there shall be more sorrow than comes to many. He shall wander and in that wandering he shall find treasure unlooked for. Gold shall it be, and flowing, heart to his heart. Then shall he cease to wander.”
After which saying she sat silent, and when they saw she would say no more my father gave her a silver coin and the parting cup. I think he believed much of her foretelling as folly since everyone knew Ayneta was more herb woman than woman of Power. But my mother was comforted by the promise I should do well once sorrow had passed.
I knew that my father was a good man, ordering our keep well. He was also a patient man, slow to anger and a good teacher. By the time I was seven summers, my brothers, both some years older than I, were already training to be warriors as was the custom for lads of noble birth. There had been two babes between us but both had died when the coughing sickness came in the Year of the Pronghorn. It was a sweet and peaceful life, but nothing lasts forever, and at the start of the year I would turn eight the bad times began.
“Lorcan, do not be daydreaming. Father says he will take you hunting with us this time.” My brother Anla called up the stairs to where my mother brushed my hair. I squirmed free.
“I must go.”
“At least take a cloak. It will be cold in the hills.”
I caught up a well-worn short-cloak descended to me from Anla. “I'll bring you back flowers, Mother.”
She laughed. “Bring back meat as well. Although,” her face was wistful, “I would like the scent of hill-roses. Winter was over-long this year.” I smiled at her.
“I'll bring both.” She was ungainly in late pregnancy and women at such times crave strange things, so my father said. I would bring her hill-roses. The wise woman from the village said that this time the child would be a daughter. That pleased me. I would like to have a small sister. I slipped out to join my father and Anla.
“Slow-poke,” Anla greeted me. “You'll catch nothing standing about. Let us ride.” Devol brought my pony. I thanked him and he winked as he boosted me to the saddle. I liked Devol. He had always some amusing tale and he
made me laugh. He had wandered in from another dale and stayed to work since he did well with horses.
My pony was small but swift on his hooves, fast to turn and twist. I grinned up at my brother. “Beat you to the thicket by the hill path.” Before he could reply I was gone. Drustan laid his hooves down in a soft thunder as we flew up the narrow winding track. It was not until we were almost at the thicket that Anla had room to pass us. He did so in a burst of speed before reining in, laughing at me affectionately.
“A forfeit. I claim forfeit.” His voice was gently teasing.
I nodded It was fair and besides, he was complimenting me by treating me as a man in this and not as a child. “I'll unsaddle for you, and lay out your bedding if we stay in the hills tonight,” I promised. Anla reached over to pat my shoulder.
“Good lad. You are growing.” He turned back to my father, who had joined us quietly on his big gray. “Where do we ride, Sir?”
“To the valley where Merrion killed the pronghom last Summer.” Merrion was my other brother but just now he was at Paltendale learning from the arms-master there.
We nodded and fell in behind him as he rode. Presently he began to talk politics with Anla. I listened, keeping my tongue between my teeth. It was man's talk and if I interrupted they might change the subject. Anla was speaking.
“The last time he was home Merrion said that the men of Alizon are causing trouble again.”
My father sighed. “I heard. It is always so. If it is not one who makes trouble it is another. But I think this will come to nothing. Even so, I will have you lads well-trained in war. A man must hold what he has. He must rule himself before he rules others. Next year you go to Paltendale; Lorcan, too, once he is twelve.”
I forgot my resolutions of silence and squealed in excitement. “To Paltendale, to learn the sword?”
My father smiled down. “The sword, and many other
things besides. There is more to a keep ruler than the sword. He must be able to tell quality in goods, beasts, and men—he must be able to rule men. To command and be obeyed. He must know tactics in war or skirmish and be able to do all that is needful so he may know if his men do well and aright.”
I made a face. “Why must Lord Hogar teach me such things? You are my father.”
His eyes grew serious. “I am indeed. But already you have learned some of what I can teach, and in the bearing of arms a boy learns better from one who is not of his close family. That is why we foster each others' sons, as we did Hogeth for three seasons.”
I fell silent. I had not liked Hogeth. He was a third son even as I was, though he was more than twice my age. He had left our home only the previous Fall and I had been glad to see him go. He was a bully. One who was always just that much too rough—though he called it play. Horses and hounds tended to move away when he was near. My father saw this, I knew, but he said nothing. Hogeth was son to Paltendale. Erondale was a cadet branch and we owed fealty to the older, larger dale.
We rode on at a steady pace for much of the day. I was weary when at last we made camp but I paid my forfeit honorably. The next day we hunted. It was a good hunt. Two pronghorns fell to my father and Anla. I had only a sling, but when a pheasant rose whirring I cast my stone and the bird fell. I took up another stone and waited. A rabbit, disturbed by the horses' hooves, hopped to one side and again my stone struck squarely. After that I missed my shot at another rabbit. Still, my father was pleased as we took up our game.
“It is well. A barren hind and a spiker buck. The rabbit we shall eat for breakfast. We shall have grilled deer's liver tonight and the pheasant shall be roasted once we are back.” I licked my lips. Roast pheasant as our cook prepared it would be a treat at the high table. My mother
would be pleased. I must remember to gather hill-roses for her before we were down from the hills.
The camp that night was joyful. My father laughed and told old tales, Anla carved a whistle from a twig and played. I sang the song which went with it, a Dales march called “Pick up Your Feet.” It was sweet that evening. I slept well and rose early to build up the fire so that we might eat my rabbit before we rode home. I rode ahead after a while and found a patch of the hill-roses. They were starting to bloom so that the pink and white petals scented the air. I picked buds just beginning to open, bedding them in damp grass before placing them in my saddle-bag. They would do well enough until I could give them to my mother.
We returned to a bustle in the stables as the deer were carried away. I carried the pheasant myself. It was my quarry and none should bear it but me. Cook received it from me in true appreciation.
“Good lad. A fine bird, and it will make a good meal. I'll roast it as you like.”
“With glazing of honey and pork fat?” I licked my lips as he nodded. “Mother likes it that way, too.”
“True, now, here's a slice of fresh bread. Take yourself out of the kitchen. We'll be busy from now on.”
I accepted the bread, sprinkled lightly with honey crystals, and departed. I ate it on the way to my mother's solar. There I opened the saddle-bag and presented the roses. Mother caught them to her with a cry of pleasure.
“Oh, Lorcan. They smell so sweet. Talsa, a vase.” Her elderly maid brought it and my mother busied herself arranging the roses. “There, place them on the shelf by the window.” I was pleased to see her joy in them and bethought me of my pheasant.
“I brought you something else.”
“And what was that, I see nothing more you carry. Is it hidden? Do you have it under your cloak?” She pretended to look for it, tickling me so that I squirmed and giggled.
“A pheasant, it's a pheasant. I brought it down with my
sling. Cook has it. He's roasting it the way we like.” I spluttered out the information through laughter as I dodged her tickling hands.
My mother sat back. “So, that was a good hunt. I shall eat roast pheasant and praise the hunter.” I felt pride in her words. We talked a while longer before I left. The food that night was good. The pheasant was all I could have wished and cook had made a pastry case around a haunch of venison stewed in its own gravy. I ate heartily of both and slept so soundly I was late rising.
All was pleasant for two days, then I came inside to find a commotion. Mother's maid was speaking earnestly to my father as he stood looking worried. He waved me away angrily when I would have stopped to listen. Yet I caught a little of their words.
“I fear … not well.”
My father nodded. “Call Ayneta.” He stared around before his eyes fell on me again. “Lorcan. Go to Ayneta and say she is needed here.”
“Who's ill?”
“I have no time to answer questions. Get Ayneta, hurry.”
I always obeyed my father, but this time there was something in his voice which made me run desperately, almost panicked by that tone. It could not have been fear. My father was a brave man. But I felt my own heart pounding as I bolted for the wise woman's cottage. Once there I pounded on the door calling her name. She opened it and recognized me in an instant.
“Lorcan?”
“Come quickly. Father says you must come.”
She asked no questions but turned on her heel, snatched up a padded carrysack, and ran heavily towards the keep. I pelted alongside. Once at the keep Ayneta swept up the stairs to my mother's rooms. I would have followed but Anla held me back.
“Come and help me in the stables.” I'd seen the look my father gave him. I was afraid.
“It's Mother, what's wrong with her?”
In his own way my brother did his best. “She's just bearing. It takes time. Come and help me school the new horse. I need someone light to back him.” I hesitated, torn. I loved my mother, but if it was just a baby there was no need to worry. She'd had five safely. In the end, the delight of helping Anla at his own request outweighed my anxiety. But when we returned to the keep my worry rose again. My father was not in his seat. There was no sign of my mother, her maid, or Ayneta either.
I asked questions which were ignored. I would have gone to my mother but the way was barred by a shut door. Those inside would not open to me. At last Anla was able to pull me away and get me to bed. I slept uneasily, fearing I knew not what. I woke early and crept out towards the stairs. Slowly I ascended them to the tower where my parents had their own private rooms. Then I sat on the steps and waited. Sooner or later the door would open. I was hungry but I remained.
Towards mid-morning it did open. Talsa came out bearing a small wailing bundle. She saw me and stopped.
“Lorcan, how long have you been here?”
“I woke at dawn.”
“Well, this is your new sister, Meera.” I moved up a step to gaze on a small pink face. Huge unfocused blue eyes gazed up. I had a sister. The door was open behind Talsa and I looked past her. My mother lay white-faced upon the bed. Her eyes were shadowed and her face was drawn, the skin tight upon the bones. Her eyes met mine and she spoke, but so weakly I could not hear. My father appeared and beckoned me. I walked past, trying to keep myself from showing my fear for her; I could smell blood, and within me I knew what I would not allow myself to believe.
“Mother?”
“Lorcan, listen to me. I love you, my son. Look after your sister. Obey your father. Remember me.” Her voice failed and Father took me by the shoulders.
“Where is Anla?”
“Working with the new horse again, I think.”
“Bring him, quickly, Lorcan.”
I ran again, trying to outrun my own fear. I burst into the yard, frightening the horse so that Anla dodged plunging hooves and swore.
“
Lorcan
! What do you think you are doing.”
“It's Mother. Father says to come at once.” He stared at me so that I blurted out what I feared. “Anla, I think she's dying.”

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