Talon of the Silver Hawk (7 page)

Talon saw Lars moving to the chair closest to the head of the table and put his hands upon it to pull it out. Talon hesitated only a moment, then moved to his right to the chair closest to the head and mimicked Kendrick's and
Lars's motions: pulled the chair out with a slight turn, allowing the dinner guest—in the case of Talon's, a striking woman of middle years with a lavish necklace of emeralds around her neck—to move in and be seated, pushing the chair in slightly as the guest sat. Talon was only a beat behind the others, but he managed the feat without a flaw.

He anticipated his need to move down to the next chair and repeat the action, and quickly all the guests were seated. As Talon returned to his station, he saw Kendrick watching him and Lars move back to stand before his sideboard.

The girls began serving food, and then Lars took up a pitcher of ale and a decanter of wine and moved to the head of the table. Talon hesitated, looked at Kendrick, whose eyes narrowed only in the slightest as he glanced first from Talon to the sideboard, then back to the young man.

Talon duplicated Lars's movements and was at the side of the man at the head of the table, offering his choice of wine or ale. The man spoke in a heavily accented speech, but the words were Roldemish, and it was clear that in the flurry of witticism and observations, he was instructing Talon to pour the wine. Talon did so, attempting not to drip upon the table or the guest.

He then moved down the row of other guests, quickly filling goblets as instructed.

Once that had been accomplished, the rest of the evening passed without event. Throughout the course of the meal he refilled goblet after goblet, and when his own pitchers and decanters were nearly empty, one of the girls fetched them to the kitchen for a refill.

From Talon's inexperienced point of view things seem to progress smoothly enough. Near the end of the meal he sought to refill the goblet of the man at the head of the table, who indicated he wished no more by putting his hand briefly over the goblet before him.

Talon had no idea what to say, so he bowed slightly and backed away.

Kendrick stood discreetly behind the head of the table, watching every move of his staff, looking for any need that was going unmet.

When the meal was over, the guests indicated they were ready to leave. Talon hurried to a place behind the first chair as he saw Kendrick and Lars do so, and was only a half beat behind in gently pulling out the chairs so the guests could rise gracefully.

When the last guest was through the door, Kendrick followed, and as the door into the common room swung shut, the door from the serving room swung open and Leo strode through, shouting, “All right then! What are you about! Get this mess cleaned up!''

Suddenly Meggie, Lela, and Lars were grabbing platters and dishes off the tables, and Talon did likewise. They hurried back and forth between the dining room and kitchen and the task of cleaning began.

Talon quickly sensed a rhythm in this business, a matching of task to person, and he found it easy to anticipate what to do next. By the end of the night's work, he felt comfortable in the tasks asked of him, and knew that he would be even better able to execute them the next time he was asked.

As the kitchen staff prepared for the morning meal, several staying to prepare the morning's bread, Lela came to him, and said, “Before you sleep, Kendrick wants to see you.''

He looked around and quietly asked, “Where?''

“In the common room,” she replied.

He made his way there and found Kendrick sitting at one of the long tables before the bar with Robert de Lyis on the other side, both enjoying a mug of ale.

Kendrick said, “Boy, you are called ‘Talon'?”

“Sir,” said Talon in agreement.

“Talon of the Silver Hawk,” supplied Robert.

“That is an Orosini name,” said Kendrick.

“Yes, sir.''

“We have seen a few of your people by here from time to time over the years, but you tend to stay up in your mountains.”

Talon nodded, uncertain if an answer was required.

Kendrick studied him a moment in silence, then said, “You hold your tongue. That is a good quality.” He rose and came to stand before Talon as if seeking to see something in his face up close he could not see from a distance. After a brief inspection, he asked, “What did Leo say you were to do?''

“I was to pour wine into wine goblets and ale into ale goblets.''

“That was all?''

“Yes, sir.''

Kendrick smiled. “Leo thinks it amusing to toss a boy into service without mentioning all the duties. I shall again have to have words with him. You did well enough, and none of the guests realized you were not experienced.” He turned to Robert, and said, “I will leave him to you. Good night.''

Robert rose and nodded in farewell, then motioned for Talon to come sit.

Talon did so, and Robert studied him.

Finally, Robert said, “Do you know the name of the man who sat at the head of the table?''

Talon said, “Yes.''

“Who is he?''

“Count Ramon DeBarges.”

“How do you know that?''

“I saw him before, the last time he visited the inn. Lela told me his name.''

“How many rings did he wear on his left hand?''

Talon was surprised by the question, but said nothing as he tried to remember. After calling up an image of the count holding his wine goblet for more wine, he answered, “Three. A large red stone in a silver setting upon his smallest finger. A carved gold ring upon his next finger, and a gold ring with two green stones upon his pointing finger.''

“Good,” said Robert. “The green stones are emeralds. The red stone is a ruby.''

Talon wondered what the purpose of these questions was, but kept silent.

“How many emeralds in the necklace worn by the Lady to the Count's left?''

Talon paused, then said, “Seven, I think.''

“You think or you know?''

Talon hesitated, then said, “I think.''

“Nine.” Robert studied the young man's face, as if expecting him to say something, but Talon remained silent. After a long pause, he asked, “Do you remember what the Count and the man two places down, on his right, were speaking of when you were serving ale to the lady between them?''

Talon remained quiet a minute as he searched his memory. “Something about dogs, I think.''

“Think or know?''

“Know,” said Talon. “They were speaking of dogs.''

“What about dogs?''

“Something about hunting dogs.” He paused, then added, “I still do not speak the Roldemish tongue well, Robert.''

De Lyis was motionless for a few seconds, then nodded.
“Fair enough.” He then launched into a serious of questions, ranging from who ate what, what was discussed at various times, what manner of clothing and accessories the ladies wore, how many drinks each man consumed, until it seemed to Talon he would be there all night.

Suddenly, Robert said, “We are done. Return to the barn and sleep there until you are called. Then you will be moving into the servants' quarters here; you will share a room with Gibbs and Lars.''

“Am I then to be a servant in Kendrick's household?”

Robert smiled slightly. “For a time, young Talon. For a time.''

Talon rose and made his way through the kitchen, where loaves were rising before the hearth, waiting to be baked first thing in the morning. Realizing he had not eaten for hours, Talon paused to snatch an apple from a large bowl and bit into it. He judged them to be used for pies, but was content that the loss of one would be no great hardship for Leo.

Making his way outside, he saw the eastern sky was lightening. Soon it would be the time before dawn his people knew as the Wolf's Tail, that grey-upon-grey time in which a man can steal an early march on the hunt or a long journey, before the dawn breaks.

Entering the barn and seeking out his pallet, Talon threw himself down, fatigue overwhelming him, the half-eaten apple falling from his hand. As he wondered what fate had in store for him and the reason behind Robert's many and seemingly pointless questions, Talon fell quickly into an exhausted sleep.

Talon frowned.

He looked at the cards laid out upon the table and attempted to discern any choice that might create a solution. After examining the four cards he had just turned over, he realized there was no possible way he could continue the game.

Sighing, half in frustration, half out of boredom, he swept up the cards and began reshuffling them. He resisted the temptation to turn and see if the two men watching him were showing any reaction.

The white-haired man he had thought of as “Snowcap,” but who was actually named Magnus, stood beside Robert, who was sitting on a stool, brought into the dining room from the common room. Robert had introduced the concept of cards to Talon a week earlier.

The deck consisted of fifty-two cards, in four suits:
cups, wands, swords, and diamonds, each a different color, the cups being blue, wands green, swords black, and diamonds yellow. They were used primarily for games like lin-land, pashawa, and poker, or po-kir as it was called in Kesh. Robert had demonstrated several games and had Talon play a few hands of each to get familiar with the ordering of the suits, from the card known as the “ace,” which Robert explained came from a Bas-Tyran word for “unit,” to the lord. The lower cards were numbered from two to ten, but Talon saw no logic as to why the unit, or the one as he thought of it, was the most valuable card, more so than the lord, lady, or captain.

Talon smiled slightly to himself. He didn't know why that little fact, that the lowest number, the single unit, was the most valuable card, irritated him. Still, he did well enough with the games Robert had taught him. Then Robert had introduced him to the concept of solitary play, using the deck for idle amusement when lacking opposing players. The games were roughly a variation on a theme, different “layouts,” as Robert called them, with different ways in which to draw cards from the deck. Some games required the player to build cards in rows based on rank, in alternating colors of light and dark, or in order of number, or a combination.

Earlier in the previous day Robert had taken Talon from the kitchen—there were no guests, so duty was light—and had brought him into the dining hall. There he had introduced the game of “four lords.''

It was a perplexing game. Four lords were laid out from right to left, and four cards were dealt faceup. The object of the game was to place the cards by suit next to the lords, the only prohibition being that cards must be placed next to cards of the same number or suit. The next goal was to create “packs” of four identical number cards, in a square.
This continued until all four aces were together, at which point they were retired from the game. Then the twos, and so forth until only the lords remained.

Talon had discovered early on that it was a very difficult game to win, relying far too much on the random luck of cards coming out in a certain order, rather than skill. But some skill was required in anticipating situations in which cards would be isolated from others of like value.

For half a day Talon had eagerly played the game, determined to become a master at it. Then he realized just how much random luck was involved and became disenchanted with it. Yet Robert still insisted that he play, and sat behind silently to observe.

As Talon laid out the next game, he wondered not for the first time exactly why Robert was doing this.

Magnus whispered, “Robert, why are you doing this?''

Robert whispered, “The boy's people have little abstract logic in their daily lives. They were hunters, farmers, poets, and warriors, but their mathematics were basic, and all the disciplines based upon advanced logic were lacking to them. They had builders, yes, but no engineers and far fewer magic-users than any other people I'm aware of, perhaps one or two throughout the entire land of the Orosini.''

They spoke in the King's Tongue, the language of the Kingdom of the Isles, to prevent Talon from understanding them—and Robert judged his hearing very sharp.

“So the games are to teach him logic?''

Robert nodded. “They are a start. This is very basic problem-solving.”

Magnus's pale blue eyes were fixed upon the cards on
the table. “I've played four lords, Robert. You taught it to me, remember? It is a difficult game. He won't win many.''

Robert smiled. “It's not about winning. It's about recognizing a no-win situation. See, he's recognized that those four cards ensure that he can't win.” They watched as Talon gathered up the cards, leaving the lords in place, and started a new game. “At first, he went through the entire deck to reach the point of realizing he had no chance of winning. Now, less than two days later he's recognizing the more subtle combinations that show he can't win.''

“Very well. So he's got potential, talent even. That doesn't address the question of what it is you plan to do with the boy.''

“Patience, my impetuous friend.” He glanced at Magnus, who watched Talon with a fixed gaze. “It would have been better had you more of your father's temperament than your mother's temper.''

The white-haired man didn't shift his gaze, but he did smile. “I've heard that from you more than once, old friend.” He then looked at Robert. “I'm getting better at reining in my temper, you know.''

“Haven't destroyed a city in the last few weeks, have you?''

Magnus grinned. “Not that I noticed.” Then the stern expression returned. “I chafe at these games within games.''

“Ah,” said Robert. “Again your mother's son. Your father has taught me over my entire adult lifetime that we can only deal with our enemies when they present themselves. Over the last thirty years we've seen so many different assaults upon the tranquillity of our lives that it defies imagining. And there's only been one constant.”

“Which is?” Magnus turned his attention again to Talon's game.

“That no two ploys of the enemy have been alike. The servants of the Nameless One are cunning, and they learn from their mistakes. Raw power failed, so now they achieve their goals through stealth. We must respond in kind.''

“But this boy . . . ?”

“Fate spared him for a reason, I believe,” said Robert. “Or at least, I'm trying to take advantage of an unexpected opportunity. He's got . . . something. I think had this tragedy not befallen his people, he would have grown up to be simply another young Orosini man, a husband and father, warrior when the need arose, farmer, hunter, and fisherman. He would have taught his sons the ways of his ancestors and died in old age satisfied at his lot.

“But take that same lad and forge him in the crucible of misfortune and heartbreak, and who knows what will occur? Like fired iron, will he become brittle and easily broken, or can he be turned to steel?''

Magnus remained silent as Talon began another game. “A dagger, no matter how well forged, has two edges, Robert. It can cut both ways.''

“Don't teach your grandmother to suck eggs, Magnus.''

Magnus grinned. “My father never knew his mother, so the only grandmother I'm aware of did a fair job of conquering half the world; I wouldn't have dreamed of teaching her anything.”

“And you have your mother's nasty sense of humor, too.” He turned from the King's Tongue to Roldemish to say, “Talon, that's enough. It's time for you to return to the kitchen. Leo will tell you what needs to be done.''

Talon put the cards away in a small box and handed the box to Robert, then hurried to the kitchen.

Magnus said, “I'm still uncertain what you think this boy will contribute to our cause.''

Robert shrugged. “Your father showed me many things when I was young, but the most important lesson of all was simply the very nature of your home. Your island provided refuge and school to all manner of beings I couldn't have imagined in my most youthful dreams.” He pointed toward the kitchen. “That boy may prove to be nothing more than a valuable servant, or perhaps a well-crafted tool.” His eyes narrowed. “But he also could be something far more important, an independent mind loyal to our cause.''

Magnus was silent for a long moment. Then he said, “I doubt it.''

Robert smiled warmly. “We had doubts about you when you were younger. I remember a certain incident when you had to be confined to your room for . . . what was it? A week?''

Magnus returned a faint smile. “It wasn't my fault, remember?”

Robert nodded indulgently. “It never was.''

Magnus looked toward the kitchen. “But the boy?''

“He has many things to learn,” said Robert. “Logic is only a start. He must come to understand that even the most important issues in life can often be seen to be games, with a sense of risk and reward and how to calculate them. He must learn when to walk away from a conflict, and when to press his luck. Much of his nature, what he was taught as a child among his people, must be taken from him. He must learn about the game of men and women—did you know his future wife was being arranged for him while he waited upon a mountaintop for his manhood vision?''

“I know little of the ways of the Orosini,” confessed Magnus.

“He knows nothing of the most common knowledge in the city; he has no sense of duplicity and deceit, so he has
almost no instinct for when someone is lying to him. Yet he has a sense in the wild that would rival that of a Natalese Ranger.''

“Caleb told me he hunted like no city-born man,” agreed Magnus.

“Your brother spent years with the elves; he should know.''

“Agreed.”

“No, our young friend Talon is an opportunity. He is, perhaps, unique. And he is young enough that we may be able to educate him to be something few of us can be.''

“Which is what?” asked Magnus, clearly interested.

“Unlimited by our heritage. He's still able to learn, while most of us at his age are already convinced we know everything.”

“He does seem a ready student,” Magnus conceded.

“And he has a sense of honor that would serve a LaMutian Captain of Tsurani descent.''

Magnus raised an eyebrow. Those of Tsurani descent were as hidebound where honor was concerned as any men living. They would die to discharge a debt of honor. He looked for a moment to see if Robert was exaggerating and realized that he wasn't. “Honor is useful, at times.''

“He has a mission already, even if it has yet to come to the surface of his mind.''

“Mission?”

“He is Orosini. He must hunt down and kill the men responsible for the obliteration of his people.''

Magnus let out a long sigh. “Raven and his band of cutthroats. No mean feat, that.''

“The boy's already a hunter. When he is ready, he'll seek them out. I would rather have him do so with better weapons than his bare hands and native wit. So, there is much we must teach him, both of us.''

“He has no skill for magic, I imagine, or else you would have sent him back to Father instead of bringing him up here.''

“True, but there are other skills besides magic, Magnus. I am not jesting; he has a nimble mind, and there are far more complex tasks to discipline thought than playing games with cards. If he is to serve us, he must be as tough in spirit and intellect as he already is in body. He may not have any skill in magic, but he will face it, and he will face minds far more adept in backstabbing, double-dealing, and deception than he could possibly imagine.''

“If it's double-dealing you're worried about, you should have brought in Nakor to tutor him.''

“I might still, but not yet. Besides, your father has Nakor down in Kesh on some errand or another.''

Magnus stood up. “Ah, then the prospect for war between the Kingdom of the Isles and the Empire of Great Kesh is now excellent.”

Robert laughed. “Nakor doesn't wreak havoc
everywhere
he visits.''

“No, just most places. Well, if you think you can ready the boy to chase down Raven and kill him, good luck.''