The Star Scroll Part 25

"The journey from Kierst was not one you enjoyed, I think," she observed wryly. "Volog, it seems our grandmother's influence hasn't entirely missed your line after all."

"I'm not faradhi faradhi-gifted, your grace," Alasen said quickly, and with such firmness that Sioned's brows shot up. "Others besides Sunrunners are ill in ships."

Volog shrugged. "Whether she's gifted or not remains to be seen, Sioned. I thought you might like to meet her just the same."

Sioned correctly interpreted this to mean she was to find out whether or not Alasen was indeed faradhi. faradhi. It hovered on her lips to ask why Volog had not taken her to Andrade long ere this, but the glance of loving indulgence he gave his daughter explained all. Alasen denied the possibility; her father could not bring himself to submit her to Andrade's testing against her will. Sioned was his next best solution. It hovered on her lips to ask why Volog had not taken her to Andrade long ere this, but the glance of loving indulgence he gave his daughter explained all. Alasen denied the possibility; her father could not bring himself to submit her to Andrade's testing against her will. Sioned was his next best solution.

"I'm delighted to meet her," she said, smiling. "If you're feeling up to it and you've nothing else to do, would you care to accompany me to the Fair today? My husband has strictly forbidden me to buy my son presents to spoil him, and naturally I have no intention of obeying."

Volog rumbled with laughter. "The rights of a mother su percede the commands of a husband, and rightly so! G.o.ddess knows, her mother and I have spoiled Alasen shamelessly."

"Rohan's father once told him that daughters are to be indulged, for it's a husband's problem to discipline a woman." Sioned laughed softly, but did not miss the tightening of Alasen's lips at the mention of husbands. "I can't say that Prince Zehava ever took his own advice, for he indulged both daughter and wife until the day he died. Rohan never believed him, anyway!" She turned to the girl. "I'd be glad of your company today, Alasen."

The banter had relaxed her, and she gave Sioned an enchanting smile. "I'd love to join you, your grace."

"Then I'll leave her in your care," Volog said, and departed.

Sioned took the girl's arm. "If you feel you can't use my name just yet, then please call me 'cousin.' Between the two of us it's actually true, not like most of the others I have to address by that term." She wrinkled her nose and Alasen grinned.

"I know exactly what you mean. Every time I have to use it with Prince Cabar, I'm reminded how grateful I am that it isn't isn't true." true."

"Our dear cousin of Gilad is a bit on his dignity, isn't he?"

"He's pompous, arrogant, and unbearable," Alasen summed up tartly, then blushed. "My father's right-I've been so spoiled I forget to speak with proper respect."

"Speaking it and feeling it are different things. We're family, Alasen. Say whatever you like." Sioned winked at her. "G.o.ddess knows I I do!" do!"

The two women were dressed casually, and as they joined the queue at the bridge there was nothing to distinguish them from anyone else going to the Fair that day. All rank and privilege were set aside, a relief from the ceremony of other occasions. The vendors addressed everyone from serving maids to princesses with exalted t.i.tles; the prettier the lady, the more outrageous the form of address. Men, be they lords or grooms, were always "Your Excellency" at the Fair. Plain garments and a leveling of rank were the rule.

Nevertheless, Sioned's red-gold hair was well-known, even though the huge emerald on her finger was hidden by thin leather gloves. Attempts to defer to her were discouraged with a smile and a shake of her head, which only led to more deference. She politely refused a place at the head of the queue waiting to cross the bridge; a path opened up for her anyway. On the other side of the river, merchants forsook the rest of their customers to wait on her. She pointedly moved away when it happened, and after a time word spread that the High Princess was in the crowd but did not wish to be recognized. Things settled down, and she was able to do some serious shopping.

"Is it always like this for you?" Alasen asked.

"For the first little while, yes. Long gone are the days when I could walk here unnoticed. This is your first Rialla, Rialla, I take it?" I take it?"

"Yes-and it's wonderful! I've visited Port Adni, of course, and the markets there. But it's nothing like this!" She gestured to the happy chaos of merchants' stalls, customers, squires and pages running errands, apprentices carrying fresh wares to replace those already sold. The Fair was bright with colored awnings and noisy with a milling crowd in a holiday mood-and, at the far end of the huge field, smelly with pens full of sheep, goats, calves, and young elk. Their bleating was nearly as loud as the chatter of the bargaining going on. The two princesses went to inspect them.

"Look at that little calf with the white splash on his face," Sioned told Alasen. "He's going to be an absolute monster when he's grown, and sire many generations just like him."

"How do you know about such things?"

"I grew up on a working farm, not in a palace," Sioned replied, smiling. "That little fellow is descended from stock I tended as a child. His bloodlines are quite as grand as any of Lord Chaynal's stallions." The calf, as if sensing himself the object of discussion, ambled over and snuffled at Sioned's outstretched hand. "Davvi's going to make a fine profit from you, my lad."

"Why should a prince concern himself with livestock?" Alasen wondered.

"A prince should involve himself in everything that happens within his borders. Actually, Princess Pandsala thought this up. It's her idea that the stock of all princedoms can be improved by mixing bloodlines. At a price, of course," she added, chuckling. "Cattle-breeding may not be as glamorous as Chay's horses, but it's a great deal more practical."

"My father says there are hawks for sale this year, too. Were they the regent's idea? May we go look at them?"

"I was headed there next. And they're my my idea," she continued as they started up a hill to the woods. "We could never afford good hawks when I was a girl. The best are bred in Princemarch and kept only for the very rich. They're still expensive, but most people should be able to afford them." idea," she continued as they started up a hill to the woods. "We could never afford good hawks when I was a girl. The best are bred in Princemarch and kept only for the very rich. They're still expensive, but most people should be able to afford them."

The caged hawks were in the cool shade of the trees. A few wore hoods despite the distance from the noise and bustle of the Fair. Sioned surveyed the results of her little scheme with satisfaction. The falconers were doing a brisk business, evidenced by little tags on many of the cages that indicated the birds had been sold. The tags were color-coded to individual princes and athr'im. athr'im. She was pleased to note that people had done their buying early. She was pleased to note that people had done their buying early.

Alasen gazed in awe at a preening amber-faced hawk. One long wing stretched the limit of the cage to show bronze and green and gold pinions. "Isn't she beautiful?" the girl whispered.

"I always wanted to fly," Sioned murmured. "Especially watching the dragons over River Run when I was little."

"It must be the most wonderfully free feeling in the world," Alasen said dreamily. "To know that all you need is the sky and the sun."

"It's something like being a faradhi, faradhi," Sioned remarked, and received the reaction she had expected. Alasen's shoulders stiffened and she turned away from the hawk. Sioned pretended not to notice. "I'm about to spoil my son by purchasing one of these birds. Help me pick out the best."

"But he owns them all, doesn't he?"

"He owns the right to breed them, which we sell at a nice sum to these good falconers, who reap the profits of their labors."

A bearded young man approached them, bowed low, and swept out a hand to indicate his wares. His full sleeves made the gesture reminiscent of flight, an impression accented by the sharp curve of his nose and two small, bright eyes.

"A hawk for Your Magnificences? None finer than mine! A personal grant from the high and mighty Prince Pol himself, given with his own royal hands. Modesty aside, my hawks are born of matings much like the one that produced the young prince himself-fabled lady mother and powerful princely sire that he has, and my hawks the same. Allow me to show you birds that the High Princess herself complimented me on only this morning, excellent judge that she is of all things in this world including hawks, and told me the famous emerald on her hand would be a fitting price for any one of these beauties."

Sioned stuck the gloved hand wearing the famous emerald into her pocket. "That's as may be. But how much are you willing to sell one for?"

He named a price that made her blink. Pandsala had set strict limits on the amount to be charged; even taking into account the bartering that would bring the price down, the final sum would be considerably above that limit. The idea was to make the birds available, not to make stupendous profit.

To Sioned's surprise, it was Alasen who began to bargain the price down. Her expertise was an education to Sioned, who had never been much good at such things. When she saw something she wanted, she could never bring herself to haggle and possibly work herself into a position where pride would compel her to walk away. Most merchants saw this in her face with the first halfhearted exchange. But Alasen was a true artist who obviously loved the game, and soon had the falconer clutching at his tousled hair and clawing at his beard in pretended agony. Sioned kept silent and enjoyed the show.

At last Alasen turned to Sioned. "You'd best go look at the other hawks. I'll join you shortly, I think-this man's skull is as thick and hard as an unhatched dragon sh.e.l.l."

Willing to play her part, Sioned strolled among the other cages. She asked about prices and found equally outrageous starting sums. She counted colored tags, made a rapid mental calculation, and returned to Alasen, who had bargained the price down to where it should have started.

After catching the falconer's gaze with her own, Sioned slowly and deliberately drew off her gloves. With the emergence of the emerald, the man's eyes popped. He looked at hair, eyes, and emerald again to confirm her ident.i.ty, then gave a howl of dismay that brought the other falconers running. For a moment Sioned thought he would prostrate himself and throw dirt over his head in penance. To his fellows, he shouted, "Her Most n.o.ble and Exalted and Gracious Royal Highness, the High Princess!"

Sioned looked them all over, hands on hips. "G.o.ddess greeting to you," she said sweetly. "I'm very happy to see things proceeding so well, and at so handsome a profit." She smiled, and guilt appeared on every face. Alasen hid a grin behind her hand.

"If memory serves," Sioned went on in a tone that indicated her memory was faultless, "a specific price was set for these hawks. Now, I have no objections to a modest markup. That's economics. But my son will be grieved to find that his generosity to you has not been matched by your generosity to your customers. A simple calculation of the probable sale prices of these birds tells me that each of you has made additional profits amounting to the price of one hawk each. There are five of you. Therefore," she concluded with another smile, "you owe my son five hawks." A meaningful pause. "Thus far."

"But-Your Excellent Royal Highness-"

Sioned ignored him. "My cousin fancies the amber-faced one over there. I rather like the one wearing the green hood, myself. That's two. I'll trust your judgment to choose the best you have and tag them as belonging to my son. Do we understand each other? Marvelous! I think I need not add that I have counted the number of unsold birds, and at a similar rate of unauthorized profit you'll end up owing my son eight more hawks-if you continue your current practices, that is."

"But-the scandal if our prices suddenly drop!" one man protested.

"Our first customers will be furious! I beg Your Worshipfulness to reconsider-"

Alasen spoke up. "They're right, cousin. As I see it, there are two solutions. Our good friends here can refund the difference when buyers come to collect their hawks-" She paused as they moaned, "-or they can stick to their prices and make their next customers believe themselves prodigiously clever bargainers."

"There is merit in what you say," Sioned replied thoughtfully, sternly repressing a grin at the girl's cunning. "It would indeed be embarra.s.sing for these honest merchants to admit they overcharged their first customers, after all. What do you say, my friends?"

The bearded falconer gulped. "Her Graciousness is all perception and genius. We will allow future customers to-to-" He choked slightly and one of his fellows poked him in the ribs. "The bargaining will continue until prices are what the regent specified," he finished, every word obviously tasting of vinegar.

"Splendid!" Sioned beamed. "So the five hawks-the two I mentioned and three to be chosen by yourselves-are all you owe my son. By the way, the birds are to be tagged for myself, the High Prince, my son, Princess Tobin, and Princess Alasen of Kierst-with whom you have just had the honor of speaking."

Alasen's eyes rounded in astonishment at the gift. Sioned took her arm and with a last smiling glance at the falconers led the girl back down the slope. They were barely out of earshot when Sioned could no longer contain her laughter.

"I haven't had that much fun all year! Can you believe what they were asking for those hawks? Pandsala will be furious."

"My lady-I really can't accept-"

"Why ever not? You earned it. And in case you hadn't noticed, those five hawks didn't cost me a thing. You said you loved to watch birds in flight, Alasen, and I can't think of anything lovelier than that golden-faced hawk with her wings spread to the sun. Not another word on the subject."

Alasen hesitated, then smiled. "From me, no-and thank you! But you'll hear plenty of words from people who think they're terribly clever in striking a bargain!"

They returned to the Fair, heading for the food stalls. Delectable scents competed with each other in a riot of temptation, and Sioned gave in gleefully. From meats, cheeses, cakes, vegetables, pies, fruits both fresh and preserved, and hundreds of bottles of wine, she chose an elegant luncheon.

"We'll take this down to the river so we can eat in peace," she said, handing Alasen a crock of fresh berries soaked in honey and herbs. She juggled the rest of the food while trying to avoid a tribe of young pages out for a day's fun. "Then I have to come back and find something else for Pol, and-oh!" She caught her balance and turned to the person who had jostled her, a handsome woman of middle years with a curiously intense gaze.

"Your pardon, n.o.ble lady," the woman murmured.

"No damage done," Sioned replied cheerfully. "It's quite a crush here, isn't it?"

"Yes. But I see you have no bread for your meal. I can recommend the baker from Waes, just down this aisle."

"Thank you for your suggestion, but-"

"His goods are not to be missed," the woman interrupted.

Sioned was about to smile another polite refusal. But something urgent, almost desperate, about the woman's eyes stopped her. "Indeed?" she asked cautiously, wondering how far the woman would go in her insistence.

Far enough to whet Sioned's curiosity. The woman plucked at the High Princess' sleeve and whispered, "Please, your grace."

"Show me."

She and Alasen followed the woman down the row of stalls to one with a bright red-and-yellow awning-Waes' colors, displayed by that city's merchants as all at the Rialla Rialla Fair showed their lord's colors by law. Rounds of unleavened bread were piled in baskets, sorted according to size and flavoring. All bore the baker's mark on top, an impression much like that made by a seal into wax. This baker had chosen a stylized ocean wave as his hallmark, which also appeared in white paint on the wooden stall. Fair showed their lord's colors by law. Rounds of unleavened bread were piled in baskets, sorted according to size and flavoring. All bore the baker's mark on top, an impression much like that made by a seal into wax. This baker had chosen a stylized ocean wave as his hallmark, which also appeared in white paint on the wooden stall.

The angular old man behind the counter turned from completing a sale, and his gaze narrowed at the sight of Sioned's escort. "Ah. Ulricca. Found me another customer, have you?"

"Only the best for this lady," Ulricca said.

"I have eyes," the old man grumbled, and pushed aside a yellow curtain at the back of the booth. "Mind that n.o.body steals while I'm gone," he admonished, and disappeared.

"The best?" Sioned murmured to Ulricca, who pretended not to have heard. Alasen looked a question at her, and Sioned gave a little shrug.

A moment later the old man was back. In his hands was a large round of bread wrapped in a clean though somewhat floury cloth. Sioned had coins ready, but the old man shook his head. "No money necessary. I know whom I serve."

"Even a highborn pays for her meals. I'm sure I shall value your best." She pressed two gold coins into his hand-a hundred times the cost of a loaf of bread.

"I trust so, n.o.ble lady." He bowed and went to help another customer.

"Sioned-where did that woman go?" Alasen glanced around, frowning. "I didn't see her leave. Who was she?"

"I've no idea." Sioned looked around for Ulricca and found not a trace of her. Shrugging, she took Alasen down to the riverbank and chose a seat beneath a trellis covered in flowering vines. She set out their meal with deliberate casualness and last of all unwrapped the bread. It was cool, and had been a long time from the oven; the cloth was not to protect Sioned's hands but to hide something about the bread that might arouse suspicion. It was Alasen who spotted the mark on the bottom of the loaf: not the baker's ocean wave but the rough outline of a dragon in flight, drawn in the dough with a knife.

"Is it a message?" Alasen asked, wide-eyed.

Sioned shook her head. "Identification." She pierced the edge of the round with her thumbnail. "I'll open this as if we're going to put our cheese inside. And if you move just a little to your right, those people eating over there won't be able to see a thing. Thank you. Aha!" She extracted a folded piece of parchment about the size of her palm, its surface sticky with oil. As she brushed it off, a golden circle fell out and she caught her breath.

"A ring?" Alasen breathed, then gave a start. "A faradhi faradhi ring!" ring!"

Sioned put the note and the ring into her pocket. "Yes," she answered. "Open the wine and let's eat."

When they had finished lunch they gathered up the leavings and walked down to the river, distributing crumbs to the birds. It was only then that Sioned took out the note. "This had better be worth the gold," she muttered. Alasen was nearly dancing with impatience as Sioned scanned the terse message and replaced it in her pocket. "There's only one way to separate a Sunrunner from his rings-which this note confirms."

"What does it say?"

"Forgive me, Alasen. I can't tell you. But I can let you know that you're right about its being a faradhi faradhi ring. It's the color of the gold-slightly reddish, as you saw." ring. It's the color of the gold-slightly reddish, as you saw."

"And the Sunrunner who wore it is dead."

"Yes. Otherwise it would still be on his finger." She looked down at her own hands. "I'm the only one who ever had her rings stolen from her and lived . . . never to wear them again."

"But the note-"

"I can't talk about it, Alasen."

"You think I'm too young and sheltered, don't you?"

"I was younger than you when I became Rohan's princess, so it'd be pretty rotten of me to hold your years against you. But there are certain things you should should be sheltered from, because honest innocence is the best defense against awkward questions. Right now you know that a Sunrunner is dead and that I received a message. If you don't know any more, you'll be safe. Not even princesses with Sunrunner gifts should know everything." be sheltered from, because honest innocence is the best defense against awkward questions. Right now you know that a Sunrunner is dead and that I received a message. If you don't know any more, you'll be safe. Not even princesses with Sunrunner gifts should know everything."

"You do," Alasen muttered. do," Alasen muttered.

"Oh, my dear! If only!" She paused a moment. "You didn't jump just now when I named you faradhi. faradhi."

Alasen broke cheese into bits she tossed in the water for the fish.

"Have you ever heard the story of Siona, the grandmother your father and I share? She was a Sunrunner at G.o.ddess Keep who met Prince Sinar at a Rialla. Rialla. They fell in love. It was a terrible scandal, because at the time princes and lords did not marry They fell in love. It was a terrible scandal, because at the time princes and lords did not marry faradh'im faradh'im-not formally trained ones, at any rate. It was feared that the gifts would emerge in the next generation of rulers, trained by faradhi faradhi parents without the supervision of G.o.ddess Keep." parents without the supervision of G.o.ddess Keep."

"Times seem to have changed," Alasen said with a furtive glance at Sioned.

"Andrade changed them to suit herself. It wasn't until me that the gifts showed up in the Kierstian line-and now you. It's not so terrible a thing, you know, being a Sunrunner and a princess."

"But it makes me valuable, doesn't it?" Alasen burst out. She flung the rest of the cheese into the water. Silver-green fish converged and the water roiled as they fought over the food.

"Ah," Sioned murmured, understanding. "If not for me and my rule-breaking marriage to Rohan, then you could have admitted your talents, been trained, and lived only as a Sunrunner if you chose. But because of me, you're an important young lady when it comes to marriage."

"It's not your fault," Alasen said quickly. "You're right, I know I have the faradhi faradhi talents. I've always known it. I didn't think it was possible to be a princess and a Sunrunner both. And I'm a Princess of Kierst-I have duties. Even if I had been trained at G.o.ddess Keep, my position demands that I marry a prince or a lord. So you see that it's better this way. I don't really have any choice." talents. I've always known it. I didn't think it was possible to be a princess and a Sunrunner both. And I'm a Princess of Kierst-I have duties. Even if I had been trained at G.o.ddess Keep, my position demands that I marry a prince or a lord. So you see that it's better this way. I don't really have any choice."

"But there's a part of you. . . ." Sioned prompted.

"Yes-a part of me that says if I don't learn those things, then I'll live my life knowing I'm only half of what I could have been. But I don't want to become like those calves or sheep, valuable for my faradhi faradhi bloodlines instead of for myself. It's bad enough being a princess with the kind of dowry my father will give me. But at least I've been trained for that kind of life." She glanced up at Sioned. "I don't think there's any training for being a Sunrunner princess bloodlines instead of for myself. It's bad enough being a princess with the kind of dowry my father will give me. But at least I've been trained for that kind of life." She glanced up at Sioned. "I don't think there's any training for being a Sunrunner princess except except life." life."