"They are," said Varien. "I was hoping that in all this time—we try to speak to them every year, as I tried last night, but they cannot hear us nor we them."
Will bristled. "She hears as well as you or I."
"I spoke of the Language of Truth. Lanen tells me it is called Farspeech among you." He sighed. "The mark of a sentient people is that they can speak and reason. I have little doubt of Salera's ability to reason, to some extent, but she cannot speak."
"But she can! She said her name to me the moment she arrived!" cried Will.
Well, that stopped everyone cold just long enough for the room to be suddenly full of dragon.
I watched as He slept and my heart was light with the joy of it. The touch of him, the smell, the sound of his voice, the sound even of his night noises, eased my fear and calmed my soul.
I had much to think of as I lay near him. The other two-legs I had seen were so different, especially the silver and green one. That one haunted me, for his touch was like cold water on my face, like flying out of a cloud into birght sunlight.
Like dawn.
When He woke I nuzzled him to reassure him, then I went out to hunt. It was a good place for hunting, the small creatures did not know my scent and I could catch them easily.
However, as the sun rose overhead I found myself restless again. I had thought that finding Him would settle my heart but it did not. I could not stay in that place, where there were so many of his kind and none of mine. Perhaps all would be well if we returned to our old home, and on the way he could meet my people.
The thoughts were not so clear as that, you understand. All I felt at the time was that I had to return to the high place with Him. But the result was the same.
I entered in the open door of the place he sat eating, surrounded by the other two-legs.
I wrapped the very tip of my tail around his leg.
I had to laugh. "So you want to go as well, do you? That you and Vilkas should join forces against me! It's not fair you know, kitling," I said, reaching out to stroke her neck.
She tugged ever so lightly at me. I knew how it would go if I didn't move. "Very well! I must pay my shot and get my cloak, then we'll be on our way." She knew the tone of voice and let me loose as soon as I stood up. I shooed her out the door—she knew what I meant and left—and I turned to the others.
"I don't know where you're bound, friends, but I'm going home. I've just been told." I grinned. "She's a good persuader."
Vilkas and Aral stood as well, and Gair came over. No idiot, my friend Gair. He knew the signs and he'd seen Salera leave. I expect the sight of her had kept him distant, true enough—Gair is not made to deal with wonders, or even with beasts other than horses and dogs—but once she was gone he made sure he was in amongst us.
"Was all to your liking?" he asked briskly, not letting anyone answer. "Good, good, I'm glad."
Rella was not best pleased. "We've paid, master," she said.
"Not for a ruined mattress and sheets," he replied promptly. "And Will, I can't let you have this on account I'm afraid. I'll need silver."
Damn. I'd forgotten I had not a single copper piece with me. Just as well that Lanen took over.
"Of course you will, master innkeeper," she said. "That is my concern, for it was I who ruined your goods. Now come, let us not disturb the others ..." She drew him away, her arm around his shoulder.
"You wouldn't believe that girl had never done a thing outside farm work until the autumn," said Jamie, with a kind of awed pride on his face. "She's amazing. You mind out," he said, turning to Varien. "She'll have you wrapped around her little finger if you're not wary."
"Alas, Master Jameth, I am already lost," said Varien, gazing after Lanen.
It takes all kinds, I suppose, I remember thinking. You must remember I didn't know her then, and she wasn't that much to look at. Certainly it was good of her to pay for our bed and board, but I was going to have a word with Vilkas. How did he expect to live on the nothing we had brought with us? The woman had been near death, he could have charged her a few silver coins at least for his pains!
Salera called from outdoors, a kind of half-roar. I hurried to collect my cloak from the room I'd slept in. Lady knows I had nothing else to carry.
When I returned everyone was outside. Jamie and Rella had gone to saddle the horses, and it turned out that Lanen had paid for our room and board, arranged food for the journey for both parties and had purchased blankets for Vil and Aral and me, which she had rolled and made ready to tie on behind various saddles so we wouldn't need to carry them. I was embarrassed and offended and grateful all together— and if you don't know what I mean then you've never been poor—but when I tried to thank her she shook her head and said, "Oh, no, Master Willem, take no offense I pray you. These are in the nature of a bribe, pure and simple. The four of us beg your leave to accompany you and Salera wherever you may be bound, and in earnest of our good faith we offer food, and blankets that are soon going to smell very strongly of horse."
I stared at her. Jamie was right, this one was cut from a different cloth. I blinked.
"Well, Master Willem? Will you allow me and mine to travel with you for a time?" she asked politely, but her eyes were twinkling. There was a smile deep down in there somewhere.
I couldn't help it, I grinned. "Caught you, Mistress Lanen! What would you do if I said no?"
She burst out laughing. "Follow you anyway!"
"Of course you would." With that expression on her face she looked half her age, a happy girl with a passing resemblance to my little sister. "Come then and welcome," I said, and my last doubts about these strange folk fell away. "My place is small, but it's a roof and four walls and I'm sure we'll manage somehow. I live about four days' easy walk up in those hills. Let us be off, before this wretched child knocks me off my feet again," I said, for now that we were outside Salera was stood beside me, nudging me with her head. "You're not very subtle, are you?" I said, patting her neck and murmuring happily to her. "I'm so pleased to see you, littling."
When the horses came up they had to be convinced about Salera. Her kind were uncommon enough that they had never encountered one, and there was a certain amount of snorting and backing and a kick or two, but Jamie knew what he was doing. Salera, too, did what she could to calm them, standing still to be seen and smelled.
"A moment, Will, of your kindness," said Varien, when the horses were calmer. He had kept quiet ever since I'd said that about Salera saying her name, but it was obviously something he wanted to get clear before we got moving. He came up right close to Salera, staring for all he was worth. She stared back at him. "You said she spoke to you?"
"She said her name," I said, proud of her. "Clear as day."
It was a most peculiar setting: a bright copper dragon with eyes as blue as the spring sky above, sitting with furled wings on the road outside a wayside inn listening intently to a man who looked unsettlingly like her, though I couldn't tell you how exactly.
Varien came around to stand before her, with Lanen right behind him. He bowed, then tapped himself on the chest, clearly indicating himself. "Varien," he said, and then he pronounced it a little differently. "Varian. I am Varian." He held out his hand, indicating her.
She started trembling. I'd never seen her do that. Everyone else came near, sensing that something important was happening.
Varien tried again. "Varian. Varian," he said slowly, tapping his chest. Then he pointed at me. "Will. Will."