The stormcaller

'Who's in the other apartments?' Isak demanded when he found his voice.

To his surprise, her gaze never wavered, even in the face of his obvious anger. She stared him down as she replied, 'Suzerain Tehran is still technically in residence, and Count Vilan has been allocated the other apartment.'

'But we met Tehran at his manor. And Vilan? Fetch Lesarl, now,' Isak snapped.

The count raised a black velvet-clad hand. 'My Lord, I am quite happy with the arrangements. I believe Sir Cerse invited Count Vilan here, and I would hate to interfere with that.'

Isak looked at his bondsman for a moment and then realisation dawned. He nodded briefly at Vesna, then turned back to Tila and said politely, 'My lady, the arrangements are most satisfactory. Please convey my warmest regards to the Chief Steward. I'm sure he would have given me a stable if he could.'

Tila curtsied again and swung about to return to the palace.

Vesna breathed in deeply as a brief gust of perfume washed towards him. 'I think she likes me.'

‘She has certain opinions, about-' Isak blushed, and continued, his voice softer, 'about sexual relations. I don't think you quite meet her standards.'

Vesna laughed dryly. 'I should hope not. Those sort of "relations", as you so coyly put it, are not for unmarried girls.'

‘I feel sorry for your wife when at last you do marry,' Isak said with a laugh.

‘Why? If I get all my dalliances out of the way beforehand, she will reap the benefit of my hard work and practice!' He smiled, and Isak

didn't push the subject further. It was clear Vesna had reeled out his defence time after time, whether he actively believed in it or not was not Isak's problem.

'Anyway, enough of this,' the count continued. 'I can decide how to win Lady Tila's heart some other time. What's more important is that Count Vilan is on a certain list in my possession.'

'I know; just don't be too impatient to get his chambers; understood?'

Carel watched Isak. Whether the boy knew it or not, he was growing into his position as much in attitude as he was in body. He felt a welling of pride in his heart, and gladness: for once his wild boy didn't have his usual look of wariness on his face. Now he didn't have to keep out of the way, or keep one eye open for a passing blow, nor did he have to endure the scowls and distrust of everyone he met.

Isak stood tall and proud. He'd shaken off the slouch he'd adopted as a child to disguise his height and he looked more alive than he ever had. No longer would Isak have to skirt around society: now life would shape itself about his battle-hardened figure. It was more than the child Carel had first met could ever have dreamed of. Now, with an enchanted blade hanging casually at his hip, a dragon on his cloak and clad in magical armour, he would be the envy of every boy in the tribe.

As Carel's gaze paused on Eolis, Isak's head snapped around. The youth's face was suspicious for a fraction of a second, then he forced out a smile again. 'Enough of business; we need food and wine.' He ushered Carel and Vesna towards the Great Hall, where the men crowding around the roasting boar parted respectfully. Isak piled as much food as he could carry into his bowl, then directed Carel to the head table with a nod of his head.

Once they were all comfortable, he asked Carel, 'So what news do you have?'

Carel looked up from his food and hesitated for a moment, trying to read the Krann's face, but finding nothing, started, 'Well, Valo finally got around to marrying Faean, Jedah gave birth to a baby girl a day shy of midwinter-'

'That's not what I meant.'

'Well then, just ask. How can I guess whether you want to hear about Horman or not? You've been living with politicians for hair a year; you've grown one of their blank faces.'

Isak looked startled, then his more familiar expression of slight anxiety spread across his face.

'So, is he glad I'm gone?'

'What do you think?'

'I expect he misses having someone to bully. I expect he's got less to complain about, so he's drinking rather than talking.'

'Close enough to the truth there. But of course he misses you. You're still family, even if you can't stand each other. You've got your whole life ahead of you, and quite a life it'll be now. His ended when your mother died. Whatever he thinks of you, you were the last link to her. Many's the time I've got drunk with him and he's not said a word, just run that green ring around and around in his hand for hours.'

'Well, don't expect me to see him,' Isak growled.

'I don't.'

Isak looked surprised at Carel's easy acceptance. He snorted and slapped his palm on the table. 'You're surprised? My boy, you're not the only white-eye I've known, and I damn well know you better than any man alive. You're as proud as you are nasty sometimes. On top of that Horman, my friend as he still is, has done little to deserve your love.'

'Little?'

Carel waved a finger at him. 'He looked after you better than some I've heard of. Whatever else you say, and however begrudgingly it was given, you never went hungry. Deny that and I'll slap you so hard your armour will fall off. There were some all for giving you a child's portion at meals, instead of more than Valo could manage. Not one would have dared say that to your father.'

'Why not?'

‘Well, for a start, no one wanted to talk about you unless they had

to – they were your mother's folk, and a superstitious rabble, then and now. You look like your mother, and everyone knew what she meant to Horman; he took his loneliness and frustration out on you for that,

but he’d not have seen you starve, whatever words his temper might put in his mouth.’

‘Perhaps. But I'll be more alone than he ever was – at least he had someone once; he had a child, even if it was a white-eye.' And look what the loss did to him.'

Isak didn’t reply, but Carel could see from his clamped jaw that the boy understood more than he was going to admit. Before the

conversation could continue, Tila arrived with a second bowl of food for Isak.

Vesna rose at Tila's arrival, a smile on his lips, but Tila, feeling like he was mocking her, pointedly ignored him and sat down next to Carel, who waved a spoon in greeting. She had immediately warmed to the ageing soldier: there was a warm generosity about him, a feeling of dependability and reassurance, like a loving uncle, perhaps

– quite unlike the handsome charms of Count Vesna, whose glittering eyes were not exactly indecent, but they were most certainly predatory.

Tila wore a simple, warm dress, but with a glance and a smile Vesna managed to make her feel as though she were dressed fit for a summer ball. She had no intention of trusting a man like that. His face was too comely, his words too welcome, his presence too magnetic.

'My Lord, was the battle as much of a success as we have heard?' she asked, breaking her concentration away from Vesna.

'Was that really all of the Ghosts returning today?' Carel asked before Isak could finish his mouthful and reply to Tila's question. He sounded concerned; Carel had been a Ghost; he knew what a full complement looked like and was well able to guess their losses.

Vesna nodded. 'Near enough. Some stopped at their homesteads, but with those killed in battle and winter picking off the injured, we're almost four hundred down. Success? My Lady, it was, but at a high price. Still, Isak led well in his first battle and that's a good sign for the future.'