We did no more than reach the top of the stairs and start down, and every eye below was riveted on us. Tammad was there with Cinnan beside him, a dozen l’lendaa ranged behind them, half Tammad’s and half Cinnan’s. They stood in a large marbled courtyard, marbled columns and arches rising around its perimeter, more l’lendaa and seetarr visible through one of the arches. Also around the perimeter were two dozen l’lendaa who seemed to belong to Dallan, all armed, all alert. A large, beautiful fountain stood in the far right-hand corner of the courtyard, but no one seemed in a mood to appreciate its beauty. Anger and impatience and wariness rose up at me in waves, unseparated and undefined even when I met Tammad’s gaze without looking away. There were too many minds there for his to dominate, even with the clear displeasure flickering across his features. If I hadn’t expected trouble sooner, that expression alone would have kept me from being surprised. Tammad and Cinnan began walking toward us as soon as we began descending, and by the time we were at the bottom of the steps they were only five feet away and waiting for us.
“Aldana, l’lendaa,” Dallan greeted them pleasantly, nodding to them in a friendly fashion. “I am told you come seeking our assistance. How may we aid you?”
“You have already aided us by ending our search.” Tammad answered, his voice calm and neutral, but just barely. He and Dallan had locked eyes, and Dallan’s hand was no longer on my arm. “I take it you are the one called Daldrin.”
“I am Dallan, drin of Gerleth,” Dallan answered, the ghost of a smile touching his lips. “At one point and for a certain purpose, I was indeed called Daldrin. You, I take it, are he called Tammad. ”
“I am,” the barbarian said, forcing calm on himself with enormous effort. “I have come for my wendaa—and she who was banded by Cinnan as well.”
“My cousin Aesnil is here and well, though far from pleased with her new lot,” Dallan said, sparing a quick glance for a tight-lipped Cinnan. “She receives the courtesy in my house that I received in hers, an experience she will not soon put behind her. Should he who is called Cinnan wish it, he may remain as guest in this house, to watch his wenda from afar or even to be served by her, as he chooses. At the proper time, he will then be able to return her to her former place.”
“And what, I would know; do you consider the proper time?” Cinnan asked, giving Tammad no opportunity to speak the words he had intended.
“The proper time will be when she has learned something of humility and obedience.” Dallan answered, his smile widening to a grin even though he still looked only at Tammad. “Should you decide to remain, speak to the overseer of my house at your convenience. ”
Cinnan nodded as though Dallan could see the gesture, but made no move to leave Tammad’s side. Now that he knew Aesnil was safe, he could afford to forget about her for a short while. Tammad’s business wasn’t done, and everyone there knew it.
“I have heard no words from you regarding my wenda,” the barbarian pursued, his eyes now the blue of ice. “I will have the return of her now.”
“Your wenda,” Dallan mused, the grin having left him. “A man who cannot keep his wenda by him has not a right to the wenda. A man who two-bands her, then five-bands her, then four-bands her, shows little interest in her peace of mind and self-concept. As you four-banded her, name your price to the overseer of my house and he will see that you receive it. She now stands five-banded and cherished as well, and will remain so as long as I live.”
I was shaken by the strength of the disgust coming from Dallan, but not as much as by the blast of rage coming from the barbarian. The force of the rage literally staggered me, and I might have fallen if not for the hand of one of Dallan’s guardsmen on my arm. Dallan, who had begun turning back toward the stairs, ready to take my arm again, must have seen me pale and knew immediately what the problem was. Rather than trying to help me in any way, he quickly turned back to Tammad, who had taken two steps forward with the very first echoes of his rage.
“No man has the right to come between another man and his wenda,” the barbarian grated, his voice sounding like two stones rubbing together. “You know nothing of that which lies between us, nothing of what I—” His words broke off abruptly as he fought to calm himself, but the effort was useless. He was well beyond calm, and his eyes more than showed it. “It makes no matter,” he continued, again having locked eyes with Dallan. “All that concerns us is that no man may give himself approval for banding save with a sword. My wenda has not been offered to you, nor shall she be. Return her now or face me. ”
“I shall not return her,” Dallan answered, standing as tall in mind and body as the barbarian. “It will be my pleasure to face you. ”
“No,” I said, practically to myself, not believing they were really going to fight. And then, because I knew they were, I shouted, “No! I will not be fought over! Do you hear me? I refuse to be fought over!”
I might as well have been shouting over the side of the mountain into the valley. Tammad backed off a few paces then turned toward the center of the courtyard with Dallan following right after him, both of them ignoring me as if I hadn’t said a word. I began to move forward, to stand between them if necessary, but Dallan’s guardsman still had his hand on my arm. The others in the courtyard were all moving back toward the pillars and arches, giving the two central figures all the room they would need, and as real as I knew the confrontation was, I still couldn’t believe it. The two men were Dallan and Tammad, and they couldn’t really be serious about using the swords they were drawing; they didn’t really intend trying to kill each other!
“I have looked forward to this meeting for some time,” Dallan said to Tammad with a smile, raising the sword he held. “By the rite of five-banding do I defend possession of my woman. ”
“There is that which is deeper and more binding than five-banding,” the barbarian returned with a similar smile, also raising his sword. “The woman is mine.”
Their minds were hardened metal and rock, cold and unmoving and completely determined. I was so close to true shock I could have brushed it with the silver gown I wore, tripped over it and fallen. The smiles on their faces were absolutely ghastly, lacking all humor of any sort, making me shiver so hard I nearly pulled loose from the guardsman’s grip. Their polished metal swords rose glinting in the sunlight, sharp and deadly, long and graceful, handled with ease despite their weight. Tammad and Dallan, two tanned giants, the first wearing a green haddin, the second in dark red, both wide and strong, both determined to win or die; they faced one another with eagerness, and it had already begun.
I think it was that very eagerness that finally broke through to me, pushing off the shock with the beginnings of anger. They were glad to be facing one another, happy over the prospect of fighting and killing! They were both barbarians, savage beasts who were only using me as an excuse to get at one another, calmly deciding my fate for me even as they casually gambled their lives. It made me fighting mad myself, but my weapon wasn’t the sword.
Without even thinking about it, I nudged the guardsman beside me with indifference, and his hand fell away from my arm. Tammad and Dallan were casually striking at one another, their blades silver lightning, each testing for an easy opening, each pleased to find none. It was a real win they were set for, the sort that had to be worked for and earned the hard way. My fists clenched as I watched them, trying to decide what to do, and then the answer came: if it was fun they wanted, it was fun they would get.
Tammad swung hard at Dallan, forcing him to duck back to keep from being hit, and the pleasure they both felt at the well-executed exchange gave me my opening. Touching them both at the same time, I changed pleasure into amusement, a shadow of it at first while Dallan immediately moved forward from his defensive retreat and attacked. Tammad caught his blade and swung it aside with his own, then had his thrust swung aside in turn. They were very well matched, these two l’lendaa and abruptly they were grinning at each other even as they circled, bodies set, free arm out, swords held ready. They were both well prepared to continue, but so was I.