scraped a match and pulled the flame into the bowl until the tobacco shreds glowed red.
Her inquisitive face looked around, taking everything in as if she saw the world anew every minute. Maybe all Rhydanne do, and you would too if you were a hunter; there is always something new to look out for.
‘It’s a blessing and a lesson to hear what an outsider thinks of us,’ I reflected profoundly. ‘It’s salutary to hear an unusual perspective. There hasn’t been such an outsider in all of upland Fescue since I was a boy.’
‘If she were a hunter instead of a hunt ress you wouldn’t dote on her half as much,’ said Jant.
I chuckled. ‘Go on, now. Ask her what she thinks of us.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Indeed. In-deed. I want to know what the wildcat thinks of us folk who can’t catch mice.’
Jant asked her and Dellin replied, ‘Reeve Marram, you think your people are poor, but any Rhydanne can see they are very rich because, every day, every woman manages to put enough on her plate for herself or her family. Since I came to the flatlands I have seen so many riches that no Rhydanne will believe me when I tell them. Flatlanders are sick with greed and racing against each other to possess the most. It’s a disease that dims their minds and slows their bodies. Tell me, why are they so eager to own the earth and turn it into fancy goods and fancy clothes? Don’t you find it exhausting? Rhydanne live simply but everyone else strives to multiply their possessions, even though they already have more than they can use. They own many clothes, but can only wear one coat at a time. They have so much food it rots before they can eat it. And that is why I fear for Carnich.’
Articulate girl, I thought; I hadn’t anticipated a speech. ‘This disease, of covetousness you say, well, the Awian nobility have caught it much worse than the miners of Marram.’
She nodded unhappily. ‘And I despair, because there are more Awians than stones in a scree slope, than stars on a freezing night. We could live side by side with them, but they are taking so many furs that they are wiping out the animals they depend on. Jant is conducting me to see Raven, their leading hunter. I will convince him and the rest will follow.’
Jant shook his head and added to his translation, ‘She’s so naive.’
‘Not at all, not at all. Tell her this. Lady mouser, speaking bluntly works with me, but it won’t affect Raven when you meet him. Awian nobles are crafty. They hint at things and never talk straight. In fact, they speak a language within a language, and if you don’t know it, they’ll ignore you. An old foreman like me couldn’t sway Governor Raven, let alone a huntress like yourself.’
‘I will make him listen.’
Jant glanced up at the underside of the roof tiles visible atop the rafters, just as the lad had done, although I swear to you on my mother’s grave not a single one was loose. ‘We’ve imposed on you long enough. It’s late and I think we’d better retire. Can we have a light?’
‘Certainly. Lad, go fetch a lamp.’ The boy clattered off to prepare the guest room in the north wing, which I feared Comet and his ward might find rather too damp and draughty. Like the rest of the house it had been built somewhat imprudently without foundations. The weight of its roof was gradually breaking my house’s back. Huddled under the gritstone tiles with their lichens as big as dinner plates, every wall had settled its own crooked way into the earth over the centuries.
I stroked my beard smooth and observed Dellin. Her skeletal fingers had picked up my gnarled old pipe and she examined it carefully with eyes the same dark green as the field of the Fescue flag. ‘Good luck in your endeavour, brave huntress,’ I said, and god knows the sentiment was heartfelt. ‘Good luck. Now I can say I’ve met the cat who dared to look at a king.’
JANT
We
Her inquisitive face looked around, taking everything in as if she saw the world anew every minute. Maybe all Rhydanne do, and you would too if you were a hunter; there is always something new to look out for.
‘It’s a blessing and a lesson to hear what an outsider thinks of us,’ I reflected profoundly. ‘It’s salutary to hear an unusual perspective. There hasn’t been such an outsider in all of upland Fescue since I was a boy.’
‘If she were a hunter instead of a hunt ress you wouldn’t dote on her half as much,’ said Jant.
I chuckled. ‘Go on, now. Ask her what she thinks of us.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Indeed. In-deed. I want to know what the wildcat thinks of us folk who can’t catch mice.’
Jant asked her and Dellin replied, ‘Reeve Marram, you think your people are poor, but any Rhydanne can see they are very rich because, every day, every woman manages to put enough on her plate for herself or her family. Since I came to the flatlands I have seen so many riches that no Rhydanne will believe me when I tell them. Flatlanders are sick with greed and racing against each other to possess the most. It’s a disease that dims their minds and slows their bodies. Tell me, why are they so eager to own the earth and turn it into fancy goods and fancy clothes? Don’t you find it exhausting? Rhydanne live simply but everyone else strives to multiply their possessions, even though they already have more than they can use. They own many clothes, but can only wear one coat at a time. They have so much food it rots before they can eat it. And that is why I fear for Carnich.’
Articulate girl, I thought; I hadn’t anticipated a speech. ‘This disease, of covetousness you say, well, the Awian nobility have caught it much worse than the miners of Marram.’
She nodded unhappily. ‘And I despair, because there are more Awians than stones in a scree slope, than stars on a freezing night. We could live side by side with them, but they are taking so many furs that they are wiping out the animals they depend on. Jant is conducting me to see Raven, their leading hunter. I will convince him and the rest will follow.’
Jant shook his head and added to his translation, ‘She’s so naive.’
‘Not at all, not at all. Tell her this. Lady mouser, speaking bluntly works with me, but it won’t affect Raven when you meet him. Awian nobles are crafty. They hint at things and never talk straight. In fact, they speak a language within a language, and if you don’t know it, they’ll ignore you. An old foreman like me couldn’t sway Governor Raven, let alone a huntress like yourself.’
‘I will make him listen.’
Jant glanced up at the underside of the roof tiles visible atop the rafters, just as the lad had done, although I swear to you on my mother’s grave not a single one was loose. ‘We’ve imposed on you long enough. It’s late and I think we’d better retire. Can we have a light?’
‘Certainly. Lad, go fetch a lamp.’ The boy clattered off to prepare the guest room in the north wing, which I feared Comet and his ward might find rather too damp and draughty. Like the rest of the house it had been built somewhat imprudently without foundations. The weight of its roof was gradually breaking my house’s back. Huddled under the gritstone tiles with their lichens as big as dinner plates, every wall had settled its own crooked way into the earth over the centuries.
I stroked my beard smooth and observed Dellin. Her skeletal fingers had picked up my gnarled old pipe and she examined it carefully with eyes the same dark green as the field of the Fescue flag. ‘Good luck in your endeavour, brave huntress,’ I said, and god knows the sentiment was heartfelt. ‘Good luck. Now I can say I’ve met the cat who dared to look at a king.’
JANT
We
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