a few steps backward, and she began to breathe a bit more easily.
All right. Someone had been here while she slept. Probably Saddith. That was easy to check.
Although movement seemed to require an unreasonable amount of courage, she went to the nearest wardrobe and opened it.
It was full of clothes.
At a glance, most of them appeared to be gowns; but she saw robes, skirts, blouses, shawls, and a shelf or two of undergarments. They were the kind of clothes she had seen the ladies of rank wearing around Orison.
The other wardrobe was also full. And on the dressing table she found an impressive array of combs and brushes, fired clay jars containing creams and rouges, crystal vials of perfume.
Her fear actually turned and walked away, though it stopped in the middle distance to keep an eye on her. A little girl who had once enjoyed playing with her mother's dresses and cosmetics gave a small smile. She almost caught herself thinking, This might be fun after all.
But then from the sitting room she heard a woman's giggle, a man's rumbling whisper. As startled as if she had been caught doing something forbidden, she practically ran out of the bedroom.
The woman was Saddith, and Terisa's sudden appearance took her by surprise: an involuntary twitch nearly made her drop the tray she was carrying. 'My lady!' she said, rolling her eyes comically. 'I thought you were still asleep.'
The man was one of the guards Geraden had introduced her to earlier-Ribuld, the one with the scar down the middle of his face. He, too, had been surprised by Terisa's entrance: his hand on Saddith's shoulder, and the disarray of her shawl and hair, suggested that he hadn't been expecting an interruption; had, in fact, been intending to enjoy himself as much as possible while Saddith's hands were trapped by the tray she carried. Nevertheless he promptly showed Terisa a grin which was probably intended to be reassuring.
In the doorway behind Saddith and Ribuld stood Argus, Ribuld's companion. 'Better and better,' he muttered with a gap-toothed leer. 'One for each of us.' Terisa froze, caught by instinctive alarm. As soon as Saddith regained her own equilibrium, however, she took pity on Terisa's fright. 'Mend your manners, clods,' she said mildly. 'My lady is not diverted by your sort of humour.' Without apparent effort-or malice-she swung one clogged foot sharply against Ribuld's shin.
Gasping and grimacing, he hopped backward. For an instant, he clutched at his shin with both hands. Then he forced himself to stand upright. A scowl of mingled chagrin, anger, and amusement puckered his scar.
Behind him, Argus sniggered like an adolescent. 'My lady,' Saddith went on primly, 'do not let these louts distress you. They are neither as fierce nor as manly as they would have you think.' Argus faced this remark with open astonishment: Ribuld tried to ignore it. 'And they will not dare to displease you. Though they are plainly dull, between them they possess wit enough to know that if they displease you I will be displeased-and then'-she gave the guards an arch smile over her shoulder-'neither of them will ever walk normally again.'
This time, both men made studious efforts not to react. 'Now, my lady,' continued the maid, 'I have brought some small supper for you, if you care for food. Not knowing how you are accustomed to dine, I thought it best to begin simply. But if this fare is not to your liking, I will gladly bring you whatever I can.'
Saddith's mastery of the situation enabled Terisa to unfreeze. Geraden had told her that he meant to try to have these two men assigned to her, for her protection. So far, he hadn't shown himself to be possessed of especially good judgement. On the other hand, he had been relieved of responsibility for her-which seemed to imply that Argus and Ribuld weren't here at his request. With an effort of concentration, she found her voice, 'What're they doing
All right. Someone had been here while she slept. Probably Saddith. That was easy to check.
Although movement seemed to require an unreasonable amount of courage, she went to the nearest wardrobe and opened it.
It was full of clothes.
At a glance, most of them appeared to be gowns; but she saw robes, skirts, blouses, shawls, and a shelf or two of undergarments. They were the kind of clothes she had seen the ladies of rank wearing around Orison.
The other wardrobe was also full. And on the dressing table she found an impressive array of combs and brushes, fired clay jars containing creams and rouges, crystal vials of perfume.
Her fear actually turned and walked away, though it stopped in the middle distance to keep an eye on her. A little girl who had once enjoyed playing with her mother's dresses and cosmetics gave a small smile. She almost caught herself thinking, This might be fun after all.
But then from the sitting room she heard a woman's giggle, a man's rumbling whisper. As startled as if she had been caught doing something forbidden, she practically ran out of the bedroom.
The woman was Saddith, and Terisa's sudden appearance took her by surprise: an involuntary twitch nearly made her drop the tray she was carrying. 'My lady!' she said, rolling her eyes comically. 'I thought you were still asleep.'
The man was one of the guards Geraden had introduced her to earlier-Ribuld, the one with the scar down the middle of his face. He, too, had been surprised by Terisa's entrance: his hand on Saddith's shoulder, and the disarray of her shawl and hair, suggested that he hadn't been expecting an interruption; had, in fact, been intending to enjoy himself as much as possible while Saddith's hands were trapped by the tray she carried. Nevertheless he promptly showed Terisa a grin which was probably intended to be reassuring.
In the doorway behind Saddith and Ribuld stood Argus, Ribuld's companion. 'Better and better,' he muttered with a gap-toothed leer. 'One for each of us.' Terisa froze, caught by instinctive alarm. As soon as Saddith regained her own equilibrium, however, she took pity on Terisa's fright. 'Mend your manners, clods,' she said mildly. 'My lady is not diverted by your sort of humour.' Without apparent effort-or malice-she swung one clogged foot sharply against Ribuld's shin.
Gasping and grimacing, he hopped backward. For an instant, he clutched at his shin with both hands. Then he forced himself to stand upright. A scowl of mingled chagrin, anger, and amusement puckered his scar.
Behind him, Argus sniggered like an adolescent. 'My lady,' Saddith went on primly, 'do not let these louts distress you. They are neither as fierce nor as manly as they would have you think.' Argus faced this remark with open astonishment: Ribuld tried to ignore it. 'And they will not dare to displease you. Though they are plainly dull, between them they possess wit enough to know that if they displease you I will be displeased-and then'-she gave the guards an arch smile over her shoulder-'neither of them will ever walk normally again.'
This time, both men made studious efforts not to react. 'Now, my lady,' continued the maid, 'I have brought some small supper for you, if you care for food. Not knowing how you are accustomed to dine, I thought it best to begin simply. But if this fare is not to your liking, I will gladly bring you whatever I can.'
Saddith's mastery of the situation enabled Terisa to unfreeze. Geraden had told her that he meant to try to have these two men assigned to her, for her protection. So far, he hadn't shown himself to be possessed of especially good judgement. On the other hand, he had been relieved of responsibility for her-which seemed to imply that Argus and Ribuld weren't here at his request. With an effort of concentration, she found her voice, 'What're they doing
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