The Plains of Kallanash by Pauline M. Ross Read Free Book Online

It’s been a concern to us right from the start. Jonnor should watch out for him, that’s all I say. He should watch out for blue arrows.”
    Mia shivered, her stomach churning. “No,” she whispered. “He wouldn’t. Would he?”
    “Maybe not, but he has the right. If he feels slighted, he might ask for the blue arrows, and then you’ll lose one of your husbands to the funeral flames as well.”
     

     
    4: Upstairs (Hurst)
    Whenever Hurst wanted to hide away from the world, he retreated to his senior Companion’s small library. Gantor was the son of scholars, and a great reader. He had books hanging on his wall that had nothing to do with skirmishes or battles or strategy or swordwork, and didn’t even have pictures in them. The room was also provided with maps and models for skirmish strategy planning, and was kept well stocked with cakes and wine.
    Hurst usually hid to avoid the Slaves trying to drag him to the temple for some ceremony or other, but this time the cause was his own father. Tanist was the last of the official mourners to arrive, after a long and arduous journey from the far western border, beyond the reach of the sky ship way. He was something of a hero nowadays, having scored a famous victory over the Vahsi barbarians only two years earlier.
    “I love my father dearly,” Hurst said to Gantor. “He taught me everything I know about skirmishing, and the barbarians too, but I wish he’d remember that I’m not a child any more. Improve your skirmish results, Hurst. Stand up to Jonnor, Hurst. Look at your younger brothers, Hurst, already promoted to the fourth line. Trouble is, ever since he got rid of the Vahsi in his patch, he’s had too much time on his hands. He has nothing to do now except hand out unwanted advice.”
    Gantor snorted. “And what part of that advice would you argue with? You’re only cross because he’s right.”
    “Of course he’s right. We should be further than the third line by now, maybe even at the border. I know that as well as anyone. After all, you’ve been saying it for years.”
    “You’re not jealous of Klemmast and Jallinast? Making the fourth line before you?”
    “Gods, no! They deserve it. I’m really pleased for them.”
    “It will be interesting to see how things work out, with a third couple in the marriage,” Gantor said, his face thoughtful. “They’re so close, those two, they’ll find it unsettling.”
    “It’ll be fine,” Hurst said breezily. “You always anticipate the worst, my friend. Mind you, I didn’t expect Roonast to be the new husband. Fifteen! That makes me feel so old. I remember him being born. But he’s easy going, he’ll fit right in.”
    “Do you ever think about it? Moving to the fourth line? Getting a third couple?”
    Hurst shrugged uneasily. Of course he’d thought about it, about the way it would change things, how could he not? But he’d grown up in a border Karning, the eighth line to start with and later the ninth, with the full complement of six couples in the marriage, and everything relatively stable. Early marriages, with only two or three couples, were much more fluid. Less predictable. He’d worry about it when it happened.
    “Or you could get another couple now,” Gantor went on. “If you ask for the blue arrows.”
    “Oh, don’t you start! You’re as bad as Tanist. Take the blue arrows, Hurst. Get rid of Jonnor, then you’ll be lead, Hurst.”
    “Mia was asking, you know,” Gantor said, staring into the distance. “About the blue arrows.”
    “What did you tell her?”
    “That you had not divulged your thoughts on the subject to me. Which is the truth.”
    “You’ll be the first to know, I assure you.”
    Gantor folded his arms, and scowled at Hurst. “We do have an interest in the matter. If we’re to be incinerated in the near future, we’d like a chance to get our affairs in order.”
    Hurst laughed and shook his head. “If it comes to that, I don’t think we are at any