some armor you have fought in? She forgot about you, and has gone off now to get dry and cuddle with her husband—she expects to be forgiven for her lack of courtesy because she hasn't seen him for a month." Amala smiled, softening her words, and I smiled, too.
"There has been no failure of courtesy on your daughter's part. I have been enjoying my bath exceedingly."
"Good. But I should have spoken to you and told you that you have a place to sleep in barracks and your horse will be stabled with the others as long as you are here. No doubt Urdo will be sorting out what to do with you later." Amala bowed again and presented me with the grapes. "We do not manage to grow many grapes here, but we do grow some. I believe these are the only vines on this island. We keep the grapes that ripen for visitors.
That is the only thing I miss about Narlahena—there we had grapes enough for wine." I took them and turned them awkwardly in my hand, bowing in reply. I felt big and clumsy compared with this woman. I picked one from the bunch and ate it. It was far sweeter than any plum or damson. It also made me aware how hungry I was, and my stomach rumbled loudly.
"It is almost time for dinner," said Amala, laughing a little. "Come, let us find you clothes, and then I shall take you myself to the barracks, where you can leave your things and where you can sleep later. Then I'll show you the way to dinner. Urdo will eat with the ala tonight, he always does after a battle. He will expect you to be there." Amala patted my arm. "You will feel much better after a real meal."
I followed her through the changing room. With a gesture from Amala one of the servants came up with a wicker basket containing clothing. There were several plain shifts and patterned overdresses, all clean and well woven of good linen. The overdresses were exquisitely embroidered. I would have been proud to have worn any of them, but it was immediately clear that even those which were nearly long enough were much too narrow across the shoulders. I think they must have belonged to Marchel or Enid.
Amala cut off my embarrassment before it was even clearly articulated. She had dressed while I was looking through the basket and now she looked more elegant than ever. I felt like a milk cow beside a deer.
"I can see I'd disgrace everyone in these leathers," I said, looking at them. "But maybe I could borrow a tunic from Osvran? He's about my height. Or I could just have some bread and go to sleep, I'm very tired."
Amala shook her head. "None of this is a problem. Wait a moment." I sat down on the bench.
There were only a handful of people still in the changing room. Glyn of Clidar winked across at me. He had splashed me earlier in the steam room, and I had ducked him under the cold waterfall.
"You'll be walking in to dinner with a fine silk cloak over your bare skin I don't doubt.
Good thing it's not so drafty in the Hall at this time of year as when the icicles are rattling on the roof tiles." He laughed.
"You're a brave man, Glyn!" said one of the others. "Don't you listen to him. She'll fix you up something good. Amala always gets things sorted. I remember when there was no leather left at Page 27
all, and we needed more harness, she had them begin tanning goat's hides."
I smiled, and rubbed at my short hair with the cloth. It was almost dry already.
When Amala came back she was carrying a folded length of white-and-gold cloth, three gold brooches, and a knife. She looked pleased with herself.
"This will do for a drape in the Vincan style, which will suit your height admirably.
Hold still and I will wrap it for you."
My mother would have admired how Vincan I looked going in to dinner. I felt sure everyone would stare, but nobody commented at all, and I soon relaxed. Indeed, after a while I felt quite comfortable in it. It was surprisingly convenient, far more so in many ways than a shift, overdress, and cloak, for my legs could move much more freely underneath
"There has been no failure of courtesy on your daughter's part. I have been enjoying my bath exceedingly."
"Good. But I should have spoken to you and told you that you have a place to sleep in barracks and your horse will be stabled with the others as long as you are here. No doubt Urdo will be sorting out what to do with you later." Amala bowed again and presented me with the grapes. "We do not manage to grow many grapes here, but we do grow some. I believe these are the only vines on this island. We keep the grapes that ripen for visitors.
That is the only thing I miss about Narlahena—there we had grapes enough for wine." I took them and turned them awkwardly in my hand, bowing in reply. I felt big and clumsy compared with this woman. I picked one from the bunch and ate it. It was far sweeter than any plum or damson. It also made me aware how hungry I was, and my stomach rumbled loudly.
"It is almost time for dinner," said Amala, laughing a little. "Come, let us find you clothes, and then I shall take you myself to the barracks, where you can leave your things and where you can sleep later. Then I'll show you the way to dinner. Urdo will eat with the ala tonight, he always does after a battle. He will expect you to be there." Amala patted my arm. "You will feel much better after a real meal."
I followed her through the changing room. With a gesture from Amala one of the servants came up with a wicker basket containing clothing. There were several plain shifts and patterned overdresses, all clean and well woven of good linen. The overdresses were exquisitely embroidered. I would have been proud to have worn any of them, but it was immediately clear that even those which were nearly long enough were much too narrow across the shoulders. I think they must have belonged to Marchel or Enid.
Amala cut off my embarrassment before it was even clearly articulated. She had dressed while I was looking through the basket and now she looked more elegant than ever. I felt like a milk cow beside a deer.
"I can see I'd disgrace everyone in these leathers," I said, looking at them. "But maybe I could borrow a tunic from Osvran? He's about my height. Or I could just have some bread and go to sleep, I'm very tired."
Amala shook her head. "None of this is a problem. Wait a moment." I sat down on the bench.
There were only a handful of people still in the changing room. Glyn of Clidar winked across at me. He had splashed me earlier in the steam room, and I had ducked him under the cold waterfall.
"You'll be walking in to dinner with a fine silk cloak over your bare skin I don't doubt.
Good thing it's not so drafty in the Hall at this time of year as when the icicles are rattling on the roof tiles." He laughed.
"You're a brave man, Glyn!" said one of the others. "Don't you listen to him. She'll fix you up something good. Amala always gets things sorted. I remember when there was no leather left at Page 27
all, and we needed more harness, she had them begin tanning goat's hides."
I smiled, and rubbed at my short hair with the cloth. It was almost dry already.
When Amala came back she was carrying a folded length of white-and-gold cloth, three gold brooches, and a knife. She looked pleased with herself.
"This will do for a drape in the Vincan style, which will suit your height admirably.
Hold still and I will wrap it for you."
My mother would have admired how Vincan I looked going in to dinner. I felt sure everyone would stare, but nobody commented at all, and I soon relaxed. Indeed, after a while I felt quite comfortable in it. It was surprisingly convenient, far more so in many ways than a shift, overdress, and cloak, for my legs could move much more freely underneath
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