Read Online The Wyrmling Horde by David Farland - Free Book Online

found that she struggled for words as she tried to frame an answer to his question. “I suppose that I wish to be called Talon because . . . I am not at all like the Tholna that my friends knew.”
    The emir seemed intrigued. “Interesting. And how have you changed, my little Talon?”
    Talon had never spoken to the emir, not above a casual greeting when she had met him while in the company of her father.
    â€œI . . . Tholna was a nothing. She was a breeder, meant only to bear sons to some warrior. Talon
is
a warrior.”
    The emir smiled, obviously amused. “There are women warriors among the small folk?”
    â€œIt is not common,” Talon admitted, “but among the Runelords, a person’s gender does not matter much. Forcibles tend to be great equalizers. Besides, my father was the king’s personal bodyguard, and at times we were in great danger, so he taught me everything that he knew.”
    The emir nodded appreciatively at that. “The better to protect you. Very well, I shall call you Talon from now on. What does the name mean, in the tongue of the small folk?”
    â€œIt is a claw, like that found on a hawk,” Talon said.
    â€œInteresting,” the emir said. “Do you know what the name Tholna means?”
    Tholna was a common name among girls. “It is an ancient weapon, I’ve heard.”
    â€œNot so ancient. It was often used in Dalharristan, when I was a lad. It had a handle that one could grasp in the hand, with two long hooks attached to it—hooks that protruded on either side of the middle finger. Thus, in ancient Dalharristan, the weapon was called a ‘talon.’
    â€œIt is odd, don’t you think,” the emir continued, “that your father would give you the same name on both worlds? It makes me wonder how many other similarities there might be.”
    The news was indeed intriguing. Talon had been trained in many weapons, but had never even seen a tholna. “Why would I want to pull a foe in close, where he might strike within my kill zone?”
    The emir seemed mildly surprised by the question, and appreciative of it. “In the close combat of a large battle it was surprisingly effective. It was used only as an off-hand weapon, usually with a parry blade. The tholna could be hooked into the shoulder or leg of an opponent, to throw him off balance. Originally, it was developed by the wyrmlings—used to grasp fleeing humans.”
    Talon considered. The parry blade was a short sword with a round guard so large that it was almost as big as a targe. In close combat, where hundreds of men might be fighting at once, the parry blade was an effective stabbing weapon, for it was difficult to avoid an expert blow.
    â€œAn interesting combination of weapons,” Talon said.“But I do not think they would be of much use in our war against wyrmlings.”
    â€œNo,” the emir said, “which is why they lost popularity.”
    The company began to move out, and Talon prepared to march with it.
    The emir asked, “May I walk with you?”
    â€œMe?” Talon asked. She could not understand why he would want to.
    â€œI need to learn the tongue of the small folk,” the emir said. “I was hoping that you could teach me?” Talon wondered why he did not just ask one of his warriors. Several men among the warrior clans had been bound into one, and thus knew how to speak Rofehavanish. As if divining her thoughts the emir added, “I could ask one of my men, but to tell the truth, you are more pleasant to look upon.”
    The compliment took Talon off guard and left her feeling weak in the knees.
    She found the emir attractive. He was a widower, and therefore available. But she had never considered herself worthy of his attention.
    Nevertheless, they were both of marriageable age, and among the warrior clans, men and women were taught to wed the strongest possible mate.
    The Emir