Their teacher? Raye exchanged another disbelieving look with Gaelfr, but Kalfr was now smiling down toward Svein. “You helped me think of this, son,” he said, “with how much you enjoyed the school yesterday — and when you told me you meant to teach Gael to read common-tongue, also. Many Bautul do not know how to do this, but if our band is to prosper, and be ready to face any trial, we must bear these skills.”
Gaelfr blinked and gaped at Kalfr, his mouth fallen open. “You wish,” he said, “for this Julian to grant mereading lessons.”
Kalfr surely didn’t miss the disbelief in Gaelfr’s voice, but he raised his brows, and nodded. “Ach, with Svein’s help,” he coolly replied. “You, and any other orc who needs to learn. And once we have done this, we ought to plan for lessons in Aelakesh — our tongue — for any who need this, also. Most of all” — he patted Svein’s head — “you, son, so you can well speak to your own kin.”
Svein looked cautiously fascinated by this prospect, and despite Raye’s own hitching confusion — did Kalfr meanshewould need lessons, too? — she nodded, and aimed a grateful smile toward Kalfr’s face. “Yes, that’s an excellent point,” she told him, and she meant it. “Thank you for thinking of it. Svein needs an education, and the school at the mountain seemed lovely, but…”
“But we are not there,” Kalfr finished, with a small smile back toward her. “Once this is all settled, mayhap we can planto spend more time there, so Svein can gain from this — but for now, this shall help.”
Raye nodded again, and found herself exchanging another glance with Gaelfr. He was frowning again — clearly still put out by the idea of his forthcoming reading lessons — but surely he’d caught what Kalfr had just said, too.Once this is all settled, mayhap we can plan. As if… this was something Kalfr meant to be there for. Something he wanted, in his future.
“And as for the drummer and dancer,” Kalfr continued, “these have long been part of our bands, but we have not well honoured their true purpose. For they are the ones who carry our tales and our history, and teach our sons our ways. They bring the rest of the band joy, and revelry, and rest. And they oft carry gifts we have all but forgotten. Gifts that could grant great help to us, should we honour and uphold these.”
His voice had gone deep and decisive, his eyes glittering with determination, withhope— and Raye again met Gaelfr’s gaze, holding longer this time. Because again, Kalfr wasn’t thinking about death and despair right now, was he? He wasn’t thinking of the band’s defeat, or of his own sacrifice. No, he was thinking about the future. About the kind of future he wanted to see, and be part of. He cared about this. He wanted this.
“What of the tunnels, then?” Gaelfr asked, his voice curt. “Why do you need more of these?”
Perhaps Kalfr saw it as the concession it surely was, because his smile toward Gaelfr looked almost grateful. “It was you who made me think of this, Gael,” he replied, “when you said mayhap Sybil would not be able to breach thebyrgi. For thesebyrgiswere not built to be fortresses of their own, only safe sturdy outposts, offering food and rest and shelter, and granting our bands the means to either fight battles or retreat to the mountain as needed. But” — he gestured at thebyrgiaround them — “we put so much extra care into this one, ach? Andmayhap with a little more care, itcouldbe a fortress. Mayhap it could withstand a siege, or even an attack.”
Raye’s eyes swept around thebyrgi, taking in the thick stone walls, the barred windows, the solid steel front door, the fireplace leading down to all those rooms and tunnels below. And while there were surely still vulnerabilities, it really was rather like a fortress, wasn’t it? And could they really withstand an attack here? Maybe?
“And the tunnels are our strongest defense, in this,” Kalfr continued. “Even more important than warriors. For it is in these tunnels that our kin can hide, for as long as they need — most of all if we are well prepared with food and stores. And we can do much more to strengthen the tunnels we have already built here. We can build doors, dead ends, new exits in places humans will never find. We can even dig a well deep below the earth, so our kin will always have safe water to drink.”
The conviction rang through his voice, through all the room, and Raye could see Gaelfr relenting more, his shoulders sagging. “I have never before heard of a Bautul bandhidingfrom its enemies, thus,” he muttered. “Not when they had strength to fight.”
But Kalfr shot him a wry, incredulous look, surely in regards to Gaelfr’s own multiple years hiding across the sea. To which Gaelfr made a face, let out a heavy sigh, and nodded. Clearly following Kalfr’s point, and perhaps conceding to the fact that he’d wanted to rely on Kalfr’s cleverness, and find other ways to face this.
“I want a teacher, Mama,” cut in Svein’s small voice, as he eased up close beside Raye, his hand slipping into hers. “And I liked that drummer, too. He gave me a good lesson at the school yesterday.”
Well. Raye smiled back at him, and squeezed his hand in return. “That’s good to hear, love,” she replied. “It was very clever of Papa Kalfr to think about all this, wasn’t it?”
She smiled at Kalfr, too, giving him what she hoped was an appreciative look, and yes, his eyes warmed a little more, even as he glanced at Gaelfr again. “And I did yet bring warriors, Gael,” he said, lower. “And those who hold promise in this. Egil can yet hit any target within sight. Skirvir could defeat a dozen men all on his own. Othan is a fierce brawler who has defeated many of our warriors in unarmed combat. And you have not seen Eyolf and Iyolf in battle since they came of age — their bond is strong, and it is oft as though they share one mind, and one blade.”
Raye could see Gaelfr’s eyes softening, especially when Kalfr gripped his shoulder, and gave it a gentle shake. “And then we yet haveyou, Gael. For you are yet one of the greatest Bautul warriors in all the realm, are you not?”
Gaelfr wilted further, his breath exhaling harsh, as Kalfr gave another shake to his shoulder. “You are,ástin mín,” he insisted. “And if any orc can lead our warriors to greatness, it will be you.”
Gaelfr grimaced and muttered something about being out of fettle, to which Kalfr half-smiled, and gave him another companionable shake. “Then all the better for you to do this,” he said. “And this way, you can teach and grow our orcs alongside you. You ken you should have enjoyed leading a band full of hardened warriors, who will counter you at every turn, or believetheyshould be our battle-captain instead?”
It was a valid point, enough to bring a curl of distaste to Gaelfr’s lip, even as he shot Kalfr a searching look. “But — you cannot wish to name me yourbattle-captain,” he said, hoarse. “Should not this yet be you, or Silfast, or mayhap Olarr? Olarr said he should yet support you, did he not?”
Kalfr shrugged, and gave Gaelfr’s shoulder an affectionate squeeze this time. “Ach, Olarr swore he would help,” he replied,“and I hope he and his kin will spare some time to train with us, also. But he yet has his own duties, and his own kin to care for, and I wish this to be you, Gael. I… trust you, in this. I trust you will keep us safe.”
Raye could see how those words struck Gaelfr, how his eyes blinked with brightness, how he swallowed again and again. He looked genuinely honoured, genuinely touched — and hopeful, too. Because again, Kalfr was caring about this. Wanting this for his band, and for Gaelfr. Looking forward to the future.
“You greatly honour me,vörður,” Gaelfr said, his voice gruff, as he put his fist to his heart, and bowed his head toward Kalfr. “I should be most proud, to serve as your battle-captain. I shall do all within my power to be worthy of this.”
Kalfr’s smile back was achingly fond, and he yanked Gaelfr close, squeezing him tight, bumping his fist against his back. “I know you will, Gael,” he said, and he sounded gruff, too. “Thank you.”
They embraced for another long moment, Gaelfr’s face buried deep against Kalfr’s neck, while those words of Kalfr’s jangled through Raye’s thoughts.I trust you. I trust you. Something he could say to Gaelfr, and not to her. Because despite all this, even if this band could help Kalfr — he would still never forgive her, right?There is naught you could ever, ever do.
“And what about Mama?” broke in Svein’s small, clear voice. “What will she do in your band?”
Raye’s hand spasmed against where she was still clasping Svein’s fingers, and she grimaced, shook her head — but Kalfr and Gaelfr had quickly pulled apart, and Svein was watching Kalfr intently, his mouth stubbornly frowning in a way that looked unnervingly reminiscent of Gaelfr. “Mama will be important, won’t she?” he insisted. “Just as important as Papa Gaelfr?”
Raye braced herself for some kind of excuse, some dismissal on Kalfr’s part — perhaps saying that she would keep looking after Svein, and that would be the most important job of all — but to her surprise, Kalfr nodded, and patted Svein’s hair. “Ach, she will, son,” he said. “For if she wishes for this, she shall have not one, buttwoimportant roles in our band.”
Svein angled a searching glance up at Raye, seeking her response to this, but Raye couldn’t seem to find one.Twoimportant jobs? What did he mean?
