“Not a surprise.” Tsor helped himself to the gurt, and let her pour him a mug of kavage. “Yers was wrong,” he said, his mouth full. “I agree with Simus that he needs to take the chances the winds send his way. Better to have her with us than not. Warlord Keir would be the first to understand that.”
“I hope so,” Elois sighed. “But I agree with you. Warlord Simus is one I can support.”
“That warrior-priestess challenges him,” Tsor smirked. “The first I’ve seen to resist his charms. He is not bewitched.”
“Oh, he is bewitched,” Elois laughed. “He just doesn’t know it yet.”
“I don’t thinkyou appreciate how difficult this will be.” Eldest Elder Essa made a fine sight in his silk robes as he paced back and forth in the confines of his tent. Wild Winds took a moment to appreciate the sight as he scooped a bit more of the spiced gurtle into his flatbread and started eating.
“I am Eldest Elder Singer, but not all will heed my words.” Essa was glaring at the floor, talking with his hands. “They will also listen to the likes of Ietha, or take a neutral path until forced to decide otherwise. Yet the Warlords must be chosen, the armies must raid as they always have. Our truths may be enough to carry the day, but what of Nires? And where is Reness?”
To Wild Winds’s mind, silence seemed the best response.
“You took a risk, coming without escort. If you had gotten here earlier...” Essa turned, and his robes flared around him dramatically.
The spiced meat burned Wild Winds’s tongue and he grunted in appreciation. He hid his smile from Essa with a quick sip of kavage. Essa continued to scold. He waited for a break in the flow of abuse to venture a word. “I got here as soon as I could.”
“You and I are the only Eldest Elders—”
“I am no longer Eldest Elder,” Wild Winds pointed out.
“Stop that,” Essa scowled. “The Elders are gathering, true enough, but I am uncertain that Nires of the Boar will agree to remain as the Eldest Elder Warrior. And Reness is nowhere to be found. For all I know, she is still in Xy, seeing to the Warprize.”
Wild Winds raised an eyebrow. It was not like Essa to repeat himself.
Essa stopped pacing and scowled at Wilds Winds. “Hurry up with that. The warriors will be waiting, and the tent must be raised.”
As grateful as he was for Essa’s hospitality, Wild Winds wasn’t about to rush. His friend needed to work off some of that worry before he dealt with the day.
“Have you eaten?” he asked Essa.
The man shook his head as he paced. “Not hungry.”
“It would be well if you ate something,” Wild Winds suggested.
“I don’t see how we can—” Essa broke off at the sound of a commotion outside the tent. “What now?”
Essa’s guards were arguing with someone. “Eldest Elder,” one of the guards called. “Simus of the Hawk would speak with—”
“WILD WINDS,” came a roar from outside the tent.
“Let him in,” Essa called and with that the tent flap blew open as if the winds themselves demanded entrance.
Simus of the Hawk stood there, chest heaving, eyes flashing. “Where is she?”
Wild Winds raised an eyebrow and took another bite.
“Where is who?” Essa asked, clearly irritated. “Having survived your Trials, shouldn’t you be gathering your warriors for the raising of the tent?”
Simus only had eyes for Wild Winds, and his glare was dagger-sharp. He took a step closer, to tower over him. “Where is she?”
Wild Winds took a drink of kavage, and raised an eyebrow at the warrior. “Who?”
“Snowfall,” Simus grated out. “She lost a challenge as Token-bearer. Where is she?”
Wild Winds studied the tall, dark man before him, breathing fast and clearly agitated.
Interesting.
