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"You might like to see the Gather, then?" Robinton suggested, an edge to his
voice.
Juvana laughed. "We'll stop, Rob. It's not fair to tease you, today of all
days."
"I'm glad to hear you say that, Lady Holder."
"Oh, now come, Rob," she said, touching his arm. "I'm nearly your sister, you
know."
Robinton's mind froze for a moment.
"Don't tell me that fact has escaped your clever mind?" F'lon asked, delighted
by his friend's confusion. "Which makes Lord
Melongel your brother. Doesn't it? Well done, Harper."
He felt Juvana's hand press gently around his forearm and,
feeling extremely stupid, he turned to look at her.
"It does, you know," she said gently. Then she grinned at the others. "I
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never thought I should be able to render a harper speechless."
"But that's not why I want Kasia ..."
"Of course it isn't," Juvana said.
"Such a dear boy," said Brashia, beaming at him.
"Like the cut of his sail," Bourdon put in.
"Close your mouth, Rob," F'lon suggested from the doorway.
"F'lon, stop propping up the door and go and fetch the harp
Robinton made for Kasia," Juvana said, flicking her fingers at the
dragonrider. "You know where it is. And tell Kasia that it's gone very well
indeed." As soon as F'lon left, she smiled placidly at
Robinton. "He can be dreadful, can't he? I do believe that drug-onriders are
far worse than harpers for teasing, aren't they?"
Robinton was still floundering over the idea of being related to the Lord
Holder of Tillek. "Honestly, I had no idea."
"Of course you didn't," Juvana said easily. "Now, Clostan would be instantly
suspect of such connivery - but not you."
"Kasia said you've been loaned a sloop for your espousal days,"
Bourdon said. "Sail much?"
"Only from Fort Harbour to Ista, and then the seven-day fishing run with
Captain Gostol. He's loaning us the ship."
"Is he?"
"Yes, had us out tacking up and down the harbour the other day."
Robinton grinned. "To see if Kasia knew what she was about, for he was very
sure I don't."
The admission did him no harm with Bourdon, who leaned forward and began to
explain the foibles of small ships. That kept the conversation going amiably
until F'lon carried in Kasia's harp, handling it with the reverence he would
ordinarily give only to his
Simanith. As he passed it to Robinton, he murmured, "Beautiful piece." Then
both Bourdon and Brashia came over to examine the carving, the inlay and the
strings; then, of course, they asked him to play so that they could hear its
tone.
Playing brought Robinton to complete balance. And seeing that, Juvana made
her excuses and left for other duties.
Never had there been such a brilliant Gather day as this one, when
Robinton took Kasia's hand in his in front of the Court Hall, where the Lord
and Lady Holders stood with Master Minnarden and the other CraftMasters
available for this happy duty. That they were the first of seven couples
didn't impinge on his consciousness then. He had eyes only for his Kasia.
Behind them were their witnesses: his mother, radiant in blue, standing
between F'lon and Groghe, who
had said he was here in his official capacity as a Fort Holder.
Kasia's parents stood on her side: her mother flushed and excited, and her
father doing very well at looking proud and dignified.
Never had Robinton had to speak his own words in front of such a huge crowd.
Singing was another matter entirely, but speaking his whole heart in words was
something else again. He had to clear his throat, but then, taking a deep
breath, he announced his intentions to be a loving, kind, considerate spouse,
caring for Kasia all his life, nurturing their children and providing for the
family.
Holding hands, he looked into Kasia's eyes, which were no longer shadowed with
an old grief but radiant with joy, as she -who also had to clear her throat
before she spoke - declared her intentions in a loud voice. She grinned more
broadly when she got to the part about children and winked at him.
"We have heard your promises, Robinton and Kasia," Melongel said, stern in his
capacity as Lord Holder.
"And have witnessed them," said Master Minnarden while the other CraftMasters
murmured their traditional response. The observers cried congratulations and
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shouted, "Good luck!"
Melongel's face relaxed in a smile as he shook their hands before moving to
the next expectant couple. "Brother," he murmured slyly to Robinton.
"So kiss her!" F'lon cried. When neither Robinton nor Kasia moved, he took
them by the shoulders and pushed them together.
The lightning that passed from lip to lip seemed to encompass
Robinton's entire body - and hers as well, leaning so trustingly against him.
He was almost annoyed when F'lon's hands pulled them apart.
"I'm so happy, my dear daughter," Merelan was saying as she embraced a bemused
Kasia. There were tears in Merelan's eyes, but she had always been able to [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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