“I’ll give you a back rub,” Ieduin offered with a wink and a smile.
“If that’s a serious offer, absolutely,” she said with a small moan. “As long as that’s all it is.”
He perked up, though he knew exactly how things would go if he tried to make a move. They had an unspoken agreement about that. He could sleep next to her as long as he didn’t try anything more. Ieduin was just fine with that arrangement… for now.
Six
WhenRowaninvitedthemto dinner in Greymark Castle’s great hall, Rixxis hadn’t realized there would be so many people. It seemed half of Greymark had a seat at one of the many tables brought in. Laughter and the chatter of many voices filled the space while people ate and drank their fill. Roughly half those in attendance were Crows, invited personally by Rowan. A small group of musicians played up on a small balcony overlooking the hall, and children ran between the tables in roving packs.
Rixxis and Ieduin were given places at the head table at Rowan’s left while Ewan and his wife, Martha, took up the spaces on the right.
The manner of serving the head table was the oddest spectacle Rixxis had ever seen. Rather than bring in dishes and drinks, a handful of men simply removed the heavy tabletop and carried it away, bringing another with the next course already placed.
Their first course had been a leek and potato pottage, the flavor buttery and savory. Alongside that came a griddle-fried flatbread made of oat flour. The bread was simple, but the apple butter that accompanied it quickly became one of Rixxis’s favorite things.
While wine and ale were present, both were far less prominent than a spiced cider that seemed to be favored among the people of Greymark. It wasn’t as strong as the wine Rixxis was used to, but it had a pleasant warmth to it.
There were sausages served with fried apples, goat cheese, roasted squash and sweet potatoes, and a small smoked fish wrapped in bacon. Simple foods, but hearty like Greymark’s people.
Sitting in that hall, listening to the children laugh and the people talk, it was hard to believe Greymark was at war. Rixxis scanned the faces of Rowan’s men engaged in conversation with the Crows and wondered how many of them would be dead by the end of this.
“How are you finding Greymark so far?” Rowan asked.
It took Rixxis an extra moment to realize the question was directed at her. She blinked and put down her fork before she could answer. “It’s very… different from Brucia or Trinta. You seem very close with your subjects.”
Rowan nodded. “As many as I can be. There are a lot of families in Greymark that I still don’t know as well as I’d like. She’s a simple place, Greymark, especially compared with those two giants.”
“I don’t know that I’d call Brucia a giant.” Ieduin refilled his glass of cider from the communal pitcher before topping off both hers and Rowan’s.
Rowan tilted his head. “No? Trinta has long been the political power in the Free Cities, and Brucia has risen to challenge them, however indirectly. You Crows have made that possible in part, but it isn’t just the army. Brucia is now the seat of an empire that spans hundreds of miles and unites two cultures. I dare say Queen Eris has risen from an unlikely leader on shaky footing to being one of the most powerful women in the world. I would put Brucia’s political power on par with that of Savarra or Qet.”
“Qet is a shrinking colonial power.” Rixxis cut into her sausage. “Without the shipping barons, it would have all fallen apart already.”
“But they are a power. That much must be acknowledged,” Rowan said. “I’d love to get my hands on a deal with just one of those barons about now.”
Rixxis put her fork down and frowned. “Are the shortages that bad?”
“They could be worse,” Rowan confirmed with a nod. “However, with the farm hands splitting their time between the fields and fortifications here, the harvest is only half what it normally is. We’ve little to export, which has already put a strain on places like Brucia that are normally strong trading partners. The bandits and pirates certainly haven’t helped.”
“I thought Greymark was landlocked.” Ieduin slouched with his glass of cider.
“We have about two miles of shore to the far north, but it’s too rocky for a harbor,” Rowan said. “We call it The Tombs for a reason. Any ship attempting to come in there would be dashed against the rocks and sink. The whirlpools and riptides would get anything smaller. That’s why we primarily used Trinta’s harbor. However, considering the war, that’s no longer an option for imports, and moving goods from Brucia to Greymark means moving through bandit country.”
“Are you from there, Rixxis?” Martha asked. She had a light and lilting voice that seemed made for song over conversation. “Qet, I mean. Your accent’s not so strong I can tell.”
Rixxis took a drink of her cider, washing the taste of guilt from her mouth. With all the food in front of her, she was uncomfortable thinking that they might soon face hunger. “I am, though it’s been a while since I’ve seen my home.”
Martha shook her head. “I can’t imagine any of my children being away from here for so long. Your mother must be beside herself.”
“My mother’s gone,” Rixxis replied, her throat tight. “It’s just my father.”
Martha’s shoulders stiffened. “I’m sorry, dear. I didn’t mean…”
“He must be proud of you,” Ewan said with a nod. “You’re a damn good fighter. Made quite a name for yourself, too. First woman commander of the Crows. There are little girls all over Greymark and beyond who’ll take up sword and shield to be like you one day.”
“I’m far from the first woman to do so. Queen Eris is a capable fighter, and there are others in the ranks who are just as good as me.”
Ewan nodded again. “Aye, but you’re memorable. Visible. Big and strong. It’s good to see someone like you out front, doing the work with all the men.”