At sundown the next day there came a cough outside my room. Before I could speak, the tapestry swung aside as if swatted by an impatient hand, and there was Bran. "Hah!" he exclaimed, fists on his hips. "I knew it! Reading, and not sick at all. Burn it, Mel, they're our guests."
"They are your guests, and you can entertain them," I retorted.
"You don't like Nee?" He looked upset.
I sighed. "She seems as nice as any Court lady could possibly be, but how can she think I'm anything but an idiot? As for that Shevraeth, you brought him. He's yours to entertain. I don't need him laughing at me for my old clothes and lack of courtly finesse."
"He isn't going to laugh at you, Mel," Bran said, running his fingers through his hair. "Life! We didn't come all the way up here to talk to ourselves. Nee's going to play the harp before supper. She spent all afternoon retuning the thing. If you don't come, after all I said about how you like music, she'll get hurt--think you don't want her here. As for your clothes, you must have nice."
I remembered my two remade dresses. "All right," I said grumpily. "I'll change and be right down."
He kissed the top of my head and left.
"They are your guests, and you can entertain them," I retorted.
"You don't like Nee?" He looked upset.
I sighed. "She seems as nice as any Court lady could possibly be, but how can she think I'm anything but an idiot? As for that Shevraeth, you brought him. He's yours to entertain. I don't need him laughing at me for my old clothes and lack of courtly finesse."
"He isn't going to laugh at you, Mel," Bran said, running his fingers through his hair. "Life! We didn't come all the way up here to talk to ourselves. Nee's going to play the harp before supper. She spent all afternoon retuning the thing. If you don't come, after all I said about how you like music, she'll get hurt--think you don't want her here. As for your clothes, you must have nice."
I remembered my two remade dresses. "All right," I said grumpily. "I'll change and be right down."
He kissed the top of my head and left.
( Sherwood Smith )
[ Court Duel ]
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