The Protectors war

Yeah, I love it here at Dun Juniper, but there are times it drives me crazy the way Larsdalen does for you, Eilir agreed in Sign. I sort of get nostalgic about the way it was here before the Change, just Mom and me and the dogs, even though I hardly remember it, really. Mithrilwood sort of reminds me of that.

"Of course, it'll be a bit crowded anywhere, when we're not camping out," Astrid. said with a certain resignation.

You had to live behind walls with strong friends at hand, if you wanted to live at all; solitude meant deadly danger. "But not as crowded. And not as many kids, ru

"Wait till you've got some of your own," De

Astrid shuddered and rolled her eyes at his remark, but stayed silent.

What's with the chopper, Unc' De

Chuck's weaponry was part of his role, but De

"It's to hit Princess Legolamb here with, the minute she starts in with that 'He's just like Barliman Butterbur' stuff again," he said. "To hit her hard. With the sharp side. Many times. Bra

Astrid ignored him, except for a slight elevation of her straight nose and a sniff; Eilir snickered. The cavalcade was closer now. Some of them dismounted at the foot of the rise and came up the rise leading their horses, others riding slowly behind them; a few of the strangers looked up sharply as the Lambeg drums and bagpipes sounded from the gate towers. Eilir waved to her mother, feeling her face blossom in a smile and a load of worry lift. Chuck and Judy Barstow went forward with the welcoming-cup in its long silver-mounted horn; her mother gave each a brief sympathetic hug before she Invoked the God and Goddess and poured their libation. Eilir expected her to turn to them once more after that, but Juniper Mackenzie was laughing again, talking to the older man in the suit of plate-armor. Behind him :

Oh, wow, this one's pretty! Eilir signed discreetly.

Alleyne Loring was whipcord elegance in his leather-and-wool riding clothes, a smile lighting his face as he swung down from the tall black horse and looked around with his left hand on the hilt of his longsword, and a peacock-feather curling in the band of his broad-brimmed hat; the animal rested its head on his shoulder, and he stroked its nose absently. Medium tall, broad in the shoulders, narrow-hipped, moving like a cat: then he removed the hat and bowed to the images on the Dun Juniper gateway, shoulder-length golden hair swaying as he did, and politely poured out a few drops before he emptied the horn of the last small mouthful of wine.

Eilir glanced sharply aside at Astrid. Her anamchara was standing before the gateway, motionless, sighing. The expression on her face:

Oh, wait a minute, Eilir thought. The first time you ever show any interest, and it's one who looks like young Lugh come again? It's not fair!

Astrid murmured aloud, but from the way her lips moved was probably not really aware of it:": for he was young, and he was king, the lord of a fell people: "

Alleyne Loring's eyebrows went up as he took in Astrid Larsson's tall elegant figure. Then he saw the details of white tree and stars on the black leather of her tunic, and his smile widened into a boyish grin.

"Elen sila lumen' omentielvo," he said.

You couldn't be Astrid Larsson's anamchara for near ten years and not know that tongue; besides, those were Eilir's favorite books, too, even if she kept a stricter grasp on the boundaries between fantasy and the common everyday world.

He'd said: A star shines on the hour of our meeting. But even though she could lip-read Elvish, there was no Sign equivalent. Eilir felt her own lips compress in a

He went on, upending the empty horn: " Si man i yulma nin equantuva?"

Astrid laughed in delight and clapped her hands together: "That's a special-occasion cup, but there's plenty to eat and drink waiting in the Hall, and I'll be glad to get you a refill."

This is not fair! Eilir thought. This is my home and you're the one who gets to talk to him about it. This is just not right!

The young man noticed her and signed-slowly and clumsily: I'm sorry; I don't know much of this language.

Eilrir made herself smile and returned a greeting. Not fair or right at all!

"You've come a long way," Astrid went on, as they all turned and fell into step into the interior of Dun Juniper. "You and your father and your friend."

Behind them the outer gates closed for sunset with a slow soft boom that shuddered through the feet, and then the i

Alleyne checked a pace as the great building loomed up; his huge companion shaped a whistle.

"Well, there's a sight, and no mistake," the bigger man said.

"Like the hall of Meduseld," Alleyne said quietly.

"Just so!" Astrid replied.

Hey! My house! My mom's Hall! Eilir thought. That's where I live!

"We haven't seen anyone from overseas since the Change, much less from England! You'll have a lot to tell us!" Astrid continued enthusiastically.

"Si vanwa na, Romello vanwa: England," he said, laughing again; his teeth were very white. Eilir's nostrils flared; he had a very pleasant masculine scent, clean and hard beneath the usual odors of horse and leather and woodsmoke.

Another figure moved. Eilir started; she'd noticed the man-it was hard not to, since he was six-seven and broad in proportion-but only out of the corner of her eye. He waited until she was looking straight at him before speaking, which was a courtesy she appreciated.

"Nattering on in Elvish again, is he?" he said; it was probably the sort of voice that felt like a bass rumble under your fingertips, if you touched his chest or throat while he spoke. "Bad habit of his: John Hordle's my name."

You do Sign? Eilir asked; the lipreading was a bit more of a strain than usual, given his accent.

Little bit. Want more.

Juniper was looking over her shoulder. Eilir started forward with the others, still feeling a slow burn as she stared at Astrid's back.

I'm your anamchara, not the designated sidekick!

They led their mounts over to the stables and spent a minute tending to them; she saw without surprise that Alleyne Loring knew his way around horses with an easy competence. In fact he moved so gracefully that John Hordle leapt backward, his mouth open in what must have been a shout of alarm. Eilir grounded her pitchfork with a wince and privately thanked the Lady that he'd been wearing a mail shirt; otherwise something rather nasty might have happened.

Astrid looked at her in astonishment: Where were you, anamchara? she signed.

Deep thought, Eilir replied, flushing and racking the long two-tined hayfork. Sorry. Apologize for me, would you?

Alleyne smiled, and after a moment so did John Hordle.

"That's my mom," Rudi Mackenzie said proudly; the Chief of the Mackenzies winked at him as she rode by and he waved enthusiastically.