A Princess of the Chameln by Cherry Wilder

Author:Cherry Wilder
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781504026970
Publisher: Open Road Distribution

Chapter Six

I

In four years as a kedran Aidris had been no further from Kerrick Hall than Benna in the southwest; but in her fifth year, she travelled clear across Athron and back again. The New Year came in with freakish warm weather; then in the Willowmoon, snow and wind. There was a gift of horses from the Kerrick stables to be delivered, some way off, and the journey was put off several times. Then at the last possible moment, Grey Company took the duty and set off for Wildrode Keep, in the far northeast, beyond the Ettling Hills. The two colts and two fillies were a splendid gift: one pair were thoroughbred of the Athron stock; the others were of the new Kerrick breed, taller and stronger, the colt red-roan, the filly bay, sired by the great stallion, Fireking. Sir Jared Wild of Wildrode was to be married in the first days of the Birchmoon to the young daughter of a neighboring lord.

The going was easy in spite of the wet and the unseasonable cold, and the hills were passed almost before Aidris knew they had been climbed. The party stayed at an inn near the sacred spring where the river Flume had its beginning, and all the kedran made wishes at the spring. Aidris, looking towards the mountains that rose a handspan above the horizon in the northeast, knew her wish, and it happened she knew Ortwen’s too. A new suitor had appeared at New Year in Cashcroft, and Ortwen, heir to all her father’s acres, thought she would take this handsome fellow and stop soldiering.

They came to the old black-browed, mouldering keep in good time; but here in the border country, the order and the quiet magic of Athron did not seem to have so firm a hold. Their lodgings were poor, the local kedran and men-at-arms all curst and sad. It was, as Sergeant Lawlor said, more like a wake than a wedding. Aidris singled out the quartermaster, who was more approachable than his companions, and spoke to him of a person who had been in her mind during the journey.

“Where is Mistress Quade?”

They were in a little snuggery beside the stores with a few younger kedran and kerns clustered round a brazier against the cold. Master Roon grinned at her mildly.

“Friend of yours, Kedran Venn?”

“Yes,” she said. “We met lately at Kerrick.”

“Poor Jess Quade has her bower at the top of this tower we’re now in. She will be glad to see a friend.”

“Master Roon,” said Aidris, “what is her estate?”

“Quade was the steward of the keep,” said the quartermaster. “Young Jess was brought up as book-sister to the young lords, Garl and Jared; she was older than they were by four, five years.”

“Was Jared the younger brother? Not the heir?”

“Not at first. Our young lord, Garl, died on his wedding day. That is one reason you find us a little cast down and fearful before this wedding.”

“And Mistress Quade was the kedran serving Sir Jared .

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