Marion Zimmer Bradley - Darkover 27 by The Shadow Matrix

Marion Zimmer Bradley - Darkover 27 by The Shadow Matrix

Author:The Shadow Matrix
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2011-11-23T20:12:54+00:00


18

Margaret Alton and Rafaella n’ha Liriel in the company of two Guardsmen entered Thendara just ahead of a small storm front. It had been at their backs for two days, threatening, but never actually reaching them. She was grateful for that, to all the many gods whose names she knew, even if she did not believe in every one of them. The Guardsmen said it was the mildest early winter they could recall, but as far as Margaret was concerned, it was sheer hell. Her fingers felt like icicles, and she was quite sure her feet would never be warm again.

The sight of the walls of Thendara heartened her. The trip had been mercifully uneventful—no bandits, no banshees, and only occasional blowing snow—but she was tired. Her bottom had, she was certain, developed calluses from hard riding, and her spine ached from tailbone to skull. But soon she would be at Comyn Castle, and if she had not gotten her days completely mixed, Ida Davidson would be arriving from University tomorrow or the day after. Fear that she might be delayed, that her dear friend might arrive and find no welcome, had troubled her chilly sleep since they left Neskaya.

The city was transformed to her eyes. The roofs were concealed with snow, and icicles hung along the edges of the houses. The streets were open, though great mounds of frozen snow sat at corners, impeding the few carts that tried to move through them. But there was something else, she decided, looking around alertly despite her weariness. What was it?

Then Margaret realized that there were long swags of greenery, swathed in lengths of gold cloth, hung across the stone facades of the houses and businesses, giving the city a celebratory air it lacked in summer. Then, too, it seemed

that the inhabitants of the city were wearing clothing of brighter color than she remembered, as if they were trying to counterbalance the gray and white of winter with boisterous hues.

They passed a market square, and she saw gaudily painted wagons, five or six of them. They were unlike anything she had seen before on Darkover. She could see that the sides of the wagons could be lowered to become small stages, for one of them was being used for a small performance. Her respect for Darkovans went up a notch at the sight of a dozen people, enduring the chill of the day, watching the little show with both interest, and clear familiarity. From time to time, one of the audience shouted at the players, and was answered.

“Rafaella, what are these people doing?”

“What? Oh, you mean the Travelers? They are only allowed in Thendara at Midsummer or Midwinter—the rest of the time they keep to the countryside or the smaller cities. You missed them at Midsummer because you were already at Arilinn. The Guilds don’t like them, so they keep them away.”

“I don’t understand. Why do the Guilds object—I assume you mean the musicians and the actors—is there an Actors Guild? I never thought about it before.



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