Thieves by Jonathan Moeller

Author:Jonathan Moeller [Moeller, Jonathan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

An hour later, Tyrcamber sat against one of the empty hospital wagons with a skin of wine, drinking.

One of the annoying side effects of his transformation was that Tyrcamber could no longer get drunk, not properly. Something about becoming a Dragontiarna meant that poisons and illnesses burned out of his blood far faster than a normal man. Which meant that he could start to get a pleasant buzz from the wine, but it passed swiftly.

He would have liked to have gotten drunk.

Tyrcamber supposed he could have handled his fight with Lady Brunhilda better, but he could not see how. He was tired, and frustrated, and angry, and after seeing men die in battle, watching the petty intrigues of a cruel old woman had been intolerable. Tyrcamber should not have made Brunhilda a target for his anger…but God knew she had all but offered herself up on a silver platter.

“My lord?” said a woman’s voice.

Tyrcamber glanced up and saw the thick form of Lady Adalberga standing over him.

He gestured with the wineskin. “Care to join me?”

To his surprise, she sat next to him, gathering her skirts beneath her, and then lifted the offered wineskin and took a long drink.

“That’s not bad for camp wine,” she said, passing it back to him. Her sweet voice and merry eyes seemed an odd contrast with her leathery, ravaged face.

“Beggars cannot be choosers,” said Tyrcamber.

“No,” said Adalberga. She hesitated and then plunged ahead. “I think that was very kind, what you did.”

Tyrcamber snorted. “Terrorizing an old woman? Yes, very kind.”

“Brunhilda Tetrax is hardly a simple old woman,” said Adalberga. “I’m afraid she’s a vicious old shrew, and she’s always tormented Lady Ruari. It got especially bad after Ruari recovered from the withering plague and lost the ability to bear children. Some of the things I’ve heard her say to Ruari…” She shook her head. “It’s good you stood up for her. It’s about time someone did.”

“Why does Ruari let her mother speak to her like that?” said Tyrcamber.

“Why do you let Lord Chilmar command you?” said Adalberga. There was no good answer to that. “They had some sort of horrible fight, years ago. Brunhilda passed out during it – something like a stroke, I think, or a seizure of the heart. She recovered, but Ruari blamed herself. Ever since then, she’s let her mother bully her.” Adalberga sighed. “But you’re right, she shouldn’t. Ruari has the greatest heart of anyone I’ve ever met and can wield the Heal spell with greater skill than anyone else.”

“Why are you telling me this?” said Tyrcamber.

“I love Lady Ruari,” said Adalberga, “the way a soldier loves a brave commander, or a vassal loves a kindly liege lord. She saved my life, did you know that? My entire family came down the withering plague. My husband died before Ruari could arrive.” She sighed and kept speaking. “She cured me, though my face was scarred. Not that it matters since I have no wish to remarry. But Ruari saved both my sons.

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