Warprize (Chronicles of the Warlands) by Vaughan Elizabeth

Author:Vaughan, Elizabeth [Vaughan, Elizabeth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Group
Published: 2011-04-04T22:00:00+00:00

I TOOK THEM TO THE HIGHEST POINT, IN THE tallest turret, to start. The young guard at the top almost dropped his spear, startled to find himself hosting the Warlord when normally his only company were the bees that buzzed in and out of the skeps that Anna kept on the heights. The sun was down, but in the fading twilight, we could still see.

The battlements fascinated Keir. The views from this height allowed one to look clear into the valley below, and even beyond their camp. Keir, Rafe, and the others pressed themselves against the outer wall, trying to look down as far as they could. The breeze that always blew at this height whistled past, catching at our hair and clothing. Prest, on the other hand, pressed himself against the opposite wall by the door, his eyes wide, the whites showing, his dark complexion turning ashen. He seemed quite grateful when I pulled them away from the views and we headed back down.

They asked question after question about the building, about how I could stand to be surrounded by walls all the time. Some of the narrow corridors made them nervous, and I’d see them all looking up, as if searching for the sky. Some of their questions I knew the answer to, some I didn’t. They admired the thick walls, wrinkled their noses at the privies with their small holes, and mock fought on the circular staircases. I showed them the places where old kings had started building, and young kings had built on. Impressed as they were with its age and fortifications, I gathered that Keir did not care for the length of time it had taken for the castle to rise to its current heights.

The halls and corridors were strangely quiet as we proceeded, empty of the normal traffic of servants and nobles. It made me uneasy even as I led them into the castle chapel.

The room was lit with hundreds of candles, and behind the altar, the white marble statute of the Goddess gleamed brightly. She was lovely, her arms holding a basket of herbs and flowers, her face serene and peaceful. I paused in the center aisle and smiled.

“So it’s true. You worship people.” Surprised, I turned to see Joden standing behind me, looking around in amazement.

“This chapel is dedicated to the worship of the Goddess, the Lady of the Moon and Stars.” I fumbled around for the right words. “She is more than a ‘person.’ ”

“He means no offense.” Keir spoke softly as the others gathered around us, gaping and gawking. There was a general sense of disapproval. “It’s odd to see, that’s all.” Keir waved his hand to encompass the room. “Another difference between us.”

“A big difference,” Yers muttered, his crooked nose twitching.

On that note, I turned and led them out, before one of the priestesses should appear. Tensions were high enough without a religious debate.

“Your Goddess, she is a healer?” Keir moved up beside me.

“Yes.” I decided to show them my old room and headed in that direction.

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