"Best I do this," said Hanfor.

"We'll also need some wagons and some armsmen to leave at Mencha.. . another score or so. I'll explain later." Anna smiled. "We may have some... goods to bring back to Falcor."

"Derived through sorcery?" asked Hanfor.

"Or battle," suggested Anna. She looked down at the list before her-the long list. "Now... you know Lord Vyarl, Lord Jecks... how many coins should we send him to buy forage...

She didn't want to think about all the other problems they needed to address before she dared leave for Mencha, like sending a message to summon Halde to Falcor once she returned. That's a.s.suming you return. Or reworking the accounts with Dythya... or preparing the levy notices for Hanfor or making sure that her de facto postal system was launched... or... the list seemed endless.

30.

The mid-afternoon, pre-harvest sun warmed the back of Anna's vest as the column neared the western bank of the Chean River. Several of the old oaks flanking the road were bare-leaved-dead-or graced with yellow leaves well before fall's turn.

The air was so still that the afternoon seemed as hot as midsummer.

"River's running higher than in years," Jecks observed to Anna. before turning in the saddle to glance at Jimbob and Kinor-two redheads riding abreast before the second set of Anna's guards and before the players.

Behind the players rode the majority of lancers, ninescore or so. Somewhere back in the dust rode a new and determined undercaptain, Skent. The other score oflancers served as the vanguard and had already crossed the ancient stone bridge that lay slightly more than a hundred yards ahead of Anna.

'That's good." Anna patted Farinelli, then glanced at the bridge ahead, leading over the Chean and then into Pamr. "Maybe it will help some of the trees."

"For those, it's too late. It will be years before the forests begin to grow back."

Farinelli's hoofs clicked on the stones of the bridge. Anna glanced down at the brownish blue water, swirling past and through the brush that had grown up during the dry years of the Evult's drought.

"...always talking about the drought..." Jimbob's voice was barely audible.

"Wasn't it that bad in Falcor? We lived in Mencha," Kinor replied, "and some days when the wind blew, you couldn't even see the fields for the dust. Once Lord Brill had to use sorcery to move big piles of dust out of his keep, and half the trees in his apple orchard died, even with the sorcery he used to bring water to them."

Anna smiled. Perhaps bringing Kinor would have advantages beyond those she and Jecks had discussed. She pulled off her floppy hat for a moment to try to let her short hair dry from the sweat beneath, then replaced it.

"...never really saw much outside of Falcor... my sire... mother... were gone...

more than they were there in the last years..."

"I suppose they didn't have much choice," offered Kinor. "The lady Anna doesn't seem to. There's always a problem somewhere."

Jimbob's reply was inaudible.

As Anna realized she was nearing Pamr-and the chandler who used Darksong-she twisted in the saddle and reached for the lutar, half-wrestling, half-easing it from the leather case. She fumbled to tune the instrument, and began a vocalise, "Holly-lolly-pop...."

"Arms ready!" snapped Jecks and Himar almost simultaneously.

The hazel-eyed lord's blade was clear of his scabbard before he finished the command.

Anna could sense that both Jimbob and Kinor had drawn steel as well, but she hoped neither would have to use a blade. As she tried to clear her throat and cords, Anna surveyed the houses that led toward the crossroads in the middle of Pamr, her eyes shifting from one to the next as the blond gelding carried her eastward. At the fourth or fifth house, she thought she saw a woman's face, but the shutters closed quickly.

Pamr was still, the streets empty, too empty for a midweek afternoon. Again. The only sounds were those of the lancers' murmuring, mounts breathing, and hoofs striking the dusty clay of the street.

She let the second vocalise die away, and holding the lutar ready, continued to survey the dwellings and buildings on both sides of the street.

At the creak of a door the Regent turned in the saddle toward the inn-The Green Bull-but the shaded porch remained empty. Her eyes went to the chandlery across the street.The bearded brown-haired man-the drummer Anna had seen in the scrying pool- glanced at the column of riders, then darted back inside the building, closing the door with a thud.

"Not good," Anna murmured. "Listen for drums..."

"Drums?" Jecks' face clouded. "Vile things."

Despite the ominous silence and the vanishing drummer, the column pa.s.sed through the center of town and out along the north road without encountering anyone and anything-except a stray black dog that slunk away behind a browning hedgerow on the north side of Pamr.

Anna frowned as Pamr dropped behind her. She would have liked to do something about the young chandler-but what? She didn't really even have any proof that he was using Dark-song-only her own visions in a scrying pond, and she had more than enough problems in Defalk without imprisoning or killing someone who hadn't actually done anything.

Still... Anna did not relax her guard until she reined up in the open area below Lady Gatrune's mansion-or keep, where the black-bearded captain Firis stood with a smile.

"Welcome, Lady Anna." Firis bowed. "Your presence is always welcome." He turned toward Jecks. "And yours, Lord Jecks."

Anna gestured toward the two redheads. "Captain Firis, this is Lord Jimbob, and Kinor, one of my students in Falcor' Student was as good a term as any, since Kinor was neither fosterling nor page. "And you remember Overcaptain Himar and my chief player Liende."

"Greetings and welcome," Firis responded. "Lady Gatrune awaits you... once you take care of that beast."

Farinelli tossed his head, if gently, as though to suggest to Anna that he needed to be brushed and fed.

"Yes, I know." Arma patted the gelding's neck, then dismounted. She looked at Jimbob and Kinor, then Liende. "Once we have the mounts stabled, we'll go up to the main house together:" As she finished, she caught a glimpse of Skent leading his company toward the rear stable area.

Her words brought nods, and she turned and began to follow Firis toward the stable. Behind her came Rickel and Lejun Once at the stable, Lejun took both guards' mounts, while Rickel remained within a few steps, his hand on the hilt of his blade as Anna led Farinelli into the large stall clearly reserved for the big gelding.

Firis stood for a moment at the end of the stall as Anna loosened the girths, and then swung the saddle onto the rack above the stall wall.

"You still amaze me, lady."

"Why? Because I take care of Farinelli?" She slipped off the blanket and found the brush.

Firis laughed. "That... and many other things."

"Pamr seemed.., quiet.... What have you heard?"Firis' smile died away. "It is far too quiet, my lady. No one in the town talks to us, any of us, except when they must." He shrugged. "Yet... one cannot punish folk for silence."

"Is anyone forging arms or anything?" Anna patted the gelding and began to brush out the dust and road dirt. "Easy, there, fellow."

"We have seen nothing. We have heard nothing. More of the men's consorts have come here to live. Few live in town any longer."

As she continued to groom Farinelli, Anna pursed her lips, silently pondering the situation in Pamr. Should you have done something? What?

Firis stepped back. "Best I see that quartering is going well." Anna smiled and nodded. As Fins stepped away, from farther inside the stable, Anna heard some murmurs.

"...doesn't even bring a lancer to groom her mount..."

"...you want someone to groom your mount?" Kinor's voice was loud enough for Anna to identify.

"Not... seemly..."

"It's more than seemly," answered Jecks, not quite sharply. "And it is effective, Lord Jimbob. Your sire and your mother groomed their own mounts as well. When rulers do such, then lancers and others do not complain and are more willing to heed orders."

Anna nodded, wondering how long-if ever-it would be before Jimbob understood the power of example. And the finer points in using guilt? She laughed to herself.

Not all people could be guilt-tripped, especially not all men.

Rickel and Lejun returned, and Rickel picked up the cased mirror, and Lejun Anna's saddlebags.

"Are you ready, my lady?" Jecks appeared at the end of Farinelli's stall as Anna stepped away, carrying her lutar.

"More than ready. I'm hungry and filthy."

Lejun and Rickel flanked Anna and Jecks as they left the stables. Kinor and Jimbob-and Liende and Himor-followed the four, if several paces back. Again, Anna felt as though she led a parade of sorts.

"Young Captain Firis ... is somewhat..." Jecks shook his head.

"Familiar?" Anna grinned. "Why... Lord Jecks. . . you sound almost jealous."

"Me?"

Despite Jecks' denial. Anna could see the flush under the tanned skin of the older lord. She touched his arm gently. "If I should choose to be... familiar...

with anyone...it would not be Firis. He's far more like a fresh younger brother who sometimes needs a scolding."

"My lady...I did not..."

Anna squeezed his shoulder again. "You don't need to apologize." She smiled.

"Your... I'm glad you care." Her boots clicked on the stones of the lower outer landing leading to the steps up to the house. She glanced up to see Lady Gatruneand several others standing under the portico, waiting. "Ready for more pleasantries, Lord High Counselor?"

Jecks squared his shoulders. "A quiet dinner with you, even with piles of scrolls, would be more to my taste."

"Mine, too... but that's not in the cards."

Again, as a puzzled expression flitted across Jecks' face, Anna was reminded of how idioms didn't translate, even in similar languages. Like George Bernard Shaw or whoever it was that said the Americans and British were divided by a common language.

"Regent, Lord Jecks." A broad smile crossed the face of Lady Gatrune, whose blonde-and-white hair was drawn back into a bun of sorts, and bound with silver- and-purple cords. "You remember my son Kyrun?"

Kyrun retained the short blond hair Anna vaguely remembered, and the cowlick she clearly recalled. "Lady Regent, Lord Jecks." He bowed, then straightened.

"Lady Gatrune, Kyrun," Anna inclined her head to the taller Gatrune, then to her son.

Jecks repeated the salutations.

"We are glad to see you, but will not trouble you until you are refreshed and we can talk at dinner." Gatrune offered another smile.

"Thank you. It's always good to be here," answered Anna. "I don't know if you knew, but Lord Jecks is also now Lord High Counselor."

"Defalk could scarcely do better," replied the rangy lady. "My brother speaks highly of you, Lord Jecks, and he seldom speaks highly of anyone."

Anna half-turned, gesturing to those who followed. "Lord Jimbob, Kinor, my chief of players, Liende, and Overcaptain Himar."

"I am pleased to welcome you all to Pamr," Gatrune said. "We will settle you in your rooms, first."

After following Gatrune down one corridor and up a set of wide stairs and down a second corridor, Anna found herself in the largest guest suite, one with an oversize and netted four poster bed and a separate bathing chamber-with the tub already filled. Jecks had the adjoining chamber on one side, and Jimbob on the other. I suppose Jimbob will be irked that he doesn't have the chamber of honor, too. Careful... he might not be thinking that at all. Right...

Anna glanced at the bolt on the dark-stained oak door, then set the lutar on the bench at the foot of the bed, beside the mirror and the saddlebags.

While she bathed, Anna sang a set of vocalises to warm up her voice. Then, after dressing in the single all-purpose green gown she carried everywhere, Anna took out the lutar and tuned it. Setting it aside, she went to the door of the second-floor guest chamber and opened it.

"Kerhor... if you would, could you see if someone could find Lord Jecks for me?"

"Yes, Lady Anna."

Anna walked back into the chamber and extracted the lutar, running her fingers over the wood so carefully crafted by young Daffyd. She shook her head. PoorDaffyd. All he'd wanted was revenge for his father's death, and yet he'd changed all Defalk by summoning Anna, and never lived to see all the changes.

"Lady Anna?" Jecks' voice followed the thump on her door. "Come in." Anna laid the lutar on the bench and uncased the traveling mirror, propping it up on the straight-backed chair before reclaiming the lutar.

"You summoned me?" Jecks wore the blue tunic and white shirt beneath, the outfit in which he appeared so handsome.

"I didn't summon you." Anna smiled. "I hoped you'd be free. I didn't like the way Pamr felt this afternoon."

She took out the lutar and began to tune it. "I wanted you to watch the mirror with me."

Jecks nodded. "You continue to fret about the chandler."

"There's a lot to fret about." Anna finished tuning the instrument and turned to face the mirror, clearing her throat before starting the spell.

Mirror, mirror, now let us see, young Fa.r.s.enn as he may be, within the chandlery....

The mirror remained blank.

"He's not in the chandlery, then."

"Can you see that chamber?" asked Jecks.

"I'll need to change the spell for that." Anna thought, then strummed the lutar and sang.

Mirror, mirror, now let us see, the chandlery's place of sorcery, where Fa.r.s.enn and the drums did bring....

The back room of the chandlery was empty. Even the clay statue had vanished, as had the set of drums.

"They're afraid of you," Jecks said.