Tarashana by Rachel Neumeier (little red riding hood ebook TXT) 📕

at least a division? That’s not so many it would offend the king of the winter country, surely?”

A division would be far too many. I did not have to say so. Aras knew it. “I won’t take anyone,” he said. “I can’t take enough soldiers to matter, so there’s no point in putting anyone else to the trouble.”

“I don’t know that it’d be trouble, exactly,” Geras commented from his place by the door. “I expect it’d be an interesting journey.”

He never spoke out of turn. He never said anything when Lord Aras was consulting with his talon commanders. Geras took his duty very seriously, and he was on duty now. But he now he went on. “My lord, if you can’t take a division, you should take a file. If you can’t take a file, you should still take somebody. A man or two won’t make any difference, unless it’s the day when a man or two make all the difference in the world. You don’t know which day that’ll be until you get to it. Could be that’ll happen somewhere along the way.” He looked at me. “How about it, Ryo? One or two men, how would that work for your people?”

I was smiling. I said, “Would you like to come, Geras? I would like that.” I had an idea of how to do it so no one could possibly take offense. I turned to Aras. “If you brought soldiers for your own protection, that would offend the inGara. It would suggest you do not trust our friendship or our hospitality. But if you bring a woman with you, this will make it very clear you trust inGara hospitality. If one or two men escort a woman, that is different. Kinsmen are expected to escort a woman. Lalani speaks very good taksu. She would not be frightened of this kind of journey. I think she would be pleased to go into the winter country and visit my people.”

“Lalani?” Geras said, at the same time Talon Commander Sharet said, “A woman?” They both sounded shocked. Everyone but Aras stared at me. I knew enough of Lau customs now that I was not surprised by their strong reaction.

Aras had not been surprised. He was smiling in a pleased way. “That’s quite clever, Ryo. I hadn’t thought of that.”

I explained to the others. “Bringing a Lau woman is reasonable because this Tarashana person is a woman. Besides, as so many of Lord Gaur’s people live in the borderlands now, it would be perfectly reasonable for a Lau woman to wish to arrange matters of trade between Gaur and the women of the inGara. If Lalani comes, then no one could be offended in any way if kinsmen escort her. One or two men would be right for that. Geras could come if he wishes. Suyet could come as well. He speaks good taksu.” I was sorry now that Esau had gone on this other mission. Although perhaps that was as well, as Esau was one of the Lau who was cursed with a little sorcery. His curse was so weak that it should not seriously offend anyone, except that any curse of that kind is very offensive until one becomes accustomed.

Talon Commander Sharet said, “Well, I agree with Troop Leader Geras. One or two men would be better than none at all, no matter what excuse you have to use to take them. It’s just good sense to take a couple of men, my lord. You may not be going into battle, but any number of accidents could give you reason to be glad you’ve got—”

“Enough, Leonas,” Aras interrupted him. “You may now stop arguing. Ryo is right, Troop Leader Geras is right, you’re right, and I’ll be happy to take two soldiers. Please ask Lalani to come see me tonight. If she doesn’t like the idea, we’ll think of something else.”

“She will wish to come,” I said.

“I suspect you’re right, Ryo, but I’ll explain what this sort of journey entails and make certain she’s as pleased by the idea as you think she’ll be.” Aras looked at Geras. “Troop Leader Geras, you’re married, yes? I only mention it because, as we’ve already agreed Lalani may come, it wouldn’t be improper for your wife to accompany us as well—if you and she would wish it.”

Geras shook his head. “I’ll ask her, my lord, but Aedani won’t want that. She’s settled here, settled and busy, and she’s not as young as Lalani—and when she was as young, she still wouldn’t’ve wanted to come along on something like this. Especially not if we’d be traveling in winter part of the time, as seems likely. Plus she doesn’t speak taksu. Anyway, our daughter’ll come from Gaur soon enough, with your family, and Dani’ll want to be here.”

Aras nodded. Then he looked around at us all and said, “I think we’ve settled everything, then. We’ll leave in the morning, just after dawn.”

I had known he had not meant to delay. But that was very fast.

 -5-

At dawn we rode out of the summer lands and into the winter country: Lord Aras, and Geras and Suyet, and Lalani, and Rakasa and Bara, and I. We were certainly an unusual company. We all rode Lau horses. This was a new experience for Rakasa and Bara. Rakasa had been given a tall mare, an animal so dark bay she was almost black. Bara rode a dark sorrel gelding with a flaxen mane. All the horses were bay or brown except for Bara’s gelding and one red sorrel mare. Lau horses are almost always dark, just as Ugaro ponies are usually paler colors. My horse was another bay mare, not as dark as Rakasa’s, with a fine sloping shoulder and a smooth stride.

It would be a pleasant and swift journey, on these smooth-gaited horses, especially in the warm season, with no need