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

“As I explained it to you,” I said.

“I have no doubt that will be an interesting moment.” He studied me for another moment, then shrugged and waved to us all to accompany him toward the wagons. “Never mind, Ryo! Leave that aside and tell me everything about the summer country. I have never been there.”

We stayed with my brother and those people for two days and three nights, letting our horses rest as we traveled northward at the slow pace of the ambling herds. All the wagons traveled upwind of the herds to keep the dust thrown up by uncountable hooves from blowing into our faces. Ugaro wagons are very much more comfortable than Lau wagons, as Ugaro tents are very much more comfortable than Lau tents. In this season, the heavy felt had been rolled up and put away, leaving panels of thin wool and lattices of carved bone, none of which closed out the constant winds of the steppe. Rugs and cushions arranged around low lacquered tables made everything comfortable.

Marya and Tayasa were sisters, inKarano originally, who had both decided to marry my brother at the same time. That is rare; more often a warrior will marry one woman and then perhaps take a second wife at a later time, but they both seemed happy with the arrangement. They had nine children between them, five sons and four daughters, the oldest of whom had eight winters, the youngest still at the breast. No one troubled to remember which child had been carried by which mother; all the children ran together and called both Marya and Tayasa mother.

On the afternoon of the second day, after Geras watched a six-winters child fall off a moving wagon and bounce up and run under the wagon, dodging the wheels, and out the other side, to catch a pony and jump up to ride bareback, he said to me, “I’d say I’m learning more about Ugaro just watching that sort of thing than I’ve learned from two years in the borderlands. Your children are practically indestructible, for one thing.”

I laughed. “Lau children are like the fawns of the little deer,” I told him. “Those chase games your children play always make me think so. Ours are like bear cubs: they tumble over themselves and each other, but they are seldom hurt by it.”

We were walking alongside one of the wagons, a little distance from it. The pace was easy even for an Ugaro, far less a long-legged Lau. Lalani was driving the wagon, with Tayasa sitting beside her. They had become friends at once. Lalani now wore a silver armband, and Tayasa one of Lalani’s bangles, the bronze one with the blue beads. Suyet was walking beside the wagon. He was laughing at something the women had said. When he put a hand up toward Lalani, she gave Tayasa the reins, reached down to take his hand, and helped him up beside them.

“That boy wouldn’t be suited as a troop leader, but he’ll likely make commander,” Geras observed, watching them. “He works well with everyone, and he writes a fair hand, and his family's good enough. Plus he loyal as they come and doesn't mind Lord Gaur's a sorcerer, so that's something right there. I'd be surprised if Lord Gaur doesn't put him up as adjutant to Talon Commander Sharet as soon as we're back. Lalani's got that figured, even if he hasn’t. I’ll drop a word in his ear, because he better think about whether to step forward or back. If he upsets that girl, Esau’ll break every bone in his body, if Laraut doesn’t get to it first.”

I thought I might have followed this, but I was not certain. I knew an adjuvant was a soldier who stayed close to a talon commander, making himself useful in many ways. I knew this was a position a man might take before being made a commander. I thought I understood why Geras said these things when he thought of Lalani, but I was not certain. I asked, “Suyet might marry Lalani? A proper marriage? This is your meaning?”

He looked at me in surprise. Then he grinned. “Right, Ryo. I forget there are still things you don’t see. That’s definitely my meaning. It wouldn’t be a bad match. Pretty good for both of ’em, especially Lalani. Don’t mistake me,” he added, seeing me begin to speak and then change my mind. “She’s a fine talon wife. Gets on with every man in her file, gets on with everybody. Of course, there’s not a man in the whole talon who’d dare put a hand wrong with her, which likely helps there. She’s hard-working too, and sensible. And modest when she should be, though I grant, you’d hardly know it to look at her now.”

This last might have been a criticism, because the Lau put great importance on what they call modesty, especially for younger women. But Geras’ tone was indulgent.

He went on, “From his side, well, a commander could do a lot worse for a wife. Some merchant’s sheltered daughter who doesn’t know the first thing about soldiers, say. A dowry’s all very well, but if a man’s got two coins to rub together, then he’d do well to look first for a girl with good sense and good temper. His family probably wouldn’t approve, but her file would, so he’d better think it through a couple different ways. I’ll tell him so and then we’ll see.”

I was interested in everything Geras was explaining. Though I would not ordinarily have asked, as he had spoken so openly, I said cautiously, “The men of her file would approve?”

“Sure. They're fond of her, but it's hardly true love, Ryo. Just as well. That'd get in the way. Not a man among 'em would mind seeing their girl take a step or two up.”

I thought