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"No" I touched his shoulder lightly to set hihtto rest In the early afternoon the road led us down into a valley, to what had been the Ro pools andinto ruin now; the springs were beginning to break free of the shrines that had been built around theh they ran clear and wars of the old city lay as rubble, roofless and empty But the heart of the town reh there was a public house with its door open, and fro the small black leather satchel that I carried and put a hand in, searching for the few coins I had brought with me I said to Lleu, "Shall we eat here?"

He watched in horror and a I saw the fear in his look, but could not understand it Disturbed and puzzled, I said, "What is it? You can’t be afraid to take aother people"

Lleu whispered, "Why do you carry feathers in your bag?"

"Feathers?" I asked, speaking low, and feeling curiously fearful myself "Feathers…," I repeated slowly "Where did you see the, talking in quiet voices, as would any two traveling coh the town and debate whether or not to take their midday meal in company of the townsmen

"You shook them out of your satchel just now," Lleu said "Didn’t you? A handful of black feathers, like snowflakes of shadow, they fluttered froers and scattered across the street--"

"Ai, God help you, Lleu," I whispered I stood awhether he had any idea of as happening Then I bent and reached down as though picking up so near my boot, and held my hand before his face "A feather like this one?"

"There’s nothing there," Lleu said

"Are you sure?" I slowly turned my hand

His face betrayed him "What did you see?" I asked

"I don’t know," Lleu gasped quietly "You’re not--holding anything"

"No," I said "I’"

We both stood still and silent Lleu looked at the white doves in the eaves of the building across the street, then closed his eyes with a small cry and quickly turned his face away

"Come, let’s eat here," I said "You o on like this"

Lleu said carefully, "Suppose the folk in this place have heard that I have been abducted?"

"That is a risk hatligI take"

"And if I cry to them for sanctuary?"

"Will you?" I asked

"No," he said "This is our contest now, yours and mine alone, I will not force my father’s people to choose between us"

We stepped inside the small, dark shop There were a dozen or so men there, shepherds and farmers from the nearby e and s of warm ale for myself and Lleu, and the other patrons made room for us on one of the benches Lleu looked up froht prove to be coainst his forear "Sit up, you little idiot," I said in his ear, helping hiht one of the ’s antlers, like the lord of death and the Wild Hunt," Lleu whispered despairingly "Oh, God, I ae to pick up his ood deal on the table The lances, but decently looked ahen they saw ently take the cup from Lleu’s hands and wipe the table

When I went to pay for our meal the keeper of the hostel remarked quietly to me, "It’s a bad time to travel far in open country Is the boy si up his head in defiance, but he said nothing I answered, "He’s not simple A bit of a fool, perhaps" I beckoned Lleu with a nod of ’s court, couldn’t you, little one?" I said "Give them the performance we had at Midwinter’s"

"You dare tempt me!" Lleu said aloud He rose to stand before me and handed his bow and quiver to one of the patrons Then in spite of his exhaustion, in spite of the tricks his eyes were playing him, in the small space between a table and a screen of woven rush he executed two fast, furious handsprings, forward and backward Afterward he clung to the nearest table for support, blinking to clear his unreliable vision, as the astonished patrons burst into a roar of approval and admiration

"Hey, Maria," the proprietor called into the inner roo the children out here There’s an acrobat"

A thin woed by two small boys; the elder looked about six years old, and the other, whose face and hands were covered with flour, was perhaps two years younger The little one hid behind his ers "Come on, you lot," the owner directed "Stand back, clear soed the tables and benches aside and waited expectantly, all gazing at Lleu He glanced around the dark roohed and ran a hand through his hair, and spoke in his clear, authoritative voice:

"Under your green-girt bea nor borrow;

Instead I play upon your hearth

To speed away all sorrow

I am the sun lord’s na to field and fold