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There arriors training in the coure of his elder brother, Fear, standing with a half-dozen of his assistants nearby, watching the weapons practice A pang of syh Trull He hi eye during the years of his own schooling

A voice hailed hilanced over to the other side of the coest brother, Rhulad, and Midik Buhn They had been doing their own sparring, it seemed, and a moment later Trull saw the source of their uncharacteristic diligence – Mayen, Fear’s betrothed, had appeared with four younger woiven the dozen slaves acco them That they had stopped to watch the sudden, no doubt iiven the complex rules of courtship Mayen was expected to treat all of Fear’s brothers with appropriate respect

Although there was nothing untoward in the scene Trull looked upon, he nevertheless felt a treerness to strut before the woman ould be his eldest brother’s wife had crept to the very edge of proper conduct Fear was, in Trull’s opinion, displaying far too ence when it came to Rhulad

As have we allOf course, there were reasons for that

Rhulad had clearly bested his childhood coiven the flushed pride in his handsome face ‘Trull!’ He waved his sword ‘I have drawn blood once this day, and now thirst for more! Come, scrape the rust off that sword at your side!’

‘Some other time, brother,’ Trull called back ‘I must speak with our father without delay’

Rhulad’s grin was ah, but even frorey eyes ‘Another time, then,’ he said, with a final dismissive wave of his sword as he turned back to face the woestured to her co off

Rhulad opened histo her, but Trull spoke first ‘Brother, I invite you to join rave import, and I would that you are present, so that your words are woven into the discussion that will follow’ An invitation that was normally made only to those warriors with years of battle on their belts, and Trull saw the sudden pride lighting his brother’s eyes

‘I a his sword

Leaving Midik standing alone and tending to a sword-cut on his wrist, Rhulad joined Trull and they strode to the fahouse

Trophy shields cluttered the outside walls,to the underside of the roof’s overhang Totems stolen from rival tribes formed a chaotic arch over the doorway, the strips of fur, beaded hide, shells, talons and teeth looking like an elongated bird’s nest

They passed within

The air was cool, slightly acrid oods the walls, between tapestries and stretched furs The traditional hearthstone in the centre of the chamber, where each family had once prepared its h the slaves noorked in kitchens behind the Ionghouse proper, to reduce the risk of fires Blackwood furniturewalls were present Hung from hooks on the crossbeams were scores of weapons, so iron had been lost in the dark ti Father Shadow’s disappearance, the rough bronze of these weapons pitted and warped

Just beyond the hearthstone rose the bole of a living Blackwood, frosword thrust upward and outward at just above head height: a true Emurlahn blade, the iron treated in some ar fainal weapons of the noble fa, were, after centuries, gone fro the heartwood But some twist in this particular tree had pried the weapon away, thus revealing that black and silver blade Uncommon, but not unique

Both brothers reached out and touched the iron as they passed

They saw their mother, Uruth, flanked by slaves as she worked on the bloodline’s tapestry, finishing the final scenes of the Sengar participation in the War of Unification Intent on her work, she did not look up as her sons strode past

Toar sat with three other noble-born patriarchs around a ga pieces carved from ivory and jade