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Jardir put his hands flat on the tabletop and bowed "That is too great a gift, and I have nothing to give in return By Everam, I cannot accept"

"The reain, taking the wondrous cloak idening eyes If the wards on this so-called Painted Man’s weapon were a harht was a symphony He folded the cloak carefully and tucked it in his robe before he or any of his councilors began to study the gift to distraction

"Thank you, Mistress Leesha, daughter of Erny, Herb Gatherer of Deliverer’s Hollow," he said, bowing again "You honor ift"

Leesha sreenlandersto one another as they did Jardir allowed the to Abban

"Tell me of the red-haired boy who dresses like a khaffit," he coreenlanders call a Jongler, Deliverer They are traveling storytellers and ht colors to announce their craft It is considered an honored profession, and its practitioners are often highly regarded figures of inspiration"

Jardir nodded, digesting the knowledge "He had power over the alagai with his ed "The tales of the Painted Man speak of such a one, who char of this power It is not coine"

Rojer watched uneasily as the Krasians cast furtive glances his way It was obvious they were talking about hiun to isolate the sounds and patterns of their surprisinglywas still far off

The Krasians both terrified and fascinated him, much as the Painted Man did Rojer was a teller of stories as much as a fiddler, and he had woven many a tale of Krasia yet he had never met someone from that land A thousand questions shouted in his head, but caught in a juue, because these weren’t the exotic princes of his stories Rojer had ridden the road to Rizon and seen their handiwork Cultured or no, these were ain, and before Rojer could avert his gaze, their eyes ive

Rojer pretended to scratch his chest, but it was just an excuse to touch his talisth both fro presence of Gared at his side Not for the first tihty woodcutter’s oath to keep hi

"There are no Jonglers a my people," Jardir said "Your profession interests us"

"You don’t have musicians?" Rojer asked, shocked

"We do," Jardir said, "but in Krasia, music is used only to praise Everam, not to charm demons on the battlefield Tell h "Not in the least" He threw back his tea, wishing the cup held soer "I can’t even teach it Don’t know quite how I do it ested "Perhaps He has blessed your line with this power Have any of your sons shown proain "Sons? I’m not even married"

The Krasians seemed shocked at this "A man of your power should have many brides to bear hi his cup to thereed I should have many brides"

Leesha snorted "I’d like to see you handle one" Everyone on both sides of the table had a laugh at Rojer’s expense He weathered it silently; jokes at his expense were nothing new in the Hollow, but he felt his cheeks coloring all the same He looked at Jardir, only to find that the Krasian leader was not a

"May I ask you a personal question, son of Jessum?" Jardir asked

Rojer touched the medallion at his father’s name, but he nodded