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.What they were bargaining for, of course, was Eddas' remaining crop of byallarfrom the previous year, the little beans roasted and ground by the giants lastsummer.It was, for Eddas, a springtime ritual, and a renewing of age-oldfriendships.Watching the dwarf and elf try to out-do each other to win thelast of Eddas' crop, however, was entertaining in the extreme.I suspectedthat Eddas' own skill at haggling was likely developed in Hyperboreanmarketplaces, where such wheeling and dealing was quite normal.That thought,however, caused me to think of Vaddan, who made his living haggling andtrading in those ancient markets, and I sighed as we watched."Can I talk to you for a moment?"I turned, looking over my shoulder, and smiled."Oh - hello, Corvid.Whatis it?"Corvid smiled, though his smile appeared nervous."Well.I was hoping totalk to you.Perhaps we could go sit on the bridge over the river and chat fora bit?""Is this a conversation I'm invited to?" Marilith asked, eyeing Corvidwith her glowing red eyes."Err.Well.Yes, if you wish.""Hmmm.Judging by your face, it sounds like one I should hearregardless," Marilith replied, and set her cup back down on the little tableJoy had brought."Thank you, Joy.Byallar is still quite interesting.""I'm sure not as pleasant as molten lead, of course," Joy replied, andgrinned."Well, no.Molten lead has a lovely sweet flavor to it, it's quiteenchanting - almost as nice as molten gold.""Oh, I think I'll pass on both, if you don't mind," Joy replied with aPage 262ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlgrin, and Marilith and I giggled.Marilith then turned to Corvid, and looked him over.After a moment, shegave him the same dark smile I'd seen her give many a young mer-man as we saton our favorite rock on Round Island."Well, Sister, let's take a walk to thebridge and see if this one sings like a monodont or a seal," she said, and Igiggled again.We followed Corvid, and he cleared his throat for a moment."Err.Idon't know what a monodont is, but.Umm.I've seen seals.Seals don'tsing, they sort of.Err.Bark," Corvid replied, smiling weakly."Oh, really? My, Sister! I suppose you learn something new every day,"Marilith replied, glancing at me."I'll make a note of it.I'm not sure I'm interested in a shell-top,however," I replied."Oh, you never know.It might be a shell-comb, instead.""Oh, that had better be a particularly good poem, then.""A living epic," Marilith agreed with a nod."Heh.Why do I have this feeling that I'm missing most of thisconversation already?" Corvid said, attempting a smile again."Possibly because you are," Marilith replied, gazing at him.Corvid sighed as we strode onto the bridge."Oh, I can see this ispointless.If Eddas hadn't told me to tell you, I wouldn't bother.I can seethe way the wind blows.""So can I, and I'm not sure I like the scent it carries," Marilithreplied, sitting on the low, broad wall lining the sides of the bridge.Sheleaned back on her palms, then stretched her legs out and crossed her hoovesat the pasterns.I decided to do the same, sitting and leaning back on mypalms, then crossing my feet at the ankles.Corvid sighed."Well.Pointless or not, here goes.This sword," he said,patting the scabbarded sword at his side, "is my father's sword.It's been inour family for generations.We don't know how many.It's an artifact,extremely rare, priceless.Our family legend was always that it dated from thetime of the Hyperboreans, likely made by them.I found out last night thatEddas forged it, so I suppose that's true.I-"I sat up, startled."What?! Let me see that!"Page 263ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html"Alright," Corvid replied, slipping the sword from it's sheath and holdingit out to me.I couldn't take it, and I found my eyes misting with tears as I saw therunes engraved on the blade."Oh, my.It is his sword.""Err.Well, of course it is, that's what he told me," Corvid replied,confused.Marilith shook her head, still leaning back calmly."That's not what shemeant, Corvid, but go on anyway.""Well.Alright." Corvid replied, and sheathed the sword again."When Iwas growing up, my father taught me to fight, to fence, and to read and write.And, he told me our family legends.He told me the story of his sword, which Iwould receive when I was twenty.The history of our family, the battles ourancestors had fought in.Many stories.But, he told me that I would be thelast of our line, because I'd been cursed before I was ever born.""Cursed?" Marilith asked, an eyebrow raised."Yes.About eight years before I was born and two years before my fatherwas married, my father was first mate on a sailing ship.There were severalpassengers - merchants, going from Arcadia to Vilandia to set up businesses.There was a storm.A tremendous storm.The hatch for the main hold wasbreached by waves, and the ship was sinking quickly.While they were trying toprepare the pinnace the ship carried as a life-boat, a wave washed both thepinnace and the passengers and a good portion of the crew overboard, andnearly heeled the ship over [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]