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。 〃So soon。。。〃
〃War does not wait for men； cheysula。〃
Carefully she smoothed her green skirts over her thighs as she knelt upon the spotted pelt。 〃Duncan；〃 she said at last； 〃I wish to go。〃
He meticulously inspected me fletching of each arrow。 * 'Go？〃
〃To Mujhara。〃
〃No。〃
〃I will be safe。〃
〃It is no place for you； small one。〃
〃Please；〃 she said clearly； not begging。 〃I could not bear to remain here； waiting out each day without knowing。〃
〃I have said no。〃
〃I would not hinder you。 I too can assume fir…shape。 I would
be no trouble；〃
He studied her impassively a moment； half his attention on his
Xnows。 Then he smiled。 〃You are ever trouble； Alix。〃
〃Duncan！〃
〃I will not risk you。〃
〃You risk yourself。〃
He set down one arrow and picked up another。 〃The Cheysuli；〃 said slowly； 〃have ever risked themselves。 For Homana； it is worth it。〃
〃But for Saaine？〃
〃The Mujhar if Homana。 Shaioe has held these lands safely lor more than forty years； Alix。 Our race has not benefited from ten； perhaps； but all else have。 If he requires help to hold the land now； we must give it to him。〃 His eyes dropped。 〃And we 〃amst think of the one who will succeed him。〃
Alix took a trembling breath。 〃Let me give my aid as well。
Shaine is my grandsire。 …。 and Carillon my cousin。〃
He set the arrow aside and clasped his hands loosely in his hp。 Alix found herself avoiding his eyes； focusing instead on me heavy gold banding his bared； bronzed arms。 She saw me embossed； incised hawk…shape of his Ur and the runic designs worked into （he gleaming metal on either side of me hawk。 When she could look at his face again； she saw pride and warmth in his eyes。
〃Cheysula；〃 he said gently； 〃1 know your determination。 I
am thankful for it。 But I will not have you risking yourself；
especially for the man who cast you out at birth and then again so many years later。〃
〃Yet you risk yourself；〃 she repeated hollowly； sensing defeat。
He sighed minutely。 〃It is a warrior's place； cheysuta； and a clan…leader's tahlmorra。 Do not deny me it。〃
〃No；〃 she said。 She reached for the bow and picked it up； caressing me smooth patina and gleaming ornamentation。 She slid careful fingers down the taut bowstring； testing its tension and vibrancy。 〃Will you be careful？〃 she asked in a low voice。
〃I am usually little else； as Finn often tells me。〃
〃Very careful？〃
He smiled wryly。 〃I will be very careful。〃
Alix gently set the bow in front of him。 〃Well； I would not want your first son born without a father。〃
He was silent。 Alix； eyes downcast in a submissive position unfamiliar to her； waited for his astonishment and joy。
But Duncan reached out and grabbed her shoulders； jerking her upright onto her knees。 He glared at her wrathfully。
〃And you would risk that by ing to an embattled city？〃
〃Duncan＋〃
〃You are a fool； Alix！〃 He released her abruptly。
She stared at him open…mouthed as he rose stiffly and stalked from her； halting at the open doorflap to stare out。
〃I thought you would be pleased；〃 she told his rigid back。
He turned on her。 〃Pleased？ You beg to go to war and men tell me you have conceived？ Do you wish to lose this child？〃
〃No！〃
He glared at her。 〃Then remain here as I have said； and conduct yourself as a clan…leader's cheysula。〃
Alix； driven into speechlessness by the intensity of his anger； said nothing at all as he turned away from her and left the pavilion。
She shivered once； convulsively； （hen folded both arms across her still…flat belly and bent forward； hugging herself tightly。
She let the tears e unchecked and rocked back and forth in silent grief。
Chapter Three！： When the doorflap was pulled aside Alix sat up hastily and
wiped the tears away。 She was prepared to meet Duncan with
dignity； but when she saw Finn staring in at her she lost her
posure。
＇〃Duncan is not here；〃 she said shortly。
s。 Finn studied her a moment。 〃No； I know he is not。 He passed
me but a moment ago； black of face and very black of mood。〃
〃He paused。 〃Have you had your first battte； meiyAa？〃
； She scowled at him； fighting back die impulse to cry again。
**It is none of your concern。〃
〃He is my ruifwili； you my rujholla。 It is ever my concern。〃
〃Go away！〃 she cried； and burst into tears。
Finn did not go away。 He watched her in ironic amazement a moment； then stepped inside the pavilion。 Alix turned her back；on him and cried into her hands。
； 〃Is it truly so bad？〃 he asked quietly。
〃You are the last person I would tell；〃 she managed between sobs。
〃Why？ I have ears that near as well as anyone's。〃
〃But you never listen。〃
Finn sighed and sat down next to her； carefully avoiding any
contact。 〃He is my rujho； Alix； but it does not make him
perfect。 If you wish to tell me how abominable he is being to
yw； I will listen readily enough。〃
She snot him a repressive glance。 〃Duncan is never abominable。〃
His brows lifted； 〃Oh。。。 he can be。 Do you forget I grew up
with him？〃
Something in the lightness of his tone broke her down farther；
'destroying her last reservation。 Most of me tears had gone； but
she was still upset。
〃He has never been angry with me before；〃 she whispered。
Finn's mouth twitched。 〃Did you dunk Duncan beyond it？
Most of the time he loses himself in the burdens of being
。 dan…leader to a dwindling race； but he is like any other。 He has
ever been more solemn than I。 but he has just as much anger and
'bitterness。 It is only he hides it better。〃
She thought of die cause of Duncan's anger； bat could not tell Rnn。 It was too new； too private。
〃It is too hard；〃 she said； pushing away die last of die tears。
〃Being his cheysula be asked in surprise。 〃Well； there was a way out of dial …。 once。〃 He grinned sardonically。 〃You had only to be meijha to me。〃
〃1 did not mean diat；〃 she said sharply。 〃I spoke of learning new customs； and conducting myself the way a Cheysirii woman does。〃
Rnn drought about it。 〃Perhaps diat is true。 I had never thought of it。〃 He shrugged。 〃This is die only life I know。〃
〃I know two。〃 she told him heavily。 〃The one you stole me from； and this。 There are times I wish you had never seen me。〃
〃So you could dally with ct*e princeling and grow up to be his light woman？〃
Alix glared at him。 〃Perhaps。 But you ended any chance of that。〃
〃You had best not say dial where Duncan can hear it；〃 Finn said tonelessly。
Alix was startled。 〃Duncan knows how I felt about Carillon。
How could he not？〃
Finn dragged at his boot； as if delaying his answer。 Then his mouth twisted。 * 'He still fears you may go back to die princeling。〃
〃Why？〃
〃CariUion offers more than we can。〃 His eyes were expression…less。 〃The magnificence of Homana…Mujhar； weahh； die honor in being a prince's light woman； it is more than any Cheysuli can give。〃
〃I do not take a man for what he gives me；〃 she said firmly。 〃I take him out of love。 Duncan can say it was tahlmorra diat brought us together＋perhaps it was＋but it is not dial which keeps us together。〃
Finn seemed suddenly unfortable。 〃Then you will remain widi die clan？〃
〃Duncan would not let me go； nor； I thin