“At least give me the opportunity to try.”
Ellais found herself explaining her betrothal and the plans she had made to escape it. “Taigna only wants to study— she said she might as well marry me as anyone. But I—”
“Your heart is given somewhere else?”
She shook her head. “But it might be. Someday. Of course, Mamma keeps telling me that marriage and love have nothing to do with each other.”
Vaun ha Tesne nodded thoughtfully. “I suppose so. I know that if I loved a woman I should not let a thing like a legal fiction of marriage stand in my way.”
“That’s very romantic. But with a husband—if I didn’t like him, I might suffer under his dominion, but at least I’d be done with my parents meddling. This marriage will be the worst of everything.”
“Which one of you plays the husband?”
Ellais wrinkled her nose. “Plays the husband?”
“In most marriages, one spouse has dominion over the other—if one of you were a man, there would be no question. A woman is passed from her father’s dominion to that of her husband. In a case like this, dominion is usually spelt out in the Writ.”
“I’ve seen the Writ,” Ellais said slowly. “There’s no mention of dominion.”
Ha Tesne laughed. “Well, then I imagine it would be up to the two of you to decide who rules the house.”
“We could take turns,” Ellais said thoughtfully. After a moment, a smile quirked at the corner of her mouth. “Are you sure of this? That if one of us has dominion, that ends the other’s parents’ right to interfere?”
Ha Tesne nodded. “I studied law for a while, until my father died and I had to come home to manage our farms and property. But the theory should be entirely defensible. I doubt your parents would want to appear before the Magistracy to contest the matter.”
“You should have been a lawyer,” Ellais said firmly.
“As it happens, I like farming. I like knowing the land and the people working it. I’m proud of my home. In fact, if I bring back a carriage for you, you would like to see it? Before you continue your escape, that is.”
Ellais had no chance to answer; a cloud of dust plumed beyond the shrubs as if several riders moving at great speed were approaching.
“Inside,” Vaun ha Tesne said.
A man on foot rounded the shrub, wearing the livery of House Caudon. Ellais ducked into the cot and shook Taigna. “It’s your father’s men!”
Taigna sat up, blinking. Outside, Ellais heard the approaching man hail Vaun ha Tesne. She turned away from Taigna to peer around the doorsill.
Vaun had risen and was going to meet the Caudon servant. He had his staff in one hand, walking as if with its support. Ellais did not hear the Caudon rider’s words, but she heard Vaun greet him as friend and ask how he could help. There was a low murmur from the Caudon rider.
“No, there’s only me. My horse was lamed, and I paused here in my walk home.”
This time Ellais heard the rider’s words: “You’ll not mind if I look for myself?”
“Do you not trust me?” Vaun sounded affronted.
“Beg pardon, sir, but it’s my job to be certain.” The man pushed Vaun aside and started for the cot. Vaun’s staff came up, caught him square on the jaw, and the man dropped. In the sudden silence, Vaun returned to the cot.
“Ladies, I think it is time that you decide if you want to continue your elopement or return home. I pledge to assist you either way, but that fellow was not alone, and his friends are doubtless going to come round the path in a moment or—and here they come.” Ha Tesne stepped outside again.
Three appeared behind the fence, calling a name, seeking the first Caudon rider. Ellais returned to her post at the door, explaining Vaun ha Tesne’s interpretation of the law to Taigna.
One rider spied the fallen body of his companion, cried out, and all three drew swords and made to attack ha Tesne. Ellais, horrified, would have run out the door except for Taigna, who grabbed onto her arm with both hands, reminding her friend that she had no weapon, no skill, and would only cause more trouble.
Vaun ha Tesne had disarmed one rider with a circular swoop of his staff, buffeting the man across the shoulders so that he was knocked to his knees, retching. Another man stepped in, cutting downward at Vaun’s shoulder; he barely caught the foible of the blade with the back of his staff, and stepped back to face his attacker. Behind them, Ellais saw the last rider approaching, circling around between Vaun and the cot.
Without thought, Ellais took up the heaviest of Taigna’s books, stepped outside, and hit the rider on the side of the head, as hard as she could. He staggered but did not fall, so she hit him again, on the other side of the head. This time, he dropped to his knees. She raised the book again for a third blow.
“Ellais, stop!” It was Taigna behind her. “We’ll go back! There’s no need to hurt anyone—for anyone to be hurt. You, there!” She called to the swordsman who was still harrying their protector. “Stop at once! I am Taigna me Caudon, and I want you to leave that man alone! He thought he was protecting us! We’re ready to come back to Meviel—I hope you have a carriage ready, for I cannot walk any further.”
“Are you certain?” Ellais and Vaun ha Tesne asked in the same moment.
“Yes. Thank you, sir.” Taigna nodded at Vaun. “I am sure, with your counsel, we will do very well. Ellais, are we agreed?”
Ellais nodded. “Although I wish I’d had a staff rather than a book,” she murmured. Taigna took the book out of her hands and cuddled it to her chest.
Vaun ha Tesne lowered his staff.
His opponent appeared put out but lowered his own weapon. “You’ll come back to Meviel?” he asked.
“We will,” Taigna agreed. Ellais nodded.
When the riders had recovered themselves and been dissuaded from fetching Vaun ha Tesne back to the city to be charged with assault, the girls said goodbye to their protector. Ha Tesne bowed over Taigna’s hand; “I can see you will make a very fine Cindiese, as well as a scholar.”
Then he kissed Ellais’s hand. She felt her face go hot. “I’m sorry not to see your house,” she said quietly. “Thank you for your help, Master ha Tesne.”
“It was my very great pleasure to help, Mistress me Morbegon.”
~o0o~
The marriage of Taigna me Caudon, Cindiese-apparent of House Caudon to Ellais me Morbegon, was celebrated with enough ceremony and lace to satisfy both their mothers, each of whom wept at the service with relief and joy. The Writ of Exception, illuminated with gold leaf and sealed with the Bishop’s Great Seal, was on display for all to see. The Cindon zo Caudon clapped his daughter’s new father-in-law on the shoulder and thought of the thousands of senesti that were now in his daughter’s control, and thereby, of course, his own. Similarly, Master Meil zo Morbegon considered the extensive holdings to which his daughter was now half-heir, and was content. And the brides themselves appeared to have put all reluctance or reservation behind them and to be genuinely pleased with their marriage. At the end of the fete given to celebrate their nuptials, the two women left in their own carriage for the house in the suburbs of the Vocarle district that was part of their dower.
The next morning, Taigna do Caudon-Morbegon returned to her studies. The sight of a married woman of rank wearing the black stole of a first scholar and walking unaccompanied to the university, sent ripples of curiosity and dismay through the best society of Meviel. By mid-afternoon, Madame do Morbegon was demanding entrance to her daughter’s house. She found Ellais in a tidy parlor where the chairs had been pushed against the walls, swinging a staff about inexpertly.
“Ellais, stop that at once. You’ll break something!”
“Good afternoon, Mamma.” Ellais put the staff down and advanced to kiss her mother.
“Ellais! Your—Taigna do Caudon was at the university this morning, and I find you here, doing—whatever you are doing. What are you doing?”
From her sleeve Ellais took a kerchief wit
h which she wiped her brow. “Please be seated, Mamma. I am trying to learn something I saw in my travels. And my—” she smiled. “My wife is at her studies.”
“Well it stops now, do you hear me? This instant!”
Ellais drew her mother to sit beside her upon one of the sophas that lined the room. She spoke gently. “Mamma, do you realize that your authority over me stopped when you wed me to Taigna? If she does not object to my drilling in the parlor, why should you?”
Madame do Morbegon’s eyes bulged with outrage. “Because it’s wrong! Talk is already beginning; they’re saying—”
“Mamma, since I no longer intend to move among the courtiers of the Hub, what they say is of no concern to me. And since Taigna intends to be a scholar—without the beard, I think, unless they absolutely require it—gossip matters not to her.” Ellais released her mother’s hand and stood again. “We made very certain of this before we were wed, Taigna and I. You—and Papa and her parents—wanted this marriage, but it has given us dominion over each other, and taken that control from you. You may disinherit us, of course—but that would only undo all your plans to wed our fortunes. So, Taigna and I, as good married couples do, want each for the other what she wants. Taigna wants to be a scholar, and I think that is excellent. I want—”
What Ellais wanted was not to be spoken, for Lilsa appeared in the door, begged her mistress’s pardon, and announced a visitor.
“Master Vaun ha Tesne, miss—mistress. Says he knows you from the road?”
“Here? In Meviel?”
“In Meviel, and in your parlor, if you will permit me.”
Madame do Morbegon beheld a tall, fair-haired man in the doorway, dressed for riding in the country rather than calls in Town. When she looked at her daughter to see how Ellais regarded this unmannerly stranger, she was surprised to see her blushing. “Ellais, who is this?”
The stranger bowed deeply. “Vaun ha Tesne, at your service, madam. By your resemblance to your beautiful daughter, I take it that you are Madame do Morbegon?” The man touched his hand to his heart in salute, then turned back to Ellais. “I hope you do not mind the intrusion. I wanted to felicitate you upon your marriage.”
Ellais turned to her mother. “This gentleman...helped us in the woods, Mamma. You owe him your thanks. ” She smiled Vaun. “As do I, sir.”
“Do you? I came to renew my invitation to see my house. You and your bride, of course.”
“My bride will be much engaged with her studies for some time.” Ellais felt curiously out of breath. “I, however, am hardly engaged at all.”
“If she can endure your absence—”
“I should like to come. Perhaps, sir, you could teach me to use a staff as you do.”
“That might take some time,” Vaun ha Tesne said soberly.
“I have nothing but time, sir. And a good deal to learn.”
This was too much for Deira do Morbegon. She grabbed her daughter by the hand and pulled her from the room. “Have you lost your mind?” she whispered. “A visit to the estate of an unmarried man, when you are just barely wed yourself?”
“Well, I’ve little else to do, Mama. Taigna will be at her studies, and I would like very much to see how Master ha Tesne manages his property, since I will one day have the management of the Caudon properties, as you have reminded me often enough.”
“Ellais, you’re married!”
“I am, yes, Mamma,” Ellais said firmly. “But that’s no problem; you often told me that marriage is not an impediment to love.”
Ellais do Morbegon-Caudon kissed her mother’s cheek in dismissal, then returned to the parlor and her waiting guest.
About the Editor
Deborah J. Ross has been writing science fiction and fantasy professionally since 1982. In addition to teaching writing and leading writer's workshops, she served as Secretary of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Under her former name, Deborah Wheeler, she published two science fiction novels, Jaydium (DAW 1993) and Northlight (DAW 1995) and approximately fifty short stories in Asimov's, Fantasy and Science Fiction, Sisters of the Night, Star Wars: Tales From Jabba's Palace, Realms of Fantasy, and almost all of the Sword & Sorceress anthologies.
Recent projects include continuing the Darkover series created by the late Marion Zimmer Bradley: The Fall of Neskaya (DAW 2001), Zandru's Forge (DAW 2003), A Flame in Hali (DAW 2004), The Alton Gift (DAW 2007), Hastur Lord (DAW 2010), The Children of Kings (DAW 2013), and an original fantasy series, The Seven-Petaled Shield.
She made her editorial debut in 2008 with the first Lace and Blade.
Deborah lives in a redwood forest in Central California with her husband, fellow writer Dave Trowbridge, and an assortment of animals.
Anthologies
Lace and Blade
Lace and Blade 2
Lace and Blade 4
Sword and Sorceress 22
Sword and Sorceress 23
Sword and Sorceress 24
Sword and Sorceress 25
Sword and Sorceress 26
Sword and Sorceress 27
Sword and Sorceress 28
Sword and Sorceress 29
Sword and Sorceress 30
Sword and Sorceress 31
Sword and Sorceress 32
Copyright
Copyright © 2009 by Deborah J. Ross
All Rights Reserved.
Cover Paintings:
“The Accolade,” [detail] by Edmund Blair Leighton (1853-1922)
“Landscapes with Wild Beasts” [detail] by Roelandt Jacobsz Savery, 1629
Cover Design copyright © 2009 by Vera Nazarian
Introduction © 2009 by Deborah J. Ross
“More in Sorrow” © 2009 by Rosemary Hawley Jarman
“Dragon Wind” © 2009 by Mary Rosenblum
“The Crow” © 2009 by Diana L. Paxson
“The Biwa and the Water Koto” © 2009 by Francesca Forrest
“Trial by Moonlight” © 2009 by Robin Wayne Bailey
“The Pillow Boy of General Chu” © 2009 by Daniel Fox
“Miss Austen’s Castle Tour” © 2009 by Sherwood Smith
“Rent Girl” © 2009 by Traci N. Castleberry
“The Baroness’ Ball” © 2009 by Pauline Zed
“The Sixth String” © 2009 by Elisabeth Waters
“Comfort and Despair” © 2009 by Tanith Lee
“Writ of Exception” © 2009 by Madeleine E. Robins
www.mzbworks.com
No part of this book may be distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
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