Elizabeth Moon: Oath of Fealty

All the Marrakai mounts had the same, but only two other horses, both Marrakai-bred.

By then Duke Marrakai had awakened, complaining of nausea and a severe pain in his head; the palace physicians insisted he must be carried in and put to bed.

“You must ride with us, Dorrin,” the king said.

“I have no proper mount—these horses are all—” Fancy and useless were the terms that came to mind, that she must not use.

“Take my father’s,” Kirgan Marrakai said. “He would offer it, if he were here.”

“I need my boots,” Dorrin said, as she looked down at her torn stocking. But someone had already run to the palace, and before she could get to the doors, the tiring maids were there with her boots, her silver spurs, and the proper cape.

She rode out the gate near the head of the procession, side by side with Duke Mahieran and behind the prince, through streets strewn with flowers and good-luck charms, to the cheers of the crowd.

Many people have contributed to the rebirth of the Paksenarrion universe, and this book in particular, and it’s impossible to thank all of them separately, though they deserve it. David Watson and others in the fencing group helped especially by working through various fight scenes as well as with research. David Stevens, director of the St. David’s Parish Choirs, has deepened my understanding of fiction through his comments on musical structure, besides saving my sanity after a bad day at the computer by insisting that I pay attention to a different form of creativity. George Cardozo solved a plot problem for me; Carol Cardozo contributed several good suggestions. Ellen McLean, my first outside reader for the original Paks books, continues to be a perceptive and supportive (but also critical) reader. Husband Richard and son Michael continue to tolerate (and even enjoy) the chaos that surrounds a writer in full spate, bringing me chocolate and learning to cook their own dinners.

Even with this help, however, this book and those to come would not exist without the support of the Paksenarrion fan base, who kept asking for more, my agent, Joshua Bilmes, and the support of my first editor, Betsy Mitchell, who bought and then edited Sheepfarmer’s Daughter for Baen, and is now back with me in this storyuniverse.