Lynn Flewelling - The Bone Doll's Twin

Ki was a softly snoring lump on the far side of the bed. Tobin tossed a pillow at him, then rolled out between the heavy curtains and went to have a look outside.

It was another clear summer day. From here he could see over the Palatine wall to the southern city and the sea. It was incredible. With the mist rising off the water and the sun slanting low as it rose, it was hard to tell where the sky stopped and the sea began. In the wash of dawn, Ero appeared to be made of fire, trees and all.

Outside his window, a colorful garden stretched away to the belt of elms he’d ridden past the night before. There were already servants at work with shears and baskets, like bees in the meadow at home.

To either side he could see other balconies, pillars, and the jut of tiled roofs with fancy cornices and bits of sculpture on top.

“I bet we could go all the way from the Old Palace to the New over the roofs,” Ki said, coming up behind him.

“You can,” a girl’s voice agreed, seeming to come from the air over their heads.

Both boys whirled and looked up just in time to see a dark-haired blur of motion disappear beyond the eaves above their balcony. Only the rapidly fading scuffle of feet over tiles betrayed their visitor’s retreat.

“Who was that?” laughed Ki, looking for a way to follow.

Before they could find an easy way up, a young manservant came in, followed by an entourage of others laden with clothes and packages. He went to the bed, then spied them on the balcony and bowed deeply.

“Good morning, my prince. I am to be your manservant at the Palace. My name is Molay. And these—” He indicated the line of laden servants behind him. “They all come bearing gifts from your noble kin and admirers.”

The servants came forward in turn, presenting handsome robes and tunics, under robes, fine shirts and trousers, soft velvet hats, jewels in delicate caskets, ornate swords and knives, and colorful belts, two matched hounds who cringed and growled at Tobin when he tried to pet them, and a pretty falcon with golden ornaments on her plumed hood and jesses from Prince Korin. There were boxes of sweets, caskets of incense, even baskets of bread and flowers. Among the jewels he found an earring from the prince similar to the one Korin wore and a ring from Lord Orun. Best of all, however, were the two shirts of shining, supple mail sent by Porion from the Royal Armory.

“At last, one that fits!” Ki exclaimed, throwing one over his nightshirt.

“It is customary when a new Companion arrives in the city,” Molay explained, seeing Tobin’s consternation. “Perhaps I might assist you in such matters?”

“Yes, please!”

“Your Highness must of course wear first the suit of clothes sent by Lord Chancellor Hylus for your audience with him this morning. I see he has had it done in black, out of respect for your loss—But I see you have no mourning ring!”

“No. I didn’t know how to get one.”

“I shall call in a jeweler for you, my prince. For now, you might wear this jewel from the Prince Royal, and of course this ring from your guardian. And then each gift in turn according to the rank of the giver.”

“I thought I heard voices!” Korin strode out of the dressing room with Caliel. Both wore fighting leathers with fantastically elaborate raised work and metal fittings. Tobin wondered how they could move properly in such a costume, or how they’d dare risk damaging it.

“There’s a connecting door between our rooms,” Korin explained, taking Tobin to the back of the dressing room and showing him where a small panel swung back on a short dusty passage. At the far end he had a glimpse of gold and red hangings and a pack of hounds watching expectantly for their master’s return. “It only opens from my side, but if you knock I can let you through.”

They went back to Tobin’s chamber to inspect the jumble of gifts. “Not a bad haul, coz. I’m glad to see you’ve been shown the proper respect even though no one knows you yet. Do you like my hawk?”

“Very much!” Tobin exclaimed, though in truth he was a little afraid of her. “Will you show me how to hunt with her?”

“Will he? It’s all he wants to do, besides sword fighting,” Caliel exclaimed, stroking the falcon’s smooth wings.

“Gladly, but Caliel’s our best falconer,” Korin demurred modestly. “He has some Aurënfaie blood, you know.”

“Her name is Erizhal,” Caliel told Tobin. “It’s ’faie for ‘arrow of the sun.’ The royal falconer will keep her in good trim for you. We’ll have to bring Ari along, too. He’s got a wizard’s touch with hawks.”

With the help of the older boys, Tobin sorted through the gifts. Those sent by lesser nobles were by custom passed to his squire, so Ki came out of it quite well, too. Korin drew up a list of proper return gifts and Tobin used his father’s seal to authorize the deliveries.

“There, now you’re a true Ero noble,” laughed Korin. “To be one, you must spend exorbitant amounts of money and drink exorbitant amounts of wine. We’ll get to the wine later.”

The sun was well up by the time they’d finished. Korin and Caliel went back the way they’d come, promising to meet Tobin on the training field later.

Molay helped the boys dress, and by the time he’d finished they hardly recognized each other. Tobin’s robe from Chancellor Hylus was of fine black wool split at the front, cut slim in the waist and embroidered in red and golden silk with the Dragon of Skala on the breast and the hems. The oversleeves were cut full to show off the sleeves of the red under robe. When he’d put on shoes of soft red leather and the first jewels he’d ever worn, he hardly felt like himself at all. As for Ki, he looked like a dapper fox in russet and green. Standing at the polished bronze mirror together, they both burst out laughing. Molay offered them each a new sword, but they kept the plain, serviceable blades Tobin’s father had given them, accepting no other.

Molay was very pleased with them, and fussed over the trimming of their hair and nails as much as Nari ever had. When he was satisfied, he sent the young page scampering off for their escort. To Tobin’s considerable disappointment, this proved to be not Tharin, but Lord Orun. He was more resplendent than ever, in shimmering silken robes of sunbird gold, with a black and gold hood of office over his shoulders. A jeweled triangle of heavy black velvet covered his bald head.

He paused in the doorway and raised an approving eyebrow. “Well, now you do look like a young prince, Your Highness. Ah, and I see you received my token. I hope it pleases you?”

“Thank you, my lord. It was most generous of you,” Tobin said, holding out his hand to show off the ring. After the incident with Moriel last night, and what Korin had said, he was glad to be able to please his guardian a little today.

The audience chamber was in the New Palace, far enough away that they found their horses saddled and ready for them as they came out of the palace gate. Ki made a show of checking the saddles before Tobin mounted, and rode at Tobin’s left as Tharin had taught him.

The New Palace dwarfed the Old in both size and grandeur. Many of its pillared courtyards stood open to the sky and had splashing fountains to make music through the corridors beyond. Windows with panes of colored glass cast patterns on the marble floors, and shrines as tall as the keep tower filled the palace with their incense.

The audience chamber was equal in scale to all the rest. The vaulted white stone roof was held aloft by ranks of pillars carved with twisting dragons.

The huge chamber was filled with people in clothing of every sort, from rags to fine robes. There were Aurënfaie in white tunics and jewels and sen’gai of every color, and other foreigners Tobin did not recognize at all—people in blue tunics that billowed like tents around them, and men in brightly striped robes with skin the color of dark tea and curly black hair like Lhel’s.