Fall of Angels (The Saga of Recluce #6)(122)

"Gerlich brought back a boar," answered Huldran. "Of course, he lost Narliat along the way."

"Why does this happen to us?" asked the cook. "We've got a thin soup and barely enough bread, and he brings in a juicy boar, and everyone's going to complain and ask why we've got soup." She rang the triangle.

"We're coming!" called Fierral.

Saryn and Ayrlyn followed Gerlich across the causeway, Saryn bearing the tripod and the hooks. Gerlich hoisted the carcass into place after Saryn set the tripod into the packed snow of the trail beyond the end of the causeway stones.

"We'll gut this and rough-cut it now," said Saryn, "and stack the sections in the archway by the north door. That's plenty cold. Then Kyseen and Kadran can figure out what to cook and when later tonight or in the morning."

"Fine," said Gerlich. "Fine."

"Another good meal," offered Weindre as she, Selitra, and Fierral passed the tripod.

"Not tonight," said Ayrlyn. "Tomorrow."

Selitra nodded to Gerlich, but the hunter did not return the gesture.

"Let's take some wood." Fierral looked at the remaining split sections.

"Trust Denalle to leave some," muttered Weindre, bending to scoop lengths into her arms.

"There's not that much left," said Fierral.

"I'll take a load, too," said Nylan. "That should do it."

"I'll rack the axes," offered Huldran.

"Thanks." Nylan followed the guards down to the lower level and into the far kitchen corner, and the makeshift wood bins there.

"See!" snapped Kyseen, stirring a kettle. "Even the engineer carts wood."

Nylan nodded after dumping his armload and trudged to the bathhouse to wash up. The wash tubs were empty, and tilted to dry. He supposed the clothes were hanging on lines around the tower, on one side of the fifth level, usually.

Fierral stood in one shower stall, using the tap to rinse her face and hands. In another was Selitra, stripped to the waist. Nylan passed and quickly looked away.

He used the tap valve in the laundry area to wash his hands and face, blotting the chill water from his face with his hands, and shaking the water off his hands in turn.

"Still better than trying to find the stream." Fierral laughed as she joined him in walking back to the great room.

"That's true. I hope we can get enough wood to keep the place warmer next winter."

"That would be nice."

Nylan slipped into his spot on the bench before Ryba or Gerlich had arrived. For a moment, he just sat, his head in his hands, realizing just how tired he was, and how sore he was going to be-and there were days more of wood sawing and splitting to come! Maybe it would improve his muscular condition, but would he survive it?

Ayrlyn sat down across from him. Neither spoke for a time, until Nylan finally lifted his head.

"Hard day?" Ayrlyn asked.

"Yes. I wasn't built to be a lumberjack."

"Thin soup, again," said Ayrlyn. "They won't like it."

Kadran's and Ayrlyn's prediction seemed fulfilled. As the seats filled, Nylan listened.

". . . thin soup, and there's a big pig carcass in the back archway..."

"... always hold out a good meal for tomorrow when we get crap today .. ."

"Why do the hunters always bring the good stuff in late?"

Holding Dephnay in a half pack, Ellysia sat at the second table, beside Siret and Kyalynn. Siret cradled Kyalynn in her arms. Dephnay kept squirming until Ellysia put the child up to her shoulder and patted her back.

Istril sat down heavily across from Siret and beside Hryessa, and then Ryba walked past the two mothers and eased herself into her chair. "I see Gerlich isn't here."

"Not yet."

"He's washing," added Ayrlyn.

Ryba waited until Gerlich sat down. "I understand that Narliat left," she said evenly.

Gerlich turned to face the marshal. "I was pulling the carcass up the hill. When I looked back he was gone."

"Just like that?"

"That boar was heavy, and I didn't have enough rope for both of us."

"Did Narliat say anything before he left?" Ryba nodded to Ayrlyn.

"No. He talked about how he'd never be an armsman again, but he's said that a number of times." Gerlich took a short swallow of tea from his mug.

Again, Nylan could sense the whiteness, the partial wrongness surrounding the hunter's answers.

Kyseen set one of the heavy caldrons on the table, then used the ladle to fill Ryba's bowl/trencher. Kadran followed with the baskets of bread.

"Did he say anything else?" Ryba asked.

"Nothing special."

"Where do you think he went?"

"I don't know. He was headed west, I think, but he could have doubled back or turned north or south."

"He won't go south, not far," said Ayrlyn. "Straight south is just more mountains. Southwest leads to the local equivalent of the hottest demons' hell. It's a place called the Grass Hills, except there's not much grass, they say."

"West or north, then," observed Ryba with a nod. "And that means the locals will know more about us. Well... they would sooner or later." She paused, then added, "I'm glad you were able to bring back that boar."