Blades Falling Softly, page 7
part #1 of The Brightest Shadow Series
"Very noble of you."
His brief response caught her attention and Anyinn regarded him carefully. Though some aspects of mansthein body language were different, the slight shift in his posture represented unmistakable discomfort. "Have I said too much? Implied judgment? I meant no offense."
"None taken." Canumon was silent for so long that she thought he might intend to cut off the conversation there. "I wasn't as faithful as you were. It was only once, but..."
"You needn't speak about it i-"
"She was a brilliant fighter who was with our company for a short time. We intersected only in the brief period of time that it took her to surpass me. The women who escape some parts of Orphos... no, it doesn't really matter. I let passion get the better of me and didn't think about who might be hurt. Gowanisa didn't realize, and I hurt her when I came clean. I still think about that at times."
Anyinn remained silent, giving him space to say more, but he sat lost in the memories. She wanted to affirm him in some way, but the differences between them lay too stark. Eventually she asked her true question: "And yet you remained together with her. The last thing I want to do is judge you, but I think that would be difficult."
"It was. But we chose each other before, so we decided to choose each other despite it." Canumon shook his heard, returning to the present day. "I think Gowanisa dealt with it by blaming the other woman. It's true that she pursued me, but not relevant. I cared more about what seemed right in the moment than what mattered most. Since then, I've been more suspicious of my heart."
"That's probably wise."
"I try not to think about it. Not because it's uncomfortable, but because every time I remember it, I worry that I change the story just a little more, rubbing off the sharp edges. That's the bitter thing about memories."
"Especially memories forged into blades?" Anyinn regarded him with a smile that she hoped didn't dismiss the weight of what he'd said. "Is that what this was all about in the end?"
"No, it wasn't intentional." Suddenly he was giving that relaxed smile again. "On a technical level, you made a good choice with your Tranquil Blade. On a personal level, I believe that you understand exactly what you're doing. I just always hesitate when it comes to these things, because it all seems so messy to me."
"You've given me something to think about. I've told many of my students that their hearts will lead them true, if they avoid poisoning them. But perhaps anything that is healthy in its place becomes poison in excess or at the wrong time."
"Or poison is something we define for ourselves."
They remained silent for a long time after that, not thinking about how their time together dwindled away. Though they could justify time spent resting following their practice duel, eventually it would become suspect. Even if everyone watching in the windows could see that they were simply talking, they were embroiled in politics much worse than matters of the heart.
Yet Anyinn wasn't ready for their conversation to be over, not yet. She realized that as well as they knew one another in combat, they sparred only with polished techniques and polished words. As much as she had said about her husband and children, she'd shown only a few of their many facets. All at once, Anyinn was no longer satisfied by that.
"Canumon, can your wife and son travel?"
He shot a glance at her, sensing the change. "They came with me by choice and the military won't hold us here. But what do you really mean?"
"I wish to extend an invitation from my family to yours. Bring both of them and come to our home. My sons have moved far away, but you could meet my husband and daughter. Then they could stop being abstractions that we throw back and forth to one another."
"It might be possible without undue suspicion, but where? When?"
"We'll find out, won't we?"
Canumon gave her another one of those mansthein smiles. "I suppose we will."
Canumon
The human died in the middle of what had otherwise been a very pleasant morning. When Canumon first heard the shouting, he assumed that it was a squabble between Laenan and Feinan soldiers, restless during the negotiations. But shouts of "Deathspawn" couldn't be mistaken, so he'd left his quarters to locate the source.
By the time he'd arrived, the man had been cut down by the Catai, his face a crushed mess under one's over-sized war hammer. The rest of the morning had been completely consumed by panicked negotiations, thrusting him forward without any rhyme or reason to try to prevent human retaliation.
To their surprise, they were met with none whatsoever. Apparently the dead man wasn't a member of either the Tayn or Straedi clans, just a mad transient with no political connections. So the story that he had attacked unprovoked was accepted on both sides and nothing came of it other than heightened security. Canumon tracked down the Catai who had been involved and spoke to them personally, but they all gave a similar story. The only difference from the official tale was that they seemed unnerved, saying the human rushed them with something worse than madness.
Increasing tensions prevented him from sparring with Anyinn, so he was all the more glad that they had already made arrangements for their family meeting. Many of the mansthein had departed to escort new arrivals, while the human clan heads began other negotiations, leaving them relatively unoccupied. Free enough for the meeting they'd planned.
"Take him," Gowanisa said, shoving their son in his direction as she struggled with her collar one-handed. Canumon hefted Laghy in one arm, which was easy enough since he was gurgling happily at all the new sights. They'd taken him outside before, but never anywhere near this deep into human territory.
"Did you need more time?" he asked. "We're arriving early, so we could have taken it."
"The boy pulled open my damn collar." She grimaced as she got it back into place, then began smoothing down the rest of her clothes. Since she looked like she needed the ritual, Canumon continued bouncing Laghy.
She wore a fitted Laenan jacket that matched his, but with a red undershirt instead of the traditional white. In place of the combat tunic she generally preferred, she had on a pair of loose pants that imitated a skirt. He'd forgotten that she still owned those, but apparently she'd kept them in a chest ever since their last feast with Laenan officers.
For his part, he mostly wore his old military outfit. He'd considered going with his usual combat robes, but decided that they were representing themselves as mansthein. Their main concession to Nolese culture were the slanted hats they both wore, borrowed from a friend deeply concerned with the latest human fashions. Canumon suspected that they would look like imitators to most humans, but hoped Anyinn and her family would appreciate the effort.
"Is that it?" Gowanisa asked. Canumon realized that although he had been tracking his environment carefully, he'd mentally considered signs of civilization as warnings to be avoided. Their directions had been imprecise and it had been important to avoid hostile humans, after all.
"Looks like it." Canumon smiled as he observed the house ahead.
It was relatively humble, given Anyinn's position in her clan, but a solidly-built home that looked far sturdier than any of his recent houses. Peaked roofs in the Nolese style, with tiles that would make them easy to traverse on foot. Only two entrances, both reasonably fortified, and the position beside a cliff provided a degree of defense on its own.
At first the lack of boval fences puzzled him until he realized that humans would have other priorities: there was a garden area spilling down the side of one hill and a pen that contained bicorns and cockatrices. More than could be managed by several people, so they must have servants or family to help them. Anyinn had told him to expect five humans but not given details.
"What's that on top?" Gowanisa shielded her eyes from the setting sun to peer at the banner atop the house. "They put up those to give signals in the human stories, right? What does purple mean?"
"An invitation to a combat challenge. A bit of a joke, but she said that they'd mark their house that way." Though there had been little doubt in his mind, Canumon was still glad for that final confirmation. They had arrived without any trouble and could hopefully enjoy a pleasant evening.
"Then we're here. I guess I'll finally get to meet this human."
"And her family."
"I suppose." Gowanisa grunted, but she did reach over and squeeze his arm. Despite his familiarity with Anyinn, this would be a different circumstance than they'd entered before. Laghy stared at the house while clinging to the side of his head and chewing on his ear.
The house remained quiet as they approached, but as they drew closer he heard a yelp and caught a flash of dark hair near the middle of the door. Most likely Anyinn's daughter, then, hopefully announcing the guests instead of terrified for her life. By the time Canumon and Gowanisa arrived by the threshold, they were met by the other family.
For a while, they just stared.
His eyes confirmed Anyinn's presence first, but other than wearing her formal combat robes and a peaked hat, there was nothing remarkable about her. Her daughter looked like a smaller version of her, but stayed hidden behind her parents, maintaining a suspicious glare in their direction.
Anyinn's husband wasn't quite what he expected, despite how much he'd been told. Noreinu was a slender human with the quiet soul of one who had studied sein in his youth but not afterward. His coat and pants had the look of those that were expensive for the sake of being well-used, not ostentation. He wore no hat at all, which was unusual for receiving guests.
"Welcome to our home!" Anyinn broke the silence, though for a moment it remained awkward. Some Nolese clans embraced guests and some kissed the cheek, while Canumon doubted mansthein customs were relevant. In the end, she stepped to the side and gestured to several hooks along the wall. "Please leave your hats here and enjoy our hospitality."
As they did so, she left her hat on the hook alongside them. It was perhaps a bit excessive, but the symbol was clear enough: they were being invited as true guests instead of travelers. Only as they moved did sharp teeth on his ear remind him about Laghy. When Canumon pulled his son off his shoulder, he found that the boy was staring widely between the two humans.
Just as silence rose up again, Laghy let out a delighted gurgle and began smacking his claws together. Gowanisa took the boy from his arms with a fond smile and held him close, but also closer to the humans. The nearer they got, the more Laghy gurgled happily, which prompted smiles all around.
"He seems to like everyone," Gowanisa said, not as harshly as she might have. "An old friend stopped by, a Catai missing an eye with scars all over his face... Laghy thought he was the funniest thing he'd ever seen. If I don't watch him, he'll wander off with strangers."
"He seems like a delightful boy." Noreinu stepped forward to tickle the boy's cheek and Laghy did his inept best to grab the human finger. When the human stepped closer, however, Gowanisa quickly reached to catch her son's grasping hand.
"Careful, he will try to grab your eyes. He's never seen ones like yours before."
As if in support of that statement, Laghy lurched forward in a desperate bid to grab Noreinu's face, but the human man only stepped back with a chuckle. "Our eldest son had a thing for noses and nearly took my brother's off his face. He could have done worse if he'd had fingers like these... though your boy just seems to want to grab." Indeed, his tiny claws only gripped the offered finger.
"Oh, like I said, he's always wonderful with strangers. It's only when he's alone or with the two of us that he starts making a nuisance of himself." Gowanisa moved inward, letting Laghy get a better look at Noreinu without being too grabby.
Since their spouses had unexpectedly begun talking, Canumon shifted to stand beside Anyinn and spoke in a lower voice. "We arrived without any trouble. Are there any complications on your end?"
"None at all, Canumon Laenan." Anyinn smiled and gestured inward. "Please, let yourself relax. Tonight should be nothing but a good meal."
So it actually seemed, despite his apprehensions. The food was apparently not quite ready, though savory smells emanated from the kitchen. After a brief look at the house, they settled together around the table. Anyinn and her husband brewed neth for them, which was unusual - it was difficult enough for two warriors to collaborate on one pot, much less a warrior and an untrained civilian. When he finally had a cup, however, it proved quite good. Perhaps marriage helped the brewing process.
Though Gowanisa wrinkled her nose at the smell, she held her tongue and accepted her cup. Before she could pretend to drink, Anyinn revealed a pair of wineskins from beneath the table and handed them across.
"I don't know what you would prefer to drink, but Canumon mentioned your feelings about neth." Anyinn nodded down at the wineskins with a smile. "I like to think we could change your mind, but if not, hopefully you can find something you'll enjoy."
"Most gracious." Gowanisa raised one of them in salute and smiled back, though the moment was ruined by Laghy lurching off her lap in an effort to grab the wineskin. Naturally, Gowanisa caught him before he could fall far, flipping him back up into her lap.
"That's the real benefit of having warriors at home," Noreinu said with a chuckle. "You never have to worry about the little ones hurting themselves, so long as you can keep an eye on them."
"That can be hard enough."
As the two of them laughed, Canumon took a sip and considered the room more carefully. His back was to a wall, not that he worried overmuch about an attack. If there was any threat, it would come from outside the door, and he sat among allies. He was far more interested in catching a glimpse of the other members of the household.
The humans' daughter hid in one of the side rooms, occasionally peering out at them, often at Laghy. Since she might notice his gaze, Canumon ignored her and instead focused on the servants. There were six seats at the table, but more tellingly, slight scratches and stains in five places. That suggested that they most frequently ate together. He wasn't sure if the servants remained in the kitchen due to the guests or out of fear, judging from the glances they cast him.
When Anyinn and Noreinu stepped into the kitchen to speak with them, the conversations seemed familial. That was enough for him. The Nolese Coalition outlawed formal slavery, but lesser members of clans were often locked into positions so miserable that they were slaves by another name. He hadn't wanted to believe anything unkind about the human couple and was glad not to.
Soon enough the food emerged, a grand platter of assorted meats that must have cost them a considerable amount along with several bowls filled with mixed fruits and vegetables. Except for the meat, it was a very Nolese meal indeed.
"We weren't sure exactly what to serve," Anyinn said as she set down the last dish. "I know you need meat, but not how it should be prepared. And I'm afraid my husband doesn't eat much meat anymore, so we need to have other options."
Noreinu patted his stomach ruefully. "I still love the taste, but the older I get, the worse it is for my digestion."
"This is fine." Gowanisa picked up one of the sausages and deftly cut off a piece to give to Laghy, who insisted on holding it and slobbering over his own hands. Since his wife looked starving, Canumon decided to elaborate on her statement while she ate.
"You don't need to worry, because whatever choices you've made, you've served us a better feast than you know." He picked up the knife beside his plate and speared a strip of what looked like bicorn meat. "The majority of mansthein eat boval meat for most meals: it's filling, but bland. Cockatrices and other animals require more care, so their meat is a rarer treat."
"We don't eat them so often either," Anyinn slid graciously into her seat, "but this is a special occasion. Heraenyas, dear, are you sure you don't want to come to the table? If you want a strong body, you need to eat strong foods."
The human girl walked out of the kitchen and sat down at her place, not making much eye contact but pretending that she had never tried to hide. They all allowed her, though Canumon noted how much she stared at Laghy. He doubted that the boy could be frightening: he was too plump and giggly to intimidate anyone. Several times he thought he caught a smile on the human girl's face.
For a time they sank into the food as if the smells and tastes could bury them. As the evening continued, they began to speak as well, though the conversation remained on topics bland as boval meat. Canumon somewhat regretted the absence of the thoughtful and wide-ranging discussions he'd often had with Anyinn, yet recognized that this was also necessary. The tension slowly drained out of Gowanisa's posture and she even laughed at a few things the humans said.
Only one disruption occurred: Laghy got his hands on another piece of meat, abruptly decided that he didn't like it, and upset an entire bowl over the floor. Gowanisa began to apologize, but Noreinu and Anyinn swooped in to take care of the mess with barely a comment. It happened so smoothly that he knew it wasn't merely hospitality: those were the techniques of a couple who'd raised several children.
Though he had brought them together, as the night grew later, Laghy became more disruptive. He had eaten a few pieces of meat but now whined and tugged at his mother's shirt, demanding to be fed. She swallowed her annoyance at first until he began grabbing at her ear ridge, as he only did when he was about to throw a tantrum.
"Do you need to feed him?" Anyinn gestured toward two of the doors beside the table. "If you want privacy, you can use the room there, or it might be cooler outside."
"Thank you." Gowanisa picked up the boy and bounced him in her arms as she headed outside, which also served to mark the end of the meal.
Canumon helped take the empty dishes to the kitchen, which seemed to make the two human servants uncomfortable, though one did mumble a thanks. He snapped up one last morsel of the cockatrice meat - however they raised them here, they tasted much better than the cockatrices in mansthein villages. When he emerged, he found that the rest of the table had been cleared, but Noreinu had lit a small fire in the hearth and moved several chairs beside it.
