Unfortunately, he was no place of refuge. He would have to send her off on her own. He would, however, need to find the proper time to do it. Perhaps when Adhémar wasn't looking. Perhaps when the rest of the company was asleep. Perhaps when they had ridden far enough from the danger Paien had spoken of for him to feel certain Morgan wouldn't encounter it on her way back to Melksham.
He nodded briskly and went to saddle his horse.
They rode north, the miles being consumed by the hooves of the marvelous Angesand horses. Miach finally forced the company to stop at an inn. He dismounted and waited for the rest of the company to do so as well before they sorted out who would watch the horses while the others had a meal and came to take their places. Miach studied the inn. He wasn't pleased with the look of it, and he wasn't without the resilience and stamina to keep going, but he had to stop. He was certain that they had far outridden whatever Paien had caught sight of. It would do no harm to rest here. Indeed, Miach suspected this might be a good place to stop for the night.
Giving him the perfect opportunity to convince Morgan that she should return home by the most direct route possible.
"I'll watch first," Camid offered. "Go ahead inside and eat. Just save me something."
"I'll stay as well," Paien said. "Glines, take Fletcher with you and make certain Morgan doesn't eat everything."
Morgan scowled at him before she walked into the inn. Miach followed her over to a table by the fire. He set his pack down, then went to find them something to eat. Once that was seen to, he sat down with her, Adhémar, Glines, and Fletcher, and was unashamedly grateful for a seat that didn't move.
It took some time, but soon the conversings of the men around him began to make sense to his ears. Miach suppressed the urge to look over his shoulder when he heard the king be mentioned. He did manage to not look at Glines, though that was something of an effort too.
"I've seen him fight," said a man behind her. "Remarkable, and make no mistake about that. I've never seen a finer. "
"Ah, but all his brothers are decent men of war," said another. "Each with their own strengths. " 'Tis rumored the next down, Prince Cathar, is an even finer swordsman than the king.
"That isn't possible," said the first.
"Aye, itis."
An argument ensued. Miach paid little attention to it. Indeed, he could have ignored the rest of the conversation, but then another, more lucid-sounding voice cut through the arguing.
"But you've missed the most interesting of the princes," that clear voice said. "The Prince Archmage!"
"His name escapes me," someone slurred.
"Not pronounceable," said another. "An, 'tis bad luck to do so. "
"So I hear as well," said the strongest voice. "Though I don't know why. Perhaps it angers him."
Adhémar snorted. Miach didn't dare look at him, so he concentrated on his ale. Morgan looked with interest over her shoulder.
"You know," said one, "I've heard that the youngest?"
"The archmage?" put in another.
"Aye, the archmage," the man said impatiently. "I've heard that all the talents of all the brothers are manifest tenfold in him. "
"In truth?"
Adhémar snorted so loudly that he choked. Morgan glared at him and turned her attention back to the conversation going on behind her. Miach exchanged a bland look with Glines.
Glines only smiled in return.
"He can outride the king, outfight Cathar the Fierce, weave melodies in the wind that would shame Nemed the Fair, and other things that normal men couldn't do even if they had magic?and the archmage can do all these things in spite of his magic."
"Is that so," said one of the men. "Then heaven preserve us if he intends to do any of thatwithhis magic. "
Miach buried his thoughts in his cup. He would have happily continued to do so, but Morgan leaned over toward him, "I wonder what it would be like to cross swords withhim."
"You would likely grind him into the dust," Miach whispered back.
"There are limits to my skill."
"You jest," he said seriously. "I can't think of a man who can stand against you. And you need no finger waggling to improve your sword-play."
