“Tell me what you thought when the first stone was placed.”
“I…” What had I been thinking?“I didn’t have many thoughts.I was calm, but as you say, that might be from Jorn.We had eaten and the—” I almost referred to them as sea dogs, but caught myself.“Everyone was acting strangely like you warned me, so I had been uneasy before.”
“Oh, yes!I would also like to know your feeling about the shy moon.”The yellow streaks in his blue eyes glowed.
“It was… odd.”
“What did the air feel like in the palace?Did you notice any changes?”
Had I?“I was too confused to be thinking of it.”
“Hmm.”
“But it was quieter.I noticed that.I?—”
“Close your eyes.It will help you remember.Close them.Yes.Now keep telling me.”
So, standing at the king’s tall table, with my eyes closed, I recited what I could remember of the shy moon and the behaviour of the sea dogs.As I did, I felt the king grow disappointed with me, so I stretched my memory, giving him useless teeny detail after useless teeny detail, until finally he bid me stop.
“I am not bothered by you, Gentlewoman.I am only… It is rare someone comes to the palace who knows so little about us.It makes for fairer judgement, to have no idea before seeing, yes?The Norsern believe infrœlker—casting—lending someone your strength or luck or power using… this translates poorly, butinner yearning, you could say.They cast often, but especially on the shy moon.It is thought casting is stronger on feminine nights.The shy moon is the most feminine night, apart from winter solstice.Wombed beings, mothers especially, are thought to be the best casters; this is why feminine nights are favoured forfrœlker.Any Norsern who has a difficult task to undertake does so on the shy moon, knowing their loved ones may be casting for them.Raiders raid on the shy moon.People come for me, thinking to become king themselves on the shy moon.”
It sounded like foolish nonsense to me.You couldn’t give someone else something that was inside you, certainly not by wishing to do so.And the idea of luck being a thing someone simply had...that too was childish.I am certain my face didn’t reveal my interpretation of what he was saying.But King Arik was a highly sensitive man.I expect he felt my disbelief, only didn’t say anything about it.
“You did not feel like there wasfrœlkermoving through the air?Like where you stood in each room mattered?”
My brow tightened slightly.“No, but… I did want to walk on the edges of the rooms, only I think that was from being nervous to get too close to the people who werecasting.I didn’t want to anger them.They seemed focused.”
“Hmm.”
I had grown accustomed to his presence a little, but I forgot all familiarity for a moment, watching him study me.He was always thinking, and his expression made it clear that he was thinking more than I was, better than I was even.It was unnerving, but also, I suppose, jealousy-inducing.He flicked his bright eyes back to the stones on the table.“What were you thinking when the second stone was laid?”
I tried to remember.I’d been sleepy.“I thought of my brother, of a game he’s fond of.It also has stone pieces.It’s calledLegua.”
“I know of it,” King Arik said.“Do you play?We could play together; I have a board.”
I shook my head.I’d never seen a woman play it.“I don’t know the rules.”
“I could teach you.And then, when you go home, you could surprise your brother by playing.”
Dayne loved the game.I immediately liked the idea.
King Arik’s eyes settled back on the stone pieces.“I will tell you what I thought when looking at the stones here.Jorn thought something similar.I saw your time here from your perspective.I saw this as a period of great learning for you.I have decided you will study our language while you are here.This way, you may write me letters when you are home again.”
I was assured by his repeated reference of my going home.I’m certain that was his intention.He was always playing several games at once, moving in many directions with a single step.And I was tragically easy to appease.
“I have a music teacher coming for you as well.The man has magic ears, you will see.He can hear the most subtle things in a song.Perhaps you can teach me some things in return?I am interested in Islish dance.”
I knew a great deal of Islish dancing, though I’d never participated publicly beyond the age of eight or nine.A goldkeeper’s gown prevented the light-footed leaping necessary.Though I still knew the steps.I would perform them alone in my bedchamber sometimes, when I was in my nightdress.
“I am also fond of architecture.You can probably sense this from the palace.My palace is a highly unusual feat—as is the floating portion of Aalt.I am wondering, Gentlewoman—” He pulled out a sheet of parchment and set it before me, along with a piece of thin charcoal.“I am especially interested in yourkepens.I am wondering if you could draw a map for me of the one you grew up in.”
My heart missed a beat.“What?”
“Of course, you may leave out the vault.I understand enough of your order that I would not ask you for any details regarding that.It is more how the rooms are arranged that interests me.How space is used to maximum benefit.Kepens look so compact from the outside, you see?Yet a great many people live within them.I am thinking to build something similar myself.”
“You would like a map of my home?”
“Yes.The grounds as well.”
