Mayth shrugged. “Still bitter on the ear, to hear that you must leave the village and land you were born to.”
“Change always is,” Warna said with a sigh. “But I’d think he’d only say that if it was true.”
Warna excused herself to fetch more bread and kav, and returned, settling herself down to face them both. She placed the bread before them, and poured kav, giving them a moment to eat. “What’s it like?” she said casually, taking some of the bread. “Living among the elves?”
Mayth raised an eyebrow at her.
“Warna’s of Farentell,” Lottie said. “She wouldn’t know.”
“Ah,” Mayth grimaced. “You are one of the few that escaped, then.” He took up bread, and reached for butter. “They say you’re the Lord High Baron’s ward. Under his protection.”
Warna nodded, wondering what else had been said. But that wasn’t what she wanted to know. “I’m told he treats humans differently,”
“I don’t know who you’ve been talking to, but that is not true.” Mayth looked her in the eye, serious and intent. “I’ve lived in Tassinic, in Birch Cove all of my life, as has my father and his father before him. Lord High Baron Verice is equal handed to all, no matter the point of the ear or the slant of an eye. No man can complain of less than fair dealing at his hands.”
Warna’s shoulders eased, and she let out a slow breath.
“But if she’s staying, building a life here,” Lottie spoke up softly. “Then there’s a truth she needs knowing.”
Mayth said nothing for a long moment, concentrating on his food.
“In Tassinic, we have a saying,” Lottie said softly. “The ears have it.”
Mayth snorted in agreement. “Aye, there’s that.”
“The ears?” Warna asked.
“Say you’re in the market, and there’s two stalls of bread side by side, one baker a human, the other of elven blood,” Mayth said. “No difference in the bread, mind, or the quality of the baking. But in Tassinic, the honest truth is that the one with the ears will be thought of as better.” He shrugged. “It’s not deliberate, if you know what I mean. But elves, the pure ones, mind, they’re such perfectionists, that everyone just assumes they’ll be better. Whether or not they actually are.”
“If you have lace woven by an elven blood and lace woven by a human, even if the human one is finer by far, the elven one will always be better,” Lottie said. “And they always buy the elven-blood one, every time.”
“Didn’t I just say that?” Mayth asked.
“But that’s not right,” Warna said.
“It’s wrong, certainly, but it’s so common no one even sees what they do as wrong or offensive, you know?” Mayth shrugged. “Even humans will do the same and not think twice.”
“How do you cope? Warna asked.
“Well, most have elven in the family, you know, and then there’s some that hire elves to sell their wares, or work the booth. Some shrug and carry on.” Mayth sighed. “We’d more trade with the human baronies than Tassinic, truth be told. That’s one of the reasons rebuilding will be hard. There’s no trade with those bandits roaming the lands.”
The sound of other voices made them all lift their heads. The constable stood at the door, scanning the room and Warna raised her hand to call him over.
“M’lady,” Ricard gave her a nod from the doorway. “A moment, if I may.”
“Of course,” Warna rose, ignoring the speculation in Lottie and Mayth’s eyes. She threaded her way past the tables to walk with him to the door. “Is something wrong?”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Ricard looked flustered and strained. “Nay, naught beyond concerns for these people.” he said. “Will these barracks be ready for them?”
“Yes,” Warna said. “There shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Then they’ll need bedding and blankets, and other such things.” Ricard looked over the room. “Safe to assume they have nothing and start there.”
“Constable,” Warna started, but the poor mael cut her off, airing his frustrations.
“The bakery and buttery have started their ovens, and the cooks have started bickering over things I cannot fathom.” Ricard was scowling. “Lord Verice is dealing with the scouts and reports from the border, but has left provisioning to me to deal with. Wasn’t bad when it was just the lads and I, but now the castle is opened up again and I—”
