Bloodkin (Jaseth of Jaelshead) Read online

  Myr Roderick peered at us closely. “Ahh, Jaelshead, excellent wines, yes? And Lallisol? That’s that pretty little village up on the Lallice, am I right?” Lolitha and I nodded agreement. “Wonderful, wonderful, welcome to Lille. I hope your time at the Academy will prove fruitful. Please, let us sit and be comfortable, we have no need for formalities here, and my old bones are creaking.” He grinned self-deprecatingly and lowered himself gracefully back into his armchair with an apparent lack of creaking. He was certainly the oldest Nea’thi I had ever come across, his face was lined like a road map and a smattering of white whiskers spiked his cheeks. On his nose he wore a curious pair of spectacles, the glass tinted dark amber to protect his aging eyes from the light. Steven poured our wine and the other Journeyman, who Eve introduced as Alan, appeared with a platter of tiny crackers topped with cheese and smoked fish.

  I looked around at the others as Alan carefully did his rounds with the nibbles. Everyone except Sallagh was wearing new, Nea’thi-style robes. Dunkerle, Sammoch and Donnick had gone for masculine blues, and Dunkerle sported a new pair of spectacles, similar to Myr Roderick’s but of clear glass, the slight magnification making his eyes goggle a bit. Telgeth on the other hand was outrageous in lime green, which clashed spectacularly with his orange hair. He caught my eye and gave me the thumbs up before raising his glass and draining it. Mantilly was demure in pale lilac, while Lolitha was still wearing her mint-green robe from that afternoon. Everyone paled, however, in comparison to Sallagh, who shone in sapphire blue silk. Her Human-style dress had full skirts that accentuated her tiny waist, and a necklace of blue jewels hung becomingly around her long, graceful neck, drawing the eye to her creamy cleavage, at which I was trying very hard not to stare.

  When Alan had taken the empty platter back to the kitchen Eve stood and motioned that we move to be seated at the table. She guided Myr Roderick to the seat of honour at the head of the table, then moved to the other end, leaving the rest of us to manoeuvre for our seats. I ended up somewhere in the middle, sandwiched between Lolitha and Telgeth, while Charlie sat opposite and somehow Sallagh was beside him.

  “Do you mind if I sit here?” she asked him, gesturing at the chair and fluttering her long eyelashes.

  “Oh, please do.” He pulled the seat out for her and she smiled at him, pulling out her skirts before settling daintily. To the obvious disappointment of Sammoch and Donnick, Emma took the other seat beside her, and the rest of the party found places around us.

  Conversation at first was a bit stilted, and everyone concentrated on their wine and the first course of seafood chowder and breads that Steven and Alan served for us before they hurried down to sit with Eve. Charlie broke the ice by inquiring as to where everyone was from. Even with the length of the table, everyone could hear the conversation – it appeared that the rest of the Bloodkin were blessed with the same sensitive hearing as me.

  Telgeth I knew was from Jaelshead as well, and Sallagh was a Lille native. Lallisol, Lolitha’s village, was tucked away in the mountains to the north, by the head of the Lallice river. Sammoch and Donnick were both from Rhyeholm, a medium-sized town in the foot of the mountains to the east, and had been friends since boyhood. Dunkerle was from the small riverside village of Talesse, which was just on the other side of the bridge where we had encountered the guards, and Mantilly had grown up in the settlement of Nallow on the other side of the lake, a short ferry-ride away.

  I was surprised that everyone had come from places not far from Lille, but when I mentioned this Sallagh snorted derisively and rolled her eyes.

  Charlie looked at her curiously, then explained it to me. “There are Academies like this in all the four Capitols. Nea’thi-Bloods are educated in the one closest to their homes, to make it easier to visit families and stuff during the holidays.”

  “Oh yes, yes,” agreed Myr Roderick from the head of the table. “Retaining ties with family is most important.”

  Out of the corner of my eye I saw Lolitha pull a face, but I didn’t say anything, not wanting to draw any more attention to my ignorance in front of Sallagh. Stephen and Alan collected our soup plates for us and replaced them with our main course, roasted meats and vegetables with plenty of gravy.

  “Is this normal?” I whispered to Lolitha, not wanting the Journeymen to hear. “You know, being waited on by Nea’thi?”

  But Sallagh heard and waved a hand gracefully at us. “Of course! Journeymen make excellent servants, they’re awfully obedient.”

  Telgeth, Lolitha and I stared at her dumbfounded. I mean, I had servants at home, of course, but never Nea’thi, and we never treated them as dismissively as she was suggesting.

  Charlie didn’t seem offended, simply shrugging. “You do a lot of odd jobs when you’re a Journeyman, and when you’re new out of the Enclave, Humans are terrifying!”

  Sallagh laid a hand on Charlie’s arm, “Surely you don’t find me terrifying?” she smiled sweetly at him.

  He laughed and shrugged again. “No no, of course not. I adore Humans, that’s why I’m a Mentor!”

  Hearing this, Mantilly looked over. “Well why are we so scary then?”

  Charlie smiled gently at her. “Oh, you know, growing up we study Human society and history and all that. We are taught to be most careful, because Humans seem to fear what they do not know.”

  Jimmy broke in from the other side of the table, “And the Human penchant for war and murder seems a bit… creepy.”

  Sallagh cleared her throat delicately and ignored him, but the rest of us were momentarily sobered by the thought.

  “But we’re not all like that!” cried Mantilly, horrified.

  “Of course you’re not sweetling,” comforted her Mentor, Sarah, “That’s what we discover for ourselves when we’re Journeymen.”

  I chanced a look down at Steven and Alan, who were busy refilling wine glasses and studiously trying to ignore our conversation, which was probably far too close to home for comfort.

  Sallagh was still trying to get Charlie’s attention. She brushed his hand with hers and asked him to tell us a story from his time as a Journeyman. He accepted, telling the others about his short time in the service of the slightly mad master painter, Ashlu.

  “I’d love to see it sometime,” Sallagh said after he told them about the landscape that had been his payment, leaving out the bit about the other painting of the Nea’thi woman. “We’ve got a number of his works at home, you know.” I realised with a sinking feeling that she was flirting with Charlie. He seemed oblivious to her rather obvious ploys for attention, but I was furious. She shouldn’t be flirting with a Mentor, for Lilbecz’ sake! I suppose he was kind of handsome, in a big, grey way, but he wasn’t even Human! Grumpily I finished my wine, and Alan hovered over, refilling it for me.

  Ignoring Sallagh, Telgeth turned to Lolitha and me. “So, have you guys thought about what you’re going to do once we’ve finished at the Academy?” The question surprised me, even though it was the second time it had been asked of me in as many days.

  Lolitha shook her head, “I’ve no idea. I’ve only had a week to get used to the fact that I’m not going to be stuck in Lallisol for the rest of my life. Jaseth?”

  “I honestly don’t know. I met an Acolyte yesterday who suggested I become a Solast, but I’ll probably have to go back to Jaelshead to be the Lord.”

  That caught Sallagh’s attention, and she turned her sapphire gaze on me. “The Lord?”

  “Ha, oh yes, Jaseth here is no rural scum like the rest of us, Sall, his father is the Lord of the entire Jaelshead district!” Telgeth answered for me as I flushed under the sudden attention. Gratifying as it was, the glitter in Sallagh’s eyes made her interest in me so transparent I almost wished I hadn’t said anything.

  As if he sensed my discomfort, Charlie intervened, “And you Telgeth, what do you plan to do?”

  “Smithing! I thought I was getting pretty good at it too before Thomas turned up, but oh man, have guys seen these Nea’thi
pens you can get?” Lolitha and I nodded. “The metalwork on those is insane. You simply cannot make that sort of thing with our old techniques, but seeing as I’ve got this, er, Hyaven stuff…” He shrugged and grinned. “I’m a metal nerd, what can I say?”

  Conversation around the table grew livelier as more bottles of wine were consumed and everyone relaxed. Down the end of the table Dunkerle had taken off his glasses and was showing them to Myr Roderick.

  “You see sir, back home there was no money for things like this. I was always bumping into stuff, but I guess everyone just assumed I was clumsy!” He settled the spectacles back on his nose, “No offense Myr Roderick, sir, but I think they make me look a bit geeky.”

  Myr Roderick just chuckled and leaned back in his chair, hands folded across his belly. “None taken, dear boy. I gave in about thirty years ago and had these made for me. If I’m going to live up here I thought I might as well be comfortable. Kohl just wasn’t doing the trick! You’ll have plenty of reading to do over the next couple of years, so you need them. Besides,” he leaned forward as if to confide a secret, “I think they make us look rather studious and refined.”

  “Which is a nice way to say geeky,” sighed Dunkerle mournfully. His Mentor Richard, a broad-shouldered, athletic beast of a man ruffled Dunkerle’s hair with an enormous hand.

  “But you are a geek Dunk, that’s why we adore you!”

  Dunkerle made a show of polishing his spectacles, looking both pleased and embarrassed.

  We ate and drank until our main courses were finished and the Journeyman had cleared everything away. They returned from the kitchen with puddings – cherries baked in a light batter and smothered with cream – and tiny glasses which they filled with a sweet dessert wine from small bottles. I recognised the wine straight away as I sipped it, it was made from the late grapes that grew on the particularly fortunate slopes beneath the Manor at home.

  “Oh man,” exclaimed Telgeth, smacking his lips, “This tastes just like home, eh Jas?”

  I glanced up and caught Sallagh looking at me appraisingly, and I ducked my head, unnerved by the strength of her gaze. Bloody women, I thought, they find out you’re a Lord and then they’re interested. I wondered if she would be quite so interested when she found out how reluctant I was to take up the position. And although we had prestige, and yes, power in the district, we hardly had Ashlus hanging everywhere.

  Down at Myn Eve’s end of the table Sammoch had clearly imbibed too much wine, his bright, handsome face was cupped in his hands as he rested his elbows on the table, and he could barely keep his eyes open. Opposite him, Donnick was peppering the flustered Journeymen with slurred questions about life in the Enclaves.

  “Oi Sammoch, you alright down there?” called Telgeth. Sammoch muttered something, but Donnick piped up.

  “Yeh, he’s fine. We’re just used to drinking grand old Rhyeholm ale!”

  At the mention of Rhyeholm ale, Sammoch roused himself and they both banged on the table three times, yelling “Oi! Oi! Oi!” Going to rest his face back in his hands, his elbow slipped off the table and his head fell forward to rest beside his bowl.

  Eve sighed at this youthful overindulgence. “Steven, Alan, would you be so kind to fetch coffee for those who want it?” Pitching her voice louder so that everyone could hear, she called, “Dear friends, this has been a lovely party, but it is getting late. We shall have coffee now, and those that want to keep going should perhaps make their way to the Shivering Thistle so some of us might get some rest!”

  All the Nea’thi, with the exception of Jimmy, took the offered coffee, while us Bloodkin finished off the rest of the wine. James, Sammoch’s gentle Mentor helped him up from his seat. “I think I’ll stay here with him tonight, in case he needs anything. You guys have fun. Next time we’ll definitely be on the Green.” He slung Sammoch’s arm around his shoulder and half-carried the boy out and down the stairs. We could hear their progress, accompanied by much muttering and thumping, as they left.

  Eve and Myr Roderick bade us farewell. Myr Roderick thanked Eve and the Journeymen profusely for their hospitality, then turned to us. “It has been a pleasure getting to know you all. You are a very promising bunch, and I look forward to seeing you all in class on Monday.” The only indication that the ancient man had been eating and drinking heartily was a slight wobble as he turned to leave.

  Eve regarded us for a moment before she escorted him out. “Now have a nice time, and don’t be out too late, I have organised a picnic for tomorrow. And please be considerate when you return, you are all blessed – or cursed – with the hearing of the Nea’thi-Blood, so please, quiet,” and she followed Myr Roderick down the stairs.

  Donnick had managed to convince the Journeymen to come with us to the tavern, though they looked terrified, and when we had satisfied ourselves that all the bottles of wine were empty we trooped down the stairs. I ducked into my room to grab my coin-purse before catching up to the others, who were speaking in loud whispers as we went down the main stairs, through the entrance, and out into the night.

  he city evening was mild and sweet, even though it must have been nearing eleven. From high unshuttered windows and sheltered balconies we heard much merriment in the Quarter, as the large group of us trooped down the twisting streets. A few couples were still promenading and talking quietly in Nea’thi, and peals of laughter punctuated the night. But for a Saturday in the big city it was all very mellow. At home, where the requirements of rural life meant that weekends were just more days of work, time to relax was confined to the religious festivals and fairs and people tended to get pretty rowdy. Here, everyone seemed to be terribly well behaved.

  We turned down the street of the café where we had had our late lunch, its outside tables and chairs locked inside for the night. Charlie hovered by me during the walk, uncharacteristically quiet. He seemed distracted, almost jittery, and I wondered if he was nervous about seeing his Annyashticzya woman again. Telgeth was teasing Lolitha about finding her a nice girl at the tavern until she thumped him in the head and told him to shut up. Sallagh was up the front, stepping gracefully in her dress, but it occurred to me that compared to Lolitha and Mantilly she looked a bit silly and overdressed in her mountain of blue silk. Big glowbes set into alcoves in the walls lit our progress and finally we turned a corner and there across the square was the Shivering Thistle. The covered roof garden was filled with people and we could hear the buzz of their conversation above light strains of music as we crossed the square to the door. A burly Human stood to one side, peering at all of us as we entered, and Charlie stopped for a quick chat with the man before pulling me inside.

  The tavern was a great, high-ceilinged room. Many clusters of chairs and tables were occupied by groups of Humans and Nea’thi alike. Fires burned in no less than three fireplaces, and many alcoves and private booths were tucked away behind pillars. Beside the door a long bar stretched along the wall, fronted with stools and manned by a team of Journeymen, quick and nervous in their movements. The ceiling dripped with tiny glowbes in a pattern of red, violet and gold, illuminating the smoky air. Past the tables and chairs a few steps led down to a space, circled with couches facing a stage set up along the far wall, the area cleared for dancing. A lone Nea’thi sat on the stage, largely ignored by the crowd, strumming a multi-stringed instrument with a long neck and deep hollow body that I heard Jimmy telling Lolitha was a ßлaiớл. Beside one of the fireplaces by the bar a staircase ran up to the roof garden, and Charlie spoke to one of the Nea’thi waitresses before leading us up the stairs and outside. The garden covered the whole roof of the building. Waist-high walls ran around the perimeter and, excepting the chimneys and the pillars that held up the high roof, was open to the night. Topiaried shrubs in large pots were scattered, and the roof hung with the same multitude of glowbes, adding their light to the braziers that burned at intervals.

  Our group pushed through the crowd to a corner where couches and taller chairs were set up around one
of the braziers. I looked over the wall and could see the square bathed in luminescence, twisting streets leading off into the Quarter, specks of glow lining them as they led through the dark stone buildings. We all managed to find seats in our corner as a waitress hurried up with a tray of glasses and bottles of wine. Gratifyingly, Sallagh had managed to wiggle her way to a seat beside me, and she held out a glass daintily for me to fill. Charlie caught my eye from one of the other couches and smiled encouragingly as he accepted Jimmy’s new pipe, packed and smoking with Red.

  “So, ah, you’re from Lille?” I asked Sallagh when she accepted the pipe in turn, regarding it with a slightly suspicious air and wiping the mouthpiece.

  She tossed her head as she exhaled. “Of course. My family has lived here for generations. My father sits on the council, you know.” When she handed the pipe to me I didn’t want to appear uncouth, so I wiped the mouthpiece as well, and she must have started to relax because she giggled.

  “What, are you afraid you’re going to get my cooties?” She fluttered her eyelashes at me and my insides felt like they had turned to gravy. Fyar khanall, she was pretty.

  Ignoring my embarrassment she pointed at the hills behind Lille, the little bits that were visible through the buildings of the Quarter glittered with lights far in the distance.

  “Look, you can almost see my house up there, it’s got a most marvellous view of the city. It’s where all the richest people live.” She slipped for a second into her usual haughtiness, but shook herself. “Gosh, that sounded a bit up myself.” She giggled again. “Emma tells me not to be such a snob, and I’m trying, but it’s hard,” she sighed dramatically.

  “Ha, Charlie’s always telling me the same thing.”

  “You?” she exclaimed, surprised.