“We’re running out of daylight,” Tannon said. “And I don’t want to go after it in the dark. Jurrow, fetch some wood for the fire. Hoth and Beck – see if you can find a rabbit or something. I’m tired of eating wild onions. If we find that clutch, I promised you thirty days leave in Dos-Aralon.”
Hoth and Beck grinned at each other and started out in search of food. Cropper glowered at Thealos with dark eyes, but he met the stare with one of his own. While Tomn brought out the dirty cauldron, Tannon sat down against a jagged tree stump and started oiling his knives with a dirty rag. As Thealos stood there, he felt them all around, like ashy smoke that stuck to his clothes. There was a mocking look in their eyes as they glanced at him, except for Tomn. It was some grand joke that he was a part of but didn’t understand. Thealos knew they did not understand the Shae. They didn’t even care to understand.
But the joke would be against them. Somewhere, in the thick tangled maple, he had felt something else. Something he had learned from the Wolfsman’s shawl and hadn’t shared with them. There was another magic in the wood, and he could sense it – like a pure chord of music none of them could hear. It whispered through the branches and hummed against his skin.
Silvan magic.
*
Tannon smirked, the firelight painting his face in reds and oranges. “So did we all, boy. And granted, we did a banned decent job of it. But the truth is, you just can’t make someone obey who’s determined not to. Sure, King don Rion rules this valley in name, but the regional governors and the dukes actually rule. He has a strutting court in the city, full of his dukes and knights and princes. But down here, down near the Shoreland, it’s ruled by whoever has enough strength. There’s a saying that goes with it…”
“What a man can take with his sword is his own,” Thealos answered. “I’ve heard about it. We don’t believe in it, though.”
“Sure, Shaden,” Cropper said. “You believe what a man can steal with his mouth is his own. You could barter a man’s arm off his shoulder and he’d think he was getting a bargain. Banned liars, all of you.
Tannon scowled at Cropper for interrupting.
“How did the Bandit Rebellion begin?” Thealos probed, dipping the rabbit meat into the stew. Tomn had been careful and given him a cut before he charred the rest.
“You’ve got to look at it two ways, with two different leaders, Shaden. Back during the Purge Wars,” Tannon explained, “The Rebellion was by the League of Ilvaren – led by that pirate, Kiran Phollen. It was Shorelanders versus Inlanders back then. Phollen refused to obey the king’s summons and to pay the king’s taxes. It started a war that lasted for years. Sure, they killed him and all, but his sons lived. One became the new pirate leader, and the other formed a cavalry group of Bandit horsemen called the Kiran Thall.”
Beck and Hoth whistled. “I hate the Kiran Thall,” Beck said with a shudder.
“I see,” Thealos said with a nod. “Then what about Ballinaire? How does he fit into this?”
Jurrow grinned, his red beard widening. “Inlanders versus Inlanders now. He joined the Rebellion, Shaden. And now he leads it.”
“But why? What made him turn from don Rion?”
Tannon took a long drink from his flask of ale and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. “Who cares,” he replied, stifling a burp. “Why does anyone?”
Thealos was appalled. “You’re part of Dos-Aralon’s army and you don’t even know why you’re fighting?”
“Why should I care about anything except getting paid? Does it even matter whose grudge is more important? It’s nobles squabbling. They’ve always done that. Except this time Ballinaire turned the Rebellion into a banned regimental army, and he does a banned good job keeping don Rion from sleeping nights. The dukes try and box him in, but Ballinaire wiggles out and stabs at the flanks. We’re always sent here and there, chase him to that ravine, follow him in that hole.” He scowled. “All we get is ten pieces a month. It isn’t worth enough to care about any of it.”
Thealos looked at Tannon curiously. “Have you thought about joining the Rebellion then?”
“They get paid even less. Remember those Kiran Thall that tried to woo us, Cropper? Showed them where they could put their seven pieces. But you know, Shaden, in our own way, we are a little rebellion,” Tannon answered smugly. “Here, you look thirsty, boy. Have a drink.” He offered the flask.
Thealos shook his head. “It’s Forbidden.”
“If you’re going to sleep with us, you might as well drink with us,” Tannon pressed. He offered the flask again.
“It’s against my customs,” Thealos replied. “I would have shared the Silvan wine with you, but it’s already gone.”
“What’s the banned difference?” Hoth snorted, gulping down his own. “Both make you drunk.”
“One is Forbidden,” Thealos replied. “The other isn’t.”