Warprize

bowels.”
    He wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Eat. If you can.”
    I dug in and smiled at him. His face remained stem, but his eye twinkled. “You are in a better mood, eh?”
    “So are you.”
    He mock-glared at me. “I managed a nice nap, thank you kindly.”
    “Has Keir returned?”
    Marcus shook his head. “Hisself is probably making them miserable up there, poking and prodding for answers. Don’t be worried for him.” He moved off toward the tent entrance. “See that you bring the dishes back with you this evening.”
    I kept working, cooling the potion and storing it away. The liniment took more mixing then anything, and I made up multiple bottles, including one for myself. I rubbed it on my throat, feeling the warmth as it worked into the tender flesh.
    I contented myself with smaller tasks until Gils returned. Atira was more than ready for a bath, and we made quite a mess between getting her clean and soaking the leather. Gils and I were tired when all was done, and I sent him to fetch some kavage for us from the cook tent. Horsemen came thundering by as he returned.
    “The Warlord’s be back,” Gils reported as he served. “Looking awful mad.”
    Someone had brought Atira a bunch of daggers to sharpen to keep her busy. She and Gils both worked on them as I read to them from the Epic, translating as I went. Atira and Gils were fascinated, by both the story and by the oddity of the written word. The poem was entering the planning part of the expedition, and while I was bored to death with the number of bales and pack mules, my audience was absorbed in the telling. I’d reached the part where Xyson was expelling the evil creatures from Xy when the sound of an approaching horseman interrupted us. Someone had come up to the tent and was speaking to the guards.
    I closed the book. “Enough for one day.”
    Atira nodded. “Maybe tomorrow we can start reading?” She used the Xyian word. I nodded, stood, and stretched. Joden stuck his head in. “Warprize, may I talk to you?”
    Gils objected. “The bandage’s be needing changed, Warprize.”
    I sat back down. “I’m at the mercy of my healer, Joden.” He smiled, his face unreadable. I gestured toward one of the stumps, as Gils helped me with the tunic.
    But Joden shook his head. “I’ll wait for you in the other tent.”
    I stared after him, wondering, as Gils bandaged my arm.
    “Is there any news?” I asked as I entered the stilltent.
    Joden sighed. “Durst does well. Xymund denies any knowledge of Arneath’s actions. He claims that there is a faction of the city that is unhappy about the peace. Warren hasn’t found any hint of a conspiracy. Keir questioned many people, but we could find no trace of…” he paused, an unhappy look on his face.
    “No trace of Xymund’s involvement.” I finished calmly.
    Joden nodded, sitting heavily on a stool. “Simus has taken him to the practice grounds to work out his frustrations.” Joden held up a hand to stave me off. “Simus said to tell you that he will only sit on the sidelines and yell insults.” He heaved a sigh. “It will do them both good.”
    I moved to one of the tables and started rearranging the items there. “Joden, as far as I know, everyone wants peace between your people and mine.” I shrugged. “There may have been members of the Guard that were upset by it.” I gave him a wry glance. “There may be members of this army that are upset, since Keir had them on alert the other night, for no good reason.”
    Joden looked at me, puzzled. “That is not so, Warprize. You are treasured.”
    Treasured. I tightened the cork on a bottle, then made a decision. Whatever the answer, whatever my status, I needed to know.
    “Joden.” I kept my eyes on the bottle, turning it in my hands. “Has Keir ever sold a warprize?”
    I heard a slight choking sound behind me, but I lacked the courage to turn around. “I mean, I think I could learn to share him with the other warprizes.” I gulped against the lump in my throat. “But to never see him again, I don’t think I could do that. I mean, I know that I am his slave, but I…” I shut my mouth before I babbled any more. The silence from behind me seemed to confirm all my fears. My shoulders slumped, the weight of my pain pulling them down. Goddess.
    “Lara?”
    I caught my breath, hearing my name spoken like that. As if I were a person, not a slave, or a thing, or a warlord’s prize. Joden was using my name as if I was a person