In The Beginning, Gail Daley [red white royal blue .TXT] 📗

hair worn in a messy braid. The young man who had been manning the tiller advanced and bowed. He was about medium height, thin, with fiery red hair worn a little long, and freckles. "I am Aron MacQuain, the Earthshaker, Dracon Lewys. I apply to you for sanctuary from the Magi Proctors."

"I am honored to meet you, Earthshaker," Lewys said formally. He looked inquiringly at Andre, who stepped forward.

"I am Andre Benoit, Defender of Ironlyn, and sanctuary with us has a price. To claim it, you must take the Merc Oath of loyalty and service. Are you prepared to do this?"

MacQuain nodded. "I am prepared, Defender."

"As are we," Kenwyn said. He and Shynian moved up to stand beside MacQuain. He and his new wife were holding hands.

The third Magi stepped up and bowed as well, bringing the child with him. "I am Cedric Mathias, and this is my sister Issa. I will take the oath." Cedric still showed the lank body of late adolescence which would become hard muscle as he aged. Like his sister he had light blue eyes and pale, almost white blond hair.

The fourth Magi was a woman, a tall, honey haired Amazon who strolled forward as if she owned the dock. "I am Maegan Eidris. Are you satisfied?"

"You must all take the oath," Rebecca said firmly. "Including the two Drami."

"What?" Maegan exclaimed in outrage. "I have never been required to swear an oath before."

"There is a first time for everything," Rebecca informed her, meeting the other girl's eyes full on.

"And who are you?" demanded Maegan, looking Rebecca up and down insolently.

Amused, Rebecca did the same to Maegan. "Allow me to introduce us. I am Draconi Rebecca Mabinogion, the heir to Ironlyn. Dracon Lewys is my grandfather. This is my brother Drake Owen, and my sisters, Drayali Selene and Catrin. You have already met my husband Andre, and you know Logan Silvermane. I realize other keeps where you did service might not have required an oath of you, but Ironlyn does, and we make no distinction between men and women. You are of the Wild Magi, and I sense power within you. Therefore, you will all take the oath if you wish sanctuary."

"My sister as well?" Cedric asked, frowning.

"No, your sister Issa is too young for the oath to be valid. It wouldn't be binding, but if she wishes, she may swear as well."

Tyrel looked up at her frowning. He had given his oath to Andre when he agreed to look after Selene. He looked a question at Andre, who winked at him and mouthed the words 'later'. Tyrel nodded.

"And if I choose not to?" Maegan's voice was challenging.

Rebecca smiled at her. "Then you will get back in the craft and sail out of our harbor." As she spoke, the Ley Lines overhead glowed again with black and red intertwined ropes.

Maegan glanced up warily at them. "Oh, very well. Such a fuss about it," she agreed petulantly.

"Do you know the words of the oath?" Andre asked them.

MacQuain nodded. Putting a clinched fist to his right shoulder, the Wild Magi stepped forward and repeated the Oath of service, "I swear my life and my honor to obey, you and defend you and yours for the term of my service."

Andre glanced and Lewys, who nodded and gestured him forward. Andre mirrored MacQuain's gesture. "You do me honor. I accept your service to myself and my family, Aron MacQuain, Earthshaker. In turn, I pledge myself to treat you fairly, and to ensure should you die in my service, your family will be mine and I will care for them as my own."

One by one, the others did the same, even Maegan, who rolled her eyes as she did so, as if to say the gesture was just plain silly.

"Why don't you bring your stuff off the boat now?" Logan suggested.

"Yes, they can ride up to keep in the carriage," Rebecca agreed. It's certainly large enough."

She was the only one who noticed the irritation on Maegan's face when Logan solicitously helped Catrin into the carriage.

The annoyance increased when he simply stepped back and let her mount the steps by herself.

"Aren't you going to help me?" she demanded.

He gave her a blank look. "Why?"

"Allow me," Aron said, gallantly offering her his hand.

Huffily, she got into the carriage. She glared at Logan and frowned at Catrin, who was busy speaking to Shynian about her pregnancy and totally missed the byplay.

As they rode back to the keep, Tyrel cornered Andre. "Why did the Draconi say an oath given by a child wouldn't be valid?" he demanded. "I gave you mine."

"Between you and me, the oath is valid if we believe it to be so," Andre responded. "However, a child's oath can be invalidated by a child's parent or guardian, if they believe the child was taken advantage of. Do you feel I took advantage of you when I took your oath?"

Tyrel straightened in the saddle. "No, I don't. Thank you for treating me as an adult, Drake Andre."

Sarsee Jinks had obeyed Rebecca's instructions and prepared a celebratory feast, as well and arranging for music and dancing. It was a lively party, lasting well into the night.

A Night To Remember

AFTER THEY HAD EATEN and danced a few sets with their friends, Sarsee Jinks approached Rebecca and said softly, "Your rooms are ready Draconi. We prepared the old master's suite for you and Drake Andre."

"Our rooms are that way," Andre protested, when Jinks turned to the left along the family corridor.

"You will like this one better," Jinks assured him. "You will have more privacy." She opened the door to a lavishly decorated set of rooms. They entered into a sitting room with large comfortable chairs, a writing desk, a fireplace which was already burning to warm the room, and floor to ceiling windows looking out over the hills. The curtains had been drawn back. "There is a spell on the windows in this suite which allows you to see out, but not for anyone