Chapter Text
The next day I went with Kamet to call on the falconers. Kamet immediately made friends by congratulating the men and women on bringing the birds alive all the way from Ferria. “They are very delicate, Pheris,” he explained, “very susceptible to all sorts of ailments.” We were taken into the cool, shadowy hawk-house and shown some of the birds. I found a stool in the corner to sit on, and listened, fascinated, while the falconers welcomed Kamet as if he was the only person in Attolia to understand them. Clearly training falcons, or hawks, was a skilled and very time-consuming task. Kamet was sympathetic, and asked many questions in what seemed to me to be almost another language, because there seemed to be so many specialised terms for everything to do with the hawks.
“Of course the great ones do not spend much time looking after their birds,” said the chief falconer, “but in many ways that is a pity, because only thus can one learn to understand the birds.”
He opened a door at the rear of the stables which led into a yard, and took us to look at birds bathing, while others held by falconers were walked around the area, or sat chained to perches.
It was all so interesting that we would have missed lunch if the falconers had not reminded us, probably wanting their own meal.
The following day started badly. I slipped in the baths and was humiliatingly “rescued” by two of the older pages, who were so obnoxious that after they had gone the bath valets came to sympathise and help me up, which was nearly as embarrassing. I was late for my lesson, limping badly along the corridors, and Relius was abstracted and irritated with me, so that I hesitated to ask what was worrying him. And when it came to go to the king’s dressing, I realised I really couldn’t walk well enough to get there in time. I hobbled back towards the apartments, looking for a messenger, but there were none about so early. I was eventually met by Sontos, routed out by Cleon to look for me. I explained, and he sighed, realising he would almost certainly have to cover for me. Cleon would be annoyed, I thought, as Sontos headed off.
I decided there was no point in hurrying and leaned against the wall for a few moments before tackling the stairs. Unluckily the same two pages, presumably on early duty, came racing along. They spent a few moments taunting me and pushing me back and forth between them. They ran off laughing as Tesedus and Etores appeared to help me. At least they would probably be late for their shift, I thought. Fortunately there were few people about so early, and we got back to the apartments with no more problems. Tesedus went back to bed while Etores lectured me in a kindly way about taking care. Finally he left me alone until Cleon came back from the king’s breakfast, when he came out to tell him about the pages.
“Leave it, Etores, if Pheris wants it sorted out he can let us know.”
I think they made themselves late for their duty.
“That get them in enough trouble, do you think?”
They are seniors. And I would not want to be late for the queen.
Cleon shuddered theatrically. “Right. Will you be fit for the afternoon service, do you think?”
I hope so.
“Hope isn’t good enough – yes or no?”
I stretched the leg and ruefully acknowledged that I would probably need a day at least to recover.
“All right. Can you let Sontos know, Etores? I’m going for breakfast – do you want anything, Pheris?”
This was so unlike Cleon that I simply stared at him.
“It’s just the leg, right? Because Imenia wants copies of your schedules for the winter festival. Do two copies while you’re at it, will you?”
I placed an order for food.