Sorcery Rising by Jude Fisher Page A

sister, I can just imagine you with your head all veiled and your body all trussed up in fine silks (pink? – purple? no, that would only clash with your hair, or what’s left of it; scarlet, then; or green) and allowed only the company of other women by day and your husband by night. If King Ravn’s going to choose himself an Istrian wife to take back to the Isles with him, I think the least we can do in exchange is to trade our Katla to one of their lords. She’d talk him to death! That, or wrestle him into submission. Just think, she could be Eyra’s greatest weapon! No Istrian is going to get a chance to wage war against us with Katla as his wife: not unless he gags her and shuts her in a cellar!’
    ‘Fent, be silent!’ This time, Aran’s voice held a dangerous note. ‘I’ll have no talk of war. There has been peace now for over twenty years, and I for one thank Sur for it.’
    ‘Peace!’ Fent said contemptuously. ‘Our true homeland of a thousand years and more lies within spitting distance of these mountains, and the sons of the sons of the sons of the bastards who took it from us walk this fairground with not a quiver of fear in their hearts; rather they treat us as barbarian fools – they ridicule our customs, insult our sister and demand we open our stalls early so they may buy our weapons – but, no, we must not speak of war!’
    Aran passed a hand across his face as if composing himself and when he spoke again it was in a lowered voice. ‘When you have lost your father in front of your own eyes to an Empire mercenary, and taken a sword-thrust through the side trying to save him; when you have seen ships aflame and all the men in them screaming as the fire ate them; or seen a man so mad with hunger he would try to eat his own arm; or women kill their children rather than give them up to captivity, to rape and slavery – you will not be so keen to speak of war.’
    Fent looked away. ‘I know all that, Father: but everything you say just makes the truth more evident, and here we are at the Allfair, doing
business
with our old enemy.’ There was contempt in that last phrase, but Aran decided to let it pass.
    Katla, however, would not. ‘Fent! You cannot speak to our father so.’
    Fent stared at her in surprise. Then he smiled. ‘Now that, I would say, is the pot calling the kettle black!’ He turned to Aran. ‘Father, I apologise. I will speak no more of enmity; but if I cannot kill the Istrians, then I will skin them in trade, and you will be proud of me. Besides, if Halli and I are to have the longship we have set our hearts upon, we will need to have a
very
successful Fair.’
    Aran raised an eyebrow. ‘Oh?’
    Katla became very still.
    ‘Halli and I have talked and talked about this. It’s time we struck out on our own. I’d like to ask your permission, Father, to take our share of the profits—’
    ‘If we make any—’
    ‘If we make any – and commission a ship from Finn Larson – a big ship: one hundred and twenty oars, no less: it’ll need to be a very substantial vessel if it’s to weather the big seas of the Ravensway—’
    ‘You’re going to the Far West?’ Katla was transfixed.
    Aran’s eyes gleamed with sudden interest.
    ‘To join the King’s call-up for the new expedition fleet.’
    ‘Can I come?’
    ‘Katla.’ Aran’s reprimand was gentle but firm. ‘You, of all people, are not sailing off into the sunset. I have other plans for you.’
    ‘What?’ she said with alarm. ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘You’ll find out soon enough,’ Aran said, dropping her a wink. He turned to his younger son. ‘I am not altogether sure that your and Haiti’s share of what we make on the sardonyx will buy you any sort of boat, let alone one of Finn’s.’
    Fent looked put out. ‘But Halli said—’
    Aran grinned wolfishly. ‘But I’ll make you a bargain, son. If your share won’t buy you your longship, I’ll throw in mine and your mother’s, and Katla’s,