The Prize in the Game by Jo Walton

she could do that without causing Conary to throw her out or Maga to summon her home. Maga's words had seemed almost scorched into the paper as it was, demanding to know what she thought she was doing. She wouldn't tolerate any more independence right now.
    Defending Connat's honor, or better, Maga's own honor, would be ideal. Ama-gien didn't guard what he said at all. She thought she could kill him quite easily. He was slow, and he rarely came to practice. The only problem then would be the impiety of marrying Conal after she'd killed his father. No, she couldn't do it no matter how much he annoyed her. It would be a bloodfeud, and people with a bloodfeud between them couldn't marry. That would be a disaster. She'd heard of a bloodfeud being reconciled so that people could marry, but only after six generations. Though maybe she could provoke a quarrel between Amagien and another warrior. Only she wouldn't do anything so dishonorable.
    Emer had never thought Maga's lessons in how to smile sweetly whatever you were thinking would come in useful. She'd never been as apt a pupil as Elenn. Yet now she found herself doing it every time Amagien opened his mouth. He didn't seem to be able to say anything at all without making Conal squirm. It didn't matter than Conal didn't show it. It was just the same as standing by while someone stuck little knives into him.
    The clouds in the western sky blazed purple and red. The sun was down and Conary had made the sunset vow. They were waiting to catch sight of the first fire. Conary was standing alone by the piled wood that would be the fire. Near him were Elenn and Ferdia, arm in arm. Elenn had been ignoring Emer all day. Emer had almost repented of not wearing her new overdress when she saw how unhappy her sister was. It wouldn't really have made any difference. The one she was wearing was just as much Maga's gift if she stopped to think about it. She just didn't want to take a gift from her mother right now. Also, she didn't want to wear the same colors at the same time as Elenn ever again. She was tired of being dismissed as the ugly sister.
    She wanted to be seen as herself. No, she had made the right choice and been right to stick to it.
    It was strange to feel pity for Elenn. But now her sister couldn't do anything to stop her. Even what she said didn't hurt. It just sounded like a weak echo of Maga.
    Her eye moved on through the crowd. Elba and Ringabur stood with Leary, who caught Emer's eye and grinned. Next to him was a woman Emer didn't know. She was stocky and well balanced, and her face marked her as obviously kin to Leary. Darag was next to her.
    "I didn't know Leary had a sister," she said to Conal.
    "Where?" He turned to look.
    "The elder ap Ringabur came back from Rathadun of the Kings today," Amagien said. "She has been there nine years learning the law."
    "She's back to stay?" Conal grinned. "You'll like Orlam, Emer. Let's go over and I'll introduce you."
    Anything that got them away from Amagien was all right with Emer. She raised her chin Page 32

    affirmatively.
    "You're not to waste her time," Amagien said. "She won't want to be bothered now she's a lawspeaker. Let her see that you're a man now, don't behave like a puppy dog."
    Conal froze. Emer decided to change the subject before one of them said anything they regretted.
    "Have you ever been to Rathadun?" she asked.
    "Never," Conal said.
    "You'll go there one day," Amagien said. "I went there for my initiation, and you'll go there when you're chosen to be kingmdashif you ever shape up enough that you are chosen. Rathadun of the Kings is a wonderful place, very holy. The nine hills have a peace like nowhere else. The Hill of Ward, where even now the fire will be alight, is the very heart of it.
    And nobody stays there but priests and initiates, and they make no difference between initiates for law or poetry or priesthood or kingship. It is a wonderful way to live."
    Emer smiled another excruciating Maga smile and