The Two Tanists (A Bard Without a Star, Book 2) by Michael A. Hooten Page B

you’ll have as much luck with Ari as
I intend to have with her.”
    Gwydion grabbed his arm.
“You be careful. Bran is smarter than you know.”
    “Bran’s going to have his
hands full with running Caer Dathyl,” Gil said. “He’s not going to notice me
or Goewin.”
    “I hope you’re right. Here
he comes.”
    Bran was shaking his head. “I’ve
done all I can to make sure you’re taken care of, but I still don’t like it.”
    “I am not a child,” Gwydion
said. “I’ll be fine, and able to take charge in a few days.”
    “I certainly hope so.” He
grasped Gwydion’s good arm. “Take care of yourself.”
    “I will.” Gwydion watched
Bran and Gil mount up and ride out of the gate. When he was sure they were
gone, he placed his forehead on the mare’s forehead, and concentrated on her
eyes. The world spun for a moment, but the heifer resumed her normal shape while
Gwydion sank to the ground.
    “Tanist!” Llygad said,
putting an arm around him. “Why did you do that? Bran told you to take it
easy!”
    “I’m fine,” Gwydion said.
Turning to Cofach, he said, “Chieftain, this fine cow is yours. Thank you for
your help.”
    Cofach bowed low. “Thank
you, Tanist. I am honored by your gift.”
    “You should go home to your
Dun now. You have hidden it well, but I know you are concerned about your
people.”
    Cofach smiled. “You know me
well, Tanist. But are you sure you’ll be okay here?”
    “It’s my ancestral home, and
I have these two fine warriors that have been charged with babysitting me,”
Gwydion said.
    “We’re not babysitting you,”
Dirgan complained.
    Cofach grinned. “No one is
going to believe this story, you know.”
    Gwydion grinned in return.
“Just tell it well, or soon people will want you to embellish it.”
    “Tanist,” Llygad said, “will
you please come inside and rest now?”
    “Very well.” Turning to
Cofach, he said, “May you have luck and many fine calves, Chieftain.”
    “Thank you,” Cofach replied.
“May you have a swift recovery.”
    Gwydion allowed Dirgan and
Llygad to lead him into the hall, where Mari and Arianrhod met them. “What
happened?” Ari demanded.
    “A minor fracas,” Gwydion
said.
    “The Tanist is wounded,”
Llygad said. “Is a chamber ready for him?”
    “This way,” Mari said.
    Ari stood rooted, and Gwydion
said, “I’m fine, really.”
    She said nothing as Mari led
them to a warm chamber where Dirgan and Llygad laid him on the bed. “His
bandage needs to be changed,” Dirgan said. “Is there a physician available?”
    “I’ll take care of it,” Mari
said, surprising Gwydion. “Would you two like to get cleaned up while I do
this?”
    “We’re to keep an eye on
him,” Llygad said.
    “Very understandable,” Mari
said. “But I can handle things for an hour or so. Please, the two of you
stink of horses and blood.”
    A maidservant came in as the
two men left, bringing hot water and clean linen. Together they stripped
Gwydion of his mail, padding, and tunic, leaving him feeling cold and exposed.
It didn’t make him any more at ease when the maid left.
    Mari washed him, saying
nothing. It took all of Gwydion’s self-control not to break the silence, but
wanted her to be the first. He tried to catch her eye, but could only see the
top of her head as she worked.
    She got to the area around
his wound, making him grimace. Her hands were gentle but sure, and she said,
“It’s a relatively shallow puncture wound. It didn’t hit anything major or
important, but you will be sore for quite some time.”
    “That’s what everyone keeps
saying,” Gwydion said. “Where did you learn to be such a physician?”
    “I’m the younger daughter in
a house full of rough and tumble men,” Mari answered. “And I have learned to
love it.” She finished washing his wound. “Okay, I’m going to have to stich
it up. Do you want anything for the pain?”
    “Just do it,” Gwydion said.
He ground his teeth while the needle