Free The Swans' War 1 - The One Kingdom by Sean Russell Page A

a slightly crazed look, Tam thought, which suited his ill humor well.
    "My friends and I were set upon by brigands at the ruin by Telanon Bridge, and a stranger who had stopped with us was murdered....""What's this you say?" The old man sat up in his chair, rubbing the sleep from his eyes with hands tanned like old leather. His daughter brought tea, staying nearby to hear the story.
    "We were—"
    "Now wait, lad. Set your story aright. Who exactly were you with?""My cousin, Fynnol Loell, and his cousin, Baore Talon. We had gone out to the old battlefield to look for artifacts, and last night a stranger joined us. He called himself Alaan.""Alaan!" The man shot a look at his daughter.” Not the rogue with the bird?""A whist, yes. He called it Jac."The man twisted in his chair with agitation.
    "But who was murdered?" the daughter asked.
    "This same Alaan I named."
    She put a hand to her mouth, and the color drained from her face.
    "Well, that is the first good news I've heard in a long time!" Gallon said loudly.” And I'm not surprised. The man is a rogue and a thief! Oh, he'd a honeyed tongue, that one. Played me for an old fool. Well, the river take him! That's what I say.""What did he steal from you?" Tam asked.
    "Just every story I'd ever heard. He knows more about our Vale now than you do. Not that that's saying much, I would wager." He glanced at his daughter.” Had the best of my Lizzy and left her with child." "That's not true!" she protested, recovering a little.” The child is Kendal's." "Ah, he married out of pity for you and the child to come. More noble than smart, that is certain." Indignation appeared to propel the daughter from her chair, and she slammed the door to the house so hard a windowpane cracked.” He was here for a fortnight," Gallon said, only slightly deflated by his daughter's reaction.” Sat by my fire every night and listened to all the doings and stories of the Vale— charmed them out of me. And the whole time he was at my daughters behind my back. The miracle is there's only one child, and that one like his father, too—sneaking and sly." He shivered with disgust.” Dead, you say? Good riddance, say I." "But what could he have found interesting about the Vale?" The old man looked at him sharply.” Of course, I'm sure you know things that—" Tam cast about for something "—well, things I should likely want to know myself." This placated the old man a little.” Well, I'm not telling you, so don't bother asking. But I know things about the Vale and its people. I know that many a family name was not always as it is now and where many a family hailed from before they found themselves in this farthest corner of the world." "And that's what Alaan wanted to learn?" "Oh, more than that. He wanted to know which given names appeared in families again and again. Which families spawned the best swordsmen. He was terrible interested in who'd gone out to fight the brigands and roaming mercenaries after the last war. Oh, he had a lot of questions. He knew when he'd met a man who knew something of value." The old man slammed a fist on the arm of his chair.” Played me for a fool though, he did!" Gallon calmed himself with an effort.” But that's all over now. You're certain he's dead?""Yes, I'm afraid he is. We saw the men fall upon him with their blades. We were on the bridge, and fled down into the river. They chased us, too, but we hid among the rocks and they gave up looking. Stole poor Baore's boat, though, or sent it down the river.""Well, it serves you right for digging where you shouldn't and keeping the company of rogues. I'm glad you didn't get yourselves killed, though. You must be Adlar's son." Tarn nodded.
    The man eyed him oddly, cocking his head to one side.” Hold out your hands," he said suddenly. Tarn did as he was told.
    Gallon stared at his hands for a moment.” You'll do," he said grudgingly.” Did you see the hands of that rogue Alaan? I should never have let him in my door.