Valdyis galsin

It was nice weather for riding, and we made good progress for a while. Then Jerna asked, “Are we going to the main road or past all the villages?” There was something to be said for the villages because we might be able to get food and shelter there, but…

Riei and I and Vurian went through the secret tunnel with Hylti and Arni, and yes, the floor was all muddy, but we’d borrowed wooden pattens to keep our shoes clean. (Well, the tunnel wasn’t so secret now, but it had been when the bad baron was still there. Now…

When we got to the baron’s house there were people around us at once, some to take care of the animals and our baggage, some to greet us. The baron himself was a large friendly man who didn’t look at all noble (but I know that barons aren’t as a…

On the Day of Mizran the boys came to our house to plan, just as we’d arranged. They’d both travelled before, but not without any adults (“sorry, Riei!” Vurian said, but she wasn’t offended, she might be the oldest of the bunch but she didn’t have much experience either). It…

When we wanted to leave for Valdis, Hylti came with us, and she had a cart! “I was almost due to go anyway,” she said, “take goods to the city to sell there, and use the library, and I want to talk to your Erne.” Some of the goods were…

Well, I know who to be angry with now, and it’s Arni and only Arni. Little Arni, that is. Vurian and I tried to reach to Valdis too, the two of us together, to warn big Arni or Vurian’s father or both, and however hard we tried we couldn’t manage.…

I’ve been tricked! And I don’t even know who to be angry with for that because I don’t know who was in on it. For all I know Vurian and Rovin knew all the time. I hope they didn’t because I don’t want to travel all the way to Veray…

The first guest for the feast was unexpected: it was Ruzyn! “I’m part of the security detail for your other visitors,” she said, “but don’t tell anyone, especially not the princes!” And many another family around our common garden suddenly had an aunt or an old friend or a third…

Suddenly it was almost the Feast of Naigha. We’d been living in our new house for weeks! It almost didn’t feel like a new house any more. It was all ours, there’d been a whole stack of letters from Essle saying that Arni’s and Riei’s inheritance had been released, a…