All that Glitters (Stavin DragonBlessed Book 1) (37 page)

Sharvan looked curious as the group passed and Kahndar and Davel gave him a hint as they rode past. Both of them let their cloaks open enough to show the red stripes on their shoulders.

The men at the gap used mirror-code to let Kavinston know who was coming, and a large group was waiting for them at the gates when they arrived. It was a joyous occasion until the missing men were noticed. Then Cordon and Ivalin's families grew quiet and left to mourn in private when they realized that their warriors were not coming home this time.

Stavin almost fell out of his saddle as he hurried to Sharindis' arms. He left his helmet on his saddle horn so that nothing could get between their lips. Sharindis surged into his arms and grabbed his head, holding him tightly as nine moons of waiting came to an end.

"Oh, Stavin, I've missed you so much," she whispered.

"And I have missed you, Shari," Stavin murmured as he almost collapsed into her arms. Stavin opened his eyes and saw Barvil and Sahrena in an almost identical pose, and Karvik was being hugged by his sisters.

A familiar voice said, "Welcome home, son," and he turned his head the other way to find his father and mother beside him, and all of his brothers and sisters behind them. He reached out a hand and his parents both grabbed it.

"Stavin," Sharindis and said, "is Kahn—?"

"Kahn has his arms full of Amahlan and Moranah, and—and when did Varis have another baby?" he suddenly asked.

Sharindis laughed. "Oh, Stavi, it's so good to have you home."

Karlit and Marinis squeezed Stavin's hand to get his attention. "Once you get settled, come over and tell us about your expedition," Karlit said.

Stavin grinned. "I think the whole town will be hearing about this expedition, Dad. And speaking of settling, we will be moving home. Barvil earned his fourth star."

"Oh, Stavin, that's wonderful!" Sharindis said and hugged him tightly.

"That is good news, son. I know you weren't comfortable being master of the Kel'Carins, and we heard about what you did on the way out to remedy the situation." Karlit paused and finally asked what all of them wanted to know. "How many stripes did you come home with?"

"None," Stavin answered, but his grin threatened to split his face.

"None?" Sharindis asked.

Stavin stepped away from her arms threw back his cloak. "I didn't come home with any stripes," he said as his shoulder came into view. "I came home with a
star.
"

Everyone was stunned silent for a moment, then they all started shouting at once while Stavin continued to grin. Barvil and Sahrena had come over to join them just before Stavin revealed his honors and Sahrena waited until the shouting had subsided before addressing him.

"Congratulations, Master Stavin," she said, bowing her head deeply.

"I am your master no longer, Madam Kel'Carin," Stavin said, bowing as deeply as his grip on Sharindis would allow. "Your husband and son have won back your family's honor and more."

Sahrena stood motionless for an instant before carefully pulling the cloak away from Barvil's shoulder to display four freshly painted stars where there had only been three. Dorvina was staring in stunned disbelief at the star on Stavin's shoulder as Zahrinis ripped Karvik's cloak aside to reveal his honors.

"Four red!"
she screamed. "Four red stripes!" Karvik's expression mirrored Stavin's while Barvil smiled proudly at his family.

Sharindis was tracing the outline of Stavin's star with one finger. "This tale will be one for the history books," she said as she transferred attention to Stavin's face. "Tomorrow."

Sharindis' comment reminded everyone that there was still a lot to do before the day was done, and Barvil directed everyone's attention to the wagon. Raising his hand he said, "Men, we have some sorting to do." Everyone was in high spirits and laughed as they crowded around the wagon. "We'll do best by driving the wagon to each house rather than carrying all of this. Stavin, you're up."

Stavin quickly climbed aboard and a laughing Sharindis was lifted up beside him. Barvil took the lead and walked to each of his men's homes. "Stavin, you have the most, so you go last," he commanded, then had to grin at Sahrena's questioning look. Each man had marked their goods and it was a matter of moments to unload their purchases and the all-important weapons that proved their kill counts. When everyone except Stavin had unloaded their goods, there was still a lot in the wagon.

Karlit looked at everything his son had brought back and asked, "How much silver did you collect? This is incredible."

Barvil and Karvik had unloaded last and they were still in front of the Kel'Carins' house, so Barvil heard the question. "Don't answer that, Stavin," he commanded and Stavin's mouth snapped shut. "They might faint, and I don't want to have to carry them home," he continued with the mirth in his tone obvious to everyone.

Stavin laughed and said, "Yes, Sir," as his parents looked at him suspiciously.

Marinis looked at her youngest child and her eyes narrowed. "What did you do?"

"Barvil is right, Mom. It's something that we should discuss in private," Stavin said and smiled at the scowl on her face.

S
TAVIN'S BROTHERS AND BROTHERS-IN-LAW
helped unload the wagon while his sisters and sisters-in-law took the horses to the field. When his brothers started pestering him for information, all he would say was, "Wait 'til the girls get back. I don't want to get hit for leaving them out."

When all of his family was present, Stavin began detailing the honors and fortune that he had won. Nobody fainted, but Karlit did go to the cupboard and pour a glass of Tiger-Sweat when Stavin told them of the ship and gold merchants. "—And so, because of this armor as much as anything, I have come home a wealthy man."

"What of all this?" Marinis asked, waving at the bags of grain, bolts of cloth, and sacks full of assorted items.

"Gifts, mostly. The cloth is from the lowlands of Evandia and I thought it would make good summer clothes for everyone. I bought a bolt for each woman of my family—" he grinned at his suddenly excited sisters and sisters-in-law, "—as well as Shari's mother. There is some for Sahrena, Dorvi, and Zahri as well. Barvil hadn't earned his fourth star yet when I bought it. We all bought extra food for the winter. Sora, would you and Aric bring those two wooden boxes over here?" he asked as he pointed. He was wedged between Sharindis and his mother, and there was no chance of them letting him up.

Stavin leaned forward and used his big knife to pry open the box, then tossed it negligently aside as he opened his real treasure. Sharindis reacted to the smell and sat forward.

"Books?" she asked with a grin.

"Nine gold crowns' worth," Stavin said, then read the titles as he put them one at a time in her lap. "And this as well," he said, putting the box with her new crystal in her hand.

"You bought another crystal for me?" she asked as tears trickled down her cheek.

"If something happened to your other crystal, it would mean that we couldn't share our books anymore. I couldn't let that happen," he said, then stopped talking as she kissed him.

Farlit, Stavin's oldest brother, had picked up the knife and was examining it with the rest of the men. "This is a water-steel blade, Stavi. Where'd you get it?"

"That story will wait, Far," Stavin said with a wry expression.

"Is it blooded?" Aric asked, and everyone was startled by Stavin's laugh.

"Sorry. Yes, it's blooded," Stavin said.

"What's so funny?" Karlit asked as Stavin continued to grin.

"It was my blood," he answered.

"I want to hear all about it, but not tonight," Marinis said. "Let's let Stavin and Shari get reacquainted tonight. His story will wait until tomorrow when he faces the Council."

Stavin led Sharindis up to the guest room of his father's house and closed the door behind them. "Oh, Shari, I've missed you so much," he breathed as he once again took her into his arms.

Sharindis grabbed his head with both hands to kiss him deeply, then pulled her head back just a little. "It'll be awkward unless you take off your armor," she whispered as she unbuckled his breastplate.

The passion of half a year flared to life as Stavin and Sharindis rediscovered the joys of marriage. If Karlit and Marinis didn't get much sleep, they didn't mind. Their joy at having Stavin home was only slightly less than Shari's.

The sun was well into morning when Karlit knocked on the door to awaken them. "Stavi, Shari, Dorvina brought over some of your clothes. She said Sahrena will be packing you up through today. Stavin, you have an appointment with the Elders Council after mid day. Your clothes are at the door."

Stavin and Sharindis exchanged a glance and Stavin answered, "Yes, Sir."

Sharindis stretched leisurely and smiled up at him. "I'm so glad you didn't get hurt, Stavi."

"I did," Stavin said, taking her hand and guiding her fingers to the knife scar on his stomach. "This is why I laughed when Aric asked if that knife was blooded. I got stabbed with my
own
knife. I also got my arm broken, and would have lost it if not for my mail. That sword was ruined, by the way. I also got a concussion from an ax in Twin Bridges. That's when Kar saved my life the first time."

Sharindis patted his stomach. "We are going to spend the winter writing your story."

Stavin got up and retrieved their clothes, then helped Shari dress. For himself, he donned his under-padding and mail in preparation for facing the Council. Stavin led Sharindis down to the family room and wasn't surprised to find his brothers and sisters-in-law as well and his sisters and brothers-in-law. "Good morning, everyone," he said.

"Good morning, Stavi and Shari," a babble of voices replied.

"Mom, you get a first pick of the cloth," Stavin said, then added, "except the blue silk. That's Shari's." Marinis took a light-rose-colored bolt of cloth and his sisters and sisters-in-law went next in the birth order of Stavin's siblings.

"It's hard to pick," Sorandis said. "They're all so beautiful."

Stavin smiled and directed the men to their gifts. As Kethlan had said, it was more important that Stavin had gotten them something rather than what it actually was. He had more as well.

"Each household gets two of the sausages and a bag of grain to help with the winter. There are eight bags of assorted spices to go with them. One each, Ahvana," he said before the most acquisitive of his sisters could grab more, but he was laughing when he said it.

"What's this, son?" Karlit asked, holding the box and that held the ancient book.

"That is not mine, Dad. Be careful with it. It belongs to Lord General Zel'Enred of Coravia." He briefly explained the history of the book as his father carefully put the box down. "We'll need Master Kel'Zorgan to help decipher it."

Stavin gave his family a brief outline of his season in the lowlands until it was time for the mid day meal. Marinis took her daughters and daughters-in-law to the kitchen, including a happily smiling Sharindis, to prepare something to eat.

When the women had gone, Darvan, Stavin's sister Varanis' husband, brought up something that was on all of their minds. "You know the Council isn't going to want to believe you earned that star, Stave."

Stavin nodded. "I know. I have the weapon of every man I killed, Darvan, and witnesses to all but three of them. Unless they want to call Barvil and the others liars, they'll have no choice. It was this armor that did it. It seemed to draw trouble."

"It's your mouth that draws the trouble," his brother Bahrandik said. "Even going to the dragon's cave was because of your bragging that you were as brave as anyone."

"I am," Stavin said softly. "I think I've proven that."

"But you didn't need to prove it, and the girl you wanted to prove it to
still
doesn't like you," Bahrandik said in an exasperated tone.

Stavin shook his head. "Maybe I really needed to prove it to myself."

T
HE MID DAY MEAL WAS PUNCTUATED
by Stavin's stories of his comrades until it was time to go before the Elders Council of Kavinston. Sharindis, Marinis, and Karlit accompanied him to the council chamber and took seats as Stavin joined Kahndar and the rest at attention.

Barvil entered the chamber last and stood in front of his men. "Elders, I bring before you two hands of men, though two men were lost early in the season."

Chief Elder Kel'Davin looked at Barvil and said, "You may begin."

Barvil began by detailing the deaths of Cordon and Ivalin, then went on to kill counts, beginning with his own. As he recited the accomplishments of each of his men, they laid the proof of their claims on the floor of the council chamber. In accordance with an agreement that had been made on the road, Stavin was last.

"Stavin Kel'Aniston claims thirty kills and his first star," Barvil said as Stavin knelt to lay out the swords, axes, and knives of his slain enemies.

"This is an unheard-of accomplishment, Barvil," Chief Elder Kel'Davin said as the others nodded. "Were all of these kills verified?"

"They were, Chief Elder," Barvil answered.

Warmaster Kel'Horval looked at Kahndar and asked, "Did you see all of Stavin's kills, Kahn?"

Kahndar stepped forward and replied, "No, Sir. Three of them occurred out of sight of any of us, but were attested to by Master Trader Sahren Kel'Vandar. Stavin was alone with her and four men when they tried to steal a consignment from her and kill Stavin. She killed one, Stavin killed three."

Elder Kel'Landis looked at the men and focused on the younger members of the group. "Horvan Kel'Erins, Chandar Kel'Varin, Barin Kel'Kandis, step forward." He paused as the three took one pace forward and came to attention. "You three were not known to be friends with Stavin before this expedition. As a matter of fact, each of you has been disciplined at one time or another due to conflicts between you and Stavin. Do any of you wish to dispute his kill count?"

Almost as one the three young men answered, "No, Sir!"