When twilight came, they all escorted bride and bridegroom to the best bed in the hall and entertained them with songs and lengthy toasts. Oaths were sworn—Martin would be given a place in the family in exchange for his labor—and pledges of consent exchanged. In a month or a year, a frater would probably walk out along the road into the forest, and then he could sing a blessing over the couple. It was always good to get the blessing of the church in such matters, when one could.
“Come now!” said Old Uta finally, taking pity on the newlyweds, who sat bolt upright in the bed enduring the jests and singing. “It’s time to leave these young folk alone to get on with it!” With much laughter, the rest of them left the hall and went to sleep outdoors.
But Liath was too restless to sleep. Wolfhere built a small fire, and by this they sat as stars bloomed in the darkening sky. Lying on her back, she pretended to sleep but instead studied the heavens. Summer was known as “the Queen’s sky.” The Queen, her Bow, her Staff, and her Sword all shone in splendor above. The Queen’s Cup stood at the zenith, the bright star known as the Sapphire almost directly overhead. Her faithful Eagle rose from the east behind her, flying eternally toward the River of Heaven, which spanned the night sky much as the forest road cut a swath through the dense woodland. The zodiac was obscured by trees and by a misty haze that had spread along the southern horizon, but she caught a glimpse of the Dragon, sixth House, between gaps among the tops of trees. Stately Mok gleamed in the hindquarters of the Lion, a brilliant wink between leaves.
“I never thought to look for him,” said Wolfhere suddenly into the silence.
“For whom?” she asked, then knew the next instant whom he meant. “Didn’t you ever try looking for my mother through fire?”
“We can only see the living, and then only ones we know and have touched, have a link to.”
“But I saw the Aoi through fire, after Gent fell.” She rolled to one side. He sat on the other side of the fire, his face in shadow. “I’d never met any such creatures.” She hesitated, then said nothing more about her encounter with the Aoi sorcerer.
“That is indeed a mystery. I have but small skill in these matters, though I am adept at seeing. Had I ever suspected Prince Sanglant was alive, I would have looked for him, but I did not. We both saw him take a killing blow—” Here he broke off.