A Song of Snow and Ashes

temper. I shouldn't have, but I did."

  "Honestly?" she asked.

  "Gods' honest truth."

  Her pretty face clouded. "Yes. Thank you." With that, she turned and left.

  "Ah, darkness," muttered Alain.

  "Odds that this is goin' to come back around and bite us?" Donnan asked.

  "Too damn good." He shook his head. "Forgot it. What's done is done. Tomorrow I go to the barracks, and it's goin' to be at least two weeks before you're allowed to visit me."

  Three weeks passed in Nahaar. Eliora went out with Basir at least twice a week, and they met each other's parents. Working extra hard trying to get her promotion left her with very little time to see her regular group of friends. She was packing to head out when she heard a knock on her door.

  "Come in," she called.

  Her supervisor walked in. "I just thought I'd let you know that we've secretly reviewed your work on assignment. You're halfway there. We'll make our decision in two to three weeks."

  She smiled. "Thank you, Izak. Thank you so much."

  "Don't get too excited. Nothing is set in stone."

  "Oh, no. I understand," she replied, but seemed no less jubilant. "Are my chances good?"

  He half-laughed. "You know the rules. No hints. You'll know when you know. And the quality of your work had better not drop off now that the performance review is over."

  "No, no. Of course not. I don't want you to use the next few weeks to decide I'm not working hard enough." She waited for him to finish.

  He looked amused. "Very good. I'll see you tomorrow."

  "Of course. Thanks again," she said, and almost skipped out the door. She had threaded her way through the bazaar when she heard a voice call her name. "Basir, over here," she called, waving.

  The handsome young scribe dodged the crowds, and they ducked down an alleyway. "You look to be a good mood."

  "Izak told me the performance review was done. I'm halfway there. Izak says I'll have to wait another couple of weeks, but he didn't seem displeased, so I think I did well. Isn't that great?"

  He half-laughed. "You're almost jumping for joy, and you don't even have the promotion yet. But yes, that's great news."

  "There's no reason I shouldn't get promoted. I really think it's just a matter of time."

  "And I guess you want to let everyone know the good news?" he asked, smiling.

  "Please?"

  "Alright. If it's not our friends, you'd probably go home to tell your family, and then I wouldn't get to see you at all tonight. So let's go."

  She gave him a quick hug, then pulled back, looking embarrassed. "I'm sorry. That's probably not proper at this stage of our relationship."

  He looked surprised, then smiled. "Don't be sorry. I'm glad you are so excited. You look lovely when you're happy."

  She blushed. "Well, come on." By the time they reached the coffeehouse, they were embroiled in another political debate that neither could quite win.

  "It's so infuriating when you're right," Basir conceded as they walked in.

  "You may as well get used to it now," she replied with a smile, and found her friends. "Hello, everyone."

  They were greeted warmly.

  "Where've you been?" Ofira asked.

  She looked at Basir.

  "Oh, come now. Since we're here, shouldn't we tell them?" he asked.

  She nodded. "Basir is courting me."

  "Really? You're kidding?" blurted Ofira. The others echoed her sentiments.

  "And there's more. Izak told me my performance review was done. I'm halfway to promotion."

  There was a round of congratulations, and both took seats.

  "Goodness, Eliora, we leave you alone for a little while, and now you're gaining fame and fortune," Ofira remarked with a laugh. Then she leaned over and lowered her voice. "And possibly gaining a husband."

  "I know. It's so exciting," she agreed. She became suddenly aware that someone was missing from her group. "Where's Zeki?"

  "He's working late tonight," answered Ofira.

  "Is he working toward promotion too?"

  "Not to my knowledge. So tell me how you've been." The group chatted and played games for several hours.

  "Eliora, may I walk you home?" asked Basir politely.

  "Actually, I would like to talk with you," said Ofira.

  "Basir, would you mind waiting a little while?"

  "I can't let you walk the streets alone at night, so I will wait. Even if I get bored."

  She smiled. "You're so valiant."

  "I do try."

  "Come on, we can go to my place," she said.

  "I'll wait right here," offered Basir.

  The two women crossed the street and entered the art conservatory. It was built much like the individual houses were Eliora lived, but all of these houses were connected. Half of the buildings had no living room or kitchen, and these the tenants were expected to share. The floors were divided in half for occupants, but that space generally had to double as bedroom and sitting area for visitors. The inner courtyard was open, as normal, but there were pottery wheels, kilns, easels, paints, blocks of stone and chisels, and all manner of art supplies cluttering the space. Ofira lead her into a house that did have a kitchen and sitting area, but since the sitting area was being used, they went upstairs to her room.

  "So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Eliora asked. "And why couldn't we talk in front of Basir? He's a good man."

  She sighed. "It's about Zeki."

  "Zeki? He's not in trouble, is he?"

  "No. It's true he's working late tonight, but he hasn't been at our get-togethers at all these past few weeks."

  "But he's not in trouble?"

  "No, no. He's fine. He's been courting."

  Eliora felt like she had just been hit in the head with a rock. "Courting?" she stuttered. "I had no idea. Goodness. Zeki is courting."

  "You shouldn't be quite so surprised. It's about that time in our lives when courting starts."

  "I know, I know. Do you know who he's courting?"

  "Yes. I do."

  "Well, tell me about her."

  "Well, it's me," Ofira replied, somewhat sheepishly.

  "You? But I thought you and Zeki were just friends," she stammered, with a strange sinking feeling in her heart.

  "We've been friends for a long time. He said he had talked to you about courting, and you told him to just go ahead and ask. So he did."

  "Imagine that. Well. That's great. When did he ask? Are things working out?" she asked, trying to sound more enthusiastic.

  "He asked about three weeks ago. I think things are working out so far. He's very kind. I can talk to him. He doesn't understand the art world, but he seems eager to learn. He's picked up few basics since he started to court me. I don't talk to him about accounting, but he seems quite grateful about that. I think it may work out."

  "I'm happy for you. I really am. I hope everything works out well," she replied, succeeding in her effort to sound sincere.

  She looked relieved. "Thanks. I was afraid you'd be jealous or upset, since Zeki's been your friend for so long."

  "No, no. I'm happy for you both. Zeki deserves a good woman. I can't expect either of you to stay single forever, right? This way we don't have to be introduced to new people who may not like the group. As long as you two don't have any big fights, we can all stay together."

  Ofira gave Eliora a hug. "I'm so glad you understand. You'd better get to Basir now."

  "Yes, I had better. So, I'll see you two around?"

  "Sure. Here, let's both make more of an effort to join the group outings."

  "Alright. Good night."

  "Good night."

  Eliora left the conservatory and returned to the coffeehouse.

  "What's wrong? Your good mood seems to have left you entirely," commented Basir, as they walked toward her house.

  "Wha
t? Sorry, I just got surprised. Zeki is courting Ofira."

  "Really? Well, good for them."

  "Yes. Good for them," she repeated hollowly.

  "Are you alright? You should be happy for them."

  "I know I should. They both deserve someone who will really be good for them. I just never thought of the two of them together." She shook her head. "Look, can we talk about something else?"

  "As you wish," he replied. Then he took her hand in his own.

  She blushed.

  "I prefer to see you happy than upset. We have yet to go over the finer points of wood tariffs."

  By the time she got home, she was in a much better mood.

  "Thank you," she said.

  "For getting thoroughly trounced in a debate again?" he asked with a smile.

  "For cheering me up."

  He kissed her cheek gently. "It's the least I could do."

  She blushed again. "Good night," she stuttered.

  He smiled. "Good night, Eliora."

  Three weeks passed before Donnan could work out a time to meet his brother down at the barracks. He was forced to work extra shifts at the tavern until another worker could be hired. Finally they figured out a time to meet for dinner at the Golden Flagon, a tavern that was near the western guardhouse.

  Donnan entered the tavern and looked around. Although he knew his brother was making more money with a guard's salary, he was a little surprised that Alain had chosen such an upscale place to meet. Feeling a little under-dressed, he noticed that there seemed to be very few guards in the place. He saw a hand waving at him, so he walked to the back of the tavern and sat down.

  "Hey, little brother," Alain said cheerfully. "Dinner should be comin' shortly. I already ordered. Hope you don't mind."

  "Of course not," he tried to reply, but Alain overran his words.

  "I'm real glad to see you. I miss our old place. It was small, but at least it was just you and me. Now I'm with all these