Empire of Night (Age of Legends 2)

"Yes, she is pleasant in appearance," Ashyn said. "However, right now, it is more important that she is strong and healthy, so that she may survive this ordeal."

"Certainly, but I intend to survive, and after that, beauty will stand me in far greater stead than strength or health. I was twenty summers when I passed, and not yet wed. Nor had I any suitors. My mother blamed my face and form. I was not an attractive girl, and too thin by far. That was why no man had chosen me."

"Not necessarily," Ronan muttered again.

Guin settled on the floor and crossed her legs. "In my village, I saw many girls who were as dull as a hoe and as stupid as a cow, all wed by their fourteenth summer, so long as they were fair of face."

"Fourteenth summer?" Ashyn said. "When did you live?"

Guin shrugged. "It was a very long time ago. But I learned the value of beauty, and if I have been given a second chance at life, I'm relieved that I've overcome that obstacle. This time, I will wed, and wed well, and I will grow fat and old, surrounded by every luxury." She looked at Ashyn. "That's the advantage women have. To improve their station, they need only stay charming and beautiful long enough to catch a good husband. It's much harder for men. To better themselves, they must work at it their entire lives. I'm glad I'm a woman."

Ashyn looked at Ronan.

"Best not to comment," he said.

She turned to Guin. "I believe you may find times have changed somewhat."

"I still need to be beautiful to wed. That never changes."

"Well, if I may be so bold, I've always found that one of the keys to beauty is frequent bathing. The longer one goes between washings, the more the dirt and grime become engrained in one's skin, until it is quite impossible to remove. The best water of all is fresh from the source." She handed Guin the bucket. "Do you know where the spring is?"

"A goodly walk from here."

"Yes, but you need not hurry. I have enough water to last until sundown. And the longer your bath, the more your skin and hair will shine."

Guin thanked her for her advice, and left as Ashyn turned her attention back to Tyrus.

TWENTY-FIVE

Ronan and Ashyn were outside the hut now. She would stay close enough to hear Tyrus if he woke, but she needed the fresh air and the chance to stretch her legs. They walked along the path leading from the hut. A tree had fallen over it--a small one, easily moved, but they'd left it to discourage anyone from investigating the path.

The hut was only a single room. It had no amenities to speak of, not even a shelter out back for the toilet pit. Ashyn could not imagine living like that for long. Obviously, someone had. Someone who lived off the land. Stole off the land, to be more accurate. They were close enough to the warlord's compound that all this land would belong to him. Even growing crops on it would be considered theft. Which explained why the hut was so well hidden, a distance from both the road and the spring.

Ashyn didn't dare walk as far as the road, but they could see it from a curve in the path, and she peered along that seemingly endless stretch of road that would, ultimately, lead to the imperial city.

"Simeon ought to have reached the palace two days ago," she said. "He'd know he couldn't stop even for the night. The situation is too urgent. And the emperor would send a fast horse back, ahead of any troops. The rider ought to be here."

"You're worried about Simeon?"

She nodded. "He's no warrior. No great rider either, despite being from the steppes. I fear he didn't reach the imperial city."

"You've grown fond of him."

She shrugged and shaded her eyes to look down the road. "He was very knowledgeable and quite companionable."

"Were you courting?"

She turned sharply, her distraction vanishing. "What?"

Ronan cleared this throat. "I do not ask out of jealousy, of course."

"I would not presume you do, given that you're the one who rebuffed me."

He winced. "I did not rebuff--"

"Call it what you will. I was reacting to the absurdity of the question. I'd just seen Fairview massacred. We were on the trail of murderers, praying to find my village's children alive. Do you truly think I was batting my lashes at the nearest young man?"

"I didn't mean courting as in . . ." He struggled for words and then said, "I only asked if you were moving in that direction, so I could better commiserate with your concern for his well-being."