There was no one else for Fen to look to. “Lan calls me cub.”
“Understood,” Tellan said with a grin and a nod. “If you have any questions, you can ask me. I don’t do political scheming so I will actually answer you if I’m able. All right?”
“Understood,” Fen replied as she had, although without a smile. He felt a bit faint and was unsure why.
“Now,” she looked him over in a forward but not unpleasant manner, “the bluebells on your tunic are so neatly done. Heni says you’re of the Bal? I know so little of other territories. I don’t suppose you can tell me some of the Bal traditions?”
“I… have never been there,” Fen admitted hesitantly. “But I can tell you what my mother told me.”
“Excellent!” Tellan answered with what was apparently her usual level of excitement. “Warrior types never understand the need to learn about other places. The rest of us know that ritual, tradition, and protocol are equally important as swords and hitting things. That’s why you and I are going to get along.”
“We are?” Fen didn’t object, but wasn’t sure she understood who he was. “But I’m the son of an Earl.”
“We are.” Tellan could sound as certain as her brother once a decision had been made. “I’ve been waiting for someone to help me convince Lan.”
Fen hoped his face wasn’t doing anything strange. “My alliance is with him first.”
Tellan gave Fen a look, then another, longer look. “And that’s why we’ll get along, Lan’s cub,” she declared with finality. “We won’t let him fall, will we?”
Fen shook his head.
Her smile returned. “Now, the Bal?”
Tellan took Fen with her to speak with the cooks and into two of the tents filled with supplies. She picked up a slate to help her remember what might be needed, and had Fen help her count casks, bags, and barrels until, without Fen mentioning himself or his stomach, she sat him down and made him eat. Afterward, she showed him the way to the stream that ran past the camp and where the latrines had been dug. Fen thanked her but that was only one of the questions that he faced as the day went on.
Obviously, Lan would have a tent now that they were all in a real camp. He would likely take his spare blanket with him. Fen hoped for a spot by a fire, in that case, unless it would take space from someone else.
“Oh.” Tellan stopped to consider that when Fen told her of his concerns. “Where were you sleeping before?”
“With Lan,” Fen answered, then hurried on when Tellan arched an eyebrow. “Sleeping only.” His face was blistering at the admission. “For warmth. I’m not used to the cold here and he took pity on me.”
Tellan raised both eyebrows. “Did he?” She didn’t wait for a response before clapping her hands together. “Why you don’t ask him about it?” She walked a short distance, waiting for Fen to catch up with her before she pointed to one tent in a small line of them. Nothing about the tent stood out, but it had to be Lan’s. When Fen didn’t move, Tellan continued toward it on her own, leaving Fen to follow. She called out as she drew closer and when there was no answer, briefly poked her head inside. “He’s not in. Probably bathing. Wait here. It’s fine, I’m sure. I’ll go find—well, I’ll send Race to tell him. Don’t worry.”
“Race and Dol are married now,” Fen informed her in case no one else had. “Race might be busy if they have a tent of their own.”
“Really?” Her grin was delighted and somehow exactly as sharp as Race’s. “Well, I’ll send someone else to fetch Killan if I can’t find Race. Stay here.” Despite her grin, her words seemed like an order. Especially when she lifted one flap of the tent’s doorway to urge Fen to go inside. She dropped the door flap behind him, then walked off, leaving Fen standing uncertainly in the cool shadow in the middle of Lan’s tent.
Like the outside, the inside did not give much indication that the Wild Dog himself slept here. A travel pack had been set onto a chair. The chair was heavy and finely made, possibly taken from The Maben himself, although it sat next to a small, simple table that held only a dish for a candle and a holder for rushlights.
There was a space three of Fen’s footsteps across between the table and the bed. The Acana had a similar bed, designed to be taken apart and reassembled so that he would never have to sleep on the ground, even when traveling. The Acana’s was wider than this one, but the rectangular bed in Lan’s tent would certainly fit Lan. The top of the bed was covered in furs, with Lan’s travel cloak thrown on top of those. On the other side of the bed was a narrow space that held a small chest. Pieces of armor and some weaponry were either next to it or on it.
Fen’s attention went almost immediately back to the bed. Even this sister seemed to think her brother needed to be bedded and had decided Fen was the one to do it. Of course, shehadcaught Fen staring.Everyonehad caught Fen staring, or soon would if he couldn’t control himself. It still didn’t seem right for her to embarrass Lan in this way.
Unless Lan wouldn’t mind. But Fen felt a little as though Lan were now in Fen’s position with The Geon, and Lan was expected to be content with what was available. Fen would rather be wanted, which was an entirely new thought.
He sat on the bed to puzzle over it, then hopped up when he realized what he’d done. He held his hands behind his back with his fingers hooked into his bracelet of rope. Desire was still new, and now he’d added to it the desire to be desired. Although, should that occur, he wouldn’t know what to do to make someone happy in bed. Which at least he had already told Lan, so no seductions would be expected.
The whole issue made his face hot and his limbs cold, especially when he considered how everyone around him seemed to know what he wanted when he didn’t. Lan must know, then, and had never indicated Fen ought to take advantage of their time together.
Fen started for the door to go find Tellan and beg a place to sleep by the fire but then stumbled to a halt, arms flailing to keep him upright, when Lan entered the tent.
Lan ducked his head as he came in and looked at Fen only once he’d straightened back up. He was alone. There was light enough to see after the door flap fell down behind him, but the interior of the tent was shaded and the sounds from around them were muffled.
“I wasn’t sure where to go,” Fen said quickly. “Your sister told me to wait here.”
“Of course she did,” Lan answered, distracted, then pulled his gaze away from Fen and turned to place an armful of his clothes onto the chair. They looked soiled compared to what he was wearing, which included the undershirt Fen had mended the day before. Lan had at least one change of clothing, then, Fen noted, although they all seemed to be of the same quality.
Lan glanced to Fen again and then the bed behind him. He looked tired now that he’d cleaned up and probably eaten. Heni had said Lan was a light sleeper when outdoors, and he was likely longing for bed now but had to deal with the problem of Fen once more.
