You Ought to Know

Writers: Estelle
Date Posted: 3rd July 2021
Series: The Assassin's Husband

Characters: Lorican, Jothi
Description: Lorican hears a worrying tale about his wife
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 10, day 6 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: Brennault, Lusilk, Olov

In the early afternoon, the heat in the smithy was at its height, with
the sun streaming in through the wide doorway and the forge fire blazing
at Lorican's back, bathing him in sweat. After turns of practising his
craft, he barely noticed the discomfort as he concentrated on bending a
thin, glowing metal bar into a smooth ring with quick, efficient taps of
the hammer.

There'd been heavy weather a few days before which had brought ships
limping in to the harbour at Sunstone for repairs, and plenty of work
for the sea hold's craftsmen. Carpenters, smiths and merchants selling
sailcloth, rope, tar and varnish had all the business they could wish
for, and Lorican was glad of his experience smithing for the fishermen
and small traders in Rocky Bay. He'd had to put off working on
Brennault's sword and the other pieces he'd planned to earn his Master's
knots, but with another day or so of steady effort he'd be able to clear
the biggest orders and make time for his own projects once more.

A shadow moving in the doorway caught his attention as he finished off
the piece and dipped it into the quenching tank, turning it as it cooled
and hardened. Glancing up, he saw a young, fair-haired man in the
uniform of the Hold's guards. He was a little red in the face and his
tunic and trousers were grimy and dust-stained, suggesting that he'd
come from the training ground.

"Good day, Guardsman. One moment..." He lifted the finished ring from
the water and set it down with a pile of other similar pieces. "How can
I help you?" Living in a major Hold with a large company of guards,
requests for repairing weapons or gear weren't uncommon, and if he
simply wanted a blade sharpened it could be done quickly.

"By the Star, I don't know how you stand it in there." The young man
leaned against the door frame, clearly not wanting to venture any
further into the oven of the smithy. "You the new smith? The one with
the dark, skinny little wife?"

Lorican frowned. He misliked the man's tone, but it wasn't sensible to
quarrel with a guardsman. "I'm Journeyman Lorican, and I arrived here a
couple of months ago. What do you want with me?"

"Got something to tell you." The guard smirked and glanced at the
apprentice sitting at the workbench, polishing one of the rings Lorican
had been forging. "Something you might not want overheard."

He narrowed his eyes. "Can't think what that might be." His thoughts had
instantly gone to the men who'd hunted him down at Barrier Lake, the
price that had been on his head. Lusilk had told him he didn't need to
worry about that any more, but in the murky world of thieves and crooked
dealers she came from, who could tell for certain?

"It's about your wife." Jothi's eyes glittered with malice. "She's been
misbehaving herself. Thought you ought to know."

Lorican gazed back evenly at the man, trying to hide the sudden,
sickening dread in his stomach. What had Lusilk done? She'd never lived
in a Hold long enough to grow used to their customs, not as far as he
knew. As good as she was at not drawing attention to herself, perhaps...
Had she talked back to one of the men, insulted them? **Faranth, don't
let her have attacked someone!**

"All right. Let's step outside." He set down his tools and, ignoring the
curious gaze of the apprentice, walked out into the sunlight. It was
busy enough outdoors that if this man did mean him harm there'd be
plenty of witnesses. There was little relief from the heat; the air was
humid, heavy with the past sevenday's rain. "What is it you wanted to
tell me?"

"I was out in the woods, with a friend. We...stumbled upon her, with
another man. One of my fellow guards." Jothi paused, let the silence
draw out, eyeing the smith's face. To his disappointment, the man looked
more bewildered than angry or jealous. He shrugged. "She had a knife.
Looked like they'd been training together, if you can call it that."

"I see." Lorican tried to stay expressionless, though he felt his jaw
tighten. It didn't occur to him for a moment that the young man might be
lying, unpleasant as he clearly was. "Anything else?"

"That's not enough?" Jothi raised an eyebrow. "I don't know what the
custom was where you and she came from, but here at Sunstone, we don't
let women loose with weapons. It's not decent, and it's dangerous.
Knives aren't toys. There might be an accident. And in her condition..."

Lorican bit his tongue before he could retort that Lusilk was far more
skilled with her blade than any man he'd ever met. That wasn't the
point, not by a long way. Nor could he tell this little sneak to mind
his own business; the last thing they needed was this rumour spreading
around the hold.

"Very well. I'll speak to her," he said, through gritted teeth. "And I'd
appreciate it if you and your friend didn't mention what you saw to
anyone else."

The man grinned. "Oh, my lips are sealed. As long as it doesn't happen
again. I'd hate to have to get the captain involved." In truth, Jothi
had no intention of informing the captain or anyone else; his own part
in the encounter had hardly been creditable, even if the woman had
obviously cheated. If he earned her a few smacks around the head from
her man, that'd be enough. The smith was clearly angered, even if he
hadn't got quite the reaction he'd expected.

"Leave it with me. Good day, Guardsman." Unable to muster the will to
thank the man, though it might have been prudent, Lorican turned and
walked back into the smithy without another word.

Hardly knowing what he was doing, he took up his tools again and thrust
another iron bar into the flames. All he could think of was the soft,
vulnerable curve of Lusilk's belly. He closed his eyes, hardly able to
bear the images that pressed in on him. A blow landing badly, a kick...
She had brought their child, helpless, into her dangerous world, and the
fury burned in him hotter than the white-hot heart of the forge.

Last updated on the July 21st 2021

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