When they arrived at the castle, Rodry headed off to the feasting hall with Sir Lars and his prize of star metal, to show it to his father before he gave it back to Devin for the forging. Devin, meanwhile, found himself taken to the rooms of Sir Halfin, trying to find suitable clothes. The knight was much older than him, but it was true that they were similar sizes, and soon, they were rooting through his clothes, picking out this doublet and that.

I swear hes more your size, Twell, the knight grumbled, as he went through a chest to drag out hose, shirt, doublet, and boots. Here, try these, they might fit you.

They did, and they were finer than anything Devin had worn in his life. The shirt was silk, the double dark velvet embroidered with curls and spirals. The boots were soft leather, a far cry from the hard ones Devin wore. Devin washed the worst of the dirt from himself and dragged his fingers through his hair, wondering all the while exactly what was happening to him.

You get used to Prince Rodrys generosity eventually, Halfin said. Hes a good young man, reminds me of his father in that respect. So long as you dont do anything to pick a fight with him.

Like being late for the feast when hes invited you, Twell suggested. Theyll forgive us old Knights of the Spur a lot, but not too much.

Especially not when one of us has a reputation for speed, Halfin said.

Sir Twell laughed at him. Maybe ten years ago.

Oh, that would be back before the great planner started forgetting things? Halfin shot back.

It was so strange for Devin, sitting there with two Knights of the Spur, listening to them make fun of one another like two old comrades, rather than the heroes out of stories.

We need to hurry, Halfin said.

He led the way down through the castle. Even though Devin had been there before, that had been brief, and hed been in a dungeon for much of it. Now Devin found himself staring at the expanse of the interior. There were tapestries on all the wars, depicting everything from the rise of the Northern kings to the myths of the gods, and the dragons that no one had seen in more than a lifetime. They seemed to shimmer, picked out in metallic thread and shimmering as air caught the tapestries they stood on.