:Still!: Cymry continued, shaking off her mood. :His mind is all here, and Talamir’s mind is better than four of anyone else’s! Would you like to see Companion’s Field?:

“I thought this was Companion’s Field,” Skif replied confusedly.

She made a chuckling sound. :This is only the smallest corner of it. Most of it is across the river. Think you can get on my back without a boost?:

“Please. I can pull m’self up a gutter on t’roof without usin’ legs,” he retorted. “I oughta be able t’ get on your back!”

She stood rock still for him, and after a moment of awkwardness, he managed to clamber onto her bare back. Stepping out into the twilight at a brisk pace, she took him across the river on a little stone bridge, and they spent a candlemark or two exploring Companion’s Field.

Finally the long day caught up with him, and Skif found himself yawning and nodding, catching himself before he actually dozed off and fell off Cymry’s back. Cymry brought him right back to the place where they’d met, and from there, he stumbled up to his room.

Someone had come along and lit the lanterns set up along the walls, so at least he wasn’t stumbling because he couldn’t see. When he got to the door of his room, he discovered that someone had also slipped a card into a holder there that had his name on it.

A sound in the corridor made him turn; his eyes met the brilliant blue ones of an older boy—hair soaking wet and wrapped in a light sleeping robe, on his way out of the bathing room. The other boy smiled tentatively.

“Hullo!” he greeted Skif. “I’m Kris; you must be the new one, Skif. It’s just been me and Jeri here over Midsummer.”

“Uh—hullo,” He eyed Kris carefully; definitely highborn, with that accent and those manners. But not one with his nose in the air. “Jeri a girl or a boy?”

“Girl. She’ll be your year-mate; got Chosen six moons ago. Oh, I made sure I left enough hot water for a good bath.”

“Thanks.” That decided him. Maybe he’d already had one bath today, but he was still stiff and sore, and another wouldn’t hurt.

Kris was still looking at him quizzically. “I hope you don’t mind my asking—but how did you get that black eye? It’s a glory! If you haven’t seen it, it’s gone all green and purple around the edges, and black as black at your nose.”

“Smacked it inta Cymry’s neck,” Skif admitted ruefully. “Ain’t never jumped on a horse afore.”

Kris winced in sympathy. “Ouch. Better go soak. Good night!”

“Night,” Skif replied, and got a robe of his own to take the boy’s advice.