‘It doesn’t much but maybe Christa foresaw that you would sleep through the meals and wake hungry,’ Ceirwan quipped. ‘Seriously though, I think ye should consider just takin’ to your bed an’ sleeping the rest of the day an’ the night an’ be done wi’ it. After all, ye kenned at the meetin’ this morning that we have everything in hand fer the moon fair an’ fer th’ expedition. Ye need not even go down to the Coercers hall to choose a weapon, now, though when ye wake tomorrow ye might prepare yer pack with all ye mean to take on th’ expedition. That is what I have advised all of th’ others who will travel to the Red Land to do, for Rushton is determined that the packs and weapons will go down to the lowlands with Dardelan so they can be loaded onto the ships in advance. He just told Reuvan yer all to leave at dawn the day after the moon fair ends.’

‘I might sleep through,’ I said non-committally, not wanting to think how few days I had left at Obernewtyn.

It was not until we had broken contact that I wondered why the guilden had said I need not go down and choose a weapon. I had a knife but that would not be enough on its own. I had been debating about taking a short sword, though my preferred weapon was a staff. The question was answered the moment I turned to my bed, for there was a new pack and a bow and a quiver of arrows lying on it, which I had not noticed when I entered the chamber. The pack and quiver were made from the same dense woven fabric as my new boots and coat, which told me they were the other portion of the gift from the futuretellers, which Maryon had mentioned. Ceirwan must have seen them delivered. Inside the pack were two coils of good rope and two well-cured gourd bottles as well as a new pair of light but sturdy trews with reinforced knees. When I lifted the pack onto the floor, I found a folded sheet of parchment under it. Travel well, was scribed upon it, followed by Maryon’s personal rune.

I sat on the bed to examine the bow and arrows with puzzlement. I had enough of an ability as an archer to know the bow was beautifully crafted and balanced, but my skill at the staff was far greater. Nevertheless, the gifts of a futureteller were not to be taken lightly. Maryon had obviously seen something in my future to prompt the gift of a bow and arrows, and I resolved to find out on the morrow if Redlanders used bows and to have a target set up so that I could practise.