Face and voice impassive, he replied, 'She was probably just gathering kindling. Or herbs or roots. I do not think we need bother about her.' He lifted his voice. 'Elliania! The time for fun is over. We should return to the mothershouse.'

I saw Elliania s face when you made Henja run. The Narcheska was startled. And now she is frightened.

The brusque nod she gave to Peottre's words confirmed the Prince's opinion. She slid immediately from her pony's back, and then lifted the hackamore from his head, turning him loose on the hillside. Peottre did the same for the beast the Prince had been riding, and suddenly I found myself walking back to the mothershouse alongside them. Elliania and Dutiful led the way, and the silence between them contrasted sadly with their earlier merriment. My heart was heavy for him. He was learning to love this Outislander girl, but every time they drew closer to one another, the damned politics of throne and power wedged them apart. I felt a sudden rush of anger, and spoke rashly.

That was Henja, wasn't it? That woman hiding in the bushes.

She was the Narcheska's servant in Buckkeep Castle, if I recall correctly.'

I give the man credit for his composure. Although he could not look at me, his voice was calm. 'I doubt it. She left our service before

we departed Buckkeep. We both believed she might be happier in the Six Duchies, and thus were glad to release her.'

'Perhaps she returned to Wuislington on her own. Perhaps she became homesick.'

'This is not her home: she is not of our mothershouse,' Peottre announced firmly.

'How odd.' I was determined to be relentless. As a mere guardsman, I would not be expected to possess tact, only curiosity. 'I thought that in this country, the mother's family was all important, so anyone attending the Narcheska would be of her mothers' line.'

'Ordinarily, yes.' Peottre's voice was growing stiffen 'No woman of the family could be spared at the time we sailed. So we hired her.'

'I see.' I shrugged. 'I have wondered, why do not Elliania's mother and sisters attend her now? Are they dead?'

He shuddered as if I'd stuck a dart in him. 'No. They aren't.' Bitterness came into his voice. 'Her two older brothers are. They died in Kebal Rawbread's War. Her mother and her younger sister live but they are . . . detained elsewhere, on an important matter. If they could be here with her now, they would.'

'Oh, I'm sure of that,' I replied blandly. I was convinced of the truth of every word he had uttered, and just as certain that I did not have the entire truth.

Late that night, while Thick slept heavily, I Skilled as much to Chade. 1 tried to keep my thoughts to the old man private and separate from my Skill-link to the Prince. I could sense his restless sleep. The undercurrent of the boy's frustration and impatience set my nerves on edge. I tried to set his emotions aside as I communicated to Chade all that had passed between Peottre and me. Chade was annoyed with my bluntness with Peottre even as he was avidly interested in the man's responses. There are designs within designs here, like one of the Fool's wooden puzzle balls. I am convinced that he and the Narcheska have an agenda of their own, and that not all in her mothershouse knows of it. Some do. Almata for example. And the Narches]