The Prize in the Game | Page 8

would yield before the news of a fortunate day." Emer said, boldly.
Elenn leaned forward. "Emer, think, you can't," she whispered.
"Oh yes I can," Emer said, keeping her eyes straight forward.
"Maga will not like it, but will she go to war for it?" Amagien asked.
"She will go to war with us for one cause or another within three
years," ap Fathag said, rocking to and fro slightly in the stupid way he
did when someone asked him a question. It was so unfair, as his main
means of talking was by asking other people questions, but if you asked
him one back his response was to say something often unintelligible
and always uncheckable and then go off into a daze. He was much
madder than the oracle-priests at Cruachan. And his predictions were
always so obvious, just like that one.
Conary leaned forward, looking at Emer. "Do you want to be a great
warrior, then?" he asked.
"If possible," she replied.

"Has anyone seen if she can even fight?" Amagien asked. "Ah, I
thought not. And she is two years away from age."
"She can fight," Conal said. Elenn frowned at him, but he took no
notice, he wasn't even glancing at her. "She's young to be armed, but so
are we all, sir. And time and daylight of a fortunate day are wasting as
we stand here."
King Conary had shut his eyes. "She has not strength to fight hand to
hand," he said, faintly. "Anyone can see that."
"Strength as much as my daughter Dechtir had," ap Fathag said.
Conary's eyes snapped open and he sat bolt upright, but when he spoke
his voice still sounded weary. "Do either of you youths need a
charioteer?"
Leary and Conal both stared at Nid, who shrugged. "I have driven you
both and would willingly drive either of you," she said.
"You have far more often driven me," Leary began.
"Then let her drive you now," Conal said, "If Emer will consent to
drive me?"
"It would be an honour," Emer murmured, looking down and sounding
her usual self again.
"Let her be armed as a charioteer then," Conary said, as if he were tired
to death of the whole business. Elenn felt a great deal of sympathy for
him. "Come, Amagien. Where is Finca?"
Finca came up immediately. Elenn suspected she had been listening in
the next alcove. It was a large hall, and the alcoves were hidden from
each other the same way they were at Cruachan. It meant proper
privacy for eating, but it also meant it was very easy to hide in them
and spy on people when the hall wasn't full. If she built her own hall,
Elenn thought she would prefer to have a great table to eat on the way

the poets said the Vincans did. Except that it would make it difficult for
people who were at bloodfeud with each other and so could not eat
together. She wondered how the Vincans managed about that.
"You called for me, my brother?" Finca said.
"Rejoice, for today your child becomes one of the people," Conary said,
with an ironic nod of the head to Conal. "If you can find Elba and
Ringabur, and Ugain and his wife, they may wish to hear the same
news. Regrettably, Maga and Allel cannot be here. Also, the feast I
bade you prepare for Darag's return should perhaps be expanded a
little."
"Yes, my brother," Finca said, as if his words had been quite ordinary.
She gave hardly a glance to Conal and no glance at all at the rest of
them.
"Oh, and sister, take the elder princess of Connat to help you," Conary
said. "She does not need to be armed today."
"No," Finca said, looking at Elenn a little curiously. Elenn kept her
head up and looked back. "Very well, you can help me to prepare the
feast. Come along, child."
It was only then, hearing that familiar form of address, that Elenn
realized what she had done. She would still be a child, when the others,
even Emer, would be adults in everyone's eyes. It was not quite too late
to change her mind, but entirely too late to do it and maintain dignity.
She lifted her chin high and walked off after Finca without a backward
glance.

3. (Emer)
King Conary gathered up champions and parents and guards so that
there seemed to be a crowd of them before they even left the Red Hall.
Emer was starting to feel almost sorry that she had spoken up. Elenn's

face had been like thunder as she went off with Conal's mother. No
doubt she would never let Emer forget it. Worse, she would tell Maga.
Maga hadn't wanted to send them to Oriel