Chapter 22: The Wolf Court Kneels

The great hall of Varrhold had never held so many people.

They stood on the benches and the window ledges and in the arches of the gallery.

Wolf-kin and fox-kin and cat and badger, and the whole court of Varr smelled of woodsmoke and wet wool and fresh bread.

Shiori stood at the foot of the dais in a plain grey dress, her glasses on straight and her chestnut hair brushed smooth.

It was the same dress, cut a little finer, that she had worn into the hall on the day of her first council.

She had asked for exactly that.

Nerei, in her best green, stood at the side with a roll of paper in her hands.

"Before the rite," Nerei announced, "the Healer has a document."

A rustle went through the room.

"I do," Shiori said. "I want to read the terms aloud. In writing."

The old grey wolf made a sound that might have been a laugh.

"Terms of the Healer Hanazono's service to the Wolf Court," she read.

"One. She keeps her own surgery and her own lock, and no one enters uninvited."

"Two. A healer's house is built in the lower yard, open to every kingdom, with an apprentice from each."

Kaedan sat on the high seat in his black coat, listening with a very straight face.

"Three. Any marriage of hers is a marriage between equals. Four. The king must eat vegetables."

The hall roared.

"Five," Shiori said, over it, "she is paid. Two silver marks a day."

"Five silver," Kaedan said.

"Two is what I wrote."

"I'm amending it."

"You can't amend a signed document."

"It isn't signed yet."

She put the paper on the dais and held out her pen.

He took it, and signed it with a flourish, to a second roar.

Then he rose and came down the steps, and the old grey wolf stepped out in front of him.

"Majesty," he said gruffly. "The court has a custom."

"Say it, then."

The old wolf looked at Shiori.

Slowly, with the stiff dignity of a man who had hated her once for being human, he went down on one knee.

All around him the court went down with a long rustle of cloth, wolf and fox and cat and badger.

Until Shiori was the only one standing in the whole hall besides the king.

Bram was kneeling with a scowl, and Nerei with tears running down her cheeks.

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