I nodded moving my eyes to the door as a young couple hurried in. They
had their arms about each other and when they tugged off their peaked cloth
caps I recognized Villem, a fruit farmer at a distance south of the village
and Coraleed, daughter of the owner of the adjacent farm. They hoped and
planned to union but Coraleed’s mother demanded a prize-winning uorn herder
and so far Villem couldn’t afford that. They stood talking with the group
at the long table before Villem turned to check Sem Partoldi’s, saw me
there and came toward us removing her full short cape as she eased through
the intervening tables.
She
grinned and dipped her head in a quick nod. “Good evening, Sem Partoldi,
though it is very windy.” She had grown up in awe of Sem Partoldi
and some of it remained.
“Do
you think there is rain in it?” Sem Partoldi asked wryly.
“Oh,
yes, surely. Excuse me, Ince, with respect,” Villem said again bobbing
her large head on her thick short neck.
“Yes.
Villem.”
“I
may be foolish, but I wish to....”