Page 13 of Fox of Fox Hall

Domvoda’s gaze glinted like the darkest andshiniest of dragon’s egg shells.

Chapter Five

Fox bit his tongue for most of the afternoon,responding to Domvoda but only to say, “Yes, my king,” or “No, myking,” as required. From how Domvoda began to ask Fox more and morequestions, Fox guessed that his simple answers did not please.

What he expected Fox to do, Fox did not want tocontemplate while he was still before the byr and already red-facedfrom the heat and the previous humiliation. The byr had taken toreferring to Fox as the Knightly Fox for most of the afternoonuntil the title had begun to visibly irritate the king. Domvoda didnot order them to stop, but his tail began to twitch and all butthe silliest of the byr took that to mean the joke had run itscourse.

It was not a defense, nor was it an apology orwhatever Domvoda might consider an apology. Domvoda also did notleave Fox to exist, apparently forgotten, in his shadow as he oftendid. Fox was called to stay with the group following the king andthen prodded about his opinion on the festivities planned for afterthe tournament when it became clear that he was not going to offerit on his own.

“Whatever you think best will surely be perfect,my king,” Fox told him, nearly simpering the way any of the byrpresent would have done if Domvoda had turned to them. He got thesatisfaction of Domvoda’s momentary silence before he must havedecided to forget about Fox again.

Toappearto forget about Fox. Fox kepthis gaze on the king while keeping to the corner of the hall duringthe evening meal. Like every other time in past years when Fox hadfound himself outside Domvoda’s circle, he was not allowed to leaveuntil dismissed. Which meant Domvoda had not forgotten Fox at alland the exile was intentional.

Fox didn’t understand why Domvoda would bother.He could have sent Fox from court whenever he pleased. He couldbanish Fox from Saravar that very instant. After all this time, heshould have grown bored of tormenting Fox or moved on to mockingFox openly. He hadn’t until today, when he had insulted Fox and letthe others do the same.

Perhaps he felt Fox should have found it amusingtoo, or snapped back, or begged forgiveness for whatever crime itwas he felt Fox had committed.

Fox watched him and played his lute and said nota word unless spoken to. He observed the king and his threePotentials seated near him and met no one’s eyes. By the time oneof the Potentials asked about hearing some music, Fox’s head waspounding and his muscles were tense from holding himself sostiffly. He stood up despite that, and bowed his head to MatlinLoriloft, and sang about the Dragonslayer, because naturally thatsong was called for after the day’s events. He sang other things aswell, old tales of passion and uncontrollable matings, thenanything about love that the byr asked for until Domvoda had enoughand waved him off.

Fox left the hall without any dinner but in nomood to eat.

He made it to Kaladas without a single persondaring to cross his path—or perhaps purposefully avoiding thetarget of Domvoda’s scorn. He reached the crowded hall and thenkept going, too agitated to be still, although he had nodestination unless he decided to cross the courtyard in search offood.

He made it as far as the stables, where hestopped to gaze up at the darkened sky and scattered clouds andpull open his doublet to catch what cooler air he could.

“Fox?” Conall’s voice was low and careful, likesomeone approaching a wild animal and not a street musician playingat being a byr.

“You should stay back, Byr Conall,” Fox answeredwithout turning around. “Being around me will not endear you to theking. It might even anger him, though I can’t see why.”

“You can’t?” Conall wondered, so softly Foxbarely heard it.

Fox brushed off the question. “The Fox is notmeant to ignore him, but to be ignored by him—until the moment whenthat is no longer what he wants. I am also not meant to speak ofothers… not if I speak well of them.”

“Did you?” Conall stayed where he was despiteFox’s warning.

Fox spun around to glare at him. “I am not oneof your anxious young knights in need of soothing.”

“And yet I think you would also like to pick afight this evening.” Conall was in his informal clothing. Notorturous feasts among the other byr for him.

Fox scoffed. “What possible good would that do?There’s no contest here for me to win.” When Conall said nothing,Fox felt his tail start to thrash and did not waste energy tryingto stop it. “Silent with me now, too? As though I am Domvoda,purposefully cruel—” He shut his mouth and looked around thecourtyard, turning his face from the stable hands and the fewknights on their way back to the hall.

Conall stepped closer. “What did he do toyou?”

No one could have heard him. Fox shiveredanyway.

“It hardly matters,” he insisted tightly andregained control of his tail. “You have more important things toworry about. Go fuss over your chicks and avoid incurring theking’s wrath by talking to me.”

Conall let out a long breath. “I angered himtoday,” he admitted. “I should not have said what I did.”

Fox threw up his hands. “Are you even listening?You were yourself.Iwas reckless. Too used to beingindulged to think before I spoke.”

“Indulged?” Conall echoed incredulously.“How long did you play tonight? After how many hours dancingattendance on him in the heat of the sun with a dozen byr watchingyour every move?”

Fox really marveled at the byr, even apparentlyrelatively impoverished byr, and their ability to imagine theirfreedoms were freedoms for all.

“Some of us have no choice, as you well know.”Fox kept himself from making his words hurt but knew there wouldstill be a small burn. “And I was. Iwasindulged, untiltoday. As you are indulging me now, letting me snap my teeth at youwhen you do not have to.”

He jumped at the quick, forceful whip ofConall’s tail. Then Conall bent his head to look Fox in the eye.“What I do and what he does are not the same. I am listening, notindulging. I’m sorry you don’t know the difference.”

---