Page 52 of Fox of Fox Hall

Although, Domvoda had put Fox right back there,hadn’t he? Fox had assumed Domvoda had done it to mess with thePotentials or Conall, but here was an aspect he hadn’t considered.Domvoda might have also believed Fox had wanted to be consort allalong and had been enjoying what he’d perceived as Fox’shumiliation. That seemed especially cruel, even for him, but Foxcouldn’t quite dismiss it.

“No.” Fox was firm. He met Falnya’s stare. “Formany reasons, it never crossed my mind. And anyway, wouldn’t havebeen possible.”

“It would have been,” Falnya correctedimmediately in his measured, calm voice, “for a mating. If the kingwas brave enough to follow his heart. It would have been allowed ifhe stood by you. Exceptions are made for that even among the byr,although we hate to do it.”

“Those are stories,” Fox answered incredulously.“And regardless, that isn’t…” he turned toward the field so hewouldn’t have to see Falnya’s reaction to the obvious truth, “whyDomvoda wanted me. Which is fine,” he added with a passable smile.“Because again, I’m not a bearer.” He tucked his tail back over hisarm. “So you and the others can stop thinking of me as a threat.The fact that you do is why he has been parading me before you thepast few days. He thinks it’s funny, or he wants to know whatyou’ll do. He likes to test people, though I wish he wouldn’t.”

Falnya’s eyes widened. “And you’re just… tellingme this?”

Fox shrugged, although he was not even slightlycomfortable or relaxed. “I think you know already. At least,youdo. Maybe not the others.”

“Do not rule out Din,” Falnya answered followinga moment of reflection. “His mind is quick. But he has an unwise,overbearing family giving him poor advice, and also… I suspect hehas more in common with you than you might think. There is aninnocence.”

Conall had said that too. Fox debated scowlingto show his displeasure but, in the end, only sighed. “Byr Shinethinks I am young.”

Falnya laughed, not for long, but enough tobring the scowl to Fox’s face despite all the courtly manners he’dlearned.

“Admittedly,” Falnya explained himself, eyesbright, “the stories portray you as something other than what youare. Perhaps because no one has done what you have done outside ofsongs and legends, and that is usually for love. A passion-struckking raising up a milkmaid. A chief loving the lowest of herwarriors, and so on.”

Those legends always cheered for the royaltymarrying or loving someone beneath them, but never had a kingabandon his throne to go become a shepherd. That said a lot aboutthe byr.

Falnya considered Fox and Fox’s displeasedexpression and his amusement left him. “So, you see, itwasa surprise to meet you, and hear you, and realize….” Falnyastopped, then began again, delicately. “My bearer, like you, doesnot care for these events and so she isn’t here today, but she madean observation when we first saw you. ‘The famous Fox is so young,’she said. What she meant was that you stand out, but you standalone. You are a small island, different from everyone around you.While I am not much older than you, I think that is true. And morethan that, I think it would be true even if you were not surroundedby byr. You would be different if you were in the crowd ofspectators who will arrive later, or working in an inn. You arebeautiful, and brave, and… young.” Falnya took a breath, somethingFox was incapable of doing. “And my bearer worried after a few dayshere, because she could see you had no parent or anyone else aroundto advise you or protect you.”

“I can protect myself,” Fox pushed it out, thendragged in what air he could.

Falnya was as irritatingly calm for Fox as hewas for Domvoda. “Certainly. But like those who fought yesterdayfor the experience, like my Shine, here you were outmatched fromthe start.”

Fox narrowed his eyes, then caught himself andtried to look away and respond with at least some lightness.“Because I’m not one of you.”

“Yes,” Falnya agreed. “Like Shine, who is nogood for smaller courts and certainly not meant to circle aroundthe king. Everyone here has done that for years, though the kinghas not made it easy for them. These byr are as sharp as shellpieces. You are not.”

“The Fox has teeth,” Fox replied, eyebrowsraised.

Falnya agreed with him again. “Yes. But what isa fox to a dragon?”

Fox nearly jumped at that description of Domvodaand his court. It would not be considered a compliment to mostthough Domvoda might have liked it. That was, until he looked atConall.

Fox shook away the distracted thought becausethe byr in front of him was more important at the moment. ByrFalnya might mean what he was saying and genuinely believe Foxneeded this warning, or he might be trying to get rid of Fox, notbelieving Fox’s insistence that he had no desire to be consort.

Byr thought that way. Even the byr who weren’tfrom Domvoda’s court might. But it was a strange approach to takeif it was an attack. There was nearly a compliment in it. Some pitytoo, although Fox did not shrink from that like a byr full of theirown consequence.

“What would your bearer say if she were advisingme like one of yourcousins?” He was genuinely curious.

Falnya smiled gently. “I don’t know. I canask.”

Fox waved that off, still curious. “She’spushingyoutoward that dragon.”

Falnya’s smile changed, losing some of itswarmth. “She believes I can handle him.”

Fox wasn’t sure that wasn’t true, now. Butdidn’t think that was much of a life, being a bearer for andenduring years with someone who had to be ‘handled.’ “Then whatwouldyousay to someone like me?”

“A provocative question.” Falnya seemed to likethat. “The dragon might be in love with you,” he declaredthoughtfully. “He might want to keep you. He is certainlyfascinated with you, as so many are. But he does not protect you.There is no shelter beneath his wing.”

Fox dropped his gaze and swallowed. Hearingthat, he was again barely more than a child, making his way with asweet face and a flute, earning meals by playing at village fairswhere he watched others his age kiss and pledge to marry, or giveflowers simply to give them and make their beloved smile. No onehad mentioned protection in those moments, not that he’d heard, butmaybe it was understood, like the byr and theircousins.

He looked back up. “Is that something someonewho loves me should do?”

There were different kinds of pity. Falnya drewhis brows together to consider Fox with sadness in his eyes. Henodded.

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