Corpus Tamrielicum - The Imperial Library

102 2. THE ELDER SCROLLS CHAPTER 2: DAGGERFALL
he let you see it; he's usually quicker than that. And he does not lie under oath, or to hurt those
he loves."
"He doesn't love me; he doesn't even like me."
"But I do, my dear son. You..." Edward thought she was going to say he'd grown; adults
always remarked on his growth, even if he'd just seen them a week ago. Very strange, since he
was small for his age. Instead she said, "You're just as I thought you'd be," with deep maternal
satisfaction.
"And he loves you. But he said he was no one's errand boy. Yet you dismissed him as if he
were."
Aliera's face and neck burned a deep crimson.
"Nay, though I am reduced to serving man, it seems." Moraelyn had entered silently, bearing
a huge tray piled high with food. "Get me a stool, boy, you can play page if I can play server.
You must be famished and I thought I'd best return before my wife gets round to the rest of
my faults. Could take her most of the day listing them." He'd shed the mail and bathed and
dressed in fresh black jerkin and hose with a silvery sash tied round his narrow waist. But the
black sword still swung by his side.
"Mara help us, you've enough food for a small army. And I've broken my fast." Aliera's small
hand reached for the elf's arm, slid down it caressingly, then clasped his hand and squeezed it,
lifting it to her still hot cheek, brushing it with her lips. Edward looked away quickly,
discomforted by the sight of his dusky skin against her fairness.
"This's for me, and a bit for the boy. But pray join us, my dear. You've grown thin. Pining for
me, no doubt." He wrapped a lock of her dark curly hair around a finger and tugged at it,
grinning, then fell on the food like a starving wolf, attacking it with small silvery weapons
instead of eating with his fingers as humans did. The food was wonderful. Edward ate until he
could eat no more.
"Eavesdropping," he murmured thoughtfully. He'd been mulling over a list of Moraelyn's
faults while he ate, and realized too late that he'd spoken aloud.
"By Zenithar, boy, if you humans will shout your privy conversation all over the tree, d'ye
expect me to shut my ears with wool?" He tapped one of his large pointed ears. Edward
hurriedly tried to remember what they'd said. What he'd said. Lying. Oh dear. Maybe he
hadn't heard.
"So I'm a liar, am I, boy?" Vir Gil help him, Edward felt he was drowning. Could the Elf read
minds? He hoped that wasn't the insult his father had used! "I...I meant I thought that you
were thinking about it. You did hesitate," Edward gulped. He was making matters worse.
"Possibly, I was trying to remember." the sardonic tone was back.
"You don't even like me!" Edward burst out.
"That doesn't seem to have stopped your true father from claiming you."