Page 111 of Heart of Winter
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“You’re lying.”
“I am not!” Rune fumbled for the flask in the center of the table and only managed to spill a little as he refilled his cup. He ignored his brother’s censorious gaze, and took a healthy slug of this latest round of mistress. Fuck Leif for not being able to unwind at all. It was yuletide! When else were they supposed to cut loose? Mother was gone, besides, retired to the upper parlor, with the other ladies, and would soon head for bed. And Uncle was gone, too – thoughdefinitelynot sleeping, Rune thought, sniggering to himself.
“What’s so funny?” Haldin Askrson demanded, slurring a little. He’d been the one to produce the flask of strong spirits, and they’d split most of it between them, at this point. “I’m calling you a liar and you’re laughing!”
“I’m not laughing at you.” When Rune glanced up, the image of the young, redheaded lordling across from him blurred and threatened to double before he blinked his vision back to mostly normal. “And I’m not a liar.” He just caught himself before he could admit what he’d found so hilarious. “I really can hit – hit a target at – forty yards.”
Haldin made a face and shook his head dismissively. “Fuck you and your lying.”
Rune stood – only swaying a little as he got up from the bench. “You want to see? I’ll show you right now.”
“Rune,” Leif said.
“Lay off,” Rune bit back, and turned away from the table. The whole hall swayed, and he heard several sharp barks of laughter. Laughing at him? Laughing in general? The wine and mistress had been flowing for…who knew how long. He knew that he was overheated, and faintly sick, but determined to demonstrate his prowess.
“Rune, don’t,” Leif tried again.
Rune ignored him.
In truth, he wasn’t sure why he was so annoyed with his brother tonight. They rarely quarreled – not even as boys. He knew that was mostly down to Leif’s unending patience and goodness of spirit, but he wasn’t feeling charitable enough tonight to grant him that. He had gladly attacked Ormr in Leif’s defense – fuckanyonewho messed with his brother – but now, the threat past, he kept thinking about the way Tessa’s face had fallen as she watched Estrid flirt with Leif across the room. Estrid was a snake who didn’t deserve anyone’s attention, in Rune’s unforgiving estimation, but for Leif to offer his freely, when he had Tessa already – beautiful, kind, sweetly-smiling Tessa…
Had he been sober, Rune would have acknowledged that he was wildly jealous.
But, being this deep in his cups, he led a shoving, shouting group of young lords out of the hall, to the armory, and then out into the frigid night, only stumbling a time or two.
Fresh snow was falling, slow, gentle fat flakes that would feather hair and eyelashes. A new layer of powder lay across the training yard, all the old footprints and slides covered over: a smooth stretch of virgin white within the low, snow-heaped stone walls.
“We need targets,” Baldi proclaimed, and went jogging clumsily down to set them up.
Rune set his arrows up with their tips buried in the ground and set about stringing his bow. It left him frowning and took three times as long as normal, his fingers slow and thick-feeling.
“Rune.” Leif materialized beside him, as if from thin air, snow dusting his golden braids and fur mantle, breath steaming in the chill. The light from the torches along the wall illuminated a deep furrow between his brows. “You’re drunk.”
Rune finally got the string secured, and glared at his brother – or at least in the direction of his shoulder. It was hard to focus on his eyes. “No ssshit. Doesn’t matter. I can outshoot anyone – drunk – drunk or not.”
Leif sighed – the long-suffering, responsible big brother.
“Go find Estrid or something,” Rune spat. “I’m sureshe– wants to hear what you think about – about bloody everything.”
Leif’s frown deepened. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Archers!” Baldi shouted, and was echoed by others.
“If you’ll exxcuuuuse me.” Rune shoved at his brother. “I have to prove myself, now.”
Rune pivoted, and saw the targets set up against the far wall. They were tiny at this distance – and crooked, though that wouldn’t matter. Beside him, Haldin was testing his own bow, arrows ready and waiting at his feet.
“I’m going inside,” Leif muttered.
Good, Rune thought, and ignored him.
“Gentlemen!” Baldi cried. “Are we ready?”
“Yes,” Rune said, echoed a moment later by Haldin, who sounded unsure, now. Like his father, Haldin was good with a battle axe, but the finer points of more precise warfare eluded him.
Rune grinned to himself, because he was going to win this competition, and it was so rare that he won at anything with Leif around.
