Read Closer to the Chest for Free Online Page B

simply folded up his legs and laid himself down on Amily’s side of the rug, but Dallen blew into Mags’ hair, meditatively.
    â€œHey!” Mags objected.
    :There were no pocket pies,:
Dallen said mournfully.
:Life is not worth living. I shall eat yew.:
    â€œGo right ahead,” Mags said without pity. “An’ I’ll tell the Healers y’ate yew, an’ they’ll come and force a purge down yer throat, an’ ye’ll get t’spend all night with a bellyache.”
    Rolan snorted, and Amily giggled.
    :Heartless,:
Dallen sighed.
    â€œY’might have a bellyache anyway,” Mags continued. “Since you et not less’n a half dozen pears. Might’ve been more.”
    :I never!:
Dallen exclaimed, indignantly.
    :I counted,:
Rolan interjected.
:He’s right.:
    Dallen’s head came up and he stared at Rolan with indignation.
:You traitor!:
he gasped.
    :You didn’t share,:
Rolan pointed out.
    â€œHush, both of you,” Amily put in. “They’re about to start.”
    And so they were. Dallen grumbled a little, folded his legs under him, and elected to make a backrest for Mags and Amily. Mags put his arm around Amily; she smiled and snuggled as near as was physically possible.
    The six Bardic Trainees in their rust-colored uniforms were a mixed lot. There was a very tall young man, who surely would be going for his Scarlets soon, and a serious-faced, long-haired girl in the skirted version of the uniform who looked to be about the same age, and four younger ones who were more or less androgynous, and at the moment, distinguished only by the differences in their coloring. Mags had assumed the oldest boy would be the leader, but rather to his surprise, it was one of the younger four who they all looked to for direction when they finally settled with their instruments.
    Well, they’re not Lena,
he thought to himself, after two short numbers.
But they’re pretty good.
    :Lena is a Master’s Master,:
Dallen pointed out.
:And once she got over her shyness, she proved just that.:
    Mags couldn’t help but smile at that. It was the first time Dallen had ever said anything like that about Lena, and to hear a
Companion
say that Lena was just that good . . . well it made him feel warm all over.
I’ll remember to write her and tell her.
    Then he just relaxed with his arm around Amily and enjoyed the music. Despite their fierce concentration, it seemed to him that the musicians were enjoying themselves, too. He could tell that Amily was having a wonderful time—and he could tell which people here—at least of those he could see—were really music lovers, and which wished to be
thought of
as music lovers. The little thing in full Healer’s robes sitting all alone, for instance, who bobbed her whole body a little in time to the fast pieces as if she was dancing, and swayed slightly to the slow ones—she was enjoying every note. But the fellow with the fixed, stern expression, who visibly winced at what he supposed were mistakes—you couldn’t call such a person a music lover. Mags would bet he’d probably spend a considerable piece of time tomorrow, buttonholing someone to describe in detail everything that these youngsters had done “wrong.”
    :Actually, he’ll just have to seethe about it until the next time, I’ll bet,:
Dallen replied with amusement.
:By this time everyone he knows is well aware of what he’s like. They’ll either avoid him, cut him off, or ignore him while nodding vaguely until they can escape.:
    Mags nearly choked on a laugh. Amily looked curiously at him, then smiled. Rolan must have told her what Dallen had said. As if to confirm that, she reached back and gave Dallen an approving pat.
    The entire group of Trainees didn’t play the entire time; they took it in turns to solo, duet, or trio, as well as performingas six. And it wasn’t all instrumental music; they