25
As they neared the mountainfolk’s firesite, Tarkyn gradually became more distant and withdrawn so that by the time they arrived, he had become carefully courteous with everyone. There was nothing he wanted to do less than sit around with his blatantly battered face, sharing lunch and conversation with the people who had jeered at him yesterday. All the oaths in the world would not wipe their previous behaviour from his mind.
Today they were all apparently friendly towards him and at some pains to make amends. Only the importance of repairing the rift within the woodfolk nation kept him seated at the firesite. When he judged he had spent the minimum time possible there to be polite, he stayed another half an hour to make sure. Then, with his duty done, he smiled, thanked them for the l
