To this end, he begged Huw to teach him as many words of Firai as he could.
His new brother obliged him willingly, and they spent many hours studying together. The Firaithi had no written language, so Arkady used his linguistic training to create a simple alphabet he could use to transliterate the words he learned. Huw watched him with interest. He and Padarn, the horse master, could read and write Maraison, for they needed to make trades at the fair. No other of the Kindred possessed this skill.
After three long weeks of bumpy travel, Arkady at last saw the familiar purple hills of his home in the distance. He asked Huw what the Firaithi planned to do when they reached Beaumarais.
“We go to the fairgrounds east of the villages known as the Three Sisters. There we will set up camp and w
