She could have run after him, but what was she going to say? He was convinced, had been convinced all along, that she was somehow above him. She muttered a curse at stubborn, stupid farm louts in his direction.

"I couldn't help but hear that, sister mine," said Alan, coming up beside her. "He only snaps at you because he was hurting. He'll calm down eventually."

She sighed. "Sure. But he's not going to stop thinking of himself as a farm lout and me as some kind of high and mighty I don't even know what, even when he has calmed down."

"And that matters, does it?" said Alan with a smile.

"You know it matters. I was picturing staying here, maybe building a life with him. Maybe even giving up the sword, or at least being in the reserve rather than active, if Tara can spare me. But that's not going to happen if he's so convinced we're not equals."

"You love him then?"

She sighed again. "Yes, I think I do."

"Well, I guess we just need to convince him that his notions about his place and your place in the world are wrong."

"And how do you suggest we do that, brother mine?" she asked.

"Well, he's probably right that getting the lost jewels of Irdua won't do it," he said with a grin. "But I'm pretty sure there's something that will."