"I turned around--and nearly bumped into a small group of soldiers in Renselaeus colors. They all stopped, bowed silently, and would have stepped out of my way, but I recognized one of them from my ride to Renselaeus just before the end of the war, and I cried, "Captain Nessaren!" "My lady." Nessaren smiled, her flat cheeks tinged slightly with color. "Is your riding assigned here now?" "As you see, my lady." The others bowed and withdrew silently, leaving us alone. "Are you not supposed to talk to the civs?" Raindrops stung my face. Her eyes crinkled. "They usually don't talk to us." "Is this a good duty, or is it boring now that nothing is going on?" Her eyes flickered to my face then down to the ground, and her lips just parted. After a moment she said, "We're well enough, my lady." Which wasn't quite what I had asked. Resolving to think that over later, I said, "You know what I miss? The practice sessions we had when we were riding cross-country last year. I did some practice at home...but there doesn't seem to be opportunity anymore." "We have open practice each day at dawn, in the garrison court when the weather's fine, the gym when it isn't. You're welcome to join us. There's no hierarchy, except that of expertise, by order of the Marquis himself." "The Marquis?" I repeated faintly, realizing how close I'd come to making an even worse fool of myself than my spectacular attempts so far. "There every day," she said. "Others as well--Lady Renna. Duke of Savona there most days, same as Baron Khialem. You wouldn't be alone." But out loud I just thanked her. She bowed. Her companions were still waiting at a discreet distance, despite the spatter of rain, so I said, "I won't keep you any longer." As she rejoined her group, I started back toward the Residence. The wind had turned chill, and the rain started falling faster, but I scarcely noticed. there still some kind of danger? Instinct attributed Nessaren's deliberate vagueness to a military reason. If the threat was from the borders, it seemed unlikely that I'd find Renselaeus warriors roaming around the royal palace Athanarel. So, was there a threat at home?"