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Page 123
theirs to dress in the dim light of the night candles, wrap themselves in warm cloaks, and make their way out of the keep. Just before they reached the postern, Mallt exclaimed that the lacings on her shoe had broken. She urged Rhiannon to go ahead and she would catch up. Rhiannon offered to wait, but Mallt said it was silly to stand still in the chill morning. She would have no trouble catching up if Rhiannon went slowly.
This seemed a little odd to Rhiannon, but the predawn air was sharp and much of the behavior of the women of the court seemed odd to heras hers did to themso she simply did what Mallt suggested without thinking any more about it. The guards at the postern let her out without comment. The sun had not risen, but the sky was light with coming dawn. There was nothing uncommon in women going out to gather berries or herbs in the dawn and, anyway, Lady Rhiannon did as she pleased.
Mallt walked a few steps slowly, sliding the foot with the loosened laces so that the shoe would not come off. As soon as she was hidden from Rhiannon's sight, she bent and tied the unbroken lace securely. Then she ran swiftly to the western gate and told the guard that she wanted to gather fresh seaweed at the shore. There was nothing strange in this either. When she was out, she angled north toward the shore until the curve of the stockade hid her. Then she ran as fast as she could around to the east.
Mallt soon caught up to Rhiannon, who was walking slowly, watching the patterns the light and trees made, and was so enraptured by their beauty that she had almost forgotten why she was out in the dawn. When Mallt spoke her name, she started and sighed at the interruption, but she went forward cheerfully to fulfill her promise.

In Rhiannon's bed, Math curled tighter together. He was thickly furred and cuddled into the blankets so

 
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