The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Two: Beyond the Veil (103 page)

All eyes shifted to Gadiel as he climbed over the rail from the lifeboat below. Taken aback by the audience to his arrival he stopped, staring at them with an air of discomfort. “Is something the matter?”

For the first time Aiva took note of the marks on Gadiel’s face. Lacerations along his forehead soaked his tangled hair with blood, matted against his skin. A deep bruise had already begun to form around his nose, the swelling painfully noticeable. It was undoubtedly broken from one of the blows he endured while in captivity. She sympathized for the misery he must feel.

“It is not important right now,” Thade replied calmly. “Edric, go find Commander Varik. He can watch the ship until we get everyone properly cared for.”

“But Your Majesty, I thought that I – ” Callum’s protest was cut off by a sharp flick of Thade’s wrist, waving him into silence.

“Captain, you will come with me. I will hear no arguments.”

Reluctantly Edric released his hold on Callum’s arm, making sure he was steady on his feet before stepping away. “Father, he should not walk on his own.”

A loud voice from behind them caused Aiva to jump, startled by the sound while at the same time relieved to recognize the familiar tone of General Cadell. “I will see to him, Your Highness. Best do as your father says.”

“Oh, General! I feared you were dead,” Aiva exclaimed, rushing forward to wrap her arms around him. It didn’t occur to her at first how strange her actions must look to the soldiers aboard the ship. She couldn’t bring herself to care. He was like a second father to her. She felt justified in showing him the same affection she would to her own family.

He was startled by her approach. She could tell by the way he stiffened under her arms, unsure of how to react. Had it not been for her own discomfort she would have held the embrace longer. Instead she found the pain too much, groaning while lowering her arms. Cadell peered at her, concerned by her sudden retraction. “You need to have more faith in me,” he stated calmly. “Go with your father so he can evaluate your injuries. Callum and I will be right behind you.”

Aiva flinched to feel her father’s hand on her back. He removed it reflexively, taking note of the blood on his fingertips. “The Captain’s cabin is closest. Let us get them in there.”

She gave no hesitation to Thade’s insistence. The wounds on her back mattered little. It was Callum she worried about. He’d never shown pain to the extent he did currently. Every step he took, even with Cadell’s assistance, caused him to grimace, favoring his right ankle. In her mind she saw Ireni hooking the rigging rope around him, jerking him into the air. The torque on his foot had been severe. Enough to create significant damage. She feared how an injury to that extent would affect his career in the military. A captain who couldn’t fight was less than ideal for the Royal Army.

The door had barely opened when Aiva heard Shaelyn’s voice from inside, shrill and frightened. She rushed toward Aiva, arms open wide to embrace her, stopped by Thade’s hand coming between them. “Shae, can you help your sister to the bed and get that doublet off her? I am going to help the Captain.”

“Is she alright? Father, what happened? Is the Captain okay?”

“We don’t know yet. Please. Aiva needs to sit.”

“Really, Father. I told you, I’m fine,” Aiva protested, absently pushing her sister’s hands away. “I’m worried about Callum. His foot…”

“I know, Aiva. We are going to look at it,” Thade forced a smile of reassurance. “Let your sister help you. Whatever your injury is, it is bleeding badly.”

She ignored his requests, following him to the desk where he and Cadell lowered Callum into the chair. They removed the boot from his right foot while Aiva watched in horrified curiosity, afraid of what they would find. With the sock removed she could see the swelling, a dark, hideous bruise wrapping around the ankle and onto the top of the foot. The skin bulged outward, the sight of it bringing a wave of nausea, her hand moving to cover her mouth in disgust. It was worse than she thought. What amazed her more was how long he had managed to disguise his pain. During their fight with Ireni he had shown no discomfort.

Through her shock Aiva didn’t notice Shaelyn coming around in front of her, struggling with the buttons on the doublet. By the time she became aware of her sister’s presence it was completely unfastened, Shaelyn’s hands already working to remove the sleeves from over her shoulders. The pain was what pulled her from the distant place she’d drifted away to in her mind. A simple tug on her right arm drew a cry from her lips, directing the attention of everyone in the room.

“Her shoulder,” Callum stated, surprisingly calm given his own injury. He started to rise from his chair to walk toward her, halted by a firm push from his father, holding him down. Callum glanced at Cadell. In his eyes Aiva could see his desire to argue quickly fade. There was no point in protesting with his father. No matter how much he claimed to be fine, the swelling around his ankle belied him. Settling into the chair he heaved a sigh, gazing at Aiva sympathetically. “She dislocated it during a slight accident in Carpaen. It is possible the injury has been somehow exacerbated. We were never really able to give it the proper treatment necessary to heal.”

“It could be out of place again,” Thade agreed. “Shae, do not force the sleeve off. Let me see if I can set it before we do much else.”

“Your Majesty, I already set it,” Gadiel’s voice came from the door, quiet and respectful. He stood there proudly, a bowl clutched tightly in one hand and a small cloth in the other. “I apologize for intruding, but you are going to need these. Perhaps I could help tend to the Captain while you see to Princess Aiva’s wounds.”

There was no irritation in Thade’s face to see Gadiel, motioning him inside. “Close the door, Commander. You might be more qualified to assist the General in setting the bone. It was never my strong suit when I served.” He crossed the room to take the bowl from Gadiel’s hands, nodding to him in appreciation. “That being said, you seem to know about my daughter’s injuries. As she is stubborn, would you like to enlighten me on what has happened?”

Aiva blushed to hear her father speak of her in that manner. For once her stubbornness hadn’t been intentional. There were too many other things on her mind. How could anyone possibly expect her to be worried about herself when so many others suffered worse than her? Gadiel and Callum needed a doctor more than she did. And what about Jaron? Had anyone tended the burns on his hand? “Father, I’m not trying to difficult,” she frowned. “There are others who need more immediate attention than I do. Could you check the Commander’s nose? I fear it may be broken.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time,” Gadiel chuckled, wincing at the discomfort it caused to his face. “Don’t worry about my nose. I’ll tend to it myself once I know you and the Captain are taken care of.”

“Her injuries, Commander?” Thade prodded him to answer. “What can you tell me of them?”

“I’m not entirely sure how best to describe them. I don’t want to alarm the Captain with the details. They’re not life threatening, at least. You will not require an explanation once you see them for yourself.”

Rolling her eyes heavenward Aiva gave in to Shaelyn’s incessant grabbing at her sleeve, allowing her to remove the doublet from her arm. “It’s nothing but a few scratches,” she muttered. “The water must have caused them to bleed more than they otherwise would have. There is no need for alarm.”

At the sight of the shredded fabric of Aiva’s undershirt Shaelyn gasped, eyes opened wide, pointing frantically at the blood-soaked material. Thade was at her side instantly, a grief-stricken expression on his face. “Get her to the bed,” he replied, the words quiet, barely audible. “Commander, I changed my mind. If the General can manage without your help, I could use an extra set of hands. We need to treat these lacerations now in order to minimize scarring. Her mother will weep if she sees the marks. I fear she will never forgive me for allowing you to participate in the battle once she becomes aware of them.”

Aiva grimaced to think of her mother. Through the tumult of events, she had very few occasions to remember those left behind when they departed for their journey. She could hear her mother, vividly, pleading with Thade to allow her to accompany the men. Her children meant the world to her. There was never a time when she didn’t let them know that fact. It tore at her heart to imagine the look on her mother’s face if she knew the terrible things that had happened since that night in Escovul. She wanted their homecoming to be filled with laughter and tears of joy. The Queen had suffered enough hardship throughout her life without adding more to her poor soul.

The thought of her mother combined with the grievous look upon her father’s face was all she needed to give up any notion of arguing further about their assistance. Eyes lowered to the floor she let them take her hands, guiding her toward the bed with careful steps, afraid to jostle her. They treated her like a porcelain doll. Fragile and delicate. The pain she felt was enough to ease any humiliation she might have otherwise endured at their behavior. She was grateful for it. After months of constant movement, never knowing what would happen next, or if she would even live to see the sun rise the next morning, she’d forgotten what it was like to simply… be. To lie down in bed and know that everyone was safe. Easing onto the mattress she let her head hit the pillow, Shaelyn’s hand clasped in her own.

“Just relax. Everything is going to be alright,” Thade whispered. He lightly brushed his fingers through her hair, the flat of his palm coming to rest on the back of her head. Warmth radiated from his skin. Energy flowed from his hand, pulsing between them, slowly invading her thoughts, the muscles in her body growing heavy from a sudden, unnatural fatigue. She knew the slumber was induced by her father to lessen her suffering while he cleansed her wounds. Any other time she might have fought him, but in that moment she welcomed it.
Everything is going to be alright.
So many times she’d heard those words over the past weeks. This time, while her mind drifted into unconsciousness, she finally believed them.

.

Chapter Thirty

Aiva’s senses slowly began to recover, hazy at first. The room around her remained out of focus, eyes closed, the only indication of her return to consciousness that of the shouting voices which filtered through from somewhere, distant and unintelligible. A light pressure on her back told her that she wasn’t alone. If her eyes didn’t feel so heavy she would have opened them to see who kept vigil over her sleeping form. The gentleness of the touch reminded her of Callum. For a soldier, he’d proven himself capable of a tenderness unlike that of most other men Aiva had known.

The creak of a door opening caught her attention. Listening hard, she tried to determine the identity of the newcomer by the heaviness of their step. Confident. Strong. It reminded her of the General. In her trance-like state she could only hope that he came with good news rather than bad. She would be no use to the men in a fight while in her current condition.

“Has she awoken yet?” It was the General’s voice. Quiet. Not wanting to risk waking her.

“I’m hoping she will soon. Are we nearly to port?” Callum. She recognized him through the soft whisper. The very sound made her heart flutter. It made her wonder if he would take note of her waking simply by the racing of her pulse.

“The men are tying the ship off now. A coach will be prepared and ready for when we disembark. You will be riding with Aiva and her family.”

“Father, I need to be with the troops. It would be bad form for me not to travel with them.”

“You have been ordered by the King to accompany his children in the coach. If it eases your conscience to think of it in that sense, you can rest easy knowing the men will think nothing of it. No one will fault you for following the commands of our superior.”

Callum heaved a sigh, the weight of his hand increased upon Aiva’s back. She longed to see his face. His melancholy was obvious in the way he breathed, the sound of his voice – it went beyond the simple pain of his injuries. “I am sorry, Father,” he replied quietly, dejected.

“What have you to be sorry for?”

“I have let you down. My first mission as Captain and I have failed to uphold the proper image expected of me. I should have maintained watch over the ship throughout our journey home. Instead I have been sitting here, doing nothing, leaving you to do the job intended for me.”

“Don’t be foolish, boy,” Cadell chuckled, the sound of his footsteps drawing closer to where Callum was seated beside the bed. “I could not be more proud of you. We all make mistakes. If we didn’t, how would we ever learn from them? The gods know I made my fair share when I was your age. To be honest, I made far more of them than I like to admit.”

“But you are a hero, Father. The men look up to you. The great General who helped defeat the Ven’shal army. You are practically a god in their eyes. No one would dare question you or the methods you employ. My foolishness nearly cost me my head, more than once. I unwittingly placed you in a position where our entire family could have been dishonored.”

“Callum…” Cadell let the name hang on the air for a moment before continuing, his tone softened. Aiva couldn’t think of a time when she’d ever heard him speak in such a manner. Like a father rather than a hardened general. “Do you recall the stories of when I first received my promotion to Captain? Much like yourself, a princess turned up missing not long after I received my stripes; the woman I was promised to wed. My rescue mission brought only her corpse back to Sivaeria. You return with not only one missing princess, but two, along with the Prince and the King, all in one piece, alive and… mostly well,” his hand brushed over the shredded fabric of Aiva’s shirt to inspect the wounds upon her back. “For many years I blamed myself for that failure, though I am beginning to think it was the way the gods intended. Had I brought my missing princess home, you would not be here. Nor would young Aiva. I would not have it any other way. You have become a fine man. A brave soldier. And one of these days, you will make a respectable King. Don’t doubt yourself based on a few trivial mistakes which will inevitably be forgotten.”

“I return with the Princess, but what of my sister’s betrothed? His death remains on my head. Had it not been for my mistakes, he would not have been in that damnable desert.”

“Kaemin’s death is unfortunate, I won’t argue that. As Captain, you will have to learn how to accept the fact that you cannot protect all of your men. Kaemin knew the risks he took in joining the military. Regardless of your actions, he would have come up against the pirates in Siscal. He was a courageous soldier and will be remembered as a hero.” Cadell’s voice lowered, somewhat muffled, as if leaning forward to direct his statement to his son, the words for Callum and he alone. “You need to come to terms with the loss of Kaemin before we return to Tanispa. You know what happened to Islene under similar circumstances. I’m already afraid of how long we have left Calie home without our care. We need to get to her, and I need to be able to count on you to help console her. That will be difficult if you are wallowing in your own self-pity.”

“It is not self-pity. Merely guilt. What if Calie blames me?”

“She will not. You are her brother. Calie will take solace in knowing that you dispatched the woman responsible for Kaemin’s death. Now, I recommend you start to rouse the Princess. Her father will be coming to help her to shore soon enough.”

Finally Aiva felt the weight start to lift from her eyelids. When they opened she could see Cadell standing at Callum’s side, hand on his shoulder, a solemn expression upon his stern features. Callum nodded to him in understanding, their gaze locked on one another for a long moment before Cadell turned toward the door, leaving them in silence once again. Callum stared after him, distracted, unaware of Aiva’s unfocused eyes watching him.

Cadell’s words floated inside her head, an air of mystery about the mention of Islene. The General’s daughter whom no one talked about. Even Callum avoided the subject, as if afraid of what might happen if too much was said out loud. Her curiosity was stronger than the fatigue which continued to loom over her. “What happened with Islene?”

At the sound of her voice Callum jumped, instantly pulled from his thoughts to glance at her, mouth agape, surprised by the sudden inquiry. “What?”

“Islene,” she said again, louder this time, slowly regaining her voice though it remained hoarse from her long slumber. “Your father spoke of her. Did something happen?”

“That is… a long story. One that will have to wait for another time,” he forced a smile, his hand reaching to gently brush a stray strand of hair from Aiva’s face. “I thought you were asleep. How long were you eavesdropping on my conversation?”

“A while. And it’s not eavesdropping when the discussion is held at my bedside. Are you angry with me?”

He chuckled at the question. “I could never be angry with you,” he gazed at her fondly. “Are you feeling better? Your father insisted on letting you sleep. You have had a difficult few months.”

“Me? What about you? Your ankle… is it alright? Will you be able to walk again?” All of her fears and concerns began to wash over her again, the fog of unconsciousness rapidly lifting from her mind. She remembered the terrible bulge near his foot, the unsightly bruise – and the swelling. There had been talk of setting the bone though her memory failed her beyond that. Had they been able to correct it?

His hand took hers as she pulled herself to a seated position on the bed, moaning from the discomfort that racked her body. The misery was becoming too familiar. It would be a welcome relief to be back in Tanispa without having to worry about waking up and feeling as if she’d been trampled by a stagecoach. “I am under direct orders to keep off it for a few weeks, however, it will heal,” he assured her. “And in case you are concerned, Gadiel’s nose has been set and is improving. Jaron’s hand is severely damaged and most likely will never be used again in combat, but in time he will regain most functions with it. We really are fortunate. Sarid smiles upon us all.”

A knock at the door signaled Thade’s arrival. His features revealed a hint of happiness which had been devoid from him throughout the past weeks. They were almost home. Everyone was tired. Exhausted from the battle and their time at sea. “I am sorry to interrupt. We are at the Siscalian port. Aiva, if you are alright to walk on your own, then I will assist Callum off the ship to the coach. Shaelyn and Edric are already there waiting for you.”

“That was fast,” she couldn’t help but smile while struggling to stand. Her muscles were stiff from their long rest. It would take some time to get her strength back. “How far are we from home? Will we be there soon?”

“We are going to try,” Thade nodded. “A leisure trip from the port could take a couple of weeks to reach the Tanispan border, but we are not going to be moving at a leisurely pace. Our intentions are to keep our speed. We will take a brief pause in Puavi and then stop in the main city of Siscal to allow the men to rest and for us to redress your wounds. From there we will continue straight on to Sivaeria.”

Thade moved over to the bedside, arm outstretched to help Aiva to her feet. She accepted it gratefully, anxious to be off the ship and back to the steadiness of solid ground. The sway of the waves left an uncomfortable sensation in her stomach which she hoped to never have to experience again. Managing to gain her balance she smiled up at her father, waving her hand toward Callum. “I will walk with you both,” she said softly, her fingers brushing lightly over Callum’s cheek. His eyes seemed to sparkle at the feeling of her touch. Holding her gaze he took her hand in his, squeezing it tightly while Thade guided him off the chair. Aiva’s desire to be on the road built with every step they took toward the door. They couldn’t be home soon enough. She longed for the comfort and peace of the palace walls where she and Callum could attempt to start a normal life together the way they should have done a long time ago.

Aiva leaned across Callum to stare out the window of the carriage, in awe of the beautiful landscape. Smaller houses dotted the countryside. They’d been on the road for days, leading her to believe that they must be getting closer to the main city of Siscal where Lord Diah and his wife resided. She was excited at the possibility of seeing them. Familiar faces were a welcome relief to the strange company she’d kept over the past months. Not to mention that a meeting with Feolan would allow her an opportunity to correct the foolish accusations she’d spoken of in regards to Callum before leaving Tanispa.

They appeared to be in a quaint neighborhood, the buildings somewhat closer together, creating blocks of rural houses, decorated along their yards with colorful flowers and luscious green grass. At their approach a man exited one of the doors, waving toward the carriage, his grey eyes glowing brightly. Thade called for the coachman to stop, hurriedly rising to make his way out of the carriage.

“Feolan!” he called out, the old casualness returned to his voice that Aiva was accustomed to hearing from her father. Feolan moved swiftly to the door where Thade stood, peering inside to examine the other occupants.

His eyes came to rest on Aiva, a stern yet almost teasing look sparkling in their depths. “Your Aunt Maeri and I have been worried sick about you, Princess,” he scolded lightly. “Honestly, I cannot say I was surprised to discover you had run off. We should have expected it, really.” His gaze shifted to Callum at her side, a smile replacing the tenseness of his sharp features. “And you have brought the Captain back with you. I feared we would discover you to have thrown him overboard.”

“She did not manage to succeed in getting rid of me, not for lack of trying,” Callum chuckled. At the saddened expression on Aiva’s face he let his fingers weave through her hair, wordlessly assuring her that he spoke in jest. It pained her to think of all the terrible things she’d done to him. While he seemed capable of finding humor in them now, she didn’t believe there would ever be a time when they might make her laugh. “I am only teasing, Aiva,” he whispered softly, kissing her gently on the forehead. “Do not look at me like that. You break my heart.”

“Consul, if you could assist me in getting the Captain out of the carriage. I think it would do my children a bit of good to stretch their legs,” Thade said calmly.

“Is the Captain injured?”

“A broken ankle and a few cuts and bruises. Nothing which will not heal in time,” he nodded. “Could we impose upon you for a place to rest for the morning? Our hope is to be back on the road before dark. We will not stay long.”

“You and your family are always welcome to stay as long as you need,” Feolan smiled, holding his hand out toward Aiva to help her from the seat. “My wife and I have been looking forward to seeing you again. We would like to introduce you to the newest member of our family.”

Aiva’s eyes brightened. Throughout the chaos of the journey she’d forgotten entirely about Maeri’s delicate condition at the time of the wedding celebration. “She had her baby?” she asked excitedly, practically leaping from the carriage steps onto the gravel walk.