Fire and Sword (18 page)

She shook her head. There were no choices anymore. She had put her people behind Lynan, and now they must go where Lynan led them. It was a further irony that she secured her own throne by so demonstrably placing it under the will of an outlaw prince. If Lynan lost, Korigan knew her people might suffer terrible retribution at the hands of Areava, and yet if Lynan won the crown of Grenda Lear, his control over the Chetts risked making her own authority obsolete.

Unless she could make events follow a third path, and therein lay the greatest risk of all. It was not a matter of choice anymore; it was a matter of riding over the brink and hoping you were not falling into an abyss.

She felt incredibly older than her twenty-two years.

A lonely guard huddled against the cold directed Ager to Morfast’s tent. He called to her, and the flap was quickly unlaced. He ducked and entered.

“Thank you for seeing me,” he said. “I need to talk to you about...”

As his eyes adjusted to the dark, he realized Morfast was standing in front of him completely naked. He could not help staring at her.

“... about this ... chief business ...”

Morfast said nothing. She tried to look relaxed, but Ager could see she was as tense as the string on a drawn bow. Ager looked away.

“Aren’t you cold?” he asked.

“Of course,” she said testily.

Ager rubbed his nose. “Then why aren’t you dressed?”

“Ah,” she said, “you want to undress me yourself.”

“What?” he said, and looked up. And then he understood. “Oh, fuck.” He quickly looked away again. “I’ve made a terrible mistake. I’m sorry ...”

“You don’t want me?” She made it sound like an accusation.

“No!” He shook his head.

“I’m not beautiful enough for you? I could get someone younger.”

“No!”

“Do you want a man?”

“A man? No, I don’t want a man. I don’t want a woman. And before you ask, I don’t want a horse. What I want is for you to get dressed.”

He waited until he heard her put clothes on before looking at her again. She had slipped on a poncho. She looked almost as confused as he felt.

“Look, I’m sorry, Morfast. I wanted to see you tonight to ask you about this chief thing. I’ve never been a chief before. Are you sure you want me?”

“For chief or—”

“Yes, for chief!” he said hurriedly.

“If not you, then the Ocean clan must submit to the will of the two circles. They may choose a chief for us from another clan, or make us join with another clan.”

“Who would they choose?”

“Someone who could kill you in single combat, since you killed Katan.”

“I see. And if you join with another clan?”

“Then everything we are will be lost. Our young ones may adjust, but those of us who remember our own traditions and customs will be like children without a mother or father.”

“But I don’t know your customs and traditions,” he pleaded.

“We will teach you,” she said simply.

“God,” he said, and put his head between his hands.

“Do we shame you?”

“No. Never that. But I am with the prince. I cannot desert him.”

“You would not desert him.”

“But he must go east. He must go to Kendra or perish in the attempt. And so must I.”

“Then we will go to Kendra with you, and perish if we must. The gods decide our fate.”

He sat down heavily on her sleeping blanket. She sat down next to him, and he edged away.

“You do not find me beautiful,” she said sadly.

He caught her gaze and shook his head. “That is not true. You are very beautiful. But I cannot take you simply because I am your chief.”

“Then you accept that you are our chief?”

Ager nodded resignedly. “It seems I have no choice. I won’t throw you to the two circles.” He remembered how close Korigan had come to being dethroned. “I have seen for myself how fickle they can be.”

She smiled at him. “All in the clan will be happy. We have a chief again, and our ways will not disappear.”

He stood up. “How many of you are there?”

“Of us,” she corrected him, “there are nearly four thousand, and two thousand of them are warriors. We have over a thousand head of cattle. We are not the biggest clan, nor the richest, but we are one of the oldest, and have much respect in the Oceans of Grass.”

“And who are you, exactly?”

“I was the niece of Katan’s wife, her only living relative. That is why they chose me to come to you today.”

“And who were the others who came with you?”

“Those most respected in the clan for their courage and their wit. I can call them if you wish to see them now.”

“That won’t be necessary.”

“What do you wish us to do?”

“To do?”

“You are our chief. You must guide us.”

“Whatever it is you do while camped at the High Sooq. Afterward ...” He paused, still trying to get used to the idea of being chief of a Chett clan. “... afterward, we’ll see.”

He reached for the tent flap, but Morfast’s hand rested on his. “You do not have to go. I am glad you would not force me to sleep with you, but I see now that was not your intention. I would be pleased to share my blanket with you.”

Ager smiled at her. He could see her shape under the poncho and felt the first faint pricking of desire, something he had been without for more years than he could remember. But he could not take her now, and not like this. He gently removed her hand from his and left.

There were two children, a girl about five with a high fever but resting peacefully, the other a boy about three with a cough.

“And you’re sure neither is in any danger?” Olio asked.

The priest shook his head. “No, your Highness. The girl’s fever has come down in the last hour, and the boy’s cough is improving. They will both be well by week’s end.”

Olio nodded, but his hand still held on to the heart-shaped Healing Key, as if it might be needed at a second’s notice. It felt warm to his touch, even on this cold night.
It wants to be used,
he thought.
But I gave my word. And tonight, at least, there is no temptation to use it.

“And there are no others?”

Again, the priest shook his head.

“Isn’t that rare for winter?”

The priest met his gaze. “Not really. We are coming out of the coldest months of the year. The two times when the greatest sickness comes to the poor are when there is ice on the streets and when the nights are so hot the poor leave their doors and window shutters open to cool their homes. We get a lot of the shaking sickness in summer. Winter is for the chest sickness, mainly.”

“I see.” He turned to the magicker who had accompanied him from the palace. He could not remember his name. “Where is Prelate Fanhow tonight?”

“He had an important meeting with the theurgia, your Highness. Something to do with the army we are sending north in the spring.”

Olio remembered then that Edaytor had said something to him about the meeting. For a moment his thoughts went to the planning of the campaign; he had been involved peripherally so far, but from now he would have to attend war councils; after all, he was going to be the army’s general. The idea used to amuse him, but as the time came nearer for the army to march, the prospect of leading experienced men into battle was weighing him down. He thought of himself as a healer, not as a warrior. He believed his role in life was to bring people back from the brink of death and not lead them to it. But his sister—the queen—had given him the commission and he could not surrender it.

“We have some refreshment ready for you, your Highness,” the priest said, and led him to the kitchen. There were bowls of fish stew already laid out on the rough wooden table, with thick seed bread and dough cakes on plates. And a flagon of red wine sat in the middle.

“Excellent,” Olio said carefully, then pointed to the flagon. “But take that away. Some new cider would better clear my throat.”

“Of course.” The priest disappeared with the flagon. Olio waited for the twinge of regret, but it did not come.

Some things get better
, he told himself.

The priest reappeared with a small cider cask, and the prince sat down with him and the magicker. At first his two companions talked too deferentially, but as the night wore on they became more comfortable, and Olio, to his surprise, actually found himself enjoying the meal.

* * *

Areava placed her hands over her belly.
Yes,
she thought.
A girl.
She was filled with a sense of wonder, and laughed with joy. Sendarus, asleep next to her, mumbled something and turned, flopping an arm across her chest. She laughed even harder.

How long had she been pregnant? God only knew. She and Sendarus had slept together so often since falling in love, at night, in the morning, once in the straw in the royal stables, once in his chambers while his father was waiting to see them.

She felt the baby would come in early to midsummer. Maybe her daughter would share her own birth day. The kingdom would have another Ushama. And what sisters and brothers would Usharna have? Another Areava, perhaps, and a Berayma, even an Olio. And why not a Marin? Or even an Orkid? That would put a smile on the chancellor’s face, and—just as pleasing—a grimace on the faces of every noble in the Twenty Houses. ‘

And by the end of autumn Haxus should be subdued and Lynan killed. Nine months and the kingdom would find again the peace it had enjoyed under the first Usharna, and have a new heir as well.

“Maybe we won’t stop at defeating Haxus’ armies,” she told her daughter. “Maybe we’ll take Haxus itself, and then all but the desert of the Southern Chetts will belong to Grenda Lear. I will make you ruler of Haxus, and that can be your training for my throne when my time has come.” The idea appealed to Areava; one fault of her mother had been to keep the reins of control too tightly in her own hands. Be-rayma’s apprenticeship had been too late and too little, she appreciated that now.

Areava let herself drift to sleep, her husband’s arm still across her, and dreamed of the future.

* * *

Dejanus sat at an ill-lit corner table of the Lost Sailor Tavern, his cloak wrapped around his huge frame. No one who saw him enter could doubt who he was, but newcomers would not notice him. He sipped slowly on a good Storian wine, which as constable of the Royal Guard he could now afford, and waited for the woman he had been told worked here most nights.

She came in close to midnight, looking hurried, and disappeared into the kitchen. A little while later she reappeared dressed in a stained white apron and carrying a wooden platter with change on it. Dejanus watched her as she moved from table to table, taking orders, smiling easily, pocketing tips. She was buxom and pretty in a voluptuous way.
It figures,
he thought to himself.
She’s his type.
When she at last realized the dark corner table was occupied, she came over.

“I’m sorry, gentle sir, I did not see you here out of the light. Can I get you something?”

“Another wine.” He handed her his empty cup and she left. When she returned, he paid for the wine and then held up a silver crown. Her face broke into a wide smile and she reached for the coin, but Dejanus pulled his hand back.

“Sit down.”

The woman’s smile disappeared. “I see,” she said unhappily, but sat down anyway.

“I need your help,” he said.

“I can imagine.”

Dejanus laughed humorlessly. “Not that kind of help, Ikanus.”

The woman stiffened. “How do you know my name?”

“We once had a friend in common.”

“I have a lot of friends.”

“This one was called Kumul Alarn.”

The woman gasped and made to stand up, but Dejanus’ hand shot out and held her down. “Who are you?”

With his free hand Dejanus showed her the coin again. “A new friend. To replace the old.”

He let her go and she did not try to leave. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“I will answer it, Ikanus, but it will be the last question you ever ask of me. I am Dejanus.”

Her eyes widened in surprise and fear. Dejanus could see she was fighting the urge to run away from him, but her gaze was fixed on the silver crown.

“There is no need to be afraid. I hold nothing against you for knowing Kumul. Even I was his friend before he turned traitor.” He handed her the coin, and she slipped it down her blouse, between her ample breasts.

“Information,” he continued. “I need to know the same things Kumul did. I want you to tell me whenever something happens you think I should know about. Anything illegal, anything against the interests of the kingdom. Anything against
my
interests.
Anything
unusual or unexpected.”

Ikanus nodded. He could see she was still frightened, and that was good. It was important she understood he was someone who would hurt her as soon as reward her if she crossed him.

“You’ve taken my coin. You work for me now. I will come here now and then, and you will tell me everything you see and everything you hear that I should also see and hear. If you do well, there will be more crowns. Fail me and I will kill you.”

She nodded again and stood to leave.

“I haven’t finished,” he said quietly, and she dropped back to her seat. “We can start now. I want to know who else Kumul paid for information.”

A minute later she was gone, and Dejanus sat back, relaxed and happy with the way things had gone. Within a few days he would completely revive Kumul’s old network of down-and-outs and drunks and whores, the same network which had kept him informed of goings-on in the old quarter of the city; it had played no small part in Kumul’s success as constable. It was a network that would rival Orkid’s own; indeed, it would allow Dejanus to keep an eye on Orkid’s own activities in Kendra, his main reason for tracking down Ikanus and her ilk. He finished his wine and left, pleased with himself and the power of a single silver coin.

Orkid and Marin stood on the small terrace outside of Marin’s guest room. The glittering city gave way to the dark, placid waters of Kestrel Bay. They looked west, to their homeland, and Marin sighed deeply.

“You miss the mountains,” Orkid said.

“And my court. I know it is a petty one next to Areava’s, but I feel more comfortable there than here. Too many play for power in Kendra; back home I know my back is safe.”

“Especially now you have united our land so closely with the kingdom.”

“Yes, it was well done,” the king said without arrogance. He patted his brother’s shoulder. “By all of us. But now we must use it to advantage.”

“So soon? Shouldn’t we wait for things to settle before advancing our cause once more? It will be some time before the Twenty Houses—not to mention the rulers of Grenda Lear’s other provinces—repair their pride.”

“I know that was our plan, but circumstances have given us the opportunity to further advance our cause by rendering even greater service to Grenda Lear.”

“What circumstances?”

“Salokan’s planned move against the kingdom in spring, and Prince Lynan finding refuge in the Oceans of Grass—or with Salokan, if rumors are to be believed.”

“How do these favor us?”

“You have been in Kendra too long, and your brain is used to following the most circuitous route. Let’s deal with the problem of Lynan first. Think, Orkid. If he is in the Oceans of Grass and under the protection of the Chetts, what would unsettle the Chetts more than anything else?”

“The reintroduction of slavery.”

“Other than that. I don’t think Areava would sanction it, for one thing, and slavery has always been distasteful to our people. We are related to the Chetts, remember?”

“Then I’m at a loss—”

“I have given you the clue.” Marin smiled mysteriously at Orkid and stroked his graying beard.

The chancellor frowned in thought, but shook his head in resignation.

“Aman was created by Chetts. We still have some connection with them, especially those in the south who border our own lands. We could use whatever influence we have, together with sizable bribes, to stir them against the Northern Chetts. That should distract them at least, making Jes Prado’s task easier.”

Orkid nodded. “That must help. It would weaken any support Lynan may have gained. And what of Salokan?”

“Remember our discussion about getting Sendarus the command of Areava’s army? I can sweeten the offer. I’ll send a thousand of our best light infantry to supplement Areava’s army, and that’s on top of what she’ll conscript from Aman anyway. She’ll be pleased to receive professional soldiers.”

“It might do the trick,” Orkid mused. “I don’t think it would be hard to persuade Olio it would be best. With him on our side, it will be easier to sway Areava, and once she’s on our side, the council will follow.”

“And once Sendarus has command,” Marin said slowly, “Areava will give him the Key of the Sword.”

“Lord of the Mountain! You don’t want things by half, do you?”

Marin shrugged. “We have a chance here to make permanent our influence in Kendra. If all goes aright, Aman will be seen to have saved the kingdom. From there, any-thing’s possible.”

Orkid said nothing for a moment, almost overwhelmed by his brother’s vision.

“I must leave soon,” Marin continued eventually. “Two days from now, I think. It will take me five days to reach Pila, and as soon as I do, I will send the infantry. They can sail up the Gelt River to Chandra to save Areava paying the cost for their transport herself. I will also make contact with those southern Chett tribes we trade with. The rest will be up to you.”

“I will do what I can.” Orkid shook his head. “I had hoped our days of planning and scheming on such a scale, and at such risk, would be over once Sendarus married Areava.”

“We are born for this planning and scheming, you and I,” Marin told him. “I do not think either of us will ever stop.”