I was through the burning fabric before I had even given it thought with Dthor and Karl a scant heartbeat behind me. Janir was lying next to an overturned firebowl vomiting dark brown fluid. As we knelt beside him and made to help him up foul blood-stained stool leaked between his legs. Leaving Dthor to get the king back to his bed I seized Karl by the front of his tunic and dragged him into the reception area.
“Go to my chambers and ask Jalin for my green pack and then ask Prince Jae’nt to go with all haste and find Karyn. Never mind who it is,” I snapped as the youth went to speak, “do it now. And Karl,” I said as the youth grabbed his cloak. “Not one word of this to anyone. No-one! Do you understand me?” The clerk nodded and left the room like an arrow from a bow.
When I returned to the king’s side Dthor had already cleaned the monarch up and helped him into a fresh tunic. Janir grabbed my arm and pulled me close. “Weave your magic, Ez’n.”
“Alas, my king, there is no magic for this part,” I told him. “Only medicine. It will be here soon.”
“How long before this plague ends me?”
“It is still some way off, Sire. I will see to it.” I answered.
Janir relaxed then and drifted into a light sleep.
Karl and Karyn arrived together and while I mixed a philtre to ease the king’s pain my Morlan healer concocted a potion to staunch the bloody scours. When it was done she merely handed me the brew, nodded and left.
Within moments of drinking the infusions Janir came to himself though he looked very pale. He gave me a weak smile. “Well, so much for formalising your union,” he grinned, grimacing slightly as he shifted position and his guts griped him.
“You must rest sire.” I told him. “Such matters can wait.”
“But the War Council cannot,” he told me.
“I will take care of that, my king. Rest now.” To Karl. “I am going to send for one of my most trusted servants, Karl. His name is Jalin. Once he is with the king no-one comes into this room but me or the Captain. Is that clear?”
The young man nodded. “Perfectly clear, Ez’n. I will instruct the guards.”
I dispatched one to the chamber guards to fetch Jalin and the dogs. Since Aarin had successfully retrained them I had no fear for either my safety or the king’s. And it was clear that by the time Jalin arrived in the Royal Chambers he had divined my intentions.
Should news of the king’s frailty reach treacherous ears, and Balten was in the forefront of my mind, I wanted to be sure that the king and his guards would have advance warning. Jalin’s mental skills had reached a frightening degree of acuity and he would detect any hostile or treacherous intent long before anyone got within striking distance of Janir. I had no doubt that he would trigger the dogs the instant he saw the need.
As Dthor and I headed towards the War Room I could feel his eyes on me. I stopped, turning to face him. “The king is dying.” I said in answer to the question in his eyes. “But as far as anyone in that room is concerned he has contracted a flux.”
“Of course, Meriq.” He paused. “But should you not have left Aenar or someone else with him. Your dog boy is scarcely a match for an assassin.”
“Trust me, Dthor. Not even Orrin could get within a city block of the king without Jalin detecting him. My dog-boy has talents that even Balten has not discovered.”
The generals received the news of the king’s illness with little concern. Fluxes were common enough on a campaign, brought on as they often were by contaminated water. Given the recent pollution of the land and surrounding streams by the fallout from the recent battle it was to be expected. To add weight to my words I ordered a dozen barrels in the royal enclosure to be destroyed and instructed that until all the barrels had been cleansed all water was to be boiled before it was imbibed.
I had just finished speaking when Eilen arrived accompanied by Balten and Korlaq. I greeted the Queen and her son cordially, explaining Janir’s condition in as much detail as I thought propitious and was just about to address the items on the agenda when Eilen rose.
“I am wondering,” the queen said in silky tones, “why a man not of the Royal Command is here.” She inclined her head just enough to direct attention at Dthor.
There was a slight rustle and a hush of discontented whispers.
I smiled pleasantly. “As you can see, my lady, the Captain wears my crest and I his. Therefore the reason for his being here should be obvious.”
“But Ez’n,” the queen said once more cutting across me as I went to address the War Council. “Surely you do not expect the King’s own Commanders to bend knee to a mere Captain.” Her tone now was far more challenging and curt. She gave me a smile that could have dissolved steel.
The whispers became a rumble.
Whether the Commanders were expressing their disapproval of Eilen’s action or of mine in bringing Dthor with me to the meeting, I could not tell. Either way, I was not about to allow the Queen to disrupt proceedings on any pretext.
“I expect nothing of the sort, Queen Eilen,” I replied with equal acridity, “The Law expects it.”
“So he is your Consort then?”
“Pending the King’s consent, which would have occurred this very morning had he not fallen ill with the flux. Captain Dthor is Consort Apparent and he is therefore entitled to the respect reserved for that rank—my lady. Also, the Captain is skilled in aspects of Warfare that I am not and I am sure the Commanders will find his knowledge and recent battle experience most useful.” I stood up, “And now we must discuss the campaign, madam. This is, after all a Council of War and not a forum for political debate. You will be free to express any objections you have to the Captain’s investiture at the appropriate time. Of course, I would be gravely displeased by any objections.”
Eilen gave me a venomous look. “Is that a threat, Ez’n-Kyr.”
“It is a fact, majesty.”
The king looked less drawn but was still quite pale when I arrived to check on him in the afternoon. He was stretched out on a low couch with Jalin tucked into his side. The dogs rose as I entered and ambled forward a couple of steps returning to the fireside when they recognised me.
Janir pushed himself upright but made no attempt to rise as he would normally have done. “I must thank you for sending Jalin to keep me company, Ez’n. He has been most entertaining.”
“I would not expect him to be anything else, sire,” I answered noting the youth’s blushes with discreet amusement. Clearly the king was feeling a good deal better and he was looking immensely pleased with himself. I set out the papers detailing the Council discussions passing each one in turn for the king to peruse.
“And was my wife well behaved?” he asked without looking up from the strategy plan he was examining.
I smiled to myself. Only the king could ask such a loaded question and make it seem casual. “As compared to what, Sire?”
“Oh, I don’t know. A Morlan mountain cat, perhaps?” The king ventured still without looking up. “I understand she was rather put out by your presence, Captain.”
Dthor nodded.
“You seem remarkably well-informed considering you have been here all the while, majesty.” I observed as I set the papers on Janir’s makeshift desk.
“As I said, Ez’n, Jalin has been most accommodating and entertaining. I had no idea he was so versatile.”
I decided to let the comment pass. Though I had a very clear idea of what the king was implying I had no intention of asking him what he meant for fear that he might actually explain. And when Karl appeared in response to the king’s summons I pushed the notion of the King and my page being engaged in the pursuit of pleasure out of my mind.
“May I serve, your majesty?” Jalin said as Karl set out a tray of refreshment. “It is my habit to do so for the Ez’n.”
Janir nodded watching as the youth poured the drinks his keen dark eyes following Jalin’s every move as if he were interviewing him for post in his own household. Dthor shot me a look
that made it quite clear that his mind was working along the same lines as mine that the king indeed had an eye for Jalin. And as I too watched my dog boy serve the beverages and set out the plates I suddenly realised that he was no longer the dog-handler who had arrived in my service as a little boy.
He had been in my service for almost a full cycle now and he had grown taller, broader and stronger. His face was beginning to sport the signs of manhood both in the showing of his beard and the strengthening of his cheeks and jaw. He had almost entirely lost the soft, androgynous charm of boyhood that Balten and his “wolves” so enjoyed, his voice was noticeably deeper—though I had failed to notice it before. His red-blond hair, which had come unbound for reasons I felt were best left in the realms of speculation, lay as a thick mane that hung almost to his waist.
I reached up and pushed back the dark red lock of hair that had fallen across his face as he leaned down to pour my tea. He turned slightly so that his face brushed against my hand and I felt his thoughts touch mine. “My lord knows he has but to say the word.”
“Thank you, Jalin, this is all I require,” I said moving my hand to the cup.
The youth bowed. “As you wish, master.”
The morning was bright and cold. A light spring frost dusted the rooftops and branches of the city’s surviving trees.
Turning away from the window I settled myself at the table as Iannos and Alna served breakfast, pausing to exchange glances as Zar-qiel returned from his night’s hunting and glided noiselessly into the room.
“You are nervous of my friend, Iannos,” I observed as the young man edged around the table to pour my tea.
The servant nodded. “Some say he is the soul of Anubis returned to guide your actions.”
I smiled inwardly. No doubt, I thought. There were always those who favoured the fanciful over hard evidence.
“Iannos,” I said smiling, “no-one guides my actions except perhaps a wayward genie or two—and my own perversity.”
“If you say so, Ez’n.” Iannos bowed and hurried out.
I shook my head and tossed the bird a scrap of meat which it caught deftly in its beak. “Well, my friend, do you have any visions for me today?”
The bird studiously ignored me pinning the dried meat with one foot as it tore at it with its great black beak. I let out a breath. At least today I might remain vision-free.
It was only a matter of days before Janir was sufficiently recovered to pick up the march into Mederlana. With Karyn and me working together we had produced a medicine that would keep a tight control on Janir’s symptoms and though we managed to slow the disease we could not halt it nor prevent the ravages that became apparent once I had withdrawn my vital force from the monarch. With the glamour that I wove for him spent the weight loss and sallow colour of his skin was quite apparent but as yet nothing that anyone would remark on with concern. His pallor could quite easily be dismissed as due to his recent bout of the flux. Even so I was loath to leave too long a gap between castings in case either Balten or the Queen took it into their heads to visit unannounced and the King’s infirmity was discovered. The last thing the kingdom, the alliance or I wanted was a power struggle, and I held no doubt that either the Crown Prince or his step-mother would waste no time in making a play for the throne.
My various spies and other sources in the ranks reported that Balten and several of the generals and senators had formed some kind of consortium. To my mind this news could only mean that the Crown Prince and his cohort had formed some kind of unholy compact the end result of which could only spell disaster for Janir, and if I was to fulfil the promise I had made to my king I could not permit an infection such as treachery to fester unchecked. It was time to visit the king and raise the issue we had agreed never to mention again.
Orrin gaped at me like the victim of a surprise stabbing. He looked so affronted that I almost laughed at him. Karyn and Tomas made no such effort at discretion and howled with mirth. Markos though equally amused made more of an effort to disguise the fact by putting his hand over his mouth to stifle his laughter as he turned his face away.
“Let me see if I understand you correctly, t’pahq,” the kayet said when he had recovered himself sufficiently to speak, “You want me to pay court to your dog-boy.”
“I want it to appear that you are doing so, Orrin.”
Markos grinned “Well, Orrin, Jalin is a comely youth, who knows . . .”
“Prince of Morla or not, “Orrin growled “if you finish that sentence I will take the Ez’n’s boq there and slythe you with it.” The assassin turned back to me, ‘‘And if comment arises?’’
“Oh I fully expect comment to arise, Orrin. In fact I am counting on it.”
I leaned back into Dthor’s embrace as he wound his arms around me and gently kissed the back of my neck. I smiled enjoying the feel of the man’s body heat through my robe as he held me to him. “I wonder,” he said as I twisted around to face him, “how we arrived here when we began as adversaries?”
I frowned. I had never considered us adversarial. True enough the path that had brought us to this point had been fraught with conflict and contention but . . . “Perhaps you were just unfortunate?” I suggested.
“With you here before me, in my arms? No, lad. I could never be unfortunate.” He stooped and pressed his lips to mine, clasping his hands under my buttocks to lift me to him. I leaned back breaking the kiss.
“We will be late for the investiture, soldier.” I said as he released me.
Dthor gave a growl. “What was it Keelan called Kylos? Oh yes, a shovaq. Meriq, I swear you too are a demon of perversity! You admit that I make you hot, yet still you will not let me quench your fire!”
I shrugged slightly sliding free from his embrace and setting out two goblets to pour us some wine. “It is true that you arouse me in a way I have never known, Dthor. But I will not give myself in heat.”
“But why?”
I took Dthor’s hand, the action more of a displacement so that I could order my thoughts than a gesture of affection. “A fire that burns unchecked will consume everything around it and die.” I said slowly, “A fire that is kindled in a furnace will leave charcoal which burns far longer and far hotter than mere wood.”
“I know that,” Dthor said, clearly vexed.
“Love is like that fire.” I said simply.
Dthor raised his eyebrows at me. “I know that, too.” He said rising and moving towards the exit.
“Then why . . . ?”
“I like to see you wriggle,” Dthor answered, dodging the cup that I hurled at him for teasing me.
The vessel shot past his head by mere fluke and was caught by Janir as he came through the curtain that provided the door to the anteroom.
“I see you have not completely tamed our little dragon, Lord Consort.” The king observed setting the cup on the ledge over the fireplace.
“I doubt anyone will ever manage that, Sire.” Dthor responded.
“And so,” the king said, taking our hands in his, “are you now both ready to scandalise the Court?”
“Well, the present is the only time we have, my king,” I answered. “But I should warn you that the Queen . . .”
“My wife will be silent.” The king said with a quiet certainty that I found somewhat disturbing. “I believe she understands the repercussions that will engulf her should she stand against me on this union.”
Much as Janir had predicted the investiture of Dthor as my Consort went without incident. The Queen stood in a conspicuously out of the way location behind her husband and it was obvious that, unlike her appearance at the welcoming banquet held for Keelan, she had studiously understated her attire for the occasion to the point of informality which was almost a snub. And when the time came in the ceremony for her to pay her respects I thought she might choke on her own venom.
When the formalities were over Dthor and I took our leave. He was as keen as I to be away from the toadying senators and generals, and we
were both eager to join our friends in the barracks for some lighter and more genuine celebrations.
We had scarcely walked through the door when a raiding party of royal guards Dthor had captained before he transferred to the Kyr-Garrin grabbed him and pulled him away to a table in the corner of the refectory where they began to ply him with wine. I had scarcely time to catch breath to object when I was seized by Faedron and dragged off to a table with the Kyr-Garrin.
“I hope Dthor will be alright,” I laughed craning to my neck to check his whereabouts. “I fear his brothers-in-arms might crush him in their enthusiasm to congratulate him.”
“They are keen to find out how he succeeded where others failed, no doubt,” Jae’nt remarked passing me a plate of dried fruit and cheese. Maegor dropped a wedge of bread on my plate.
“And no doubt they are equally keen to see what they can discover of his adventures in the bedchamber.” Aenar said winking at me.
“I think my consort far too discreet to disclose that information, Aenar.”
“And so, Meriq, does the Lord Consort measure up to your expectations?” the Provost smiled craftily, letting out a grunt as Kylos elbowed him in the ribs.
“I suspect that what you are actually asking me is whether or not Dthor is as well-endowed as rumours have it, Aenar,” I laughed, “Being that he has been seen by almost every man in the regimental bathrooms, I think your enquiry is somewhat gratuitous. And besides,” I added with a smile, “I am far too discrete to disclose that information.”
“What information is that, ‘b’zaddi” Dthor asked as he joined us.
“I think you are all the better for not knowing that, Dthor.” I answered
“Ah,” the soldier replied sagely, “the good provost and our brothers-in-arms are keen to know how well I deploy my resources.”
“Something like that,” I agreed. “though more along the lines of how generously apportioned those resources are. Now, gentlemen, do you think you could raise you minds above my consort’s loins and talk about something a little more fitting?”
A Rising Darkness Page 36