by D. E. Morris
“I would like that,” Jaryn answered. “I love watching the boys play together.”
“It is settled, then.” Ashlynn nodded decisively. “Providing Misuzu's visit is not an urgent one, I will send word to Braemar as soon as we are back in Altaine, and we shall have a castle full of friends and family.”
“For now,” hedged Jaryn, leading her toward the captain's quarters, “I'd settle for some nice hot coffee.”
Chapter Eight
“This is my fault.” Misuzu's head was bent, though her slanted eyes peeked through her lashes, watching the way Wessely paced before the windows at the side of the throne room. “I have led danger to the door of those whom I should have protected.”
“You are hardly to blame,” Wessely dismissed, his distracted voice so quiet it was almost missed in the grand room. “I will send word to Ashlynn at once.”
“It is already done.” Misuzu waited for Wessely to turn his attention to her before continuing. “I sent a messenger as soon as I arrived. If your Volar is fast enough, she may already know and be on her way home as we speak.”
A frown creased the edges of Wessely's lips. “How long do you think we have?”
“It's impossible to say.” She shook her head. “I should never have gone looking for my father after the war. I knew what he was-”
“A dragon hunter.”
“-and yet I held onto hope that he might have changed.” Finally lifting her head, Misuzu met Wessely's concerned gaze. “You must understand...I had just lost my mother. She was the only family I had contact with and once she was gone, I felt so lost. It had been years since I'd seen my father; It turns out that it had been so many years that he had no idea who I was when I first found him again. He was hard, cold, and unfeeling, and once I realized he was still as hateful towards dragons and Gaels as he was before, I left without telling him what I was or where I was going. I didn't think I would ever see him again.”
Wessely's expression was one of sympathy. “You place more blame upon yourself than is due, Misuzu. The choices and actions of another are theirs to own, not yours.”
The double doors to the throne room were pushed open by the guards waiting outside, allowing Cailin entrance. She glanced at Misuzu with curiosity as she strode across the stone floor, then bowed her head to Wessely when she was closer. “You needed me, Your Highness?”
“Misuzu, this is Cailin Ó Ceallaigh. Cailin, this is-”
“Misuzu,” Cailin interrupted with a knowing nod, “the Elemental of Air and the high queen's opposite. We never met during the war, but I know who you are. Your mother was among those we lost in the battle.”
“Cailin will help you in keeping an eye out for your father,” Wessely explained. “She is one of the best trackers here at Altaine and will be a great asset to you.”
“Very well.” Misuzu looked the other girl over once in assessment. “If it's all the same to you, I would like to begin patrolling the castle now. I know there is no possible way for him to beat me here since I came through fyre, but I would feel better not sitting still for too long.”
“Of course. I will have the servants make up a room for you in the meantime and fill Cailin in on everything she may need to know.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.” Misuzu bowed deeply, her long black hair falling over her shoulders in a straight sheet. When she rose, she turned with a flourish of her colorful kimono, then let herself out of the throne room.
Alone with Cailin, Wessely let go of a telling sigh that made the young woman watch him keenly. “What's happened?”
“There is a dragon hunter on his way here at this very moment.”
Cailin's brows came together. “What? Why?”
“He wishes to speak with Ashlynn about the growing population of dragons and Gaels in the east. Apparently he believes she can do something about it. Even more amusing is that he thinks she will. My daughter may be rather vocal about who and what she is, but he must not know enough about her to realize that a population control is neither within her capabilities nor is it something she would be willing to enforce.”
Confused, Cailin shook her head. “What does that have to do with Misuzu?”
“The dragon hunter is her father.” Seeing the light of understanding dawn on Cailin's face, Wessely nodded. “He approached her only yesterday, asking her to bring him here to meet with Ashlynn. How he became aware that they knew each other is beyond me. Misuzu refused of course, knowing the combination of such a tenuous situation and my daughter's temper would likely be an explosive one. Her refusal drew threats, both in general and toward Ashlynn and the rest of the Elementals in that he would seek them out himself, starting here at Altaine. Apparently. Tadhg was not the only man on a quest to see the world rid of the Elementals.”
Any concern Cailin might have felt was gone from her face as she shrugged. “And Tadhg, a much more powerful man than a simple dragon hunter, failed. Why should we fear this new threat?”
“Are you aware of what Misuzu is, apart from her Elemental status?”
Once more, Cailin's brows twitched together as she questioned, “No?”
“She is part Bakeneko, a shape shifter from the Takashiri and Shihou nations with the ability to turn herself into any living creature she so desires. Hideo, Misuzu's father, is a full blooded Bakeneko, which gives him the same shifting abilities. I know so little about them, and I am uncertain as to the extent of his abilities as one of pure blood. As he is something of an unknown entity, his threats must be taken seriously.”
“A shape shifter,” Cailin breathed. “I knew they existed, but I never thought I would meet one.”
Wessely's frown deepened. “Well now you have, and it may yet be that you meet one more.”
“Whatever you need from me, I will gladly serve.”
“Misuzu is certain that her father is on his way here. I would like for you to speak with her, for her to tell you what he looks like and if she thinks he may be alone or not. If we can neutralize this threat, big or small as it may be, I would rather it be done before Ashlynn and Jaryn arrive home.”
Cailin nodded. “Of course.” She turned to leave, but Wessely stopped her by saying her name.
“Be careful. Though this man is Misuzu's father, she herself knows very little about him and we do not yet know what he is capable of or willing to do to get his points across.”
A sly grin tugged up the corner of Cailin's lips. “With all due respect, Your Highness, the same could be said of me.” She bowed her head one more time before exiting the throne room, leaving Wessely to chuckle quietly to himself in her absence.
~*~*~*~
Altaine glittered in the afternoon light, its many windows catching the sun's reflection and making it look ablaze as the ship sailed ever closer. Ashlynn stood at the prow, the cold wind blowing golden hair from her eyes and casting it behind her in sea spray tangles. She was well beyond being able to feel her face anymore, and even her heavy winter cloak couldn't keep away the cold that seeped under her skin, but she couldn't have cared less; her home was on the horizon and her family was waiting for her along with Misuzu.
“A prettier figurehead we ne'er could find!” the captain called, making his way across the deck. It made her turn to beam over her shoulder at him, and he winked. “You'll be home soon, Your Majesty.”
“Look at them waiting for us!” cried Zarra, coming up behind Ashlynn. She wrapped her thick cloak around herself, but slipped an arm free to wave at the few villagers who stood on the shore, waving and cheering for the recognizable ship. “Hello!”
Ashlynn couldn't help but smirk. “You know there is no possible way for anyone to see us yet, right?”
“Oh, I know. I simply do not care.” Her smile was wide and energetic, even as she slid her free arm back under the protection of her cloak. “I am so happy we are almost home. Montania was nice, and all of High Queen Luella's ladies were kind, but it will be lovely to be home again. I miss my room and my normal routine, though I
suppose it is a new normal and I am not one who invites change, especially like this. I miss the old days when it was Lilia and Mairead who served with me...I miss my sisters.”
Ashlynn felt her good humor dampen. Tentative, she asked, “How is Lilia? I know you have not spoken to her since we left for Montania, but you have spoken with her much more recently than I have. She has barely said two words to me since she became one of Kenayde's ladies.”
Zarra straightened, a frown on her lips. “You know Lilia. She acts the part she is expected to play until she is in more intimate company, then she whines. She likes being the princess's lady, truly...but she misses you. I can tell.”
“Then why does she refuse to speak with me on any level deeper than a trite response? It is maddening.”
“I think her anger is tri-fold: she is still very hurt and angry with you about letting Jessiah get so close to her and then keeping Killian around, though I think that's just her finding something else to be angry about. You know how well she can hold onto a grudge and make it into something much bigger should it suit her temper.”
Ashlynn glanced sideways at the young woman. “And the third part?”
The question brought a look of guilt into Zarra's expression. “She is angry at you for not healing Mairead.”
Ashlynn's lips pursed. “As are you, it would seem.” She shook her head, sighing through her nose. “What neither of you understand is that I have tried. I cannot tell you how many times I have begged her to let me do something to help her, or at the very least, see her face to face.”
“The servants say she hides in the shadows when they bring her food or are granted entrance to clean her rooms.”
“At least she lets them in.”
Zarra's brows came together. “I think she feels like she failed you somehow.”
“That is ridiculous.”
“Maybe...but I think it is how she truly feels.”
Ashlynn shook her head, sorrow in her down-turned expression. “Please tell her she did not fail me, and that I miss her. I can only say those three words to a closed door so often before they begin to lose their meaning.”
“I will be more than happy to relay those messages.”
Ashlynn raked a hand across her face to pull knotted hair from her vision. Soon enough they would be home, and it felt like she was being given a chance to start over somehow. As she and Jaryn strolled through Montania together the night before, they both admitted to feeling as though some changes needed to be made once they were back at Altaine. He wanted to reconnect with the people and spend more time among them, taking a day every week or so to go into the village to hear the petitioners that couldn't make it to the castle, and to travel to some of the outer farms for inspections or simply to visit and see how crops and cattle were doing. Ashlynn's changes would be closer to home; she was determined to find a way to get through to Mairead, to get the girl to at least try some of the elixir Tasarin had left behind to see if it would cure her. She also knew she needed to practice more patience and kindness. Never had she wanted to be the type of queen that people felt uncomfortable being around or speaking to, yet that was exactly how she had become, even with her own sister. It was time for her to get back to the young woman who had been approachable and loved, and stop being the one who sent people hastening down other hallways when they saw her coming.
“I need to speak with Kenayde about her abilities,” she mused aloud. “That entire situation has been drawn out for too long. She may not be pleased to hear the news, but she should be aware of the fact that she is a Gael none the less.”
Zarra gave her a hopeful smile. “Maybe she will take the news better than you expect. Forgive me if this is crossing the line, but I think the princess can handle a lot more than most give her credit for.”
Though she didn't look at Zarra again, she gave a small nod. “Perhaps it is crossing the line, but you may be right about Kenayde. Sometimes I need a reminder that, though I call her my baby sister, she is certainly not a baby in reality. Thank you for being honest with me; it is one of the qualities in my closest ladies that I have always cherished most.” Zarra returned the smile, only making Ashlynn laugh quietly. “We will be docking soon. Jaryn should be woken.”
Giving a curtsy, Zarra bowed her head. “Yes, Your Majesty. I will have the prince redressed in his warmer clothes as well.”
Without another word, the young woman turned on her heel to carry out the orders of her queen. Ashlynn glanced after her when she'd gone, smiling inwardly at the changes she had seen in Zarra since she'd become the main lady in Ashlynn's retinue. She'd been forced to mature quickly, taking over Lilia's position, and had grown into the role nicely. Though their relationship was not the same as the sisterly one she'd enjoyed with Lilia, Ashlynn was proud of the responsible young woman Zarra was becoming.
It wasn't long before the moving dots in the distance began to take on shapes. There were many people gathered at the port, though a good deal of them were blocked from the pier itself by a row of guards. Jaryn came on deck as Ashlynn was only beginning to try to guess those who had been granted the privilege of waiting so close to where the ship would tie off.
Sliding up behind his wife, he wrapped his arms around her waist. “Well, would you look at that? I think it took longer to sail to Caedia than it did to come home.”
Ashlynn laughed, leaning back into the warmth of his body. “For you, maybe. Of course, when you are asleep for half of the journey, any trip will seem shorter.” She tilted her head back and kissed his chin. “Are you ready to go back to our normal lives?”
“No,” he admitted easily. “I'm ready to be a team again, and not at each others throats.”
“As am I, my love.”
He kissed her lips as though to seal their pact to work in unison and put all arguments behind them, then looked to the docks. “Let's see. Who do we have here? That dress and cape can only be Kenayde...your father, naturally...that woman in the furs and the long dark hair must be Misuzu...”
“I'm nervous,” Ashlynn admitted quietly. “Though we are sisters by magic, we hardly know one another. I feel as though I should be excited to see her, but there is a part of me that feels slighted by the fact that she has stayed away so long, especially after what happened on the Isle of Contest. Surely she would have felt what happened to me.”
Jaryn held her a little tighter. “I admit to having the same thoughts, especially during your recovery. We don't yet know what she had to face after the war, though. There may well be a perfectly reasonable explanation. It's fine to be nervous. As you said, she is not all that familiar a presence in our lives, but don't let your reservations keep you from greeting her as you should. She's here now, and it will be a grand time to get to know her better.”
The ship began to turn in the water, preparing to drift with careful orchestration from the crew and captain into the royal dock, ice cut and chipped away for days in preparation for the return of the high king and queen. Ashlynn's attention stayed on the confident work of the crew until she saw her sister begin to wave from the shore. When she waved back, the group waiting for them seemed to take it as a sign that they should move from the beach to the royal pier.
Zarra came on deck with Lochlainn as the ship slowed and rocked in its own wake, the two younger ladies following her. Ashlynn couldn't stop staring at Misuzu now that she could clearly make out her face. She hadn't changed a bit by the look of her.
The ropes were given mighty heaves and expertly thrown to the men below who caught them with ease before rushing to secure them around tall, thick pilings. There was a slight jarring when the ship came to a stop against the pier, but Ashlynn hurried forward as soon as the gangplank began to lower. A word of permission to disembark had barely been given before she had her skirts in her hands, and she led the procession down to the waiting group below. She greeted Misuzu with a tentative smile, then closed the distance between them to embrace her in greeting.
Misuzu seemed to
stiffen and hesitate in the moment of intimacy, but only a few seconds passed before she returned the hug with a small smile on her lips.“I am happy to see you again, Ashlynn.”
“The feeling is mutual, I assure you.” Finally parting to the sound of Jaryn greeting the others behind them, Ashlynn couldn't help but voice the concern she'd been carrying since hearing of Misuzu's arrival. “Please tell me that you are here for a visit, and not as a harbinger of doom.”
“Doom is too strong of a word.” Misuzu frowned. “There is much to discuss.”
Ashlynn nodded, accepting the answer for what it was. She glanced at the boisterous reunion between the others, keeping her own voice low. “I am certain a great deal has happened to both of us since last we saw one another. We will have to spend some time catching up.”
Glancing over Ashlynn's head, Misuzu's lips curved. “Is that your son Jaryn holds?”
“I heard my name.” Jaryn joined the pair and nodded to Misuzu. “How have you been, stranger?”
“I have been well,” she said softly, seeming injured by the term 'stranger.' “Congratulations on your beautiful child, as well as for the one I have been told you carry, Ashlynn.”
“Thank you.”
Wessely stepped forward to extend a hand toward the private road that would lead them up to the castle. “Shall we make our way back? I am certain the crew and those aboard have much to unload. I would hate to delay them any further in their duties.”
“I will hurry ahead to tell the kitchen you have arrived. Certainly a warm meal would be welcomed after such a long and cold journey,” added Kenayde. She squeezed Ashlynn's arm, a warm smile on her face to show her joy at her return, then began the walk back to the castle with a guard to accompany her.
Wessely looked pointedly at Jaryn before anyone else had begun to move. “Perhaps you and I may speak as we walk. That will give Misuzu and Ashlynn time alone as well.” As the small group began to move, Wessely nodded to the guards holding the crowds back. One by one, they left their post to fall into step behind the procession, only a few men staying behind to make sure the crowd didn't follow the gated, private path up to Altaine.