Inside the banquet hall, heavily laden feast tables awaited them. The servant guided them to the head table, where they would be joined by Staden and the queen. A fire burned brightly in the massive fireplace, and the smells of roasting game and simmering wassail greeted them as they edged their way through the throng. Four musicians struck up a merry tune on lyre, flute, dulcimer and drum, while costumed performers delighted the group and cupbearers poured ale.
"Now that's a feast," Carroway said. They took their assigned places at the table, and Tris was delighted to find himself next to Kiara. Carina, on his left, found Vahanian to be her tablemate, and Tris decided that Berry had tried her hand at matchmaking with her instructions to the steward. Berry had reserved the seat alongside Vahanian, and next to her would be King Staden and the queen. To the queen's left were Gabriel, Soterius and Harrtuck, with Royster and Carroway at the far end, nearest the musicians.
With a stately trumpet fanfare, the doors at the far end of the banquet hall flew open and half a dozen liveried trumpeters heralded the entrance of the king. Staden was resplendent in crimson and gold. The queen walked beside him, an older reflection of Berry. Behind them, Berry walked with her head held high. The green dress from the morning was gone, replaced by wine-colored satin. Tris caught a mischievous wink from Berry, and all rose as the monarch moved through the room.
Staden took his place at the table and looked out over the assembled crowd. "Nobles and ladies, honored guests," he began. "There can be no celebration grand enough to welcome home my daughter, Berwyn, in safety," he announced, and paused as a cheer went up from the crowd. He raised a hand for silence. "For her safe return, we thank the Goddess, and these, our guests," he said, gesturing toward Tris and the others, "who have brought her home at no small peril to themselves." He paused once more as applause rang out. "In thanksgiving for our good fortune, let the feast begin!" he said, throwing his arms wide with the same mischievous grin Tris saw so often on Berry's face.
Carina clapped politely, but her thoughts were elsewhere. Tris noticed that Vahanian seemed determined to break through the healer's distraction.
"I'm sorry," Carina murmured. "I'm just not in a festive mood," she demurred as Vahanian's attempt to engage her in banter fell flat. "I don't mean to spoil the evening for everyone else. You have every right to celebrate. It's just that… being back here…"
"I feel the same way about the Borderlands," Vahanian replied quietly, unusually serious. "I haven't been back there in ten years, since I buried my wife."
Carina looked back at him, surprised at the admission. He leaned toward her, dropping his voice further, and touched her hand. "The dead forgive us. I know that now. They want us to move on."
Carina was quiet for a moment, but she did not look away. "I want to believe that," she murmured. "I wish you could."
The silence hung between them for a moment, and then Vahanian lightened the mood by sliding his goblet in front of her. "Until then, the best way to join the party is with some strong wine," he said and motioned for the steward, who filled both their goblets.
"I should warn you that I'm never on my best behavior," Vahanian murmured to Berry, deliberately attempting to make Carina smile.
"I think that's why she sat me next to you," Carina replied, making an effort. "It would be impolite for her to douse you with her water if you get out of place. I, on the other hand…" she warned, and ominously fingered her goblet as her voice trailed off.
"I'm sure that wasn't it at all," Vahanian replied sportingly, with a conspiratorial glance at Berry. "She's noticed how smitten you've been with the tales Harrtuck's been telling about my adventures, and so-"
"Smitten?" Carina echoed, beginning to rise.
Vahanian caught her wrist and pulled her down into her seat. "With the stories," he added teas-ingly, grinning at her glare. "Smile. Everyone's watching."
"You're impossible."
"Now you're catching on."
Tris saw Kiara suppress a smile at the banter. "Want to take bets on a fight?" she whispered.
Tris chuckled. "Could be a close call."
"In a perverse way, I think he's good for her," Kiara replied as she tasted her soup. "I've never seen her notice someone enough to get angry before."
"Then maybe a fight would be a good thing," Tris conceded with a smile. "Although I don't know how we'll explain it to the court."
Course upon lavish course was laid in front of them, each preceded by a different entertainment. Principality, legendary for its rich gold mines, might not make extravagance a daily occasion, Tris thought, but its king certainly knew how to make an exception. Berry clapped in excitement at the veiled Trevath dancers, whose shimmering silks and belled wrists and ankles made an astonishing and exotic display. Singers and musicians, magicians and jesters followed, each attempting to outdo those who had come before. Tris guessed that it was only with difficulty that Carroway restrained himself from joining them.
Tris was surprised to find himself at ease for the first time since their flight from Margolan. He resolutely refused to think about the more solemn preparations that would begin in the morning, and focused instead on this opportunity to engage Kiara in conversation. She, too, seemed willing to steer clear of serious topics, and so they fell into a comfortable banter, comparing their experiences growing up at court, the intrigues and observations that only came with the overprotected, yet overexposed, life within a palace.
When the last course was served, Staden rose, holding up his hands for silence. With great ceremony, he left the table to cross to his throne, escorting Berry to stand at his side. "Before we lose ourselves completely in revelry," he boomed, "I must acknowledge my debt to our guests, and reward them for their service in restoring Berwyn to her home. Although there is no reward truly equal to the life of a princess, for their bravery, I beg them to accept this token, and to divide it among themselves as they see fit," he said, as four guards entered, pulling a heavy, wheeled cart draped with the banner of Principality. When they reached the front of the greatroom, they stopped and at Staden's wave, removed the banner with a flourish.
Tris gasped, and he heard his companions murmur their own astonishment. Loaded on the cart was a large chest, opened to reveal a literal king's ransom in gold and jewels. There was enough to set a man up as a noble, Tris thought, or buy the aid of troops to fight a war. Nor was Staden's generosity lost on his guests, for pandemonium broke out at the abundance, until Staden bellowed for silence.
"Thank you," he said simply, facing Tris and the others. "Principality is in your debt." His gaze stopped on Vahanian. "One more boon has yet to be granted tonight," he said with a smile. "Berwyn has told me of the particular valor one of your company displayed in her rescue, and for that bravery, I call Jonmarc Vahanian."
Out of the corner of his eye, Tris saw Carina elbow Vahanian to move from his seat, as the low buzz in the room made clear that even here, the mercenary's name might not be completely unknown. Vahanian squared his shoulders and sauntered toward the king, his manner making it clear to any who might have doubted that, even without his weapons, he was a swordsman and a man of war.
"My daughter informs me that you are liegeman to no king. Is that true?" Staden asked.
"It's true," Vahanian replied levelly.
"Today, in gratitude for your bravery on behalf of my daughter, I name you Lord of Dark Haven, master of its lands and manor. In return," Staden added cagily, with the look of a man who knows his cards well, "I do not ask your fealty," he said, and a gasp went up from the assemblage. He raised a hand for silence. "In return," he continued, "I ask only that you consent to be Lord Protector of my daughter, Berwyn of Principality, should ever she require your sword in defense of her life. How say you, Jonmarc Vahanian?"
Tris saw Vahanian look at Berry for a long moment in silence, meeting her eyes as if searching her soul. Then, when it seemed that the tension in the room could last no longer, the mercenary nodded.
"I will.
But for her defense alone," he said to Staden. "Not lands or kingdom or wealth."
"Leave it to Jonmarc to bargain with the King," Kiara murmured to Tris, who chuckled. "Does it surprise you?"
"I guess not. No matter what Carina says, I rather like him." "Good," Tris chuckled. "So do I." The consternation that Vahanian's bargain caused did not appear to concern Staden. Or perhaps, Tris thought, Berry had warned her father well. "Agreed," the king pronounced. "Now receive my blessing, kneeling not to me, but to Berwyn."
Vahanian paused again, and for an instant, Tris thought that the proud mercenary might balk. Then, stiffly, he lowered himself to one knee, and bowed his head. Staden took Vahanian's right hand between his own and Berry laid a satin mantle over their clasped hands.
"In the names of the Goddess and by all the power of her faces, I name you Lord Vahanian, master of Dark Haven and champion of the Princess Berwyn," Staden pronounced, and the room broke into loud applause.
"Rise, Lord Vahanian," Staden boomed with a smile. "May the hand of the Dark Lady protect you. Go now, with the blessing of our realm and the gratitude of our royal person. All greet Lord Vahanian, Master of Dark Haven!" Staden pronounced as Vahanian rose to his feet and the guests broke into cheers and applause.
Vahanian returned to his seat amid a press of well-wishers and dropped into his chair with a satisfied smile. He turned to Carina. "Go ahead. Say it."
"Say what?"
"I don't know," he jibed. "But you've always got something to say."
Carina gave a knowing smile. "Just expect to see more of Gabriel," she replied sweetly.
Vahanian frowned, looking cautiously at her. "Why Gabriel?"
"You'll have to ask Royster. He was telling us some legends from that region and they were fascinating."
"Oh really?" Vahanian replied skeptically. "I'll have to check on that."
"Do that," she said with a wicked grin.
"You always get to have the last word, don't you?"
"Not me," the healer chuckled, becoming intensely interested in her wine. "Never."
"You're doing it again."
Carina looked away innocently. "Doing what?"
"Don't you need to go pray or something?"
Kiara leaned over to Tris. "How long do you think they can keep this up?" she asked in a conspiratorial whisper.
He shrugged. "Probably all night. Care to wager on it?"
She chuckled. "Sure. Just take a little of my share of that pile," she said, nodding in the direction of their treasure.
The revelry continued well into the night, its formality gone completely once Staden took his leave, guiding Berry unwillingly from the room when the tower clock struck midnight. Carroway slipped from his seat to join the minstrels, and was gaining the respect of his fellow bards with an adroit show of juggling. Harrtuck and Soterius drifted over to the guards' table in the far corner of the room, and from the occasional guffaw, Tris knew that Harrtuck was well into his ale and deep into his stories. To Tris's amusement, Royster found himself the eccentric darling of the ladies, and passed the evening at the center of a circle of noble women, who vied for the chance to sit at his feet and listen to his tales of passion and valor. Jae, who had stuffed himself on the dainty morsels Berry had offered him, waddled over to Royster near the fire and edged himself as close as possible to the warm hearth, then snored contentedly, his back gently stroked by one of the more adventurous court ladies.
The musicians struck up lively dance tunes, and to Tris's surprise, Kiara pulled him onto the dance floor, urging him to join her in the spirited reels and circle dances that now crowded the open spaces. He had never considered himself more than an adequate dancer, though the duties of court had required him to learn the basic steps. Kiara, on the other hand, was an excellent dancer and he found himself caught up in her enthusiasm.
He exchanged a glance with Kiara when Vahanian pulled Carina to the dance floor for the circle dance that was forming.
"Really, you can ask Kiara," Carina protested. "I don't dance."
"Neither do I," Vahanian replied. "At least, not sober. But this isn't really dancing."
"It's not?"
"Uh uh. It's just like walking on a ship, only on dry land. And after a little ale. Like this," he said, pulling her into the circle and slipping an arm around her waist while Kiara, grinning broadly, slipped an arm around her shoulder. The music began, slowly at first, then gained speed as the circle wove and wound through the repeating steps. The formation split apart, and pairs of dancers whirled through the steps two at a time, keeping their feet only by holding on to one another.
Tris found that his own excitement had little to do with the pulse of the music. Kiara appeared to enjoy his company as much as he relished hers. And while he held no illusions about the future of his quest, for the moment, she seemed as content as he to enjoy this night. The music swirled around them, carrying the dancers faster and faster. Even Carina seemed swept up with the spirited tune, and once she let the music take her, she danced well, much to Vahanian's delight. The swordsman's natural agility served him as well on the dance floor as in the salle, and whether he knew the complicated pattern of steps before, he picked them up quickly, circling the floor with Carina as the music built to its crescendo.
Tris found himself out of breath as he caught Kiara in the final step of the dance, face to face, one arm locked around each other's waist, the other clasping hands in the air. Their eyes met, and she leaned into him, bringing her only a breath away from his lips.
"Do it again, faster!" a girlish voice cried delightedly, and Tris reluctantly looked away to find Berry clapping enthusiastically. The princess wore a plain spun shift and soft slippers which she had no doubt borrowed from her servant, escaping her father to rejoin the festivities.
"I'm out of breath," Kiara murmured, slipping from his grasp.
"So am I," Tris admitted. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Carina beg off the next dance also, to drop tiredly into her seat. Berry intervened, grasping Vahanian's hand and tugging the mercenary back to the dance as the musicians struck up another lively tune. "I could use a breath of air," Tris said.
"Agreed," Kiara said, and followed as he slipped out the rear doorway into the long, torch-lit corridor.
They walked side by side in silence for a while, enjoying the relative coolness of the hallway after the packed greatroom. They wandered for more than a candlemark, enjoying an opportunity to live only in the moment. At the end of the west wing, they found a small temple to the Goddess.
"Isn't this beautiful?" Kiara murmured as they looked around. Dawn streamed through two huge panes of stained glass at the front of the small, octagonal room. Four red candles burned on an altar, one for each of the light aspects of
the goddess. Above them stood an exquisite marble statue with four faces representing mother, child, lover and warrior. The statue overlooked a reflecting pool, where the four dark aspects returned her gaze.
The colors of the stained glass repeated the theme. Red, the fire of the warrior avenger, together with the amber of the Mother, deep blue of the lover and the rich green of the Childe filtered the light in a shifting spectrum across the small nave. To the right of the altar on a pedestal was a basin for an oracle's scrying pool, and to the left, on a stand of gold, a perfect crystal orb.
"Despite Staden's welcome, I don't know if I'll ever feel safe again," Kiara murmured.
"That would be a shame," Tris said. "I'd like to change that."
"You might be able to."
Tris's heart was thudding so loudly that he imagined Kiara must hear it as he bent to meet her lips. For an instant she hesitated, then leaned into him, slipping her strong arms around his neck as he pulled her closer against him. A moment later, breathless, he drew back and looked at her in wonder. "You aren't afraid I'll turn you into a newt?" he joked gently. "I'm a wizard, you know."
She chuckled. "Jae would enjoy the company. You're not afraid I'll challenge you to a duel? I'm
a 'swordlady,' you know."
It was Tris's turn to chuckle. "I rather like that, swordlady," he said affectionately. "Some party, huh?" he asked, tangling his fingers in her hair. She smiled. "It's been so long since I've had a good time, I was beginning to think I'd forgotten how."
"I won't let you forget."
"Is that a promise?" she asked, reaching up to touch his cheek.
"Promise," he said, folding her close. They stood in silence for a while, his cheek against her head, her face against his chest, as the dawn grew brighter through the window. Tris lifted his eyes to the light as it streamed through the faces of the Lady, and froze. Brilliant in the dawn, the face of Chenne began to flush as if alive, and the amber eyes met his with a clarity that seemed to see through his soul.
Do not doubt, he heard a voice say. I ride with you. And abruptly, the apparition disappeared.
"Tris, what's wrong?" Kiara asked, leaning back from him with concern.
Tris attempted to speak and found his throat too dry to yield more than a croak. He swallowed hard, staring at the window which was now once more mere glass, and managed a reply. "I think I need some sleep," he said lamely, embarrassed. "I'm starting to see things."
"What kind of things?" Kiara asked suspiciously. When he said nothing, her frown grew deeper. "You felt Her, didn't you, just now?"
Mutely, Tris nodded, looking still at the lifeless window. "I thought I saw Chenne," he whispered, the words sounding fantastic even to him. "But there's nothing there now."
"You did," Kiara said with conviction, resting against him and giving him a reassuring embrace.
"I didn't hear anything, but I felt… something. I know that feeling," she said self-consciously. "It was the same thing I've felt before, when She was near." She paused. "What did She say?"
"Not to doubt," Tris repeated wonderingly. "That She would ride with me."
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