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 curios
ity 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.
Chuckling to himself he nodded to Aiva, the pride visible in his eyes at the mention of his child. “She did,” he practically glowed. “I have been blessed with a healthy son. Soren Diah.”
“You will have to let me hold him,” Aiva smiled. She glanced toward the house where Feolan had come from, unsure of whether or not she should invite herself inside. The door remained open. A woman stood just over the threshold, her long black hair hanging in waves down her shoulders. She was a mirror image of Feolan’s wife, the same emerald glow emitting from her eyes, slender in figure, the pale complexion of her skin giving her an appearance more like a doll than a real woman. “Jaslyn,” Aiva smiled, moving toward her cousin, arms open wide to her in greeting. “You look absolutely lovely. We have missed you at court.”
“I have been helping my mother tend to the baby,” she replied warmly, accepting Aiva’s embrace, her own arms returning the gesture with less pressure, delicate and feminine. The touch reminded Aiva of the wounds upon her back, a pained grimace contorting her fe
atures with a sharp intake of breath, drawing Jaslyn’s attention to her discomfort. “Aiva, what is it? Are you alright?”
Footsteps sounded from behind them, Feolan’s voice ringing loudly through the street at the sight of Aiva’s shirt. The damage to the garment hadn’t been visible from inside the carriage. Now she was left with no means of concealing it. “Your Majesty, what has happened to your daughter?”
“We will discuss it once we have the Captain inside and off his feet,” Thade answered flatly, helping Callum through the door as Jaslyn took Aiva’s hand to pull her inside and out of the way.
The house was well furnished, an elegant settee positioned at the center of the main room. Various plants and paintings decorated the walls, shelves adorned with artifacts collected over the years during Feolan’s travels and time in the field when he served in the military before his promotion to Consul. Callum was assisted to the settee, a stool brought in to provide a suitable place for him to prop his injured ankle, keeping it elevated. Seeing him settled, Feolan wandered from the room, returning a few minutes later with what looked to be an old and battered crutch in his hands. Aiva stared at it, curious. It looked to have been handcrafted, carved with incredible attention to detail over each curve. All expression left Thade’s face at the sight of it, chin lifted, jaw clenched.
“For some reason I have held onto this since we cleared my old house. It might do more good for the Captain in his current condition than it does sitting around in my closet,” Feolan mused, examining the structure of the crutch, checking it for any sign of deterioration which might hinder its function. Aside from a few areas where the wood appeared splintered, it looked to be in adequate shape.
Thade continued to stare at it, visibly uncomfortable. “I did not realize it was even still around. I have not seen it since…”
“Yes, it has been a long time,” Feolan nodded, cutting Thade off from finishing his sentence. Aiva glanced between the two men, confused by their strange behavior. Interest piqued by the oddity of the men, she moved to Feolan’s side, her fingers brushing the surface of the crutch. At her approach Feolan released it into her hands, motioning her toward Callum, the smile on his face filled with unease. “It will be enough to allow him to walk on his own when you return to Sivaeria. Just be careful with it. That thing has seen much in its days. It is almost a relic itself from the history of our people.”
The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Two: Beyond the Veil Page 90