Kingdom of Sea and Stone

by Mara Rutherford

  He steered us through the busy streets, past a dress shop with beautiful silk and lace confections in the window. Zadie stared longingly at them as we passed. When we entered a different store, I watched with amusement as she took in her surroundings, her face falling.

  “What are we doing at a men’s tailor’s shop?”

  “We can’t ride in gowns,” I explained. “We need trousers, boots, and cloaks.”

  Talin nodded and turned to the shopkeeper, who took in Zadie’s and my salt-stained clothing and arched a skeptical brow.

  “Here.” Talin set a sack of coins onto the counter with a loud clink. “You heard the lady.”

  The man nodded and immediately sprang forward with his tape measure.

  “This is all well and good,” Zadie whispered to me as the man inched toward her inseam. “But what about our undergarm—I beg your pardon!” she squeaked.

  “Apologies, madam,” the man said, hopping backward. “I believe I have everything I need. The ladies are the same size, are they not?”

  I nodded.

  “Very well. When will you need these by?” The man began to scribble notes on a piece of parchment.

  “Within the hour,” Talin replied.

  The tailor’s eyes goggled. “I’m afraid that’s impossible, sir.”

  “Then find whatever you have ready-made that’s as close as possible to their size. Perhaps something for a young lad. We are in the greatest of hurries, I’m afraid. I’ll pay double for your best quality. We’ll be back soon.”

  With that, Talin strode out, looking every bit the prince he was, as Zadie and I hurried to keep up.

  We visited several other stores, purchasing the essentials for a week-long journey, as that was the most we could carry. It took everything I had not to stare slack-jawed at the sights around us. Riaga reminded me of the port market, only it was far, far larger. The streets were wide enough to accommodate two passing carriages, and people in all manner of dress crisscrossed the streets, hardly seeming to notice the horses rushing past them. Zadie gripped my arm as if she was afraid of getting swept up in the current. I didn’t blame her.

  As promised, within an hour, we were back in the tailor’s shop. The man was wiping his bright red face with a handkerchief as a shop boy darted frantically around the cramped space, pulling various items off shelves.

  “I believe these will fit,” the tailor said with a bow. “Would the ladies like to try them?”

  Talin shook his head. “We don’t have time, unfortunately. We will take your word for it, sir.”

  The man looked relieved. “Very well. Shall I wrap them up?”

  “No time for that, either.” Talin pulled another sack of coins out of his tunic, dropped it on the counter, and asked the boys to gather up the garments. Zadie and I each took a pair of boots in our hands and followed Talin outside, where Grig and Osius waited with the horses and other supplies.

  “We need to get out of the city as fast as possible,” Osius said when we joined them. “I saw several of Ceren’s guards patrolling the streets. They must be waiting for the ship to come back.”

  I grabbed Talin’s arm. “Wait. We should see the kite seller before we go.”

  “There’s no time—”

  I leveled him with my sternest glare. “If you think I’m not going to take every opportunity to search for Sami now that I’m on land, you clearly don’t know me at all.”

  Talin’s eyes darted to Osius, who looked like a fish caught in a net.

  “Very well,” Talin sighed. “Grig, see if you can find out where this kite seller lives.”

  Within a few minutes, Grig had learned of the kite seller’s address from the tailor, who seemed happy to oblige after being paid so handsomely. We made our way to the outskirts of the city, where we stopped in front of a small house set back from the street. There were kites dangling from the eaves on fishing line.

  “Nor, Zadie, do you want to go in?” Talin asked. “We’ll stay outside and keep watch. Please, be quick.”

  We nodded and handed our bundles of clothing to Grig and Osius, then made our way up the stone walkway to the front door. As sure as I’d been that the rose and song were a sign, my stomach was twisting itself in knots. If I was wrong, if Sami hadn’t made it...

  Zadie took my hand and looked at me, and I could see in her eyes she was struggling with her own fear and doubt. I squeezed her hand and knocked on the door.

  A moment later, it opened as if on its own. It wasn’t until I glanced down that I realized a small girl had opened it.

  “Who are you?” she asked, glancing between Zadie and me.

  I leaned down to look her in the eye. “I’m a friend of your father’s. Is he home?”

  She turned and moved into the house without a word, then returned a moment later with a man who looked to be my father’s age. “Who are you?” he asked, in the same mildly curious tone as the child.

  I blushed, realizing my mistake. “I’m sorry. I believe I know your father,” I said to the man. “The kite seller?” I added hopefully.

  “I see.” The man shook his head and motioned for us to follow him inside. “My father is full of surprises lately.”

  Zadie pressed closer to me, her nervous energy radiating through our linked hands. “What do you mean?” I asked.

  He shrugged and held the door wider. “You’re the second stranger to show up at our door this month.”

  7

  The kite seller sat at the head of a long rectangular table, his family members clustered behind our chairs. I could feel them pressing in closer, clearly curious about us. There were a dozen of them all told, including seven grandchildren, living in a house not that much larger than my family’s home. Yet, somehow, it didn’t feel crowded. It felt warm and safe, and I wondered what it would be like to have a place where you could be completely yourself.

  “I was wondering when you would come,” the kite seller said. His name was Rollo, and he was nearly eighty years old, though he looked as old as Varenia’s centenarians. “I know my message wasn’t entirely clear, but I had to protect our friend.”

  “So Sami is alive?” Zadie asked, her face lit up with hope in a way I hadn’t seen since I returned.

  “He was when I saw him last, but that was weeks ago.”

  “But he made it to land,” I said to Zadie. “That’s what we were most worried about.” I turned back to Rollo. “Did he say where he was going?”

  Rollo smiled. “I had hoped you might guess from the song.”

  Of course, I realized suddenly. A song about horses would have come from the place we talked about most as children. “He went to Galeth!”

  Rollo patted Zadie’s hand. “He was with a Galethian when I saw him last, yes. But I can’t say for certain that’s where he went.”

  “Then we’ll start by going to Galeth,” I said to Zadie. “And if he isn’t there, we’ll search the entire continent until we find him.”

  Zadie looked like she didn’t know whether to smile or cry. “But...Galeth? Isn’t that far away, in the north?”

  Rollo nodded. “It is. And you’ll need to be very cautious. It’s not safe for two young ladies alone on the road, even when the kingdom isn’t preparing for war.”

  “We’ll be careful, I promise. Thank you so much for your help.” I glanced at Zadie. “We should get on the road as soon as possible.”

  Rollo stood, and his family members parted to let us cross the room toward the door. “Oh, one more thing.” He went to rummage in a trunk for a moment and came back bearing a crimson cloth neatly rolled.

  I took it from his outstretched hands. “What is it?”

  “It’s a Galethian flag. Hold it up when you reach the border, and if you’re lucky, you won’t be killed on sight.”

  Zadie and I glanced at each other, our faces mirror images of
concern. We had little to go on when it came to Galeth, just the stories Sami had told us growing up, which included the fact that every man, woman, and child was a member of their cavalry. We may share common ancestry with the Galethians, but that didn’t mean they would allow me, a wanted criminal, across the border.

  “Thank you again,” I said as we crossed the threshold. “Not only for helping us, but also for helping Sami. I know it was a risk for you and your family.”

  The old man smiled. “Samiel has been a good friend to me. He gave me a Varenian pearl when my kites were destroyed in a fire. It saved my family, and I have never forgotten his generosity.”

  Suddenly, Zadie turned and embraced Rollo, who looked as startled as I was by the gesture. “Thank you,” she said. “Thank you for giving me hope.”

  “Of course, child.” He held her at arm’s length so he could look into her eyes. “Hope is like a kite. Hold on to it tight enough, and even the fiercest storm can’t claim it.”

  * * *

  We made our way out of the city, finally stopping once we’d reached the forest. Behind the cover of trees, Grig and Osius laid out all our supplies and made an inventory while Talin, Zadie, and I discussed what we’d learned at Rollo’s house.

  “Galeth,” Talin said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “I admit it’s not the first place I would have looked for more troops. The Galethians are notorious for refusing to take sides, and it will take days to get there and back. Days we may not have. But so be it.”

  “What are you saying?” I asked. “That you’ll come with us?”

  Talin blinked in confusion. “Don’t tell me you thought you’d go on your own.”

  “Of course I did. Zadie and I have to find Sami, but I know you need to join your mother as quickly as possible. I would never ask you to go north when your destination is the south.”

  Talin inhaled and slowly released his breath. “I don’t know whether to be proud of your resolve or offended that you think I wouldn’t help you.”

  I flashed a guilty smile. “Resolve” was Talin’s sweet way of saying “stubborn as a barnacle,” as Sami had once called me. We would be far safer with trained soldiers at our side, and gods knew I didn’t want to leave Talin. “But you said yourself you have no idea if the Galethians would help you. You can’t afford to waste precious time on a chance.”

  “There’s no guarantee that anyone will be willing to help us. But if I’m going to attempt to enlist more soldiers, I might as well start with the best cavalry in the world, even if they tend to keep to themselves.”

  I hugged him so fiercely he staggered backward, then wrapped his arms around me. “Thank you.” The kite seller had made it clear that Galeth wasn’t safe for outsiders, including Sami. If that was indeed where he’d gone, we had no time to lose. “Zadie and I would have gone on our own if we had to, but I would much rather travel with you alongside us.”

  He kissed the top of my head. “We should hurry. There’s only a few hours of daylight left, and I’d like to make use of it.”

  “What are we going to do about the Varenians?” Zadie asked me as we headed toward the horses. “I want to know that Sami is safe and well more than anything, but if our parents are also in imminent danger, perhaps we should be trying to help them first.”

  “I had the same thought,” I said. “But if Ceren wanted them dead, he could have killed them in Varenia, or simply cut off all access to fresh water. He took them, which means he has a plan for them.” He didn’t need them to dive for pearls anymore. Not when he had my blood to make him strong. But whatever he was planning, it didn’t seem to involve killing the Varenians. At least not yet.

  “Besides,” I continued. “We can’t help them on our own. We’re just going to have to convince the Galethians to help us.”

  We reached the supplies and gathered clothing to change into behind a stand of trees.

  Zadie held up a pair of leather leggings, her nose wrinkled in displeasure. “Are these necessary?”

  “Spend one hour in a saddle while wearing a skirt,” I said, gesturing to one of the horses, “and you’ll realize just how necessary they are.”

  She poked her toes gingerly into one pant leg. “It doesn’t seem proper.”

  “Forget about being proper, Zadie. We’re going to be riding all day, sleeping on the ground, and likely not bathing for a week.”

  She bit her lip, frowning. “Mother would be horrified.”

  I was about to remind her that Mother wasn’t here, but then I remembered where she likely was, and I held my tongue. “Here,” I said, handing her a pair of wool breeches. “These will be more comfortable.”

  Zadie still looked doubtful, but she managed to smile and took the breeches from me. “Thank you.”

  I pulled on the leather leggings myself. They were clearly meant for a boy—the fit was off in the thigh and waist—but they would do. I donned one of the shirts, far nicer than any of the clothing we had in Varenia, and a short velvet jacket. The boots were made of soft, supple leather. I tied my hair up in a braided bun, then helped Zadie with the rest of her clothing.

  “You look lovely,” I assured her. She glanced at me skeptically but didn’t argue.

  When we were finished, we tied up the rest of our new belongings in tidy bundles and returned to the men.

  Talin took in our new attire and smiled approvingly. “Ready?”

  I nodded. “Is this my horse?” I walked up to the only one I didn’t recognize, a long-legged mare with a shiny coat so dark brown it was nearly black. Talin had brought his gray stallion, Xander, who had faithfully carried me to Zadie just recently.

  “She is,” Talin said. “Her name is Titania.”

  Grig patted her on the rump. “A big name for a little horse.”

  She turned to eye him warily.

  “I like it.” I took the reins from Talin and stroked Titania’s velveteen nose. The only marking on her was a tiny swirl of white fur in the middle of her forehead, but it was hidden by her long forelock. “Where did she come from?”

  “The innkeeper said she was left by a traveler who never returned for her. He gave me a good price. She’s sound,” Grig added, seeing the concern on Talin’s face. “But I can’t speak to how easy she’ll be to ride.”

  “That sounds promising,” I said wryly.

  Grig held up his hands. “Apologies, my lady. We were in a hurry.”

  I gathered the reins and found a large rock to mount from. “I’m sure it will be fine.”

  “See?” Grig said to Talin.

  I flashed a sweet smile. “If not, I’ll trade with you.”

  Grig’s posture stiffened, but he nodded in agreement.

  When we were all mounted—Zadie sitting behind Osius with her eyes squeezed shut and her arms wrapped around him so tightly it was a wonder he could breathe—we headed north to the main road through Meradin.

  “Shouldn’t we stay hidden?” I asked Talin, riding up beside him.

  “I would love to, but we’ll make terrible time if we don’t use the road, and we need to hurry. For Sami’s sake, and my mother’s. Our best option is to ride as fast as we can for Galeth and pray we can outrun Ceren.”

  The little mare danced beneath me as we made our way through the trees, her gait light and buoyant. It was clear she was well trained; the slightest touch on the reins and she reacted, almost too much. If I so much as brushed her sides with my heels, she broke into a trot or canter. It was a good thing one of the men hadn’t tried to ride her. I doubted they had a light enough touch.

  Gently, I patted her neck, whispering words of reassurance in her gracefully curved ears, which flicked toward me in response. Eventually, I relaxed into my seat, and she seemed to get used to the feel of my weight on her back.

  Once we reached the road, we rode hard to put as much distance between the port and our party as
possible. I was afraid for our parents, for Sami, and for myself, but the exertion of riding gave me something else to think about. There were even brief moments where I forgot why we were fleeing and could concentrate on nothing but the feel of the wind in my hair, the tension in my muscles, and the road ahead.

  Despite the potential danger, I couldn’t help imagining what it would be like to finally see Galeth. I had dreamed of going there one day, ever since Sami told us the story of the Varenians who had been brave enough to escape and eventually create a society that revolved around horses. Now that I knew how to ride, the idea was even more fascinating.

  Which wasn’t to say that horses didn’t intimidate me; they were enormous and powerful creatures, and it often seemed that our control over them was a mere illusion—a small bar of metal between his teeth was not going to keep Talin’s stallion, Xander, from bucking me into the next kingdom if he chose. That was why the idea of a partnership between man and beast was so intriguing. Galethians were not considered masters of their horses but equals.

  An hour after sunset, we made camp among the trees. We had seen few people on the road, fortunately. It seemed everyone was hunkering down, preparing for war. We had covered more ground than expected, and the horses were still fresh, as the early autumn weather was ideal for riding.

  “You did well,” Osius said as he helped Zadie down from his horse’s back.

  She landed with a small groan. “Really? All I did was hold on.”

  He smiled, blue-gray eyes crinkling at the corners. I’d always liked Osius. He had been kind to me from the start, though somewhat removed, unlike Grig, who felt like a big brother in some ways. I had noticed a relationship blossoming between Grig and Ebb, my lady’s maid, before I left, but I doubted they’d seen each other since. The thought of Ebb, who had been my only friend in New Castle, sent a pang of worry through me. I hoped she was all right.

  “You held on well,” Osius amended. “Let me help you get settled.”