The Andarian Affair

by Jones, Loren K.

  As the men lifted him to leave the room he said, “Let me try my legs,” and the Healer nodded his approval. Stavin felt his knees wobble as he finally put his weight on his feet again. He concentrated and got his legs to straighten up, but he nearly fell when he tried to take a step. Fortunately, the two men were right by his side and caught him.

  “Back to the bed, men,” Healer Kel’Sarin commanded and the men carried him with his toes off the floor again. Once he was in the bed again, the Healer sat by his feet. “Can you wiggle your toes, Friend Stavin?”

  Stavin looked at his feet and concentrated on wiggling his toes. He was fine on his right foot, but the big toe on his left foot refused to move. Healer Kel’Sarin frowned and reached out, pinching the pad of the toe. “Did you feel that?”

  “No.”

  “Close your eyes, Friend Stavin,” the Healer commanded and Stavin automatically did what he was told. “Do you feel this?”

  “You touched my toe again.”

  “What about this?”

  “Same.”

  “And now?”

  “Ow!” Stavin cried as his leg automatically flinched back from the pain.

  “Open your eyes, Friend Stavin.” When Stavin was looking at him he held up a sharply pointed metal object. “I just poked you three times with this, Friend Stavin. All the feeling in your toe may still return, but I can’t hold out much hope. You are still a very lucky young man. The loss of that toe won’t impair you much.”

  Stavin bit his lower lip as he nodded. “It’ll throw off my balance for a little while. My cousin lost three toes and can still fight.”

  The Healer stood and bowed. “You are correct, Friend Stavin. I have to inform His Majesty of your progress.”

  Stavin bowed his head as deeply as he could as the Healer turned away. Two of the women came to the bed and pulled the blankets up, but he managed to raise his hand to keep them from covering him all the way. One of the men was also there and he held a ceramic cup in his hands.

  “This is warm bison broth, Friend Stavin. We have to begin feeding you slowly,” the man explained as he moved closer to Stavin’s bed. When Stavin nodded, he moved closer and one of the women held Stavin’s head up so he could sip the broth. It was barely warm, but after five small sips Stavin shook his head.

  “No more.”

  “That was quite a bit for someone in your condition, Friend Stavin. You’re probably going to sleep now. There will be someone with you at all times, so if you need anything just ask.”

  Stavin nodded and laid back, closing his eyes as a wave of fatigue washed over him. At his side and around the room he could hear the sound of the servants as they finished what they had been doing and walked away, their shoes clacking on the slate tiles of the entryway.

  Chapter 13

  STAVIN AWOKE SOME TIME LATER AND turned his head. As soon as he moved, a figure moved closer. A woman’s voice asked, “Awake again, Friend Stavin?”

  “Yes.”

  The woman moved closer, into his field of view and smiled. “Can I do anything for you?”

  “May I have some water?” he asked cautiously.

  “Of course.” She moved away for a moment, then returned with a small glass of water. She held Stavin’s head up and held the glass to his lips. She seemed surprised when he managed to finish the whole thing. “That was very good, Friend Stavin.”

  “Thank you. You look familiar. What is your name?” he asked.

  The woman smiled and bowed. “I am Valerin Fel’Estan, Friend Stavin. I am Her Highness’s second maid. We encountered one another when you brought those girls to the princess, but we haven’t spoken before. She was very insistent that only mage-bound servants be allowed near you.”

  “I don’t understand,” Stavin said in an almost normal tone. He felt much stronger than he had.

  The maid thought for a moment. “Are you familiar with the spells that were placed on the men who attacked His Majesty that caused them to die when they were caught?” When Stavin nodded, she continued. “Servants of the Royal Household are similarly spelled. If one of us should try to intentionally injure someone in our care, we would die first. It would take a very powerful mage to circumvent that protection, but each of us was checked by Adept Markal before we were allowed near you. You are as safe as the king himself.”

  Stavin considered that for a moment. Then something else caught his attention. His leg itched, and he automatically brought it up as he reached down to scratch. He was putting his leg back down when he caught a glimpse of Valerin’s face. “Did I do something wrong?” he asked as he eased back into position.

  “No. You did something remarkable. Healer Kel’Sarin said you probably wouldn’t be able to move much until tomorrow or day after.” She smiled as he considered what she’d just said.

  Stavin shrugged and smiled. “I had an itch, and I didn’t think about moving, I just moved.”

  The maid was nodding as she sat in a chair beside his bed. “That is very good, from what I’ve heard.”

  Stavin used his arms to push himself up in the bed a little, shaking his head when Valerin moved to help him. “What has been happening since I got--since I was poisoned?”

  Valerin thought for moment, then said, “The tailor and both of his apprentices were killed, and there was no way to determine which of them put the poisoned pin in your clothing. I haven’t heard anything about them finding who was responsible for you or them. The supposition, and I’ve heard Her Highness say this, is that it was the same people who are after the royal family.”

  Stavin nodded. “The king said the same thing. I just hoped they had found something more. Can I get up?”

  She shook her head and smiled. “No, Friend Stavin. Healer Kel’Sarin didn’t think you’d be able to move very much. Is there something you need?”

  Stavin sigh and shook his head. “No, I just hate lying around.”

  She smiled and shook her head in return. “You’d fall by yourself, and I can’t handle you on my own.”

  Stavin felt his ribs though his shirt and chuckled. “I wouldn’t bet on that. I must have lost four or five imperial fists again.”

  “I thought I heard voices,” the king said as he came into the room. The maid immediately stood and then went to both knees, bowing her head deeply as she clasped her hands in front of her. “How do you feel, Stavin?” the king asked as he walked to the side of the bed.

  “Much better, thank you, Your Majesty,” Stavin answered, fighting to control his desire to climb out of bed and kneel to the king.

  The king nodded and sat on the edge of the bed. “I’m told that you lost the feeling in one toe. That is a remarkably lucky thing, given how hard they were trying to kill you.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty,” Stavin replied as he looked into the king’s eyes.

  “I had Master Randav’s shop searched, but no other traces of the poison were found. The rest of your clothes were, and my tailor will be finishing them for you in the next few days.” The king smiled at Stavin as he continued. “He promises me that he won’t stick any pins into you.”

  Stavin grinned back at the king as he replied, “That will be a welcome change, Your Majesty.” Then something occurred to Stavin. He looked at Valerin and said, “You said both apprentices were killed?”

  The king said, “That’s correct.”

  “There were three. Master Randav had three apprentices when I was there. Geoff was about thirteen, and there were two boys who looked like they were seven or eight.” Stavin looked at the king and saw an expression of rage on the great man’s face that he hoped was never directed at him.

  “I’ll get that tidbit of information to my Minister of Justice, but after so long the other boy is probably long gone by now.” The king nodded thoughtfully, then changed the subject. “I heard about your demonstration against Sergeant Zel’Karyn. Do you think your father-in-law and the rest of his men would consent to teaching the Royal Guards?”

  Stavin said, “Yes
, Your Majesty,” as he bowed his head deeply. “Our expedition wasn’t really meant to bring in much gold. We were supposed to come down and see to my Trading House, then bring back the valley’s supplies on our way home.” He smiled as the king tilted his head to the side as he looked at him. “By using House Kel’Aniston to purchase and ship the goods, we saved half of the cost of our spring supplies from Kahrant’s Pass. The council was so angry that they decided to buy from Aravad for a while to emphasize their point.” He smiled wryly. “The fall shipment usually costs the valley over a hundred crowns, Your Majesty. If they’ve been charging us double, like the spring shipment, then we’ll save much more than we would have otherwise earned.”

  “They will be paid, Stavin. But I do have one question.”

  “Of course, Your Majesty.”

  “Why don’t you just arrange it from here?” The king waved his hand in a sweeping gesture. “Your House can send the shipments directly from Valovad, or you can send them from farther north if you choose.”

  Stavin sat stunned silent for a moment before he looked the king straight in the eye and said, “I never thought of that, Your Majesty. I’d have to get the Elders’ Council to approve it, but I’m sure they would. We just never had the resources before.”

  The king nodded as a smiled played across his lips. “Your father-in-law and I will be having some discussions while he’s here, Stavin. I may be doing your people a disservice, but I think there are several things about your House and you that they haven’t considered.”

  Stavin looked at the king with his head cocked to the side and said, “Your Majesty?”

  “Think about this, Stavin: You are not just a Master Trader. You own House Kel’Aniston. That means that any profit from shipping the supplies will go to you. Or, you can save your people’s gold by not charging for the shipping. You can hire other Traders who have their Master’s credentials but are not affiliated with any house to bring the shipments without you having to leave the valley at all. It’s my understanding that the old Skykon Trade Town is where your people usually hire on to caravans in the spring. Your spring supplies could very easily meet you there.”

  Stavin was considering the king’s idea carefully. “I agreed to ship the valley’s supplies to fulfill my family’s contribution to the community, Your Majesty. And if the Council agrees to this, they could have guards winter wherever we’re buying from and save us that expense as well.” Stavin smiled broadly at the king. “I could even have lumber shipped to Kel’Kavin to build a bigger house when I need it.”

  “Indeed you could,” the king agreed.

  Stavin took a deep breath. “Thank you, Your Majesty. I’ll have to discuss it with Charvil when he comes back, but if he likes it then the Council probably will as well.”

  The king smiled and slapped the bed as he stood. “There. Now you have something to think about that’ll keep you out of trouble for a while. If you want writing materials, send a servant to the Royal Scribes.” He chuckled a little before saying, “I warned them that you’d probably be asking for something.”

  Stavin again bowed his head as deeply as he could. “Thank you, Your Majesty. Thank you very much.”

  The king left, and Valerin stood. “Shall I send for a lap-desk, Friend Stavin?”

  Stavin shook his head and snuggled down in the bed a little. “No, not right now. I feel like I’ve been hauling water for half a day, and all I did was talk.”

  Valerin smiled. “You are still recovering, Friend Stavin. Why don’t you try to get some more sleep?”

  Stavin tried to answer, but was interrupted by a wide yawn. He felt sleep wrapping him in her warm embrace, carrying him away to the realm of dreams, and he didn’t resist.

  Valerin smiled and pulled the blankets up to Stavin’s chin, then returned to her chair. It would be mid day before her replacement arrived.

  * * *

  It took three days before Stavin was able to walk across the chamber to the necessary. During that time he had used up two full ink pots and several dozen sheets of parchment. Detailed maps of northern Evandia had been brought to his bedside, and he copied parts of several of them for attachment to the letters he was writing.

  Princess Marina visited often, and on one occasion she looked at what he was writing. “Stavin, what is--What are you writing?” She moved around to get a better look. “I can read glyphs as well as most,” she said as she shook her head, “but I can’t read that.”

  Stavin smiled apologetically and shrugged in embarrassment. “It’s older than the glyphs of Luxand, Marina.” He explained about the book that was found in Coravia. “Only Shari and Master Kel’Zorgan can read these glyphs.” He grinned broadly as the princess’ intensely curious look. “It proves that these ideas are mine and not someone else’s. I’ve really got to come up with a signet of some kind.”

  The princess laughed merrily. “Stavin, you were nearly dead four days ago, and now you’re worrying about a signet? You’re also driving the Royal Scribes mad with curiosity. Father explained what he suggested to you. Is that what you’re working on?”

  “Yes, it is. I have other letters in Common Script to Corrine Fel’Carvin about what I want to do. The town of Zel’Mortlan is closest to the Farindian border,” he said as he picked up the map closest to his leg, “so I’m arranging for her to have a house and warehouse built there. Two Masters from the Gold Merchants were kind enough to bring their ledger here so I could properly establish an account for the Kel’Aniston Trading House and add Corinne’s name to it. Did you know that the three Trading Houses your father gave me had over eleven hundred gold crowns between them? And that’s what was left after the Guild took their bonds. I have no idea what the physical assets were. I transferred that to the Kel’Aniston account and officially closed those accounts.” He grimaced in embarrassment. “I think I owe Corrine an apology and probably a good supply of gold. She hasn’t had access to the accounts.”

  “She didn’t need it, Stavin,” the princess replied. “We, meaning father and I, had her inventory the houses and goods during the winter. You’ll have to decide what to do with them, but she’s had five hundred and seventy gold crowns available to take care of your expenses.”

  Stavin considered that for a moment, then shrugged. “That’s good to know.”

  The princess looked at him intently, then shook her head as she smiled. “Stavin, if I had said that to anyone else from your valley, what do you think their reaction would have been?”

  Stavin thought for a moment, then smiled back and shook his head in wonder. “I’ve changed so much. That would buy all of the valley’s supplies for five years, and leave some left over. Is that what it’s like for Chosen clans? To have so much gold that you don’t really think about it?”

  “No, Stavin,” the princess replied with a fond smile as she ran her fingers through the hair across his forehead. “Most Chosen clans can’t claim as much gold as you do. The clans that do have that much gold spend all their time worrying about it. Their fortunes define who they are. You, on the other hand, don’t even seem to care. It’s a very strange attitude.”

  Stavin thought for a moment, then almost whispered, “The Warrior is defined by what he does, not what he has.” He looked up at the princess and smiled. “The Code of the Warrior. The star on my shoulder means more to me and my people than all the gold I’ve collected. The gold is nice to have. It’s a tool that lets me do things, but it could all disappear tomorrow and I wouldn’t miss it as much as I miss the feeling in my toe.” He wiggled his toes under the blanket. “I can walk across the room normally now, but I think it’s going to take a while before I can move like I’m fighting without thinking about it.”

  The princess sighed, “Oh, Stavin. If only--” She gave Stavin a wistful smile.

  “Marina?”

  “Don’t worry about it, Stavin.” She leaned forward and kissed his cheek as she whispered, “Father never would have approved.” Without another word she rose and left the r
oom without looking back while Stavin stared at her retreating figure.

  Oh, Gods Above, that didn’t just happen. She couldn’t have meant—Gods Above and Below.

  The next day, Stavin was allowed to return to his room in the Guards Barracks. He began exercising, driving himself far harder than Healer Kel’Sarin or Dahvin thought was wise, but he had to distract himself from the feverish imaginings that were chasing his mind in circles.

  “Stavin, you’re going to hurt yourself,” Dahvin said as he watched Stavin exercise in their room.

  “I know my limits, Dahvin, but lying in bed for so long left me weak as a kitten. Right now I couldn’t defend myself if I had to, much less the king or Marina.”

  “Stavin, what’s bothering you? You know the full regiment is here to defend the royal family.”

  Stavin had been doing arm presses and let his body collapse on the floor. “It’s Marina.”

  “What’s Marina?”

  Stavin folded his arms and put his head down as he told Dahvin what had happened. When he was done the only sound he heard was a strange gurgling. He looked up in alarm, but Dahvin was covering his mouth with both hands as his stomach heaved with laughter. “You’re no help.”

  “Stavin,” Dahvin managed to say as he gasped for breath, “Stavin, you are amazing. Gods Above, after she squished your face between her boobs last year you should have known how she felt about you. That wasn’t an accident.” Dahvin was wiping his eyes as he recovered his composure. “Get up and have a seat, Stavin. I think there are some things about my cousin Mary that you need to know.”

  Stavin got up and sat on his bed, facing Dahvin. “Just don’t tell me any deep dark secrets about the Royal Family, all right?”