Daphne greeted her fellow passengers at the handrails, the wind pushing the vessel closer to the city, now only a thousand yards away.
‘Most of this is new to me,’ she said. ‘All those walls and towers, none of them were built last time I was here.’
‘Where is the port?’ Sami said. ‘All I can see is wall.’
‘Do you see the inlet, to the right of the old tower?’ she pointed. ‘A river comes out there, and the docks are built into that side of the town.’
Sami nodded. ‘Still not finished then?’
‘No,’ she said. On the eastern side of the small river, a vast new expansion of the city was being constructed. Huge sections of curtain wall stood isolated, surrounded by tents and cranes, and enmeshed with scaffolding.
The ship started to lean to the right, aiming for the inlet, which grew larger and wider by the minute. As they turned the corner, around the side of the old tower, they could see the harbour docks ahead of them. A dozen piers extended from the side of the wall, sheltered by a long breakwater. Where each pier met the wall, a large archway led into the city.
The harbour was busy with Rahain merchant vessels and much smaller local fishing boats berthed along the piers and wharves. As the ship passed the first piers, Jayki’s arm shot out, pointing to a further dockyard ahead.
‘Rakanese,’ he said.
Beyond the last commercial pier, there was another breakwater, and in its shelter lay a dozen new vessels, each in various stages of construction. Some were lifted out of the water, their hulls being worked on, while the majority were floating in the harbour, having their decks outfitted. All over them worked a multitude of figures. Daphne could see several Holdings folk there, but most were of the shorter Rakanese build.
‘What are they doing here?’ Shella said.
‘Back when I was defecting,’ Laodoc said, ‘the Holdings embassy in Rahain told me that the King was sending aid to your homeland, to alleviate the famine there.’
‘Yeah, I remember, you told me.’
‘Well, madam,’ he said, ‘perhaps the Holdings requested some of your expertise in shipbuilding in return.’
Shella frowned.
The ship reached the last of the commercial piers, which was lying empty of other vessels. Standing on the wooden dockside, a crowd was waiting.
‘There’s your welcome reception,’ Daphne said, nodding at Shella. ‘You ready, Prince Sami?’
Sami grinned, though terror shone from his eyes.
Daphne looked at the group of passengers. Her heart began to race, as the pier grew closer.
‘Laodoc,’ she said, ‘I’m not sure when I’ll be seeing you again. I know the King’s officials will be wanting to speak with you as soon as we arrive. Take care of yourself, and send me a message when you get settled.’
‘Miss,’ he bowed, ‘your company has been a pleasure as always.’
‘And you three,’ she looked at the Rakanese.
‘You’re not getting rid of me that easily,’ Shella said. ‘I’ll track down your father’s apartment, and I’ll find you.’
Daphne smiled. ‘I hope you do.’
The ship pulled up alongside the dock as the last of the sails were lowered. Ropes were cast from the deck, and dock workers secured the boat in position. The captain approached the passengers, beckoned, and they followed him to where a gangway was being prepared.
‘I hope you all had a pleasant voyage,’ the Rahain captain said.
‘It certainly wasn’t a cheap one,’ Shella said.
‘I was sick the whole way,’ Bedig said.
Laodoc raised an eyebrow. ‘I had a most enjoyable time. It felt like a holiday to me.’
Daphne looked down at the dockside as they waited to disembark. The wind had died down in the shelter of the harbour, and the air was warm. As the summer evening dimmed, more lamps were being lit throughout the city, sending a golden glow over the old town walls.
Among the crowd on the dockside Daphne could make out cavalry officers, priests, and many of aristocratic bearing. A handful of royal courtiers from the palace were also waiting, several holding lanterns in the evening light.
When the gangplank was made secure, the captain gestured to Daphne, and she walked forward, keeping her back straight and head high.
‘You come down after me,’ she said to Shella, ‘but wait for my signal.’
Shella nodded, and Daphne set her foot on the gangplank.
Solid ground, solid ground she whispered in her head as she descended. She knew her old mask was back on, radiating confidence and calm, but her heart was pounding. She reached the wooden boards of the pier, and strode towards the royal courtiers.
‘Welcome home, Miss Holdfast,’ said one.
‘Thank you.’
Home.
She turned, keeping all emotion from her face, and waved to Shella to start her descent.
As the Rakanese came down the gangplank, Daphne turned to face the crowd.
‘It’s my honour and privilege,’ she cried, ‘to present her Royal Highness Princess Shellakanawara, of the Realm of Akhanawarah and high mage of the Rakanese nation.’
There was polite applause as Shella made her way down. The royal courtiers bowed to her, and the entire crowd followed their example.
Shella glanced over at Daphne, suppressing a smile.
Someone stepped forward from the crowd. It was another Rakanese.
‘Greetings, Princess Shella,’ he said, a scowl showing what he thought of the royal appellation. ‘I am Ambassador Torrijananu, of the Embassy of Arakhanah here in Plateau City.’
‘Hi, Torri,’ Shella said.
‘A carriage awaits us,’ he frowned, ‘once your brother has disembarked.’
Daphne gestured to Sami.
‘I also present to you,’ she said, ‘Prince Samikanawara, of the Realm of Akhanawarah.’
Sami hobbled down the gangplank, supported by Jayki.
Daphne stood to the side as the royal courtiers surrounded the Rakanese. She turned to scan the crowd, and her eyes locked with her father’s.
She froze.
He nodded at her from the rear of the crowd, and she smiled.
‘See you soon, Daphne,’ Shella said. ‘We’re off to the embassy.’
Daphne and Shella embraced.
‘Take care of that baby,’ Shella said, and turned to join her brother as they were escorted away by the royal courtiers, the ambassador by their side. Most of the assembled nobles also turned and followed the royal party down the pier towards the city.
Daphne looked up to Laodoc and nodded.
She gave no introductions as the old Rahain descended, Bedig a pace behind him.
Several black-robed church agents stepped forward. When Laodoc reached the bottom, the agents talked to him in low whispers for a few moments, then turned and led him towards the city.
‘Daffie?’
Her father appeared before her, smiling, a tear rolling down his cheek.
She ran into his arms, and they embraced.
Daphne laughed.
‘I have a carriage,’ he said as they disengaged, ‘to take us to my new apartment.’
She motioned to Bedig.
‘This is a very good friend of mine, and is currently in my employment,’ she said to her father. ‘I was hoping he could stay.’
Her father looked up at Bedig, and frowned.
‘He’s a Kellach Brigdomin.’
‘That would seem obvious, father.’
‘By law,’ he said, ‘all Kellach Brigdomin have to be outside the city walls every evening by sunset. There is a great camp set up for them next to the river.’
‘Surely we can make an exception?’
Her father turned his head and nodded to one of the dozen cavalry officers remaining on the pier.
‘Captain,’ her father said, ‘may we have permission to allow this Kellach to stay with us in the city?’
‘It would be against the rules, my lord.’
The captain turned to her.
‘If it’s for Miss Daphne,’ he said, ‘then we’ll work something out. So long as he doesn’t leave the Holdfast apartments at night, I will instruct the night-guard not to harass him.’
‘Thank you, Captain,’ Daphne said. ‘May I ask, why are your officers still standing on the pier?’
‘For you, Miss Holdfast,’ he said. ‘The Household Cavalry have long known of what you did to save the queen that night, and we wanted to do something to show you we hadn’t forgotten.’
‘They’re giving us a full escort back to our apartments,’ her father said, beaming.
‘Thank you, Captain,’ Daphne said again, blinking.
The officer nodded. ‘The cavalry always remember their own, miss.’
Daphne, her father, and Bedig mounted the horse-drawn carriage on the other side of the archway and, flanked by a dozen of the realm’s finest cavalrymen and women, they made their way through the city.
The streets of the Old Town were narrow and crowded, and busy with life. Noise and light came from shops, taverns and warehouses throughout the harbour district, before giving way to the old council buildings near Holders Square, in the heart of the Old Town. From there their route took them through a huge arched gateway, and into the New Town. On the left, some streets had been completed. The new residential area for the rich was half-finished, and the foundations of the new university were nearing completion. Directly ahead, the palace complex towered over the city. It too was under construction. The remainder of the New Town, a vast area to the right of the road, was an open building site. Streets markers had been laid out, and cranes and scaffolding were everywhere. Around it all, the great outer walls enclosed the New Town in its entirety.
The carriage turned left off the main road, and entered the aristocratic district. Unlike in Holdings City, where each noble family occupied individual villas and mansions, in Plateau City the King had built neat rows of terraced stone townhouses, five or six storeys tall. Graceful iron lamps were lit along each street, and small gardens of flowers bloomed.
They came to a road which backed up against the sea wall, where the townhouses appeared to be bigger and grander than the others.
‘The best street in the city,’ her father said as they stopped.
‘Right next to the wall?’ Daphne asked, a servant helping her down from the carriage. ‘Do the rooms not get very dark in the evenings?’
‘You’ll see,’ her father said.
Bedig also dismounted, and they stood and waited as the cavalry troopers saluted, about-turned and trotted off back to the Old Town.
‘Be honest, father,’ she said, when the horses were out of sight, ‘did you plan all that?’
‘Of course not, Daffie,’ he laughed. ‘You still arouse strong emotions in sections of the citizenry and military. I’m only glad your first experience of this was a positive one.’
‘It seems,’ she said, ‘that the story of what happened that night has grown into a legend. All I did was let the garrison know.’
‘But, Daffie,’ he said, ‘if you hadn’t, the coup might have succeeded. You should give yourself some credit.’
They went up a set of broad stone steps to a large front door, which was opened by a servant.
‘Holder Fast,’ she said, ‘and Miss Daphne, welcome back.’
The servant half-raised her arm, as if to block the Kellach from approaching.
‘To be treated as a friend of the family, and a guest,’ her father said before the servant could speak. She nodded, and they went indoors.
‘Our new house covers six floors,’ her father said, as they went through into the entrance hall. Boxes and crates were piled high against every wall, and there was very little furniture in the rooms they passed. ‘It’s a narrow apartment, but high and deep. Your quarters will be on the third floor. I’ll find a room for Bedig close to yours.’ He glanced at her sideways.
‘That would be fine,’ she said.
They went up a flight of wide, graceful stairs and stopped before a set of double doors.
‘The dining room,’ her father said. ‘I assume you are hungry.’
She wasn’t, but nodded. Her nausea was being held at bay, but she knew the effects of the weed she had smoked would be wearing off soon.
Her father swung the doors open, and Daphne gasped.
Inside, most of her family were waiting, already sitting at the table.
‘Daphne!’ her sister Ariel cried, and rose to her feet, a baby in her arms. To her right, her husband Faden Holdwick also stood, nodding, a forced smile almost touching his dour expression. On the other side of the table her eldest brother Vince’s face broke out into a huge grin. To his left sat a very pretty young woman, who gave Daphne a cautious smile.
Daphne hugged Ariel.
‘And who’s this?’ Daphne said. ‘You had another child? I didn’t know.’
‘This is Lydia,’ Ariel said. ‘She’s just turned six thirds.’
‘She’s beautiful.’
Daphne turned to her brother before Ariel could offer her a chance to hold the baby.
She and Vince embraced, and he kissed her on the cheek.
‘Little sister, good to see you,’ he said. He gestured to the young woman next to him. ‘This is Celine, my wife.’
‘You got married?’
‘At about the same time Lydia was born,’ Vince said. ‘Anyway, that was your sister’s excuse for not coming down to Plateau City for the wedding!’
‘The baby was literally one day old, Daphne,’ Ariel said, rolling her eyes.
Daphne laughed. ‘Hello, Celine.’
She caught her father’s eye. ‘Mother?’
‘I’m afraid not, Daffie,’ he said. ‘She was feeling poorly, and it’s a long journey. Your brother Jonah elected to stay behind at the estate, to look after her, while Ariel, Faden, baby Lydia and I made the trip down from Holdings City.’
‘I left Teddy up there with Jonah and mother,’ Ariel said. ‘School term has started, and I didn’t want him taken out for several thirds. I’m sure you understand.’
‘Of course Ariel, that’s fine.’
‘Come then, sit,’ her father said. ‘Everyone, this here is Bedig, a friend of Daphne’s.’ He gestured over to the Kellach, who had been skulking at the back of the room.
‘He doesn’t speak Holdings yet,’ Daphne said, as Bedig waved at them.
‘How do you two talk, then?’ Vince asked. ‘Don’t tell me you know the Kellach tongue?’
‘No,’ she replied, as she took her seat, ‘but we can both speak Rahain.’
‘Sit next to me,’ Daphne said to Bedig. ‘And sorry we’re all speaking in a language you don’t know, but none of them understand Rahain.’
‘That’s not entirely true,’ Celine said, also in Rahain. ‘I had to learn it for my job in the crown offices.’
‘By the Creator,’ Vince said in Holdings. ‘My wife and sister can talk to each other in a secret tongue I don’t understand. I’m doomed.’
Celine laughed. ‘I can see how it might come in useful.’
Servants entered, carrying plates of hot food.
‘Might I say, Miss Daphne,’ said Faden Holdwick, ‘how marvellous it is to see you returned. Tales of your exploits have been keeping the lower orders amused for quite some time now. It will be interesting to compare rumour with the reality.’
‘I’m sure everything has been much exaggerated,’ Daphne said, as a plate of food was placed before her. She felt a queasy stirring in her stomach, and breathed out.
‘Are you all right?’ Ariel asked.
‘Yes, I’m fine,’ she said, ‘just maybe not all that hungry. I was a little sea-sick on the voyage to be honest. It may take a day or two to get used to solid ground again.’
‘Perfectly understandable,’ her father said. ‘So, will you tell us a tale of what you did on your travels?’
‘It was a lot of work, really,’ Daphne said. ‘For a merchant at first, then for the embassy in the Rahain capital. And lastly a little job for the church.’
‘You call rescuing a princess from a burning city a “little job”?’ Vince said, starting to laugh.
Daphne frowned. ‘Is what I did public knowledge?’
‘My dearest Daffie,’ her father said, ‘the church has been trumpeting the success of your rescue mission all over the Holdings. That, and the fact you have reconciled with the prophet.’
‘I have?’ she said. ‘News to me.’
Her father raised an eyebrow.
‘As far as I’m concerned,’ she said, ‘the extent of our reconciliation was that the church agreed not to have me killed when I returned.’
‘Are you not working for them now?’
‘No,’ she said. ‘In fact, the priest that offered me the job in Rahain told me explicitly that I’d be able to choose if I wanted to work for the church when I got back. The job was a one-off, in exchange for allowing me to return home.’
Her father smiled, and Faden let out an audible sigh.
‘I cannot tell you how relieved that makes me,’ her father said. ‘The church twists everything. They’re saying that you, the Rakanese mage, and that Rahain politician you brought here, are all going to be part of the Creator’s grand plan, to unite the peoples of the world, you know, and all the rest of that nonsense they spout.’
‘Father,’ Ariel said, ‘you promised we wouldn’t talk politics this evening, just for once.’
‘Yes, dear,’ her father said, sharing a glance across the table with Faden.
The room fell silent for a moment.
‘I do actually have some other news,’ Daphne said, regretting the words as soon as they had left her mouth. Fear gripped her stomach, the nausea building.
She had to tell them, before her sickness returned and they all guessed.
She glanced up. Everyone was gazing at her, waiting.
‘I met someone,’ she said, ‘while I was in Rahain.’
Her family’s eyes turned to Bedig, and Ariel opened her mouth to speak.
‘No,’ Daphne said. ‘Not him. He really is just a friend. The man I met is a Kellach though, like Bedig.’
‘Are you in love with him?’ Ariel said.
The Magelands Box Set Page 54