by Alice Ivinya
“How long will you be gone?” I studied the board trying to work out which pieces belonged to whom.
He shrugged. “About three weeks most likely. But don’t you fear. I’ll be back with plenty of time before the wedding.” He moved an eagle next to Jian’s wolf and grinned at his brother. “Somebody’s got to embarrass him on his wedding day.”
Jian’s eyes were on the board and he moved three pieces at once. Everything about him was careful and measured apart from his fringe, as if he wanted something to hide his face behind. “You mean you will embarrass yourself, and I will have to think up an excuse to extract you?”
Han snorted. “I might as well have fun while being a general embarrassment. You’ll be more embarrassed than me, I assure you.”
Jian raised his eyebrows. “You can’t move.”
Han frowned. “Now, hang on a minute. You’re almost dead. I must be able to move.”
Jian cocked his head. “It doesn’t take many pieces to beat you when you’re not paying attention.”
Han studied the board and swore. “I really thought I had you.”
Jian spread out his hands. “You never beat me. Even when you cheat.”
“Maybe I was paying attention to something more important?” Han raised an eyebrow meaningfully at his brother, who glared at him in return.
“I am here, you know.” I folded my arms.
Han stood. “Well, I’ll leave it to you, Elyanna, to beat him on my behalf in my absence.” He pulled on his fur cloak and wiped the pieces from the board. “Forgive my departure. I’ve got a hoard of ladies to say goodbye to.”
Jian gave him an exasperated expression. “Of course you do.”
Han hesitated and squeezed his brother’s shoulder. He spoke so softly, I wasn’t sure I heard the words correctly. “You can let her in, brother. It won’t happen again. You deserve to be happy.”
Then the heaviness was gone from his face, and he winked at me and headed for the stairs as if he’d never spoken. What had that been about?
I looked at the board and edged into the elder Prince’s seat. “I’ve never learnt to play board games.” Elyanna had never had the patience. I lifted my eyes to Jian, but he was focused on assembling the pieces that Han had scattered into a mess. “I’m surprised you have time. You’re so busy.”
Jian arranged the pieces deftly across the four colors of squares. “Han enjoys them and he’s leaving tomorrow. Despite his habit of cheating, I enjoy his company. Besides, they keep the mind sharp. I have time for one more quick game.” He finally met my eyes, and I suppressed the urge to fidget. Something about being so close to him made me nervous enough that I couldn’t quite catch my breath.
“I’m honored.” My nerves made the comment sound less sarcastic than I’d intended.
He ignored my response and started to point at pieces on the board. “You can be wolves and horses, they're the strongest pieces for beginners. I’ll be whales and eagles. The blue squares represent water, the green represent grass, the brown is forest and mountains, the white is air.” He ran through the moves each type could make on the different colored squares, but I was only half listening. I studied the features of his face, trying to figure him out: his straight nose and high cheekbones. This jaw that swept to a pointed chin with its arrogant, self-assured tilt. Those dark eyes that bordered on black and looked at everything with such intensity, yet easily seemed bored. Together his features were striking more than handsome, as if designed to put you off-balance. I still couldn’t figure out what he was really like beneath.
Jian indicated that I should make a move, so I did one of the few moves I was sure was allowed. “Falada keeps saying that the Old Magic is stronger here. What does that mean?”
Jian straightened a little at the question. “The further north you go, the stronger it gets. It’s why Spirit-Beasts with pure Old Blood live there.” He moved an eagle onto a white square.
“But what does that mean? What is the Old Magic?”
He hesitated. “Your move.”
I moved a horse two forward, keeping on the green squares where I knew it was allowed. “Well?”
He tilted his head. “Why do you ask?” He moved two eagles to kill my horse and his eyes flicked up to mine.
My mouth dried, and I hurriedly frowned down at the board. “How can two eagles kill a horse?”
He shrugged. “These represent the Spirit-Beasts of old. If you see a full-blooded one, you will understand. Your Falada is a pale shadow.” He placed my horse neatly by the board. “Your move.”
“You’ve not answered my question.” I tried to keep my voice light and unintimidated. I moved a piece at random.
“And you haven’t answered mine. Why do you ask? Did something strange happen?” The intensity of his gaze heightened and the skin on my arms prickled. It felt like he was the center of a whirlpool, and I was a leaf spinning uselessly around him.
“I… I thought I heard the voice of one of the birds killed in the hunt. It looked normal, not like a Spirit-Bird. How is that possible?”
He sighed and relaxed, pushing his fringe back from his eyes. “Many animals here have traces of the Old Blood, and many of the people. The Old Magic is part of the land. We walk on it, eat it, drink it, breathe it. It amplifies that blood unpredictably, as well as giving general strength. Sometimes strange things happen.” He moved his whales down a column of blue I assumed was a river dividing the grassland from the woods.
“What sort of strange things?” I moved my closest wolf away from the water.
“For fleeting moments, individuals sometimes do things of the Old Blood they shouldn’t be able to with their diluted blood. Han, for example, heard Falada yesterday, even though they’re not bonded. Sometimes both individuals having some of the Old Blood is enough.”
I leant forward. “He did?” A surprising flash of jealousy squeezed my chest.
He snickered at my horror, and I felt some of the tension leave my back. “Only the once. Like I said, sometimes these things happen. Spirit talks to Spirit. It’s not within anyone’s control.” He gentled his voice. “I know the voices can be disconcerting, but the easiest thing to do is ignore them.”
He moved his eagles a ridiculous number of squares and surrounded my horses.
I lowered my hands flat on the board in surprise. “You can do that?”
He nodded, impatience tightening his shoulders. “I did explain the eagles can fly as far as they wish if no other pieces are in their way and can move in a unit.”
I moved my wolves further from the water, and Jian reached out to block my hand. His skin was surprisingly warm compared to mine. “There’s no point doing that. You’ve lost.”
I gaped at him, withdrawing my hand. “But we just started, and I still have all but one of my pieces.”
He shrugged. “Look at the board. You can’t regroup, you can barely move. My eagles will pick you off one by one while the whales hold you in place, and that is simply boring.”
I sat back and folded my arms. In frustration “You’re a bad teacher. You didn’t explain any of what you just did.”
“I can be a good teacher, but only to those who wish to learn. Right now, you don’t.” He stood and straightened the uniform of his coat. It was as smart and clean as always. “Ignore the voices, Princess, and don’t think on what they say.”
I straightened, regretting my childish response. “Where are you going?”
“I must approve the supplies for the Fort of the Western Pass and organize a guard for their transport. It’s not long now before the snows come, so this time of year is always busy.” He gave a stiff bow. “Excuse me, Princess.”
I opened my mouth, but I wasn’t quick enough to think of something to say before he disappeared after his brother. I groaned and flicked the pieces over one by one, not caring if they skidded off the table. Elyanna deserved to marry such an indifferent, insufferable man. Why hadn’t she just let me go home to Gilava?
I wasn
’t meant to be here. I wasn’t the one who could win his affection. I could hear Falada’s voice, telling me to be patient, kind and gracious, until I knew what he was like. But I wasn’t sure how long I could go on like this.
Ruo pulled out one of my finer dresses with fox fur lining its sleeves and laid it on my bed. She turned and dug around for a matching coat.
I raised my eyebrow while I chewed on bread dipped in golden egg yolk. I was still dressed in my shift and the fur coat I used as a bedrobe, my feet bare. Ruo had barely spoken to me, perhaps picking up on my bad mood left over from yesterday.
“What’s the occasion?” I asked, covering my mouth as I spoke so I didn’t spray crumbs. Elyanna would have never talked with her mouth full.
“The Queen has asked for your company this morning. Her mood is always a little low the day one of her sons leaves. She is probably wanting you to distract her as well as give you both the chance to get to know each other.”
My stomach twisted with nerves. “When are we meeting?”
Ruo glanced out at the weak beams of the sun peeping through the fractures in the clouds. “You have enough time for a bath and to do your hair. I think she wants to show you the town.” She saw my expression and chuckled. “Don’t you worry, dear. Queen Fei wants to like you. You will see enough around the town to find topics of conversation.”
I nodded and finished my eggs and toasted bread with more vigor. Whatever Ruo said, this meeting felt like a test to see if I was suitable to marry Jian. I didn’t know what she would expect from me. I thought back to the stories Ruo had been reading to me. Fables and myths designed to shape children’s moral compasses. Wit, cunning, perseverance and caution had been praised. Was this what Ruo expected me to take from them? Were these the values the Borderlanders all held, spread by the medium of stories?
Well, it was a place to start.
Ruo fastened the last tie on the back of my dress and I thanked her, making for the door. She caught my arm and pointed to my sword. “I would take that, if I were you.”
I gave her a thankful smile and strapped it to my waist. “I should wear this, not because I’m in danger, but because it makes me look cautious and prepared, correct?”
Ruo snorted. “You’re in the Borderlands, my dear. You should be cautious and prepared all the time because you could be in danger.”
I sighed. My maid smiled and softened her voice. “But yes. It will make the right impression. This will be the first time most of the townsfolk have seen you.”
She handed me some rabbit fur gloves, squeezed my hand for support, and opened the door. Jeremiah was there by himself, and he appeared to have been informed about our meeting with the Queen. His uniform was spotless, and his boots shone. He’d even given himself a close shave.
“You’re looking very smart, Jeremiah.”
He grinned and gave a bow. “Don’t want to let you down, Princess.”
I patted him on the arm. “Of course you won’t.” I looked down and took a deep breath. “Let’s just hope she likes me.”
He snorted. “Nobody could not like you.”
I gave an uncomfortable laugh and started heading down the corridor so I didn’t have to reply to such a comment. There was one man who made it very clear he didn’t like me, and he was the man I most needed to win over to secure my place here.
The Queen was waiting for me in a corridor, gazing out of a window at the frost in the willow trees. Every elegant branch glittered with shards of ice. She wore a thick coat of black bear fur with a blade hanging from her waist. Her skin was pale as she faced the frigid air, and her lips were painted blood-red. She had always been kind and gentle to me, but as she stared out, lost in thought, she cast an imposing aura.
She turned at the sound of my boots and her features relaxed. I wondered for the first time, if she wore a mask as a persona to shut people out, just like Jian. Only she had several theatrical masks that she could change at will. With me she was kind and mother-like. With the next person she could be a merciless judge or an all-powerful ruler. She was meant to be politically astute after all. I wondered how long I would have to get to know her before I could tell what she really felt.
“Elyanna.” She held out her hand and looped it through my arm before I could curtsy. “Thank you for joining me this morning. Will you walk with me? I’m told you have not yet explored the town.”
“No,” I admitted. “I have not left the walls of the castle since arriving.” And even then, Jian had told me off. “I am very grateful that you can spare the time.”
We reached a doorless archway that led to the open cloisters. No wonder it was always so cold when there weren’t even doors. We passed the tree and the fountain and entered an arch which led to icy steps down to the large courtyard outside the castle where the stables and armory were. I was glad of Queen Fei’s hold on my arm as the cobbles were treacherous.
“How are things going between you and Jian?” The Queen kept her eyes forward as she asked the question as if giving me space to think.
“He played a board game with me yesterday. He taught it to me.”
The Queen looked pleased and a little relieved. “Good. I hope he was gracious with you.”
I tried to keep my tone neutral. “He killed me very fast.”
The Queen raised an eyebrow at me. “And how will you respond to your defeat?”
I considered my answer. Something about the Queen’s expression suggested I was being tested. “Well, I don’t think Jian will be the best person to teach me, since he is so busy. But if I can learn from another, maybe next time I can entertain him with more of a match. I know my guards can all play it.”
Queen Fei pursed her lips in amusement. “You never know, you might come to enjoy it.”
We were standing in the center of the courtyard, and the Queen stopped abruptly, steadying me. The doors of the lean-to barn that was joined to the stables crashed open, and dozens of geese burst out making a tremendous racket. Two adolescents wrapped up in furs and layer upon layer of faded material tried to herd them with long sticks out into the town. It was chaos, but somehow the geese all eventually sped down the main road to the South Gate.
The Queen looked at the sun. “They are late. The geese go out later this time of year so the ground has a chance to thaw, but I would still have expected them to leave by tenth bell. Soon the snows will come, and they won’t be able to leave their barn at all. From my rooms, I can always hear the racket they make when they come and go. Sometimes I think it’s the only thing that gets Han up when he’s hungover.”
I chuckled. “Well, there certainly are a lot of them.” I squinted into the bright sun to see if any ran away into the maze of houses.
The Queen led us forward again. “They are an easy animal to keep here as they find food on the floodplains and swampier areas. The sheep and cows must travel further from the walls to graze.”
We followed the trail of the geese, and I had to concentrate even more on my footing, as now droppings littered the cobbles. Such loud and dirty animals would have never been allowed near the palace in Hava.
“How are the wedding preparations coming along?” The Queen’s voice was bright with excitement.
I licked my lips. “Ruo is helping me design the dress. I don’t have many opinions on the menu or decorations. I find myself anxious about misunderstanding the traditions here.”
The Queen patted my arm. “Well there is an army of servants at your disposal. Anything you are not sure about, they will take care of. Though you should feel free to bring in your own traditions as well.”
I nodded. When I thought about the wedding day, I felt numb and slightly sick. I couldn’t picture any of it, so how was I going to make decisions as trivial as the color of the drapes?
“Elyanna, I understand this is a nerve-wracking time. I remember it myself, and it gets better as strange worlds become familiar.” She lay both hands on my shoulders and fixed me with her large, dark eyes. “Be strong an
d determined, show no fear, but also be willing to bend. The most rigid reed is the first to break in a storm. You will find your place, I am sure.”
I nodded to her, still feeling numb, and she removed her hands. “Thank you for your advice, Your Majesty.”
“It’s Fei, remember? Now let me show you the market. It won’t be anything like what they have in Hava, but they normally sell roast grouse, and I don’t know what Li Ping flavors them with, but they beat anything we have in the palace.” She smiled warmly and I realized her probing questions were over for today.
I lost myself in the busy bustle of the narrow streets, trudging through the sticky mud, listening to ferocious bartering at the market, and weaving around rickety carts and stubborn mules. The city was caught in the excitement of preparing for the snow. Everywhere I could see animals being sold, houses being insulated with fresh water reeds and clay, queues for new boots, and groups of older men and women sitting in circles around open fires sewing and knitting as they gossiped. Child after child ran through the gates with bundles of firewood strapped to their backs. Apart from a few dark-skinned families originating from Kilamore, everyone had the features and tan skin of the Borderlands. My own pale hair and skin got more than one curious look, before people bowed their heads when I met their eyes.
I was amazed at how comfortable the townsfolk were with their Queen walking through their midst and decided I liked the lack of fuss over royalty here compared to Hava. There was a freedom in being able to wander around like everyone else and eat fried grouse straight off a stick. I felt the tension in my shoulders unwind. There might be giant ferocious beasts outside the walls here, but I was starting to feel safer within.
I bit through the thread to snap it as I finished hemming the cloak for Jian, and I hoped he would like it. At least there would be something to remind him I existed when he escaped up to the Border. Horses galloped around the hem and birds flew above their heads. On the back was a giant wolf head, the symbol of his house, and a reminder that he had the Old Blood in his veins. On the left breast I had sewn a small swan over his heart. A reminder he couldn’t get rid of me, and that I was of the Old Blood too. I was stronger than he thought. Or at least I hoped I was. I glanced down at the same swan embossed on my royal signet ring and sighed. The bird that represented Gilava was a heron, but I supposed I would never be able to use that again. It would be nice to sew it on something, though, maybe disguised amongst other birds. It would be my reminder of why I was here. My family and the people they governed were being kept safe and were being given the money they needed to rebuild. I let the thought fill me with strength.