by Kirby Crow
Who indeed? “Just stay clear of them and mind what you say. There are certain to be some who speak Bizye."
Scarlet brushed some grime from the shoulder of his coat where he had rolled on the deck. “If you say so, but I don't know how much good that will do.” He brightened suddenly. “So, how long does it take to get to this land of yours?"
"Scarlet, Scarlet,” he admonished, shaking his head. “Where I go, you cannot follow."
"But I am,” Scarlet replied. He saw Liall's apprehensive expression and smiled slyly. “Unless you want me to drown or hang, and I see you don't.” He poked Liall in the chest with a finger. “You care what happens to me."
"Yes, I do,” Liall admitted freely. “I care so much that I will not allow you to go needlessly into death."
Scarlet looked up at Liall through black lashes, almost glowing with triumph from his near escape, and supremely confident. “I can see this is going to be a long journey. Now, how far is it?"
Liall's emotions were at war, tugging him between strong desire and good sense, yet he found the will to frown at Scarlet in rebuke. “You will be put ashore to the north above Morturii, where you should be safe from the Byzan army. You know enough of the language and customs to get by.” He wondered who he was trying to convince.
Scarlet shrugged lightly and drew back with a smile, clearly not intending to be left behind anywhere. “You didn't answer me."
"Rshan na Ostre is a four month journey by sea."
Scarlet's teasing manner abruptly vanished. He thumped Liall hard on the arm. “That's not even a real place!"
He was so surprised that he laughed outright. “What do you mean, not real?"
Scarlet was indignant. “It's a fairy tale. Scaja used to tell me about it when I was no bigger than that barrel there. The Land of Demons, where the Shining Ones live,” he scoffed. “Rshan! Do you take me for a fool?"
Liall was holding his aching arm and chuckling, and Scarlet looked a little guilty, knowing the bravos had kicked him there.
"I assure you, it is no fairy tale. And it is not called the Land of Demons, but the Land of Darkness, or Night. The words are the same in Sinha, you see. And the commoners in Byzantur just call it Norl Udur, the North Kingdom."
"The North Kingdom is not Rshan,” Scarlet said patiently, enunciating clearly as if speaking to a very slow and dull-witted child. “It couldn't be."
"And just why not? Because you do not believe in Rshan, it cannot exist? That's very arrogant, little Byzan. Even for you."
Scarlet scowled blackly, his pretty eyes narrowed to slits of ebony. “Next you'll be telling me you're a Shining One.” He waved his hand dismissively, highly annoyed. “Forget it, you great ox. If you don't want to tell me the truth, just shut up."
Liall laughed harder as the thin rain gathered strength and became a downpour. In a flash of rare joy, he threw his arms around Scarlet and planted a hard, passionate kiss on his mouth, grateful beyond measure to be alive, to sense the promise of a future waiting for him, to feel hope again. After a long, shocked moment, Scarlet moaned and responded. The last resistance in his muscles vanished, and his body—strong, young, and warm—melted against Liall.
The wind tugged at Liall's cloak with eager fingers as the sweet pull of Scarlet's mouth threatened to drive him past all caution. He forced himself to break the kiss.
"I will always tell you the truth,” he whispered into Scarlet's hair, looking out over the choppy waves to the far horizon beyond. Liall blinked hard, his vision blurring, and told himself it was only the brisk wind blowing in from the north, but there was no hiding from the truth: after sixty years, the long-awaited journey to reclaim his true self was finally beginning.
The north, his heart sang. I'm going home. Finally, to home.x
* * *
Visit www.torquerepress.com for information on additional titles by this and other authors.