“I'm surprised, prince. I was sure you'd think the only instincts I possess are that of a killer.”
Her words bit into him sharply. Adsuni flinched as though he'd been struck, but she did not so much as twitch a muscle.
“All I know of your people is that they killed part of my family and betrayed my kingdom.”
“You also know that your ancestors tried to kill all of us off,” Aasimah reminded him. “Or did you forget that bit?”
“Aasimah, I don't known what to say,” he confessed.
She finally glanced at him, looking at him as though he suddenly started speaking in Elvish.
“It's not about knowing what to say! I don't want you to say what you know, I want you to say what you think and feel. Is that so difficult? You – you let them take me, you brought me to them. As soon as you realized what I was, you turned on me. So, no, I don't care that you don't know what to say, and I'm not about to tell you what I want to hear. If I have to do that, then you're just as much a liar as everyone else is.”
She had absolutely every right to go off on him, and the prince knew it. He accepted it. Embraced it, even. He deserved every verbal lashing that she had to bestow upon him. He opened his mouth, but she cut him off before he could get a single syllable out.
“It's not like I don't understand, you know,” she continued, surprising him.
“What?”
“We don't really know each other that well, and I never trusted you. I never thought of us as friends, but you did. I saw our differences, you saw our similarities. But then... then you learned to see me differently, and once you did, that was all that mattered. You... you're going to be a king someday, and if you're going to be a good one, then you can't afford to sacrifice your people for the sake of one friend. I would be a liar if I said I didn't understand that.”
Adsuni stared at her, open-mouthed, looking like a bumbling idiot. He never expected her to be so understanding. If she wanted to strike him, he would accept it without hesitation. If anything, her words made him feel even worse.
“Aasimah, I'm sorry.”
The words were beyond inadequate; they were so few, so small, so frustratingly simple, but there was nothing else that he could say in the moment. He couldn't bear to look at Aasimah any longer, and closed his eyes, facing away from her. He felt a tear escape through, followed by another, then more still, and he knew they weren't all from the physical pain.
“I forgive you,” he heard her say.
The people of Erthe were generous enough to give them a ride back to Aranaot the next morning. Glanen regretted that he did not bring Xanthus along, but the horse needed time to recover from his own injury, and the knight felt he'd pushed his steed much too far in recent months.
He was thankful that Telma's friends in Erthe offered to take them back in one of their wagons – they would already be in a world of trouble when they returned, and he didn't like wondering how much more trouble they would be in if they arrived any later than they were already bound to.
Aasimah was allowed to stay behind in Erthe, since it was unlikely that the village would be searched for her. Dre'shii would be, of course. There was no way that connection was going to go unnoticed, but Glanen was confident that the people of Dre'shii would not betray them. They remembered all three of them fondly, and they especially remembered Aasimah's courage when she rode in during the raid and fought to save them.
And, Glanen thought with a wry smile, no one would want to poke their nose around for too long while Telma was there. Again, he felt a little pang of guilt when he remembered the fact that he brought her, and several of her people, into that riot. He never expected it to go so far, and he hoped dearly that Telma managed to escape unscathed. He owed Dre'shii a lot more than they owed him, he thought.
“We're going to have to talk about what's going to happen when we get back,” Adsuni said grimly. “We both committed treason. Honestly, I wish you'd just listened to me and stayed behind. This is all my fault, not yours.”
“They won't execute me,” Glanen said, though not as confidently as he might have a few days ago. “Strip me of my rank and imprison me, yes, but they won't go so far as to kill me. Not when they would benefit so much more from making an example out of me instead. Besides, we don't know that anyone actually saw anything.”
“But they know that we both disappeared around the same time,” Adsuni put in. “And they definitely saw me up there. Look, I'll tell them that you chased after me, that you were trying to stop me—”
“Now who's being foolish?” Glanen asked with a pained smile. “No, I stand by everything I did, and I will not lie about my involvement. What they were prepared to do – it wasn't right. Whatever the consequences for my actions may be, I will accept them. They can strip me of my rank, but they will never strip me of my honor, or my loyalty to my friends.”
That gave Adsuni pause. He looked at his friend somewhat curiously.
“I used to think honor was something that was worth dying for, but now, I must admit, I'm not too sure. Putting my bloodline before a stranger seems like the honorable thing to do, but, well...”
“Honorable means not condemning an innocent person to death for a crime they did not commit,” Glanen said firmly. “We did the right thing. That's all anyone can do. I would say you should try following your heart more often, but...”
Adsuni laughed bitterly. “But it was my heart that got us into this mess,” he finished for him.
Glanen shook his head, laughing. Truly laughing, this time.
The prince cleared his throat.
“Glanen?”
“Hm?” Glanen asked in response, keeping his eye out for a possible ambush. One could never be too careful, after all, and their driver was taking them through an alternate route.
They were to be dropped off just outside of Aranaot, at stopping point that Telma personally instructed Glanen to go to in case he found himself a situation like this one. Theirs was a road less-traveled, and interference was more likely, but it was the safest option for maintaining secrecy. Glanen didn't want Erthe to fall victim to an invasive search for Aasimah, as Dre'shii likely would.
“I'm sorry,” the prince said.
Glanen took his eyes off the road for a moment to study his prince. No, this time, he was looking into the eyes of his friend.
“You felt betrayed,” Glanen said sympathetically.
“I did, but in the end, I was the one betraying both of you.”
“You had your reasons.”
“We all had our reasons. Mine were less noble than yours. I want you to know, I still care for you. I still see you as my childhood friend. And now, I see you as the hero you always were.”
Glanen pulled Adsuni over to him, embracing him somewhat awkwardly, as the wagon was not very spacious.
“If you think I would throw away decades of friendship over an argument, you are mistaken, my prince,” the knight assured him. “All of us were hurting. I forgive you. I want to apologize, too, for my deception.”
“Don't. You didn't deceive me at all. You followed your own heart, and yours is much kinder than mine. I'd have to be a madman if I held that against you. I definitely wouldn't be a good man, at least. I don't know how you do it,” he added, his voice tinged with envy. “You make it seem like the easiest thing in the world. I used to think I was a good man, a selfless man.”
Glanen wasn't sure how he could answer his friend. He wanted to say that it came naturally to him, that it was easy, but in truth, he wasn't so sure anymore. His world was constantly changing, from all around him. Never in his life did he feel so unstable, so helpless.
Telma and her friends from Dre'shii did far more to help Adsuni and Aasimah than he had. They were the ones keeping the rioters focused away from them, for the most part. Glanen would have gladly given his life for their protection, if it came down to it, but he doubted he would have been able to protect them all on his own.
Good intentions just weren'
t enough.
“Are ye boys gonna get off, now? Or am I to be takin' ye any further?” the driver asked, drawing Glanen back from his thoughts. He would have to mull over his choices later; they had more pressing matters to attend to.
“Thank you,” Glanen said warmly, giving the man a clap on the back after he helped Adsuni out of the wagon. “For everything. I know it's not much, but please, take this. It's the least I can do.”
The man's eyes bulged when he felt the small, heavy pouch in his hands.
“That's more than enough!” he said. “Too much, even!”
“No, no, it's enough, I insist. You've helped us tremendously. We will never forget the generosity of Erthe! Take it, I beg of you.”
“Well, all right, then. Ye be safe now. Them streets'r a mess these days. Don' be gettin' yerself killed, now. Ol' man Manar'll never let me hear the end of it!”
Glanen laughed. “I promise, we'll be careful! You stay safe, too. Take good care of this man,” he added, patting the horses fondly. They probably didn't understand a word he said, but one of them did nuzzle his hand affectionately.
He and Adsuni walked for a long while, taking a roundabout path to get back to the main city, in case Konrad sent his men out to look for them. On a whim, Glanen decided to lead them back to the city square. Again, he felt himself being drawn back to that place. It was stupid, and he was very likely leading them into danger, but he trusted his instincts.
“Why aren't we going home?” Adsuni asked.
“I don't know. I just have a feeling that this is where we're meant to be right now. It's crazy, but, well, this is how I found out about the execution. If I didn't trust myself that night, Aasimah would probably be dead.”
Adsuni looked troubled. “Well, let's hurry, then. Maybe the Goddess is leading you there. But you should know that if we get killed, I will never shut up about it when we reach Paradise.”
“Add that to the list,” Glanen retorted.
“When did you become so... smart?” Adsuni asked, impressed with his friend's quick response. “Let me guess: It was when I started making such terrible decisions, right?”
Glanen grinned, but chose not to respond, for his friend's sake. He figured he was already putting his friend through enough.
In no time at all, they were back where they were just yesterday. A few local businesses had some minor damage from the riot – a shattered window or two, dents in wooden beams, and a broken fence. The riot ended long ago, and there were few people around. Come to think of it, there were no people around. That was definitely a little odd.
Glanen exchanged a worried glance with Adsuni before they made their way through. What could have propelled him into revisiting this area again? They were about to find out, for he spotted Telma a few strides away, leaning out of a window to speak to them.
“Here! Come over here!” she was hissing.
Why did she feel the need to stay quiet?
They hurried over, and she wasted no time in pulling and shoving them inside of the little shack, shutting the door behind them as carefully as she could.
“What's going on?” Glanen demanded.
“You two've no idea how lucky you are ta be alive! Aranaot in't safe for ya anymore – it's been taken over!”
Adsuni shook his head, thinking this was some sick joke, but Glanen looked as if he were staring at a ghost.
“Come off it, that's ridiculous,” Adsuni said, laughing mirthlessly.
But then Telma shoved a curious little document into his hand – a wanted poster, with a sketch of his own face on it. He was a wanted fugitive.
“Tha's not all,” Telma went on.
“The king...
...he's... he's been taken.”
Chapter 24
the Fall of Dinavhek
∞∞∞
Adsuni didn't want to believe her – he couldn't! It was too surreal, too horrifying to comprehend. His father, taken... But if he was taken, at least that meant he was alive. So, all hope was not lost. Yet. It was too difficult to consider, too painful to even think about. But he had to. He had to consider every possibility.
“How do you know about this?” Glanen asked.
“Big, cold fella came by. Said some o' us were spotted at the hanging, said he was gonna have to take some o' us away. I told him this wasn't what the prince woulda wanted, but he said it didn't matter anymore, the king's gone. My brother's been taken, too. We're the only ones that got away,” she added, nodding at the other two people in the house, an older gentleman and a middle-aged woman.
“Do you know where the others went?”
Telma shrugged helplessly. “A few of 'em got taken by the guards. That big, stern fella was in charge. Looked an awful lot like you!”
He and Adsuni exchanged a glance, each of them knew what the other must surely be thinking: Sir Konrad.
The prince wasn't terribly shocked by this revelation; Sir Konrad wouldn't have rode out to deal with a raid upon a small agricultural village, but he certainly would deal with a botched execution, especially if he suspected that his son had something to do with it. Surely, he knew that the prince was involved, for he was responsible for the riot that broke out.
Adsuni suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to laugh; him, the crown prince, inciting a riot! All to save a servant – an in-human servant, at that! The present situation was so comically bizarre that the prince found himself breaking down, laughing to the point that he began to choke. The other four stared at him in horror, clearly thinking him mad. The prince didn't have the presence of mind to care. He only stopped cackling once he ran out of breath.
“My-my prince,” Glanen finally said, seeming trepid.
Telma put a kind hand to his forearm, stopping him as he reached out to his friend. “Let 'em get it out,” she advised.
“It's – it's... ah, I'm fine,” Adsuni said as he started to come around again. “I'm sorry, my friends, I know that was not a very pleasant sight for any of you. I shall not go mad just yet, I – I promise. Hoo! Haaaa!” he took several deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down.
“What are we going to do?” Glanen asked nervously.
Adsuni felt immensely guilty over all that he'd put his friends through. He would have to add this little breakdown to the long list of things that he was going to have to atone for – assuming he lived long enough to do so.
“Glanen, my friend, I don't know how to tell you this, but... you are asking the wrong person. I don't know what to do,” he admitted.
“We can't just give up!”
Adsuni laughed again, though it was more a short, harsh little bark than anything else. “Ah, my friend, don't you understand? We're doomed! Don't you get it? We've been played! All along... I see it, now. We've been betrayed.”
Glanen sank to the floor. Adsuni felt for him, for it was obvious that Telma was referring to Sir Konrad, and the same thought that occurred to the prince must surely be going through his friend's mind, as well: Sir Konrad betrayed the king. Half a year ago, Adsuni would never have believed it. But after what he and Itholera saw that day, in the back alleys of Aranaot...
Poor Itholera. If Lady Kharqa was to be believed, Itholera was to be sent back with her to Takirar. Then again, Takirar might be a safer place for her, now, even if it was unstable due to a sudden change in power. Might there be a connection, then? The sudden fall of the last king of Takirar, and his father's disappearance?
“My friend, we know only that your father has been taken. We know nothing else,” Glanen dared to argue.
“We know nothing beyond what we were told!”
“Then why jump to the worst conclusion? This is the time for us to act, prince! Not cower and cry in an abandoned shack, waiting around for our enemies to come back for us. You're still the prince, and – and...” Glanen paused, struggling with whatever it was that he was about to say.
“Go on,” Adsuni bade him.
“Very well... let's say your worst fears are true. If �
� if the king really is out of the picture... that makes you the new king. Either way, the people of Dinavhek are counting on you to step up. You may not have asked for any of this, but no one does! Whether you do so as the prince, or the king, you must defend your people. Now is not the time to give way to despair!”
Adsuni did not respond to his friend immediately. He simply stood there, quietly, truly listening to every word that came out of his friend's mouth. He was right, of course. Adsuni could feel it. He knew it. But did he have the courage to 'step up,' as Glanen encouraged him to do?
“What do you suggest we do?” Adsuni finally asked, quietly. His gaze took in all three of his companions.
“I say we knock on their door,” Telma said before anyone else could answer. “We give 'em a good thrashin.”
“Aye,” Glanen said in agreement. “But if they don't answer, then we must be prepared to break that door down.”
“Are you sure you want to be involved in this?” Adsuni asked, turning to Telma. “I can't ask you to join in this fight. You should go back to Dre'shii – back to Raisa. I could never live with myself if I took a child's mother away from her.”
“Don't be stupid! They already took my brother. I'm gonna get him back! Unless ye think ye're prepared to throw down with me?”
Glanen didn't have to shake his head from behind her back for Adsuni to know that that would be a very bad idea. The prince sighed, knowing, in that moment, that he would not be able to convince her to go back to Dre'shii. He was not a seasoned warrior, like Glanen, but he knew a losing battle when he saw one.
At least, he hoped he did.
“Glanen,” Adsuni said, as Telma moved to ready herself for whatever might lie ahead. “I wish to speak to you privately.”
He motioned Glanen over to the furthest corner of the room, which offered no real privacy, but he wasn't especially concerned with being overheard.
“Yes, my prince?”
“Do you think that boy is still there? In prison, I mean.”
Glanen frowned. “I don't know... I hope so. I mean, I hope that he is safely there, and not... No, I don't think they would have moved him by now.”
Dinavhek- The Fall Page 27