Kei's Gift

by Ann Somerville

  It was a simple meal of fresh-baked bread, butter and cheese, with cups of pijo which made Arman go very quiet as he drank. Much as Kei loved this house, it did Arman no good at all to be constantly reminded of his loss, and he urged his lover to finish up and tell him what needed doing. “Nothing,” Arman replied. “Other than the notes Karus was working on, everything else can stay as it is. Mari can send me some books from the library, or not, as she chooses, but there’s nothing else I want disturbed.” He explained to the three servants what was to happen to them, to the obvious relief of all. “Has his sister not returned?”

  “Not yet, Sei Arman,” Siza said. “But we can pass on the message, if you have to leave.”

  “I think I do—we have to return to the ship. Kei, let me go to the library. I won’t be long.”

  “Do you need...?” But Arman shook his head. “All right.”

  He watched Arman leave in some concern, hoping he wasn’t about to do something which would cause him more pain. Jera reached across him for more bread. “So, what’s to happen to the boy?”

  Kei looked at Jena, now holding the baby with complete confidence. “Jena, how do you feel about adoption?”

  “What?” she said, startled.

  “What?” Reji echoed. “Are you serious, Kei? It’s Arman’s child.”

  “He’s not, actually. Arman only wants him to be raised happily, but he can’t do it himself. Jena?”

  She stared at him, and then looked at the baby. “I never thought... Kei, the child is Prijian.”

  “So’s Arman, but that’s not stopping him joining our people. Would you reject him simply because of his race?”

  “No! Gods, give me a moment to think here....”

  Kesa said something in a low voice that Kei didn’t catch, but Jena did, and she replied, smiling. “She just wants to know if there’s a problem. I told her we’re sorting it out. Kei, I don’t know what my clan will say. Or Aldik.”

  “Do you want to raise a child or not, Jena? The rest are things that can be discussed later.”

  She looked down at the child again. “He’s a beautiful boy. And the poor little thing is alone. Better me than that bitch, don’t you think?”

  Reji smiled at her and so did Kei. “Absolutely better you than Mayl. If you can’t manage it, then we’ll find him a family somewhere else. Kesa is prepared to travel as far as Fort Trejk where her husband is, so you’ll have her for that long.”

  “Will Arman agree? I’ve been damn rude to him,” she said dubiously.

  Kei grinned. “I think he would consider that a perfect qualification for the job.”

  The decision made, there were practical problems to be solved, and everyone had an opinion on how best to get a small infant safely from Utuk to Ai-Rutej. “We can take some of the jombekers with us,” Reji declared. “If you ride up front on the wagons, it’s not so bumpy either. You can ride with me, I’ll make sure you and the little one are safe.”

  “What’s his name?” Jera asked.

  Kei blinked. He had no idea. When Kesa was asked, she had no idea either. “How old is this baby?” Reji asked.

  He turned out to be six weeks old, which scandalised the Darshianese. In Kei’s culture, parents prepared names before the birth so the child could be named as soon as it came into the world. “It’s like he was never wanted at all,” Jena said sadly, cuddling the boy close to her in comfort.

  “I think there might be a practice of waiting among the nobility,” Kei guessed. “Arman said something about a naming ceremony.”

  “Why do you need a ceremony to name a child?” Jera asked. “The Prij are very strange, don’t you think?”

  “Why are we strange?” Arman asked as he came back into the kitchen, carrying a wallet of documents and what Kei recognised as Karus’s kezi board. He took a seat at the table. “What’s going on?”

  Jena stood up. “Arman, will you allow me to raise this boy for you?”

  Arman sat back and stared in surprise. “Are you sure? I’ll be what help I can, but I warn you, I’m now penniless or I will be once I settle Kesa’s bills for her.”

  “I don’t need your damn money, I just need your permission. Well?”

  “Yes, I can’t think of anyone more suitable, in fact. But what of your family, your village? Ai-Rutej was very unfriendly when we passed through it.”

  Kei had to admit this was true. “Jena, are you really sure?”

  She gave him a dirty look. “Yes, of course I am, or I wouldn’t have offered. He needs a home, and I would make a perfectly adequate mother. Unless you know someone else who wants to do it?” She glared at everyone in the room. “No, I thought not. So I’ll do it. But Arman has to name him. It’s only right, son or no son.”

  Arman shook his head. “No, if you’re to raise him, you name him.” But all the Darshianese looked at him—he was the one who had to do this. “Gods, I have no idea what to call him. I would name him after my father normally, but that seems inappropriate.”

  Siza spoke up in a hesitant voice. “Sei, what about Karus?”

  As soon as she spoke, Kei knew this was the perfect answer. “Karik,” he said. “Call him Karik.”

  Arman nodded. “Yes. Karus is the reason I saved him, let him be called after him.”

  Jena held the child up to them all. “Then welcome, Karik,” she said with a smile, bestowing a little kiss on the baby’s forehead. She was already to be falling for the boy’s charms, and somehow Kei doubted they would have to find him another home when the time came.

  She gave the boy to Kesa to hold and explained what they had just done. Kesa smiled and nodded. “I like that,” she said shyly.

  “Fine,” Arman said, getting to his feet. “Now that’s settled, I need to see my bankers again and then take Kesa to visit her brother. Jera, get everyone else back to the ship, if you wouldn’t mind, and my books.”

  Kei went to Arman’s side, sensing that, despite his gruffly efficient tone, he was actually deeply upset and exhausted. “Let me come with you,” he said, taking his hand.

  Arman was about to refuse, but then he just nodded. “As you wish,” he said tiredly. “The sooner this is over, the better.”

  In the flurry of farewells, and arranging who was going where when, Kei drew Arman aside and kissed him. “It gets better,” he said quietly.

  “I hope so,” Arman said, stark desperation in his voice. “I don’t know that I have much more in me.”

  “You have enough, I know you do, but you can lean on me for a bit too.”

  “What would I do without you?” Arman said, resting his head briefly on Kei’s shoulder. “I feel as if I’m drowning.”

  “No, you’re doing fine, honestly. Just a little longer and then we can be alone for a while. This will all be done soon, and then we can go home.”

  Arman raised his head and stared at him. “I’m home already.”

  Kei hugged him tightly. “Then be welcome and rest a while.” And try to find a little peace, my love.

  Chapter : Darshek 11

  Arman hadn’t wanted Kei to come with him as he finished his personal affairs, but he was very quickly grateful that he had. Without Kei to see to Kesa, and to take the strain of reassuring her and explaining things, even if Arman had had to translate some of the time, he feared he’d have lost all control over himself, so raw and weary and utterly sick of things had he become. But Kei did more than that. Somehow, just through his touch, he kept it bearable, so Arman could find the energy to smile occasionally at the young woman, so timid and in need of assurance. It left him free to deal with all the necessary business which meant her family’s bills were settled—in the process draining the very last of Arman’s funds—so she would have a future to return to.

  He visited his lawyer, left a deposition about Mayl and submitted a formal ban of separation and divorcement, which Kesa supported as a witness to his formal declaration. If Mayl contested it vigorously, it probably would not stand, but Arman had kept his powder d
ry and was fully prepared to carry out his threat to reveal her perfidy. As even a cursory examination of his affairs would prove he’d been telling her the truth about his finances, he rather doubted she would have the brass neck to try what she’d threatened—and Mekus was far too cowardly to expose himself to scandal.

  Kesa’s brother was rather uncertain about the whole thing, not sure he should let his only surviving relative go off with a bunch of heathens and a discredited former general. Kei helped there too, as did Jera. The man was a potter, and Jera had an interest in the craft. Kei knew something of glazes, and with Arman’s assistance, a short but spirited conversation about tableware eased the brother’s mind more than any reassurance Arman had been able to give. Kei had a gift with people he truly envied, and loved.

  He sent a note to Mari asking that if Kesa or her brother approached her in future, to give them what assistance she thought fit, and in a note to his father he asked if he would make sure Mari wasn’t taken advantage of. He also confirmed the arrangements for the house and Karus’s library, and, following Kei’s gentle urging, added warm thanks for his help over this. Perhaps it would be possible to re-establish relations with his father even if only by letter. He wanted to try. He was sick of losing the people he loved—or those he wanted to love. He wasn’t sure which category his father fell into just yet—but pity and remorse might easily become true affection. Only time would tell.

  His head pounded after only a very little of all this, but before he had a chance to really become aware of it, Kei had slipped his hands behind his neck and eased it. “I’ll rub your leg when we get back to the ship,” Kei said quietly.

  Jera grinned. “Now, if I tried to give someone a massage using my gift, I’d probably just take their leg right off.” Arman had to smile at that, but was rather glad Kesa hadn’t understood.

  Finally they were done and Arman, having given both bankers and lawyer his future address as care of Lord Meki in Darshek, felt he had made as full an arrangement of his affairs as he could do, with minimum pain to those who didn’t deserve it (and maximum inconvenience to those who did). With relief, he took his leave of Captain Pevus at the docks, and asked Jera to carry them across to the ship. By now, Kesa clearly trusted Kei enough that when he told her to hold onto him, she did. Jera gave her a little demonstration first of what he was planning, but when he took them for real across the harbour, her eyes grew wide with delight. “Look at the view!” she cried. “Oh, I wish Vikis was here!”

  “You can tell him about it,” Kei said kindly, and Arman translated.

  “There won’t be many people who will have had this experience,” Arman told her. “It will be something to tell your grandchildren.”

  “Yes,” she said, with only a hint of sadness. Brave girl. He hoped she would have more children to help ease her grief.

  Jera took a slightly longer route around the harbour to please her, but they were back on the ship in good time. Jena and Reji came to meet them at once, and took Kesa in hand. Arman was given a message that the Rulers wanted to see Jera, Kei and himself as soon as they arrived. He hoped there hadn’t been a problem while he was gone. He really didn’t think he could deal with that right now.

  Kei held his hand tight even as they were admitted into Lord Meki’s cabin, where Lord Peika was talking to him. “Sit, Arman—gods, were you limping that badly this morning?” Lord Peika exclaimed.

  “He’ll need a rest and a massage, my lord, before you ask him to go anywhere else,” Kei said.

  “Yes, of course,” Lord Meki said. “Arman, the child you’ve brought on board—that won’t be the cause of a diplomatic incident, will it? I don’t want rumours of dastardly Darshianese kidnapping children to get about.”

  Arman took the chair Lord Peika had vacated for him. “No, my lord. The child is, as far as anyone knows, my own son, and by Prijian law, his disposal is entirely up to me. Even if my wife contests our divorce, she has no rights in this matter.”

  “How uncivilised,” Jera murmured.

  “Yes,” Arman said. “But in this case, beneficial. Was that all, my lord?”

  “No, I wanted to tell you about this evening. After talking to the hostages, and to Reis and Neris, we’ve decided to make a show of it. Travel into the palace in style, show them we mean business and that we’re not a bunch of savages. What do you say to that?”

  “I say that’s a wise thing to do. They need to take Darshian seriously as an equal nation, and pomp always impresses Kita.”

  “Good, I hoped you would say that. Kei, as the representative of your clan, would you be prepared to join the others in a similar position at this meal? You’ll be protected, I promise.”

  “Yes, my lord. I’m always happy to be with Arman. But I insist he’s not asked to walk.”

  “None of us will be walking,” Lord Peika said with a wink. “We just need to arrange things with you, Jera, if you don’t mind and you’re not tired.”

  “I haven’t exerted myself at all today,” Jera said. “Anything you want, of course.”

  “My lords, there is one matter I want to raise with you,” Arman said. “Compensation for the hostages who were killed, and the injuries and rape those who have been returned have suffered. I tried to win something for Ai-Vinri before, but Kita dismissed it as unnecessary. I think it’s important they don’t get away with that—it wasn’t war, it was a crime, and Kita knows it, as does that rodent, Mekus.”

  Lord Meki frowned. “Do you think that wise? I don’t want to antagonise them unduly, and all the money in the world won’t bring those poor souls back to life.”

  “No, my lord. But it’s only justice. I promised myself they would have it. Forgive me, but if you won’t raise it, I will. If the clan representatives are going, then it’s even more important this is raised.”

  “Hmmm. And what do you see as just compensation?”

  “I don’t know, my lord. That’s for the people who’ve suffered to determine. But those women should have some support for their offspring at the very least.”

  “Very well, Peika and I will discuss that and put something to the clans people. You’ve not given us much warning of this. We have to be there in three hours.”

  “I’m sorry, I’ve been rather preoccupied,” he said, somewhat less politely than he should have done. Damn, his leg ached.

  Lord Peika touched his shoulder. “Yes, of course you have, with your friend’s death and everything else. Go and get some rest and this massage. Leave it to us. You’ve done a great deal already, and neither of us mean to sound ungrateful, do we, Meki?”

  “Of course not,” Lord Meki said impatiently. “Yes, please do take some time to rest. You don’t look at your best at all. Kei, I trust you will have him in good shape for this evening?”

  “Of course, my lord. I wonder you feel the need to ask.”

  Again there was this slight edge between Kei and Meki. Arman was too tired and in too much pain to think about it. He got up. “I’ll be there when you call, my lords. Come on, Kei.”

  Kei led him out, still holding his hand. “What’s going on between you and Meki?” Arman asked in a low voice as they walked along the corridor.

  “Nothing, he’s a bit pushy sometimes. Come on, if you don’t get off that leg right now, I’m going to ask Reis to carry you everywhere for a week.”

  Arman arched an eyebrow at him. “I bet you would too.”

  “Just try me.” But Kei still kissed him tenderly as they reached their cabin, and helped him undress. “You should really be in better clothes for tonight, as should I.” He made Arman sit on the bunk and wouldn’t let him lift a finger.

  “The only other clothes that might fit me are at my house, and I refuse to wear Prijian style again. In fact, I need a favour—is my hair long enough to braid?”

  Kei looked at him in surprise. “Barely, I suppose. Are you serious?”

  “Completely. I also want to get rid of this beard.”

  “But....” Kei shrugged. �
��All right. I was getting used to it,” he said affectionately, rubbing his hand over it. “It feels nice sometimes.”

  “I know. But you don’t have one, and nor does anyone else in your nation.”

  “Want me to dye your hair with gike bark too?” Kei asked, grinning. “The stain doesn’t come out.”

  “If you like.”

  “I’m not serious. You’d look like a jombeker. If you’re planning to grow that mop as long as mine, we’ll have to hire Reji to wrangle it for you.”

  Arman caught him around the waist and pulled him to the bunk. “You’re the only one I want playing with my hair.”

  Kei looked at him with dark, serious eyes. “You don’t have to become physically like us to be accepted. No one will hold your colour against you.”

  “They will, but that’s not the point. My allegiances have changed, so I want to symbolise that. You think it’s foolish?”

  “No. I understand. I just don’t want you to feel you have to fight for something already granted to you.” He pulled Arman to him and kissed his forehead. “Now, I’m going to do your leg, and you’re going to sleep for a couple of hours. You look utterly worn out.”

  “I feel it. I’m almost numb, I think, I’ve had so many blows. I feel I should be feeling things more deeply, but I’m so tired.”

  “That’s part of the grief,” Kei said, making him lie down, and moving so he could take Arman’s leg in his lap. He didn’t bother with the cream.

  “Are you going to use your gift?”

  “Yes, this time I am, because you’ve really done some damage. You will not walk around tonight, do you hear me? I won’t allow you to be crippled to be part of Meki’s damn display.”

  “He’s really annoyed you, hasn’t he?”

  Kei leaned forward and poked him on the nose. “You’ve annoyed me—at least your leg has. Now, close your eyes and breathe the way I showed you. This may hurt a little, but it will feel better in the end. You need to untense. Your whole body is as tight as a bow.”

  “Perhaps I’ve had good cause to be tense,” he snapped, but regretted his ill-temper immediately. “I’m sorry.”