A breeze seemed to flow through her body, whipping away her murky doubts and filling her instead with a quiet thought.
With my own hands, let me break asunder the chains that Jeh and my mother’s people made to bind the beasts. With my own eyes, let me find the truth that was hidden.
If there was any path that could free both the beasts and her family, it could only be found at the end of that road, when all was revealed. Her work was just beginning.
6
AUDIENCE
Jesse tugged at his mother’s sleeve and whispered in her ear. “I need to pee.”
Sunlight poured into the large, bright room. On one wall hung a tapestry of charging Toda scattering men on horseback. Jesse had tried to distract himself by examining every detail, but the chair on which he sat was so big his legs dangled, and he sank into the upholstery. Worst of all, the thought of facing the Yojeh and the Aluhan made his heart pound so hard he could barely stand it.
He had waited as long as he could before telling his mother. Dressed in their finest clothes and lost in thought, she and his father seemed like strangers. But when he pulled on her sleeve, she moved into action. Rising, she spoke to the pretty young woman in the corner of the room. “Excuse me, but my son wishes to use the lavatory.”
The woman glided over. “Allow me to take him there for you.” She smiled at Jesse, but he tightened his grip on Elin’s sleeve.
Perhaps she felt it, because Elin said, “Thank you. I’ll go with you. Please lead the way.”
The air was much cooler in the corridor. The high-ceilinged passageway was so broad, they could have raced down it four abreast. But we’d probably slip and fall, Jesse thought. He sighed as they walked along the shiny wooden floor.
Elin squeezed his hand. “There’s nothing to worry about, Jesse. The Yojeh and the Aluhan are very kind.”
Jesse pursed his lips. “That’s all very well for you to say,” he said. His voice came out much louder than he’d intended. Glancing at the woman walking in front, he whispered, “I just don’t get it, that’s all.”
His mother had escaped from the palace, only to announce suddenly that they were going back. And now, here they were, but she wouldn’t tell him why. Instead, she kept telling him to behave himself and that she’d explain later. He glared up at her to make sure she knew he was mad, but she just smiled.
“Yes, I know,” she said. “But be patient a little longer. I’ll tell you all about it later.” Then she gazed off into space as though she were somewhere else.
Even the lavatory was large. It smelled of flowers. The water jug and the basin for washing his hands were both made of white ceramic with a pattern of little birds.
Once Jesse had peed, he felt more relaxed, and memories of the last few days filled his mind.
I liked staying in that shed.
The farmers had let them stay two more nights because his father had come down with a fever. They were really kind, bringing slices of freshly picked melon. They had chilled the melon in well water first, and, sprinkled with a little salt, it tasted delicious.
Jesse’s mother spent most of her time sitting beside his father, writing a letter. Once Ialu was better, she gave him the letter to take to the capital. After that, everything had happened very quickly.
They said goodbye to the farmers and headed toward the bridge to the capital. While on their way, soldiers rode up and surrounded them. Jesse was petrified, but his parents patted his head and told him not to worry. From there, they were led to this hall.
A tall, middle-aged warrior was standing in the entranceway, waiting. To Jesse’s surprise, as soon as his mother saw him, she dropped to her knees and pressed her forehead to the ground. At his father’s urging, Jesse had knelt, too, bowing low as though he were sorry, even though he had no idea what he was supposed to be sorry for. Instead of scolding Mother, the man had reached out his hand and helped her to her feet, then led them inside.
Waiting for dinner had been especially hard. Jesse was starving but his parents had made him sit in a big room all by himself while they talked with that man in the room next door. All he could do was watch them through the crack in the doorway.
When he finally did get to eat, however, the meal had been fit for a king. And afterward, he’d been thrilled to have the big bath all to himself and Mother. It had been a long time since they’d been in the bath together. They got to sleep in the same room, too, on soft, comfy bedding that smelled heavenly. Although he hadn’t a clue what was going on, his parents didn’t seem to be worried. He felt pretty sure the bad things were over.
* * *
“So you’re Jesse, are you?”
Jesse drew in his breath. Two armchairs sat on a dais at the far end of the enormous room. On one sat the Aluhan, while on the other sat a woman dressed all in white. She was smiling at him. Her long luxuriant hair fell down her back, and her eyes looked golden.
The thought that this was the Yojeh made his throat constrict so that he could barely talk. His words came out like a high squeak. “Yes, ma’am. I’m Jesse.”
“You look so like Elin. Except that your eyes aren’t green.”
Jesse pouted a little at this. “Yes, ma’am. My mother and father have given me a lot of things. I get my eyes from Dad. But my face is like Mom’s. And Miss Esalu tells me that I get my stubbornness from them both.”
When he stopped speaking, a strange expression rose on everyone’s faces. The first one to start laughing was the Yojeh. She put a hand over her mouth as she struggled to control herself. Glancing at Mother, she said, “Elin, your son is certainly an accomplished orator.”
Elin’s mouth crooked. “Yes. My apologies. There are times when I wonder who he takes after.”
The Yojeh wiped tears from the corners of her eyes and nodded. “That’s children for you. Ours are the same. Although they resemble us in some ways, I wonder where they got some of their other characteristics.”
The smile faded from her face. “My daughter’s eyes are dark, too,” she added quietly. “Not golden-brown like mine. The golden eyes of the Yojeh ended with my generation. Whether we like it or not, everything must change.”
Elin’s smile had faded, too. The Yojeh sighed and said, “So you have decided to obey my command.”
“Yes,” Elin said. “I thank you for giving me time to make that decision. Please accept my sincere apologies for the trouble I caused you.”
A smile touched the Yojeh’s lips, but it seemed somehow sad. “What matters is that you’re here. And that you are willing to fulfill my wishes.”
Elin bowed deeply. “Thank you. I do not know if I actually can, but I will do everything in my power to multiply the Royal Beasts.”
“Not just multiply them,” the Aluhan interjected, “but train them to fight as a corps.”
Elin turned to face him. “Yes, Your Highness. But I have two requests.”
The Aluhan frowned slightly. “And what might they be?”
“The first is about how to use the Royal Beasts. Rather than being ridden and controlled by warriors as the Toda are, I would like to train them to fly riderless.”
At this the Aluhan’s gaze grew sharp. “Why?”
“There are two reasons.” She looked the Aluhan squarely in the eye. “One is because riding them is dangerous. Toda can be controlled by gripping their horns, but not the Royal Beasts. When they see Toda, their natural enemies, they respond swiftly and with tremendous force. It takes every ounce of strength just to hang on, which makes it impossible to shoot arrows while riding. In addition”—she flicked her eyes to the Yojeh then back to the Aluhan—“I have absolutely no idea what will happen when a whole pack of Royal Beasts attacks a host of Toda. If the tale passed down by the Ahlyo turns out to be true, at least we can prevent needless deaths if the Royal Beasts fly riderless.”
The Aluhan’s eyebrows drew together. “But how can we control them, then?”
“I don’t know if it will work until I try it, but I’m
planning to train them to fly in response to my harp.”
“You mean you intend to control all of them on your own?” the Aluhan said incredulously.
“Yes. Which leads me to the second reason I believe they should fly riderless,” Elin replied. “The more people who can control the Royal Beasts, the greater the possibility that this secret could be leaked. We may choose people we believe are completely trustworthy, but nothing is absolute when it comes to humans. Just think about how the Toda Steward was abducted. If we train warriors as Riders, the day is bound to come when the secret to controlling them makes its way out of this country.”
The Aluhan pondered Elin’s words for some time, then looked at the Yojeh. She gazed back at him, then turned and said, “Elin, I understand how you feel. Much of what you say makes sense. But we cannot rest easy if you are the only one who can control the Beasts. What would we do if anything happened to you?”
“Yes, I thought of that, too,” Elin replied. “There’s a limit to what I can do on my own. I would like to ask the headmistress of Kazalumu, Miss Esalu, to help me.”
The Yojeh nodded. “That would be fine. I hear that she knows the Royal Beasts well, so I’m sure she’ll make a good assistant. But she’s quite elderly, isn’t she?”
“Yes. She is. So there is one other person with whom I wish to share this knowledge.” She looked straight at the Yojeh. “With all respect, I would like to share what I have learned about the Handler’s Art, and what I will learn from here on, with you, Your Highness.”
A stunned silence fell over the room. Only the swish of the Yojeh’s robe as she jerked could be heard in that frozen moment.
“With me?” she whispered.
“If it had not been lost in the fire,” Elin said, “you would have inherited this skill from your ancestors. And what more certain way could there be to safeguard the secret than this?”
The Aluhan had been listening to this exchange with an arrested expression, but now he cast the Yojeh a look of concern. “I think this is a good idea, but the Yojeh is with child.”
Jesse’s eyes swiveled toward his mother. He saw her nodding calmly. “Yes, of course,” she said. “I didn’t mean right away. I don’t even know yet whether it is possible to breed the Royal Beasts. If I do manage to find a way, it will take at least four years to raise the cubs that are born. So we have the next five or maybe even ten years to think about it.”
When she finished speaking, the room was quiet. Jesse watched the Yojeh’s face. She looked different somehow. Up until this moment, she had seemed so lofty he had been overcome with awe. But now, with her eyes fixed on his mother, she seemed like an ordinary human.
“I accept your offer, Elin,” the Yojeh said finally. Leaning on the arm of her chair, she pushed herself up. The Aluhan rose swiftly and slipped his hand under her elbow. With one hand on her belly, she climbed down the stairs. She drew near and took Elin’s hand in her own. “I want to know what my ancestor saw and why she chose to become the Yojeh,” she murmured. “Do you think the Royal Beasts will tell us?”
Jesse looked up at his mother. Her face seemed strained, as though she was hiding her pain. “Let us see what the Royal Beasts will teach us,” she said, her voice just a whisper.
The Yojeh squeezed her hand then let it go. She looked at Ialu where he stood behind Elin. He kept his head bowed.
“Ialu,” the Yojeh said. “It has been a long time.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The Yojeh’s expression turned hard. “Raise your face.”
Slowly, Ialu lifted his head. “You haven’t changed,” the Yojeh said. “Maybe you have aged a little, but that’s all.” Her face softened. “I hear that you make furniture.”
Ialu nodded. “My father was a cabinetmaker,” he said.
The Yojeh’s eyes widened. “Your father was an artisan? I thought that you were born into a warrior family.”
A wry smile touched Ialu’s lips. “I was eight when I first gripped a sword. I became a warrior on the training grounds on the outskirts of the palace.”
The Yojeh regarded him silently for a moment. “Do you intend to spend the rest of your days wielding a chisel?” she asked.
“No.” Ialu returned her gaze. “Yesterday I consulted the lord of Amasulu. If your Majesty and the Aluhan will permit me, I wish to become a Toda Rider.”
Jesse caught his breath. He saw his mother spin around to look at his father, her face turning deathly pale.
7
TODA RIDER
Elin stared at Ialu, feeling the blood drain from her face. When he had left the room after supper the night before, she had thought he was stepping out for some fresh air, but he must have gone to consult with Yohalu. And now, he had shared his intention with the Yojeh and the Aluhan, so that even if she protested, there was no turning back.
But why?
She couldn’t breathe. The skin from her brow to her cheeks felt taut and numb. Everything around her seemed to recede into the distance, and she broke into a cold sweat. Gripping her hands together, she fought to stay on her feet and betray no sign of the consternation she felt.
Seimiya frowned at Ialu’s words, and she turned to Shunan. “Did you know about this?”
Shunan shook his head. “No. This is the first I’ve heard of it.” He fixed his eyes on Ialu. “You were a Se Zan,” he said. “Why would you want to become a Toda Rider?”
“Your Highness, it is precisely because of my experience as a Se Zan that I feel the need to do this.” Ialu’s voice was cool and steady. “I longed to support the union of Your Majesties. To that end, I played my small part. Eleven years have passed since you were wed, yet I hear that the Se Zan and the Aluhan’s men still do not communicate.”
Seimiya and Shunan looked slightly uncomfortable.
“If my wife is to fly the Royal Beasts with Her Highness, the Yojeh,” Ialu continued, “then allow me to ride the Toda in service to the Aluhan. Limited though my capacity may be, I long to serve as a link between those who guard you both.”
A light kindled in Shunan’s eyes. “Is this truly what you wish?”
Ialu nodded. “Yes, Your Highness.”
Shunan glanced at Seimiya. Seeing her incline her head, he turned back to Ialu. “You said that you had spoken with the lord of Amasulu. What did he say?”
“He understood. He said that if I could truly bridge the gap between the Toda Riders and the Se Zan, it would be most welcome. But he also voiced one concern.”
“What was that?”
Ialu’s lips quirked. “I believe that you must share this same concern, Your Highness. It was my age.”
Shunan smiled wryly. “Yes, that’s true. How old are you?”
“Thirty-nine.”
“Almost forty. I see. And what else did he say?”
The smile left Ialu’s face. “He was worried for my safety. After all, I have killed many of the Sai Gamulu.”
Elin struggled to control the trembling that seized her. Many Sai Gamulu served in the Aluhan’s army, driven by their desire to see the Aluhan rule the kingdom. More than a few must hate Ialu for taking the lives of their comrades and their kin. If he joined their ranks, she thought, they could easily get revenge by making it look like a training accident.
Shunan frowned slightly and gave Ialu a measuring look. “Yet even so, you still wish to join my army?”
“Yes.”
For a long time, Shunan stared into his unwavering eyes. Finally, he heaved a deep sigh. “As you say, this rift between my army and those who guard the palace is undesirable. The older Se Zan trust you completely. And there are many among my own men who hold you in high esteem. They respect you as a rare and accomplished warrior who aided my marriage to the Yojeh. In that sense, there’s no one more suited than you to serve as a bridge between them.”
He nodded as if to himself. “All right, then. You shall join my army as a high-ranking officer in the supply troops who make up the rear guard. Your age won’t be
a problem there. You’ll be safer, too.”
Ialu shook his head. “I am deeply grateful for your consideration, Your Highness. However, please allow me to serve as a Toda Rider, not as an officer in the rear.”
Shunan frowned. “Why?”
“Warriors will never respect someone who isn’t prepared to risk his life on the front lines.”
PART TWO
THE FINAL CHAPTER
SIX
FAMILY DAYS
1
HOT WATER BOTTLE
Snow clouds streamed in the wind. The Royal Beasts wheeled like dark shadows against the gray sky, turning into dazzling specks each time the sun burst through a break in the clouds. The slow, rhythmic notes of a harp quickened, and the flock of lights swerved in unison, climbing higher in the air.
Batting away the snowflakes that flew like dust into her eyes, Esalu paused to stretch her back and catch her breath from the walk up the hill. She gazed at the Royal Beasts that danced across the heavens.
Two years, Esalu thought. Elin had managed to train them this far in that short a time.
The heat of exertion ebbed, and Esalu felt the air pierce her skin. No matter how thickly she dressed, the bitter cold seeped through her clothes like water. Yet Elin had been working in this icy temperature since early morning and was still standing on the edge of the snow-covered cliff, her face turned upward.
Esalu sighed. Ever since Elin had returned to Kazalumu, she had seemed possessed. She rarely took a day off and spent all her time studying the ecology of the Royal Beasts and training them. It reminded Esalu of when Elin was just a girl and had forgotten to eat and sleep in her longing to cure Leelan.
She must have made up her mind, Esalu thought. For eleven years, Elin had agonized over how to raise the Royal Beasts. Until she had been summoned by the Aluhan. Now she seemed to have no trace of doubt. She knew exactly what she was doing as she broke, one by one, the rules the Royal Ancestor Jeh had made to prevent catastrophe. Elin’s eyes were fixed on something that only she could see. Head raised, she deliberately walked into the wind, focused solely on the final outcome of her actions.
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