Queen Magali raised an eyebrow. “The torque is sacred because it holds one of the spiritbones of the Five Vektia.”
Aylaen blinked, not knowing what to say. She realized a moment too late that her very silence had spoken for her. She tried to repair the damage. “I … I don’t know what you mean, Your Majesty. I have never heard of the Five—”
Queen Magali smiled. “Do not ever try to lie, Aylaen. You are no good at it.”
Aylaen flushed and bit her lip. Queen Magali sat down on a bench made of bamboo. She motioned Aylaen to sit beside her. Aylaen did so, gingerly, warily, keeping her distance.
“I did cast my net to ensnare you, Aylaen,” said Queen Magali. “Do not fear. You escaped. You chose to stay, rather than save yourself. That told me much about you.”
“And why did you need to know anything about me?” Aylaen asked, annoyed and angry.
“Because I have it in my power to give to you a trust sacred to my people,” said Queen Magali. “I had to know first if you were worthy of my trust. I know all about the Five spiritbones of the Vektia. I hold one of them in my care. For many generations, the Queen of the City of the First Daughter has kept the spiritbone safe. The First Daughter was the Sea Queen’s eldest child and she passed the spiritbone to her daughter and so on down through the generations. But now war is coming to the twelve cities. We will fight, but we are not strong. Many of the other cities are allied against us. If we fall, the spiritbone might end up in the hands of Aelon.”
The Queen fixed with Aylaen an intense, penetrating gaze that seemed to turn Aylaen inside-out, lay all her secrets bare.
“The Sea Goddess has given me permission to send the spiritbone with you,” said Queen Magali. “Will you pledge to keep the spiritbone of the Sea Goddess safe?”
Aylaen could not speak. Her chest was tight, she couldn’t breathe for the pain. She closed her eyes for a moment. There had never truly been any doubt. Just one little selfish qualm and that was soon over.
“The Five Vektia spiritbones do not belong to me, Your Majesty, nor do they belong to you. They belong to all the people of this world. If they come into our possession for a time, it is only so that we may hold them as a sacred trust. I pledge my life to keep the spiritbones safe, as the goddess Vindrash is my witness.”
“Even though the god Sund might curse you,” said Queen Magali.
“None of us knows the future, Your Majesty,” said Aylaen steadily. “Not men. Not gods.”
“Vindrash chose her sword wisely,” said Queen Magali.
Aylaen gave a little sigh.
* * *
Skylan paced about the room, chafing at his imprisonment, his inability to do anything. Earlier in the morning, he had gone in search of Aylaen, only to be told by the guards that she was with Queen Magali. Skylan had insisted that he should also be in the meeting, but the guards had only rolled their eyes and told him to go back to his room or be hauled off to the dungeons again.
Skylan had returned in a bad mood.
“Why are you stomping about?” grumbled Wulfe, sitting up from where he’d been sleeping on the floor. “You woke me up.”
“Aylaen’s meeting with the Queen,” said Skylan.
Wulfe shrugged and yawned. “Why are you mad about that?”
“She should have taken me with her,” said Skylan. “This could mean war and war is man’s business, not women’s.”
“War?” Wulfe leaped up, alarmed, and started for the door.
“Where are you going?” Skylan demanded.
“You will put on your sword,” said Wulfe. “I don’t like you when you’re wearing your sword.”
“I don’t even have a sword to put on,” said Skylan bitterly. “Mine is somewhere at the bottom of the ocean.”
Wulfe shook his head, not believing him. “War means swords. I’m going back to the oceanaids.”
“Wait!” said Skylan. “If you’re going back, you can take a message to the Dragon Kahg for me.”
Wulfe scowled. “The dragon doesn’t like me.”
“He likes you,” said Skylan, exasperated. They had been through this before. “If the Dragon Kahg didn’t, he would have thrown you overboard long ago. Tell the dragon that we are in danger and he needs to be ready to take us out of here. Will you do that?”
“The dragon doesn’t like me,” Wulfe repeated sullenly.
Skylan shook his fist at him. “So help me, Torval—”
“I’m going,” said Wulfe.
“Will you tell the dragon?”
“Maybe…”
Wulfe darted out of the room. Skylan heard the boy banging on the locked door, demanding to be set free. The guards were glad to accommodate the fae child, the “princeling” as they called him with a laugh. Skylan resumed his pacing, only to be interrupted again by Acronis.
“I was hoping Farinn was with you,” said Acronis.
“I haven’t seen him,” said Skylan shortly.
“He’s not in his room. His bed hasn’t been slept in. I can’t find him anywhere.”
Skylan went to look for himself. Farinn’s room was certainly empty. The bed was rumpled, but no one had slept there.
“The young fool! I knew that young woman who was flirting with him was coming for a tryst with him, but I never thought he’d be crazy enough to run off with her!”
Skylan swore and ran his hand through his hair in frustration, trying to think what to do. “She was one of his guards. He said her name was Kailani. They had to go out through that door. The other guards must have seen them. You’re friendly with these people. Go ask the guards what they know.”
Skylan remained in Farinn’s room, searching for clues as to what had happened to the young man. Acronis returned to report.
“The guards claim that no one has passed through the door except the Queen’s servant and Aylaen. They said there are hidden passages in the palace. Farinn and his lover probably slipped out through one of those. They don’t know any warrior named Kailani, but she could be new. They laughed and added that the boy would return a man.”
“I hope they are right,” said Skylan, though he remained unconvinced. “I am his commander. He should not have left without telling me.”
“He’s sixteen,” said Acronis. “And I don’t imagine he was thinking much about you last night. The Aquins said they would search for him. We must leave it to them.”
Skylan did not want to leave this to the Aquins, but there wasn’t much he could do. He went back to his room to worry about Farinn and fume over Aylaen, only to find her waiting for him. She was tense and pale and Skylan forgot all about Farinn, and that he was angry with Aylaen. She closed the door and turned to face him.
“What is wrong?” he asked her the moment the door had closed. “Have you been crying? Did the Queen upset you? Is she going to hand us over to Raegar? By Torval, I will—”
“Skylan, let me speak!” said Aylaen desperately. “If you don’t, I will lose my courage. First, the Queen is going to give you the Torque. On our wedding day…”
“But this is wonderful—”
“Wait! Yesterday, you wanted to marry me,” said Aylaen, her voice trembling. “I said I would, but now—”
Skylan turned livid. He forgot about Farinn, forgot about Raegar. “Tell me you have not changed your mind!”
“No, Skylan,” said Aylaen softly. She took hold of his hands. “But I must give you a chance to change yours. Last night, Vindrash sent me a vision.”
She related the dream, told him everything. “Sund wants me to destroy the Vektia spiritbones. If I do not, he claims that I will be barren. That you and I will never have any children of our own.”
“It was a dream, Aylaen,” said Skylan.
Aylaen shook her head. “I have had these visions before, Skylan. I am a Kai Priestess. Vindrash gave me her sword. She speaks to me.”
Skylan would have said something, but Aylaen put a finger on his lips. “I have to say one thing more. I thought about doing what Sun
d asked, Skylan. I thought about destroying the dragon bones of the Vektia. I couldn’t. Not even to save our happiness.”
Aylaen looked into his eyes. Skylan brought to mind the picture of the son he had imagined, the picture of the little daughter with the red curly hair. He watched them fade away like the mist and then he gathered Aylaen to him and held her close.
“You are my happiness, Aylaen,” he said. “The threads of our wyrds are so tangled together, not even the gods could unravel them. I cannot say what the future holds for us. But with you as my wife, I do not fear it.”
CHAPTER
28
The morning of his wedding day, Skylan eyed with disfavor the long caftan the Aquins had given him to wear. A warrior was wed in his best clothes, a man’s clothes. Skylan thought back to his first marriage, the ill-fated union with Draya. He looked backward through time at a Skylan he barely knew—a callow youth, arrogant and proud, thinking only of himself, never of others.
“I treated Draya shamefully,” Skylan said softly, overcome by guilt and remorse. “I deserved the punishment meted out to me by the gods. I do not deserve the reward of such happiness I will be given this day.”
He took hold of the silver amulet of Torval he wore around his neck.
“I swear to you, Torval, I have learned from my mistakes. I will be worthy of your trust.”
Skylan wanted to wear his own clothes at his wedding. His shirt and breeches had been taken from him and he had no idea what the Aquins had done with them. He tried to think of a way to ask that would not insult them. He gave a sudden, rueful grin.
“Not so long ago, I wouldn’t have given a damn if I insulted anyone,” he said to himself. “Garn would be proud of me.”
Skylan grew somber, thinking of his friend.
“I hope, Garn, that you are not angry with me for marrying Aylaen,” Skylan said. “When we meet in Torval’s Hall, we should meet as brothers. I could not bear to lose your friendship, not even for Aylaen’s love.”
A knock on the door startled him.
Skylan answered the door, half-expecting to find Garn there, for Skylan’s mind was centered on his friend. Instead he faced a male Aquin, an older man, with a grave expression, dark hair that was gray at the temples, and deep-set eyes. He was tall and muscular and wore a caftan of fine cloth, light blue in color, trimmed in deeper blue with pearl buttons set in gold.
“I am Tai,” he said, by way of introduction, “King of the Aquins. I come to bid you joy on the day of your wedding.”
Skylan was impressed. The king spoke with dignity; his bearing was regal. Skylan would be happy to stand beside Tai in a shield wall, if only he could get the image out of his head of this Aquin male carrying babies around in a pouch.
“I am Skylan Ivorson, son of Norgaard,” said Skylan. “Chief of Chiefs of the Vindrasi, which is similar to a king among our people.” He said this not to impress the man, but to let the Aquin king know they were on equal footing.
“Is there any way in which I can be of service to you?” King Tai asked.
This was the perfect opportunity to ask about his clothes. Skylan opened his mouth, and was interrupted by Acronis.
“I wish you joy on this day, Skylan,” said Acronis, smiling broadly. “If your marriage to Aylaen brings you half as much joy as my marriage brought to me, you will be a blessed man.”
“Thank you, sir,” said Skylan earnestly. “Any sign of young Farinn?”
Acronis shook his head. “He has not returned.”
King Tai heard this exchange with concern. “What has happened? Is the young man missing?”
Skylan explained, adding that they had not said anything yesterday, because they thought Farinn had gone off with a comely young warrior woman. He added that the Aquin warriors had promised to search for him.
King Tai smiled. “The young are ruled by their hearts. I will go ask the guards if there has been any word of him.”
King Tai stepped out of the room. Once he was gone, Skylan shut the door and seized hold of Acronis. Keeping an eye on the door, in case King Tai returned, Skylan said urgently, “You have to tell him. I don’t want to insult him, but I won’t be married in a dress!”
Acronis raised his eyebrows. Skylan jerked his thumb at the caftan lying on the bed.
“Ah, of course,” said Acronis.
“I am good with a sword,” said Skylan. “But when it comes to words, I’m likely to cut off my own hand.”
Acronis promised he would undertake the task.
King Tai’s return ended their conversation.
“The warriors have not found the young man,” King Tai said. “They went to Lover’s Cove, but there was no sign of him there. There is no need for concern yet,” he hastened to add.
“The two could be almost anywhere. If you knew the name of the young woman or something about her—”
Skylan shook his head. At the moment, he could not even describe her very well. He had been thinking only of Aylaen.
“The warriors will continue to search. Let us not worry,” said King Tai. “Nothing should mar the happiness of this day.”
Skylan decided the king was right. He could do nothing for Farinn now except to wait. And today he was to be married to the woman he had loved all his life. He nudged Acronis.
“Which brings me to broach a rather delicate subject, Your Majesty,” said Acronis. “I know nothing of the customs of your people—though I would be so pleased to learn about them, if ever you had time—”
Skylan nudged Acronis again, this time harder.
“As I was saying,” Acronis continued, “Skylan is to be wed this day and while he is respectful of your ways, it is natural that he would like to be wed according to the customs of his people. He would like to be wed in his own clothes, with his chain mail and helm—”
“They are on my ship,” said Skylan. “And a sword. I lost mine in the fight with the kraken, but you might find one on my ship. Aylaen told me that your queen has her sword in her possession.”
“Chain mail! Swords!” King Tai was astonished and displeased. He asked sternly, “Why do your people bring death to a wedding?”
“The sword doesn’t have anything to do with death,” said Skylan. “The sword means that I vow to take my wife under my protection, to guard her with my life. I place my ring on the tip of my sword and offer the ring to my bride. Aylaen places her ring on her sword and offers it to me, meaning that she vows to fight life’s battles at my side.”
“You people view life as a battle?” King Tai regarded Skylan with wonder.
“Life is hard for the Vindrasi, Your Majesty,” said Skylan proudly. “To die in battle with my hand on my sword’s hilt is the highest honor a man can attain. I will go to Torval’s Hall and there spend the afterlife in revels with my fellow heroes, both friend and foe, and with my beloved wife when she comes to join me.”
“Remaining alive to care for one’s family is the highest honor we Aquins can attain,” said King Tai. “To die peacefully in old age, surrounded by those we love, frees the soul to return to the sea from which we all come…”
Skylan considered this was only to be expected of people who lived among fish. Fortunately, he did not speak his thought aloud. Another thought had struck him.
“A ring! I’m talking about rings on swords and I don’t have a ring to give Aylaen.”
King Tai smiled. “Do not worry about the rings. I came to ask if you would accept these rings as gifts from Her Majesty and myself, and I have brought you this.”
Inside the box was the Vektan Torque and two rings. The wedding rings were made of ivory delicately carved to symbolize the threads of his wyrd and Aylaen’s twisted together. The rings flanked the Torque, one on either side.
“How appropriate,” Skylan murmured, pleased.
He left the rings in the box. They would be used in the wedding ceremony. He lifted the golden Torque, adorned with the spiritbone of one of the Five. He thought of all the Chiefs of his people
who had worn it before him. He thought of the sacred trust that he was taking on himself, and he remembered with shame the first time he had put the Torque around his neck, claiming it for his own, when he had sworn to Torval he would give the position of Chief to his father.
Torval had punished him by taking the Torque away from him. Perhaps now the god was telling him that all was forgiven. He placed the Torque reverently around his neck.
Before, when he had worn the Torque, he had not noticed the weight. Now he felt the heaviness, not of the gold, but of his responsibility.
“I will try to be worthy, Torval,” Skylan said softly.
King Tai was discussing the wedding plans with Acronis. “We have arranged the ceremony for noon, if that is agreeable. Our Queen herself will perform the ceremony in the name of Akaria, the sea goddess.”
“If we could also pray to Torval—” Skylan began, then stopped when he saw Acronis’s brows shoot up.
“We know of Torval,” said King Tai politely. “We do not pray to him.”
He bowed to Skylan and walked out.
“Imagine,” said Skylan, shuddering. “Dying in bed so weak you cannot stand up and then spending your afterlife among fish. What a strange people. I cannot believe we worship the same gods.”
“The Aquins are peace-loving,” said Acronis with a smile. “They do not believe in war. In their entire history, which spans many centuries, no Aquin has ever killed another in battle.”
“A strange people,” Skylan repeated.
* * *
Skylan and Aylaen were wed in the shrine of the Sea Goddess Akaria. If they had been in their homeland, they would have been wed before the altar of Vindrash, the dragon goddess. The Vindrasi had always revered the Sea Goddess, however, for they were a seafaring people.
The shrine was located on its own small island that was surrounded by a shallow pool of sea water. The shrine was made of stone carved to resemble the two halves of a conch shell standing open, with the altar of the Sea Goddess in the center. The interior of the conch shells were lined with mother of pearl and shone with a rainbow radiance in the light of the noontime sun.
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