It suddenly dawned on him that she was terrified. She had been raised as a slave; and to her, a Master meant security no matter how badly she was treated. He didn’t want to know the specifics of what she was talking about but realized she equated freedom with a slow, tortured death. Cupping her face in his hands, he said gently, “Nothing like that will happen to you.”
“But I have seen it happen!” she cried.
“Come on.” He put an arm around her and led her towards the doors. “We’ll talk in the morning. Go to your room and get some rest.”
“You aren’t going to throw me away?” she sniffed.
He shook his head. “No, you are safe. Now go get some sleep, we have a lot to do tomorrow.”
She started out then stopped in the doorway. Looking at him quizzically, she asked, “You thought I want to be...free?”
He gave a slight shrug. “I thought everyone wanted that.”
Stepping up to him, she wiped the tears off her face and gazed at him. “If you want to be good to me, really make me feel special then give me what I have asked for. I will serve you well.”
He felt sad that she could even think that life as a slave was acceptable. “I don’t believe in slavery.”
A grin came to her face. “That’s all right, I believe in you, even if you do make me very confused,” She started out the door, pausing to let out a heavy sigh. “Please don’t scare me like that again.”
He returned her grin. “Get some rest.”
He shut the door behind her and went back to his meal. No stranger to problems, he knew how to sort out things as they came up. What he was going to do with Ellie, he had no idea. She wasn’t going to let him free her, yet he knew that slavery was wrong.
Unfortunately, she was the least of his worries. Zodiac was counting on him to bring an army to the plains. Odif apparently had come here just to insist on it. The elven lords wanted only to save Elrad, and the duke forbade travel north, probably fearing reprisal from the plains. King Alderlan was going to need all the help he could get.
It seemed he might be riding onto the plains by himself. Although he had gone through many hard spots with Odif he knew her word was true. If she said he had to be there, she had a good reason. He just wished he knew what that reason was.
Sitting down to eat, he began to plot out his strategy. Spring Valley was going to be trouble; and he knew a long, open road awaited them, with many chances for ambush. Those damn spears could be shot without them knowing until it was too late. Old Castle was not going to be much of any help, and Paladnia was too far away. His best hope was to get help from the duke somehow.
Plans started forming in his head. Once he finished eating, he spread out a parchment and began listing the things he needed to do before leaving the city. That led to plans for how to spread out the scouting parties, and the best route for the army to take. He searched through the piles of reports on the other desks, looking for men who had been in battle before, or at least had proper training.
Morning had come when the door opened. He looked up from the stacks of parchment on his desk to see Jeni wearing a very becoming light-blue gown. Before she could start prattling on about his father, he waved her over to sit down.
“Come in, I want to talk to you about these steam wagons. You told me you saw one?”
“Yes, General Cooper showed us one of the smaller ones. It was not a battlewagon, but it was impressive,” Sitting down across from him, she folded her hands in her lap formally. “I cannot pay the fee he wants to use his machines. I was hoping you would help finance my effort.”
“How much does he want?”
“Twelve thousand gold up front. Five hundred more each month we use his wagons.”
“These must be some wagons,” he snorted. “How can you afford even part of that?”
“I have a few thousand in our vaults; and if I sell the quarries, I should be able to come up with a few thousand more. Our credit is good--I can borrow against the earnings of Redman Coachline. I can scrape together nine...maybe ten thousand.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You own Redman Coachline?”
“Eric owns it. I only run it until Odif brings him back.”
To expect her not to talk about Eric was asking too much, but he didn’t have to keep going on about him. He grabbed a pen and his notes. “Twelve thousand is a steep price. Did General Cooper say just what these things can do for that kind of money?”
“He claims they are fast. I have seen the armor on them--no bow will penetrate the steel coverings. He has these things called steam cannons and claims they shoot rocks at high velocities.”
If these things worked like she said, they would be worth taking. It also sounded to him like this General Cooper was engaging in profiteering. Then again, with the only mobile fortress in the land, he could set his own price.
“How soon can I meet this general and his wagons?”
“He is planning a demonstration for us in two days.” Looking at him seriously, she added, “Right now I can give you seven thousand. That will pay for half his fee and four months of use. I will arrange transfer as soon as you decide, but do not tell anyone.”
Trying to keep this meeting short, he refrained from asking her why she didn’t want anyone to know.
“I will make sure King Alderlan knows of your contribution.”
Frowning, she tipped her head. “You are going to the plains to help Odif, aren’t you?”
Pausing, he shook his head. “I have to go to Elrad. That’s why these men are here, not to get lost out on the plains.”
Leaning towards him, she stressed, “Odif needs you to be there! What if she can’t free Eric by herself?”
“They need no help from me,” he said heavily.
Jeni’s face melted in disbelief. “They are the only family you have!”
“They?” he asked. “What are you talking about?”
Standing to jab a finger at the table, she said, “Your father and your sister are out there facing this...horrid thing. You are telling me you refuse to help them?”
“Odif is not my sister.”
Angered, she glared harshly at him. “Oh, yes, she is. She is Eric’s daughter, that makes her your sister. She found the thing that made him a slave, and she has gone after it. You have to go help them!”
His mind whirled. Odif was his sister? That was impossible! He remembered their talk in Longforest, when it had seemed like she was trying to tell him something. She had called him “brother.” He’d told her if that was true they’d been bad. They had, indeed, been very bad. Gripping the sides of his head, he planted his elbows on the table.
“Dear Odin,” he breathed. He felt sick.
Jeni had brought him the most terrible news he had ever heard. First, the fine knowledge that his murdering father still lived, and now this. “Get out.”
Jeni stood immobile for a few seconds. When he didn’t look back up at her, she said, “If it was Eric here, he would not hesitate to rip down the gates of the abyss to free you.”
Tayan’s voice was a heavy growl. “I’m nothing like my father.”
Tears welled in Jeni’s eyes. Her lip quivered as she held back from crying in disappointment.
“That’s right,” she choked. “Eric submitted to torture and slavery to keep us from harm. You are nothing like your father.”
Stiffly, she walked out, stopping long enough to spit her final words at him. “Go back to Elrad where you belong!”
The slam of the door echoed in his ears. Suddenly, he was very tired. He could not sit through a day of noblemen and smiling faces. Too much had happened at once, and this had been the deathblow.
“Tayan?” Ellie asked, sticking her head in.
He waved her away. “Lock the door, keep everyone out.”
“Even me?” she asked cautiously.
“Especially you.”
He didn’t hear the soft click of the latch as Ellie did as he asked. His mind was on Lucinthia. What would
she have thought of him if she knew that the woman he had a flaming-hot affair with was his own sister? He could still see Odif by the light of many campfires, the way she used to look so softly at him, how smooth her tight skin felt...
Slamming his hands on the desk, he pushed himself up and began to pace. She was his sister! He was not going to have fond memories of how they made love! How dare she do that to him!
“She had to know,” he hissed. “She knew all the time!”
Running out of room, he turned and paced the other way. She probably thought it was funny, knowing her. When he caught up with her, he was going to hold her down and sew that damn thing shut!
He started to puzzle out when she had first known. When he left her at the end of the Great War, she had been angry. Then again, so was he. No matter how much he loved her, he was not going to share her with Zit. Did she know during the time he was married to Lucinthia? No, she still eyed Lucinthia with hate then. He remembered well the “private talk” they had--Lucinthia had come back with a reddened ring around her neck, tears in her eyes and was very upset. Neither would speak of what happened, but he gathered Odif had threatened her somehow. He warned Odif to stay away from her; and except for meetings with the Company, he didn’t see the druid for years after that.
Lost in thought, he ran into the wall. Stumbling back, he raised a fist to hit it then decided to give it a kick instead. Then he gave it another. Turning away, he balled his fists and let out a scream. Why did it have to be him!
Motion got his attention. Amber had slipped in and was standing by the door, watching him impassively.
“Oh, great!” he spat, flinging an arm at her. “I suppose you want to be the first to lecture me! I’m beyond prayers right now, so just go ahead and give it to me.”
Amber frowned at him. “What are you talking about?”
“Jeni didn’t tell you?” he asked with a sarcastic laugh. “You know, Shilo is going to love this, Mother Frieda will never even look at me again and Zit--he’ll make a damn ballad out of it! I can try to plead innocence, but I don’t think anyone will listen.”
“Tayan, if you would just--”
“I have to lead these people in battle. How well do you think they’ll listen once they know what I did?” he asked.
“And what crime have you committed?” she asked quickly before he could interrupt.
“Incest, my dear Amber!” He put a hand on her shoulder as her jaw dropped. “You know Odif, the woman I spent quite a bit of time with before I married Lucinthia? Well, it turns out that my dear, loving Odif, is also my dear sister Odif. That’s right, we share the same father.”
Amber gaped at him. “You’re not serious.”
“Oh, yes!” he cackled. “And my dear sister is looking for our father as we speak! Who knows, maybe they’ll come to dinner some time. My fine slave can serve us!”
Amber cringed away from him. “You’re scaring me--get hold of yourself.”
He flung his arms to the sides. “You’ve nothing to fear from me--we’re not related!”
Amber slapped him in the face hard. When he turned back, he just gaped at her. The slap brought him back to reality. Amber didn’t deserve being screamed at.
Drawing herself up, she said, “I’m sorry, you were starting to rave.”
His shoulders sagged in defeat. Quietly, he asked, “Am I damned?”
Hooking her arm through his, she led him to the couch. “I hardly think so, though Odif may well be. You look exhausted.”
He was bone-tired. The thought of dealing with the nobles and the endless stream of people made him want to flop down on the floor and die. Amber help him sit on the couch then made him lie down. “I will see to it no one bothers you until this afternoon.”
“I have a duty.”
“So do I,” she stated. “I have nothing to bash your head with; but I will sing to you, if that’s what it takes.”
He didn’t move as she got up and started for the door. Before she reached it, he asked, “Was there something you wanted to see me about?”
She turned and gave him a gentle smile. “It’s not important, you have enough on your mind right now.”
“I will help you if I can,” he told her. It was then he noticed she was back in her robes. “You got your robes back.”
She gave him a gentle smile. “Get some rest.”
She reached for the door handle and shivered in disgust at the thought of what he had told her.
“Amber, are you sure it can wait?”
Turning back to him, she saw a pleading look on his face. “Yes, it can,” she assured him.
To his relief, she came back to the couch. Moving his head up, she slipped under him so her leg was a pillow for him.
“Now, get some sleep before I do find something to hit you with,” she said sternly.
He wanted to tell her she was the best thing that had happened to him in a long time. He settled on “Thanks.”
Reaching down, she stroked his hair. “You’re welcome. Sleep.”
Chapter 17
Tayan awoke and sat up, stretching out the kink in his neck. From the floor in front of the couch, Ellie shot to her feet and waited for him to focus on her. He looked for Amber, but she was gone. She had managed to slip a pillow under his head without waking him. He didn‘t feel refreshed, but the weariness was no longer so deep.
“How late is it?”
Ellie shrugged. “About halfway between lunch and dinner, I think. The sun will be going down soon.”
“Why didn’t someone wake me up?” he asked a little too harshly.
Tying her fingers together, Ellie explained. “I am sorry, Tayan, but Sister Amber said you gave strict orders not to let anyone disturb you.”
It figured. He rubbed his face with his hands, knowing the nobles would not be pleased about being kept out for so long. “Who wants to see me?”
“The hall outside is full of people. Six claim to be assistants and messengers. Then there’s Lord Tall Ham, a messenger from Lord Parnal, and one from Lady Sal-in-thea,” she finished, sounding out each syllable.
“Lord Tall Ham?” he repeated with a grin.
She shrugged and scrunched her fingers even more tightly together. “I’m sorry, Tayan, these names make my tongue go numb.”
He stood and headed for his desk. “Send in Lord Tolham first then my assistants.”
“Yes, Tayan.” She nodded and went for the door.
“Just ‘yes’ will be fine,” he called to her. “And don't sit on the floor.”
“Yes,” she said, looking a little confused.
A young elf lord dressed in all his finery came striding in. Having expected an older man, Tayan watched him sit down as straight and formal as anyone he had ever seen.
Giving a curt nod, he said, “I am Lord Belenaris Tolham. My father is leading the infantry.”
Tayan returned the nod. “I'm pleased to see you're doing what you can to help.” He picked up a stack of scrolls he had made. “In these are the plans I made for the marching route and--”
“I did not come here for my father.”
Tayan put the scrolls down. “Then why are you here?”
“I came to discuss the Lady Jenesalinthia. As you may be aware, I am to be her consort, as soon as the council meets,” Belenaris announced.
Holding back a cruder response, Tayan asked, “Why should I be concerned with that?”
Belenaris squared his shoulders. “I have heard rumors about Lady Jenesalinthia's being willing to give exhorbitant amounts of money for you to hire this General Cooper and his follies. I wanted to let you know that any large purchases she may wish to make must go through me first.”
By the look of him, the only thing Belenaris knew was how to twist the laws to his own advantage. Tayan dropped his formality. Leaning forward on his arms, he said, “If you want to commit suicide, that’s your problem. Stop wasting my time.”
Taken aback, Belinaris stared at him. “What do you mean by t
hat?”
“Never been in combat, have you?”
Belenaris scoffed at the idea. “I am not a peasant.”
“Right,” Tayan snorted, “And you’ve never had to kill anyone either, correct?”
Belenaris shifted his eyes away from Tayan’s hard gaze. “I fail to see how that has anything to do with the matter.”
“That you’re dumber than you look. Do you have any idea what her husband will do to you when he finds out you’ve taken his wife and his money?”
Flushing at the insult, Belenaris eyed him along the length of his nose. “If that man ever returns, I shall ensure he knows I kept her safe and--”
He stopped as Tayan laughed.
“The man’s a killer! He will rip your guts out and hang you by them,” he stated. “Get out of here, I have work to do,” Ignoring the young lord, he looked over to Ellie, who was standing by the door. “Send in the messenger from Lord Parnal.”
“Yes...” Ellie paused, as if she were dying to say “Tayan” but was afraid to. She finally spun around and got the messenger.
“It seems your slave needs to be taught manners,” Belenaris said in a caustic tone as he got up. He pretended not to see the evil looks Tayan and everyone else in the room were giving him as he left. When he passed Ellie, she only stared at the floor as her cheeks turned dark green.
The rest of the afternoon went well. Lord Parnal’s messenger let him know that all the supply wagons had arrived and there was now enough armor to go around. Duke Jordan's messenger informed him of a dinner that night at his palace, with all the nobles present. The next messenger was from General Cooper, wanting to know if they could meet. Tayan eagerly agreed and set it for the next day. He sent a messenger after Amber to ask her to join him at the dinner. Ellie was even behaving herself. She went about her tasks, without once calling him Master and even sat down in chairs like he told her to.
Although he had started late, he did get a decent amount of work done by the time he had to get ready for the dinner. Ellie shadowed him; and although he managed to ban her from his bath, she was right there to help him finish dressing.
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