“I know you too well,” Arman said with a serene smile. “Anyway, I’ve been sorting a few things out, talking to my colleagues and the academy, Colonel Leke and so on. Three days ago, I finally got their agreement to make you an offer, which I swear on my honour is being made on your merit, not because of your relationship with my nephew. Is that clear?”
“Yes, all right,” Romi said suspiciously.
“You might sound a little more enthusiastic. Here it is. The Rulers want to form a special unit within the army that will take charge of all expeditions out of Darshianese territory—whether to Andon, Kuprij, or elsewhere. It will be responsible for recruiting and training its own people, and bringing in civilian assistance as and when required. It will also coordinate with our allies, and help set up the kind of research stations you were suggesting. This unit would be autonomous—answering only to Colonel Leke and the Rulers. Every member will need to be multilingual, highly skilled and experienced. Now I know it will take time to build such a thing—and that’s what I want you for. I want you to head this. I want you to spend a year studying the feasibility, and making plans for expansion, taking charge of recruitment and training the core unit. After that, if you want to go back south, you can—so long as you have trained a suitable replacement. Er, of course, the head of such a unit will need to be more senior than your present rank, so it would carry a promotion to captain.”
Romi stared, quite lost for words. “He’s in shock. Maybe some water,” Kei murmured cheekily.
“Oh, be quiet, tiresome brat. Let the man think.”
“My lord...really not for Karik?”
“Really not. If you don’t accept, we’ll start looking for another person—but I have to say, you’re perfect for the role. Not uniquely perfect, but you’ll do for now.”
Romi smiled at the joke. “But...Karik? Would he be involved?”
“If you judge him suitable, yes, and if the academy releases him. The unit will not be controlled by the academy, and there will be no further expeditions under their aegis either. The Rulers will be the only ones who will authorise such things in future, and there will be no splitting of authority as with this last one—you’ve convinced me of the folly of that. Any civilians who work with you will submit to the army’s authority, or they don’t work with you. Make no mistake—this will be hard work, and you’ll spend a lot of time away from Darshian, though I hope as time goes on, you will train and recruit locals to do their own surveying. But in the first instance, the expedition unit will have to take charge of all of that. The Andonese are very enthusiastic about this idea, and my colleagues see this as an excellent way of increasing the strength of the ties between us. So, what do you say?”
Romi wondered if he was half-witted, honestly. “What do you think? Yes, of course.”
Arman smiled. “Well done, man. Of course, you finish out your leave, and take more if you need it to settle your affairs in the south. I’ll have papers drawn up to have you formally transferred north, and to finalise your promotion. Congratulations, captain Romi,” he said, sticking out his hand.
Romi shook it, still rather dazed. He was staying? With Karik? “Karik!”
“Well, yes. I think you might want to be the one to break the news.” There was a knock at the door, and a servant came in to take the plates. “Ah, Lev, please call a calash for me.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“I can run—”
Kei patted his hand. “No, Romi. Karik and Reji will still be talking about Jena. Give them time to get that behind them, and then you can make Karik ecstatic. Beside, I want to be there. Karik’s such a joy to feel when he’s happy.”
“All right. Arman...my lord...if Karik and I don’t....”
Arman fixed him with a stern look. “I told you. Your position does not depend on your relationship with Karik. As an uncle, I expect civilised behaviour from you both if things don’t work out, but your private affairs are just that. Ah, but are matters that uncertain between you?”
“No, not at all,” Romi said, smiling at how much they were not. “But I can’t help but plan for all contingencies.”
Kei looked at his lover. “Damn soldiers,” he muttered ruefully.
“Hush. Quite right, Romi. But don’t worry about that. The only reason you’ll be removed from your post is if you are grossly incompetent, which I know you’re not, or you wish to be. I don’t operate a system of nepotism here.”
“No, of course not. Sorry...I’m just a bit overwhelmed. Gods, what a job!”
Kei grinned. “I told him he should mention it before Reji arrived, but he wouldn’t listen to me, damn him. Always so cautious.”
“Impudent brat—there was more than enough excitement to deal with. A few days didn’t make any difference.” Romi had to admit Arman was probably right about that, but he had a feeling Karik was still going to tick his uncle off for concealing things.
There was a knock at the door announcing the calash and they went down to the foyer. As the elegant vehicle set off, Romi had to restrain himself from racing ahead of the jesigs, moving along much too slowly for him—damn them, couldn’t they gallop just this once? When he could wish for a mind-mover’s Gift to fly to his lover and give him the news there and then?
When they reached the house, he jumped from the carriage and bolted inside, heedless of what the other two were doing. “Karik! Karik!”
Pira emerged, wiping her hands. “Romi, what’s all this shouting?”
“Sorry, Pira...damn it, have they gone out?”
“They’re in the garden—”
Romi didn’t wait to hear more. “Karik!”
Father and son were startled by his bounding out in the garden and shouting. “Romi, what’s...ooph....”
He grabbed Karik and hugged him, swinging him around. “I’m staying! Here, with you!”
“How...what?” Karik stared at him in confusion.
“Romi, perhaps you better put my son down before he dies of lack of air, and then you can tell us,” Reji said, though he was grinning like a fool.
“Never mind, Reji.” Arman had come out into the garden and was beaming at them both. “I’ve offered Romi a job and he’s accepted. Karik, you’re looking at captain Romi now—head of the new expedition unit.”
“C-Captain? Romi!”
Romi squeezed him again. “I can stay, I can stay!” He stopped and looked at Karik. “You do want me to stay, right?”
“Idiot!” Karik grabbed his head and kissed him hard. “But I’m still going to Gyo’s wedding.”
“We all are,” Kei said. “Well done, the pair of you. Now, Reji, let the youngsters have a bit of privacy. Come inside.”
Romi only had eyes for Karik, and couldn’t seem to stop kissing him. “Oh gods, it’s a miracle,” he said, holding Karik tight.
“If I know Arman, it wasn’t a miracle so much as him realising what a treasure he was losing. Expeditions—will that mean travel?”
“Yes—you too, if you want it.” Romi stopped. “Will you? After all this? It’s been so terrible for them all.”
“Yes, it has,” Karik said, tugging Romi over to a bench as he spoke. “But I can’t let that stop me. Ma and Pa will have to accept this is my life now, and if I die, I die doing what I believe in. I don’t plan on dying though.”
Romi kissed again. “Better not. Are you happy?”
“Will you stop asking stupid questions? I guess I have to call you captain arse now.”
“Don’t worry, you’ll always be my little snot. Ow.”
Romi rubbed his arm, and grinned. It looked like settling for the best had finally paid off.
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Freely Given
A prequel to Falling from the Tree and Staying Power
Freely Given: 1
“Well, little brother, it’s time.”
The words Kei had been bracing hi
mself for all afternoon, and still they struck him like a slap to the face. But for Reji’s sake, and Arman’s—since his lover was watching him intently, and Kei could almost see the waves of concern and guilt rolling off him—he put on his brightest smile. “Yes, you better be going, Rei-ki. I know there’s a certain lady healer and a pretty blond child who might just be missing your rangy backside.”
The mention of Jena and Karik brought an answering smile to Reji’s lips, though his eyes were still sad. “Jena, yes. Karik—I doubt it. I’m just a braid to play with right now. Anyone’s would do.”
“No, he prefers yours, I know he does. He’s so sweet the way he smiles at you when you hold it out to him.”
“He’s just happy to have his favourite toy around,” Reji said dismissively, but the fond smile still lingered. “I have to admit I miss the little squirt too.”
“If you’re going to be his Pa, you better do more than miss him. Now, come on—you’re the one always talking about wasting daylight, and you have to get back to the inn.” Kei made himself walk over to the coat pegs and take Reji’s jacket down, though the act brought tears to his eyes. “Here. Be safe. Come back soon.”
Reji accepted the coat, but didn’t put it back on. “Kei—I’ll be back in a couple of months, you know that. And you can talk to Jena just about anytime, and Myka. It’s not like we’ll be so far away.”
“And it’s only six months—good grief, the time will fly like no one’s business.” Kei sensed Arman behind him, though he came no closer. “We’ll be fine. Kiss them all for me—even Peit.”
“Especially Peit,” Reji said, his smile widening briefly. “Oh...damn it. Come here, Keichichi.” He pulled Kei into a rough hug, and buried his face in his shoulder. “Going to miss you, little brother. And worry.”
“Me too,” Kei whispered, the tears he’d been holding back, now falling without restraint. “But it won’t be so long. We have to do this.”
Reji squeezed him hard, then moved back, rubbing his eyes furiously. “Yes, you do. Arman?” Kei’s lover came to his side, and Reji put out his hand. Arman took it and looked gravely at their friend. “Make every moment count.”
“I will. Thank you.”
Reji grunted and let his hand go. “Right. Enough of this. Kei—behave. Arman—keep him out of mischief.”
He grinned—this time genuinely—at Kei’s yelp of outrage, then turned without another word, and headed out their door. Kei had to force himself not to follow. It was like that day...that dreadful day.
Arman slid his arm around Kei’s waist, and kissed his temple. “He’s right, you know. They won’t be so very far away.”
“I know,” Kei said, but his voice still shook, and Arman, not being fooled for an instant, gathered him into his arms.
“Back for next year’s night of the ancestors. That’s what I promised you.”
“I know.” He let his lover hold him, because they both needed the comfort, and there was very little point in pretending any of this was easy. “Thank you for not reminding me this was all my own damn idea.”
“I consented, we both planned. You can go home any time you want. I’m the only one obliged to stay and you know it.”
Kei pulled back to glare properly. “Where you go, I go. End of argument.”
“No arguments here,” Arman said gently. Kei got the impression he was being indulged, and it irritated him, but at the same time, he was feeling fragile and upset, and Arman was just being his usual kind and considerate self. “Is there any more tea, do you think, or did that tuktuk drink it all?”
“Probably,” Kei said, making an effort to sound normal. “It’s not beer, so he won’t have wanted it all.” He tugged himself free of Arman’s embrace and went over to the little table to peer into the teapot. “I could easily top it up. I just need to get water from the kitchens.”
“Don’t bother,” Arman said. “Wish we had a little stove or something here. I can cope without being able to cook, but it’d be nice to make tea when we wanted.”
Kei agreed, already wondering how he would cope with the cramped living conditions after years of living in a house with just Myka’s company—or on the road, in one way or another. At least they had a measure of privacy in the guest room, but he wished he hadn’t been too embarrassed to accept the offer from Lord Meki for them to stay in the Rulers’ House. “Could be worse—we could be in the dormitory.”
Arman came up behind him, wrapped his arms around Kei’s chest possessively, then whispered into his ear, “I wouldn’t mind but I think we might scandalise the students, considering my plans for you.”
Kei couldn’t help his grin as he twisted around to face his handsome man. “Care to demonstrate your point, general? I’m a bit slow—I always do better if actions replace words.”
“Any except your own, you mean,” Arman said dryly, then leaned in and kissed Kei until his toes started to curl. “The time will go quickly, you’ll see.”
Kei could only hope it would. They’d been in Darshek less than a week, and already he was desperately homesick. What would he be like in six months?
~~~~~~~~
Arman heard the door latch being opened, so he stood up, folded his arms and schooled his features into his sternest expression. Kei didn’t see him at first, his hands fumbling at his overshirt, pulling it over his head, and then hanging the garment up on the peg, his movements slow and awkward. When he turned around, he jumped a little. “Arman! Why aren’t you with Lord Meki?”
“I asked for the morning off. Sit down. I need to talk to you.”
Kei just nodded, and sat heavily down on the stool, scrubbing his eyes. “Gods, what a night. We lost a patient too.”
Arman sat down and took one of his lover’s hands, rubbing it carefully. “Unexpected?”
“No. Just sad. A man with a wife and three children—wasting disease. Nothing we could do, really, but I wished we could.” He looked up, a fierce light in weary eyes. “One day, we’ll have an answer for this kind of thing. I vow that on my parents’ memory.”
“Yes, I know you do. I also know if you keep this up, you won’t be finding any damn answers because you’ll be dead of exhaustion. Did you get breakfast before you came upstairs?” Kei’s guilty start gave him the answer. “No, I thought not. I suspected you were doing this. Kei—enough. You can be a scholar, a teacher and a healer—but not all at the same time. You have to give up something. There aren’t enough hours in the day, and you don’t have enough energy to do all you’re trying to do. Especially not if you’re missing meals as well as sleep,” he added sternly.
“I have to do this, you know that,” Kei said, tugging his hand free. “I have to finish my training, and they’re short of tutors, and if I don’t work in the infirmary, my skills won’t improve. Every patient teaches me something. It’s not like learning to stick a sword in someone.”
Arman ignored the dig at his former occupation. “Fine—but the lack of tutors is not your fault, and not for you to solve. Learn your profession properly, then teach it.”
“It’s only a few hours a week—”
“A few hours plus the preparation, and the time you spend chatting informally with your students—Kei, we’re talking about nearly a whole day lost every week, and you don’t have it to spare. I want you to tell them you can’t do the tutoring any more.”
Kei set his jaw stubbornly. “I don’t tell you how to manage your time.”
“No, because my time isn’t under my control, it’s under Lord Meki’s until I finish my sentence. Your time is yours to control but you’re making a mess of it.” He cupped Kei’s cheek, and ran his thumb carefully over the shadows under Kei’s beautiful eyes. “Keep this up and you’ll get sick. You’ll be no use to your patients or your students or yourself then.”
“So you’re a healer now, are you?”
“No. But I’m used to managing people, and if I saw a soldier doing to himself what you are, I’d say the same thing. I’m serious—make t
he decision yourself, or I’ll speak to Master Bikel.”
“Stop bullying me,” Kei snapped, pulling away from his touch and standing up. “It’s only another three months. I’m no weakling, you know.”
“No. But I will still speak to Master Bikel if you don’t stop.”
Kei glared at him. “You have no right!”
“I have every right as your lover and your friend. A duty, in fact. I’ll risk your anger before I’ll risk your life, my love.”
Another furious look, but then Kei slumped, and then sat down again, his hand over his eyes. “So tired,” he murmured.
Arman moved his chair over so he could put his arms around Kei. “I know,” he said quietly, as Kei rested his head on Arman’s shoulder. “Lord Meki is worried about you too—now don’t get cross at him,” he said, forestalling the protest he could feel building as his lover’s body tensed up. “The man thinks very highly of you, for good reason. I asked him for time to speak to you and he told me to take the day off, as much time as I need. So I’ll work here today while you rest, and then I’ll feed you and look after you. And then you are going to speak to someone about this teaching load, or about the night shifts—something has to go. I insist on that.”
“You really have no right to order me around,” Kei mumbled into his shoulder.
“If you won’t look after yourself, someone has to. Kei—please? Don’t fight me. You don’t have the energy, and you know I’m right.” He stroked Kei’s back slowly. “You need to go to bed.”
Kei gripped his shirt. “Sleep with me? I hate being alone.”
“Of course.” Lord Meki’s work would have to wait—and to be fair to the Ruler, it wasn’t him insisting that Arman brought work back to their rooms. Arman felt he had to abide by the spirit, not just the letter, of his punishment duty. But he was sure Seya and Lord Meki both would consider Kei’s health more important than almost anything the Rulers could ask him to do.
He urged his lover to stand, then took it upon himself to strip him. Kei was yawning and barely up to the task of keeping upright. Arman could have scolded him all over again for letting himself get so exhausted, if he wasn’t exactly the same about the things that mattered to him. “Move,” he said, giving Kei a gentle push toward the bed.
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