Tired and hungry, they pressed onward, moving closer to Rothdara with every passing hour. Still there was nothing. No sign of their carriage or the courier. It was as if they had magically disappeared. But that wasn’t possible. Kaori wasn’t going to let herself believe that some miracle had kept her parents out of sight from the soldiers. She wasn’t the type of woman to give in to such fantasies. Her grasp of reality was one of the traits she most respected about herself though at the moment she wished her mind would concoct a far more beautiful idea to rid the worry she suffered.
It was getting late. Her stomach rumbled from lack of food, wishing that Therek could have waited until after dinner to pay his unexpected visit to their uncle’s house. At least then she would have had some sustenance to carry her through. Instead she was surrounded by the Tialore woods, exhausted and miserable. She’d all but given up hope on finding anything when she caught sight of something on the side of the road. It was difficult to see at first, the leaves overhead blocking most of the remaining sunlight. Her throat contracted, fearful of discovering the object to be what she thought it was. A body. It was the right shape and size, lying in a heap amongst the leaves in the ditch.
She was too tired to say anything. In her dazed state of wakefulness she released her hold on Therek’s waist, slipping down off the horse with remarkable ease. The hollow sound of Therek’s voice called out to her, his words not registering in her ears. All she could think about was the outline of the object lying there. It wasn’t moving. Was it dead? She stumbled forward, oblivious to Therek’s footsteps behind her.
This had to be a dream. It felt surreal, the way her feet sank into the soft soil, fighting to keep her balance on the uneven ground. There. Partially covered by the leaves she could see the object more clearly, recognizing it instantly as that of a man. But who? He didn’t look familiar. The clothes he wore were simple. Unadorned. Torn at the chest where blood soaked into the fabric. Dead. The injury looked to have been caused by a blade, well-aimed, giving the man no chance at survival.
Kaori paid no attention to Therek’s hands as they came to rest on her shoulders, urging her to step away from the body. “You do not need to see this,” he whispered, cutting through her incoherent thoughts. She turned her head to look up at him, surprised to discover him beside her, guiding her back toward the road.
“No,” she argued, finding it easier to break away from him than she expected. He put up little fight, allowing her to push forward once again. She didn’t know why she was fighting him. There was no reason to look upon the grotesque sight. But there was something about the expression on Therek’s face that told her something wasn’t right. He knew this man. There was no doubt in her mind. “Who is he?” she demanded. “Why do you look so disheartened at the sight of him?”
“Because this body explains why we did not cross paths with my courier,” Therek replied quietly, crouching low next to the remains of the man. His hands moved curiously over the blood-soaked clothing, searching for something in the folds. Shaking his head, his frown deepened. “The letter is gone. Either he was killed after presenting it to your parents or he was murdered before he had a chance. If that is the case then the soldiers are aware of our attempts to warn them of the impending arrest.”
“Why would they kill a simple courier?” The answer was simple yet complicated. Why would the soldiers do any of the things they had done over the past few months? They were nothing but scoundrels. Every last one of them. “Would it not have been easier to simply detain him until the General had taken my parents into custody?”
Rising to his feet Therek began a slow walk around the area, leaving Kaori to stare in horror at the body of the man. She’d never seen a corpse before. The longer she looked at it, the more disgusted she became. Doubled over, she clutched at her stomach, suddenly thankful for not having consumed any food in over a day, unable to purge anything more than air. She didn’t realize that she’d fallen to the ground until she felt the moisture from the soil soaking into her skirt around her knees. They needed to keep moving. If the courier was dead, her parents would be in Rothdara by now. She could only pray the General would delay their meeting. He had to know they were in Siundel in order to have sent the summons. Maybe he hadn’t come to visit them yet.
“Kaori, we need to get you out of here.” Therek was back. Struggling to repress another retching fit she leaned forward, vaguely aware of Therek’s hands on her arms, helping to hold her up. He didn’t appear put-off by her unladylike display. She could only imagine that after this was over, he would never want to set eyes on her again. Father will be crushed…
As the fit began to ease she felt Therek tugging upward, helping her to stand. He was moving faster than before, anxious to get her back to the horse. “Did you find anything?” she asked, wiping her mouth in disgust. She felt repulsive. It baffled Kaori how Therek could even bring himself to touch her.
His silence was unsettling. Intentionally avoiding the question. He was hiding something. Twisting in his arms, she held his gaze, her stance firm, causing him to stumble over her rooted form. “Milady, please,” he begged quietly. “Let us get to the horse.”
“Not until you tell me what you found. Have you learned something of my parents?” The churning in her stomach was back. Oh, god. What if they are dead? The soldiers had killed the courier. They could have done the same to her parents. Don’t be foolish. There was no way to prove it was the soldiers. If they were traveling at night, it could just as easily have been a band of thieves trying to steal any valuables the courier had in his possession.
Breaking free, Kaori ran back toward the body of the man, her eyes searching the area for some sign of what Therek might have found. There had to be something. Why else would he be so anxious to get her out of there? Maybe because you are sick… She didn’t want to consider the easiest possibility. He looked too concerned. There had to be more behind his insistence than her revulsion over the corpse.
Another lump on the ground caught her attention, diverting her path away from the body. Therek was already behind her, his fingers snatching at her dress, trying to pull her back, finding her just out of reach. She could see the lump more clearly now. The closer she moved toward it, she began to see a resemblance between it and the corpse of the courier. A man. Too thick to be a woman. Not enough fabric to comprise a gown. The garment was simple. Familiar. She’d seen it not long ago while standing outside her uncle’s house, watching the servants gather her parents’ luggage. The coachman… “Haen!” she cried out, rushing toward the crumpled mass. Falling to her knees she began to grab at the man’s clothes, praying she would find the body to be someone else. Another man who just happened to share physical characteristics of her parents’ driver. But there was no denying it. His face was bloodied and bruised but she could still make out the familiar details of his face.
Tears welled up in her eyes, realizing the harsh truth of their discovery. If Haen was dead, it meant her parents never made it to their destination. But where was the carriage? Instantly, she leapt to her feet, rushing through the damp leaves in search of her parents. They had to be there. Maybe they were hiding. If they’d come under attack, Haen would have tried to protect them. He could have given them enough time to escape into the woods and hide from their assailants.
“Milady, stop!”
She refused to listen. She needed to know what happened. What if Therek already found their bodies? The tiny voice in the back of her head caused her to pause. Would he try to hide the truth from her? To protect her? “Where are they?” she shouted, aware of the pathetic desperation in her cries, but she didn’t care. She was beyond first impressions with Therek. It didn’t matter what he thought of her at this point. “Did you find them? Are they here?”
“No. Lady Kaori, please.” A strong hand grasped her shoulder, spinning her around to stare into Therek’s piercing gaze. There was something about the way he looked at her which caused her to second-guess arguing. He wasn’t hid
ing anything. He was trying to tell her something.
“Your Grace,” she begged softly. “Where are my parents?”
He looked lost. Rattled from his usually calm demeanor. His eyes shifted away from hers briefly as if to regain composure, considering his words carefully before speaking again. “I suspect the Emperor’s guards will have them halfway to Eykanua by now.”
“Eykanua?” The Emperor’s prison. Why there? It didn’t seem necessary to drag two innocent people so far when there was a jail in Rothdara. “I do not understand. They have done nothing wrong. They do not deserve to be put in that rotten place.”
“It would be too great a risk to hold them in Rothdara. They are respected by the people there. The General cannot chance your parents getting free.”
Her head reeled. This was exactly what they’d been trying to prevent. How could they have let this happen? “What can we do?” she tilted her head to one side to meet Therek’s gaze, forcing him to look at her. “Can we follow? Would they be willing to release my parents if I offer myself in their stead?”
“Milady…”
“Will they?” She wasn’t going to accept another guarded, vague response. It was her crime they were arrested for. She was willing to accept the consequences of her actions if it meant her parents would be set free. “Take me to them,” she demanded, frustrated by Therek’s continued silence. If he wasn’t going to say anything then she was going to have to take control of the situation. Someone had to. “Please. If we hurry, I can petition the Emperor before my parents go on trial.”
“If they arrest you, they will execute you.”
“If you think that is going to frighten me into changing my mind, then you are wrong.” Her mind was made up. It didn’t matter what Therek said. She was going to Eykanua, even if it meant stealing Therek’s horse and leaving him stranded on the roadside in Tialore.
Therek’s eyes rolled heavenward, whispering what sounded to be a muffled prayer. After a moment he straightened his shoulders, back stiff, gazing down at Kaori with renewed calm. “If you are going to come with me to court, we will have to pass you off as a lady. Come. Let us continue to Rothdara so you can clean yourself up. We will leave for Eykanua at sunrise.”
The night passed in a blur, Kaori’s mind filled with all the things she would say to the Emperor when they reached his palace. She rehearsed the lines, over and over, perfecting them until she felt her argument was impossible to deny. The Emperor had to see things her way. It was the only way she could protect her parents.
When they reached her home in Rothdara it took little time to prepare for the journey. It felt strange to be there alone, knowing Sivar was so far away. He had no way of knowing what happened or what she was planning to do. If he knew, he would never approve. Sivar would want to think of a way to save their parents without sacrificing Kaori. In a perfect world it might have been possible, but the world was far from perfect. Someone had to die for what she’d done unless the Emperor proved merciful.
It felt good to bathe, removing the dirt and grime which had built up over her skin throughout the trip from Siundel. She felt guilty leaving Therek in the same clothes he’d worn for the last two days. Despite their limited time, obligation required her to offer him a bath and a change of clothes. He accepted the bath, denying the clothes, stating a preference to shake out the dust and arrive in Eykanua wearing his own fashion. In many ways she considered his decision selfish and insulting while at the same time she understood his reasons. There was no guarantee that the clothes her father and brother wore would fit him. It would be uncomfortable to make the trip to Eykanua wearing someone else’s garments.
They barely spoke throughout the trip southward, both of them exhausted beyond anything Kaori experienced before. She wasn’t used to the stress which had been placed upon her. Everything in her past seemed trivial in comparison, making her feel foolish for ever having thought that her life was troubled. The strain was enough to keep her eyes open for most of the journey to Eykanua, the hours gradually turning into days along the road. She didn’t want to consider sleeping at a time like this. They needed to stay focused. Prepared for anything that might happen along the way.
She was discouraged to open her eyes and find that sleep overpowered her at some point during the night. Her position on the horse had changed, finding her body draped sideways across the saddle in front of Therek, his arms holding the reins firmly on either side of Kaori to prevent her from slipping off. Lifting her head from Therek’s chest she blinked to clear the sleep from her eyes, staring blankly at the unusual landscape around them. The lush forests had been replaced by a dry, water-deprived road, surrounded by miles of sand in every direction, speckled with an occasional bush or tree, looking out of place amongst the dusty surface.
“How did I get here?” Kaori wiped at her eyes, uncomfortably aware of her close proximity to Therek. He looked startled by her movement, clearing his throat nervously.
“I nearly lost you when we crossed the Sovehu. I felt it would be safer…”
“We are in the desert?” She didn’t know why it excited her so much. She’d never been outside the wooded regions of the north. Her only knowledge of the desert was what she’d read in books during her lessons as a child, having only envisioned what it would look like. The mental images had done nothing to prepare her for the real thing. It was massive. And warm. The chill in the air was no longer present, her skin clammy and hot from being pressed against the thick fabric of Therek’s doublet. “How close are we to Eykanua? Will we be there soon?”
Therek appeared grateful for the interruption from Kaori’s original question, the hesitation in his voice dissipating, replaced by his usual cool, even tone. “A few more miles. You should start to see it in the distance very soon.”
Relief flooded her body, sinking against Therek despite the tension she felt from him at the pressure of her weight. They were almost there. Only a little longer and her parents would be free. She had faith in her ability to convince the Emperor of their innocence. Her offer was too good for him and the General to pass up. Even if they refused her initial request, it would be simple for Kaori to complete the rites and return to throw herself at their mercy again. Once she was accepted as an adult among her own people, they couldn’t turn her away a second time. Her concern was in how long they would wait for her. The ritual required days to complete. Nearly a week if she included the time it would take to travel back north. But they had to allow it. She was the one they wanted!
Her heart jumped at the first sign of the city coming into view over the horizon. The palace was the first thing she saw, its towers rising high above the rooftops. Her eyes were locked on it, unable to tear them away. She’d never seen the Emperor’s home before. It was an experience of a lifetime… one she wished could have been under different circumstances. If not for Therek guiding the horse, Kaori would have been lost in the bustle of the city. People were everywhere, humans and Vor’shai alike, running from one shop to another in a constant wave, making it difficult to maneuver around them.
Aware of the eyes watching them, Kaori shifted awkwardly on the saddle in front of Therek, realizing how their arrival must look. After days of traveling without stop and without rest, they were both less than presentable by social standards. Kaori’s hair was tousled, her dress wrinkled and somewhat dirty from the dust kicked up by the horse along the gravel roads. Therek, however, remained ever collected. He wore the dirt well, the wind tossing his hair about his head in a way that made him look dashing rather than unkempt. She felt grotesque next to him.
The guards said nothing to prevent their passage through the palace gates. They eyed Kaori, suspicious, their heads nodding to Therek in a courteous, customary bob. Her skin tingled, excited to be granted access to the Emperor’s grounds. Craning her neck, she tried to take in every detail, awed by the brilliant colors of the flowerbeds in the front courtyard, the landscaping perfectly detailed to provide walking paths throughout the greener
y. Although majestic, she couldn’t help recalling the way she’d felt when first laying eyes upon Therek’s home in Siundel. There was something about the design of his property which gave it a more appealing look. More regal. Sophisticated. In many ways, she wondered if the Emperor’s home was somehow smaller. The towers were tall, but the building itself was compact. Maybe it is the lack of trees which gives the illusion of inferior size…
Therek brought the horse to a halt at the center of a circular pathway near the front entrance, dismounting in a fluid, graceful motion, hands casually passing the reins to a servant who ran obediently to greet them. With perfect poise he ignored the questioning stares of the courtiers, offering his hand to assist Kaori to the ground. “I will have you shown to a spare room in my apartments,” he advised, stepping away immediately as Kaori’s feet touched the ground. “You will want to clean yourself up. I cannot promise an audience with the Emperor today, but we must be prepared at any time.”
His apartments? What would people think! It was bad enough that they had ridden into town together, his arms wrapped around her while she sat in a dazed stupor. By now the whispers would already be flying from the lips of the townspeople. The courtiers would be even worse. “Are you sure that is such a good idea? Could I not stay somewhere else in the palace?”
“I cannot invite you into someone else’s chambers.”
“It hardly seems appropriate for me to stay with you.”
Therek lifted his chin, staring down at her over the tip of his nose, inquisitive. “Either sleep in the guest chamber or make your bed in the corridor. I recommend the bed. It is far more comfortable.” Without giving her a chance to argue, he turned on his heel, moving swiftly toward the palace doors, leaving her to scramble after him, hobbling along on her injured ankle.
The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Four: In the Beginning Page 15