by Jackie Dana
Arric walked back to the table. “Aye, my thoughts exactly,” he agreed, and pulled up a chair beside her. Speaking directly to her, he explained. “While I agree with Sarnoc Vaj that Altopon cannot be compromised, there are things that you and I can do. That is why I requested that you join us. We need to discuss our options.”
“You know that your brother won’t forgive us for what we’ve done.” Memories of Nyvas, the adoli, the bold escape, and most recently, the murdered guard, all remained keen in her mind. “If we surrender to him like he wants, he’ll kill both of us without a second thought. We won’t get another chance.”
“Aye, Dosedra, she’s right,” Sebachin agreed.
“I don’t plan to surrender, Pasadhi.” In a surprising gesture, he smiled. “I plan to fight.”
All three stared at him in astonishment.
“Fight, Dosedra?” Vaj asked in measured tones. He had placed his hands, his fingers still interlaced, on the table’s surface. Despite the crisis that was unfolding, it seemed that he had regained his composure. “You understand that while you remain within these walls, your brother cannot harm you. However, if you were to leave, I would be unable to offer the same protection, and I cannot supply any men who can fight at your side against the Senvosra.”
“Of course. However, I don’t intend to fight him with an army. There are other weapons that are much more powerful.”
Arric reached into his tunic and pulled out a small pouch. He yanked open the drawstrings, and with a dramatic flourish, he allowed the single item inside to tumble out.
Everyone again fell silent.
Sparkling in the sunlight, dancing as it fell to the table below, was a glysar ring. The ring Kate had carried for him, the ring that had frightened Rynar so desperately last night.
Before, it was a plain silvery band. Now, it seemed to have caught fire as it spun before them.
Arric grinned. “It’s about time I claim what is mine.”
When the band came to rest on the white marble, the Sarnoc reached for it. He held it up to the sunlight, and whistled. Then he held it out in front of him, in the direction of the others. To Arric specifically, he stated, “this was Vosira Parmon’s ring.” He again examined the inside of the band. “The inscription inside is the Oath of Vosidari.”
“Aye,” Arric replied simply. His confidence was solid, and he seemed slightly amused, if such an emotion was possible with all the grim news.
Vaj placed the ring back on the table, and Kate again stared at it. In all the time she had worn it, looking at it in private as if she could decipher its meaning, she had never seen an inscription inside the ring, but now it was clear as day.
“Dosedra, how can it be that you possess this ring?” Vaj asked him. “As I understand it, the ring was stolen immediately after the Vosira’s murder, and never found.”
Arric’s eyes were level with the Sarnoc. He did not so much as blink as he listened to Vaj’s words. “Nay, Sarnoc, it was not stolen. My father planned to formally announce his decision to name me as Charvos, and he gave me the ring to seal it. Unfortunately, he was killed that very day. So the announcement was never made, and I never wore the ring. Until now, as far as I know, the only ones to know about his decision were my father, Sofinar and myself.”
“May I?” Sebachin asked, pointing to the ring as if he too wished to hold it. When Arric nodded, the Pasadhi leaned forward. He placed the ring in his left palm, folded his fingers over it, and concentrated for a moment with his eyes closed. “It was freely given to you,” he confirmed. He held out the ring, returning it to its rightful owner. “What you say is the truth.” Then he leaned back again and frowned. “You were the rightful Charvos,” the Pasadhi announced. “Your brother has no right to the position he holds. You, Arric, should be Vosira now.”
Kate inhaled quickly and held her breath, as if afraid to exhale and break the spell. She hadn’t expected any of this, and was frozen in place as the idea slammed into her consciousness. Now she understood why no one had been willing to tell her about the ring. Its secret was potent, with political ramifications well beyond anything she would have expected. No wonder Sofinar would not take it from her. No wonder Rynar had become apoplectic. It changed everything.
He should have been Vosira.
Arric should have been the king.
“Blast it all!” Arric shouted, shattering the silence. Then he unclenched his fist which held the ring. “I should have claimed this as my right.” He stared at the ring and everyone remained still.
Finally, he continued. “Eight years I’ve had to think on this. Back then, I believed I was making the right decision. When I found out my father was dead, I could barely think straight. I didn’t even question the fact that I was sent out on some fool’s errand to find his killer, only to discover that in my absence the Council had met and proclaimed Bedoric as Vosira. I was so naïve then, and frightened. I kept my silence, foolishly thinking that if I spoke up at that point, I’d be accused of killing him myself.” He exhaled loudly. “Bedoric was older, and I thought he’d be a good ruler. Had I known what kind of Vosira my brother would become, I would have taken the chance.” He made a face of utter disgust.
Kate stared between the two men. “You couldn’t have predicted this.”
“Nay, in truth I knew from the start, but I didn’t want to admit it.” He stared at his ring. “Bedoric wasn’t even Vosira yet when he had Stavan arrested and thrown in that damn cage to rot. The boy was no more guilty than I was, but he was a convenient scapegoat.” Again he pounded his thigh. “Now when I think back on it, it was as if my brother knew about the ring, and when whoever killed my father disappeared afterwards, Bedoric found someone to take the blame. And I just played along. Had I said something, countless people wouldn’t have had to suffer like they have all these years. Fantion, Sander, people I’ve never even met. But what weighs on my conscience more than anything is what happened to Stavan after that. He was just a boy, but because of my cowardice he was forced to grow up in Lockleaf rather than follow his calling.”
“What do you mean?” Vaj asked. “I thought the boy was killed by a mob in Loraden.”
Arric shook his head. “Nay, he is alive and well, and known as Nyvas. He’s the one she helped to rescue while I was held in the tower.”
“Nyvas?” Sebachin repeated. “That’s the Mosumi word for blood.”
“Aye, that’s right,” Arric agreed. “Friends of mine rescued him, with Sofinar’s assistance, and arranged for it to look like he was slaughtered in the square, so that no one would go looking for him.” He raked his hair with both hands. “All he had intended to do was meet with Sofinar to find out if a charnok could have a calling, and by being in the wrong part of the keep at the wrong time, he managed to get caught up in a plot he had nothing to do with.”
“Dosedra, I do not mean to get sidetracked, but would you clarify the last point?” Vaj did not seem amused. “What do you mean by ‘calling’?”
“You don’t know?” Arric tipped his head, surprised. “Nyvas is Sarnoc.”
Vaj’s mouth dropped open for a moment, and it took him a moment to compose himself again. He frowned, and then tried to smile, and finally settled on a cold stare as he responded to the casual announcement. “Nay, Dosedra, you are mistaken,” he concluded quickly. “One cannot be Sarnoc without training and the pas’hala ritual. The one you call Nyvas, who was Stavan, has never had those things. Although he might be eligible to become laliri, he is not Sarnoc.”
Arric shrugged. “If that’s the case, you might wish to find out how it is that he can speak to people in their heads. I thought that was something only a Sarnoc could do.” He paused, as if waiting for Vaj to interrupt, and when he didn’t, Arric continued. “When Bedoric locked me in the tower room, I thought I would go mad listening to the boy. From his cell, Nyvas had nothing better to do than make up horrible poetry and inflict it on me, knowing I could not respond. One of these days I’ll have to find a way to rep
ay that favor.”
To the sound of Sebachin’s and Kate’s smirks, Vaj shook out his sleeves, and tried to regain command of the conversation. “Very well. At another time we shall invite Nyvas here so that we can investigate that further. But that’s of little concern at the moment.” Vaj turned back to Arric, and soberly, he asked, “Dosedra, what do you wish to do now?”
Arric’s grin vanished as held the ring in front of him, staring at it as if he had never seen it before. “Sarnoc, this has gone on long enough. Without delay, I must confront my brother about our father’s death, and try to reverse some of the wrongs that I caused by my silence over all these years.” He turned to Kate. “And as much as I hate to say it, you need to come with me. We all know how much Bedoric relies on his Aldrish, and you are the only one who may be able to get the truth out of that bastard.”
Chapter 57
“In the name of all those within Altopon, I order you to withdraw!”
In the last glow of daylight, standing on the Altopon side of the giant standing stones, Sarnoc Vaj shouted to the men before them.
Kate stood behind him, flanked by Arric. The wind snapped their tunics fiercely, and she felt like a big flag.
As Vaj called out to the men, some of the soldiers stared at the Sarnoc, while others turned to each other in confusion or fear. It seemed the Vosira had not prepared them for Sarnoc defiance. Dozens of men rushed about, some grabbing weapons or brandishing swords. After a moment of uncertainty, several archers took positions on the edge of the tents. They pulled arrows and nocked them against loose bowstrings, ready to draw if ordered.
Finally Vosira Bedoric stepped from his tent. “Greetings, Sarnoc,” he announced, his voice carrying easily on the wind. No one was surprised that the Aldrish stood at his side. “I welcome the chance to discuss the terms of your surrender.”
“There shall be no surrender,” Sarnoc Vaj called back. “Sarnoc submit to no authority other than the gods themselves.” He stood confidently even as the wind tugged at his braid. “There are other matters we wish to discuss.”
“What other matters?” Bedoric shouted. “You are traitors and oath-breakers, and as such, you have nothing to discuss other than your immediate surrender.”
“Ah, Vosira, but we have much to speak about, and we will,” Vaj responded calmly, a smile on his face. “We shall join you to explain.”
With that announcement, Sarnoc Vaj led the procession through the stones, Kate and Arric following closely behind. Arric’s face was stern, his jaw clenched tightly. His right hand was fidgeting at his waist, and she recognized the twitching fingers. He wanted his sword. They were walking into the middle of an armed camp, a sizable military force that would arrest them both on sight, and they came only with a Sarnoc as protection. Despite his own anxiety, he leaned over to her and grasped her hand. “You will be safe,” he promised her. “The Sarnoc have this situation well under control.”
“I hope you’re right,” she replied. “I’m not sure who hates us more at this point: your brother or the Aldrish.”
He grunted in response, and squeezed her hand. She took that as a sign that they were equally nervous.
As they approached, a shout rose up among the soldiers, and several gathered just beyond the torrapon stones that rose up like a great fence.
Vaj leaned towards Arric. “Dosedra, it is not too late to turn back.”
“Nay, Sarnoc. I am not afraid of him.”
***
The trio was rapidly ushered into the Vosira’s tent. Despite the rising wind, two sides had been tied back, so it was little more than a canopy over their heads. The Vosira and Aldrish already sat at a low table, a portable contraption with boards that could be pulled apart for easy transportation. There were no chairs, but as in Rynar’s tent the night before, they would sit on large cushions.
“Please make yourselves comfortable,” Vosira Bedoric began, opening the meeting with trivial pleasantries, “I apologize for the minimal furnishings, but with so little notice, we can only do so much, you know,” he added with a smirk.
“We can provide all the furniture you require, Vosira,” Sarnoc Vaj replied graciously. “You simply need to ask.” He took his seat across the table from the Aldrish, while Arric positioned himself across from his brother. Kate sat between them.
“Thank you Sarnoc, but I believe we shall manage.” Vosira Bedoric waved his attendant over. “Please see that they have suitable refreshments.”
As wine was poured for the three newcomers, Rynar stared at Kate. Oddly, he displayed none of the animosity that he had shown towards her last night. In fact, he seemed pleased to see her, and she noticed that he had nodded politely to her as she had entered the tent.
“Sarnoc, I appreciate you bringing these fhaoli back to me, so that they may be placed into custody,” Bedoric said. “In respect to you and your colleagues, I will delay having them put into restraints until we have concluded this discussion.”
Sarnoc Vaj never blinked. Instead, he quickly responded, “there shall be no arrests today. Arric and Bhara Kate are under my personal protection.” She realized that Vaj had not referred to Arric by his title, and she wondered if the omission would be noticed. Rynar may have raised his eyebrow in surprise, but she wasn’t sure.
“Ah, Sarnoc, this is no game we play,” Vosira Bedoric replied. “You are aware, of course, that I traveled all the way to Altopon to retrieve these two fhaoli, seeing as they both recently escaped from my custody. You have no claim on them, nor do you have any right under Sarducian law to provide them sanctuary. As fhaoli, their lives are forfeit to the Vosira, and they must be surrendered to me immediately.”
“That is your opinion,” Vaj stated. “Mine is somewhat different. This is one of the matters I hope we can clarify this evening.”
“Opinion? It is the law, as agreed upon by your predecessors and mine. You are obliged to comply.” He turned his head. “Aldrish, what do you say on the matter?”
“Aye, Vosira, you have stated the law correctly.” Rynar sat with his hands folded on the table. “Dosedra, I see your relationship with Bhara Kate has blossomed since the Jiona Festival. I assume the ceremony was a great success for you both?”
Arric offered a practiced, polite smile in return. “Alas, Aldrish, against ancient tradition, we were pursued for many days by Senvosra. As you surely would expect, that gave us little opportunity to complete the ceremony.”
If ever she needed a poker face, it was now. As Arric replied, she sucked in a deep breath and stared straight ahead, focusing on a spot on the tent wall behind Rynar.
“Indeed?”
She sensed that despite his unblemished facade, Rynar remained unsettled by her decision to seek sanctuary in Altopon with Arric. In response, she tugged a bit at the cushion on which she sat, giving her an excuse to slide just a tiny bit closer to the Dosedra, bringing their shoulders together. From the corner of his eye, and without turning his head, Arric glanced at her, and smiled. Although Rynar tried not to exhibit any response, she noted that his nostrils flared.
“There will be time for such social conversation later,” Sarnoc Vaj admonished the Aldrish, working on a tip from Kate that small digs were likely to have a greater effect than outright challenges. “Instead, we have come for Sarnoc Sofinar.”
Bedoric shook his head, his cheeks flushed. “Nay, Sarnoc, such a thing is impossible. That man is a traitor and a murderer. He shall never go free.”
Vaj’s demeanor never wavered, and he kept his poise as he continued in a smooth voice. “My lord Vosira, he is Sarnoc. He is incapable of such crimes. Furthermore, in light of new information, we have rescinded his expulsion from Altopon and welcome him home. I expect that you will grant him safe passage to our city, as required by the ancient agreement between our ancestors.”
The Vosira glared at him, a vicious stare that she likened to a wild dog on the verge of attack. All he needed to do was bare his teeth and the analogy would be complete. “He is fhaoli. Y
ou have no rights over his fate.”
Vaj was not ruffled. “He is Sarnoc,” he repeated, in a tone that allowed no debate. “I will not leave without him.”
Bedoric continued to observe him with palpable hatred, and did not respond. After such a long ride from Loraden, he was likely quite tired, and in no mood for polite conversation or games. This was why Arric had wanted to have this meeting before the day’s end, so that they could take advantage of his brother when he was at his weakest.
Rynar spoke up. “Vosira, perhaps we should consider a trade?”
Before Bedoric could respond, Vaj nodded. “That will be acceptable. In fact, my companions were willing to serve in that capacity if necessary. If that is your decision, they will be released from my protection.”
“If necessary?” Bedoric spat the words. “There was never any question that they would be allowed to leave this camp, under your protection or not.” His lip twitched. “Captain Joven, bring the Sarnoc to me.”
The captain, who had lingered at the doorway, saluted and pivoted, heading out to retrieve the Sarnoc captive. Neither Vaj nor Arric made note of his disappearance, instead fixing their attention on the Vosira.
While they waited for Joven’s return, Bedoric continued. “You understand that you must turn the fhaoli over to me immediately, without further conditions, or I will not allow any of you to leave this tent alive.”
“Threats, Vosira?” Vaj pursed his lips, shaking his head like a parent disappointed in the action of a misbehaving child. “Do not threaten me.”
Before Bedoric could respond, and before Arric could speak in his own defense, Joven and two other soldiers returned, dragging a semi-conscious man towards them. They dumped him, teetering on his knees, at Vaj’s feet.
Kate’s eyes nearly popped out of her head.
The man had been sorely abused. His head had been shaved, and there were many cuts and abrasions on his scalp. He was filthy, with his face purple with bruises. His hands and legs were bound behind his back, not quite hog-tied, but enough that he was unable to move. Remarkably, however, when he was brought into the tent, he made no effort to acknowledge his rescuers or show that he was in any pain.