Highest Lord

by R. J. Price

  “Url?” his mother asked, her voice a higher pitch than normal.

  Url gave himself a shake and pulled away from the healer, who stared at him wide-eyed. He looked at his mother, who was staring back at him from the doorway of Danya’s room, shaking her head slowly. Uncertain what had just happened, Url turned and left the healer hall before he gave in to temptation.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  “Av wants to call a court to demand a date for your mating ceremony,” Mar said. “Jer thinks no court is needed for that, because it would take half the morning to collect everyone to get them to vote. The vote would take a few moments and then it would take forever to get rid of everyone because they're bothering you about trade or whining about everything.”

  “He said I didn't have feelings,” Aren grumbled into her teacup.

  “You have feelings,” she said.

  “Tell him that,” Aren said.

  “I'm sitting right here!” Av protested, thumping his own teacup down. “Feel like a damned plaything. Sitting here, sipping tea. Let's talk about something that's actually important.”

  “This is important,” Aren said.

  “You said she doesn't have feelings, and that is important,” Mar said.

  “How about we talk about Url attacking Nae?”

  “Who's Nae?” Aren asked. “The woman who kept you company over the winter?”

  “There was no woman, Aren,” Av said quickly and quietly.

  “Why would you wait for someone who has no feelings?” Aren asked.

  “Oh, this is that sort of important?” Av asked, looking to Mar.

  Mar sipped her tea as the two turned to her for an answer. She took the time to enjoy more of her tea before she set it down quietly and played with the handle to align it with the edge of the table. It gave her time to think.

  She knew that Aren looked to her for help with relationships because Mar was mated. That mating was relatively new, however, and Aren had even counselled Mar for that relationship. If Av hadn't been there, it would have been easier for Mar to talk this through with Aren.

  “You told her she doesn't have feelings,” she said to Av. “Or, at the very least, said something that made her feel like you said she has no feelings, thereby hurting her feelings. Which ironically proves that she has feelings. You cannot simply cast about such terms and expect there to be no consequences. Even if you were being honest, there are other ways of approaching the subject. I'm sure some might have come up if you had taken the time to think.”

  “Of course you side with her,” Av said.

  “You hurt her feelings. What did she do to you?”

  “I'm drinking my tea,” he grumbled, picking up his teacup once more.

  “You don't have anything you want to say to her?” Mar said.

  “No, because I didn't actually say she had no feelings. She has feelings, but thanks to her parents she only knows about anger and frustration.”

  “I don't want to talk about it right now,” Aren said. “I was just saying.”

  “See, she wants to talk about something else,” Av said. “Can we please talk about Url for a moment?”

  “Gossip, or problem-solve?” Mar asked.

  The man was quiet a moment. He appeared to be thinking and made a small sound at the back of his throat.

  “Gossip, I suppose. In a way.”

  “Is that how a warrior shows he has an interest in her?” Aren asked.

  “I called Nae, the healer, to court because she was riled in her village. I've been wanting to talk to the pair of you about finding a man or woman—but I'm pretty certain a man—that Nae would find good company in. One that she can take back to her village and mate and make strong healer babies with.”

  “What's that got to do with Url attacking her?” Mar asked.

  “It wasn't an attack,” Aren said. “If it was, I'd... I'd just banish them all from court, this is ridiculous. Every other day there seems to be a problem with the barons or the high lords or a queen throwing a fit where they shouldn't be getting angry in the first place. No, this wasn't an attack. What was it, exactly, Av?”

  “Uhm...” The man went a red colour. “It doesn't matter what it was because Url cannot take a healer for anything. I'm not even certain he has needs in that fashion, since he's never had a lover, or sex. I think. I really should ask him before I make a comment like that. I've just never heard him mention anyone catching his eye.”

  “Why can't he have her?” Mar asked. “Obviously she riled him up as much as she was riled. If he had decided to have her then and there, what would have stopped him?”

  “The only thing that did stop him was his mother,” Av protested. “We aren't allowed to do that—that's not how it works.”

  “Why not?” Aren asked. “I bet if I started poking you on the nose to get your attention, you'd mount me faster than—”

  “End topic!” Av shouted at the table.

  “I thought we were supposed to be open about sexual activities? Mar, why do you think he's doing this?”

  “Why, Aren, I do believe he's just had a dirty thought enter his head that he doesn't believe he can act upon,” Mar said. She smiled and picked up her teacup. “Though, to be serious, I wouldn't bring that up again unless you plan on acting on your words.”

  “I've only just begun contraceptives, so that would be a bad idea,” Aren said quietly. “Suppose that means I need to wait a month before mating.”

  “Not if he's on contraceptive as well,” Av said. “Wait, no, that's if the healers bless you with their special brew. It contains magic, which means you'd not be able to conceive for about five years with how you took to your other tea.”

  “Wena spoke to the healers, so they are now quite aware,” Aren said.

  “Mm, that reminds me,” Mar said, setting her teacup down, “the healers do plan on gifting you that brew. Something about if you don't get that glow about your face soon, they're all going to be broke from their betting pool.”

  “They're taking bets?” Aren asked.

  “Apparently many of them are surprised you are having public audiences and some are wondering if you left your lady parts wherever you stayed the winter,” Mar said quietly. “But they also don't think you want to be pregnant any time soon.”

  “How would I have that lovely glow, then?” Aren asked.

  “I don't know. Maybe if a man really wants to bed you, he'd kneel until the contraceptive kicked in?” Mar asked.

  “That reminds me,” Av said quickly, waiting until both women looked at him, and then making a guilty face, “I had a talk with Perlon about kneeling and straightened him out. Now, I couldn't show him, obviously. And he can't practice on anyone because he's mated to one of you... so you'll just have to lay there and encourage him.”

  “Why would I do that?” Mar asked. “Aren said it's just awkward.”

  “Mar! He's sitting right there!”

  “What?” Mar said. “You did.”

  Av went a funny sort of colour. “This is why we talk about these sorts of things. But while we're on the topic, I think you could use some practice kneeling yourself, Aren.”

  “I haven't had practice with anyone,” Aren snapped back, perhaps a little too quickly.

  Why did she not want Av to think she had done that before?

  “No, which is why I didn't complain during. I, however, have had practice and while none of my partners complained, that doesn't necessarily mean that what worked for them would work for you. How about we both agree that we both try to be more vocal?”

  “I'm not moaning,” Aren said through gritted teeth.

  “You do moan, but thank you, that soothed my burned ego,” the man said with a smile.

  “All right, we have a warrior in the room.”

  “Don't ask him,” Aren protested. “Ask Url. Or Er. Or both of them at the same time. Let's surprise them and see how they take the whole being-open-about-sex thing.”

  “Er would use Url to demonstrate
without actually touching him,” Av said. “I tried that. He has Url stand there and it's ... actually, it's very instructional, but I'm pretty certain more than one person has tried that with them before and they just push it as far as they can.

  “What's the question, Mar?”

  “Olea said that Er was being punished and was to be kneeling when she came to their rooms.”

  “Oh, well, to each their own,” Av said. “I'm aware of their relationship. I know that it's a servant and lord, or lady depending on their moods. They encourage other warriors to try it, but I don't think that's for me.”

  “It wasn't trying the whole thing that Olea was talking about,” Aren said.

  “No, I want to hear this,” she said.

  “That's all I have to say on it. If you want to know more, you should ask Olea and Er. Again, they are very open about it and would be more than willing to teach you whatever you'd like to know. They believe that by educating others about that lifestyle, they can prevent injury from happening. Some lords will apply that to their ladies without any concern for the lady, creating a dominating relationship that others envy from the outside, but it's basically slavery.”

  “Have you ever been tied?” Mar asked.

  “No,” Av said with a huff and a headshake.

  Mar glanced at Aren across the table and smiled slowly. Her friend stared back at her with wide eyes and gave her head a small, desperate shake.

  “Would you protest that quickly if Aren offered to tie you?” Mar asked.

  There was silence at the table. Mar sat back and sipped her tea in quiet as the other two stared at the table and didn't move. She finished her tea, ate a cookie, and sat back once more to enjoy the silence. The warmth of the fire and the lack of the constant noise of court was such a kindness.

  And all she had to do was shock them into silence.

  “B-what?” Aren started out of her stupor and frowned at Mar. It took her a moment to recall what they had been talking about.

  Mar smiled and stood. “I feel like I should nap. Lord Av?” The man jerked out of his daze and looked up at her. “Would you be so kind as to escort me back to my rooms?”

  Chapter Thirty

  Aren was up on a stool as the tailor prattled on about the ceremony. He didn't give any details, but did talk about how this or that other lord had come to him and what was being worn. Some few were upset that a court hadn't been called because they wished to air concerns to her at the same time. The ranks were of a mind that if those concerns were so important, the lords or ladies would simply call a court themselves.

  Most were happy to start planning, and to be given more than three days' warning. Once either the messenger returned from the South or Merkat arrived, the mating ceremony would be held three days after. This would allow time for Merkat to get settled and ready, should he arrive.

  As the messenger was expected any day, the announcement would also not put off the mating ceremony by very long. This was another thing that the court both agreed and disagreed with.

  There was a knock on the door and, as Wena opened it to see who it was, a man walked in.

  He was dressed richly. There even appeared to be gold in his clothing, and he was still wearing his travelling clothes.

  His travelling clothing had gold in them.

  The man came to a stop just short of Aren and made a deep, flourished bow.

  “This is the high lord of the West,” the tailor said in a tone. A tone that Aren was learning meant the warrior was rankled by the man, but didn’t want to cause problems just yet over someone else’s behaviour.

  “At your service, Lady Aren,” the man said and straightened, then frowned, apparently only then realizing that it had been the tailor who had spoken, not Aren.

  The tailor sounded nothing like a woman. The man began turning a scarlet of rage. Aren stepped down off the stool, picked it up, and handed it to him quickly.

  “Perhaps we need to take this up at a quieter time,” she said. When the tailor didn't budge, she tried again and this time tried to sound as if she were issuing a command. “Sir, I said we can take this up at a different time.”

  Giving himself a shake, the tailor took the stool from Aren gently and then threw it with a force into his bag. The other tools of his trade received a similar treatment. Upon closing the bag and picking it up, the tailor turned to glare at the high lord, then looked to Aren.

  Fighting with his emotions, the man said, “As you wish, Lady Aren.”

  “Perhaps, as a high lord visits, it would be best if you found Jer or Av,” she said.

  The tailor's rage remained, but the man smiled as well. He nodded and then gave her a small bow before leaving the rooms in search of Av or Jer. She could only hope he found them together, that one might come save her from the high lord while the other calmed the tailor down before he broke someone, or something.

  “Good help is hard to find,” the Western high lord announced loudly. “I am Lord Yelder, at your service, my dear Lady Aren.”

  Wena approached the pair of them, leaving the door open as an invitation to whoever decided to visit. She glanced at Aren who tried to give her a desperate look.

  “Lord Yelder is the high lord of the West. He's held the position for some fifteen years and is unmated, with no children.”

  “Well, isn't that a shame,” Aren muttered.

  “Quite a shame,” Wena said, glancing at the high lord, then back to Aren.

  “Lord Yelder, whatever did you need that was so urgent that you came here directly from the stables?” she asked.

  “It is my understanding that Lord Van brought his children, and that the barons are all here with their mates. That the high lord of the East brought one of his children and the high lord of the South brought all his children and his mate. Is there war planned? Has Lord Van made a threat on the palace?

  “I want to reassure you that whatever he has said about his army, it is not very large, let alone well-coordinated. They have weapons, but only one to every five, perhaps.

  “That he would send his ranks into war against the palace, is very surprising, so very surprising. Though it is difficult to throw a rock in the West and find a commoner. Really, I've always questioned why the West would keep their ranks from the palace lands. They will not allow matings between their ranks and our ranks, and are very much inbred. Why, Lord Van himself was a bastard conceived on his father's own sister, or so the rumour goes. Though those same rumours do say that he is a queen, which if it proved true would solve all our problems. We could simply demand his execution, as is the palace's right.”

  “Lord Van is a queen,” Aren said.

  Whatever her tone, whatever look on her face, the man stepped away from her. He had lived in the West, however, in a place he had just described as being overrun by ranks. Lord Yelder might have given her ground, but he stood firmly at a step away.

  “Then why does he still breathe?”

  “For the same reason I do,” Aren said. “Lord Yelder, we find ourselves in a unique time. Never before in history has there been an era of short-lived queens. Perhaps a one or a two here or there, but since the fracturing of the lands, we have been a people of darkness. We barely make it from one generation to the next and do not even realize our own fragility. We cannot comprehend how close to the surface disaster has come, or how much further it will push unless absolute obedience is had.

  “I have permitted Lord Van to live because he serves a very precious purpose and if you attempt to unseat him, it will work against the purpose, which will work against your title.”

  “But if you need a queen in the West, a proper baron would have a mate of a queen.”

  “It has to be him.”

  “My lady, if the commoners hear that you have permitted a male queen to live, they will riot.”

  “If they knew half of what I know, they would take their own lives in shame.” The words had come from her mouth, but she was distinctly aware of something else. Aren gave he
rself a shake, stood straighter and faced the annoying little man. “We are aware of Lord Van's condition, and it is not to be acted upon.”

  “W-we?” Lord Yelder stuttered out. “As in you and the throne, or you and your mate?”

  “I am not mated.”

  The man trembled and shrank away from Aren. As he did so, Av walked in. The warrior pulled to a stop, looked at Aren, then to Lord Yelder.

  “Forget trade,” Av said. “I know you're asking them all about trade, but Jer wants to know about the stone circle. Everyone took something but the West's choice doesn't make a grain of sense. Why was a stone circle important?”

  “They moved it somehow,” Lord Yelder said, turning his attention to the other man. “Who are you?”

  “Av. She's mine, I'm hers. Try something and I'll gut you.”

  “Ah, a pleasure to meet you, Lord Av.”

  “Just Av. I've not title.”

  “O-o-oh,” Lord Yelder stuttered out again, paling once more. “Born of a trainer, no doubt.”

  “I was.”

  The high lord whimpered. Aren frowned at Av, who only arched an eyebrow in response.

  “That would make you Lady Mirmae Hue's son—yes, I recall that now,” Lord Yelder said quickly. “My apologies, I am tired and when I am tired, I am surprised easily.”

  “The stone circle, Lord Yelder,” Aren said.

  The man glanced at her, then focused on Av. “The stone circle is part of some ancient magic. It cannot work unless there is a network of queens across the entire world, not just palace lands. The whole world must be united and then... no one knows what it does. Only that the warrior queen was the last to make it work and only then because she knew a different sort of magic. She could move from here to there and end wars and treachery on the opposite end of the world. But then, what could the warrior queen not do?”

  “You said they moved it somehow,” Av said.

  “Yes, the stone circle was once an hour's ride, if that, from the palace. The fields that were said to surround the stone circle were not created by queen magic, they were created by warrior magic. Warriors would ride out there from the palace if they had a dispute to settle or if they were raging because their chosen one was hurt. If they were going to die, they would go to the fields, die, and if they were good and gracious and honourable, would be buried where they fell. Those who were found to be dishonourable during their lives were dragged off to be burned on the pyre.”