by Casey Lea
Her reeling mind sent an appeal that swamped Grace. She clutched her chest and Sparrow staggered too, making Wing throw out an arm to catch him. Lady Grace slumped so far she feared she was disappearing into her robes, like a twig into a pile of autumn leaves.
“Hold, Darse,” Wing called, sending the same message with his fronds, but it was drowned by a mental command Grace.
CEASE.
It was Darsey’s turn to quail, although she managed to stay upright. Grace sprawled in her chair, panting, while the target of her order straightened to stand tall. It seemed the human had remarkable strength. Or she was simply drakking stubborn.
There was a moment of intense silence, both physical and mental, while they all gathered themselves. Grace eventually recovered enough to trust her voice.
“Do you understand, girl? Fronds are not toys and any return of Wing’s will take some thought. While I consider such, would you please withdraw and accept help from Guild Senior Sparrow?”
The kres in question approached Darsey and bowed carefully, before offering the girl his hand. “I would be honored to escort you, Lady.”
“Of course,” Darsey whispered, but her thoughts were deafening when she accepted his shaking arm. Who’s escorting whom?
Grace sighed loudly, but dear Sparrow simply smiled. “Shall we both offer support and try to keep each other from harm?”
“I’m so sorry.”
“No mind, no mind. Which, of course, is one of the best secrets of holding thoughts private. You need to sever the sense of mind touching frond. How clearly can you feel the messages from your frond?”
The two moved slowly away, already deep in discussion, but Darsey looked back when they reached the door and her imploring thought, though sent very carefully, still carried clearly to them all. Fix this, please.
Grace sniffed in response and pushed herself up in her chair to study a scan of Darsey's new frond. Wing waited patiently after the others had left, which was fortunate, because her analysis was not encouraging.
“This is most strange and well beyond me. The strand has changed its genetic code and now carries female DNA. Tuly odd. If we tried to reattach it, your body would reject it. There’s no simple fix, as you’ve most likely guessed.”
“I feared such,” he answered, making Grace snort.
“Is fear a true word here? Others may be scared for you, but you show no such caution for yourself. The depth of your exchange with this alien…” She paused and gravely flicked a finger at Wing’s missing frond. “It is of concern. Not just mine, but grave concern to all, including one who loves you best.”
Wing’s jaw set. “Free spoke to you? Of course he did, but he shouldn't have. Concern is no excuse for betrayal.”
“True, but between you two Free was never the betrayer, was he?”
“No. Free remains the best of us, which in no way stops your manipulation of him, does it? Please, don’t send me innocence. I’ve talked with Freefall and I know you pushed him into marriage.”
Grace relaxed and let herself laugh. “Of course. If I’d left the match to them it would have taken all time, and I don’t have all time to waste.”
She stretched her thin fronds with consummate skill, lifting the few bristles that remained to send innocent concern. “Which brings me back, straight away and all unsubtle, to what truly matters. Have you not felt, dear one, your potential for addiction? I fear it with this alien.”
Wing’s hair stirred against his neck, while his anger was swamped by shame. “There’s no such fear here, Lady, and never will be. When Darsey and I need to part, we will. It’s agreed.”
“Oh, it’s agreed. Silly old bird, me. It’s agreed. All’s well then. It’s agreed.” The old lady sniffed again and shifted her tone from delighted to scathing. “You’re not such a fool, Wing. Every extra day means pain plus, for her too. End this now, while you can.”
“Have you finished?”
“I fear not. Pursue the human if you must, but only if you truly have no regard for her. She is the one most at risk here. She will suffer more if things go sour. She has no hope of navigating court politics, or enmities. Do you wish to see her the target of Princess Goldown's jealousy? You know the truth of this, so forget your own wants and go do what you should.”
There was a moment of tense silence and then Wing bowed his head. “I’d never wish to cause Darsey pain and I see the dangers she could face with me.” He straightened to stand rigidly at attention and stared over Grace’s head. “I see too that Free shouldn’t have to carry all our family cares. I’m ready to be responsible. I ask… I most humbly ask for guidance.”
Grace let her head nod, tucking her chin into her neck folds as if thinking, while really fighting to control her joy. Her boy was back and there might some day be hope again. “My advice I will happily give, Lord. Break with Darsey now and send an apology to your cousin. Then we shall have more to say together.”
Wing bowed again and turned on his heel to stride from the room.
Despite her best efforts the old lady crumpled further after he left. “Fool,” she chided herself. “He’s strong and will survive well enough. Happiness is not needed too.” She sighed at her heartless reassurance, unconvinced, but then started and clutched her necklace when the chamber door was thrown open.
“Sorry, full sorry,” Sparrow called as he was swung into the room, still clutching the heavy door. “Why must these old ships have solid doors? This thing is impossible.” He came to rest facing the wall, dragged there by the handle he had clung to. He pushed himself away from it and turned to face Grace, who was now surrounded by holograms and checking Darsey’s progress. She looked up with a frown when her senior approached.
“The human is healed already?”
“Indeed. And there’s more-”
“How can she have formed the neural paths to carry frond signals so quickly?”
Sparrow gave one of his gentle smiles and she bit back more questions. “I did help, but the lady has a natural aptitude. And more. Wing’s attraction is most understandable-”
“His attachment scares me, Sparrow. She’s no part of our plan.”
“With respect, most dear, are you sure?”
Grace peered through the projected reports to frown at her old friend and sucked her wrinkled lips over sunken gums. “What have you found while you played healer?”
Sparrow gestured with his com and the data floating in front of her enlarged, to focus on a single set of scans. Grace studied them with care, expressionless and unmoving while she absorbed the unexpected information.
“Well,” she finally remarked, in a voice devoid of emotion, “that’s annoying. I just told him to break with her.”
Sparrow breathed in sharply and Grace gave him a caustic look. “Ye, I know, my friend. A mistake. Feel free to say such. We both know I make them.”
“No,” the younger kres denied automatically, but then smiled ruefully. “Well, yes, but seldom so. I know of only four in all our shared ages.”
“Four, eh?” Grace sighed with sudden regret and their fronds shared reminiscence, until she shuddered, breaking the rapport. “Four indeed, but this last is better. Wing is still useful. He can gain us access to the girl, so long as she trusts him. A relationship is necessary, but he truly wants that and a quick fix of any rift between the couple should be simple.”
“For you, of course. But can we get what else we wish? Even if Wing helps, the human will never offer her body to us.”
“To me, you mean, and you’re right, Sparrow. However, that is where the challenge lives.”
Grace flicked her fingers to remove the scan in front of her and used a com thrust to rise from her chair. She took a moment to steady herself and then began the slow trek to her door.
Sparrow hastened to help her, but she waved him aside. “I’m well enough, dear one, and the link is an easy trip. Please, add these scans to my private reports. The girl is well?”
“Beyond well, my dea
r. I put her in trance for some lessons and she absorbed them all. Everything I had to offer, in minutes.”
Lady Grace wavered to a halt, before slowly looking back at Sparrow.
“She took all you know of frond use in minutes? That is... impressive. She can't have integrated it yet, but still...” Grace felt the wrinkles around her mouth moving oddly, curving upwards... into... yes, an uncontrolled smile. A strange sensation followed the expression. It might almost have been hope.
She quickly rearanged her face, before resuming her slow journey to the link. She made her careful way to that weightless corridor and finally stepped into it with relief. She pulsed her com to waft along it and was about to accelerate when she recognised the touch of Wing’s mind.
Grace was surprised to find him still so close, but he had clearly secluded himself in the nearest private alcove. He had found a seat in one of the niches that were tucked at regular intervals around the curve of the link. He had his back to her while he watched an image of the forest on Blossom.
“Parting is truly hard,” Grace barked, but carefully sent sympathy along with her blunt words.
Wing turned in response to the dry comment and inclined his head to the old lady hovering at the entrance of his sanctuary. The alcove field dimmed to admit Grace and she moved stiffly to join him, tapping her way into the alcove with the help of her cane.
Wing shifted a dilmah-draped seat closer to the entrance and she sank gratefully into it. She sighed and then threw the cane aside in sudden disgust. It narrowly missed him and clattered across the polished floor to disappear beneath a settee. She pulled a face when the younger kres bent easily to retrieve the darkwood limb.
“No need to feel smug,” she snapped, reaching for the hated support with surprising speed. She clenched one withered hand around the gleaming wood and smoothed her russet gown with the other. “The Ageing comes to all, youngster, and in half a thousand years, you’ll feel it too.”
“Certain-sure,” he agreed, and crouched before her chair so that she no longer had to raise her head to watch him. Such a thoughtful boy. Grace offered a small smile and he grinned back. “Of course, at the moment, five hundred years feels like forever.”
“Enjoy that feeling. You’ll be amazed how fast the centuries fly. The Ageing has its uses, though. Once, I wanted to live forever; now, more-on-more dying seems an easier option. I won’t be bothering you much longer.”
“But in the meantime...” Wing prompted, ignoring her obvious play for sympathy, and she cackled in delight.
“I like you, Wing. Truly, and there aren’t many members of the Royal family I can say such about.” She paused and the wrinkles around her eyes deepened while she stared at him reflectively. “Except your mother, of course. Ah, she was a lovely one. I think she even liked me.”
“A noble soul indeed,” Wing answered dryly.
Grace rewarded him with another cackle, but he was as difficult to charm as he had ever been. Her lips puckered and she looked down at the cane lying across her lap. It resembled a prison bar pinning her legs and she plucked at her skirt, to drape a fold over the offensive item. She finally looked up with a sigh and sent genuine regret.
“I’ve never dealt well with you, have I? Truly, it grieves me. Now more than ever.” Grace raised her eyes and hitched forward in the chair, to tap his knee with a seamed finger. “You must break with this human. I press you only because I care for you, Wing, and that’s the truth.”
Nightwing rose abruptly and she fell back with a snap of seamed lips. She peered up at him and broadcast sympathy, but he held his mind silent and unresponsive. She let her faded yellow lips quiver and rocked a hand from side to side in the kres equivalent of a shrug.
“No matter, Wing, though it saddens me not to have your trust. In many ways, I feel like a true mother to you-”
Wing swung to loom over Grace and his hiss echoed from the smooth walls of the alcove.
“You go too far. Don’t ever claim such again. I’m gene fodder to you and we both know it. Yes, you like me, and yes, I’m better gene fodder than most, but, with you, DNA is first. Never pretend otherwise, Lady. So tell me, what do you really seek?”
“Just conversation-”
“No. Stop the lies between us, Glam. You don’t ever waste what remains of your precious time in ‘just conversation’. Not once. If you want something from me, ask, because as-is you’re wasting time for both of us.”
Wing stepped away, so that he no longer towered over her, but she still blinked up at him, craning to see his expression. “Now, I’m going to see Darsey. You've ordered me to break with her. Do you have any-all to add?”
“Ye, my neck hurts.”
Grace abruptly sat back at her ease and pointed at the floor before her, ordering Wing to crouch again. He grinned ruefully and obediently sank to squat before her once more, balanced on the balls of his feet. She held his gaze steadily and her mind sent admiration, but his lip curled in a cynical smile. Her hand shrugged again and for a brief moment she felt ashamed.
“My apologies, Wing. I should not treat you as a child, or as I treat the rest of the court. You were always quick and you’ve returned to us with real maturity. A potent combination. That’s why I need you. Why the kres need you. This is your chance to truly redeem your Honor.”
Wing rocked back onto his heels and his hair stirred. His distress at the mention of his lost honor reassured Grace, but she hid her reaction with consummate skill. He shook his head and his hair settled around its family crest again. “I don’t understand. What-?”
“Your mate must be Goldown-”
Wing raised a hand to stop the old lady. “The princess would never accept me. I wounded her too deep.”
“Most deep indeed,” the leader of the BGP agreed. “But I could still convince her. It wouldn’t be difficult since she still loves you true.” Grace paused to lick her lips and leaned conspiratorially close to whisper in his face. “She can give you heirs. Legitimate heirs to a real throne. Heirs that I can approve.”
“An Arck you can simply approve, Lady? Or one you can also order in all things?”
Grace ignored his question, pretending to be intent on her own argument. “Sharpeye is a threat. He has turned on me and now the fool seeks all our deaths. This is war, Wing, and I needs must prevail. The empire can burn to ash if needed. It would be a small enough cost to have victory. Your mating is another cost and minuscule in compare.”
Grace halted her flow of words and tried to judge their effect on Wing. He crouched before her, silent and noncommittal. His mind was even more securely screened than when he had been a child. She leaned forward again and plucked at the sleeve of his tunic.
“We can prevail. You and Goldown needs must give me my dynasty. A dynasty that can gain full support against the Arck’s line. Your babes will be the warlords our people crave. You have to do this for them and for me. I know I’ve tried to order you in the past and you quite rightly ignored me, but this, now, is the time. I know it, boy. I knew it when first I scanned you in your mother’s womb.” She dropped her voice even lower and Wing leaned forward to catch her words.
“It was true-vision. The only one I’ve ever been granted and the only one I’ve ever wanted. I saw the future, Wing, and it was you. You will sire a line greater than any other kres. A dynasty that will span the stars. I feel it in every fibre of this aged and useless frame. It’s the truth. This is the time and you can't deny me. Not, Lord, for all our sakes.”
Her right hand clutched at his left shoulder and settled around it like a claw. She held Wing as if in a vice, not by her feeble grip, but by the power of her vision. She spread her fronds wide, to send the sound a foetal heartbeat and fade the gilded metal walls around them to a pink mist, so that only her words penetrated the fog.
“You are my triumph, Wing. The son my own body would never give me. That is why I had to guide you, cajole you and order your life. Your children will lead us all. You needs must do this for your
family and your people and so does she. Your union will give us the support needed for victory. This war truly starts with your marriage.”
Wing stirred abruptly and his eyes rolled up in their sockets. He shuddered, blinked and then seemed to focus on Grace again. She smiled at his absorption and a blast of elation surged from her fronds to his. That sense of triumph broke through his shock and his hand flew forward to curl into Grace’s shoulder until she was the one held motionless. She whimpered softly when his fingers tightened and he instantly eased his grip, but his expression was unyielding.
“You sicken me. Do you listen to your own words? I can’t wed with Goldown if it could lead to war. I won’t betray all kres and I won’t betray Darsey. It would be a sham. She alone is my true mate. She may not be a trophy womb that can be used by you, but I intend to marry her, and if she says yes, our path will be our own. You and I have no more to say.” He released the old lady and she slumped in her chair while he rose to stand over her. “I find your actions Honorless.”
Grace’s head swung up and a withered hand clutched at her chest. “What?” she whispered, genuinely shocked by the power of his pronouncement. How could a single frond underpin an order with so much force?
“Spare me your theatrics, Lady. I plan to fix the worst wrong of my life. It is my intent to marry Darsey.”
The old kres hissed furiously and slammed her cane against the deck. “Not, Wing, not. What of Goldown? You can’t draw back again. Your people. Your responsibility. You can’t desert them for a primitive female.”
He paused and looked back over his shoulder. His eyes gleamed from the shadow of his hair and Grace wondered if he was wavering. He was bred for genetic ambition and the power of siring a kres dynasty must tempt him. She assumed a smug smile and broadcast triumph while Wing hesitated.
He laughed harshly in response and shook a single finger. “No, Lady. Your dreams are more withered than your flesh. You chase a future without Honor.” His contempt made Grace flinch, but then his frond smoothed and he was gone.