“Arisha, have Hami trumpet,” Rhys told me.
I relayed the command to Hami. The elephant’s body vibrated below us as his loud call drowned out all other noise. “Back to your positions!” Rhys shouted.
The riders milled about in confusion. Had I felt less weak, I would have helped along by giving the horses a mental push, but as it was, holding on to Hami took all my concentration.
“At once!” Rhys snapped in his commander’s voice.
That made them obey and they began to disperse. I breathed easier. Immediate battle seemed to have been averted. We reached the circle of truce.
Whatever Sattar had said of Prince Bahram, he possessed courage, for he stood his ground. “Lord Rhys, I swear I had nothing to do with Sattar’s actions,” he declared. “He shamed the Victorious Fifth by breaking the truce.” The words cost him, I could see that.
Rhys looked down at him for a long moment. “I believe you,” he answered. “And I do realise who extinguished that belt of fire.”
Prince Bahram nodded stiffly. “The least I could do.”
Taren, Kestrel and their men had gathered round us by now. Rhys raised his voice. “Hear me, people of Aneirion and Sikhand, for I have an offer to make.” His arm tightened around me and he leant forward to focus on Prince Bahram. “It is the only one you will receive from me, Prince of Sikhand, so listen well.”
The prince gave a cautious nod. “What is it?” Beside him the elderly mage stared up at me, a frown of worry on his face, and I felt a light tendril of enquiry touch my aching arm. The concern resonating down the link took me by surprise, but Rhys claimed my attention again.
“Prince Bahram, you and your men will leave this country within a moon and swear to never come back bearing arms. Moreover, you will free all the Aneiry taken as slaves. In return I promise to institute an annual horse fair in this place as proposed by Lady Arisha, where your merchants may buy horses to be used in your fight against the Khotai. The first such fair is to be held at midsummer.” He paused. “I have decided to accept Lady Arisha’s offer to assure that the horses never cross our borders again. Do you agree?”
Prince Bahram stared up at us and I could see him hesitate, perhaps hoping for better terms. Yet he must have realised that this was the only offer he would ever receive. He swallowed. “I do.”
“Good!” Rhys swung his leg over Hami’s neck and let himself drop down. I watched enviously – for a man who had just fought to the death he moved very sprightly. My own aches clamoured for attention more and more loudly.
Rhys clasped the prince’s arm. “That’s sealed then. And as a pledge of my good faith I will gift you and your emperor three score horses each.”
I could see Bahram perk up at this generous present, which would no doubt help his standing at court. He smiled cautiously and returned Rhys’s clasp. “My thanks!”
The Sikhandi soldiers started cheering, the relief audible in their voices, and as the news spread the Aneiry joined them. My plan had worked! Though I still did not quite grasp what had made Rhys change his mind so suddenly.
The tension left me, and a wave of weakness swept through me. I sank down on Hami’s neck, my left arm throbbing with pain.
The elephant trumpeted worriedly. Rhys whirled round. “Arisha, what’s the matter? Hami, let her down. Down!”
To my surprise the elephant obeyed and slowly knelt. At once Rhys plucked me from Hami’s back. “Did Sattar hurt you after all? You said you were fine!” The words rang with accusation.
I leant against him in exhaustion. “I…I’m not sure…it hurts…” I lifted my left arm, becoming aware of the fact that my robe was soaked through and in singed tatters.
“That bastard!” Rhys hissed. “He burnt you.”
I peered down at the reddened skin covered with blisters. As a Wood mage I had an affinity for healing, though my true talent had always lain with animals, but the pain made it difficult to concentrate.
Gently Rhys gathered me up in his arms. “We need to go to the healing tents at once.”
That moment the elderly mage accompanying Prince Bahram stepped forward. “Allow me.”
Rhys drew back. “Who are you?” Clearly he had no intention of entrusting my welfare to some unknown Sikhandi.
The mage bowed. “I’m a healer.” He had a nice, low voice.
“Indeed?” When Rhys continued to stare at him suspiciously, the mage smiled. “Allow me to introduce myself: Wood mage Kambiz of Mohsen monastery.”
I started at the name. “Kambiz?”
“Yes. Your grandfather.”
THIRTY-TWO
Rhys settled me on a boulder and sat down next to me, watching closely while Kambiz inspected my arm. The mage let his hand hover above the damaged skin, and a feeling of coolness slowly spread to numb the pain. I released my breath with a grateful sigh. “That feels much better.”
He nodded, grey brows drawn down in concentration. “A lucky thing you were wet through or it could have been much worse.” Gently he peeled back the singed remains of my sleeve.
A breeze sprung up that moment, and I shivered. Now that the excitement of the fight was over, the realisation of how close I had come to losing Rhys sank in, making me tremble. In a way it frightened me that from now on my happiness would depend so much on another person.
“You’re cold,” Rhys murmured in my ear.
A quick command sent one of the men to fetch his cloak from where it was tied behind Gwynt’s saddle. Rhys wrapped it around me, slipped his arm round my waist and pulled me against him. Gratefully I rested my head on his shoulder – how good it felt to have that solid warmth to support me.
Kambiz meanwhile had closed his eyes, and I sensed him gathering power from the vegetation around us. Excruciatingly slowly, he built up a matrix to support the damaged skin, coaxing it back to its natural state at a level too low for me to follow. He was good! I could almost watch the redness recede and the blisters dry out, leaving the skin itching madly in their wake.
“Don’t scratch,” Kambiz said as if he could read my mind, and opened his eyes.
I grimaced. “I know.”
He had sent for his healer’s satchel and now took out a jar of ointment. “This will help.”
“What’s in it?” Rhys asked suspiciously.
“Mainly honey and oil of lavender.” Kambiz slathered the concoction on generously. At once the itching lessened. Next he retrieved a rolled up gauze bandage from the bag and began to wrap it round my arm.
I watched his sure, economical movements. “So you’re really my grandfather?”
A sharp glance up. “Indeed I am. Your mother Laleh was my eldest daughter.”
I remembered what Father had always said about my mother’s proud relatives and how they had cast her out of the family. “You acknowledge me?”
Kambiz winced. “Of course. When Prince Bahram sent word of your…” He hesitated and cast Rhys a cautious look. “…predicament…I came at once to rescue you.”
“Yet I rescued myself,” I pointed out.
“Yes, I suppose you have.” He cleared his throat. “You are quite certain of the path you have chosen for yourself? There was no undue…persuasion involved?”
Rhys caught on to his meaning before I did. He snorted. “I can see you do not know your granddaughter very well. It’s a brave man who tries to force Arisha into something against her will!”
“And Rhys would never do such a thing anyway,” I protested heatedly. “He’s far too honourable.”
Kambiz held up his hand. “Peace! I only wanted to be sure.” He gestured at the Aneiry camped on the other side of the river. “That was a great thing you did today, bringing two countries together.”
I nodded cautiously, not sure why this stranger’s approval should matter so much to me. Yet I could not deny being pleased by his words.
“Your mother would be proud of you,” he added.
I wrapped the cloak closer around myself. “Thank you.”
“You look a lot like her,” Kambiz said, reaching out a hand, though he did not quite touch my face. His fingers trembled. “Laleh…she always had a mind of her own.” He shook his head. “I admit I did not approve of her choice of a husband, but I always hoped that one day she would come back and we would be reconciled.” His voice petered out. “Only she had that accident…”
Impulsively I took the old man’s hand. “I’m sorry.”
A sad smile. “What a fool I was. A stiff-necked, stubborn fool! At the time I thought she was throwing her talent away, yet how little that matters in retrospect. And then, I’m afraid, I lost even the tenuous contact I’d had with her – until Prince Bahram sent me news. Of course I came at once.”
So now I had a family again, and not such a bad sort either. The thought warmed me deep inside. Perhaps once things had settled down a bit, he could tell me more about my mother. But not just now. I yawned as the exhaustion held at bay by the excitement of the past hours crashed down on me. At the moment I wanted nothing but to close my eyes for a bit.
Kambiz seemed to sense as much. “We will speak later,” he said. “For now you need some warm food and plenty of rest. And a hot bath. You can share my quarters.”
“No,” Rhys said. “She’s not going inside the Sikhandi fort.”
“But she’d be much more comfortable there,” Kambiz objected. “And perfectly safe. I will look after her.”
“No,” Rhys snapped again. “Arisha will stay in my command tent. It’s safest.”
The old man drew himself up to his full size, obviously not used to being contradicted. “Your tent? That would hardly be appropriate.”
I decided to intervene and remind both of them that I was perfectly capable of deciding my own fate. “I will stay out here. We brought a small tent along that we can pitch on the island.” Which would also take care of any hotheads thinking they could continue the fight once I was gone.
Neither of the two men liked this idea and they united in opposing me, but I carried the point. In the end Rhys sent his men to take down his command tent and bring it over. Not to be outdone, Kambiz returned to the fort to organise carpets and furnishings for me. At least Kestrel had kindly provided food for the ever hungry Hami, relieving me of that worry.
At which point I reminded Rhys that I’d had practically nothing to eat all day, which set off another flurry of activity resulting in an excellent barley broth. My belly filled, safe and warm with Rhys’s arm around me, I dozed off after that, while he discussed further details with Prince Bahram about the next steps and what message to send to the Emperor in Sikhand.
* * *
I stirred briefly when Rhys transferred me to a proper bed, but after a whispered reassurance from him slipped back into sleep. When I finally woke for good, it was to the sight of a canvas roof stretching above me. I yawned. At once all my aches and pains clamoured for attention, making me wince.
“Awake?” somebody asked.
Turning over, I found Cerwen sitting cross-legged on a pile of cushions. With some envy I noticed that she wore clean clothes and her hair looked freshly washed.
Cerwen grinned. “Ready for a hot bath?” As if on cue, the sound of water being poured came from nearby.
That brought me straight upright. “Are you serious?”
“Certainly. Come and see.”
Quickly I untangled myself from the sheets. Sinking into a sumptuous carpet with every step, I followed her into a curtained off section of the tent. To my amazement a gilded bathtub stood in the centre, filled with steaming water and surrounded by low tables cluttered with an assortment of perfumes and lotions.
Cerwen giggled at my strangled sound of disbelief. “It took six Sikhandi soldiers to wrangle this thing in here, but you just slept through it all. Your Prince Bahram has really outdone himself.”
He certainly had! Unable to wait any longer, I peeled off my tattered robe and climbed into the water. Bliss! I only had to be careful to rest my bandaged arm on the rim of the tub so it would not get wet. Since I was one-handed, Cerwen very kindly offered to wash my hair for me, making me feel like a spoilt and pampered queen.
For a while I did nothing but enjoy the sensation of being clean again. By the light I guessed that it had to be late afternoon and wondered how things had gone while I slept, but the sounds coming from outside were nothing but the normal noises of a busy camp: horses chewing contentedly, somebody splitting wood for fire, a man whistling as he walked by. I reached out for Hami and found him dozing nearby.
“Where is Rhys?” I asked.
“Talking to his captains,” Cerwen answered, “but he will be back soon.”
Which meant that I should probably vacate the tub, unless I wanted him to find me in such a disrobed state. It was quite a pleasant notion, and I couldn’t help grinning, picturing what he might do. However, the water was cooling rapidly, and that moment Owena ducked round the curtain, carrying a pile of clothes.
The two helped me out of the tub and wrapped towels round me, clucking at the scrapes and bruises left over from the fight.
“That brute of a Fire mage,” Cerwen muttered. “He deserved everything he got.”
I forbore to mention that most of the bruises were from Rhys landing on top of me wearing full armour and just nodded. Once I had recovered my energy, I should be able to speed up the healing process myself.
Owena brought over the clothes. “These just arrived from Prince Bahram, sent as a small present.” Her eyes widened as she shook out several opulent robes, each one richer than anything I had ever owned before.
Cerwen chuckled. “Well, at least he’s properly grateful to you for saving his skin. And even better, he knows what a woman likes.”
That made us laugh, but I couldn’t help wondering where he’d got the clothes from at such short notice. Left behind by his concubines? The low cut of the robes and their diaphanous sleeves seemed to confirm my guess. I chose the simplest one to wear, but even that had gold threads woven through the rich blue silk and matching slippers embroidered with tiny beads.
Owena towelled dry my hair and helped me braid in Rhys’s feather again. “You look beautiful,” she said.
“Thank you.” She did not seem to bear me any ill-will for the morning’s adventure, and I couldn’t help feeling guilty at how curtly I had treated her. “I’m sorry for the way I dragged you across the river,” I said impulsively.
She actually smiled. “That’s fine. Just imagine, Kestrel thinks me really brave for standing up to Pellyn the way I did.”
“I agree with him,” I said.
The girl beamed at me. She reminded me of a plant that had been watered properly for the first time.
There was the sound of steps outside. “Arisha, may I come in?”
Rhys. My heart gave a funny little jump. “You may,” I called.
Cerwen straightened out the robe while Owena gave my hair a last brush, and I swept past the curtain into the main part of the tent. Rhys stood by the entrance, his eyes widening in a most gratifying way.
“Arisha…” Briefly his attention transferred to Cerwen and Owena. “Ladies, would you leave us alone for a moment?”
They probably grinned as they left, but I didn’t see, being completely focused on the man before me. He took a step forward and I matched him as if in a dance. Fingers met, then lips. Two halves coming together to form a perfect whole. The world narrowed to the here and now, Rhys’s touch, his arms around me, the taste of desire. So right! I marvelled that our bodies and hearts had known almost at once what it had taken our minds so long to comprehend.
His kisses had none of their earlier frantic urgency, rather he took his time, teasing and exploring with bone-melting thoroughness. When he at last broke off, I leant against him with a sigh of pure contentment. Heat spilt through his thin shirt, warming me. “Finally you got rid of that stupid hauberk.”
Laughter rumbled in his chest. “I’m glad you approve.”
“It was about ti
me,” I murmured, breathing in his scent, that mix of horse, sweat and something uniquely his own. How good it felt to be held in the circle of his arms. My home.
He slipped a finger under my chin and searched my face. “Arisha, how are you feeling, you’re not in any pain?”
“Pain?” The hot bath and distraction of his kisses had dulled my injuries to a low ache, and I had quite forgotten about them. I shook my head. “I’m fine.”
He sighed with relief. “Good. I have to admit, that grandfather of yours seems a decent sort. He has even offered to look at some of my men who got hurt in earlier skirmishes.”
I smiled with pleasure. “He has? I’m glad.” It gave me hope for the eventual peace.
Rhys stroked my cheek. “I really only wanted to look in on you quickly.” His lips quirked. “Only I got distracted.”
I remembered Cerwen’s earlier words. “You’ve been talking to your captains? Will the treaty be accepted?”
He gave a decisive nod. “I think so. With Pellyn disgraced, there was nobody left to raise any objections. Trade with Sikhand will benefit us all – Taren even suggested breeding a separate line of culls just for them – and it’s still a great victory.”
“Do the men see it as such?” Or were they wistful for the glory they might have won? Was he?
“Oh, I think they’ve realised that there are more ways to win a battle than by might of arms.” Lightly he touched the feather woven into my hair. “I told them that we have the best Shah player of Aneirion on our side now.”
“The two best Shah players,” I corrected him. And without him, the treaty would have had no chance at all, though I still wasn’t sure why he had changed his mind so suddenly.
“True,” he said with a laugh. “And you still owe me a rematch, lady of mine, but this time I will not underestimate you.”
I lifted my chin. “Whenever you wish.”
His smile deepened. “You tempt me. Yet first we have to finish this current game.”
Elephant Thief Page 30