Pawn (The Pawn Series Book 1)

by Robin Roseau

  "But you're not."

  "No. I'm not." She kissed me. "Thank you for teaching me that."

  "We'd be good in some ways."

  "A half of your life," she said. "But I'd be so miserable in the other half."

  "I know. I'm sorry."

  "It's all right. This has been a gift I will treasure. Mother says word has gotten around."

  "Oh? About this?" I gestured to us.

  "Well, not this exactly. Let people wonder. But clearly you see things in me no one else does."

  "Not no one else. It was Muranna who told me there was more to you than I realized, but it was clear after she said it."

  "Muranna." She sighed. "Who also lives in crowds. But people wonder, and when people wonder, some become curious enough to investigate."

  "And have any been investigating?"

  "Not yet, and they won't as long as I am paying court to you."

  "What happens?" I asked. "It's not like we'd end this because we fight, or because we dislike each other."

  "I will withdraw my petition in public. Everyone will know why."

  "Will you be able to do that?"

  "I'll have to. I know you'll help, if I can't get it out."

  "But not yet."

  "No. Not yet."

  And in the end, she would be spared, as events were to overrun us all. But I will forever cherish our time together, and I fully believe she did, too.

  * * * *

  Malta and I kissed and cuddled, lost in our own afterglow. She was a slow, careful lover, and while our lovemaking didn't carry the passion I'd felt with Larien, it was good, and I enjoyed being held afterwards.

  She and I didn't talk about the future of any relationship. We didn't exchange the sorts of promises Larien and I had, and I think we both knew this was temporary.

  I think maybe she loved me. I liked her and enjoyed her company, but I didn't love her, and I didn't think I would grow to do so.

  But for now, we would continue to spend time together when schedules permitted, and I enjoyed the time.

  * * * *

  Summer arrived, and hot on its heels, a fresh letter from Larien. I tore it open with expectation. She had suggested perhaps she would visit.

  Lovely Yallameenara,

  I cannot come. Mother insists she must meet you, and father cannot travel. You must come. Please. You must.

  Impress upon your queen. We would be very good together. I come not with lands, but with the wherewithal to acquire them in Framara. I can set down roots, and we can be together. I want no other.

  But I cannot defy mother. She must meet you, and father cannot travel. Your queen must understand.

  Please, I would be yours.

  Larien

  Over dinner, I handed the letter to Ralalta. She read it carefully and then turned a sad gaze to me. "I am sorry, Yalla. I know it sounds unfair, but you will not leave Framara. I truly am sorry."

  I took the letter back and said nothing. We ate quietly. Then, when we were done, I stared at the place that had held my plate.

  "I don't want to think the worst," I said. "Is this because you want me with another?"

  "I want you to be happy, Yalla. I have told you she would be welcome if she would come here. I truly am sorry. I cannot let you travel to Alteara, not now, and probably not ever."

  "Will you tell me why?"

  "No. Are you going to defy me?"

  "No. How do I answer her?"

  "This time, I answer for you. I really am sorry, Yalla."

  The Unexpected

  I was inconsolable for the better part of two weeks. Muranna tried to get me to go out. I turned down all invitations, although I kept up with my responsibilities.

  Of course, Muranna didn't give up, and she bounced into my room one particularly bright day. "Zana needs exercise, and I know just the merchant foolish enough to give us money to do so."

  "Muranna."

  "Come on, Yalla," she said. "I miss you! And Zana really misses you. When's the last time she got a good run? And I need a new hat."

  "You always need a new hat."

  "Look, I didn't want to tell you this, but the merchant in question has been shooting his mouth off, all over Marport. He's heard about you, and he's seen the Arrlottan horses out at that riding school. You wouldn't believe the things he's saying."

  "Nice try, Muranna."

  "Fine. You don't believe me? Wager."

  "No."

  "I have contacts."

  "Muranna."

  "I'll kidnap her and bring her back."

  "What?"

  "I'll never be able to return to Alteara, and I don't promise she'll stay. But I'll get her here. If I'm wrong. He's been insulting your horses, Yalla, and I bet he'll do it to your face, or at least I can find five people to corroborate my story."

  "What do you want?"

  "If I'm right -- and I am -- you help me fleece him and shut him up at the same time. And then you stop moping and go riding with me. There's to be a faire in Barton in two weeks, and we're going."

  "And if you're lying to me, you'll find a way to get Larien here. Right."

  "If I fail to deliver, I'll..." she paused. "I'll donate every single hat I own to that charity of yours. You can auction them off or hand them out to the orphans. Even if I can't deliver Larien to you, you have to admit this is a good deal. And you know if he's been saying what I tell you he's been saying, you're going to thank me later, anyway."

  "Fine," I said. "What's our approach?"

  "Who needs an approach? He'll be at the track in an hour. Get up."

  "Muranna!"

  "Oh please, I'd drag you by your hair if I had to. Get up."

  * * * *

  An hour later I saw the merchant, and I knew I had lost before Muranna even introduced us. The moment he saw Zana, he sneered.

  "I concede the wager," I said to Muranna. "Can he ride?"

  "Probably," she said. "He's exceedingly arrogant for someone who can't."

  Word had gotten around. The track wasn't empty. Oh, we didn't attract a proper crowd, but I saw Keelara and several other guards, just casually hanging out.

  "The guard thinks this is going to turn ugly."

  "I asked them to be here," she said. She raised her hand, and Keelara stepped away from her place near the stable. She crossed the track and arrived in the middle just as I was climbing from Zana.

  "Lady Yallameenara," Muranna said loudly. "This gentleman is Yearden Flize, a trader from, I am embarrassed to say, Alteara. Mr. Flize, this is Lady Yallameenara, foster daughter to the queen of Framara, best rider in all of Framara, present company included, and my best friend in the entire world."

  We both sort of glared at each other, one of us dismissively, one of us with a certain amount of hauteur learned from her foster mother.

  "Not much of a woman, I see," he said. "And even less of a horse." He turned and spat.

  Just then Keelara arrived. I made a point of greeting her as Lieutenant Keelara, of the queen's personal guard.

  Then I took another look at Mr. Flize. I paid little attention to his compatriots. They hadn't been introduced, and they hadn't said much. Then I looked over at Muranna. She was watching me carefully. I stepped to her, and dragging Zana behind me, I grabbed her arm and pulled her away.

  "What the hell, Muranna. This is a setup."

  "A setup?"

  "You set this up just to get me out of the palace. No one's that big an ass."

  "Oh, you are so naïve sometimes," she replied. "Do you think I'd pay two hundred crowns to get you out of your room?"

  "You'll get half back."

  "I don't need to be that sneaky, Yalla, and you know it. But if I did need to be sneaky, you wouldn't see it coming. I'd just invite Lizzie and Betsa to visit."

  "You fight dirty."

  "Good thing we're not fighting. Now go kick his ass."

  I turned around. Flize was talking to his buddies, but one gestured, and he turned to face me.

  "Mur
anna says you want a race."

  "I don't expect much of a race," he said. "I never lose."

  "The wager is two hundred crowns."

  "Two thousand."

  "I'm sorry, but the queen forbids me to make wagers greater than two hundred. Muranna knows that and wouldn't have promised more."

  He turned and spat again. "Why does the queen care about the size wagers?"

  "Because more than two hundred tends to lead to sufficiently sour feelings that she needs to get involved, and she doesn't like to get involved in such squabbles. So, two hundred and personal honor." I gestured. "You're riding that monster?"

  "Best blood line in Alteara."

  "Good lines," I said. "A fine animal, if this were a straight race. It's not. It's around the barrels. Knocking one over, going over one, or failing to circle properly is a disqualification. Dramatically leaving your course in a fashion that interferes with me is a disqualification. Unsporting behavior is a disqualification."

  He spat again. "Is that unsporting?"

  "No. Just rude. My experience with other Altearans has been positive, but I suppose people everywhere are people, some more pleasant than others."

  He looked me up and down. "I can be real pleasant."

  "Yeah, not interested. I am going to inspect the course. You may do so if you wish, and you may pick which side you like."

  I had a purse ready and tossed it to Keelara, who caught it easily. Then I leapt atop Zana, and we trotted up one of the courses and down another, checking them carefully to ensure they were even and, more importantly, neither had been tampered with. We found nothing untoward, and when we returned, I saw the merchant doing the same thing I had, and he was following the proper path.

  "I'll take this side," he said with a gesture.

  "Explain the course, please, Lieutenant."

  "I know the course," he said.

  "And yet, we would not want a misunderstanding," Keelara said. She explained the course, which wasn't that difficult, and the merchant said, "Yes, yes."

  "Then if you are both ready."

  I signaled Zana, and she tightened her muscles. Then I nodded. From beside me, I heard, "Anytime."

  "Ready," said Keelara. She lifted her hand and dropped it. "Go!"

  It actually was close. He was a very good rider, and his horse more agile than I would have expected. We won by a neck, Keelara calling it and everyone else agreeing.

  "I admit, Mr. Frize," I called out as Keelara tossed my own pouch to me plus a second one. "That's the closest anyone has ever come."

  "Now you're bragging."

  "She's not," said Keelara. "Around the barrels, the closest I've seen before is a half length, and I've seen a half length of the course, her opponent just rounding the far end before Lady Yallameenara crosses the finish line."

  "Our horses are small," I said. "But agile. And they are accustomed to being ridden long days, although Zana here has had it easy since we arrived in Framara." I bent down and patted her neck. "You would have won even a slightly straighter race."

  He nodded. "Gracious," he said. He offered a small bow, and then he whistled. His friends returned to their mounts, and we watched them ride out.

  Muranna stepped over to me and looked up. "So. No more moping."

  "You won," I said. "Fine. No more moping."

  "Great." She grinned. "Let's go shopping. I want us both in new hats and dresses for the faire."

  "I'm not wearing a dress to this faire."

  "Yes, you are. We both are."

  * * * *

  And so, in that way, Muranna got me over the worst of it with Larien. Still, I took a break from my remaining suitors, as I just wasn't in the mood.

  Juleena still hadn't returned, however, which I found unsettling.

  But over the course of the next two weeks, Muranna had me all over the place. We went riding nearly every day, traveling to this village for lunch, or having a picnic, or just enjoying the summer. I made a halfhearted return to my studies, and I knew I would need to be more devoted, but no one pestered me, and so I let Muranna be my misguided influence.

  I stopped fighting about the new dress and hat, buying what she picked out for me. And then she conspired with Ralalta, which I learned over dinner two days before the faire.

  "So, I understand you will be heading to Barton," said the queen. "And staying overnight."

  Muranna hadn't said anything about overnight. I turned to her and she shrugged. "There's supposed to be fireworks, and then it will be late." She turned to the queen. "I made reservations at the Lone Stork. It's a respectable inn."

  Ralalta eyed us carefully.

  "I promised her," I said. "You aren't going to let me go?"

  "Oh, it's not that. I am just wondering if the two of you need a chaperone. I might send Keelara along so you don't despoil the local girls."

  "I hear they could use a little despoiling," Muranna said. "But she's not ready for that, and I have never despoiled anyone. I put on a good show, but in the end, I am as discrete as they come."

  "You will not despoil each other, either," Ralalta said.

  "Of course not. She's not my type anyway."

  "What do you mean, I'm not your type?"

  "I don't do girls whose protective mothers are also queens," she said with a laugh. "It tends to end badly."

  Ralalta laughed at that. "Have fun, but check in when you get home."

  * * * *

  We left early two days later. We brought riding clothing for the trip, dresses for the faire, and money, more than was probably wise, I thought, but Muranna said, "It's a long way to come back if you see something you really want."

  The sun rose in the east just as we were passing through the north gate, and it was a beautiful summer day. Zana was pleased to be out, and Muranna's horse had a special spring in his step. Muranna herself seemed quiet, but when I asked her about it, she chalked it up to an early morning after a late night.

  But slowly she became herself again, and several hours later we rode into Barton.

  The place was packed, and I was glad for our reservations. We headed to the inn, saw to our mounts, and then washed the dust away before changing into our dresses.

  "Okay," I said twenty minutes later, as we roamed past the food stalls. "The new hat isn't bad, and I can live with the dress."

  "You look nice, Yalla," she said. "I hope you don't hate me too much for making you come."

  I offered a one-armed hug. "How could I hate you?"

  We spent the day wandering the faire, listening to musicians, watching jugglers and acrobats, eating food, and spending a portion of the money we had brought. It was truly a wonderful day, and I thanked Muranna more than once.

  Eventually she took my arm, and tugged. "Let's walk along the waterfront," she said. "I think I've had enough of crowds."

  "Yeah, me too," she said.

  So we turned west. There was a boardwalk along the harbor, but then we came to the pier.

  "Let's look at the ships."

  "Okay."

  I'd never been on a ship before, although I'd seen them in Marport. We wandered up the pier with the large sailing vessels tied up, one loading wares, but the rest quiet.

  "It seems late," I said.

  "They're probably sailing with the tide," she said. "Or whatever it is ships do."

  We reached the end of the pier. The ship tied there looked different from the others. It was narrow, almost sleek.

  "Oh look," said Muranna. "It's Altearan." She pointed. "See the flag?"

  "I do. That's the Altearan flag?"

  "Yes," she said. She tugged my arm, and we drew closer.

  There were sailors standing near the gangplank, two of them dressed sharply in white. I'd never seen sailors looking so crisp. Muranna called out to them in Altearan, and they answered back. We came to a stop, with Muranna and the sailors speaking rapidly. If they hadn't been women, I might have been concerned. Then she turned to me, excited. "They said we can have a tour."


  "I don't think so."

  "Come on, it will be fun."

  "Muranna-"

  "This one is called Trace," she said, gesturing to the first woman. Then she spoke Altearan quickly. "Oh. And that one is Vivie."

  "I'm pleased to meet you," I said with a nod of my head. "It's a beautiful ship."

  "Thank you," said Trace.

  "Ah, you speak Framaran."

  "Of course," she replied. "And you, as well, and both of us with accents."

  "I am from the west," I said. "The. Um. Garneer."

  "Ah. Across the great divide. I did not know there were Horse People in Framara."

  "I'm the only one I know of," I said.

  "Then you are unique. Please. Come. It is safe. Have you ever been aboard such a ship?"

  "I've never been aboard any ship. Frankly, I'm afraid of them."

  "She can't swim," Muranna added.

  "Which is why you do not wish to fall overboard," said Vivie. "You have not had enough drink for that to happen while we are in harbor."

  The three of them laughed at the joke. I simply smiled wryly.

  "Come on," Muranna said, tugging on my arm. "It will be fun."

  I let her begin tugging me across, but I had two feet on the gangplank before I grabbed the railing and dug my feet in. "Muranna, I can't. I literally can't." I backed away until I was firmly on the wharf.

  "It is safe," said Vivie.

  "I know, but. That ship is flying the Altearan flag. Legally, that ship is a portion of Alteara. Queen Ralalta has forbidden me from leaving Framara. If I step aboard that ship, I will be committing treason."

  "Oh, we're still in harbor," Muranna said. "Now you're splitting hairs."

  "Hairs or not," I said. "If you want a tour, I'll wait here, or I can meet you at the inn. I'm getting hungry, anyway. It's been at least ten minutes since we ate food on a stick."

  She laughed at that but then frowned. "No?"

  "I'm sorry," I said. I offered a small bow to Vivie and Trace. "It's a beautiful ship, but if the queen found out, she might be very upset. I'm sorry." Then I backed away two steps and waited to see what Muranna wanted to do.

  "Well," she said. "That's too bad, but maybe we'll get another chance sometime." She paused. "Dinner. Dinner sounds good. Vivie, Trace, would you like to join us?"