Falling From the Tree (Darshian Tales #2)

by Ann Somerville

  ~~~~~~~~

  Gyo didn’t cry for long. There wasn’t any point, really, since what was done was done. After only a few minutes holding onto Karik, he sat up and blew his nose. “I guess it’s a bit like what happened to Ma,” he said in a shaky voice.

  “Y-yes. Wuh-we need to be b-brave.”

  Gyo sniffed again. “Pa is going to go crazy with worry. Yours too. I’m sorry, Ka-chi. This is my fault. I should have kept my mouth shut. I just didn’t think this would happen.”

  Karik patted his shoulder, even though it really would have been better if he had kept quiet. “N-No one could kn-know. Th-they wuh-won’t hurt us. Wuh-when we g-get to U-Utuk, you g-go to the eh-embassy.”

  “You too, Karik. I don’t care what that bastard says, you belong to Reji and Jena, not some strange bitch in Utuk.” Then Gyo looked at him and blushed. “I, uh, sorry...she’s your mother.”

  “It’s a-all right. Sh-she’s nuh-nothing to me.”

  “What did he mean, ‘stepmother’? And what’s a consort?”

  “D-don’t know.” Karik knew what ‘her Serenity’ was. That was the title of the sovereign of the Prij. If the captain thought he was some kind of relative of the ruler, no wonder he thought there was money involved. “Wuh-when we g-get to U-Utuk, we have to l-lie. S-say it’s a j-joke.”

  “You mean, tell them she’s not your mother?” Karik nodded. “I can do that. Jembis will get into trouble with his Pa, though.”

  “T-too bad. D-don’t trust him.”

  “Neither do I. I’m really scared, Ka-chi.”

  Karik felt him trembling, so he hugged him a little closer. “I’m here,” he whispered. “We j-just need to stay together.”

  Voyaging: 10

  Misek was up with the dawn, Arman wasn’t in the least surprised to see, even though that meant he had only got about four hours sleep. He and his brother looked haggard, and Pira, red-eyed herself, fussed over them. Everyone was punishing themselves for letting the boys out of their sight, but the blame was almost certainly fairly and squarely on his own shoulders. For Misek’s sake, he put on a firm, confident expression, and spoke in authoritative tones about how simple things would be if the boys were, as they now suspected, on a ship to Utuk. It did a little good. Kei said he would stay with his friends, and keep in touch with matters via Neka and the other mind-speakers. He urged Arman to go to the Rulers’ House and do what he could.

  Despite the early hour, he was surprised to see Tiko waiting for him at the House. It looked as if the captain hadn’t got to sleep at all, but he had news. “That Prijian boy’s father owns a ship called the ‘Tears of Lady Punus’, and it was taking a load of wild animals from Andon to Utuk. It stopped here to pick up other cargo and a few caged birds. What do you think are the chances the boys went on board to look at the animals, and either forgot the time or were forced to stay?”

  “Quite high. Good work, Tiko.” Arman had known their friend would come through for them. “Will you keep searching? I don’t want to assume that’s where they went, although it seems most likely—it’s just possible they wandered off to look at something, or got persuaded to leave Darshek by some other route, even back up through the pass.”

  “Of course. Two other ships left yesterday evening, both bound for Andon port. I’ve already arranged for four of my men to take the next ship headed that way to make enquiries at that end, but I’m not really expecting them to find anything. Is Kei at the house?”

  Arman nodded. “And Misek and Risa too. They’re out of their minds with worry.”

  “Can you blame them?” Tiko said with a grim look. “If it was my grandson or daughter gone missing, I’d be frantic. Will his lordship order a ship to try and intercept this boat out of Utuk?”

  “I doubt it. Leave that to me. Thank you,” Arman said, clapping the man on the shoulder. “I know Kei’s grateful too.”

  “I’ll try and stop by today. I’ll turn the search over to my lieutenant and get some sleep, but I’ll be back on it this afternoon. Damn it, this shouldn’t happen to Darshianese children.”

  Arman didn’t reply to that, since sixteen years before he’d been personally responsibly for removing boys and girls Gyo’s age from their homes—something Tiko was well aware of. But Tiko refrained from pointing it out, and as he left, Arman knew he would be as good as his word and the search of Darshek would be thorough. Although it was looking more and more likely that the boys were on the ‘Tears of Lady Punus’, they could also be on another ship headed almost anywhere. That was something he needed Lord Meki’s help with.

  The Ruler was sympathetic and listened carefully to Arman’s briefing. Arman put Tiko’s question to him, but as he suspected, Lord Meki refused, albeit with obvious regret. “We simply can’t, Arman. It could be seen as an act of war if we have to force the ship to stop, and though this is a personal tragedy for your friends, I won’t risk sailors or the peace for them when we have other avenues to pursue. We’re not even completely sure they’re even on the boat. I’m sorry, but no.”

  “I thought you would say that. But the embassy, you’ll contact them?”

  He nodded. “I’ll do it immediately and make it clear this is a matter of personal importance.”

  But Arman had more to tell him. “Meki, Karik’s mother, my former wife—she remarried. Her husband is Senator Mekus, who is the father of Prijus, the husband of the Prijian sovereign.” The Ruler looked at him as if he wondered why Arman was giving him a genealogy lesson. “He’s Karik’s real father, though he would never claim him.”

  Lord Meki drew in a sharp breath and looked truly irritated. “And you never thought to ever mention this to me before?”

  “I’m sorry, I never thought it was important and since...since speaking of the matter is not something I enjoy....”

  Meki made a sharply dismissive gesture at Arman’s words. “So, not only is this boy Prijian, he’s related to the crown by marriage? Do you realise how this complicates things?”

  “Yes, I do,” he answered, accepting Lord Meki’s annoyance as only just. “I don’t know Karik’s mentioned it, or that it’s got anything to do with his disappearance, but there’s a possibility—a strong one—that it does.”

  Lord Meki sighed. “Blessed gods. Well, for now, we can only do as we’ve planned to do—try to make sure the boys are met directly off the ship and put on the first boat back, if that’s where they end up. I’ll promise financial reimbursement if that becomes an issue. And we’ll have to damn well hope no one finds out who he really is. I knew this matter would come back to haunt you. I believe I said so at the time.”

  Arman bowed his head. “Yes, you did. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told Karik about his mother at all.”

  “It’s too late for that now,” Lord Meki said impatiently. “Let me speak to Neka now.”

  Since communication with Utuk meant using the network of mind-speakers in Darshian, and care had to be taken to avoid broadcasting the bad news to Jena, the conversation with the embassy took some time. The ambassador was told to keep things as discreet and low-key as he could, to keep the boys in the embassy itself and to arrange passage home for them as soon as he could manage it. The ambassador promised to have someone at the docks constantly from the earliest possible arrival in seven days’ time, so the ‘Tears of Lady Punus’ wouldn’t slip in unnoticed.

  Lord Meki thanked Neka and ended the conversation. “I’ll send a letter to the Andon embassy with Captain Tiko’s men as well. But now we wait, or rather your poor friends wait. I feel for their pain. Please tell them if we can do anything else, we will.”

  “Thank you, I will. Knowing we’ve put these arrangements in place will help.”

  “One hopes so. Right, now you go back and be with them.”

  “I can—”

  Lord Meki held up a hand. “No. Your friends need you, so does Kei. See this as training for when you’re a Ruler, Arman. You’re not indispensable—or if you are, we’re doing something wrong.”
/>
  Arman huffed impatiently. “You’re supposed to be resting. I promised Kei you would be taking it easier from now on.”

  “I am. I haven’t got any meetings today, and all I was going to do was look over reports in my personal rooms.”

  “Then you need me here to deal with enquiries—”

  “We have a staff who can deal with those. Take your own advice and go. At the very least you can help these fellows finish their business here. We’ll speak tomorrow, but until those boys are located, I expect you to spend more time with them than with me. That’s an order.”

  Arman made an ironic salute. “Yes, my lord. Thank you for your consideration.”

  He chafed at being ordered to set his duties aside—he couldn’t see how he could help Misek and Risa by just sitting around and being worried with them—but there was no doubt when he returned to the house, that Kei was glad to see him back. Misek and Risa looked much as they had when he’d left, Pira hovering anxiously and trying to offer comfort. It wasn’t doing any of them any good, he thought with some impatience, but when he passed on the reports to the brothers, he fancied they were a little less worn looking, a little more hopeful. He portrayed things as positively as possible, and carefully refrained from mentioning anything to do with Mayl or the sovereign. If that became pertinent, it would only affect Karik, so there was no point in worrying Misek about his own son.

  Risa cleared his throat. “Kei, we really should tell Jena and Reji now. They have a right to know, and besides, Jena might hear accidentally from the other mind-speakers.”

  Kei started, as if he hadn’t thought of that. “True, but I would spare them the worry.”

  “Tell them,” Misek said heavily. “I’d want to know, even though it means worrying. I’d be angry if I found out it had been concealed from me.”

  “Are you sure, Mis?” Kei asked gently. “It’s not like they can do anything.”

  “Nor can I, but at least their friends can help them.” He managed to scrape up the ghost of a smile onto his battered face. “And they’ll know how much you’re trying to do.”

  “Arman? I think you and I should tell them together.”

  Arman agreed that was the best approach. “Misek, there’s something else. Risa, I think you should head back to the village soon as you can.”

  “No, I need to stay with Mis—”

  Misek held his hand up. “No, Risa, I think I know what he means. When the boys get back, they’ll not want to spend weeks on the road, and if they’re in Utuk, it will mean a delay of at least two weeks before you leave. You know Ai-Albon needs the stores.” He looked at Arman. “Though I can’t leave, Arman. I just can’t. But Risa can’t manage four wagons on his own or even just with me.”

  “Yes, I know. We can arrange help for him from the barracks, and when Gyo and Karik come back, we can send the rest of you all home on a fast cart. With any luck, you’ll arrive home just after Risa, but the boys won’t have the strain of a long journey.”

  “You can do that? It would really help.”

  Risa laid his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Mis, I really don’t like the idea of leaving you here on your own.”

  “I’m not on my own, Risa-ki—I have Kei and Arman. There’s Vikis and Kesa too if I need a shoulder to cry on. Reji and Jena need you, and the village needs the goods.”

  Pira set a pot of tea down on the table and looked down at the visitors with sympathy in her lined features. “We’ll do everything to help you, Misek,” she said quietly.

  “Let’s not turn this into a bigger mess than it needs to be,” Arman said. “This way the harm this will cause will be kept to a minimum. There’s nothing you can do here anyway, and you know it.”

  Kei, who’d been listening to the exchange in silence, now spoke up. “Risa, I’m guessing the boys will feel damn bad about all this when they get back—it will only make it worse if they feel guilty over delaying your return. Mis is right—Reji and Jena will need you there. If you don’t go, then I will. I think they need someone now.”

  “Don’t be stupid, Kei. It makes no sense for you to go when I have to return there anyway,” Risa said harshly. “I can’t leave today or tomorrow anyway. I’m still arranging the stores.”

  “I can help you with that,” Arman said. “Just leave when you would normally. I’m only saying to delay more than that is pointless.”

  “I’ll be all right, Risa. Better that you get on and keep busy. I don’t—” Misek’s voice caught. “I just don’t think....”

  Risa pulled him into a hug. “It’s all right, brother, I can do this without you. You have more important things to worry about. When he gets home, we nail his feet to the ground, all right? Karik’s too.”

  Misek gave a sobbed, muffled laugh against his brother’s shoulder. Kei looked at Arman. “Come to the library,” he said quietly, motioning in that direction with a tilt of his head.

  Pira nodded at them as they left—he would look after the two brothers, feed them tea or whatever they needed. There was so little else they could do right now.

  Now he had no longer to keep a cheerful face on for his friends, Kei’s true emotions were revealed. He looked both strained and very tired. “I don’t know how I can tell them their son is missing,” he murmured as Arman put his arms around him. “It will kill them.”

  “No, it won’t. It would be a different matter if Karik were dead, but he’s not, I’m sure he’s not.”

  Kei sighed. “Yes. Damn, I’ve broken worse news to people and not been this upset before, but it’s different when it’s someone you love.”

  His expression became intent and a moment later, Arman heard Neka’s voice in his head. “Yes, Kei?”

  “Neka, we’re going to tell Jena and Reji about Karik. Can you contact her?”

  “Yes, of course.” The mind-speaker also sounded tired, and Arman regretted she had carry so much of the burden of this matter. He rather wished they had left it until the afternoon, but Risa was right—there was every chance Jena would hear about this accidentally.

  It took several minutes before Kei could speak to their friend, as Jena was with a patient and wanted to wait until she was back at her house with Reji. Neka allowed Kei and Arman to ‘see’ them as Kei imparted the grim news. Jena listened in silence. Reji looked utterly stricken. Arman explained quickly what measures were being put in place. When Arman was finished, and Jena still didn’t speak, Kei said, “Jena? Are you all right?”

  Arman saw Reji’s arm slip around her waist, and there were tears in her eyes as she answered. “This has been my nightmare for sixteen years,” she whispered. “That my son would be stolen from me. It’s to do with you telling him about his mother, isn’t it, Arman?”

  “We don’t know, Jena. Possibly. It doesn’t help, unfortunately, if he has told anyone.”

  “You should have kept it a secret,” she said fiercely.

  “I wanted to,” Arman protested. “I thought you both thought he needed to know the truth.”

  “Yes, and now my son is missing!”

  Reji squeezed her a little. “Jena, love, you’re not being fair. Arman, I’m coming to Darshek—”

  “You’re damn well not,” Arman snapped. “Not only can you do no good, you’ll be a positive distraction and someone else we’ll need to look after. I’m sending Risa back as soon as he can manage it, and Misek will bring the boys back personally.”

  “You can’t stop me coming to the capital.”

  “Just try me. This is not the time for panic or idiotic gestures. Right now, Lord Meki and I can do far more in this case than you can. We’ve got the army searching, Neka is working hard and the embassies in two countries are on alert. What do you think you can do that we can’t?”

  “I can help Mis.”

  Kei looked at Arman, and Arman could tell his lover thought Reji had a point. More gently, he said, “He’s got Kei and me, Reji. Jena needs you there.”

  Reji wiped his eyes. He looked a lot older th
an his forty-three years. “How is Misek coping?”

  “He’s handling it about as well as one could ask. He’s still trying to get it straight in his mind. Risa will be here for a few days. Jena, he’s not said anything about telling Pia, so please don’t mention it, and if you could tell Ai-Tuek not to—”

  “Of course I will,” she said roughly. “Pissing Prij, every time we have anything to do with them, they cause us pain. Bring my son home, Arman.”

  “I’ll do my best, I swear to you. Any sacrifice, I promise. But you must promise to stay calm and not come here unless you’re requested. Will you do that?”

  Jena looked at her lover. “Yes,” Reji said finally. “But, damn it, Arman, it goes against all my instincts.”

  Kei spoke. “I know it does, Rei-ki. But he’s right, you can’t do any good and you could interfere with matters quite badly. It’s going to be hard enough handling Mis. Please don’t add to that.”

  “Tell him we’re thinking of him. Gods, Pia will go mad if she finds out.”

  “Then make sure she doesn’t. We’ll keep you informed of anything we learn, and if you want to talk, I’m sure Neka or one of the others will find time to let you do that.”

  Reji gave Kei a sad smile. “I’m sorry for the trouble, Keichichi.”

  “Don’t be an arse. I feel bad enough as it is, I should have kept the boys here....”

  “You couldn’t—you can’t. That’s something I’ve learned the hard way. Children need freedom, just as you had, I had. Karik’s a very sensible boy. I don’t know how this happened, but at least Gyo’s got a solid friend there.”

  “He’s a good lad, a credit to you both,” Kei said. “He’ll be home soon, I know he will.” He cleared his throat, even though he wasn’t using it to talk. “Are you recovered, Rei-ki?”