by D. L. Kramer
Once clear of the city, Nahtan sent a thought to Renato and the young horse moved into a quick trot. Within an hour, Nahtan had guided Renato to a grove of trees where yellow and white wildflowers grew between the trunks and rocks. The tiny bell-shaped blossoms were Valry's favorite to pick for her mother. Nahtan dismounted, then lifted Valry down. He removed his cloak and laid it over Renato's saddle, then started helping Valry pick the flowers.
"You know your mother died just after you were born," he said when he had picked two small bundles and tied them together--one for Jensina and the other for Rena. Removing his sword, he sat down with his back against a large oak while Valry continued to pick her flowers.
"I know," Valry said, twisting a stubborn stem until it finally broke free. "Nana said she took care of me when I was a baby."
Nahtan nodded his head. "She took care of you until you were about two years old," he said after a moment. "I never saw you until then."
Valry stopped and looked at him. "I thought you were with mama."
Nahtan swallowed, hoping he was right and Valry was old enough to understand. "I--had to leave before you were born," he said slowly. "I know you've heard Bear and Mo'ani talk about how we had to fulfill a prophecy; to do what Halona wanted us to do."
Valry nodded her head, then walked over to sit beside him, her small hands clutching the flowers.
"Part of that included keeping a promise to Bear," Nahtan continued. "When everyone found out I was the one Halona said would be king, I promised Bear that I would tear down Zared's altar in his home village. I left to do that while Mo'ani and the other nobles started the wars here. Your mother had you about a month after I left."
"You weren't here when mama died?" Valry's blue eyes searched his.
"No," Nahtan shook his head. "And I hated that for a very long time. Sometimes I still do."
"Mama's not mad," Valry assured him.
"I'd like to believe that," Nahtan smiled despite the guilt and pain inside him. Even after so long, he still couldn't forgive himself for not seeing how weak Rena was when he left.
"She's not," Valry insisted. "And you shouldn't feel bad either."
"I know," Nahtan nodded. He pushed himself to his feet then offered Valry his hand. When she took it, he pulled her to her feet then picked up his sword and put it over his arm and head again. As they walked back to Renato, Nahtan stroked the back of Valry's head. "But I've learned how important life is, and to lose Rena without being able to hold her when she died makes it hurt all that much more." He tossed his cloak over his shoulder again, then lifted Valry onto Renato's back and swung up behind her. Before they left the grove, he put his cloak back on and covered her again.
"But mama's in Jensina's temple," Valry said, her voice muffled by the cloak.
"She told me she would be," Nahtan said, touching Renato's mind and hurrying him into a trot again. "I just haven't been able to feel her."
"She's there." He felt Valry nod her head against his chest. "I can feel her there."
Nahtan nodded his own head and fell into silence as they returned to Herridon.
Back inside the walls surrounding the castle and Grand Cathedral, Nahtan left Renato with a stable hand to take care of. He took Valry and led her to the huge domed cathedral. No banner or coat of arms hung in the entryway by Nahtan's decision. The Cathedral did not belong to him or any nobleman, but to the gods and the people who worshipped them.
He and Valry talked quietly as they walked around the curving hallways leading to the antechamber with Jensina's altar. Nahtan pushed open one of the double doors with his free hand then let it swing silently shut behind them. Three rows of benches sat several yards from the dais holding the altar. Behind the white stone altar stood the statue of Jensina, her sad eyes staring out at the empty antechamber. Torches lit the room, their smoke drifting up and out through holes cut in the stone ceiling. The hard soles on Nahtan's boots echoed faintly through the room.
Both Nahtan and Valry fell silent as they walked between the benches and stepped up onto the dais. Nahtan searched for Rena's presence somewhere in the room, but was not surprised when he could not feel her. He set one spray of flowers at the feet of Jensina's statue and the other on the altar for Rena. Valry balanced herself with one hand on the side of the altar as she stood on her toes to lay her flowers beside Nahtan's.
"Does Jensina give the flowers to mama?" Valry asked, taking Nahtan's hand.
"Yes," Nahtan nodded his head. "When Jensina comes for them, they'll burn to ashes as she takes them."
"Have you ever seen them burn?" Valry held up her arms and Nahtan picked her up as he stepped down from the dais. He brushed the hair from his eyes as they stopped by one of the benches and sat down.
"I've smelled an offering burn without a fire set in the brazier," Nahtan answered, smiling at the memory. Halona had accepted his offering to heal his stallion and prolong the huge horse's life.
"Meda says it's because Jensina's your mother." Valry turned and made herself comfortable on his lap. "They'll do whatever you ask them to."
Nahtan didn't answer, not wanting to destroy his daughter's innocent opinions. If that were truly the case, then Rena and Kile would not have been taken from him.
Nahtan stayed in the antechamber until Valry fell asleep on his lap. He carefully carried her back to her room adjoining his in the castle. She only slightly stirred as he readied her for bed and tucked her under the blankets. Closing her door behind him, he nodded to the Mo'ani standing guard in the hall.
"Where's Sewati?" he asked the Mo'ani.
"I think he was going out to the gates," the guard answered. "We had a report come in of an altercation on the east side."
Nahtan nodded and thanked the guard as he turned toward the stairs leading to one of the upper level studies. As he opened the door, he was only slightly surprised to see Rial looking over the books on one of the shelves. A mild breeze drifted through the shuttered window, fanning the flames of the fire in the hearth and the lamps burning on the tables.
"Don't you sleep?" Nahtan asked, pulling his sword off and setting it by a chair as he sat down.
Rial cast a glance over his shoulder. "I might ask you the same," he responded, looking back at the books. "How do you expect someone to make an attempt on your life if you're always anticipating it?"
Nahtan shrugged. "That's sort of the idea," he returned. Rial had found an opportunity at Herridon Hold to kill him, and had chosen instead to only warn him of the opening. "I take it then you haven't found any weak spots in the security here?"
"I haven't really been looking," Rial turned from the shelves and walked to sit on a bench near the hearth. "Though it was fairly easy to walk in here last night."
"You were also with cloaked Mo'ani," Nahtan returned. "And your reputation precedes you."
Rial bowed his head, accepting the statement. "Have you decided what to do with the girls I brought you?"
"I'm taking them back south with us," Nahtan answered. "Just like the boy I took from a trader in the city. I want to make every effort to find their families and return them." His tone leveled. "Which is what you should have done instead of bringing them here."
"But simply returning here and telling you what was going on wouldn't have had quite the same impact, now would it?" Rial asked him.
"It would have sufficed," Nahtan returned, shaking his head slowly. He would not let Rial anger him like that again. He considered the confident young man across from him for a moment. "Why don't you tell me exactly why you brought them here?"
Rial returned his steady gaze. "The situation in the southern villages requires a quick decision," he stated, speaking slowly as if to a child. "Reactions borne of anger and disgust tend to be quicker and more permanent than those of common sense and rational thought." A ghost of a smile crossed his lips and when he spoke again, his voice was quiet. "By shoving those girls into your life, there is little now that will stop you from finding Thorvald."
Naht
an sighed. He would have to watch Rial very closely from now on. There was nothing he could do at this point, however, Rial had achieved what he wanted. "What do you know of slaves near Valin Hold?" he asked after a moment.
Rial raised an eyebrow. "I know I'd feed any slave traders to Lord Olorun's wolves," he said evenly. "Why do you ask?"
"The trader I took the boy from came to register a complaint against me," Nahtan answered. "He said he bought the boy already muted from a mule skinner last summer. He also said it was only about twenty leagues south of Valin."
Rial's eyes darkened as he listened. One hand moved to rest on the hilt of the dagger sheathed at his waist.
"I want the name of the skinner," he said, his tone dangerous.
"The trader's already been escorted from the city," Nahtan replied. "He gave no name." He watched Rial for a moment, glad to know he could manipulate the young lord as easily as Rial manipulated him. "Why are they cutting their throats?"
Rial paused for a moment. "If the child is a runaway, Thorvald has supposed 'healers' he pays to do that to them," he answered. "Then they can't turn the auction masters in and they can't tell those who buy them what's going on." He gave Nahtan a deliberate look. "Not that there's anyone there upholding any of your laws anyway."
"That's another thing you were supposed to be doing," Nahtan reminded.
"Not with the few men you chose to send south with me," Rial shot back. "A thousand more might not have been enough."
At that moment, the heavy door crashed inward on it's hinges. Nahtan heard Bear's voice shout a name from the hallway as he and Rial both jumped to their feet. Nahtan barely saw the figure rush into the room towards Rial. The thick black hair and red cloak registered immediately, however, and he let go of his sword. Diving for her cloak, he grabbed Brijade by the waist and pulled her to the side as Bear rushed into the room after her.
Brijade struggled against Nahtan's grip, landing a hard blow with her elbow that he immediately knew bruised his ribs. He shifted his grip of her waist to his good hand and fought to restrain her arms as he tried to ignore the sharp pain in his chest.
"Let go of me, you bastard!" she yelled, still struggling against him. "I just want to rip his throat out!"
Nahtan felt her try to reach for her sash and remembered the stiletto she kept sheathed there. He leaned forward to restrict her movements, managing to grab both her wrists and cross her arms in front of her chest as he straightened up again. She still wore no blouse, but only her black leather vest and leather wrist guards. Her black hair had been piled atop her head at one point, but in the struggle, large locks had pulled free and hung just past her shoulder blades. Her leather breeches laced up the sides and reached her hips while her leather boots tied just below her knees. Nahtan was certain the clasp of her red Mo'ani's cloak had to be choking her from their struggle, but she gave no indication of it.
Bear appeared beside him and Nahtan let his friend take hold of her. Brijade continued to struggle, kicking backwards several times trying to hit either of Bear's knees or shins. Unable to break Bear's grip or impact hard enough to distract him, she eventually gave up.
"What in damnation is going on?!" Nahtan demanded, holding his right hand over his sore ribs as he looked from Rial to Brijade.
"You can start looking for a new governor for Valin Hold, that's what," Brijade said, flipping stray strands of black hair from her face as she glared at Rial. "And plan his funeral--though I don't think he deserves more than a drunkard's pit."
Nahtan turned questioning eyes onto Rial. "Would you care to explain this murderous rampage Lady Takis has come to us in?"
Rial slowly resheathed the long, slender dagger at his waist. His eyes seemed amused at Brijade's position as he looked from her to Nahtan.
"It's my guess Lady Takis is a bit unhappy about something," he said. "And seems to believe whatever it is, is my fault."
"You stinking swamprat!" Brijade lunged forward again but was held back by Bear.
"Could you elaborate a little more?" Bear asked Rial. "Or I'll let her go and she can explain it herself when she's through with you."
Rial considered Brijade for a moment, then looked back to Nahtan.
"It is, actually, my fault," he admitted. "I should have known it would come back around to me."
Nahtan sighed. "What is your fault?" he pressed.
Rial turned to Brijade. "My apologies, Lady Takis, but I assure you, no more died than had to."
Nahtan exchanged looks with Bear. If Rial wanted to be difficult, then he could too. Bear responded by letting go of Brijade. Before Rial could draw his dagger to fend her off, she landed a hard punch on his stomach, knocking the air from him, before grabbing his tunic and slamming his back against a bookshelf. Less than a second later, she held her stiletto at his throat.
"You were warned it could happen," Bear shrugged at Rial's angry look as he fought for a breath.
"Brijade," Nahtan said her name calmly. "Would you mind letting us know if his death is deserved or if we should start plans for your own trial?"
Brijade didn't turn. She pressed the stiletto against Rial's throat not quite hard enough to draw blood.
"This swamprat took my Mo'ani south with him instead of sending them back to Takis," she said through gritted teeth. "Over fifty of them died."
Nahtan looked at Bear and sighed. He didn't even need to ask why. Rial had been intent on leaving as soon as possible for the southern lands and had most likely sent the Takis Mo'ani staying at Valin Hold south before Lord Corydon or Tonek arrived with their armies.
He stepped to Brijade's side and took hold of her hand, pulling it from Rial's throat.
"You should have come to tell me," he told her evenly, pulling her away enough for Rial to get clear. He met her green eyes, holding her gaze. "I could have dealt with this when it first happened."
Brijade's wrist and hand tensed under his grip. "I can deal with the bastard," she returned, her teeth still clenched.
Nahtan took the dagger from her hand and let her go. It would take her a second or two longer to draw the narrow curved sword buckled at her hip--and that was more than enough time for any of them to react.
"The point is," he said. "It's not your place to deal with it. If there is a problem with another noble, it comes to me. You do not handle it yourself."
Brijade stepped away, glaring at Rial as he checked his throat for any sign of blood. "You owe me fifty three Mo'ani," she told him. "And I'll carve them out of your skin if I have to." Her hands trembled with anger as she rested her left hand on the hilt of her sword.
"In the first place, he's not big enough to equal fifty three Mo'ani," Nahtan pointed out. "And in the second place, you aren't killing him for it."
Brijade turned to him. "Give me one good reason why I can't," she told him.
"Because," Bear responded for Nahtan. "We need him to guide us south."
Brijade looked from Bear to Rial, then back to Nahtan. "Then I'm going with you," she said evenly. "And I'm killing him when you're done with him."
Eight - "You can be such an arse"
Nahtan turned at Brijade's statement. "You haven't been at Takis Hold for six months?!" he repeated. Renato responded to his tone of voice and tossed his mane. Bear had kept Brijade under watch for the remainder of the previous night and had only let her leave when Nahtan came to talk to her. Knowing Brijade was more comfortable when around her Dwellers' horse and in an informal area, he invited her to come to the stables with him.
Brijade looked over at him from where she was feeding Essian apple slices.
"I've been camped out there half a day's ride from the road to Valin waiting for that bastard to show his face again," she explained. "Lord Devayne is watching Takis for me."
"Next I was going to ask how you got here so fast," Nahtan responded. "I figured if you had people out watching for him, you should have been about three weeks behind him."
"Three weeks I wasn't going to lose," Brijade mutt
ered as she pulled a burr from Essian's dark mane. Giving him one last slice of apple, she walked down to Renato's stall. "Do you have any idea what he has cost me for supporting the families of the men who died?"
"Charging into a room and threatening to skin him isn't the way to get him to reimburse you," Nahtan pointed out. "Rial requires a finer touch." He couldn't hear what she muttered next, but had a feeling it wasn't pleasant. "And I'm not sure it would be a good idea for you to go south with us," he continued. "We're going to be gone for well over a year and you've been gone from Takis long enough already."
"Takis runs itself," Brijade returned, scratching Renato's nose and offering him one of the apple slices. "Devayne ran it until I was old enough, it won't hurt him to run it for a couple more years." She leaned against the stall door and watched Nahtan cleaning Renato's saddle.
"So what have I missed here?" she asked. "Has Sewati replaced me yet?"
Nahtan smiled as he ran a fingernail around a groove in the saddle.
"He won't even look at any of the girls who try to get his attention," he replied. "I think that's why he likes taking Valry everywhere with him--she scares off any women who don't want kids because unless you get a close look, she could pass for his own daughter."
Brijade smiled faintly. "Good," she nodded. "I wouldn't want to have to threaten him, too."
"I think your only serious competition would be Yenene," Nahtan added. "But I know for a fact there's nothing there besides friendship."
Brijade chuckled and handed Renato the last of the apple. "He confides everything to you?" she asked, one eyebrow raised.
"No," Nahtan gave the saddle one last wipe before putting it back with Renato's tack. "But I know Yenene very well." He gave her a deliberate smile as he walked past her towards the stable doors.
"You can be such an arse," Brijade fell in step beside him.
Nahtan stopped and looked at her. "Is that any way to talk to your king?" he asked.
It was Brijade's turn to smile. "No," she agreed. "But it's exactly how I should talk to the young Mo'ani whose arse I had to bail out of a battle before he got cut down."