“Laora's not windy,” said Avel. “And you know very well I'm not.”
“Well the piggy little Gobbler king tried to make Mother marry him before she and Uncle Lucas were rescued by your father...”
“What?”
“Yea. He got them out of the Gobbler dungeon with a glamourie of Ugleeuh. You know, Spitemorta's mother. You didn't know this? That's why Laora's story has to be wrong.”
“Well I didn't know about Papa. But when Ugleeuh died, didn't all her spells go away? I mean, why else would Laora and Edward have actually seen the little Beak king? He was all muscly and blue, not one bit round and sticky. And didn't you hear about the big meeting with him at the Circle?”
“So what did Edward agree to?” said Lily. “What did he go and do?”
“Ha! You do have a thing for Edward.”
“He's my brother, you toothy poop hole,” she said, giving Avel's feathery shoulder a shove.
“Adopted,” said Avel, going after a sudden itch under her wing. “And that Beaky king is your adopted brother's grandfather...”
“Oh go on! What does that make Edward have, five grandparents?”
“Yeap. One, two, three, four, five. Well, five is Edward's grandmother Lira marrying King Theran of Bratin Brute and then marrying Ru Talorg. At least that's good enough for Talorg, now that Spitemorta's killed his kids. He definitely wants Edward to be the next king.”
“I didn't know any of this...” said Lily.
“Yea? Well after Daniel and Ariel get the witch, Edward and Laora are going straight to Marr to find out how to go about it.”
“I can't believe it...”
“Well, go ask Edward.”
“I can’t ask him anything. He’s been avoiding me since the day he found out you and I were flying for Bernard.”
“Right. Only because you ran away the moment he and Laora saw you up at the Pastures.”
“I caused this. I know it. If he wasn't avoiding me, he wouldn't be going to Marr.”
“Oh fiddlesticks!” said Avel, closing her eyes with a shake of her head. “Go talk to Edward. It ought to be easy enough. You keep calling him your brother...”
“But what can I do?” said Lily. “I don’t even know how I feel about him anymore, except that I know that I don't want him gone. I just don’t know if I feel the way he wants me to.”
Avel was rolling her eyes at this when the crowd all about them went wild with shouting and pointing into the air. “Lily!” she cried. “Flash and Sergeant Bryn just knocked Sergeant Cwympo off Eflamm!” Now there were gasps and screams as Sergeant Cwympo came plummeting end over end, his polished armor flashing in the sunlight, as Vyrpudi, the diatrymas and two score Elves ran frantically this way and that with the net to catch him.
“Ohh!” roared the entire crowd, leaping and dodging from side to side for a glimpse over one another's heads at his landing.
***
Sergeant Cwympo scuttled to the edge of the net on all fours and vomited up his breakfast before sitting back on his heels in his dented hauberk, white as a sheet, to feel for his missing helm with trembling fingers, while across the field from Avel and Lily, Laora wandered out of the crowd and up to Edward. “I don't think chocolate goes with cider vinegar at all,” she said, licking her fingers. “So what's all the excitement for?”
“You'd know if you hadn't run off,” said Edward, nodding at the field. “Look out yonder. Flash and Bryn just knocked Cwympo off of Eflamm.”
“No way!” she said, looking up to see Eflamm circling down to the field.
“I don't believe it!”
“Well you would, had you been here to see it. I think he forgot what he was doing for a moment, a-hunting for you in the crowd down here to show off for, and clean lost Cwympo.”
“That's mean. And all because you thought I should've been here the whole time holding your hand. Just for that, you don't need to hear what Avel said...”
“What? Why are you sounding all huffy? I really thought you wanted to see the joust. Don't you remember me telling you to hurry? And where was Avel?”
“She came to try the voles. We ate a mess, but they were awful.”
“I'll stay out of them, then.”
“Was that wit?” she said, looking at Eflamm helping Cwympo limp off the field.
“Apparently not,” said Edward. “So, what did Avel have to say that kept you from getting back here?”
“Hey!” she cried at a passing hawker. “I want a turkey leg!”
The young man came back with his basket as Laora fingered through her drawstring purse for the right piece of turquoise.
“Avel?” she said with her first bite of drumstick. “Oh nothing much. Family and stuff...”
“Right.”
“Well I threw in a little Ru Talorg with it,” she said. “I mean, everyone's talking about it, anyway.”
“And you're not looking me in the eye like you're all guilty...”
“I am not!” she said, daring to catch his eye. “And you think it's funny!”
“Oh she'd 'ave heard it in time. And we're the ones who got to spend time with the little blue king,” he said, glancing away here and there across the crowd. “Now is Eflamm going to be a good sport about you're not being here to see him?”
“Seeing him lose?”
“Which you got here just in time to see. Now didn't Avel say something that you wanted to tell me about?”
“She said that Bernard's looking for at least another dragoon pair to fly messages when we go after the witch.”
“How many dragon and fliers for that does he have?” he said, suddenly dropping to his knees to beg and point to his mouth.
“My turkey leg,” she said with an ear to ear shake of her head. “Just Avel and Lily. Here.” She squatted and shook out some turquoise onto the ground. “That piece there will do. He's coming back, over yonder.”
“You're not suggesting we volunteer, are you?”
“Well I'd thought about it. They'll need 'way more dispatch fliers than just Avel and Lily before it's all over, is all I'm saying.”
“Sure. But I don't plan to be one of them.”
“Why on earth, Edward? Afraid you'll have to speak to Lily?”
“Well yea, when she doesn't want anything to do with me, but that's not it. And you're disappointed,” he said, stopping with a sigh. “Look 'ee here. I didn’t join the sky cavalry to carry messages. I know it’s nigh impossible that I'll ever get to kill Spitemorta, but I'll never sleep again if I can't at least take out someone close to her. She killed Momma.”
“Oh Edward,” she said, grabbing him into a feathery hug. “I just wasn't thinking.”
“I love you and you are always, always forgiven. You were the very one who was there for me from the moment I lost her.”
“And I love you too, Edward. But you might be wrong about one thing...”
“What?”
“She talks about you all the time.”
“So?”
“Well she might not know how to approach you, is why she hasn't spoken.”
“How would she even know to? I've never said a word to her about how I feel.”
“The whole world knows...”
“I'd like to know how. Am I that easy to read?”
“Every single line,” she said with a huge nod. “So just go be nice to her...”
“Right. With her after Herio and everything.”
Now she was shaking her head. “Nay. As far as Herio's concerned, she's naught but his favorite niece. So that's all done with. And speaking of that,” she said with another nod, “would you look 'ee yonder.”
Edward turned about to see Lily carefully walking up to him from out of the crowd.
“Hello,” she said quietly. “Could we go for a walk?”
Suddenly Laora was nowhere to be seen.
“You must be upset with me Edward, but could we?”
“We could take the path to Vyrpudi's cave,” he said. “It's in the shade most of the way.�
��
“That would be nice,” she said, looking shy.
And with that, they set out through the multitude for the path along the bluff.
Soon they were making their way without a word under the canopy of cottonwoods following the foot of the bluff, listening to the tiny whirlpool doves calling out like little ocarinas from the treetops. At last they found places to sit on the rocks near the fire pit under the trees outside Vyrpudi's cave. A breeze came and went through the leaves overhead. Jays called.
Lily looked at her hands and drew a breath. “Edward I'm so embarrassed that I’ve been avoiding you,” she said, unable to look at him. “I wasn't trying to be mean, but now that I see how it all is, I feel terrible.”
“Well we could surely be brother and sister again, couldn't we?” he said, surprising both of them by taking up her hand. “And I was probably the one who caused the whole thing in the first place by getting carried away with feelings for you that proper siblings don't have. I can see how it wouldn't feel right to you...”
“I don't know what to think, Edward. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about you. I was surprised to feel hurt when you and Laora moved out, and I've wanted you to come back and be my big brother. And I fear that my heart's trying to tell me that you mean...”
Without any warning at all, he was kissing her. And finding the surprise a wonderful relief, she returned it.
“Oh my!” he said, pulling away and looking at her. “Maybe we can get it all figured out someday. I mean here I am, unable to mate with a dragon, so I go after my sister...”
“Prince and princess of different houses, not to put too fine a point on it,” she said, suddenly feeling light and wonderful. “I think we just might.”
And with that, they made their way back to the festivities, hand in hand.
Chapter 198
It had been a gorgeous fall, the warmest one that anyone could remember. But now that it was scarcely winter, a heavy wet snow was whirling in the air outside Spitemorta's window, turning every twig thick and wooly white. Her nose felt like ice against the palm of her hand and she could see her breath. She threw back her covers and rolled herself upright. “My, that hurts!” she said, grabbing at the small of her back with both hands as she fished for her cold slippers with her toes. “Pit take this stinking child and her damnable father.” After a couple of tries, she was on her feet.
Without any warning at all, her water broke, soaking her legs and slippers and nearly causing her to slip and fall as she came down onto the corner of the bed with her knees, lunging for the bell pull. After yanking her leg out from under her, she sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for the chambermaid. “Aaah!” she cried as an unexpected contraction seized her. The unlatched window languidly clacked shut and came open again and again. “Fates!” she growled as she rubbed her arms. “Get your dilatory fanny in here.”
At a light rap on the door frame, Spitemorta looked up to see the maid giving a hurried curtsey. “Latch the damned window,” she barked. “Now!”
“Yes Your Omnipotence,” said the maid as she rushed to the window to fasten it.
“And get some coals in here... Hey you idiot! Where do you think you're going?”
“Why to get the coals.”
“You wouldn't like walking out on me when I'm asking for the midwife and General Coel, sweetheart.”
“Then I must not have heard right, Your Omnipotence. If you said 'midwife,' surely it couldn't have been 'General Coel'...”
“Oh but it could have... Aah!” she cried with another contraction.
“Then I'm on my way,” said the wide-eyed maid with a bounce of frantic respect as she made for the door.
“Oh dear?” called out Spitemorta sweetly. “Pray tell me your name.”
“The maid stopped short. “Uh...” she said, turning about with a look of alarm, “Clarice?”
“Well you'll know for certain by the time we have you disciplined. And I had little choice but to ask your name in case we need to find you to draw and quarter.”
The maid tottered with her curtsey and vanished into the hallway.
“Aaang!” cried Spitemorta with another contraction.
“Well,” said Demonica, appearing in a chair by the bed, “continuing to encourage the help, I see.”
“What are you doing here, Grandmother?”
“Why I came to watch your performance, of course,” she said, adjusting her kirtle across her knee. “You know I'd never miss a chance to see you crying out and fouling your sheets for anything under the sun.”
“Go back to the Pit Grandmother! You’re the last person I want to see.”
“Well I hardly see how, since I seem to be the only thing hopelessly attached to you which serves as a conscience, dear.”
“Oh go on!”
“By all means. Your intense labor pains are undoubtedly the Fates themselves, reminding you of all the suffering you continue to cause those who have no choice but to serve you. I mean, you don't seem to recognize such a thing by yourself, and you certainly don't have a guilty conscience, since I am clearly innocent...”
“Yea. Like the Fates reminded you by having me do away with you for tormenting me...”
“Actually you did that all by yourself for want of a conscience, as I remember,” said Demonica, chuckling and vanishing at the sound of a knock at the door as Coel stepped in with the midwife.
“Nng!” grunted Spitemorta, silencing this particular contraction. She thrust out her chin at Coel for even dreaming of doing this to her.
Coel noticed, but bore no expression other than a bounce on his heels.
The midwife caught the look, but avoided his eye.
“General Coel,” said Spitemorta as she hauled her legs onto the bed and pulled a sheet over her knees, “I want you to cancel all my appointments for the next fortnight and see that Clarice the chambermaid is arrested and her execution put on the program for New Year’s, either to quarter, or you could have someone build a wicker man. I haven't decided.”
“Dare I ask what she did?” said Coel.
“Defied me if you must know.”
“In spite of her frenzy to find the midwife and me for you...?” he said.
“Well?” snapped Spitemorta. “Where is she?”
“I'm sorry to say I clean lost track of her in our frenzy to get here.”
Spitemorta drew a bug-eyed breath in time for her next contraction to stop her.
“I beg your pardon for my sudden intrusion, Your Omnipotence,” said the midwife with a curtsey, “but you seem to need my assistance. You may well deliver right soon, in spite of hit being the wrong time of day. I've seen hit before. Have you finished with the General?”
“I also want you to send a detachment to Oilean Gairdin to find out why the trolls haven’t eaten the Beaks,” she said as if the midwife was not even in the room.
“You sent them after the Beaks?” said Coel with a squint. “Well how in blazes do you expect my soldiers to find out anything from those curses, when the only one I’ve ever known who understood their speech was you?”
“It's wise that you show concern, General,” she said, shifting on a bolster, “but their so-called 'thunderman' speaks perfect Niarg. Just tell them to ask for Veyfnaryr.”
***
The sun had yet to rise on the sea of tall dead stems of grass, waving in the raw wind across the crusted snow of the Great Strah. Wolves howled far enough away that one would have to hold his frosty breath to hear them, but Karl-Veur, Yuna and young Yann-Ber were wearing hooded sheepskins, huddled with Cinder and Cook, saying their farewells to Queen Vorona, Tramman, Inney, Olloo, Roseen and old Grayse, and to Sulacha and Herio, who were leaving for home on Mwg and Flame at the same time with tidings of twenty-seven ships to arrive in Bae Ar Goll on the last day of winter.
“Your damned toes will freeze,” said Vorona, “if ye don't stand over here right now and let me cast a spell on them. And you four big buzzards. Get over her
e and let me do your noses. You ones can't blow flames the whole way to keep from freezing your faces shut.”
“We don't actually do it that way...” said Cinder.
“You want to freeze, or not?”
“Oh please do put the spell on us,” he said. “It does indeed sound like a good way to fly in this awful wind.”
“Now you Elves in the sheepskins, let's do your noses,” said Vorona.
“But we're not quite Elves...” said Yann-Ber. “Only Sulacha...”
“Oh yes you are,” she said with fierce watery eyes. “You're my favorite young man ever to come eat my pies, even if you do be all growed, now. And now that I'm done, theah ain't nothing left but to give you each a hug and a shove.”
And the next they knew, they were aloft, flying with the bitter wind, blinded to their left by the rising sun.
“This is great!” shouted Yann-Ber. “But I already miss my ground bird, and I was really, really looking forward to Vorona and Grayse's cherry pies, this year!” There was no reply, for though he was too naive to have his excitement curbed by the perils to come, he was speaking for each one of them. And it was some time indeed before there was much talking back and forth.
They reached the southern coast of the Eastern Continent just as the sun was setting, where they circled down through the cries of the hovering gulls to the lonely beach to camp for the night. After a breakfast of fried mussels, they rose into the cold air once more and set out across the narrow Temperate Sea for the Dark Continent. There was very little to see beyond the waves and the occasional school of dolphin once they got away from land, but by afternoon the air had become noticeably warmer. By the time the sun had nearly reached the western horizon, Cinder and Cook were spotting birds and finally land.
Karl-Veur strained to see anything at all, but the moment he was able to make out Dark's Cove and the spires of Dark's Castle, his avalanche of recollections left him more apprehensive than he had expected. “Hey love,” he said, patting Yuna's hand and lifting it to his lips. “Don't fall off when you wake up. We're here.” He looked across at Yann-Ber fast asleep on Cook. “Hoy Yann-Ber!” he hollered. “Time to wake up.” And at once he was grateful that Cook had insisted on binding the young man's wrists where they crossed around her neck before taking flight.
Heart of the Staff - Complete Series Page 207
