Avan's Gift (Queen Avan, #1)

by Alice Ivinya

  A pang of homesickness swept over me as I thought about the town oak and how Cedric had made it bloom. I looked at the young prince from the corner of my eye. He wasn’t at all how I’d imagined princes would be.

  “How powerful are you in the Arts?” I asked, curious. Nobody from Vale could have grown the Town Oak like he did, but maybe that was common in Herne?

  He shrugged. “I can do all three levels. Do you know what they are?” He held up his hand to tick off three fingers. “I can make plants grow almost instantly, I can make the soil fertile, and I can listen to plants over a certain distance.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I know what the three types of Growing are.”

  “Ah!” Cedric pointed to my face, grinning. “You just rolled your eyes again.”

  I took a deep breath and tried to ignore him. This wasn’t what I needed right now. I didn’t want to talk, I certainly didn’t want to be teased. Surviving being killed or kidnapped had been enough for one day and I had no strength left to deal with him too. My stomach was still clenched and my heart was tight and cold.

  The prince sensed me withdraw. He rubbed his forehead and the grin vanished. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it as an accusation. Avan? Sorry. I just... I just need to distract myself from what just happened. I don’t want to think about it and just need to feel... normal.”

  I glanced at him and thawed. He looked younger, and suddenly lost and forlorn. My annoyance both grew and ebbed at the same time. I didn’t want to feel sorry for him right now, not an over-privileged prince. But he seemed so genuine. I nudged him with my elbow and plastered on a fake smile. “Well at least we’re not injured or alone. We can get to Herne quickly, and then you can return to getting pampered and having maids do your hair.”

  He forced a chuckle and gave me a grateful smile. He clapped and rubbed his hands together. “Indeed. And, we will be travelling away from Tahara. Can’t be too hard to just follow a road for a few days.”

  I snorted despite myself, both grateful and infuriated by his optimism. Silence fell and he gained that lost look again. I sighed. “Tell me about Herne.”

  He brightened immediately. “I’ll show you around myself. The castle is the best part. We had visiting Eltarians this year who spoke of putting something called ‘glass’ in the windows. It’s clear so you can still see through it, but it will keep out the wind. Can you imagine something hard yet clear? Apparently they’ve installed it into all their grand buildings in the Golden Cove. Their libraries I would imagine.

  “From the castle towers or Upper Herne, you can see so far. The River Herne is still running strong and we’re using a dam upstream to prepare as many fields as possible for crops. You see it's very close to the sulphur plains, so the land to the south is useless. That’s why you can’t walk in a straight line from Vale to Herne. Though you can take a boat down the river if you want to go east or to Tahara. But then you still have to ride the long way back as the current is too strong to row upstream.”

  Cedric rambled on and I stopped listening. I felt exhausted and each step jarred my back and hips. I ached in every single part of my body from my pounding head to my aching, sore feet. The bright moon made strange shadows in the naked trees and my feeling of unease grew. I wanted to find somewhere safe I could curl up in a ball and pretend everything was normal. At least Klia was safe. She would probably think I’d been captured. I wondered if her family would do anything to find me. Joff was meant to be keeping me safe, like Ma had supposed to be keeping me safe, and Pa before her. They’d all left me so easily. I hoped this prince would at least stay with me.

  And what about Cedric’s family? What would Herne do when they found their prince was missing? Would they start a war with Tahara? Send out an army of searchers? Maybe the people in the nearest village would come to his aid and give us horses. But if the Tharans heard that such a powerful Grower was poorly protected, would they be so bold as to purposefully steal the son of the king?

  Cedric put his hand on my shoulder and I jumped, jarring my back. “Did you hear me? Avan, look, it’s the Waytree.”

  Sure enough, visible even in the dark, a tree ahead was green with leaves that shone in the moonlight, whilst everything around it was barren. It was a weeping willow, whose elegant branches gave the impression of a skirt we were about to peek under.

  I tried to step forward, longing to close my eyes, but Cedric held me back. “If I were a Tharan after escaped Growers, I would post a guard or two in there to capture any Farthi who entered. It’s one thing travelling the road in the dark, another going to such an obvious haven.”

  I crumpled to the floor, letting my pack slide from my shoulder, and tried to hold back sobs, hating that he was right. This was getting too much. Cedric put a hand under my arm and pulled me upright. “Don’t worry Avan,” he said with forced cheeriness. “The water will be nearby. Let’s find it, fill up our bottles and then find somewhere away from the road to sleep. All right? Lean on me, I’ll help you.”

  I nodded numbly and let him drag me away from the road following the downward slope of the ground. Soon we could hear the lulling tinkle of water and crept towards the sound to fill our bottles. I started to wash my face and hands in the freezing water but Cedric caught my arm and shook his head. I realised that we still both stank of dogsbane and there was still too much danger to wash it off.

  We found a rocky outcrop that gave a little shelter. Cedric lay down a huge, thick fur to sleep upon, and I didn’t even bother taking off my shoes before I flopped down, ignoring my back and hips, and was asleep.

  Chapter Four

  An Unwanted Guest

  I WOKE WITH A START and sat up, breathing heavily. I looked around in panic. Where was I? The sun was blinding. My insides were horribly twisted as if something was wrong, but I couldn’t work out what. Then an arm was on my shoulder and somebody murmured soothing words as the events of yesterday came flooding back. I squinted to the side and saw Cedric kneeling beside me, doing his best to calm me. As soon as I sat up, he moved his hand away as if touching me made him awkward.

  I looked up at the prince. He was pale and his caramel coloured hair was a mess. There were dark shadows under his eyes and his bed fur looked unruffled.

  “Did you stay up all night?” I mumbled, rubbing the sleep from my face. The rubbing brought pain and I realised I was sunburnt.

  He shrugged. “I couldn’t sleep. Every time I closed my eyes I saw things...” He rubbed his face and shook his head. “So I thought I might as well keep watch in case any Tharans came close.”

  I frowned. “You kept watch all night? You should have woken me and let me do the second half.”

  He shrugged again. “I’m all right. I don’t think I could have slept at any point. I keep on seeing him... Chancellor Felix...” He pinched his forehead.

  I hugged my knees and the movement reminded me I ached all over. I started to inspect the grazes on my hands, which were still weeping. Cedric handed me a ceramic pot of green paste. “Put that on your cuts. It will help them heal and stop infection.”

  “Thanks,” I murmured and rubbed it into my hands and chin. I knew my worst grazes and bruises were on my hips and thighs, however. “Eh, could you give me a bit of privacy a moment?”

  Cedric blushed. “Eh yes, um, of course.” He stood up so quickly he stumbled.

  I raised my eyebrows at him. “By the Arts, Cedric, it’s not that embarrassing. I just need to put some on my legs.”

  The prince walked the other side of the rocks and started whistling so I knew where he was. I shook my head and grinned. Anyone would think I was about to dance around naked from his reaction. I rubbed the salve into my grazes. My hips and arms were a patchwork of dark purple bruises and my stomach hurt when I pressed the spot where the Tharan had thrown me over his saddle. I dreaded to think what my back looked like. The wool of my dress was unravelling in multiple places and my pinafore was so torn I wasn’t sure if it would hold around my shoulders much longer. It wa
s my turn to blush when I realised the skirts had multiple holes in the back. I couldn’t wear these clothes anymore.

  I bent over to Cedric’s huge bag and rummaged through. I felt bad doing it while his back was turned, but I couldn’t exactly ask for him to do it while I was mostly naked. There were all sorts of boxes and pots and bottles full of herbs and salves. It was enough to start an apothecary. A very heavy bag of gold clinked as I set it aside. I doubted the whole of Vale had that much money. My fingers pushed other items aside as I dug deeper: A small knife with an antler handle. A rolled up document I couldn’t read but which looked important. The Chancellor’s gold chain, still speckled with dried blood. A velvet bag full of acorns, of all things. A few leather bags full of seeds. A wrapped up cheese, which I broke the corner off and chewed as I rummaged. Ah, there was what I was looking for. I pulled out the neatly folded clothes from the bottom and was surprised to find the green silk shirt we’d washed a few days ago. Mistress Claire had got the wine stain out completely. I grinned. How would she react when she found out I had worn it? Ioran silk; I couldn’t resist.

  I tugged off my filthy, torn shift and pulled on the shirt and laced it up. It fell halfway down my thighs and felt soft and smooth on my skin, like the caress of water. It didn’t rub or itch like wool. Then I found a soft leather jerkin with a belt and some trousers that were too tight around my bruised hips. There was nothing I could use to wrap my hair, so I just combed the matted curls with my fingers and braided it behind my back, like I had as a child.

  I called Cedric and he came whistling back around the corner. The noise cut short when he saw me in his clothes and his mouth hung open. He blushed all the way down his neck.

  “I hope you don’t mind me borrowing your clothes?” I smiled sweetly, enjoying his reaction.

  “No... no, not at all.”

  I held out my hands to either side. “What?”

  “I’ve just never seen a woman in men’s clothes before... and trousers... like a man.”

  I chuckled. “If only Klia could see me now, dressed in a prince’s clothes.”

  Cedric seemed to recover a little, but let his eyes look elsewhere and made his tone polite. “You look nice.”

  I resisted rolling my eyes. The breeze tugged at my hair and it felt strange outside of its wrap. I smoothed it down and noticed him watching. “There wasn’t anything to cover my hair with.”

  He shrugged. “Most women don’t in Herne, anyway. It’s a countryside tradition.”

  “Really?” I asked, surprised. I’d never seen a grown woman with her hair uncovered outside of her home.

  “Yes.” He scratched the back of his head. “I like it uncovered. I can see it better this way.”

  I shook my head in mock exasperation. “Well, obviously.”

  Cedric lowered his hand to rub his neck, shifting his feet. “Shall we get going then?” he suggested.

  I nodded and started to roll up the furs and cloaks since it was far too hot to wear them. Cedric took my bundle from me. “Let me carry it, Avan.”

  I started to object, but he cut me off with his hand. “I’ve been able to ride, while you’ve been walking these last few days. Also, I’m pretty sure you took more of a beating yesterday. It would be my honour to do the carrying.”

  I smiled at him in thanks and let him carry my bundle strapped to his bag. In this heat I was more grateful than I wanted to admit. We started off through the trees. Now it was light, the straight road stretched out plain for all to see for almost a mile. We decided to walk parallel in the dead undergrowth. It slowed us, but we were less likely to be spotted by any Tharans or robbers. I was grateful to be wearing trousers instead of constantly having to stop to yank my skirts out of brambles.

  I trudged forward in silence, hiding a smile as Cedric squirmed. It didn’t take long before he cracked and started talking. “It’s strange, you see,” he began and then paused.

  I raised an eyebrow at him, my lips twitching. “What?”

  “Well, I spend all my time wanting to be away from Herne, and now for the first time I’m eager to be back.”

  I didn’t respond, but he continued anyway after a few stumbling steps.

  “You see, I much prefer it out here in the countryside. When not being hunted by Tharans, of course, or attacked. It’s like I can breathe better, like I’m free.”

  I huffed. “Well you’re not free from getting us to Herne as quickly as possible, however much you like wandering vulnerable in the woods.”

  Cedric nodded seriously. “I promise I will, Avan.” The sincerity in his eyes softened my heart.

  “Good,” I stated, as if I expected nothing less. I half tripped on a root and turned my attention back to the ground. “So if Herne is as amazing as you said yesterday, why do you want to be out here?”

  “It’s just a lot less complicated. I don’t feel like everyone is nagging me or has hidden agendas that I’m meant to somehow know about. And you’re much easier to talk to than the court ladies.”

  “I am?” I asked, shocked. I had hardly been nice or courteous.

  He nodded. “Yes. You’re an open book, probably not attempting to kill anyone and not trying to make a fool of me. I’m finally doing something that makes a difference, on a journey I understand, and I get to do it with an actual villager. Being with somebody uneducated and untrained in combat or politics makes this all the more adventurous.”

  I opened my mouth to snap a retort, then took a deep breath instead. He wasn’t trying to be rude, and what he said was true. I wrapped my arms around myself and rubbed my elbows. “Well, every bad situation has its positives.” I attempted his optimism.

  He beamed at me. “Exactly, Avan. Exactly.” He looked forward again. “I mean with you I can be myself. I can say things like ‘I don’t know what I’m doing’ without risking mass political upheaval and starting every noble competing for the throne.” He smiled to himself. “It would be interesting to see which women became less attentive to me, though.” He paused. “Or more attentive I suppose... I do wonder why Lady May is always so nice to me.” He shook his head and became serious again. “Father is always telling me a good king must come across as completely confident, yet open to advice. Arrogant, yet willing to change his plans. Strong, yet never ignoring the weak.” He ticked each one off on his fingers and then waggled the three at me. “He must come across as so confident, arrogant and strong, that nobody can think for a moment that he shouldn’t be king. That he could be challenged.” Cedric looked at me helplessly and pushed back his fringe. “He makes it sound so easy, but it’s not.” He flung his hand away.

  I looked at him in shock. I was a washerwoman, and a lazy one at that. Who was I to give advice to future kings? I just threw acorns at them. Cedric continued to look at me expectantly with those trusting eyes. By the earth...

  “Well,” I fumbled. “There are many other traits a good king needs. Like being kind, being interested in his people and not looking down on others. And... I suppose being open with your struggles to somebody so they don’t all build up inside.” I took a breath. “In those ways you’ll make a good king.”

  Cedric scratched his chin. “Really? I was thinking I should run away or something. Then Rupert or Killian could be king.”

  I spread out my arms and twirled. “Well, if that’s the plan, now is the opportune moment.”

  He smiled at me. “No, I made a promise, remember? To take you safe to Herne and rescue the Growers.”

  “See,” I murmured. “You’ll make a good king.” We walked in silence for a few steps. “You know lots of people do jobs they’re not good at and don’t enjoy, and yet they still manage them.” I placed a hand on my chest. “I’ve never found anything I’m good at. But my problem is I’ve never enjoyed a job enough to try hard at it. It always seemed like every job was so... tiring. Repetitive. Boring. Maybe if I’d tried harder I would have done better.”

  Cedric glanced at me. “What did you do?”

  “F
irst, I learnt to turn flax into fibre and weave it into linen, like my mother. But she and I were never designed to spend all day, every day together. I wanted to do something else, so Mistress Claire took me on as a washerwoman.” I had to keep myself from looking away in embarrassment. Did he realise how different our lives were?

  “What are you going to do in Herne?” Cedric asked, with no hint of judgement or amusement.

  I shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  The prince grinned. “I’m sure I can find you something you’ll enjoy more. Maybe a lady-in-waiting to the princess? Elenor’s nice. Or head maid? You get free accommodation if you live in the castle, you see.”

  My cheeks heated. “I don’t know, Cedric. I don’t know anything about those roles and they sound important. I’m always being told off for not taking my responsibilities, or in fact anything, seriously enough.”

  Cedric gave me an innocent sideways glance. “Court jester? I feel you would be a real bundle of laughs.”

  I opened my mouth in mock offence and pushed him with one hand.

  “No? That’s a pity. The court loves being mocked. See, your sarcasm is rubbing off on me.” Cedric stroked his lips. “Hmm. I’ll think of something.”

  We stumbled through the dead bracken and brambles and talked about disjointed topics. Cedric was interested in Vale and how one made linen or washed clothes in a drought. He was full of praise I wasn’t sure I deserved. He asked about our country dances and compared them to ones in Herne, and spoke at length about the palace gardens. I turned the conversation to the far more interesting topic of the prince’s gift of Growing.

  Suddenly, Cedric cut off and pulled me down. I almost yelped as the movement yanked my sore hips and bruised limbs. He put a finger to his lips and pointed to a large eagle perched in a tree. It was so still I didn’t know how he had spotted it. It was watching the empty road and didn’t turn towards us.

  My heart thudded in my ears and my whole body over-reacted to the emotionless bird. I took a deep breath and tried to let it out slowly. “Could be a normal eagle?” I breathed.