The Mansions of Idumea (Book 3 Forest at the Edge series)

by Trish Mercer

  Mahrree’s chin trembled but she nodded. Jaytsy sniffed.

  “What about Unc—Sergeant Zenos?” Peto asked timidly.

  Perrin smiled at his children. “Seems the Administrators think Zenos is best at my side. Right now they trust me only as far as Zenos can reach. Terrified horses couldn’t drag him away. I know; I already tried something like that.”

  The Shin family tried not to look too relieved in front of the new officers.

  “We need to go,” Perrin said. “But I’ll be back as soon as I can.” As the other three soldiers mounted up, he gave his wife another quick kiss.

  She caught his arm. “You’ve got a lot to explain to me tonight, you know,” she whispered. “Why all these changes, and why now?”

  His answer couldn’t have been more cryptic. “Because the cats in the barn have found themselves a new wounded falcon.”

  Chapter 27 ~ “Then again, Shem impresses everyone.”

  It was an unusual hearing early that morning, Perrin told Mahrree, convened jointly by the Army of Idumea and the Administrators, since what Perrin had done over the past week had violated rules and protocols of both organizations.

  “Well, first of all,” he explained as he held her that night in their bed as if he’d never let go again, “I’m officially on probation for trying to attack Gadiman. Had I been successful, I would’ve been tried for treason instead of just censured.”

  Mahrree clung to him too, curled up into his chest but clutching his arms, just to make sure he was really there. “And the punishment for treason?”

  “Execution,” he tried to say easily, but he nearly choked on the word. “Apparently several Administrators and a few officers had met the afternoon before—I suspect Qayin Thorne had called them together—while I was napping in the hospital, to discuss also stripping me of my command.”

  “Oh, Perrin . . .” But Mahrree wondered if that wouldn’t have been so bad after all.

  “It seems our friend Brisack was in attendance, and he argued valiantly that I had been acting out of ‘extreme grief,’ and shouldn’t be held completely liable for my aggressive behavior.”

  “Hmm,” Mahrree began, “so if someone’s angry enough, their behavior is justified?”

  “To be honest, Mahrree, as furious as I was, there was still a part of me that could have just turned it off. It would have been extremely difficult, but not impossible. I chose to lose my temper and make a play for that sword. But, if Brisack thinks I’m beyond controlling my actions, which I know isn’t true, then . . . let him.”

  “I can imagine what Gadiman must’ve looked like at your hearing!”

  “Really? Because I can’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “He wasn’t there.”

  “Why not?” she repeated.

  “They were kind of fuzzy on that point. It seems Brisack had tried to convince him to come, but when he told Gadiman he wouldn’t try me for attempted murder, Gadiman refused.”

  “Whew!” she breathed.

  “So,” he continued, “as part of my probation, which is indefinite, I’ve been ordered to stay within the confines of Edge and its surrounding farms.”

  “What?” Mahrree nearly squealed.

  He chuckled. It was chuckle filled with gloomy undertones, but he’d found one tiny thing to be happy about, and he latched on to it. “Yep. I nearly broke into a grin when Mal read that ‘punishment.’ Took all my strength to keep a straight face. To think, I finally found a way to stay here. The Creator really works in mysterious ways sometimes.”

  She giggled just as drearily, but with a drop of joy. That drop quickly dried up. “So why have you lost Karna, Neeks, Rigoff, and Poe?”

  “Part of my punishment for my ‘exceptional forwardness and callous regard for regulations’ in forming the caravan and taking the reserves. And for stealing horses,” he added, “and for throwing an Administrators’ messenger through my office wall. Actually, I’d forgotten about that, but a representative showed up to the hearing and informed the Administrators about my fit of temper. The messenger will live. Taking early retirement, though. By the way, it was the same messenger who barged into our house a few weeks ago.”

  Mahrree actually snorted. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t find any of that fitting or funny.”

  “No,” he agreed. “You shouldn’t.” He snorted too. A moment later he added, “Then there’s Poe.”

  She groaned. “Oh, Poe.”

  Perrin sighed. “I had Grandpy Neeks with me to tell him about Grasses. Grandpy’s pretty excited to go south again. He has a lot of connections. His enthusiasm was wearing off a bit on Private Hili. He’s being sent away for assisting me, but I convinced Cush to not let his past go with him. I told him Poe was just following standing orders that I had left with the fort. I’ll personally create his records, and I’m giving Poe a clean start.”

  “I suppose that’s for the best, then,” she sighed sadly. “Just when I was getting excited about the thought of Poe around again. I have such hope for him.”

  “Grandpy will take care of him. He’s already promised me,” Perrin assured her with a kiss.

  “And Karna to Rivers? Did you have a hand in that as well?”

  “Actually, Shem did. When Mal announced I was losing my second in command, Shem spoke up and said he thought the fort at Rivers was in need of a new commander, and wouldn’t Karna be an excellent fit there.”

  Mahrree frowned. “And Mal listened to him? A mere master sergeant?”

  “Interestingly, Mal paid a great deal of attention to Shem. Somehow, he’s impressed the Chairman of the Administrators. Then again, Shem impresses everyone.”

  “Thank the Creator for Shem!” she said. “Perrin, I need to tell you—I really thought, for a few horrible moments, that I might never see . . . you alive again.”

  “I know,” he whispered. “I thought the same thing.”

  “Perrin, should something like this ever . . . if there comes a time that you—” It wasn’t easy asking one’s husband what to do when he dies.

  Fortunately she didn’t have to get those words out. “I’m making provisions,” he cut her off.

  “What does that mean? ‘Provisions’?”

  He kissed her again. “Don’t worry about it. Should anything ever happen to me, I promise you’ll not be left alone. Shem will know what to do. The Administrators already love him, by the way.”

  While she was desperately wanted to know what Perrin was planning, his comment about Shem intrigued her. “They love Shem? How do you know?”

  “Gave him a certificate that looked exactly like yours,” he droned. “Written in black and gold, for outstanding service to the world, blah, blah, blah, for stopping me from killing Gadiman.”

  “Oh, my. What’d he think of that?”

  “He told them thank you, then after we saddled up to go to the garrison for the other orders, he dropped the beautiful parchment into the dung wagon.”

  She chuckled darkly. “I’m sure it blended right in. I should have done that with mine, instead of tossing it in the fireplace. So,” she tried to redirect the conversation, “why will Shem ‘know what to do’ should . . . you never return.”

  He hugged her tighter. “There are many other things to discuss, Mahrree.”

  Sensing he wasn’t about to be forthcoming with anything else, she let it go for now. “I was worried you weren’t going to come back,” she whispered. “That maybe you might even try to stay there and investigate what happened.”

  “I was thinking that, for a time,” he confessed.

  “What changed your mind?”

  He was silent for a moment. “Lots of things,” he eventually said, and tightened his hold on her, “but mostly I knew I needed to be right here.”

  Mahrree sighed contentedly. “You truly have become Edgy over the years. And that’s a compliment, by the way.”

  He chuckled softly. “While I agree I belong in Edge, what I really meant was that I needed to be righ
t here, with you.” His voice turned husky and Mahrree squeezed his arms tighter, a few tears slipping from her eyes.

  “Don’t ever leave me again, please,” she whispered. “I don’t want to know what those provisions are.”

  His hold on her became so firm her ribs ached. “I won’t ever leave you again. I promise. We’ll just stay like this in our bed together for the next forty years.”

  “Sounds perfect. So I suppose we no longer have to worry about you becoming High General, then.”

  He didn’t answer her.

  “Perrin?”

  He cleared his throat.

  “Oh . . . you’re not serious . . . what?”

  “I’ve been informed that there’s still the desire for another General Shin in Idumea, but I need to do a great deal to earn the position. How I prepare these new officers—and two more are arriving with the wagon coming with my parents’ things—will determine my future. Cush is sixty-six now. In four more years, there’ll need to be a new High General named.”

  “No, no, no, no—”

  “Then,” said Perrin with a weighty sigh, “the position will likely be handed to one of two men: either me, or Qayin Thorne, who is now General Thorne and Cush’s new Advisor. Whoever’s not chosen as High General will then most likely be the next Advisor. That should make a few colonels not too happy about things.”

  “And how do you feel about that?” Mahrree asked as if she didn’t know.

  “Let Thorne have it!” Perrin declared. “And let me stay here. Keep me on probation for decades. I can be a barely adequate colonel and stay here until I’m seventy, can’t I? Watch our children marry, have grandchildren, maybe even great-grandchildren, while I sit here and stare at the mountains. I hadn’t realized how much I’ve grown accustomed to them until I left. I can be a colonel for the next twenty-seven years, right?”

  “Absolutely!” Mahrree said, sounding almost believable.

  “Sure,” Perrin mused, his tone losing confidence. “I’ll train these officers well enough. Get Lemuel promoted so fast he’ll be general before me and can be Advisor to his father—”

  “Of course,” Mahrree said with strained brightness. “And take your daughter and your grandchildren back to Idumea with him.”

  “What?!” Perrin nearly shouted.

  “Why else do you think he’s here?” Mahrree said. “Not just to keep a close eye on you for his father and grandfather. I’m sure part of his duty is also to become Colonel Perrin Shin’s son-in-law.”

  “Oh no,” Perrin groaned. “Of everything I’ve had to consider today, that’s the most revolting.”

  “He’s really that bad?”

  “He’s as bad as mushroom pudding! Ask Shem sometime.” He sighed again. “You just might be right about Thorne, though. What do we tell Jaytsy?”

  “I think Jaytsy already knows what everyone’s expectations are for her. She doesn’t really like him, though. And I had a little talk with her the other day.”

  “What kind of ‘talk’?” he probed.

  “Another update of the talk we had when she was eight. About what to expect from young men and their intentions.”

  “Good,” Perrin exhaled.

  Mahrree made a little noise in her throat.

  “What?” Perrin asked.

  “There should be a follow-up from you, though.”

  “Why?”

  “As a father you may have some additional insight to offer, about young officers, since you used to be one. That kind of thing,” she added heavily.

  She had no idea her husband could groan for so long.

  ---

  In the compound of the fort the next afternoon was a sad party of sorts. Among the loaded wagons and waiting horses was a gathering of soldiers, villagers, friends and families who did their best to smile at those leaving for their new posts. But there was too much sniffling, according to Peto, and no cake.

  There was also something else missing: the commander of the fort.

  Mahrree knew Perrin had said a private goodbye to each man, and now, as she subtly glanced up to the command tower, just behind the reflections of sunlight she could see his form at the edge of the window watching the shaking of hands and giving of hugs. Her chest ached for him. He felt responsible that so many men he counted as friends were being sent away. His punishment meant their punishment, and his fort was never going to be the same again.

  It wasn’t as if Mahrree would ever consider that the label of ‘fragile’ could be applied to her husband, but considering all that he’d been through in just the past week, she couldn’t imagine how any other man wouldn’t have been overwhelmed today. She was fairly confident he’d locked the door to his office to keep any soldiers from accidentally coming in and seeing his tears of regret.

  There was still, however, a messenger-sized hole in the wall, but a few years ago Hycymum had presented Perrin with a long purple banner with the word “Edge” stitched in bright yellow, embellished with far too many swirls and curlicues. This morning Mahrree pulled it out of the storage wardrobe he’d hidden it in, and showed him how it could cover the hole until lumber was available to rebuild his wall. Perrin had smiled sadly at it as he tucked it under his arm. “If she ever asks, tell her it was always hanging in the forward office.”

  Mahrree turned from the tower to see Teeria Rigoff finally pull out of her mother’s embrace. Although Teeria would be back next week to finish packing her house to move to Rivers, Mahrree was sure she never expected to be leaving Edge. Her mother blubbering behind her certainly didn’t.

  “Well, Miss Mahrree,” Teeria wiped her eyes with a handkerchief, “looks like Edge provided me with my own captain. Just like you!”

  “And a fine one at that, too,” Mahrree smiled proudly at Captain Rigoff whose uniform already sported the insignia proclaiming his new rank. He beamed.

  Lieutenant Colonel Brillen Karna hugged each of the Shins almost bashfully, perhaps worried that the colonel was watching him. With a small but eager smile, he said, “I’ll let you know about the wedding.” But then his smile evaporated. “Wait—Colonel Shin can’t leave Edge. He won’t be able to come down to Rivers—”

  Mahrree smiled as cheerily as she could. “Don’t you worry about that. Remember, Perrin and I had a very small wedding. All who really needs to be there is you and Miss Robbing. We’ll be happy for you wherever you are.”

  Grandpy Neeks startled Mahrree by kissing her briefly on the cheek. “Take care of yourself, ma’am,” he said, nodding at the Jaytsy and Peto. “And keep your fine husband in line for me.”

  “I will. And Grandpy, I’m sorry I never found you a wife,” Mahrree said.

  “Why? I’m not.”

  Saying farewell to Poe was the hardest, though, and Mahrree was grateful Perrin wasn’t there to see her emotion. Her face was wet as she kissed Poe on the cheek and gave him a long hug.

  “You remember to always look at the color of the sky, Qualipoe Hili,” she whispered in his ear. “Don’t ever believe it’s always blue. Check it for yourself. You’ve always been a bright boy, and I’ve been so proud of you these past few weeks. Now promise me you’ll always be a thoughtful man.”

  He couldn’t answer her, but gruffly cleared his throat and nodded before mounting his horse next to Grandpy Neeks, who surprised Mahrree again by wiping away a tear himself.

  But Mahrree wasn’t surprised that Poe’s parents didn’t show up to see him off. She had hoped for his sake they would, but that hope ran out when Lieutenant Colonel Karna whistled to start the group out of the compound. Poe waved half-heartedly one last time to the Shins—the only family he had left—and Mahrree sighed to her children.

  “Poor Poe. I feel like I just said goodbye to my lost son.”

  The crowd of villagers and soldiers waved and cheered as Karna led the group out, but Mahrree turned slightly to catch a view of the command tower.

  Perrin still stood there, to the side of the window, but he wasn’t alone. Shem was next to him,
almost out of view, but with a brotherly hand on Perrin’s shoulder.

  “Thank you, dear Creator,” Mahrree murmured under the sound of cheering, “for letting us keep Shem Zenos.”

  ---

  The envelope delivered yesterday by the messenger, which they didn’t remember to open until much later, was from Mrs. Cush, wife of the new High General of Idumea. The message told Mahrree that Mrs. Cush and Versula Thorne had put together a crate of the Shins’ belongings, and it was on its way to Edge.

  Mrs. Cush had also asked for regular updates about their pride and joy Lemuel, and hoped that Jaytsy was doing well. Mahrree was sure there was some conspiring giggling that occurred when those words were written. The wagon with the crate was due that evening.

  So after dinner Mahrree sat on her front porch watching for the promised crate and mulling over what her husband had told her of his time in Idumea. She had the distinct feeling Perrin left out some important details—such as why he sounded so irritated about taking a long nap at the garrison and who else was in the cellar of the hospital. But she wasn’t about to press him on any of that. It’d all come out, eventually.

  She watched Peto on the side of the road, kicking his old ball between his feet. His new one from his grandfather sat on top of his wardrobe in near-pristine condition. Peto looked up, noticed his mother, and shook his head. No wagon in sight yet.

  Jaytsy came around the side of the house with a smirk on her face and sang, “Oh, Mother! Your husband needs you in the back garden.”

  “Why?” Mahrree asked suspiciously.

  “Because I now know how to disable a man.” She batted her eyelashes. Perrin had told Jaytsy at dinner that it was time to teach her a few defensive techniques, and after the washing up he had escorted her to the back garden while Mahrree, chuckling quietly, headed out to the front porch. At least teaching his daughter how to fend off amorous young men gave Perrin something else to concentrate on after the loss of his favorite soldiers.