“The memory of your soft lips has never left me even after all these years. Please believe me when I say I never stopped loving you, Olivia. I used to curse the Eyes for the position we found ourselves in, until I realized I could protect you better from the shadows than by your side.”
“Oh Malcom, I’ve missed you so,” she murmured while resting her head on his shoulder. “What happened to our love, my handsome young protector? Why have you chosen now to bring back painful memories from so long ago?”
The arms-master stiffened at her question and then let out a sigh heavy with regret. “The Deluti happened. It is also one of the reasons I needed to meet with you like this. The story I have to tell may not be easy for you to hear.”
It was Olivia’s turn to stiffen as she lifted her head and stared at him, the eyes of a queen replacing those of a young princess in love. “I’m listening.”
Malcom paused to gulp down the rest of his ale and signaled for another, which gave him time to order his thoughts before answering. “On the day Sofia was born, I felt compelled to guard the door to your rooms. After everyone had left to allow you and the baby a chance to rest, a Deluti spirit appeared and had me under its spell before I could react.”
He shivered as the memory of that night returned and he felt caught up in its grip once again. “It was like time had come to a standstill, and only the two of us existed. The spirit told me that soon the five Deluti Amulets of Focus would return to the world of men. The spirits had chosen a number of human children who would receive a portion of Deluti blood mixed with their own. Sofia is one of those chosen. The spirit then charged me with keeping that secret, and to protect her with my life until she left to be on her own.”
He watched in admiration as the intelligent woman he knew and loved calmly sipped her wine while processing the information he’d just given her. It didn’t take long before she leaned back, closed her eyes and blindly reached for his hand.
“Well, that explains a lot, particularly why you distanced yourself from me after Sofia was born, and why you insisted on training her in secret when she was old enough. It’s also clear to me that you wouldn’t be telling me this unless something has happened to her.” At which point she squeezed his hand. “Please tell me she is safe.”
“That Sofia is still alive I can almost guarantee, but whether or not she is safe, that remains to be seen.” He hesitated before continuing, “Olivia, the repercussions from what has happened will ripple through both our countries, and the resulting consequences are too numerous for me to fathom.”
Her only reaction was to open her eyes and narrow them in concentration. He then proceeded to relay everything young Gilfor had passed on the night before. He also assured her that men and wagons were already on their way to the ambush site to retrieve the bodies of the guards and to bury the attackers where they lay.
“So my daughter has the power of a Deluti inside of her?”
“Yes, and she has already begun to use those powers even if she isn’t aware of it yet. With Ronald at her side, I believe they will be able to take care of themselves. What worries me is how the rumors are going to affect our people. What King Charles’s reaction will be when he hears of the possible death of his son’s betrothed is anybody’s guess.”
The Queen set down her glass of wine and pulled him close, a coy smile dancing across her lips. “Those problems will still be there on the morrow. Right now I need you to remind me how much you love me.”
Malcom returned her smile with one of his own. “As Your Majesty commands.”
***
Other than the heat and the constant worry over Moonlight’s survival, Navon might have enjoyed the next several days. By the evening of the first day, they reached the edge of the burn, and he realized that out of the vastness of the plains, the area of the fire was actually fairly small.
As he had anticipated, they headed west away from the river, but to his surprise, each stop always included a well or spring. At least that eliminated his concern over Moonlight having enough water. Now he was able to use the empty skulls to leave her whatever food he could hide away.
An unintended side effect of riding Moshere, as the hours slowly passed with nothing but rolling grassland to capture his attention, was the bond between them grew even stronger. Words in the Shadhuin language began to have meaning, and he found that he could follow some of the conversations between the others. This was both a blessing and a curse.
Navon’s feelings of isolation eased as the language became more familiar, but he soon realized the majority of the comments were about him. The closer they got to their home, the more fear entered into the quiet words spoken. Some were angry because a slave should not be allowed to ride, but with Moshere an elder among the Brothers, no one dared to interfere.
On the evening of the second day, as everyone settled in to wait for their meal, Jamar and his Brother approached and waited as Navon finished brushing the dirt from Moshere’s coat. He acknowledged the elder with a respectful tilt of his head, but said nothing. He couldn’t help but notice as they were traveling that Jamar spent the day talking to the other elders and Lodorn, their leader. No doubt the conversations had been about him and Moshere. Navon braced himself for whatever decision they had reached.
After the boy serving the evening stew handed a bowl to him, Navon, without thought, thanked the youngster in the same manner as he’d seen Jamar. The boy began to respond in kind then froze. Eyes wide, he stared first at Navon, and then turned to the elder. Jamar waved him away and the boy turned and ran.
Jamar folded his legs and sat in one fluid motion, narrowed eyes fixed on Navon. “So, now you understand the Shadhuin tongue?”
Navon didn’t miss the fact that the old man spoke in his own language, but shook his head. “Only the little I’ve picked up by listening to others. I still don’t understand much of what is said.”
Jamar gave no indication whether he believed him or not, and changed the subject. “Tomorrow home. Much talk with elders about you. Some say send to slave market, but Moshere say no. I say no. Tradition say you go to Maudwan to decide, so you go.”
Nothing more was said as Jamar finished his bowl and then left Navon alone with his thoughts and worries about the next day. It appeared he had a protector in Moshere, but how was he to protect Moonlight once they arrived at the settlement? As if she’d heard his thoughts, Moonlight’s love and concern filled his mind. He missed her more and more each day, and reveled in the glow of their mutual concern. It was difficult for him to tell at this distance, but she seemed to be holding up well so far.
Moshere’s presence in his mind now felt so natural, the thought of trying to block him never entered Navon’s thoughts. He held his breath as the horse and wolf met in his mind for the first time. Unable to follow what transpired between them, he only got the impression Moshere had reassured her. Whatever the intent, the result was that she became more at ease than at any other time since they arrived. In the morning, Moshere made sure they were the last to leave so no one would see Navon leave one of the skulls filled with stew.
By noon, the terrain took on the appearance of foothills even though there were no mountains close by. Some of the shallow valleys even hid stands of small trees, giving Navon hope Moonlight would be able to find some small game. A faint breeze sprang up to provide much appreciated relief from the stifling heat of the grasslands.
At the crest of the next hill, Navon was transfixed by the panorama spread out before him. He was at a total loss, unable to fathom what his tired eyes perceived. Moshere felt his confusion and stopped, trying to convey the meaning of what Navon saw, but their bonding was still too new. Frustrated, he cantered up ahead to join Jamar.
Once alongside the elder, Navon pointed back to the rise they’d just descended. “Up there I saw a blue haze that stretched in both directions as far as I could see, and the air felt different somehow. I don’t understand Moshere when he tries to explain. What did I see?”
Jamar shared a look with Moshere and then faced Navon. “You see the big water.”
Having never seen anything larger than a small lake and several rivers a person could easily swim across, he shook his head in disbelief and dismay. He was familiar with the map of Marlinor, and the known countries surrounding it, his father kept in his study. If what he’d seen turned out to be the Southern Sea, he was further from home than he had imagined. How would he return? There were no roads through the Shadow Mountains to the north, and Rogosh the Pirate controlled the waters of the south.
Hopeless despair wormed its way into Navon’s thoughts and clouded his vision of the land they traveled. Had he made a mistake accepting the Deluti’s challenge and placed not only his own life in jeopardy, but that of Moonlight’s as well? How would she survive in an environment totally unfit for a wolf? Did he face a lifetime of slavery, alone?
A sharp mental rebuke from Moshere burned away the darkness and lifted Navon out of his despair. There were no words, but the message was clear. ‘You are not alone or a slave, stop acting like one.’ His vision cleared as the entire group stopped on the crest of another hill. The silence was profound. Men and beasts stood rooted in place, all facing the same direction.
Navon lifted his eyes to a picture right out of a children’s fairytale. Larger than the village of Twin Oaks, the Shadhuin buildings were constructed with brick and stone rather than wood. Rooftops were covered in brightly colored tiles, and banners like rainbows adorned every building, large or small. A patchwork of cultivated fields surrounded the city. No enemy could approach undetected by the watch towers placed on every side. Slaves could be seen working the fields as small bands of horses grazed the outskirts.
The whisper of a soft baritone voice floated on top of the breeze, and made its way down the hillside towards the city. Soon other adult voices joined in, accompanied by the higher pitched harmonizing of the young boys. The wind increased along with the volume of the song, eager to reach the ears of family members waiting for their return. The horses were the first to react as they turned and galloped in their direction followed by a flood of residents flowing from the city.
Through his bond with Moshere, Navon understood this was a song celebrating their return home, and the joy of once again being with loved ones. It was a song of peace and pride in their home. No one moved until the last note faded into the distance. His prior despair forgotten, Navon turned to Jamar, wonder filling his eyes and heart.
The elder smiled at him and then laughed out loud. “What you expect, Na’von, mud huts and tents?”
Chapter Thirteen ~Truth and Rumors
“Ronald, I destroyed that man with just a thought. How is that possible?” Sofia asked quietly, eyes still focused on the darkness outside the window.
Rather than answering right away, Ronald got up and poured a cup of water from the pitcher on the washstand and handed it to her. He returned it to the stand after she had her fill and sat back on the bed, taking her hand once more.
“I have no idea. Legends of the Deluti are filled with all manner of amazing feats they were capable of, so what you did doesn’t surprise me. I am really glad you did though. Even I could sense the evil he represented.”
“But it wasn’t really me who killed him! It was the anger that took control and held me in its grasp. I was completely powerless.”
He placed his hand on her shoulder and gently turned the Princess to face him. “No Sofia, it was you. The anger is part of who you are. It’s the fear of the anger that gives it power over you. Embrace your anger. It’s what makes you strong.”
She stood with a tired smile and squeezed his hand before releasing it. “Discarding the trappings of a lieutenant has revealed something even more rare.”
“What’s that?”
“A true friend.” And with that she headed for the room she shared with Floanne. Hesitating at the door, she turned back. “What happened tonight will surely start rumors and cause problems for us.”
“For now, I plan to get a good night’s sleep. We will just deal with whatever comes up in the morning, and make our plans then,” he replied, unbuckling his armor.
As Sofia had predicted, trouble arrived at their door early the next morning when someone stopped outside and began pounding on it. The three of them had already risen and were gathered in Ronald’s room. He grabbed his sword and cautiously approached the door.
“Who is there?”
“The innkeeper,” he shouted. “You and your partner need to come down right away and deal with the crowd that has filled the inn and the surrounding streets. Any damage to my inn and you will pay dearly.”
“Tell them we will be right down,” Ronald shouted back.
As the innkeeper’s footsteps retreated down the hall, Sofia and Floanne joined Ronald at the door, the former handmaiden’s hands gripped tightly before her. He reached down to pick up the helm Sofia had been wearing, but she shook her head and unbraided her hair instead. She locked eyes with her new friend until an unspoken agreement was reached. Ronald smiled, and with a flourish, opened the door for her.
Fear and uncertainty shrouded Floanne’s voice as she stared at Sofia’s retreating back. “What do you want me to do?”
Arm around her shoulders, he guided the young handmaiden through the door. “Just be yourself. It appears the Princess has one more act to perform before we leave our home.”
The increasingly loud conversations between the people inside the inn came to an abrupt halt when Sofia set foot inside the common room. Folks nudged their neighbors and pointed while something in her eyes caused those in her path to step aside. Awed whispers of “The Princess” followed close on her heels, and the innkeeper rushed to open the front door, bowing as she passed. The crowd outside had already quieted, forewarned by the sudden silence from within.
The Princess stepped out onto the wooden platform that fronted the inn, Ronald and Floanne to either side and slightly behind. Those in the crowd who recognized her dropped to one knee in a show of respect. She inclined her head in recognition, and then motioned for them to rise.
“As some of you may have heard, I have been betrothed to Prince Mathias of Marlinor to seal a peace agreement between our two nations. However, two days out of the Capitol we were ambushed. Myself, my handmaiden and Lieutenant Marton are all that is left of our company. Unfortunately, three of the attackers survived also and escaped to report that we still live.”
She had to stop as angry shouts rang out from the crowd, some loudly denouncing the Marlinorians. She raised her hand and the people quieted once again.
“Only someone in the Palace with prior knowledge of our exact travel times could have organized an attack with such precision. I am no longer safe here. That is why the three of us disguised ourselves and plan to travel on to Marlinor.”
Someone called out, “Your Highness, what of the rumors from the inn last night?”
Sofia stiffened and a look of uncertainty crossed her face as she glanced back at Ronald. He inclined his head slightly and smiled in encouragement. Emboldened, she turned back to face the people.
“Long ago, at the end of the Deluti War, High Lord Demitrios prophesied that one day the power of the Deluti blood would return to this world mixed with the blood of humans.” She hesitated, closing her eyes. “That prophesy has been fulfilled.”
The Princess stood a little taller and raised her voice to reach those in the back. “The man you knew as Roushal was a sorcerer sent out by the Scarred Mage to spread his evil lies and to turn the people against each other and the Elder Races. And yes, I destroyed him last night, as I will anytime I confront evil.”
Frightened murmurs of uncertainty began to circulate through the people. Stories of the Scarred Mage had descended into the realm of myth and were used to frighten unruly children. The idea that he still lived was not well received. Sofia waited patiently for the people to quiet once again when one of the men in front stepped forward to address her.
“Your Highness, if everything you say is true, what are we to do? None of us has the power to stand up to a sorcerer.”
She made eye contact with as many as she could while carefully choosing her words. “Do nothing. Live your lives as best you can while ignoring their lies, as I’m confident more agents will be sent. If anyone asks about me, tell them a different story each time. Confusion will only serve to protect me.”
She glanced back at Ronald before continuing. “But, I want you all to hold this thought close to your hearts. As a Princess of Dahlian, I promise as long as there is breath inside me, I will find a way to return to fight this evil and to discover my betrayer.”
The Princess returned the many waves of the townsfolk as they made their way back to their homes or work amid calls of “Be safe,” and “Return soon”.
Ronald touched her arm and then held open the door into the inn. “Come back inside and we can discuss what to do next over a hot meal.”
They choose a table against the front wall of the inn where Ronald could watch over the street outside while Sofia kept an eye on the door. The innkeeper rushed over, unsure how to address them.
“I have a much nicer table in the other room, ah, Highness.”
About to respond with one of her typically biting remarks, she took a deep breath and smiled at the innkeeper instead. “My friends call me Surly Sofia, innkeeper. What do your friends call you?”
Put at ease by her smile, he straightened up and returned the smile. “I am called many things, but I answer to Cedric.”
Sofia laughed out loud. “I can just imagine, Cedric. For now, we are just three hungry patrons of your fine establishment. When we leave, it will be as we arrived; two mercenaries guarding a young woman.”
The Pain of Compassion Page 13
