by Emma Miles
He nodded. ‘We could. But could you live like this? Would you be happy here in Elden? Can you deal with Bractius?’
She stood and slid her hands around his back. ‘As long as I know I can go back to the Fulmers whenever I want, then I can deal with him. I need to be with you.’
He smiled and bent to kiss her.
Azrael darted around their heads. ‘Excuse, me!’ he spluttered and darted away up the chimney.
Jorrun laughed. Kesta’s heart swelled at the sound. She felt as though a mountain had been lifted from her shoulders.
‘Come on.’ He squeezed her hand. ‘Rosa has spent the last few days organising a welcome feast for you and we should join them.’
‘I should probably get changed.’ She looked down at the dark-green trousers and tunic she’d travelled in.
His eyes narrowed. ‘Actually, quite a lot of the women in the Hold have started wearing trousers, not to mention continuing to shoot bows.’
She grinned at him and he shook his head. ‘You haven’t stopped them?’
He shrugged. ‘Why? I believe we are the best defended Hold in Elden even if we are getting a reputation for strangeness.’
‘Well what do they expect from the Dark Man and a Fire-Walker?’
He snorted. ‘I’ll meet you in the Hall. All of your things will have been taken to the Ivy Tower.’
She felt a moment of nostalgia at the thought of her old room. ‘All right, I won’t be long.’
***
As much as she wanted to spend time familiarising herself with the Ivy Tower, she went straight to her travel chest and took out the green dress Jorrun had bought her shortly after their marriage. The leaf necklace he’d given her was already reassuringly heavy against her skin and she ran a finger over the intricately made silver links. As she quickly brushed her hair, she couldn’t resist going over to the east window to look across to the Raven Tower. Someone had set a candle in a silver holder on her windowsill. She smiled and a delightful tingle shivered across her skin. When she’d stayed here before it had taken Jorrun a while to trust her enough to allow her to enter the Raven Tower. In order to preserve his privacy, they’d agreed she would only visit if he invited her by lighting a candle in his window. She hadn’t considered calling him across to her tower with a candle of her own. She would definitely be lighting it later.
Holding up her hem she hurried down the stone steps and through the door into the great hall. Her eyes widened at how crowded it had become in the short time she’d been up in her room. She spotted most of Kurghan’s family, familiar warriors, and folk of the Hold. There were two noticeable absences however, and she frowned.
Jorrun was talking with Tantony and Rosa and he paused on seeing her. As much as she wanted to greet him with a kiss, or at least a touch of his hand, she’d learned in their two weeks in the Fulmers that, although he was affectionate in private, in public he was incredibly reserved. She settled for a smile.
‘I think you must be the only woman in Elden who, when she says she won’t be long, actually means it,’ he said with a straight face.
Rosa tutted, but Kesta grinned. Her smile faded as she looked around the room again. ‘Is your brother not here?’
Jorrun’s face grew serious and he bent to reply softly. ‘Osun has returned to Chem, I’ll tell you of it later.’
She nodded, hoping the relief didn’t show on her face. The other person she hadn’t been looking forward to seeing was the warrior chieftain, Adrin. It was possible he was on duty or had chosen to avoid the feast. She decided to ask Tantony or Jorrun later.
She spent very little time actually sitting down at the high table that evening, there were so many people to catch up with. Aven, Kurghan’s sister, caught her up with gossip about the families of the Hold while Kesta patiently nodded and smiled. Several of the warriors wanted to know if she’d secretly been away fighting Chemmen and pestered her to tell them again of her exploits in Mantu and Chem. Reetha, the cook, insisted on taking her out to the herb beds to discuss how things were progressing and other matters of the household. Then she unexpectedly grabbed both Kesta’s hands and squeezed them, tearfully exclaiming, ‘Bless you, for coming back to us!’
She made it back to Jorrun’s side and sat back in her chair with a loud sigh. He watched her with amusement before pouring her some wine. ‘You are the most patient person I’ve met one moment, and then explosively impatient the next.’
She narrowed her mis-matched green eyes as she looked up into his blue ones, trying to judge whether he was baiting her or paying her a compliment. She picked up her wine and took a sip while she contemplated how to respond.
His face became serious. ‘Do you really think you could be happy here? The people of Northold clearly love you.’
She looked around at him, he didn’t blink as he regarded her face.
‘As long as I can go home.’
He looked away and she wondered if she’d hurt him by pointing out that she didn’t think of Northold as her home. Although in many ways it was, the larger part of her heart was here. If only Northold was on the Fulmers and not in Elden.
She reached under the table to rest her hand on his leg. ‘Do you have to work tonight?’
‘A little.’ He turned back to face her, his own hand covering hers. ‘I must speak with Osun. Will you light the candle?’
She grinned. ‘Of course.’
***
Kesta was delighted to find Rosa waiting for her at the table in the receiving room when she went down for breakfast. The older woman’s warm smile vanished immediately when she saw Jorrun with her; she stood so quickly she banged her leg on the table. Jorrun looked Rosa up and down without a word and then proceeded down the stairs.
Kesta laughed. ‘Don’t look so scandalised, Rosa, we are married remember.’
Rosa turned and picked up her chair, sitting down slowly. ‘I know, but I didn’t realise … I though—’
‘I’m going to stay.’
‘What?’ Rosa stared at her with her mouth open.
‘I’m staying, Rosa, here at Northold, with Jorrun.’
Rosa’s hand went to her mouth. ‘Truly?’
Kesta smiled and nodded. Rosa almost knocked her off her feet when she ran across the room to give her a hug.
‘It won’t be all the time.’ Kesta managed to pull herself free. ‘I’ll be going back to the Fulmers often.’
‘That doesn’t matter.’ Rosa blinked rapidly, her eyes filling. ‘You and Jorrun are meant to be together. It’s so good to see you both happy.’
Kesta snorted. ‘We’ll see.’
Rosa scowled at her and poured the tea. Nettle and peppermint. Kesta took in a deep breath, absorbing the subtle familiar scent and …
‘Thyme bread!’ She sat at the table and grabbed up a still warm roll.
‘So, what are we doing today?’ Rosa sat down and continued with her own breakfast.
Kesta laughed. ‘It’s so good to be plotting with you again at the morning table! As much as I would love to go and worry Tantony in his office, I’ve promised to go riding with Jorrun.’
‘Griffon will be happy to see you.’
‘And I him. I’m glad he wasn’t neglected while I was away, not that stablemaster Nerim would have. Would you like to do something this afternoon, or are you busy?’
‘No, I’m looking forward to spending some time with you. Perhaps …’ Rosa tried to keep a straight face but there was a gleam of mischief in her eyes. ‘It is a while since I had a knife fighting lesson.’
Kesta grinned. ‘Okay, fighting it is, as long as you haven’t been neglecting your letters!’
Rosa laughed. ‘Never!’
Kesta put her cup down and grabbed a handful of hazelnuts from a bowl. ‘I’d best get going. I’ll see you later.’
She hurried down the Tower steps and out into the great hall. She greeted several people who were tidying up after the previous night and those who’d come in for breakfast. Two warriors lay
snoring on the floor beneath the benches.
Outside it was warm, the sun already above the trees and the wall of the Hold. She drew in a deep breath and closed her eyes, taking a moment to enjoy the kiss of the sun and the light touch of a gentle, cool breeze. She walked across the soft grass of the ward, kept short by a few grazing sheep. When she’d first come here, she’d thought the Hold had been badly neglected, left to go wild; only when she’d known Jorrun better had she realised it was down to his aversion to keeping anything caged or enclosed.
She opened up her knowing as soon as she entered the stables, allowing the emotions of those around her to flow in. She smiled as she felt concentration from Nip. The young stable boy was mucking out a stall and humming quietly to himself. She felt a touch of anxiety from Nerim; the scarred, one-eyed stablemaster was mixing a treatment for one of the horses that had become unwell. She heard a snort and felt excitement, Griffon had smelt her. She hurried to his stall, and the gelding pushed his way out to nudge her and blow air against her clothes the moment she drew back the catch. Behind her she heard the clatter of Nip dropping his rake.
‘My lady?’
She turned and smiled at the curly-haired boy with the soft-grey eyes, trying to keep her balance as Griffon continued to nudge her.
‘It’s all right, Nip, I’ll ready him myself.’
He gave a quick smile and a bob of his head. ‘Your tack is still in its place, lady.’
Kesta gave Griffon’s hooves a quick check before fetching her saddle. She had to adjust the stirrups and she paused to regard the bridle with a sigh. On the Islands walkers rarely used a bridle and never a bit, instead they used their knowing to work with a horse. Here in Elden though, she’d been wary of showing too much of her magic and frightening people. Griffon was used to such a harness, but even so …
‘Something on your mind?’
She gasped, spinning around to see the only person who could hide from her knowing standing right behind her. He looked far too smug about scaring her for her liking, and she growled at him. ‘You should be an assassin, sneaking about like that!’
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly and amusement lit his eyes.
She narrowed her eyes at him and picking up the harness took it back to its shelf.
‘Would you help me find a horse that wants to go out?’
She turned back to him. ‘You don’t have a horse of your own?’
He shook his head. ‘There are horses belonging to the Hold, but I rarely ride. It’s usually quicker to travel by water from Northold.’
She looked at Griffon and he followed her gaze, reaching up to stroke the horse’s head. ‘He made me feel closer to you and seemed to like the company.’
She swallowed, reaching up to place her hand over his. She didn’t need her knowing to understand the loneliness he must have felt. ‘He is an intelligent horse that needs stimulation. You can ride him if you like?’
He lifted his hand from Griffon to take hold of hers. ‘No, he likes the connection he has with you. I can ride another horse.’
Nerim came out from where he was working and gave them a nod before going about his business.
‘So, you would like a horse that enjoys being ridden rather than one that goes along because it is forced?’ She looked up at him.
‘If there is such a thing.’
She nodded and made her way slowly along the stalls, stopping to say hello to Rosa’s pony, Nettle. Jorrun leaned against the wall and watched her, his arms folded. Several of the horses showed an interest in her and the majority were keen to go outside although more for the grazing and freedom than for any interest in being ridden. She halted outside the stall of a brown mare who regarded her with suspicion but who was restless and longing to stretch her legs. There was intelligence there, but without the sharpness of Griffon’s mind. The mare was mildly intrigued by Kesta, but not interested in making any kind of connection with her.
Kesta sighed. ‘We should perhaps look in Taurmaline if you want to find a horse willing to be a friend, like Griffon, but in the meantime this mare would enjoy going out.’
Jorrun nodded and went to look for his saddle. Nip darted out from where he’d been observing to help him.
They headed down to the lake and then followed the road toward the river bridge for a while before Jorrun turned his mare off the main way to follow a smaller track into the forest. They rode in single file, Griffon getting annoyed at the mare being in front. As used to Jorrun’s long silences as she was, Kesta began to suspect something was wrong. His shoulders and back were tense and he barely looked at the forest around them.
He turned off the track, glancing over his shoulder to give her a brief smile. Soon the forest became too overgrown to ride through easily and they dismounted. Kesta could hear water and they came to a rapid stream that fed a wide pond, green with duckweed and lilies. Kesta looked around, breathing in the scents of the forest and smiling at the simple beauty of sunlight on the water. She drew in a sharp breath as a doe stepped forward to drink, her ears flicking and her tongue tasting the air. Jorrun came to stand beside her but out of the corner of her eye she could see he was watching her rather than the doe.
‘What?’ She turned to face him and the doe leapt away.
Jorrun smiled and leaned forward to kiss the corner of her jaw below her ear. ‘Come and sit,’ he said, his smile vanished to be replaced by a frown.
He sat on a fallen log and she sat beside him. She guessed this must be somewhere he often came alone to think. He looked out across the pond and licked his lips before pulling at his beard. She waited, a stone settling in her stomach. Whatever this was, it wasn’t good.
‘I spoke to Osun again this morning,’ he said eventually. ‘He’s been checking on the situation in Chem and meeting up with his old contacts. There aren’t enough strong covens remaining to fill all the Seats. Weaker houses led by those with minor power and limited finances are vying for position. The strongest remaining coven is led by a man called Feren. Feren Dunham. He’s my father’s uncle.’
Kesta shifted on the log. ‘Go on.’
‘It’s likely Feren will be unopposed in taking Arkoom Seat and being elected Overlord. All we did could end up being for nothing.’
She studied his face but he didn’t look around at her. ‘But?’
He glanced at her and snorted, one half of his mouth twitching upward in a smile. ‘But. Osun has a plan. It’s actually reasonable, if dangerous, and already he’s working on gathering support and resources. He suggests another Dunham taking a Seat and challenging Feren for Arkoom.’
‘You.’ She felt nauseous and held her breath waiting for his response.
He turned to regard her, his eyes unblinking, intense. ‘That was his suggestion; however, I’ve already said no. Bractius would never agree to my going if it was for me to rule in Chem in any way – even if it benefited him. The plan would be for Osun to take the Seat of Navere, our father’s old Seat. It has never been known for someone without ‘blood’ to hold a Seat. Never. I would go there to fight for him, to take the Seat and hold it until he’s established.’
Kesta wanted to protest but he raised his hand as soon as she opened her mouth.
‘There is another part to the plan, Kesta. Osun will need a coven formed of magic users to back and protect him. We hope to do something else that has never been known in Chem. We’ll build a coven of women. We’ll buy and free women with magical ability and hope they’ll stay and fight with us. As I said, it will be dangerous, it will be revolutionary. There has never been a better opportunity though.’
Kesta stood up and turned away, folding her arms tightly around her body. ‘And who will train those women?’
He stood also and walking over quietly placed a hand on her back. ‘I hoped we would. I know it’s a huge thing to ask, Chem was a living nightmare for you and won’t have changed. Navere is not as bad as Arkoom, but it’s bad enough. You would have no freedo—’
She raise
d a hand and stepped away from him. Her stomach was churning and her skin felt as though it was on fire. She pulled at the neck of her tunic, her other hand curled into a fist. They’d only just agreed to be together, and now he wanted to leave, leave for a place that she hated with every ounce of her soul. The only reason she’d ever want to go back to Chem would be to burn the place to the ground.
Then she thought of Milaiya, of how desperately she’d wanted to save Osun’s slave from Chem. There were hundreds, thousands, of women just like her, all suffering the same mistreatment. This would be a chance to free them, probably their only chance. Could she say no, knowing she’d be leaving them to their intolerable lives? And Jorrun would go anyway, even if it meant leaving her behind, he wouldn’t walk away from doing what was right.
She turned around and looked him in the eyes, chin raised. ‘When do we go?’
He stared at her open-mouthed, a smile struggled and then failed on his lips. ‘Kesta, at least think about it, please.’
She shrugged. ‘What’s there to think about? It needs doing, so we’ll do it.’
He stepped forward and kissed her, not giving her time to take a breath. ‘I don’t deserve you!’
She scowled at him and then leaned her head against his chest and slid her arms around him listening to his heart. ‘You didn’t answer my question. When do we go?’
He breathed in deeply and sighed. ‘That will depend on if we can convince Bractius of the benefits to him and to Elden. We’re going to have to put it to him very carefully.’
Kesta grinned. ‘Oh, I think I can come up with some convincing arguments, just ask Tantony. Oh!’ She stepped back and looked up at him. ‘Rosa and Tantony’s wedding.’
He winced, and then smiled at her. ‘They have waited long enough. They can get married the day after tomorrow.’
‘We should probably ask them.’
‘What’s the point in being a Thane if I can’t give orders now and again?’
She shook her head but laughed, anyway.
