Bishop (The Pawn Series Book 2)

by Robin Roseau

  There were gasps when she told how Princess Juleena and the Framarans had helped. There were more gasps when she told how Juleena and I had captured the one woman who had nearly made it to freedom.

  Then she paused. “Time was of the essence,” she said. “The Goddess herself was angry. I cannot say if she was angrier than the rest of us, but she was angry, and the High Priestess was angry, and the Princess Lásenalta was angry. We needed the Goddess to help us find those involved. And so, rather than reporting here, we determined we had sufficient forces to deal with this threat. And we did, but we only had sufficient forces because our friends, the Framarans, bolstered our forces.

  “Our friends,” echoed the queen in a voice heard throughout the room. “Our friends, the Framarans.”

  The audience began speaking, and it seemed for a minute they all spoke over each other. And the queen let them.

  But then she simply gestured. The rear doors opened, and Juleena, looking quite regal, strode into the room, her troop following behind her. Every button gleamed, and they looked quite stern and handsome.

  And for what may have been the first time ever, an armed troop from Framara walked across the floor of the Altearan court and came to a stop facing the king and queen. They did not bow but instead stood to attention, facing the dais.

  That was when Alta stood. “Your Majesties,” she called out. “I led this expedition, but it would have been inappropriate for me to give orders to Framaran soldiers. And let’s be honest. Princess Juleena has vastly more experience in leading such a group, and so we shared leadership, and I deferred to her and our respective captains on most things. We could not have done what we did without the help of our Framaran friends.”

  Then she descended the dais, walked straight to Juleena and said, “Princess Juleena, I personally thank you from the bottom of my heart.” Then she kissed each of Juleena’s cheeks and finished with a hug.

  From the sound of it, the room didn’t know what to make of this. And we weren’t done.

  The king and queen stood. They stepped from the dais. “Princess Juleena,” they said. “Alteara thanks Framara.” They hugged her. “Please present your troops.”

  Juleena provided introductions, and the entire troop received handclasps and thanks from the king and queen. Then they climbed back to the dais.

  It was my turn. I stood. “Princess Lásenalta, it was not only Framara that made this possible, but Alteara as well, two sets of friends working together.”

  “You are correct, High Priestess Lady Yallameenara,” said Alta. The queen gestured, the doors opened, and the Altearan honor guard stepped forward, led by their captain. Captain Wellna issued a command, and the Framarans all stepped to the side, leaving room for the Altearans. They stepped forward into the space available, stopping exactly even with the Framarans.

  And then, in a move that had been as carefully scripted as everything else, the two groups of soldiers turned towards each other, stepped forward, and began to exchange handshakes and slaps across the back. There were even a few hugs, and I Captain Evestia buss Captain Wellna right across a surprised pair of lips.

  The king and queen began the applause, quickly joined by Alta, Prodótar, and Juleena. I offered an Arrlottan cry of joy, a whooping, modulating yell, which others in the room attempted to duplicate.

  They failed, but it’s the thought that counts, right?

  * * * *

  We left Lopéna the next morning.

  Part Four

  Triad

  It was good to be on firm ground. Naddí and Féla had to help me; we’d had storms the last two days, and I was weak from being sick.

  I missed the Goddess. We hadn’t been apart in a month, but we’d stood on the shore in Hergenseé, hugging and crying and kissing and crying and hugging.

  “I’d never let you go, but I need you to do this for me, Yalla.”

  “I know.”

  “Do you remember everything?”

  “I remember.”

  She hugged me again. She kissed me again. She reminded me she could hear me when I talked to her in our temple.

  And then, as I backed away, she faded, and then her touch was faint.

  I started sobbing.

  That was a week previous, and now, still heartsick and still somewhat physically sick, Naddí and Féla helped me to shore.

  “It’s moving,” I muttered. “When does it stop moving?” Then I spun, nearly stumbling, and pointed at Juleena. “One smirk. Just one. And you will not be courting me any longer. Do you hear me?”

  She held her hands up, her expression grave. “I’m so sorry, Yalla.”

  “We aren’t doing this again. We aren’t. This is why we have horses. Humans are not meant to float upon the sea.”

  “No, only in the air, held in the arms of a Goddess?”

  “That’s right,” I said. “That’s it exactly.”

  They took me home. The queen met us on the steps. She barely had to look at me. “Put her to bed.”

  Ten minutes later, I said, “The entire room is spinning!”

  They propped me up, and then my household cuddled around me, including one annoyingly cheerful artist.

  “Someone begin teaching her Framaran,” I muttered. “That will shut her up for a while.”

  * * * *

  It took the rest of that day and most of the next before I felt remotely human. The queen came to my bedside, and all I could do was tell her, “I have much to talk to you about. In private. Please make no decisions.”

  * * * *

  I stepped into the queen’s chambers.

  “Feeling better?” she asked.

  “Yes, thank you. I’m sorry.”

  She rose from her chair, stepped over to me, and hugged me carefully. Then she led me to a sofa, and we sat together, holding hands.

  “Tell me everything.”

  I did, leaving out not one detail.

  * * * *

  “The Goddess asks you to remind me of my great aunt, does she?”

  “She didn’t explain to me. She only said she proposes a similar relationship, but one that is open and official. Can you explain?”

  “Yes. I was not there, of course, but my mother once told me about her aunt. My great aunt was called Daristia. She was the younger sister, a princess, and was to marry the crown prince of Alteara, the man eventually known as King Vemíralidid. The two barely knew each other, but Daristia traveled to Alteara to become better acquainted. While she was there, she met one of the high priestesses.”

  “One of them?”

  She smiled. “Your mother is still also high priestess, and so now there are two. If you have children, there could be three high priestesses, or even four, as I understand these things, but only one of your daughters will bear daughters that will become high priestesses themselves. So I believe this woman would be your great-great aunt, or thereabouts.”

  “I see.”

  “Daristia and your great-great aunt fell in love.”

  “We’re related?” I asked.

  She smiled. “Not in blood. And the connections are distant. They fell in love, but Daristia was already betrothed to Prince Vemíralidid. She vowed to do her duty, but it was even before the wedding that Vemíralidid saw the way the two women looked at each other. And so he asked if he could take Daristia riding, and suggested that the high priestess was ample chaperone.”

  “He confronted them.”

  “Even more interesting. He was also in love with the high priestess.”

  “Oh my.”

  “Vemíralidid and Daristia married. And the high priestess joined their household as a friend and their interface with the Goddess. But secretly, the three shared one bed. Vemíralidid and Daristia fell in love, eventually. But the three were always together. Always. And the affection was clear to everyone, even if no one ever spoke of it.”

  I looked away.

  “Yalla,” Ralalta said. “I think it is time you know why I won’t let you and Juleena be a
lone. I have had dreams. Horrible dreams. I wouldn’t suppose your Goddess had anything to do with them?”

  “Not that she told me,” I said quietly.

  “About three weeks ago, I started having new dreams.” She turned me to face her. “And now I need to know how you feel about Juleena. And how you feel about Alta.”

  “Juleena was clear,” I said quietly. “She can be the only one.”

  “Do you love Juleena?”

  “Yes,” I whispered.

  “Do you love her that way?”

  “Yes. I... I think about her. And us. Um.” I began to blush.

  “Good,” said Ralalta. “And Alta? Do you think of her that way?”

  “Ralalta-“

  “Do you?”

  Slowly I nodded.

  “Juleena can give you much, and before, she could have given you more than you could need. But that was before. I can’t let her go traipsing all over Alteara twice a year, Yalla. I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

  “I know.”

  “Alta can give you things Juleena can’t.”

  “I love Juleena, Ralalta.”

  “But you already love Alta, don’t you, and you have enough love in you to share.”

  “Juleena would never share me, and it would hurt her if I were to ask.”

  “She told me there was a petition, and that you talked to the Goddess, and she told you to talk to me, and only then would you talk to her.”

  “Yes,” I said. “I didn’t want to lie to her, but I couldn’t tell her, either. I thought the Goddess would tell me to be loyal to Juleena, and then I would have done my duty for Alta.”

  “But that’s not what she told you.”

  “No.”

  “What did the Goddess tell you to do?”

  “She told me to do whatever my foster mother told me to do, but that I was to remind you of your great aunt first.”

  Ralalta laughed.

  * * * *

  She sent me away, but I knew she talked to Alta. And then she summoned all of us -- Juleena, me, and Alta -- and we met in the queen’s chambers.

  I couldn’t meet anyone’s eyes. I knew Juleena was confused, but when I looked, Alta was smiling. It was tentative, but definitely a smile.

  “Normally we would do this in open court,” Ralalta said. “Juleena, Yalla, please sit here, beside me.” She patted the sofa, and so we took seats. Then she looked at Alta. “Princess Lásenalta, you wished to present a petition.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty,” Alta said. She stepped forward, knelt to the queen, and held out a rolled scroll.

  From the other side, Juleena’s lips tightened, but she said nothing.

  Ralalta opened the petition, read it, then rolled it back up, but she didn’t tie it.

  “Does this petition have the approval of the king and queen of Alteara?”

  “It does,” Alta said.

  “Very well,” said Ralalta. “I bless your petition, but there are two others to be involved, and I will not pressure them. Juleena, Princess Lásenalta asks permission to court you.”

  My heart crashed. So I was to be the quiet third, the one no one talked about.

  “Me? I thought- I thought- I thought she was asking permission to court Yalla.”

  “She wishes to court you, Juleena,” Ralalta said.

  “No,” said Juleena. “I won’t do that to Yalla.”

  “What if Yalla no longer wishes you to court her? What if there were no Yalla at all? How do you feel about Lásenalta? Would you accept her petition? I know the type of person you prefer, and Lásenalta seems to be about right. Plus she is a princess, but not a crown princess, and so she is politically worthy of my daughter. If there were no Yalla, would you be intrigued? I believe you once cast an eye or two at her.”

  “But there is a Yalla,” Juleena said. “Alta, I’m sorry.”

  Ralalta put her fingers across Juleena’s lips. “We are discussing this,” Ralalta said. “I insist.”

  “Mother-“

  “We are discussing it,” she said. “And I want to know what you would do if Yalla did not exist, or if, I don’t know. If she had accepted Larien instead.”

  “Is that what this is about? Yalla wants to go back to Larien instead?” Juleena sighed. “I suppose that makes sense.”

  “That’s not what this is about,” Ralalta said. “If Yalla were not available for you, Juleena, would you deny Lásenalta petition?”

  “Why are we discussing this?” Juleena asked.

  “I’ll answer your questions once you have seriously considered mine,” Ralalta said. “So consider it. Look at her and think about your answer.”

  And so Juleena did just that, looking at Alta, still on her knees before the queen, but now looking at Juleena.

  I said nothing, and I did what I could to hide my own emotions from my face. I don’t know how well I succeeded.

  But then Juleena looked past her mother to me. Maybe I wasn’t hiding my feelings very well, or maybe she just knew, but she said, “No. Mother, Yalla is right here. How can we have this conversation in front of her? Why are we having it at all?”

  “Because I know things you don’t, and if you want to learn what I know and you don’t, we will have this conversation the way I intend it. Look at Lásenalta. She has presented a petition to court you. Yalla is not a factor.”

  “Of course Yalla is a factor!”

  “Juleena!” said Ralalta sharply. “If the answer were ‘no’, this would have been easy, wouldn’t it?”

  “Of course it is ‘no’. I am courting Yalla. There are difficulties, but we’ll figure them out.” Then she looked at me. “Unless she doesn’t want to work them out.”

  “Juleena!” said Ralalta, again sharply. “Do you like Lásenalta or not?”

  “Of course I like her,” Juleena said. “She’s brilliant and fun. I love hearing her laugh. If I’d never met Yalla, she’s the most obvious choice. Her family doesn’t appreciate her talents, and -- other than Yalla -- I can’t imagine anyone who could help me here more than she could. But no, she would not be courting me. I would be courting her. But Yalla is here, and I have no intention of withdrawing my suit for her so that Lásenalta can have me. If Yalla doesn’t want me anymore, then so be it, but then I want time before I consider anyone else. And I won’t give Yalla up without one hell of a fight, anyway.”

  The room grew still, punctuated only by Juleena’s rapid breathing.

  Finally Juleena said, “I answered. Why are we having this discussion?”

  “Juleena, do you remember your great-great aunt Daristia?” Ralalta went on to tell the story again, much as she did to me. Juleena tried repeatedly to interrupt, but Ralalta told her to be quiet until the end.

  “Fine. You want me to marry her for a peace treaty.” She laughed, but it wasn’t a good laugh. “I suppose that’s fitting. I made Yalla leave her family for a peace treaty, and now you’re putting me forward for one.”

  “Juleena, I admit, there are those ramifications, but that’s not what this is about.”

  “The answer is ‘no’. You’re proposing I marry Alta and keep Yalla on the side.” Then she looked at Alta, and then at me. “You’re proposing we keep Yalla on the side, aren’t you?”

  “How do you feel about that?”

  “I won’t do that to her. She deserves better than that. So unless she doesn’t want me anymore, I’m sorry, Alta, but I won’t do something like that to Yalla.”

  “That’s not exactly what Princess Lásenalta is proposing or what we’re actually discussing,” Ralalta said. “When I said the princess wished to court you, I should have used the plural form of ‘you’. She wishes to court both of you for a triad marriage.”

  My heart, which had been beating irregularly for the last several minutes, began to patter, but at least it was a regular patter, if rapid. I glanced at Alta, still kneeling, but smiling, and then watched Juleena.

  “Both of them,” she said slowly. “A...”

  “A three-
way marriage,” Alta said. “You and me. You and Yalla. Yalla and me. Yalla, you, and me. As equals.”

  “Yalla?” asked Juleena. “Did you know about this?”

  “Not as presented,” I said.

  “I was right! She wanted you first. That’s the petition you wouldn’t explain to me.”

  “Yes, and I would have declined, but I was obligated to talk to the Goddess. And she told me she wanted me to do whatever Ralalta decided.”

  “The Goddess knows about this. I suppose she had her little fingers in it, too?” That was said with some bitterness.

  We all looked down for a minute, then I looked up at Juleena. “I am her High Priestess, Juleena, and that isn’t changing. She is a part of my life. And so, yes, she is stirring her fingers. If you can’t handle that, or if you don’t think you can let her into your heart, you should deny this petition and withdraw yours. I don’t want it that way, but I can’t stop being the High Priestess.”

  She looked into my eyes for a moment, then said softly, “I don’t want you to stop. And I shouldn’t have said what I said quite the way I did. I’m just... unaccustomed to being manipulated in a fashion I can neither predict or prevent.”

  “If it’s going to make you bitter-“

  “It’s not,” she said. “I just have to deal with it.” She glanced at Alta. She glanced at her mother. Then she studied me. “I love you, Yalla.”

  “And I love you, Juleena. But do you still want me? Do you want the complications? Do you want a wife who won’t always be here for you?”

  “I want you, Yalla, and that means I get everything else. How do you feel about a wife who can’t go to Alteara every six months?” Then she looked at Alta, and understanding dawned on her face.

  “We would be one,” I said. “Three of us as one. But we would also be two and two and two. My relationship with Alta would be different from my relationship with you, which would be different from yours with her.”

  Juleena said nothing. I gave her a minute or two, and then I asked, “Do you think of kissing Alta? Have you wondered?”

  “I used to. Years ago.”

  “And now?” Alta asked. “I am not the innocent girl I was when we first met, years ago. I am older than you, and far older than Yalla.”