Farindian Summer (Stavin DragonBlessed Book 4)

by Loren K. Jones

  “You have permission, or we’re going to call you Lord Markal all the time,” Shari replied as Stavin guided her over to the sofa.

  Marina immediately grabbed one of the twins. “This is—Mahren,” she said after carefully looking at the baby.

  “Correct,” Shari said as she settled herself on the sofa. “Mark, this is Sahren, and Karlin is over by the table.”

  Markal looked around and grinned at the little boy peeking at the table in search of goodies. He said, “I am pleased and honored to meet you all,” as he bowed deeply.

  “We are pleased to meet you as well, Mark,” Stavin said as he walked over to the young lord. He had to look up, which wasn’t unusual, but Markal seemed to be taller than average. He offered his hand, and Markal showed no hesitation as he took it in the grasp of equals.

  Stavin nodded toward the chairs and said, “Let’s take a seat so I don’t have to look up so far. You’ve got Karvik beat by about a hand.” Markal smiled shyly and nodded as he resumed his seat and Stavin sat beside Shari. “That’s better. How is your father doing, Mark? I met him at Fort Zel’Marran and was very impressed by him.”

  “He was impressed by you as well, Stavin. He’s doing well, and is looking forward to when you can make an inspection tour of the kingdom. He wants to match you against some of his men again. See if they can do better this time.”

  Stavin grinned. “That can probably be arranged, but not till after the annexation.”

  Shari said, “Your forgiveness, Mark, but I heard you are only twenty. That seems young for captain’s rank. How did you get promoted so early?”

  Marina was glaring at Shari, which was totally wasted, but Markal simply smiled and bowed in his seat. “Essentially the same way Stavin did, Shari: Battlefield commission. I was a lieutenant assigned to a heavy cavalry patrol under Captain Zel’Narvak along the border when Andaria attacked. The captain was killed along with nineteen of our men, including the senior lieutenant, and I took command. We were out of contact with Zel’Marran for seventeen days, during which time I was able to use my men effectively to slow down if not stop the Andarian attack in our sector. We joined the main force marching east and Colonel Zel’Herval gave me a temporary promotion and left me in command of my men. Lord General Zel’Rantal made it official forty days later. My father had stayed in Zel’Marran to maintain our defensive position there.” Markal grimaced and shrugged. “He probably wouldn’t have made the promotion permanent.”

  Stavin grinned. “Nothing like earning your promotion the hard way.”

  Markal nodded. “Very hard. I had to learn to be a captain on the march when I’d only been a lieutenant for a year and a half. Fortunately, I had three very capable and knowledgeable sergeants under my command and they made sure I didn’t make any major mistakes. One thing my father always told me to do was listen to my sergeants. I did, and they got me through that campaign in one piece.”

  Marina chuckled and said, “He’s being modest, Stavin. It wasn’t his sergeants who won the Evandian Star for Bravery. We first met at the awards ceremony.”

  Stavin nodded and said, “Ah, that explains the ‘Acceptable in birth and honor’ requirement.”

  “Yes, it does. He’s also almost as cute as you are.” She grinned at Stavin, making him blush bright red and drawing a chuckle from Shari.

  “I’m impressed,” Shari said, tilting her head to the side prettily. “Marina finally described Stavi to me when she stayed the winter with us. If you’re that good looking, I’m surprised you’re available.”

  Now it was Markal’s turn to blush. “My father convinced me to stay single until I made captain. He said it was better for a young lieutenant to be single because of the dangerous things we are assigned to do.”

  “We take the opposite view,” Shari said before Stavin could. “Our philosophy is that a married man takes fewer foolish risks since he has someone waiting for him. We also hope, though it doesn’t always work out that way, that a man will pass on his heritage early, so if he’s lost his children can carry on.” She smiled at the shadow of her husband. “Poor Stavi. We were only married for three days before he had to leave on his first expedition.”

  Markal looked at the babies Shari and Marina were holding, then at Karlin. “You seem to have made up for it.”

  Shari let loose a low, warm chuckle. “Oh, indeed we have. It’s one of the nice things about being locked in Kel’Kavin all winter: The men can’t get away.”

  Now Marina laughed and looked at Markal. “Maybe some winter you can go to Kavinston for training and I can go with you. A whole winter together with no other demands on our time.” Her grin made Markal blush, but Stavin just laughed.

  “Shari, you and Mary are going to have to have a long talk.”

  “About what?” Marina asked.

  “You were too young to have been taught when your mother died, Mary.”

  “Taught what?” Marina asked in an exasperated tone.

  “The bedroom mysteries,” Stavin replied and then dissolved into gales of laughter as he finally made Marina blush.

  Chapter 14

  STAVIN WAITED EIGHT DAYS, UNTIL THE next day the Council didn’t meet, before leaving the palace. Barvil, Karvik, and nine veterans went with him. His destination was an inn near the Common’s Gate, and both Barvil and Karvik were chuckling as they walked.

  Barvil and four men went ahead once they reached Elain’s, and caused a commotion when they entered the common room. A woman that Barvil didn’t recognize bustled forward to greet them. She wore an innkeeper’s apron, but she didn’t look like the Elain he knew.

  “Is there trouble?” she asked, looking at the Royal Guards uniforms with wide eyes.

  “No,” Barvil replied, “just being careful. Where is Madam Elain?”

  “I am Madam Elain, sir,” the woman replied, bowing.

  Stavin shouldered his way past Barvil to face the woman. “What happened?”

  “Your pardon, lord. I don’t understand.”

  “Where is your mother?” Stavin asked, looking up into her eyes.

  The woman blinked several times as if trying to come up with an answer. “My mother passed on over a year ago, lord. Did you know her?”

  Stavin felt crushed by the news and sat down at the closest table. “Yes, I knew her. She was my friend.” He looked up at her and smiled sadly. “I’m Stavin.”

  “P-P-Prince Stavin?” Elain Fel’Carvin the Sixteenth stammered, then fell to her knees. “Forgive me, Your Highness. I didn’t know.”

  Stavin stopped her apologies with a raised hand. “It’s all right. What happened to your mother?” he asked in a gentle tone.

  “During the winter before last, Avid found her in her bed,” Elain replied in a soft tone. Her mother had told her all about the special relationship she’d shared with the young Dragonblessed Warrior who had become their prince. “She passed on peacefully in her sleep.”

  Stavin heaved a deep sigh. “She said she was older than Sahren.” His mouth twisted into a semblance of a smile. “Neither of them would say how old that was.” He stood and nodded to Barvil. “We should go.”

  “Yes, Prince Stavin,” Barvil replied with a slight bow. He turned toward the door, but Stavin had one last comment before he left.

  Turning back to Elain he said, “I’ll be going to Valovad in ten days. If you have a message for Corinne, I’d be happy to deliver it for you. Just send it to the palace.” With that he turned away and walked out of the inn.

  Stavin was quiet on the long walk back to the palace. Madam Elain had been dead before he routed the Andarian army. And he hadn’t known. For all that she was a criminal and engaged in a wide range of unseemly conduct, she had befriended and aided him. If it hadn’t been for her warning, Kalin and Marina probably would have died that night in the palace. Sleep well, old friend.

  He turned his steps aside and asked, “Have all of these men been to the temple, Barvil?”

  Barvil thought for a moment and final
ly just asked. “Is there anyone who hasn’t been to Mary Death’s Memorial?” Three men indicated that they hadn’t.

  “Let’s go there now,” Stavin suggested. “I’m not ready to go back to the palace yet.”

  Stavin and Karvik shared a smile when the men who hadn’t seen it before first laid eyes on the temple. They remembered that feeling of awe quite well. Barvil led them through the ritual greeting, and it wasn’t long before a beautiful young woman came out of the shadows. Stavin couldn’t help being impressed.

  She was dressed in a simple white robe, as Ehrwan had been the first time he had seen her, but her face was even more beautiful than Ehrwan. Stavin glanced at the statue carved on the tomb’s lid and smiled. Now some of the stories about Mary Death made more sense.

  “Welcome, Warriors. I am Shalamis Zel’Fordan, Keeper of my ancestor’s temple.”

  Stavin smiled as he stepped forward. “Greetings, Shalamis. I am Stavin. Glora said you were very serious about your role here.”

  Shalamis took in a deep breath when she realized who Stavin was, then she bowed deeply. “Prince Stavin, be welcome.”

  “Thank you.” He tilted his head to the side a little and nodded in approval. “You have her sword.”

  “Your pardon, Prince Stavin, but this is not Sang Del Dracl.”

  “No,” Stavin said softly, “it’s Ehrwan’s sword. Do you know how to use it?”

  The girl looked at him with wide eyes. “A little, Your Highness. Father said I will learn more when I join the Army.”

  Stavin looked over his shoulder. “Barvil, I think some private tutoring might be in order.”

  “I agree, Prince Stavin,” Barvil replied, but he was looking at the girl. She was tall, and rail thin. “We’ll have to arrange something with her father.”

  Shalamis leaned forward slightly and said, “Your pardon, but who—? And why—? I don’t understand.”

  Stavin smiled. “Shalamis, this is Warmaster Barvil Kel’Carin. He’s one of our most renowned warriors, and teaches in our Academy in Kavinston. As to why, Ehrwan found herself needing to know how to use that sword. One day, you may need to know as well. Carrying a sword implies that you do. Besides,” he jerked his head at the tomb, “she would probably approve as well.”

  Shalamis swallowed convulsively and bowed deeply. “I will speak to my father.”

  Stavin smiled and turned away, and his guards formed up around him. It wasn’t long before the sounds of chuckling came from behind him. Stavin was laughing as well when he said, “Shut up, Kar.”

  Now that he’d been caught, Karvik went ahead and laughed. “Private tutoring indeed,” Karvik chortled. “I can think of three or four hundred men who’d like to tutor her.”

  Barvil back-handed his son on the side of the helmet. “Be polite, Kar. Though I have to admit, the girl is a sight to see.”

  “That’s part of the reason why I suggested it,” Stavin said without looking around. “She’s going to be courted by some powerful young Chosen lords, if she isn’t already. I’ll bet she joins the Army and does her full two years so she can hold property and dispense justice. As beautiful as she is, there are going to be some very influential first-sons trying to marry her. The other reason is Ehrwan.” He paused and shook his head sadly. “She barely knew the basics. If Shalamis is going to wear that sword, she should know how to defend herself properly.”

  “What you mean is that if Lady Ehrwan had known how to use the sword better, she might still be alive,” Barvil observed.

  “And so would Lord Sarvan,” Karvik added.

  “Yes. If she’d had better instruction, she and Sarvan might still be alive.” Gods Above, I miss them.

  Barvil reached out and squeezed Stavin’s shoulder in one armored hand. “I’ll teach her myself while I am here.”

  They returned to the palace and Stavin found Lady Glora once again sitting with Shari and Sora. “We just went to Mary Death’s Memorial, and I met Shalamis. You didn’t tell us how cute she is,” Stavin said as he grinned at Glora.

  “That’s because I wanted you to find out for yourself,” Glora replied, then chuckled. “Something else, isn’t she?”

  “Yes,” Stavin had to agree. “It appears that Mary Death’s genes breed true. She’s even prettier than Marina.”

  “That’s impressive,” Shari said.

  “Yes, it is,” Sora added. “That Captain Zel’Coy was a beauty as well.”

  “Shalamis is prettier.” Stavin looked at his sister and smiled. “Barvil is going to tutor her with her sword. Make sure she can really use it if she needs to.”

  “How is Captain Zel’Coy involved in all this?” Shari asked. “She’s not one of Mary Death’s descendants.”

  “I asked about that,” Sora explained, “because she does look so much like Princess Marina. She’s descended from Marydyth Zel’Karyn’s little sister. As she explained it, the families had been trying to marry Marydyth to the Zel’Coy heir, but she wouldn’t. When he came back from the army after several years, he fell head-over-heels in love with her little sister. She also said the Zel’Coy and Zel’Karyn lines have crossed many times since then.”

  “Well, it shows,” Stavin said as he picked up Mahren. “I’m not going to be able to introduce you to Elain like I wanted to. She died in her sleep winter before last.”

  “Oh, Stavi, I’m sorry,” Shari said, reaching out blindly toward him.

  Stavin moved into her grasp for a moment, then sat beside her. “I thought about it on the way home, and I shouldn’t have been surprised. Given how old Corinne is, she had to have been older than my grandparents. Not many people live to be as old as she was.”

  “And her daughter is Elain now?” Shari asked.

  “Yes, but it’s not the same. I suppose she inherited all of Elain’s authority, but she’s not the woman who risked so much to aid me. I don’t even know where her loyalties really lie.” He heaved a deep sigh. “She is Corinne’s mother, though. We’ll just have to see what develops out of it all.”

  “Are you still planning on going to Valovad soon?” Shari asked.

  “Yes, in ten days. Are you sure you don’t want to come along?”

  Shari shook her head. “Absolutely not. Besides, Sora is likely to be needed sooner than later.”

  “Huh?”

  “I’m already feeling twinges, Stavin,” Glora said as she cradled her belly with both hands. “Sora and Shari both think I’m going to deliver soon.”

  “I felt twinges like that for less than a day before Delian was born,” Sora said as she cuddled her daughter. “You’re close.”

  Shari was nodding as she said, “Very.”

  ‘Very’ turned out to be half way to morning. An excited servant came to the royal suite and was allowed to speak to Stavin under the watchful gaze of the Royal Guards. “Prince Stavin, Lady Glora is in labor. She’s asking for Princess Sharindis and Lady Sorandis.”

  Stavin’s mind was finally catching up and he turned around to find Shari already up and being dressed by Sallin. “We’ll be along shortly,” he told the servant and closed the door. He went to the door of Aric and Sora’s chamber and knocked, then spoke though the door. “Sora, you were right. Glora’s in labor and is asking for you.”

  Sorandis and Aric came out of their room yawning. “We’ll take the girls with us so they can be fed. Stavi, you get Dahvin and bring him back here. He’ll just be in the way if he stays.”

  Stavin replied, “Yes, Lady Sora,” but he was well out of arm’s reach when he did. He laughed at her baleful glare, then went to his wardrobe. Avrin almost made it to him before he was fully dressed.

  “Prince Stavin, you should—”

  Stavin held a hand up to stop him. “I know, but this is an emergency. Have the morning meal brought up here. I doubt Dahvin is going to be able to eat, but Aric and I are going to be hungry as soon as our stomachs wake up.”

  Once the ladies were ready, Stavin and Aric led the way toward Dahvin’s suite. The Royal
Guards, of course, formed up around them as soon as they walked out the door, but Stavin hardly noticed them anymore.

  A servant was waiting at the door to Dahvin and Glora’s suite, and let them in immediately. Dahvin was looking slightly panicked, which Stavin and Aric fully understood. “Stave, I’m so glad you’re here.”

  Stavin smiled. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be. But I don’t think we’re going to be able to stay.”

  “What? Why not?”

  “Because the midwife is probably going to banish us.” Stavin smiled up at his tall friend. “They threw me out when the girls were born.”

  “But, I want to be here when my son or daughter is born.”

  “That is not proper,” a woman said and both of them turned toward her. Stavin looked at the woman and saw how serene she looked. Like Barb when the twins were born. “Lord Dahvin, you may not attend the birth. There is enough work involved with birthing the baby without including tending to a fainting father. Let Prince Stavin take you somewhere else to wait.”

  “But I—”

  “It’s no use arguing, Dahvin,” Stavin said as he took Dahvin by the arm. “Midwifes are the same everywhere you go.”

  Dahvin tried to protest again, but finally let Stavin lead him out of his suite. Stavin looked at the guards and said, “Remain here.”

  The leader of the guards bowed and replied, “Prince Stavin, we’re your detail. We go where you go.”

  Stavin looked at him for a moment, then looked at the door. “My wife and daughters are in there. You stay where you are.”

  Dahvin touched Stavin’s arm, then addressed the lieutenant. “Five of you come with us. The rest stay here.”

  “With respect, Captain Zel’Fordal, that is not—”

  “Cork it, Lieutenant,” Stavin snapped. “You will stay here and guard my family.”

  The lieutenant took a deep breath to argue, but finally just snapped to attention and said, “Yes, Your Highness.”

  Stavin and Aric bracketed Dahvin on the short walk back to the royal suite. They found Sallin holding the boys while the maids saw to the room. Matron Fel’Hostan arrived moments later with a serving cart full of food.