The Almost King

by Lucy Saxon

‘I haven’t been entirely truthful with you,’ he admitted reluctantly. ‘Or Torell. I wasn’t expecting him to notice, or call me out on it, if I’m honest.’

  ‘Then I assume you won’t mind if Bodan and I are part of this conversation too? Just to clarify things.’

  He could hardly say no; she was well within her rights to toss him out on his ear for the potential danger he’d brought to her family. He looked up when Raina slid a bowl of steaming pear pudding next to his dinner plate.

  ‘You ladies do spoil me,’ he mused, and the girl gave him a look.

  ‘Don’t make us regret it.’ With that, she slipped away to continue serving, and Aleks settled down to his meal, savouring the hot food and trying to figure out how he would explain things. He liked to think that Bodan and Ksenia wouldn’t judge him for being a deserter, and wouldn’t report him to the authorities, but . . . he couldn’t count on anything. Why had Torell opened his big mouth in front of Raina?

  Before Aleks could blink, dinner was over and the pub was near empty once more. There were two men still drinking in the corner by the fireplace, but after a few kind words from Ksenia they happily picked up their coats and left, staggering slightly on their way out. With just the five of them in the room, Aleks shrunk under the expectant gazes of his companions. ‘I suppose I should start from the beginning, shouldn’t I?’

  ‘You can start by telling me why our family are under the impression that you’re training in the military down in Rensav,’ Torell retorted. Bodan whipped round to look at Aleks.

  ‘The military? Storms, lad. Bu–’ He paused, considering. ‘You’re far too young to have served your four years.’

  ‘Four years?’ Torell asked, perplexed. ‘He was only down there a week before the postmarks changed.’

  ‘Can I explain?’ Aleks cut in. Four faces turned to him. ‘I did go to Rensav, at first,’ he admitted, keeping his voice quiet and his eyes on the door, knee bouncing anxiously. ‘The way I saw it, the army was my way of standing out rather than being compared unfavourably to you lot,’ he said to Torell, who flinched at his blunt wording.

  ‘No one was comparing you to us,’ he argued weakly, but Aleks knew that was a lie. He’d had people say it to his face almost every day of his childhood, never mind what might have been said about him when he wasn’t around.

  ‘We both know they were,’ he replied gently, trying to get across that he didn’t blame Torell for it. Turning back to the room at large, he sipped at his tankard of water. ‘So I enlisted. Mounted infantry, so they’d let me keep Quicksilver with me. Only when I got in, it was nothing like I’d expected it to be.’

  He glossed over a lot of the details of his week in cadet training, saying just enough to express how horrible it had been. ‘I had a bit of a . . . disagreement with my commander, when I asked him to let me pay my fee and he refused, deciding to have his lieutenant beat it into me that I was stuck there. So I grabbed my horse and I rode as fast as I could. Like Bodan said, I haven’t done my four years, and there was no way they’d let me go before then.’

  Quite proud of his escape, he went into more detail, and even Raina was on the edge of her seat as he described sneaking Quicksilver out of the stables and making a break for it through the woods. And, well, if he exaggerated a little, who had to know?

  ‘After that, I just rode North as fast as I could,’ he admitted. ‘I didn’t know if they’d be searching for me, or even if they’d care, but I knew I couldn’t risk being dragged back there. I went straight to the tunnels, then came up here as soon as I could.’

  ‘I can understand all that,’ Torell said, ‘but why did you keep writing to us as if you were in the army? We’re hardly likely to turn you in, are we?’

  ‘I’d been here for almost a week when your first letter came,’ he told his older brother. ‘Ma and Da just sounded so proud that I’d enlisted, that I’d finally “become a man,” as Da put it. And you and the others were just so surprised that I’d done it, I couldn’t let you down and admit I hadn’t been able to handle it. And I knew if I did admit it, Ma would insist I come home and work in the shop. I could hardly tell her how they treated me there. She’d never let me leave the house again!’

  ‘You could never let us down,’ Torell insisted gruffly, meeting Aleks’s eyes. ‘By the sound of it, none of us would’ve been able to handle it in there. Gods, how do they get away with it?’

  ‘Most who go in at cadet level in Rensav are orphans, criminals, runaways; people with nowhere else to go. Those who actually want to get anywhere in the army pay enlistment fees to get proper training in Pervaya,’ Aleks said grimly. ‘At least, that’s how it’s supposed to be. They’ve become a little . . . lax. But it keeps criminals out of society and people off the streets, so no one’s going to complain.’ He turned to Bodan and Ksenia. Raina had been awfully quiet since he’d started describing his treatment at the army base, and he wished she hadn’t insisted on hearing the full story. ‘I’m sorry for deceiving you all,’ he said honestly. ‘And I’ll completely understand if you want me to pack my things and leave – I won’t ask you to harbour a criminal.’

  ‘Don’t be daft, lad,’ Ksenia said immediately, shaking her head at him. ‘There’s no reason for you to be going anywhere. Storms, boy, they’re probably not even looking for you. One cadet is nothing down in Rensav. They’ll likely just assume you tried to escape and got eaten by bears or something.’

  Aleks clenched his jaw; he wouldn’t tell them about Shulga. He didn’t want them to worry; he could handle it.

  ‘She has a point, lad,’ Bodan agreed. ‘And besides, where else can I get a kitchen boy for free around here? Bloody everyone wants payment these days.’

  Aleks laughed, smiling widely at the pair. ‘Then thank you, very much,’ he said sincerely.

  ‘What do you want me to tell the family?’ Torell asked, shuffling his chair a little closer to Aleks. ‘I said from the start that I was coming to visit you. They assumed I was heading South, but I knew I’d find you in Syvana. I can . . . I can tell them I went to Rensav, if you like. Make up something about how I spent a little time with you there, but you were busy with training. Or I can tell them the truth, and you can stop getting your mail redirected.’

  ‘I think I’d best go and sort the horses for the night,’ Bodan declared, getting to his feet.

  ‘Raina, dear, come and help me with the washing-up,’ Ksenia urged, nudging her niece to her feet. Aleks hid a smile; they weren’t very discreet in their efforts to give Torell and him some privacy, but he appreciated it all the same.

  ‘Do you honestly think they wouldn’t make you come back and drag me home if you told them the truth?’ Aleks asked Torell. ‘They’ll think I can’t take care of myself.’

  ‘I’m of half a mind to bring you back with me right now,’ Torell admitted. ‘Gods, Aleks, what were you thinking?’

  Aleks winced; that was exactly the reaction he’d been dreading. Stupid little Aleks, letting the family down, as per usual. Always making mistakes, unlike his perfect brothers. ‘I’m not going home,’ he said. ‘I’m happy here, even after the rocky start. I’ve got a job, a life –’

  ‘A broken nose,’ Torell cut in, eyes on the bruising. ‘You’re not exactly reassuring me here, kid.’ Bristling at the moniker, Aleks gave his brother a glare.

  ‘It’s nothing to worry about. And it’s none of your business.’ If his older brother forced him home, Aleks would never get to fly a skyship. On top of that, Shulga would follow eventually, and he didn’t want that man anywhere near his family. ‘I mean it, Tor, if you’re going to try and bring me home, you can leave.’

  Torell stared at him, eyes unreadable. Finally, he sighed. ‘You have grown up, haven’t you? Never thought I’d see the day.’ Aleks blinked, unexpectedly pleased by the comment. ‘I can’t force you to do anything. You’re an adult, free to make your own decisions. As for what to tell the family . . . I’m sure once I tell them you’ve got a steady job and a decent plac
e to live they’ll be fine with the situation. Honestly, little brother, I think they’ll be much happier knowing you’re here than they will be thinking you’re a cadet. As proud as Da sounded in his letter, he’s worried about you. We all are.’

  ‘Didn’t think I could cut it, did you?’ Aleks asked.

  ‘Well, no,’ Torell admitted. ‘But to be fair, we were sort of right.’ Aleks grinned; he couldn’t really argue there. ‘Don’t worry about their reactions, I’ll handle it.’

  His words strengthened Aleks’s resolve to stay quiet about Shulga; Torell didn’t need to know. ‘I really am happy here, Tor. Though, of course, I miss all of you.’

  ‘We miss you too, though I do envy you being here. Little Daniil doesn’t stop crying, I swear to the Goddess. But listen, maybe if I go home and tell everyone the truth, you’ll be able to write us letters with some substance to them rather than just a page of lies?’

  Aleks shifted uncomfortably in his seat, then nodded. ‘You can tell them the truth,’ he relented. ‘Or . . . I could write a letter for you to take back with you, explaining things. How long are you staying, anyway?’

  ‘Only another day or two. I’m cutting it a little close as it is, with the baby,’ Torell admitted, excitement clear on his face.

  ‘Then why in the name of the gods are you here, man? You know damn well Nadeah will murder you if you miss the arrival of your firstborn!’ Aleks exclaimed.

  Torell gave him a look that told him he was missing the point. ‘You’re my brother,’ he said simply. Aleks smiled, getting to his feet in order to lean over and hug the older man, feeling arms automatically wind around him in turn.

  ‘Thank you,’ he murmured softly into his brother’s neck. ‘I am glad to see you, you know. I don’t think I’ve said so yet.’

  Torell squeezed him tighter, dropping a kiss on his younger brother’s head.

  ‘I know, brat. I’m glad to see you too.’ He pulled away, clearing his throat. ‘Anyway, I’d best be off – I need to find lodgings for the night. The last place I was at cost a fortune.’

  ‘Don’t be daft, you can stay here. We’ve got a spare room,’ Aleks insisted, jumping to his feet. ‘Come on, I’ll show you around.’

  Torell didn’t put up much of a protest, allowing Aleks to lead him towards the stairs, room key in hand. Aleks’s lips curved as he failed to fight a smile; it was good to see his brother again, despite everything.

  ‘Now, while you were at work I was chatting to Raina. What’s this I hear about a lady friend?’ Torell wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, and Aleks groaned. Maybe he hadn’t missed him quite so much.

  19

  Before Aleks knew it, another three weeks had passed in a snow-filled blur, and the city was rife with rumours of the king calling for grounding any day soon, banning all non-emergency skyships from flight.

  Torell had only stayed two more days in Syvana. Aleks had persuaded him to take Quicksilver back with him, since he’d walked all the way to Syvana. It wasn’t fair to keep the horse stabled constantly, and with his potential adventure to the Stormlands ahead, Aleks wanted to know Quicksilver was safe at home.

  A week and a half after Torell left, Aleks received a letter from his family. It was a whole two pages long, and made a lump rise in his throat upon reading.

  It was obvious from Nadeah’s section of the letter that having Torell there to explain in person had helped far more than Aleks’s letter had. He’d have to thank his brother in his next letter; his visit had been just what he’d needed, in more ways than one. It sounded like Torell had returned home just in time too – Nadeah’s section also told him of the little girl she’d given birth to, Talya Casmir Vasin, and it made Aleks more homesick than he’d been in a long time. Up until Torell’s visit, he’d been far too distracted by his new life to really think about what was going on back home.

  Aleks and Saria were practically inseparable during their free time now, usually in whichever quiet courtyard or corner of the city library they could find, talking softly and exchanging kisses, blushing beet-red whenever they were inevitably caught by some unsuspecting member of the public. Sometimes they went to the Compass for dinner, Saria getting on well with his little found family there, but she wasn’t allowed in his room, and Aleks was always very aware of the eyes on him when he brought her over; there was definitely no privacy.

  Saria occasionally made an offer for Aleks to come over to her house, since it was getting so cold out, but the prospect of being properly introduced to Saria’s father after their last meeting terrified him. He couldn’t avoid the meeting forever, though.

  And so one day he found himself outside Saria’s house, wearing a tie for the first time since Torell’s wedding. Hesitating for only a few moments before approaching the door and ringing the bell, his back straightened on instinct when Saria’s father opened the door, and Aleks plastered what he hoped was a smile on his face. It may have turned out more like a grimace.

  ‘Aleks,’ the man greeted him neutrally, holding out a hand. Aleks took it, trying not to wince at the strong grip.

  ‘I, uh, brought you this, sir,’ he said hastily, holding out the bottle of mead that Raina had insisted he bring. ‘For your table.’ Saria’s father nodded sharply in approval, stepping aside to allow Aleks entry.

  ‘Come in, you’re letting the cold in,’ he urged. The house was warm and welcoming, with paintings of landscapes and cityscapes decorating the walls. Some of them Aleks recognised, because he’d seen them in books, but others were unfamiliar to him.

  ‘You have a beautiful home, sir,’ he said, taking his hat off and stuffing it in his coat pocket along with his gloves, hoping his hair wasn’t completely terrible.

  ‘Call me Evgeny,’ Saria’s father replied.

  ‘Of course, Evgeny, sir.’ The man chuckled quietly, rolling his eyes at the formal address, and Aleks hid a grin; maybe this meal wouldn’t be as terrifying as he’d expected it to be.

  ‘Come,’ Evgeny directed, gesturing to a door off to the side of the hallway. ‘The ladies are waiting.’ Aleks followed him into a cosy living room, a fire crackling pleasantly in the hearth. A grin tugged at his lips when he saw Saria sitting on the sofa, and he automatically took a step towards her.

  ‘Don’t be rude, boy!’ The voice stopped him in his tracks. He turned, spotting a thin, dark-haired woman with a face like a hawk, sitting in a stiff-backed armchair and eyeing him distastefully. ‘Where are your manners?’

  ‘My sister, Anastasia,’ Evgeny supplied, and Aleks tensed; this was Saria’s infamous aunt, then. He hadn’t known she’d be present this evening.

  ‘My apologies, ma’am,’ he murmured, offering a short bow to the woman. Her lips curled, but it was nowhere near a smile, and she offered him her hand. He obligingly kissed the back of it, mentally running through all the social etiquette lessons his mother had given him, wondering if there was anything else he was meant to do. What if the rules were different in the North? From what Saria had told him, her aunt placed a lot of importance on manners and tradition. ‘It’s a pleasure to meet you.’

  Anastasia huffed, her grey eyes wary as she looked him up and down before turning to her niece. ‘Is this really the best you could do, dear?’ she asked sceptically. Aleks felt embarrassment squirm in his stomach as Saria flushed red in indignation.

  ‘Aunt Ana!’ she hissed, glaring at her aunt. ‘Aleks is a lovely man with a good job, and he cares about me! It’s not about doing better, it’s about wanting him.’ She glanced up at Aleks, smiling tentatively at him, and he returned the look with a faint grin.

  ‘Why don’t we take this into the dining room?’ Evgeny suggested, his deep voice ringing out over the tense room, settling any potential argument that may have erupted.

  ‘Oh, I suppose so – no need to let dinner get cold,’ Anastasia agreed, getting to her feet. Saria stood, her hand slipping into Aleks’s as she darted to his side, leaning up to kiss his cheek.

  ‘I’m sorry about Aun
t Ana,’ she murmured in his ear, a frown on her face. ‘She wasn’t best pleased when I turned down lunch with a businessman’s son because of you. I think she’s determined not to like you, so don’t let her bother you.’ Aleks made a face, but didn’t say anything, merely twining his arm with Saria’s and following Evgeny and Anastasia into the dining room. The table was already set, and Aleks waited until the two adults were seated before taking a chair, Saria heading away to what he assumed was the kitchen.

  ‘So, Aleks, was it? That’s not a proper name,’ Anastasia remarked, raising a thin eyebrow at him.

  ‘It’s short for Aleksandr, ma’am. But I have three older brothers, so for Ma to yell for all of us, she had to shorten a few names,’ he joked.

  ‘Three older brothers?’ Anastasia muttered. ‘Storms, the girl couldn’t even pick an heir.’ Aleks bristled, but didn’t say anything; he had to get through this dinner, for Saria’s sake. ‘And where are you from, Aleksandr?’

  ‘Baysar, out West,’ he answered promptly. ‘You might not have heard of it, it’s only a little village.’ He took a small amount of pleasure at the contortions Anastasia’s face made at the revelation that he was a country boy. Things could only go downhill from here.

  Saria returned with the meal, and Aleks grinned at her. ‘It smells delicious,’ he said, smile widening when she flushed prettily.

  ‘Thank you.’ She served her father first, he being the head of the family, then Aleks, then Anastasia, and finally herself, sitting down beside Aleks once everyone had their food. After Evgeny poured the mead his guest had brought, Anastasia took the bottle from him, reading the label carefully.

  ‘Where did you say this was from, Aleksandr?’ she asked.

  ‘I didn’t, but it’s from the Brass Compass, the inn I’m staying at. The landlord makes his own mead and cider, and they were gracious enough to allow me to bring a bottle for you,’ he explained, feeling a small rush of amusement at the way she turned her nose up at the bottle, setting it back down on the table.