“No, Weapons Master, nothing like that. I just…know.”
The use of his title when addressing him didn’t do anything to calm him down, and Aesri’s cryptic response only served to agitate him further. “You just know? What the hell, Aesri? What’s that supposed to mean?”
She placed her hands in her lap and looked down, unwilling or unable to make eye contact with the man.
“You had best tell him, Aesri,” Niada whispered. “He has a right to know.”
It felt like all of the blood had drained from Daniel’s face, and he heard a strange buzzing in his ears. “Aesri?” was all he could manage.
“She is fine, honestly, Daniel. Will you not trust me? I am not the one who should tell you.”
“Tell me? Tell me what, in Cyrus’s name?”
“Aesri, you are a coward,” Niada scolded. “Enough is enough. If you do not, then I will.”
Aesri sighed. “Carly will be so very upset with me, but I suppose you are right. Daniel…Carly is going to have a baby.”
The legs that had been holding him upright refused to cooperate further, and Daniel dropped to the snow in an undignified heap.
Darius was beside his friend in a moment. “Daniel? Daniel? Are you all right?”
Daniel looked up to see the concerned face of Darius hovering just in front of his own. What was he doing in the snow? The buzzing in his ears had amplified to a hammering thud. A baby? Aesri said a baby. Carly was going to have a baby? Carly was going to have a baby!
Darius exhaled the breath he had been holding when he saw a smile form on Daniel’s face. He saw the color creep back into the man’s cheeks, and grasped him by the arms to help get him back on his feet.
Aesri stood by Daniel and rested her hand on his arm. “Are you very angry with me, Daniel? I should have told you, it is only that I thought Carly should be the one to—”
Aesri’s words were cut off when Daniel grabbed her in his arms and spun her in circles. “A baby! We’re going to have a baby!”
A shower of snowflakes exploded around them; Aesri had let her magic slip when she was seized by the enthusiastic weapons master.
“I think he is pleased,” Niada commented, and the corners of her mouth ticked upwards ever so slightly.
“Daniel, please! Put me down!” Aesri said. The snowflakes dwindled to nothing once she was put back on solid ground.
“A baby…a baby.” Daniel realized that he was beginning to sound like an idiot, but he couldn’t seem to help himself. Suddenly a thought occurred to him: “I wonder if it’s a boy or a girl. I hope it’s a girl. She’ll be the prettiest thing ever, just like her mother. Aesri, do you—”
“No! That is for Carly to tell. I will leave her that much, at least!”
“Fine, fine. It doesn’t matter anyway.” Daniel turned and started to hurry back to his tent.
“Daniel, wait! Where are you going?” Darius said trying to catch up to the man.
“To pack! I have to get home.”
“You can’t go home now, Daniel. We have work to do here.” Darius planted himself in front of the excited weapons master.
“Step aside, boy,” Daniel growled. “You can’t think that I am staying here, not when Carly needs me.”
“Yes, she does need you—she needs you here, your child needs you here, we all do. Listen to me, Daniel. When we come to the towns, what always happens? The people are shocked and terrified by me and the wolf. They are awed and nervous around the Etrafarians. The king’s guard is trusted, but the people here look to Maj as the protectors, not the king’s guard. That leaves you and Dearra, and Dearra is eighteen and new to the role of lord. Without exception, they look to you, Weapons Master of Maj, for counsel.”
“But Carly—”
“Carly is surrounded by people who love and care about her. Besides, you don’t even know for sure that she’s still on the island. She could have already left with one of the groups bringing the children to the mainland.”
Daniel cocked his head and raised a brow.
“Okay,” Darius conceded, “I’ll admit it’s not likely, but it is possible. And even if she’s there, what are you going to tell her when you see her? Do you think she will be pleased that you left us to run home to her?”
Daniel’s shoulders slumped a bit.
“You know I’m right,” Darius said, trying to push the point.
“Yes, but that doesn’t make it any easier.” He frowned briefly, but then his thoughts drifted back to the image of his beloved Carly with their child in her arms. Daniel’s face was consumed by his smile until he thought he would explode with the joy welling within him. “A baby. I just can’t believe it’s true. Can you imagine, Darius? Life doesn’t get any better than this. Even though I can’t be with her, nothing can ruin this moment for me.”
“Oh, no,” Darius said under his breath.
“What? What is it?” Daniel asked, but a look behind him told him exactly what the problem was. Dearra was headed right for them. How in Cyrus’s name were they going to explain to her how everyone knew about Carly except for her? They hadn’t had the time to even consider telling her. Daniel was already frantically trying to come up with excuses, but she walked by them without pausing when she neared, and continued on whatever errand had drawn her their way in the first place.
“Dearra?” Darius called out to her, puzzled by her apparent lack of recognition. He also wanted to stop her to tell her. It was bad enough that she didn’t know yet—he wasn’t going to make things worse by waiting a moment longer than necessary. Based on his expression, Darius could tell Daniel felt the same way.
“Forget it!” Dearra said.
“Forget what?” Daniel called back.
“Brin already told me. You’re both in big, big trouble.” Dearra turned and put her hands on her hips, glaring in their direction. “But for right now,” she said, “I’ll just say…congratulations, Daniel.” Her cold expression melted away and was replaced with a smile. She walked back a few paces, put her arms around his neck, and pressed her cold cheek against his. “I’m so very happy for you,” she whispered to him.
Chapter 16
“Next! Who’s next? Come on, come on. Hurry up!” Shanks motioned to the line of young men. They were huddled in a group, all looking at one another, waiting for someone else to go first.
One young man, who couldn’t be more than eighteen, stepped forward carrying a rusty sword with him.
“What in the name of good King Jaymes is that, boy?” Shanks said, looking with disdain at the poorly cared for weapon.
“My grandfather’s sword, sir.”
“Have you been using it as a boat anchor? It looks like one blow would turn it into a pile of rust.” Shanks eyed the youth, who was too nervous to do anything but stand there gaping.
They needed as many as they could get, but they also had to be practical about it. They used a color coding system to rank the prospects. A square of black cloth was given to those who demonstrated proficiency with a weapon. A white square was sent with those who had little experience but showed promise, and a red square to those who were willing, but little else. If a candidate was not only unskilled, but also clumsy, or foolish, or in some other way a possible danger to themselves or others, they were not turned away, but they received no mark, whatsoever. They would be useful to help carry arrows, food and water, gather firewood, and perform a multitude of other tasks.
“No matter. Protect yourself, boy. Let’s see what you can do,” Shanks told the boy who turned toward the line of king’s guard on hand to test the men and boys who wished to join the coming battle.
“Not them. Him,” Shanks said, pointing at Darius.
Had it not been for his friends and neighbors watching on with keen interest, the boy would have probably run for it. The Breken who stepped before him was the most terrifying, intimidating, giant of a man he had ever seen. The occasional wolf or bear might come into their community, but they were nothing compared to the
monster before him now.
Darius raised his sword and didn’t give the young man more than a second to ready his weapon before he struck.
The boy brought the sword up to defend himself and somehow managed to block, but a bad step sent him pin wheeling backward onto his rump. He rolled fluidly and stumbled again, but was able to meet the next blow when it came.
He saw Lady Dearra step forward to watch. He thought her the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his life. The Breken growl that came from his opponent told him his attention to the Lady of Maj had not gone unnoticed, and he turned his eyes back to the man before him.
Darius charged forward. He was being cautious not to hurt the young man, but he was making sure not to go too easy either. When he saw the way the young man’s eyes drank in the sight of Dearra, it motivated him to be a bit more aggressive in the testing and teach the boy a few manners.
Again and again the blows came, and the youth panted heavily. Sweat was running down his face, even in the winter chill. He hadn’t managed to do more than block and avoid being hit, and he even dropped his sword once, but he was able to roll and pick it up again before the next stroke descended.
“Enough!” Shanks shouted.
Darius stopped immediately, but the boy was so wrapped up in the battle, he focused on nothing but the Breken before him. He raised the sword and swung what would have been a killing blow, but Darius anticipated the move, and stepped aside. The boy sailed past, led by the weight of his sword. Darius planted his boot on the seat of the young man’s pants and sent him sprawling into the snow.
The humiliated swordsman came up spitting dirty snow. The red hue of his face was more than the result of his exertion. His lack of skill was embarrassing enough, and then to end up face first in a snowbank?
Darius strolled to the boy’s side and extended a hand to help him back to his feet. The youth looked at the hand before him. He appeared as though he were considering rejecting the offer, but then took Darius’s hand, and allowed himself to be helped up.
The young man was mortified. There would surely be no mark for him in any color, and he was certain to be relegated to running errands, and toting bandages.
Shanks waved the boy forward and handed him a scrap of cloth.
The boy’s eyes lit with wonder at the white square in his palm. He looked up at Shanks, positive there had been some mistake.
“You show promise, boy, a little reckless, perhaps, but you have heart. Now, if we can get you to keep your eyes on the enemy and off a pretty face, we might make something of you yet.”
“Thank you, sir! I won’t let you down, sir,” the boy said.
“Bah! Go on with you!
“Next! Who’s next?
Chapter 17
They were bone weary. To say it had been a long winter would be like saying there was a lot of water in the ocean. And though it was true enough, it wouldn’t truly convey the magnitude of the thing. Between the interminable days in the castle when it seemed they would never be allowed to leave, and the weeks on the road, they had worn themselves down to the point of utter exhaustion.
The weather was cooperating for once, and they had made an early camp, hoping they could rest and refresh a little before they had to once more be on their way.
A brace of rabbits roasted over the fire, fat dripping onto the hot rocks below, creating a hissing sizzle.
Aesri closed her eyes and leaned her head against Niada’s shoulder. Niada wrapped an arm around Aesri’s waist and tipped her head so that her brown curls mingled with Aesri’s red-gold ones.
Dearra?
Yes, Brin?
I’m bored.
Dearra snorted, and Darius laughed aloud causing Daniel to look their way.
“It’s Brin,” Dearra said, trying to explain. “He said he’s bored.”
“You know,” Daniel said, “it’s pretty annoying being the only one who can’t hear the blasted thing.”
“Count your blessings,” Darius mumbled, and Dearra elbowed him sharply in the ribs.
Niada and Aesri both sat up straight. Aesri whispered in Niada’s ear. Niada shook her head from side to side.
“Please, Niada?” Aesri said in a pleading voice. “We really owe him so much, and it would make me happy if you did.”
Niada sighed and threw her hands up in defeat. “Would Brin’du Drak’Tir like to hear a story?” she asked, sounding only slightly less annoyed than she looked.
Yes, Brin’du Drak’Tir would, Brin shot back imperiously.
“Does he have any special requests or shall I be allowed to choose something?” Niada sounded a little put out.
I do have a request, as a matter of fact. I request that the uppity fairy tries to speak a little more respectfully when addressing me.
Niada narrowed her eyes, and the air chilled slightly around them.
“Now, Niada, do not get upset. You can be a bit harsh sometimes. How about something about yourself? I am sure they would all like to know more about you.” Aesri patted Niada’s hand and the air warmed back to merely cool instead of the previously icy wind, brought on by her temper.
Brin! Behave yourself, Dearra thought, knowing the fairies couldn’t hear her.
Brin spoke, this time with a less haughty tone. Yes, I would enjoy that…please.
Dearra thought the “please” sounded a bit forced, but she supposed it was the best he could manage.
Niada tipped her head as if searching her memory for something she was willing to share.
“Mother and I were on a sojourn,” she began. “I had reached the age when girls become women, and as is our custom, we were going to explore the wilds, just the two of us.
“I was so excited when we set out. The canopy was alive with the sound of birds, and the trees were especially talkative. They were telling about a Red Deer who had lately fawned twins, and how the brook had widened and was now carving a new path through the forest. I drank it all in. I never tired of listening to the forest. Every day was a new story, and I loved to hear them all.
“Mother’s step was sure as she guided me deeper and deeper into the forest. I saw places no one had seen in hundreds of years. I saw trees that almost rivaled the Great Tree in height, though they were not nearly as big around. I saw caves that were entirely made of crystals in some parts. The caves were the best of all. They were all so different, you see, and mother had a way of showing and explaining that made them all feel magical and special. From the largest to the smallest, they each captivated me.
“There was one especially lovely cave. It was not that it was beautiful visually, it was really quite drab, but Mother led me in through several outer hollows until we came to a large, domed chamber with other tunnels running off in different directions. It was a round space, and if you did not know which entrance you had come in through, you could easily be taken down a path you did not intend and find yourself quickly lost. Mother faced one of the passages and began to sing. Her voice came back and seemed to join with her. While she sang, she turned and faced the next passage. The delay was longer on this one, but then it too melded its voice with hers. She turned in place, spinning in a slow circle, in the center of that room and sang until it was as though a half dozen voices were melding with hers in a song so breathtaking, it drew tears to my eyes.
“She went on like that for several minutes. I let the music wash over me and through me, afraid to breathe too loudly lest I break the spell. When she stopped, the last fragile strains of her tune cascaded over me, and then there was silence. I will never forget that moment. It has been etched in my memory with golden ink.
“We spent weeks together. She told me everything I would need to know as a young, Etrafarian woman. How to love and be loved in return, how to unlock the potential in my magic, how to sing, and how to dance. Most of all, she spoke to me about Rah. My mother was devoted to Rah. She praised him when she woke in the morning and before she slept at night. I, however, was of a different mind. Rah was all righ
t for the elders, but I knew better. He was just a story that had been made up to force us to walk the path of obedience.
“I was very stubborn. I believed that I had all of the answers. I loved my mother beyond measure, as there were only the two of us. Father had died when I was an infant, I do not know how, and Mother would not say. Still, much as I loved her, I could not hold with her antiquated belief system of an all-powerful deity who would simply abandon his children to make their own way in the world. And the story of the two guardians? Preposterous! But she never pushed. No matter what I said, she only smiled and told me to be patient. ‘Open your heart, Niada,’ she would say. ‘Not all the paths we walk on can be seen with our eyes.’
“When it was time for us to return home, I was almost as anxious as I had been to set out. I had so much to tell my friends, and I missed Aesri.
“I frolicked through the canopy, leaping from one branch to the next. Where the gaps were too wide for me to jump, I floated until I would touch down with a thud on the next branch. I was still new to levitation, and while I had built up quite a bit of stamina, I was not terribly graceful. My mother laughed at my antics, as she cautioned me not to go too high. I laughed with her, knowing she was proud of me. She strolled beneath me, gathered wood violets, and twisted them into a wreath for my hair while I gamboled above. I was at the very top of one of the trees, and when I broke through the canopy, I could see for miles in every direction. It was stunning! Exhilarating! The sun peeked through the clouds, and I was blinded by its radiance. Our eyes, as you know, are not so good in direct sunlight. I threw my hand up to shield my eyes, but the sun was too strong. I leapt from my perch and floated down into the relative shadow of the forest. I landed hard and felt the branch crack beneath my weight, but I was up and floating again before it gave way. I came to a gentle rest on a stronger tree and blinked my eyes to clear my vision. It was then that I heard it…the trees were weeping. There is only one thing that makes the trees cry out so.
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