Askaro of the Falcon

by Lady Li Andre

  Chapter 23 – Many Happy Reunions

  Blin froze. The Prince reached out and grabbed her hand. “Blin, is it really you?”

  She tried to pull away. “Let me go.”

  The Prince hung on. “No, Blin! Please don’t run away again. I’m sorry I was so mean to you. I was just a dumb kid. Can’t you forgive me?”

  The Lady recovered and took Blin’s other hand. She gently pulled her close and embraced her. They both shook.

  Askaro turned to the Seeker. “I think you’re right. Let’s take the stairs.”

  The man grinned and extended his hand. “My name is Unoli.”

  Askaro shook it. “I’m Askaro, of the Falcon. But you already knew that.”

  Unoli chuckled and led the way down the narrow stairs. “Indeed I did. Your grandfather has been very worried about you.”

  They emerged in a servant hallway. An open door led into the Great Hall. All of the guests had been ushered out. All that remained were the guards and those by the central platform. As they approached the dais, Zane and the man in the fancy uniform approached from the other side. Zane went over to Marlo, who was sitting on the steps of the platform with the remains of his lute. “Sorry about your instrument.”

  Marlo sighed. “Master Ranulo always said my music could bring down the house.”

  The man in uniform hid a smile. He saluted the Seeker. “All of the insurgents have been culled from the ranks, Sir.”

  “Thank you, Captain Taren.” He bowed to the people on the dais. “May I present Ensign Askaro, of the Falcon, Your Majesties?”

  The Lady looked up and smiled at him. “Blin has been telling me all about you. It is a pleasure to meet you, Askaro. I am Queen Doshea. This is my son, Lashen.”

  Askaro bowed. “The pleasure is mine, my Queen.”

  Blin’s eyebrows went up. “When did you learn how to speak so formally?”

  He grinned. “My grandfather and father schooled me in many things.” He looked between her and the Queen. “When did you get to know the Queen so well? I thought you were just a servant.”

  Blin looked over at Lashen. “Because we were the same age, I was forced to be this brat’s playfellow.”

  The Prince laughed. “Was I really that bad?”

  Blin scowled at him. The Queen smoothed back Blin’s hair. “There was more to it than that. Your mother and I made the decision after Laharas died not to tell anyone, even you, until you were older.”

  Blin frowned. “Tell me what?”

  The Queen looked down. “There is a great deal that most do not know but I suppose it doesn’t matter anymore.” She sighed and focused on Blin. “Your mother was more than just my handmaiden. She was also the King’s mistress. Laharas married me because he had to, not because he loved me. He loved your mother but she was just a servant of the house, with unknown lineage. Laharas and I had been betrothed when we were children. I had never met him before our wedding. When he gave me Darina, your mother, as a personal maid, I had no idea why. It wasn’t until she discovered that she was pregnant with you that she begged Laharas to tell me the truth.”

  Blin looked pale. “You mean King Laharas is...”

  “Yes, he’s your father.” The Queen looked over at the Prince. “I became pregnant a few months later and the King was relieved. He needed a child from me to be his heir. I have to admit, when you were born, Blin, he was a little worried. But Lashen turned out to be a fine healthy boy.”

  Blin looked at Lashen. “So he’s my brother.”

  The Prince grinned. “Your little brother as you were born before me.”

  Blin shook her head. “The Regent kept demanding my mother tell him where the secret treasure was.” Her bottom jaw trembled. “It was me.” She covered her face and wept. The Queen pulled her close and held her.

  Zane and Marlo both looked stunned. Zane dropped to the step beside the musician. “Well how about that. Blin is a royal.”

  A guard came in and spoke quietly to the Seeker. Unoli nodded. “Your Majesty, Lord Delkaro and his family have been greatly worried about this young man. May they come in now?”

  The Queen looked up. “Yes, of course.”

  Blin looked at Unoli. “It was you the whole time that was following me, wasn’t it?”

  The Seeker bowed to her. “Indeed it was. The Queen had instructed me to bring you back. When you continued to evade me, she finally relented and changed my orders to that of protection.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “That was you that night, by Gable Tower?”

  “I would not allow that ruffian to do you harm.”

  “Askaro!”

  He turned at his mother’s voice and rushed forward. “Mother!”

  She hugged him tightly. “We were so worried.”

  His father encircled both of them. “Are you well?”

  “Nothing that a good hot shower wouldn’t cure.”

  His grandfather laughed. “Ah, that’s my grandson!”

  Someone else peered around Delkaro. “Can I come forward now?”

  Askaro felt as though the world stopped for just a moment. “Chitano? You’re alive! But I saw Natib and Doctor Hodrel carry you away as though you were dead.”

  The boy grinned and stepped forward to embrace Askaro. “I would have been had you not saved me. I’m still bruised and sore but Doctor Hodrel says I’ll live. Your mother has been kind enough to care for me. It was she who insisted I come tonight. She missed you so much. And here you are, saving the day again.”

  Delkaro patted Askaro’s back. “And a job well done, my boy! Splendid leap. I’d say you really know how to make an entrance.”

  Zane chuckled. “Oh, my father would have hired him in a heartbeat.”

  The Queen turned to them. “Why, Captain Taren, you haven’t introduced our other rescuers.”

  The Captain bowed. “Forgive me, Your Majesty.” He walked over to the cook. “This fine young man is Zane, son of Kunari.”

  The Queen covered her mouth with a hand. “Oh my! As in the Great Kunari?”

  Zane bowed. “At your service, My Queen.”

  Her face softened. “I am so sorry about your family. When I heard what Vancent had done, I was shocked. I offered to make amends to his brother. I didn’t realize Kunari and Melody had a son.”

  Zane didn’t look up. “The soldiers came and took my cousin away.”

  “Yes, he’s here.” She called to one of the guards. “Please ask Donal to join us.”

  Zane looked confused. “You knew?”

  “Of course I did. I’m the one who had him brought here. Vancent wanted him killed because the poor boy had seen something he shouldn’t. I brought him here to protect him.”

  The doors opened and a tall young man in fine clothes entered. He bowed to the Queen. “You sent for me, My Lady?”

  Zane gasped. “Donal?”

  The man turned. “Zane?” He rushed around the dais and embraced him. They both laughed. “What happened to you? You just disappeared.”

  “It’s a long story. I ended up as an apprentice to a chef at Bottoms Up.”

  Askaro turned to his grandfather. “I’m told Zane is quite an impressive chef. Do you think we might need one aboard the Falcon?”

  Delkaro looked at his son. “Well, Captain Jakaro, what do you think?”

  “Since our previous Master Chef is retiring, we seem to have an opening. Would you be interested, Master Zane?”

  “Really? A chance to sail on the Falcon? I’m yours!”

  Marlo raised an eyebrow. “I don’t suppose you’d need a minstrel?” He lifted the pieces of his lute. “I’d have to ask for a bit of an advance though.”

  Delkaro rubbed his chin. “Don’t know that we’ve ever had one of those on the ship. Do you know any good songs?”

  Marlo cleared his throat. “I know a lady on Harbor Street...”

  Askaro held up his hands. “No, Marlo, not that one. Not here!”

  Marlo stopped but Delkaro clapped his hands and laughed. �
�That’s one of my favorites!”

  Jakaro grinned. “Looks like you’re hired. What shall we call you?”

  Marlo sat up straight. “Marlo the Magnificent.”

  Askaro, Zane, and Blin all laughed. Zane slapped him playfully on the back. “And I will serve up the finest meat pies for you.”

  The Queen looked amused. “Are you from Rokathalon, Master Marlo?”

  He blushed. “Yes, My Queen. Unfortunately my parents and I had a bit of a falling out over my occupation. They wanted me to be a lawyer.”

  Delkaro put his hands on his hips. “A waste of good talent. This town doesn’t need anymore lawyers. It needs better laws. The place fell apart after we left.”

  The Queen’s smile faded. She looked down. “It fell apart when Laharas died.”

  Blin stiffened. “You mean when the Regent killed him. He tossed him into the pit. I know. I saw him do it.”

  The Queen gasped. “What?”

  Blin pulled away from her. “My mother never told you, did she.”

  “No. Whatever do you mean, Blin?”

  “She refused to believe me when I told her. She didn’t know about the pit then. She’d never been there. Thought it was a made up story to scare little kids. But it’s a real place. I’ve seen it.”

  The Queen’s face drooped. “Blin, you were very little when he died. He was killed in an accident. Plenty of people saw it happen.”

  “That’s what they told you because the Regent threatened to toss them, too, if they didn’t.”

  Askaro looked at the others in the room. Most looked shocked. Unoli looked thoughtful. The Seeker leaned toward the Captain and said something quietly. The Captain left the room. Everyone else looked very tense.

  The Seeker turned to Jakaro. “By the way, Captain, I regret to inform you that I have incarcerated two of your crew members.”

  Jakaro looked surprised. “You have? Which ones?”

  “Mister Fantori and Master Bruvano. They were engaged in illegal activity within the City.”

  Delkaro frowned. “You don’t need to sugar-coat it, Sir. I’m well aware of what those louts did to my grandson. Trying to sell him! At least Golarin is an honest man. He came to me personally and begged forgiveness. He had no idea who Bruvano had been looking for.”

  “I will make sure that is applied to his credentials. But what would you have me do with your men? They are not citizens of Rokathalon. Their only writ of identification belongs to the Falcon.”

  Jakaro’s brow furrowed. “Didn’t they leave with us from here?”

  “I’d have to check the ship’s logs. Mister Cullans might know. He was ship’s Boson for the entire journey.” He turned back to Unoli. “Please detain them for the present until Captain Jakaro can call a tribunal.”

  The Seeker bowed. “As you request.”

  The doors opened again and the Captain led Yavin into the room. “Here he is, Sir.”

  Yavin blinked and looked around. He saw Blin. “Oh, we’re not supposed to be in here.”

  Blin took his hand. She looked over at Unoli. “How did you know?” The Seeker said nothing. Blin led the old man toward the Queen. “Yavin, do you still remember the day we met?”

  His face crumpled. “Sad day. Yes it was. My good King. Over the edge and down into the darkness he went.”

  The Queen gasped. “You saw it happen?”

  Yavin covered his face with his weathered hands. “I can’t tell. He’ll kill me, he will. But I never broke my promise.” He dropped his hands and took Blin’s. “I wouldn’t. She was just a wee little thing. But his heart is all black. He would have tossed her, too, if he knew.” He frowned and looked around. “Where is he? This wasn’t a trick on old Yavin, was it?”

  Blin patted his hand. “No, Yavin. It’s all right. Vancent isn’t here.” The old man relaxed.

  The Queen closed her eyes. “I’m sorry I doubted you, Blin.”

  Marlo was staring at Blin. Askaro realized what the old man had said. He cleared his throat and turned to the Prince. “I’m afraid your birthday party has been ruined but please let me offer my congratulations, My Prince.”

  Lashen grinned. “I hate formal affairs anyway. Tomorrow will be even worse, I imagine.”

  The Queen looked around the room. “Oh my. I hope everyone is well. Lady Bes looked like she was going to faint.”

  Captain Taren coughed. “All the guests have been seen to, My Lady. They are all relieved that both you and the Prince are well.”

  Askaro looked at his friends. “We did it.”

  Zane laughed and put an arm around Marlo’s shoulders. “You’ll have to compose a good ballad for us.”

  Delkaro nudged Askaro. “Well, you’ve brought us and new chef and a minstrel. What about this one?”

  Askaro looked at Blin. “That will depend on her answer.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “To what question?”

  “Will you be my wife?”