T.J. Mindancer - Future Dreams

by T. J. Mindancer

  The door etched with a sword and a bow opened. A coach with the colors of Ynit could only mean one thing and an older woman beckoned Tigh into the safe house. “Are you the new peace warrior from Ynit?”

  Tigh blinked at her and wondered why she hadn’t thought of using that ruse. “Yes. Paldar Tigis.” She was surprised at how raw her voice sounded. Now she felt foolish for not taking advantage of the long journey to catch up on her sleep. She couldn’t help Jame if she wasn’t alert.

  “I’m Balwen, the proprietor,” the woman said. “The princess’s room is on the second level, toward the back. A rabbit is on the door. Tigis? We serve Ingoran food. I’ll prepare a room for you.”

  Tigh almost told her to not bother, but stopped. “Thank you.”

  As soon as they entered the common room, Tigh hurried to the back stairs and only her heavy exhaustion kept her from running up the steps.

  “Rabbit on the door,” she muttered as she wandered the narrow corridors leading to the back of the building.

  She stopped and listened. She didn’t need to see an animal on the door to know which chamber Jame was in. Her enhanced hearing picked up an arrogant voice behind the door at the end of a short hallway. An all too familiar voice, filled with defiance and fear, answered.

  Safe house, indeed, Tigh’s mind reacted in rage. She took long strides and exploded into the room.

  A tall muscular woman held Jame. An equally large woman hovered nearby. All three sets of eyes shot to the opened door. Before Tigh had a chance to do anything, the womens’ arrogance faltered into fear.

  The woman released Jame and, with the other, backed away from the doorway. Tigh’s sleepy mind was mired with confusion.

  “Did I forget to mention my best friend is Tigh the Terrible?” Jame asked as she backed away from the women.

  Finally catching on, Tigh straightened and leveled her most intimidating glare at them.

  “Please,” one woman whimpered as she huddled on the floor with the other.

  “What’s going on here?” Balwen asked from behind Tigh. A group of Emorans crowded the corridor.

  “The Lindigan sisters were trying to coerce me into arguing their brother’s case,” Jame said. “Would some of you mind securing them and making sure they are safely escorted to the city jail?”

  Naderol grinned. “With pleasure.”

  Tigh stepped away from the door and several Emorans entered and dragged the terrified sisters away. The Emorans cast curious glances at her.

  Tigh almost tumbled to the floor by the impact of Jame’s body against hers. Jame buried her head onto Tigh’s shoulder as they wrapped their arms around each other. Tigh was so relieved and happy she couldn’t stop a few tears from sliding down her cheeks.

  Balwen shut the door on her way out.

  Tigh’s world was right again. Jame was safe and in her arms. The lack of sleep and food caught up to her all at once and her mind tumbled.

  Jame braced Tigh up and led her to the bed. She then knelt in front of her. “You look awful.” She brushed strands of hair out of Tigh’s eyes.

  “I guess I haven’t gotten much sleep,” Tigh mumbled.

  “I missed you, too.” Jame gave her a gentle kiss. “I was praying for a miracle and then you burst through the door. How’d you do that?”

  Tigh managed a weary smile. “I overheard Kartlin about you being in trouble. I got here as fast as I could.”

  Jame gazed at Tigh with affection-filled eyes. “Does anyone know you’re here?”

  Tigh looked at the floor. “They’ve probably figured it out by now.”

  Jame pulled Tigh into her arms. “We’ll worry about that later. You need sleep and I need to write out a formal complaint against the Lindigan sisters.”

  “Don’t go out alone,” Tigh said.

  “I’ll send the complaint by courier,” Jame said. “Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere without my warrior.”

  Those words sent a wistful pang through Tigh’s heart. “I want to be your warrior.”

  “You are my warrior.” Jame pressed her lips against Tigh’s in a gentle reaffirming kiss. “Now I want you to get some sleep.”

  Tigh was barely aware of Jame’s efforts to get her boots and leathers off, and being tucked into bed. Her heart felt safely at home and she fell asleep, knowing what fate had prepared for her life.

  TIGH DARTED HER eyes around the chamber. The quick moment of panic was replaced by the memory of where she was. She was in Glaus. In the Emoran safe house . . . She wasn’t alone. She rolled over and her breath was stolen away by the vision of Jame’s face relaxed in peaceful sleep. The intimacy of their positions made her lightheaded and she sat up to clear her roiling brain.

  Jame stirred from the movement. “Good morning.”

  Tigh took some settling breaths. “Morning.”

  Jame sat up and studied Tigh. “I’m surprised at how well I slept. I’ve never shared a bed with anyone before.”

  Tigh turned to her. “What about—?”

  “A patch of meadow, a shadow behind the warriors barracks, a hidden crevice in the palace, never a bed,” Jame said. “Emoria’s rather strict about some things.”

  “I’ve never shared a bed with anyone before either.” Tigh pushed down memories of finding release with other Guards in any place that was convenient. Sex was just something to do to keep them from giving in to what they really lusted for—engaging an enemy in battle.

  “I’m sure we’ll get use to it,” Jame said. “If you still want to be my warrior that is.”

  Unable to speak, Tigh needed to reassure Jame she most definitely wanted to be her warrior. She twisted around, pulled Jame into her arms, and gave her a heartfelt kiss.

  Jame smiled. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  Tigh took Jame’s hand into both of hers. “I have a lot of memories, things I have to work through. You’ll have to be patient.”

  “We both have things we have to work through,” Jame said. “We can do it together.”

  “I think I like that.” Tigh glanced around the room. “Is this one of the things you’re going to have to work through?”

  “Let’s just say Balwen, the proprietor, gave me a motherly lecture last night when I took my message concerning the Lindigan sisters to her,” Jame said. “They think Argis and I had some kind of spat and we’ll get back together again. They’ll understand in time, but this is what I’ll have to go through until they’re convinced I’m not interested in Argis anymore.”

  “What would completely convince them?” Tigh asked.

  Jame sighed. “Emorans can be so stubborn with their ideas. It doesn’t help that I’m a princess and they’ve been hearing stories about me since I was born. Nothing less than a joining will convince them that Argis and I aren’t just quarreling.” Jame caught her breath. “I mean—”

  Tigh studied the smaller hand in her strong large hands. “If that’s what it takes.”

  “But I wouldn’t want that to be the only reason.” Jame wrapped her free arm around Tigh’s neck and pulled her close. “There’s only one reason I want to be joined with you.” She gazed into Tigh’s eyes. “I love you.”

  The impact of the words was such a blow to Tigh’s senses she was close to blacking out. How could words create such a physical reaction? She labored to pull air into her lungs and gently squeezed Jame’s hand. “I love you, too.”

  Jame grinned and collapsed against Tigh.

  A rap on the door interrupted their peace.

  “A delegation has arrived from Ynit,” Balwen said through the door.

  “Delegation?” Tigh asked.

  Jame sighed. “Why can’t anything be easy?”

  JAME KEPT GLANCING back at the pair of soldiers trailing them as they walked down the crowded street. She thought it was insane for the Tribunal to think Tigh was a danger to anyone. She turned to Tigh and frowned at the carefully controlled grimace on her face. “Are you all right?”

  Tigh’s startled expression
turned sheepish. “The morning meal.”

  “Wasn’t it good?” Jame said. “It tasted all right to me.”

  “Cooks who aren’t Ingoran tend to make the food too spicy,” Tigh said. “They think they’re making up for the lack of meat or something.”

  “I never thought of that,” Jame said. “So your stomach’s upset.”

  Tigh sighed. “Yeah.”

  Jame watched Tigh’s stoic attempt to ignore her discomfort. This was the woman the Tribunal thought was a danger to society? She almost laughed at the irony. They approached a narrow shop and she turned to the soldiers. “I need to step in here for a moment.” Before they had a chance to respond, she ducked through the doorway.

  Jame smiled at the shopkeeper. “A small bag of those.” She pointed to one of the dozen small wooden barrels on a slab of wood.

  The shopkeeper darted a glance outside the door. “Two coppers.”

  Jame paid and wondered what rumors were already stirring about certain visitors from Ynit.

  She strode out of the shop and held up a parchment bag. “This ought to help.” She opened the bag and revealed molded balls of mint leaves and sugar.

  “Thank you.” Tigh selected a ball and popped it into her mouth, then took the parchment and tucked it into her belt pouch.

  “Let me know the next time food bothers you,” Jame said.

  They paused in front of the Glaus Inn and Jame wrinkled her nose at the sprawling building that seemed to have expanded more from necessity than design. The gilded carvings and deep blue paint shouted its self-importance to the surrounding somber government buildings.

  Her opinion of the building didn’t change when they crossed the threshold. Unlike common inns, the interior was a hushed study in superior attitude. A young man clothed in the blue and white livery of the establishment intercepted them before they could take another step into the foyer.

  “This way,” he murmured and rushed them across the elegant main chamber before any of the guests had reason to complain about the presence of people who clearly did not belong. Jame wondered what the surreptitiously watching guests would think if they knew she was a princess or Tigh was from a prosperous merchant family.

  The young man opened a delicately engraved and painted door and motioned his unwanted charges through it. He then shut the door behind them.

  Jame and Tigh paused in front of the door to observe who thought it necessary to make the quick journey from Ynit. Ewan and Sitas represented the Tribunal. Pendon Larke and the counselor, Renat Yinga, were there to assess Tigh’s present state of well being. Ingel watched Jame with a troubled frown.

  “Come in. Sit down,” Ewan said. Jame and Tigh sat in the elegant chairs opposite the delegation from Ynit. “The coach business between Ynit and Glaus has been brisk of late. We’re here because we need to deflect any possible strain on our relationship with Glaus. We talked with the city leaders late last night. They had been willing to do anything to make up for the false arrest of a peace warrior and for submitting an inexperienced assistant arbiter to a case that turned out to be a part of a dangerous conspiracy.”

  “But I ruined that.” Tigh’s whole body was a study in misery.

  Jame was torn between consoling Tigh and giving the others a sharp opinion on their agreement with Glaus. She put a hand on Tigh’s arm and leveled her gaze at Ewan. “Is that what they think?”

  “Yes. They’re alarmed that Tigh is in their city,” Ewan said.

  “It doesn’t matter that she saved me from being bullied by the Lindigan sisters and that her presence was enough to get them to confess to everything?”

  “Like the Lindigan sisters, they see only Tigh the Terrible,” Ewan said.

  “So you’re going to continue this false assumption rather than stand up to the truth?” Jame straightened. “You give in and Tigh will never have a chance to go out into society.”

  “We’ve presented it as a slight setback in her rehabilitation,” Ewan said.

  “A slight setback?” Jame centered her rage on her argument. “What did you promise them? That you’d send Tigh back to Ynit in the care of soldiers? Then what? You eventually decide she’s been rehabilitated and is free to go into society? The damage will have already been done. She’s in the last step of the rehabilitation process. To suddenly treat her as if she’d never been cleansed not only sends a false message about her, it puts the entire cleansing process into doubt. Now I ask you. Are you interested in doing a quick washing over of the situation here or are you willing to take advantage of this opportunity to stand by your rehabilitation program?”

  Jame sat back and watched as her words impacted each person across the table. Her argument had, at least, taken a ready response away from them. A large hand slipped into hers and she looked into Tigh’s eyes, which were filled with pride and affection. She squeezed Tigh’s hand and they shared a private smile.

  Ewan took a deep breath and nodded. “You present a very compelling argument, Arbiter. Are you willing to argue for Tigh’s right to be treated as a free citizen in Glaus?”

  Jame sucked in a shocked breath. “In a heartbeat.”

  Chapter 14

  Tigh sat cross-legged on the hearth of the small fireplace in Jame’s room in the Sword and Bow. Although the officials of Glaus would have been happier if she was in a nice cold cell in the city jail, she hadn’t done anything criminal to merit a stay in that facility. A compromise had been made that she had to remain in the Emoran safe house until the time of her hearing. She had thought this was a good idea until the constant glares and offhand remarks from the resident Emorans forced her to take refuge in Jame’s chamber.

  They all thought they knew how Jame should be living her life and who she should be spending it with. Sounds familiar, Tigh sighed.

  They had so many battles to fight before they could be together. This latest battle was a brave move by Jame and if she didn’t win, their hopes would be as good as lost. But victory would make everything else so much easier to attain.

  Tigh picked up light footfalls outside the door and detected the aroma of food. The door opened and Jame walked in followed by a young girl from the kitchen.

  “Just put it there.” Jame pointed to the small table in the middle of the chamber and then smiled at Tigh.

  The young girl glanced at Tigh as she put the wooden platter filled with covered dishes on the table.

  “Thank you,” Jame said.

  “Have a good evening, my princess,” the girl said shyly before skipping out of the chamber.

  “Hungry?” Jame asked, waggling her brows. “I had a talk with the cook and they didn’t add any extra ingredients this time.”

  “Except maybe poison,” Tigh mumbled as she stood and approached the table.

  Jame sat down. “My country people giving you a hard time?”

  Tigh dolefully nodded as she took the other chair and moved it so she could sit next to Jame rather than across from her. Jame smiled at the action.

  “Thank you for the food. Thank you for everything.” Tigh lowered her eyes.

  “Hey.” Jame lifted Tigh’s chin with a caressing hand. “I’m being selfish, you know. I don’t want anything to stand in the way of us being together.”

  “You’re a miracle to me and I won’t ever do anything that would force us apart.” Tigh clasped Jame’s cheek in the palm of her hand.

  “The only thing that can force us apart is the ignorance of others.” Jame leaned into the warm hand. “This hearing will be an important step in educating everyone on who the new Tigh is.”

  Tigh shook her head. “But it’s only one city. Your career could be harmed by my presence.”

  Jame gave her an impish grin. “You can only enhance my career and reputation. After all, I’m the one who has successfully argued your cases and had the good sense to choose you to be my peace warrior. Any defendant can feel safe there isn’t going to be any trouble from dissenting parties.”

  Tigh held Jame’s confident e
yes for several heartbeats. “Do you think it’ll really work?”

  “I really do.” Jame turned her head and brushed her lips against Tigh’s hand.

  Warmth spread through Tigh from that simple touch and she captured Jame’s tantalizing lips with her own. “I put myself into your capable hands.”

  “Completely?” Jame mumbled as she playfully nipped at Tigh’s nose.

  “Completely,” Tigh said.

  “All right.” Jame grinned. “Let’s eat.”

  Tigh laughed as she released Jame.

  Jame put out the plates and pulled the lids off of several dishes. “What do we start with first?”

  Tigh blinked at the food and then raised astonished eyes to Jame. “You’re trying Ingoran food?”

  “Yes,” Jame said. “I want to learn all the ritual that goes with it, too.”

  A delighted Tigh pointed to a dish filled with thin slices of celery in a clear sauce. “We start with the watery vegetables.”

  Jame grinned. “Watery vegetables.”

  “YOU’RE A GOOD teacher,” Jame said. Between the almost mystical quality of the Ingoran ritual, the delicate flavors of the food, and the tantalizing warmth flowing between them, she was certain it had been the most wonderful meal she had ever eaten.

  “I’m only as good as my pupil,” Tigh said.

  Jame sighed at the rap on the door. She gave Tigh a mock look of exasperation, went to the door, and pulled it open.

  Balwen, glancing past Jame at Tigh, sighed and held a small scroll out to Jame.

  “This is from the queen,” Balwen said.

  “Thank you, Balwen.” Jame took the scroll and kept down the swell of apprehension in her full stomach.

  Balwen gave Tigh one more look, nodded to Jame, and then trudged back down the corridor.

  Jame closed the door, walked to her chair, and sank down onto it. She put the scroll on the table and stared at it for several heartbeats.