A Marriage of Friends (The Inner Seas Kingdoms Book 8)

by Jeffrey Quyle

  “No one was hurt – not seriously, anyway,” Kestrel clarified. He gave a grin, and Ferris grinned back.

  “We appreciate your concern for the health of our people. So what are your plans for this evening?” the human leader asked.

  “I’d like to make sure my people and I are fed,” Kestrel replied. “And housed, if possible,” he added in a hopeful voice. “And I’d like to purchase food stuffs and supplies to be shipped to my manor in Oaktown, if that can be arranged. Enough to feed my folks back home,” he explained.

  “And if the ambassador is present, I’d like to speak with her as well,” he added a last point.

  “I’m sure she’s aware something’s happening, from all the scurrying around in the city when the watch reported a large band of elves approaching. I’m surprised she’s not here herself already. Something’s been troubling her in recent months – we haven’t seen much of her at court,” Ferris addressed the last topic first.

  “As for the merchants, they’ll do business with you, no doubt, and if you’ve got any of those pearls with you, so much the better. And for tonight, we’ll have to show you to a set of barracks that have been empty since the Graylee forces left them, but they’re sound and safe. My folks will show you the way, and then perhaps you can come to the palace for dinner this evening, you and your companion?” Ferris nodded towards Medeina.

  “That would be charming, my lord, thank you,” Medeina answered first.

  “Let me send some folks in right now to set things in motion, and to give folks time to prepare for the spectacle. You’ll be bringing them as well?” Ferris pointed up at the imps who floated watchfully overhead. “We’ve never seen the like of them. Heard of them, but never seen them.”

  Ferris spoke momentarily to Mitchell, who took a pair of other men with him and ran back towards the city gates.

  “The imps are my allies, and have been throughout the campaigns against the Viathins. And now they’re my allies once again. They’re also good for Hydrotaz,” Kestrel stated. “They’re the ones who find all those pearls that are so appreciated here.”

  “Perhaps they should set up their own trading house and embassy here,” Ferris joked. He motioned for Kestrel to proceed towards the city.

  “I will go into the city. The humans say they will prepare a place for us to stay tonight,” Kestrel turned and addressed his followers.

  They were uneasy at the thought of being left alone without him, he could tell.

  “Would you stay here with the elves and comfort them, give them a translator if they need one, until I return?” he asked Medeina.

  “I did not come to your world to have to work, Kestrel dear,” the disguised goddess replied. “I wish to go into this city of this human race to see it. But if you promise that I will be able to enter it soon, I will stay here to watch over your flock.”

  “Thank you, I won’t be gone long,” Kestrel promised.

  “Lieutenant, you’re in charge,” Kestrel told Pierodot.

  “Killcen,” he called. “Would you send a pair of imps with me, so that we may send messages if needed?” he asked the imps.

  “Of course, Kestrel friend,” Killcen agreed, and so, moments later, when he began to walk down the road, Kestrel felt comfortable that all arrangements had been made to attend to the needs of the elves who had taken the uncomfortable step of following him into a human land.

  Chapter 6

  “Is it him? What’s he doing with all those other elves? Are those imps and sprites?” Kestrel heard the questions following in his wake as he walked through the streets of Hydrotaz in the company of Ferris and a pair of guards. The rest of Ferris’s patrol had been dismissed once they reached the gate of the city, while Ferris and Kestrel strolled freely and relaxed, beginning to chit chat as their situation defused.

  “The princess is well?” Kestrel asked.

  “She’s radiant,” Ferris replied with a smile.

  “So good as that?” Kestrel asked.

  “I’ll let her tell you her own news,” the leader of the palace guard answered, and would say no more on the topic.

  “Here’s the market; do you want to start haggling over food shipments, or do you want to go to the palace first? I’m sure her highness would be very appreciative of hearing the reason for your visit,” Ferris advised as they passed by the wide square where traders were busy peddling their wares.

  “If we could pass by the embassy on our way to the palace, I can ask Lucretia to join us,” Kestrel suggested, “and we can come back here on our way to lead my followers in to the city.”

  “You’re quite the celebrity, you know,” Ferris commented as people continued to turn and stare at Kestrel and his imp companions. “You’ll probably be expected to visit the temple too, you know.”

  Kestrel looked at Ferris with a quizzical look upon his face.

  “The goddess, of course – Kai,” Ferris added, as if that explained his comment.

  “She isn’t responding – none of the gods are responding, you know. Since you created the statute in the temple and have such close relations with Kai, you’ll be expected to go to the temple and bring her spirit back. That’s why so many people are pleased to see you – an elf in Hydrotaz,” Ferris spelled out his thoughts.

  “The goddess – all the gods – has troubles right now because of the Rishiare Estelle,” Kestrel explained. “The red spots on the sun. It will last for a year, the imps told me. Until it ends next spring, there’s not much we can do to reach the gods, or for them to reach us,” Kestrel added.

  Ferris looked at him with a troubled look, but said no more until they reached a building that Kestrel belatedly recognized.

  “It’s the embassy!” he said in delight.

  “Make your visit here quick, and invite her Excellency to join us at the palace, to speed things up,” Ferris suggested.

  “I will,” Kestrel promised. “Wait right here.” He went to the guarded gate of the embassy and knocked firmly on the reinforced wooden door.

  After a pause, a slot opened, and a pair of eyes looked out at him.

  “I’m here to see the ambassador, Lucretia,” Kestrel spoke in elvish.

  “We’re not accepting any visitors,” a male voice answered in elvish as well. “You’ll need to leave now,” he said, then shut the viewing slot.

  Kestrel waited for a moment, as he contemplated the best way to handle the refusal.

  “Mulberry, Odare,” he called, and waited for his two imp companions to descend down to him.

  “Would you go up and look in the windows to find Lucretia, and tell her Kestrel is here?” he asked.

  “It is unusual for you to be refused by the elven women you crave, is it?” Odare asked.

  “I haven’t been refused,” Kestrel said warmly. “And Lucretia is a friend, not a woman I crave. She’s a friend, and a good fighter, a warrior in her own right. I trust her to do well at whatever she does. And I could use her help and advice.”

  “You almost sound sincere,” Mulberry said, lightly digging an elbow into Odare’s ribs. “Is she not pretty?”

  “Yes, she’s pretty!” Kestrel answered in exasperation. “The first time I saw her I wondered who was lucky enough to be her mate; she was a perfect elf – slender, cool, beautiful features, composed.”

  The door in front of him suddenly clicked, then swung open, and Lucretia stood in front of him, grinning broadly. “That’s exactly the impression I always wanted to make – I’m glad it succeeded at least once!” she smiled, then she and Kestrel embraced warmly.

  “I haven’t seen you in the longest time, and I’ve needed to see you – we all have. Where have you been? Is everything okay? Well, of course I know it’s not,” Lucretia asked as the pair held each other at arm’s length and studied one another. “There’s something different about you.”

  “I’m on my way to the palace to see Princess Yulia. Can you join me there?” Kestrel asked.

  “Are you in a hurry or something?”
Lucretia laughed.

  “I am,” Kestrel said apologetically. “I’ve got a couple of score of elves nervously waiting outside of town, and I need to run these errands. Come to the palace,” he instructed, as he released his grip on her and stepped away.

  “I will. I’ll be there soon,” Lucretia agreed with raised eyebrows. Kestrel stepped away, and she closed the door.

  “That one is a beauty, I see,” Mulberry said. “I’ve not met her before.”

  “I have,” Odare bragged. “Once, at the healing spring I believe.”

  They rejoined Ferris, and resumed the journey to the palace.

  Inside the palace a few minutes later, Kestrel was pleased to see Greyson, Ferris’s son, waiting for them.

  “Kestrel, it’s been a long time!” the boy exclaimed as Kestrel warmly shook his hand. Greysen had entered a growth spurt it seemed, for Kestrel looked back and forth between him and his father, unable to detect which was taller.

  “Still growing, I see,” Kestrel laughed, making Ferris wince.

  “We’ll take you to see the princess immediately,” Greysen told Kestrel, motioning towards where a pair of guards held a door open.

  “Lucretia should be here soon as well. Would you send her to join us, please?” Kestrel asked.

  “Kestrel! What a happy day!” the princess claimed as she bounded off her throne and down to the floor of the small presentation chamber where Kestrel found her listening to advisors.

  “Everyone’s dismissed,” Yulia said over her shoulder as she ran down to Kestrel. “We’ll resume this tomorrow.

  “And tell the chef to prepare a feast!” she added.

  “I’ve got a few friends here with me,” Kestrel told Yulia as they embraced in a hug.

  “So I see!” she said, looking up at the imps that floated near the high ceiling of the room. Mulberry was floating on her back, looking upward at the murals that were painted across the ceiling.

  “Bring them to dinner as well,” Yulia said

  “There are about sixty of us,” Kestrel grinned over her shoulder as he informed her.

  “Good heavens! Have you brought your own traveling carnival?” Yulia stepped back to look at him.

  “I’ve brought a small army; I’m going to war,” Kestrel answered, deciding to tell her the truth. He’d wait to see if Lucretia arrived before he’d tell the whole story, he hoped, so that he’d only have to tell it once. “Ferris is supposed to take me to look at some barracks where we can spend the night.”

  “Tell me about this. You’re not at war with me, are you?” she asked in a serious tone. “Have we done something wrong?”

  “Oh my princess, no, never. You could never do anything wrong in my eyes,” Kestrel laughed. “It’s an elven civil war, I’m afraid. But let’s wait until Lucretia arrives and then we can tell the story together; there’s a great deal I don’t know myself.”

  “How are things with you?” he asked.

  “I’m engaged!” Yulia’s face brightened into a radiant smile. “Philip has proposed!”

  “That’s so wonderful!” Kestrel beamed.

  “We’ll be married next spring, when the weather warms and travel is easier. You’ll join us, won’t you? You have to – you’re the guest of honor! You introduced us, after all,” Yulia was insistent, her eyes sparkling as she unconsciously tugged emphatically on Kestrel’s sleeve with each word.

  There was a pronouncement at the door, and Lucretia arrived. She was elegantly dressed in rich clothes, a velvet gown the likes of which Kestrel had never seen an elven maiden wear before. It was appropriate for a court appearance, Kestrel surmised, but Lucretia’s heavy breathing – evidence of her hurried run to reach the palace – was momentarily at odds with the appearance.

  “Your elf lord has brought an army of elves to Hydrotaz!” Yulia cried as she saw Lucretia. “Why didn’t you tell me there was trouble in your homeland? What can I do to help?”

  “Let us go with Ferris to find accommodations for my elves, and then we can talk about everything at dinner tonight,” Kestrel suggested. “I don’t want to keep them waiting in the field outside the city too long.”

  “Go on,” Yulia pouted to Kestrel. “Call my advisors back,” she turned and told a page. “We’ll talk at dinner. And have the commissary prepare food for all of Kestrel’s people,” she called loudly as Kestrel, Ferris, Greysen, and Lucretia left the hall.

  “Tell me what’s happening,” Lucretia said urgently.

  “In a moment,” Kestrel promised.

  “Here are the barracks,” Ferris said minutes later, as they stood in the doorway of an empty room, full of rope bunks and discarded furniture.

  “This will do for the night, if you can provide some bedding to soften the bunks,” Kestrel agreed.

  “I’ll have it delivered,” Ferris agreed. “Can you find your way out of the palace to return to your squad while I go take care of matters here?” he asked.

  Minutes later, Kestrel and Lucretia were walking together through the streets of the city, on their way to the gate and to the elves who waited outside the city.

  “Where have you been? We’ve needed you for a long time. It may almost be too late,” Lucretia told him as she hooked her arm through his and walked closely beside him.

  “I had a long journey, an assignment that took me away from the Inner Seas. I just got back a few days ago, and found the Marches under a hostile occupation by the forces from Center Trunk,” Kestrel said. “I’ve chased all the guards from Center Trunk out of the Marches, and now I’m going north to help my friends who I think are up there.”

  “It’s a mess Kestrel, a terrible situation. My stomach and my heart are tied up in knots over all the trouble Princess Elwean has created,” Lucretia moaned. “I wish I could see Giardell one more time,” she added.

  “Why can’t you?” Kestrel asked alertly, knowing from her tone that there was some serious problem.

  “He’s being held prisoner at Center Trunk. He was there carrying messages from here when the princess staged her coup against her father, and he’s been in prison ever since. I received a message recalling me from my post, but I haven’t gone for fear of what they’ll do to him, and me,” Lucretia told him in a low voice as they walked past the marketplace. “I want to go, to see him again, but I know we’ll just end up both being imprisoned or worse.”

  “What makes you think there’s anyone in the north you need to help?” Lucretia asked.

  “Some of the prisoners we captured in the Marches told us that several folks fled from Center Trunk and went to Firheng. And a couple of my people went there too. Plus, I don’t think the garrison there would be likely to surrender, or easy to conquer,” he explained.

  “I need to order supplies from here to have them shipped to Oaktown,” Kestrel told Lucretia as they left the market square and approached the gate in the city wall. “I’ll have to come back here tomorrow and make arrangements for shipments to be sent to home; the Center Trunk forces stripped us bare of food, and we’re going to need additional supplies to make it through.”

  They walked past the temple to Kai, and Kestrel glanced up. “I need to go there too,” he said softly.

  “Are the gods mad at us?” Lucretia asked. “The people say they don’t answer prayers or touch dreams any more.

  “Oh heavens!” she said suddenly, coming to a complete stop, and stopping Kestrel as well. “Was it you? Did you upset the gods so much they stopped talking to us?”

  “No, I went on a mission to save two of them!” Kestrel replied.

  “Two of who?” Lucretia asked, confused.

  “The gods – I rescued two of the gods – Krusima of the humans and Morph from the elves. They got caught by the Viathin god in another world,” he told her.

  She stared at him, cocked her head, stared further, then shook her head. “Tell me later. I don’t want to try to understand right now. Let’s go find your elves and bring them into the city.” She promptly turned and started walki
ng again.

  They strolled rapidly without talking, until they left the city and walked outside the walls.

  “Imps!” Lucretia called Mulberry and Odare down.

  “Did Kestrel really rescue a pair of gods?” she asked.

  “This woman is smart enough to question Kestrel-wooer’s stories,” Odare said to Mulberry.

  “We did not actually go on the trip with him, but we were supposed to. We were separated by the Rishiare Estelle. But he told us that we were going to go save gods who were caught by the evil monsters’ god,” Mulberry told Kestrel.

  “So while you were right to question such a preposterous story from such a roguish charmer, we think there is merit to what he says,” Odare said.

  “But always feel free to ask us to check up upon this elf before he woos you too well,” Mulberry said.

  “I’m not wooing her!” Kestrel protested.

  “Didn’t you tell them how desirable I was?” Lucretia batted her eyes as she asked him. “I’m sure I heard you say that.”

  “You did describe her very vividly,” Odare told Kestrel. “I thought I saw the desire in your eyes at the mere memory of her.”

  “Here’s our group,” Kestrel pointedly turned and gestured towards the group of elves they were approaching. A heavy traffic of humans were gawking from the road, observing the elves who stood huddled together.

  “Odare!” Killcen called. “They’ve returned,” he told the crowd of elves and imps.

  “Welcome back, my lord,” Pierodot said. “And welcome my lady,” he told Lucretia.

  “This is the ambassador of the Eastern Forest, Lucretia, a former member of the guard,” Kestrel introduced.

  “Lucretia, this is Lady Moorin, my friend,” Kestrel said awkwardly.

  “Moorin?” Lucretia asked alertly. “Like the one Moorin you chased over the seas and the mountains and the valleys?”

  “Actually,” Medeina spoke before Kestrel could formulate an answer to the awkward question, “I’ve been chasing after him. He’s bringing me along to show me the world.” She smiled brilliantly.