Kei's Gift

by Ann Somerville

  Kei stood. “Thank you, father,” he said, taking Fedor’s hand, and then being pulled into a warm hug. “I’m so glad to be home,” Arman heard him say quietly.

  “And I to have you back, my son. Although next time you decide to go off on a warship to a foreign country, let me know in advance so I can nail your feet to the ground.”

  “Yes, father, I will do,” he said with a bright grin. “I think this must call for a beer, don’t you?”

  That was the signal for everyone else to stand. “Little brother, does any occasion not call for a beer?”

  Kei appeared to consider. “No, I can’t think of one. I just hope Myka lets me drink it and not wear it.”

  Reji clapped Fedor and Banji on the shoulder. “Right, let’s welcome everyone home in style. I’ve been telling Vikis about the hospitality here, and once I mentioned the beer, that’s when he decided our village was the place for him.”

  “I did not, Reji, don’t tell tall tales,” Vikis chided, walking along with the others.

  Kei let them get ahead, so he could put his arms around Arman’s neck and kiss him. “Happy?”

  “That I’m going to be with you? What do you think?”

  Kei leaned his forehead against Arman’s. “I’m shaking, I’m so relieved.”

  “I think it went so much better than it could have done. Look at Jena’s village. Fedor was the model of responsible decorum.”

  “He’s a good man. I didn’t want to hurt him or Sira, but I wouldn’t give you up just to suit them.”

  Arman hooked him around the waist. “Now you don’t have to. But you do have to decide what to do with me. I’m not actually a pet, you know.”

  “Oh? And here I was, all ready with a leash and a bowl of jombeker milk for you. I’d be a very good owner, you know.”

  “You’re a tremendous brat, that’s for sure. Now, come on, I’ve been promised beer and beer I shall have.” We won, he thought, slightly dazedly. And now I’m really home. The bubbling happiness inside him owed nothing to the expectation of drinking some of Myka’s finest brewing.

  Well, maybe it owed just a little bit.

  Chapter : Epilogue

  “Gods, I wish your father would have written in normal characters, Kei.”

  Kei stretched his back and rubbed his eyes. “Me too. I know it saved space, but how he wrote that small, I’ll never know. Want some tea?”

  “Yes, I do.” Jena stood and shook her arms. “I think I need to do some gardening, give my writing muscles a break....”

  The front door opened without any warning. “Hello, you two, I’m back.” Several heavy packs hit the floor as an accompaniment to the words.

  Jena exclaimed in surprised pleasure, and ran to the grinning arrival. “Reji! I wasn’t expecting you for a week!”

  Reji swept her up and kissed her enthusiastically. “It’s that new spring arrangement Vikis put on. We can go nearly a third faster even with a full load, just as he thought we could. Hello, Kei.”

  Kei abandoned the kettle and came over for a hug of his own. “Anything that gets you back quicker is a good thing. We were just having some tea—want some?”

  “I’d prefer—”

  “A beer, yes, I know,” Jena said, rolling her eyes. “But tea first.”

  “If you insist,” Reji said with a sigh, pulling up a stool but keeping an arm around Jena. “How’s Karik? And what are you doing?”

  “Karik’s fine. He had a little cold but he’s over that.”

  “Jena’s helping me decipher Pa’s notes on possible cures for lung fever.”

  Jena snorted. “Decipher—translate, you mean. Are Myka and Banji all settled?”

  “Yes, quite well, and I introduced them to Reis and the others. Reis says, and I quote, that Myka is a sweetie.”

  Kei chuckled. “Wait until he gets to know her better. Did you bring any letters back from them?”

  “Of course,” Reji said. “Let me wet my throat first.”

  Kei set the kettle on the stove and came over to the table, packing up the notes they’d been working on. It was late afternoon and they were losing the light. He and Jena had done enough for the day and after five weeks without her lover, Jena would want to be getting home with him. “Arman thinks they can make the wagons even faster—he’s been waiting for you to get back to talk to you.”

  “I’m all for that. I tell you, the ride is so smooth, you don’t realise how fast you’re moving. And the beasts are in better shape too. I’ve brought him back the metal he asked for.”

  “Good. How are Reis and Jera and everyone? I want to know what’s going on.”

  As Kei made the tea and served Reji with some sweet cakes, Reji told him their Gifted friends were all very well, missing Kei and Arman and sending their love. Lord Meki had returned recently to Darshek, but Lord Peika’s wife had decided to join him in Utuk rather than have him return and let another Ruler take his place. The very last of the prisoners of war had finally been sent back—although nearly fifty Prij had asked for permission to stay in Darshek. Their applications were still being examined. “But,” Reji said, taking a pull from his tea, “I have Vikis and Kesa’s papers with me—they’ve now been given official permission to stay in the village and their children will be Darshianese if they want it. I take it the Prijian sovereign’s a bit annoyed about the number of her people wanting to stay behind.”

  “I’m surprised there aren’t more,” Kei said, not in the least concerned about annoying the pissing Prij sovereign. “Master Bikel and Master Diza? Did you see them?”

  “Yes, and they send regards. Bikel wanted to know how you were recovering, and I told him that as far as I know, you’re doing fine.”

  “I am. I think a couple more months might do it. Not that it matters how long while Arman’s here.”

  “Yes, Kei,” Jena said, “but controlling your gift yourself is important. I’d say a couple of months would do it.”

  At that moment, Karik, lying in his crib, woke up and grizzled. Jena dusted her hands, picked up her son and brought him back to the table. That was enough to settle him—he just wanted company. “Look, Reji, his eyes are turning green.”

  Reji peered at the baby’s face, and gave a waving chubby fist his finger to hold. “Well, well, so they are. I wonder if his hair will stay so fair. It doesn’t matter, I suppose.” He kissed Jena again. “Missed you—I’ll have to see if I can persuade you to come on some of the trips with me.”

  “When Myka gets back, you will, and especially if you get the wagons to move faster. I’d like to go back to Darshek again. I want to visit the library for at least a month.”

  “Me too,” Kei said. “And what they’re doing with isek leaves makes me think we’ve only scratched the surface of antiseptic plants.”

  “Someone needs to do a proper survey of the dry regions,” Jena said. “Look how many medicines Keiji discovered just from around here.”

  “He always said he wanted to set up a proper garden growing plants from here, trying different varieties and so forth and sending them to the academy to try. But it would take a lot of manpower,” Kei said, sighing. “And it’d need the academy to support it fully too.”

  “Well, maybe one day it’ll happen,” Reji said peacefully. He got up and fetched one of his packs. “I must have twenty letters for you and Arman. If this keeps up, you’ll be running your own caravans just for your mail, Keichichi.”

  “Don’t exaggerate,” Kei muttered, grabbing his post eagerly. There were letters from the Gifted, from the academy—and Lord Meki. “Uh oh,” he said, waving it at the others. “This won’t be good news.”

  “Don’t be silly. You’re his darlings, you and Arman. Why else would Myka and Banji be staying at the Rulers’ House?”

  “To keep an eye on them, I suspect.”

  “Very true.” Reji put his arm around Jena’s shoulders. “You ready to leave?”

  “I think so—here, take Karik so I can get the crib.”

  Ke
i stood up and helped her pack up. “Tell Arman we’re done when you pass the workshop, would you?”

  “Of course.” She kissed his cheek. “See you tomorrow—and don’t forget we’re having supper at Vikis and Kesa’s.”

  “No, I won’t. See you in the morning.” He grinned at Reji. “Not too early of course.”

  “Not everything revolves around sex,” Reji said, wagging his finger at him.

  “No? So if Arman and I were to stroll over tonight and wanted to have a beer or three, you wouldn’t be otherwise engaged?”

  “Are you joking?” Jena said, glaring at him. “I’m chaining Reji to the bed for the next week!”

  “Poor Reji. You’ll wear him to a husk, you cruel woman.”

  “But what a way to go,” Reji said cheerfully, clearly not worried about his impending imprisonment in the slightest. “See you tomorrow, Kei.”

  Kei waved them out, then sat down at the table again, poured out some more tea and started to read his mail. The letters were short but warm and full of love and the personality of the writers, and he smiled as he thought of his friends up in Darshek. He missed them a good deal, even though being home again felt heavenly. He had regained the sense of being comfortable in his own skin again, which was why he was very reluctant to open Lord Meki’s note. He had a feeling what his lordship was going to ask and he wasn’t ready to deal with it.

  Still, he needed to know. It was characteristically direct.

  Kei

  Greetings. Your sister and her husband have already demonstrated the qualities we’ve experienced from others of your village, and I hope her studies will benefit her. The work in the south continues, but we are also busy here in Darshek with the new trade that’s already begun, and we realise there is much work to do on our defences here. We could use Arman’s assistance, and your own fine work on the medical guide has garnered a good deal of praise from several quarters —the academy wants you to come back to them, I know that for certain fact. I’ve not written to Arman, and I make no demand now, but as I promised, I’m asking. If you are in a position to say yes, your country will once again be grateful.

  I hope you are well, and whatever your decision, I remain, I trust, your friend,

  Meki

  Kei raised an eyebrow at the Ruler calling him a friend, considering how rude he’d been to the man.

  He sighed. It was too soon. It might never be the right time, however guilty he felt seeing Arman working on a wagon wheel when he could be arranging sea defences in Darshek.

  But Lord Meki’s letter reminded him of another he’d carried from Ai-Darbin. He went to the office and found the file where he’d put it. Seya had pressed it into his hands as they were leaving. “When Arman is ready to come back to us, when you’re recovered, read this. Not before,” she’d said, looking at him earnestly.

  Arman hadn’t mentioned going back to do his sentence, but his lover was trying not to press him. It must have been on his mind from time to time as Arman was not one to forget his obligations, and especially not one of that nature. It might take a couple of months before Kei was completely in control of his gift, but in truth, it hadn’t troubled him for a good month. They’d been back four. Maybe he should read this letter.

  He unfolded it and found, like Meki’s, it was also brief.

  Kei

  Among the letters from Lord Meki was a request that I consider commuting Arman’s sentence to work among us to six months’ service in Darshek. I’ve consulted with my fellow elders, and we have no objection. Should you be able to do this, and you and Arman wish it, then I would consider such work an ample satisfaction of his obligation. It all depends on your condition and how comfortable you personally feel, so Lord Meki insists that it is merely an alternative to be offered, not a mandatory change.

  However, I would be sorry in a way not to have you both here, for his sake. I leave it in your wise hands to decide upon.

  With my sincere good wishes,

  Seya

  More pressure, another push back to Darshek. He sighed again and folded the two letters together, putting them away in the file for safe-keeping. He couldn’t think of it now. But some day, he would have to do so.

  Not long after, the front door opened again, and this time it was Arman. “Gods, what have you been doing?” Kei exclaimed.

  His lover was filthy and smelled of metal and wood shavings. “Greasing axles,” he said cheerfully. “Is that tea? I’m dying for some.”

  “Go wash—no, don’t touch me, you disgusting creature—and I’ll make some more.” He ducked away from Arman’s grimy grasp and went to the stove to top up the kettle and set it to boiling again.

  A few minutes later, Arman emerged, dusted off and grease free. He sank onto a stool with a sigh. “Gods, my back aches. I’ve been crouched under a wagon for about three hours.”

  “You spoke to Reji? He’s very happy with the new design.”

  “Yes, while he was unhitching. Said he had a bit of a problem with the braking, but we can fix that. Or Vikis can. I’m just muscle. I have to say, I could wish to be a foot shorter sometimes when we’re working under the things.” He took a sip of the tea and sighed happily, then crooked his finger. “Kiss. I’ve been good.”

  “Yes, you have.” Kei kissed him slowly—there was something vaguely erotic about the smell of axle grease mixed with Arman’s own natural scent. He’d never admit it or he’d never hear the end of it. “I was teasing Jena that we’d drop over tonight. Can you imagine?”

  “She’d kill you,” Arman said with a snort. “Literally slice you into ribbons. And Reji would hold you down.”

  Kei chuckled. “Yes, I know. Poor Reji, the thing he always hated about the travelling was the lack of sex. He’s talking about taking her with him at some point for the company and so she can visit Darshek again.”

  “Can’t see why he shouldn’t. We can cut that round trip down to three weeks for loaded wagons, I’m sure of it.”

  “If you could, it would make a huge difference. We could actually start trading fruit from Darshek—even from the south. And send them our perishables, such as they are.”

  Arman nodded. “I was more thinking of people and post, actually. It’ll make a difference. We might need to make the roads better though, and who’s to do that, or pay for it, I have no idea.”

  “You just can’t stop planning, can you?” Kei murmured, leaning his chin on Arman’s shoulder. “Still a general in your mind.”

  “It’s just ideas. You empire build in your own, scholarly way.”

  “Don’t get defensive, it’s not a criticism.” Kei picked up Arman’s letters. “Reis wrote, and Neka, and Meda. The message is the same—come visit now!”

  Arman chuckled. “Thought it might be. Maybe if Reji takes Jena up there, we could join him.” He stretched a little and groaned. “Ouch.”

  “Let me stoke the bath.”

  “Ah, the most beautiful words in the Darshianese language.”

  Kei grinned. Of all the things Arman admired about Darshian, the baths were right at the top of the list. Sometimes he had the sneaking suspicion Arman loved a hot bath even more than he loved Kei, but of course Arman would never admit it.

  Arman spent an hour or so looking at his post and eating a quick evening meal, but then admitted he really, really needed that bath. They cleared up and then Kei indulged his own great pleasure—stripping Arman and lovingly washing every inch of that pale skin, and combing out and soaping the unruly mane of hair, now full of sawdust and grit. “What have you been doing?” Kei murmured as he rinsed the soap out and lathered up again. “Sweeping the wagons out with your hair?”

  “It picks up the dust,” Arman muttered. “I don’t know what secret you have, you always look so sleek.”

  “I use my gift to keep the dust out,” Kei said, grinning.

  “Really?”

  “No. I think I’m just good at ducking it.”

  Arman examined one wet lock ruefully. “That’s a s
kill I’ll never acquire, I suspect.” Kei dumped another dipper of water over his head and he spluttered. “Ugh. Are you done?”

  “Get in, I won’t be long.”

  Kei washed himself quickly and rinsed through his braid without undoing it—it wasn’t that dirty. Then he joined a naked and slippery Arman in a deliciously hot bath. “Feel better?”

  “Mmmm,” Arman murmured contentedly, sliding his arm around Kei’s waist and pulling him into his lap. Kei lay his head on Arman’s shoulder, and thought he couldn’t be happier if he tried.

  “Myka all settled?”

  “Yes.” Kei hesitated. “Arman, Lord Meki wrote to me.”

  “Oh?”

  “He...wants you up there.”

  Arman went rigid under him. “Why is he writing to you about that?”

  Kei looked at him guiltily. “Well, he sort of asked me to ask you. He mentioned it to me when we were there.”

  “Did he now,” Arman said heavily, and Kei could sense his displeasure. “That was kind of him. Was this what was bothering you so much when we were travelling back?”

  “Some.”

  “And why didn’t you mention it to me?”

  “Because....” He was teetering on the edge of a cliff here. “I was afraid.”

  “You mean you didn’t trust me to choose you over Meki?”

  “No.”

  Arman tilted Kei’s head to make him look at him. “Are you sure?”

  “I...knew how much you’d given up, and I didn’t think....”

  “...you were enough?” Kei nodded. “I can’t say this delights me.”

  “I’m sorry. It wasn’t the easiest thing for me either. There were so many other things going on.”

  “Hmmm.” Arman pulled him close and kissed him. “Do you trust me now?”

  “Yes. I did before...it was me I didn’t trust. I wasn’t sure I could go with you if you decided your duty lay elsewhere.”