by B. T. Narro
The silence between us was becoming awkward.
“Forget I mentioned it.” I motioned to kiss her cheek.
She stepped away. “Wait.” She clearly wanted to speak but had difficulty expressing whatever it was.
My socks were becoming wet from the grass. I started toward my bag to get my extra pair of shoes. By the time I had them on, Shara still seemed unsure what to say. I briskly walked over to her, gently took her face in my hands, and planted a soft kiss on her cheek.
“Forget I said anything about it.”
“All right.” She turned away, but not before I noticed her blushing.
We found one shoe just after we started riding. Something had chewed through the top. Shara raised her eyebrows at me.
“I know. I know. It was silly of me to blame you.”
“And aren’t you glad you have extra shoes?”
“Yes.”
We rode hard the rest of that day and half of the next. The capital came into sight soon after we passed through a crown of hills.
The amount of stone that went into its construction filled me with awe. All my work was done with wood, so I could only guess as to how they built a wall of stone around the entire city.
There was only one way in, a paved street that made Vkar’s horseshoes clatter rhythmically. Two guards stood in the entranceway, where an open gate with thick bars clearly was meant to be closed in case of attack. This city wouldn’t burn like the others.
Two horses pulling a covered carriage stormed out between the guards, a retinue of horsemen behind it. “Move aside!” the driver yelled at us. Vkar reared up when I pulled on his reins too hard, and I fell onto the stone road. Pain shot through me. Too worried I was about to be trampled to assess my injuries, I jumped up, took Vkar’s reins, and scrambled off the road.
Slowly, all the stinging in my body moved to my back. I grabbed it for some relief and groaned.
Shara came up sucking air through her teeth. “How bad is it?”
“Could be a lot worse.”
“Rude nobles. You’d think they’d care about the people they lord over.”
“That was a lord?” I looked back. The retinue of horsemen covered any sight of the noble.
“I assume so based on the number riding with him.”
We walked our horses to the guards after that. One of them stuck out his arm as we neared. “What business do you have in the capital?”
“We have redemption scrolls,” I said.
The guards looked at each other, skeptical.
My pulse quickened with the thought these weren’t going to be honored. “They were given to us by the claim inspector of your army in Lanhine,” I argued.
One guard slapped the other in the chest with the back of his hand. “These must be those scrolls they told us about.”
The other scratched his chin. “I don’t remember hearing about scrolls.”
“Two weeks ago. Something about redeeming them for money…those who have no way of making it on their own.” His own words made him grimace while his glance shifted to me. “Are you and the girl dullards? You can’t get a job and have to take from the king’s pocket?”
“Our homes were destroyed in battle,” I lashed back. “My father was killed by one of your own.”
The guards puffed out their chests, clearly not appreciative of my tone. Shara spoke quickly. “The scrolls are just a little help so we can settle somewhere and start working. We’re without a home, sir…sirs.”
I swallowed my pride and lowered my head humbly. “It’s been a difficult trip from Lanhine.”
Their shoulders relaxed. “No one else has come through with these,” one said. “Let’s see them, then.”
The other guard came to read over his shoulder. They laughed and pointed to something on mine. “Smile,” one told me.
I didn’t feel like it.
“Smile.” There was some threat to his voice this time.
I forced a grin.
“There they are,” he said, pointing at my cheeks.
They really started laughing as they read Shara’s scroll.
She scoffed. “Can we please just go inside?” Her voice was beyond irritated.
The guards became still for a breath, glancing at each other. Then they both doubled over from laughter. “Terribly annoying is right!” one yelled.
Shara grumbled and snatched our scrolls back from them. They were laughing too hard to care as we dragged our horses into the city.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
With my back aching, and the ringing of their laughter fresh in my mind, it was hard to appreciate the beauty of the capital. I already felt like we didn’t belong. This was supposed to be the most joyous event of our entire trip—reaching Glaine in time. But now all I could think about was how foolish it was to believe that Shara and I could live in a city like this. I figured the cheapest house was more than three dalions, and there was no room to build one of my own.
“I suppose the city’s crowded because the wall was built a hundred years ago,” Shara said. “Since then, the number of people has increased, yet the space for them hasn’t changed.”
“Any idea where to find the master of coin?”
“In the king’s castle. We just need to find the king’s road, and it will take us right there.”
We tried to ask several people for directions, but they ignored us like we were beggars. Everyone was busy trying to get somewhere. I wondered how people figured out where anything was if no one spoke to each other. We tried a few shops, but none of the merchants wanted to waste their time with us when we showed no interest in their goods.
With evening settling upon us, I started to worry. It was day thirty-four of the fourth month. If our scrolls expired the beginning of day thirty-five, then we had just hours left to get them to the master of coin.
Finally we bought bread at a bakery when the woman agreed to tell us the way to the king’s road if we did. The bread wasn’t even fresh. I figured she’d given us a loaf of yesterday’s batch, maybe even from the day before. She had plenty, so what was the point? It angered me enough to go back in against Shara’s wishes and demand what we paid for.
“You paid for bread, and you got it. Now you can leave or I can call the guards.”
“Come on, Neeko.” Shara dragged me out before I could think of how much of what was in my head I should filter out before I let my words go at this woman.
“Why is everyone here so…so…?” I couldn’t think of the right word.
“Discourteous.”
“Yes.”
“Indifferent.”
“That, too.”
“Downright numb, like we’re street grum from some slum. But let’s be on our way. There isn’t much time left in the day. Our dalions are waiting. We shouldn’t stay here debating, berating. With a nasty woman, who—”
I took Shara by the shoulders. “All right.”
We got on our horses and found the king’s road while there was still light. It was a straight ride north to the castle. I could see it in front of us, no longer obstructed by any building. But by the time we reached its gate, the sun had set, and my stomach was tight with worry.
A set of nicer guards than the last let us through the gate after we showed them our redemption scrolls and explained the purpose behind them. They even politely smiled and wished us luck, which completely turned our moods around.
“This is the outer courtyard,” Shara said. “I wish I still had my book about the castle, but it was in the bag Tyree stole. It had everything I could ever want to know and more—the name of every noble who lives or lived within the castle, any other notable person, an overhead map with each room labeled.” She sighed. “Maybe I’d have a dalion or two if I didn’t spend money on books. And just to lose them all in the fire or through theft. How sad.”
“I thought you didn’t want pity,” I teased.
“I can pity myself all I want.” She spoke with an air of superiority.
“Drawings always made it seem bigger. Maybe it looks better from one of the inner courtyards.”
“How many courtyards are there?”
“This outer one and two inner ones.”
“What’s that?” I pointed to a house with a steeple. Being within the gate, it had to be affiliated with the castle, but it wasn’t connected to the stone walls ahead of us.
“The priesthouse. The head priest lives there.”
“What does he do now that we’re no longer sacrificing?”
“I’m sure just as much as before. Having faith isn’t all about barbarous rituals of the old world. The sacrifices have tainted everything else the priests hope to accomplish. You’d know more about it if you grew up in the south. Or read more.” I could tell Shara wasn’t trying to offend but just enlighten me.
I made a mental reminder to invest some time and money in a few select books when everything was settled. Faith, the lords of the land, the laws regarding abandoned children, and horses were just a few of the things I wanted to know more about. I’d spent my childhood feeling incapable, but never had I felt in need of educating. Not until I met Shara. I strived to learn more about this world. It seemed appropriate, given I was stuck here.
“Why is there water around the castle’s entrance?”
“It’s called a moat. That walkway ahead of us is actually a drawbridge. If the castle comes under attack, it’s pulled up.”
“But there’s already a stone wall surrounding Glaine.”
“The moat’s extra security, and not just against an invading army.” She gave me a knowing look.
“Glaine’s citizens have attacked the castle?”
“Yes. When a king came to power who didn’t belong.”
I had too many questions and not enough time. Guards stopped us at the drawbridge. Again we showed our redemption scrolls, again they needed to be reminded of what the scrolls were for, and again they let us by. We left our horses with them, no doubt to be taken to the stables.
“I’m glad only the first set of guards actually read the scrolls,” Shara said. “The ‘terribly annoying’ detail is so embarrassing. I fear what the master of coin will say about it.”
“Maybe you should just be terribly annoying. Then he won’t have reason to question it.”
She didn’t laugh at my jape. “You’re no help.”
We passed under an awning—what I learned was called the barbican—and then we went through what Shara called the gatehouse, but we’d just gone from one courtyard to another. “Inner courtyard now?” I figured.
“Yes.”
“Don’t tell me there’s another courtyard before we finally get inside.”
“No, the other inner courtyard is at the back of the castle.”
We were enclosed by the castle walls, except for the gap through which we’d entered and a set of thick wooden doors on the other side, where another couple of guards awaited. We made our way, turning the heads of two women in bright dresses sitting on a stone bench long enough to seat ten. A man in steel armor stood behind them stoically, giving them the appearance of importance.
“Who are they?” I asked Shara after we passed.
“Maybe one is royalty, maybe both.” She grabbed my hand and hopped a bit. “Isn’t this exciting?”
“I’ll be excited when I can put my dalions in my pocket.”
Shara turned and started toward the two women. I stopped in the middle of the courtyard, whispering furiously for her to stop. She petulantly waved her hand behind her for me to shut up.
The two women stopped their conversation as Shara drew near. The man in steel behind them started in motion, his armor clanking as he hurried to put himself between them and Shara.
“Ohhh!” Shara let out a squeal that contained both trepidation and excitement. She spun and sprinted back to me, laughing and screaming like a child running from an imaginary monster.
“What are you doing!” I whispered, embarrassed. “Behave yourself!”
“Look, they’re laughing.”
The two women were, I suppose. “What was the point of that?”
“I wanted to talk to them. Then the big man scared me, so I ran.”
“How about you don’t approach anyone unnecessarily until we get our money?”
“Fine.”
One of the two guards at the open doors went inside, leaving just one to greet us. And greet us he did, surprising me with a smile aimed at Shara.
“You here to cause trouble?”
Shara gave him a shy grin and looked down at her feet. “No,” she answered timidly.
This guard was dressed in the same leather armor from shoulders to feet as the others who’d questioned us, but he was younger, around twenty, with chiseled cheeks and a strong square chin. He had dark hair and eyes, like Shara, and when he folded his arms, his muscles bulged even beneath his thick tunic.
“No? Really?” he teased, flashing his white teeth. “What’s your name?”
“Shara.”
I was ready to give my name, but he didn’t even look at me. “Shara. I’ve never…met a Shara.” The way he said it, and stared at her lips, made it seem like he actually was saying he’d never kissed a Shara.
She fell silent.
“I’m Darri.” He offered his hand. She slowly slid her palm into his as if worried he’d crush her hand. His eyebrows lifted when they touched. “You have the hands of a working woman.”
Shara took her hand away. “They’re coarse, I know.”
“It’s a good thing, Shara. There are too many beautiful women who’ve learned to use their faces more than their hands when they want something done.”
She blushed, then broke into song. “Thank you, but I don’t know what to say. What do I do? Is this a game you play? With every lady who comes by? It would be shady, the way you vie, if you claimed I was some exception to your normally reticent reception. I would call it deception, so do not lie. You compliment every woman, is this right? No reason to be sly. Let the truth out tonight.”
Darri was stunned. “My gods.” He sounded repulsed to me. Could it be he was put off by her song? No, I’d probably confused his admiration for revulsion.
Shara put her hands over her face. Her muffled voice came out, “Sometimes I sing.”
I figured the flirtatious guard was about to tell her how adorable she was, or maybe how impressed he was that she could rhyme so fluidly without preparation. But apparently these were just my thoughts, for he’d lost his smile and the friendliness of his tone was gone.
“What business do you have in the castle?” He looked back and forth between us. It was the first time he seemed to notice me.
Shara looked like she wanted to disappear, grimacing as she stared at the grass. I took it upon myself to answer, explaining the redemption scrolls and handing them to Darri. He read them as I talked, first mine, then Shara’s. He stifled a laugh, probably at the “terribly annoying” part. I’d never seen Shara’s face get so red.
Darri handed me both scrolls, now completely ignoring Shara. I handed off her scroll as he spoke to me. “The other guard will be back to take you to the master of coin. Wait in the great hall until he gets back.”
Shara didn’t lift her head until we walked into what I assumed to be the great hall. It was eerily dark, making me feel like I’d entered an enormous cave. I tried to make conversation about something besides Darri as we waited for our escort.
“So this is the great hall. Maybe during the day I could actually see what makes it so great.”
“They call every room in the castle ‘great’ or ‘house,’ ” Shara muttered. “The great hall, the great chambers, the great dining ro
om, the bakehouse, the gatehouse, the priesthouse.” She sighed. A thought, perhaps a question, made her look up at me with a furrowed brow.
“Why didn’t you react like Darri did when you met me? Most men do. I seem to repel them.”
All I could think about was how I’d abandoned her our first night together. I pushed away my guilt and gathered my thoughts, trying to remember how I did feel about Shara upon meeting her. The truth was that I had found her strange. Her singing provoked uneasiness, and her attitude was unpredictable, making her difficult to trust. I suppose I wouldn’t have taken the time to get to know her under different circumstances.
This all seemed too cruel to say, though. Shara was the best companion I could’ve asked for. I was even sad at the thought of our journey being done.
Shara looked more depressed with each breath as she waited for my answer. “You wanted to react like Darri, but you kept it to yourself because you knew you could use my help. Is this right? That’s why you left the first night. You didn’t want anything to do with me.”
“I was unappreciative of you at first, yes, but that quickly changed.”
“When you realized you needed my help,” she said, somber.
“It’s much more than that.” I felt my blood run hot as I stopped myself from saying more. Then I thought again. What did it matter anymore if I told Shara? We might very well never see each other again after tonight. Maybe this could change that. If she felt the same way…but if she didn’t, then we might not even be able to stay friends. And she was the only friend I had left.
She looked up at me. Something about her glance urged me to go on. I chose my words carefully.
“Shara, I wouldn’t want to go anywhere without you. I’m hoping when this is done you’ll come with me to check on my aunt, and then we can decide where we want to go.” I immediately felt I’d said too much and decided to give her an easy out. “I don’t know what’s happened with the war. It might be dangerous, so I completely understand if you want to stay farther north.”
“I’ll go with you back to Cessri.” She nodded quickly as she spoke. “I’ll stay with you.”
I heard the door close. A guard carrying a lamp emerged from the shadows. He drew his sword when he spotted us. “Stay right there!”
