“But it has been nearly two months! The couple is expected to produce an heir,” Abrecan said, pointing a finger across the table. “Explain to me how that will be possible if Eliana refuses to be in the same room with Daimh.”
Councilor Philip spoke up. “You must remember that the young couple hardly know each other. Eliana understands her duty. She will produce an heir. We must give her some time.”
Abrecan folded his arms. “Fine. I’ll talk to my son and settle him down. The Festival of Gratitude is only a few weeks away, and both the queen and king are expected to attend. Let’s hope she is feeling better by then.”
***
Since the time of the so-called wedding between Eliana and Daimh, Bariwon had experienced unseasonable storms. Days would pass without the sun shining directly on the land, and even when it did manage to break through the clouds, it was fleeting. On this morning, the sun was shining brightly for the first time in weeks. It was excuse enough for Eliana and Rinan to leave the castle and head to the nearby countryside for some fresh air.
They had taken a lunch with them to the tree where they had first picnicked back in the spring. Eliana believed it was the perfect time to share the wonderful news with Rinan.
“Rinan, I have something to tell you,” Eliana began, fidgeting the way she did when she was excited about something.
“Oh? What’s that?”
She smiled at her husband and took him by the hand. “Anemone believes we are going to have a baby.”
At first, Rinan looked stunned. It was wonderful news, to be sure, but he didn’t seem to be able to speak. He took Eliana in his arms and held her close. When they parted, both had tears of joy in their eyes.
“Do you know what this means?” Eliana asked.
“Yes! It means that you no longer have to make excuses to stay away from Daimh. As far as anyone knows, he fathered the child on your wedding night. This is wonderful!”
Sighing contently, Eliana said, “I know. I’m so happy.”
“Although…”
“Yes?”
Rinan pursed his lips. “We haven’t really talked about how we are going to raise this child. After all, he or she will believe Daimh is their father.”
“Actually, I have thought of that,” Eliana said. “I discussed it with Priest Sherwyn some time ago. He said he had considered that point before we were married, and has a solution. He insisted I not give it a second thought until I became pregnant. We’ll talk to him soon.”
A light rain started to fall. The young couple looked up to see a storm moving in quickly. The sun was still shining brightly for the moment, but the rain started falling with more enthusiasm.
“The sun’s playing hide-and-seek,” Eliana commented.
Rinan looked at his wife. “What’s that?”
“The sun’s playing hide-and-seek,” she repeated. “It’s a saying I made up as a child when the sun was out, but it was raining. You would think that the sun would be hidden by the rain.”
“Or perhaps the sunshine is so beautiful, the rain wants to be part of it,” Rinan suggested.
Raising her eyebrows, Eliana said, “The first time we came here, I accused you of not having an imagination because you couldn’t see the objects the clouds were making. It seems I was mistaken. Rinan, I do believe you have an imagination after all.”
CHAPTER 5
“I’ll do it,” King Daimh said.
Everyone in the main hall paused and looked at Queen Eliana. Her blue eyes narrowed at the king and then at his father, Councilor Abrecan. This wasn’t the first time Daimh had volunteered to do something that would make him the center of attention.
After a moment, she said, “All right. Take the bowl to the king so he can pull the name.”
Priest Sherwyn looked into the large crystal bowl that held seven folded pieces of paper. On each was written the name of a different district. Bowing to the queen, Sherwyn crossed the short distance between the two thrones and held out the bowl for King Daimh.
The king reached in and pulled out one of the papers. He unfolded it, and after silently reading what was written, he announced with a flourish to the court, “For this year’s Festival of Gratitude, the royalty will be visiting the district of Lewyol.”
The members of the court all applauded politely as Daimh put the paper back in the bowl and casually mixed up the contents.
“How fitting that Lewyol was selected,” Sherwyn said. “After all, they did put on quite a showing at the Shoginoc. It will be nice to honor them at the festival.”
Murmurs of agreement echoed in the hall.
“It’s settled then,” Eliana said. “As tradition states, we’ll leave for Lewyol before dawn tomorrow. If I’m not mistaken, we should be able to arrive there before dark.”
Priest Sherwyn nodded. “Yes, barring some unseen event, you should make it by nightfall.”
“Excellent. That will give us a few days with the good people of Lewyol before the actual festival. I look forward to seeing their surprise when we arrive.” Eliana stood and said to the court, “Thank you all. To those of you not coming with us to Lewyol, I wish everyone a safe and happy festival.”
***
A dozen horses rode in two columns down the wide road that led from the castle to the district of Lewyol. The company consisted of King Daimh, Queen Eliana, Councilors Philip, Kenrik, and Abrecan, and seven royal guardians. The king, queen, and councilors were dressed in the traditional colors of gold and blue, with heavy cloaks embroidered in highly detailed patterns. The royal guardians wore decorative chainmail armor with finely sewn tabards that prominently displayed the emblem of Bariwon. Even the horses were dressed up—the chain mail that hung just below their knees was all but covered in a thick cloth sewn in the kingdom’s colors.
The trip started with Queen Eliana and King Daimh riding side by side just behind two of the guardians, with Rinan directly behind the queen. Aside from the weekly courts that were held, this trip was the first time Eliana had been in close proximity to Daimh since their wedding. She felt awkward with him, giving short answers and not trying at all to keep the conversation flowing. Daimh seemed oblivious to Eliana’s cold shoulder and kept chatting away.
“You will, of course, be moving back into the royal chamber once our child is born,” Daimh said out of the blue.
This caught Eliana somewhat off guard. “No, I won’t,” she said simply.
Daimh cocked his head to one side. “I don’t understand.”
Eliana took a deep breath. “Has no one explained this to you, Daimh?”
“Explained what?” He still sounded confused.
Eliana looked away and straight ahead at the road in front of her. “In the Tome of Laws, it states that either a husband or wife can claim the right of separation if they have cause. They would still be married, but would live in different houses, or in our case, different chambers of the castle.”
He blinked stupidly. “And?”
She turned back to face him. “Daimh, I’ve claimed the right of separation. I can’t believe no one has told you this.”
“I still don’t understand,” he said. “I remember someone mentioning something about that, but I thought they had to be joking. Why would you want to be separated from me? What possible cause do you have?”
After taking another deep breath, Eliana said, “Daimh, I don’t love you. In fact, I hardly know you. But it is my duty to the kingdom to marry whoever wins the Shoginoc and produce an heir. So, we are married, and I am carrying the heir to the kingdom. I have fulfilled my duty.”
“But we are talking about me,” Daimh said, his face starting to get red. “Any woman in the kingdom would be a fool not to want to be with me. And what are the people in Bariwon going to think about me when they find out?”
Eliana sighed. “Daimh, there is much more to being attractive than physical looks or how people perceive you. If you can’t understand that, then you will never understand why I claimed the right of sep
aration.”
For the next few hours, neither Daimh nor Eliana said anything, though she glanced at him occasionally. He rode straight up in the saddle, staring ahead with a hard look in his eyes. She hated having to be so direct with him, but it seemed the only way to get through to him—a trait he must have gotten from his father.
After a quick break in the late afternoon, Councilor Abrecan requested that King Daimh ride with him for a while to discuss the festival. It wasn’t unusual for Daimh to be coached by his father before public events. Eliana was relieved that Abrecan had given her a reason to change traveling companions. Councilor Philip seemed glad to take King Daimh’s spot next to his granddaughter. They chatted off and on about the festival and other subjects as they rode. Although there were periods of silence between them, it was a comfortable silence, a refreshing change from when she rode with Daimh.
The entourage was still an hour or so away from the town of Lewyol, although they had passed by several villages along the way. The forest-lined road was fairly flat, with a few rolling hills breaking up the monotony. At times, the company was so quiet while they traveled that the only sound was the jingling of chain mail. The sun was just setting when a light snow started to fall, prompting Eliana to break the silence that had prevailed for the last several minutes.
“Oh, look!” She stretched out her hand and caught a few of the snowflakes as they floated down from the overcast sky. The white lasted a moment before it melted against the blue velvet of her glove. Within moments, the flakes became larger and more frequent.
“I suggest you pull up your hood.” Councilor Philip nudged his horse closer to the queen. “We wouldn’t want you getting a chill on the way to the festival.”
“You are right—I should get more bundled up. It wouldn’t be good for the baby if I were to catch cold.”
“On that subject, how are you feeling?” Philip asked.
Eliana donned her hood as she answered. “I’m doing well. Anemone tells me that in a couple of months I shouldn’t be traveling. I was a little sick to my stomach in the mornings at first, but that stopped several weeks ago. My body is showing I’m with child, and my expanding middle can be uncomfortable at times, but aside from that, I’m fine.”
Smiling at her, Philip said, “That’s wonderf—” His words were cut off as he pitched forward in his saddle. His hands lost their grip, and he slid off his horse to the ground.
Time seemed to slow down. At first, Eliana didn’t understand why her grandfather, who was an able horseman, would fall. But as she watched him slide to the ground, she saw an arrow sticking prominently out of his back.
“No!” she cried.
The sounds of more arrows slicing through the air were followed by shouts and screams of pain from the rest of the traveling party. Eliana felt strong hands grab her from behind and pull her to the ground between the two columns of horses. She panicked at first, but calmed a little when she realized it was Rinan who held her.
“Stay between the horses!” he ordered. “They’ve been trained not to panic when under attack.”
Eliana nodded, then looked around. The rest of the entourage had dismounted and stood between the horses. Three more of her traveling companions were on the ground, each with arrows in them. Two were guardians—one was trying to pull an arrow out of his shoulder, while the other wasn’t moving. In shock, she realized the other person who had been hit was her father. Abrecan and Daimh were by his side.
“Father!” she screamed and started to go to him.
Rinan grabbed her. “No! Stay here, it’s not safe. Look after your grandfather.” Crouching, Rinan worked his way back to Councilor Kenrik.
Kneeling next to her grandfather, Eliana took his head in her hands. His sightless eyes told her it was too late to help him.
Rinan returned to her side. “Your father is alive, but hurt badly. He stands a chance if we can get him into town soon. How is your grandfather?”
Blinking back tears, she looked up. “He’s gone.”
Captain Wayte’s shouting interrupted Rinan’s response. “Guardians, to arms! Here they come!”
The arrows had stopped. Peeking under the armor that covered the horses, Eliana could see men dressed in yellow and brown charging the road from the trees. Sounds from all around told her they were coming in from different directions. With all paths cut off, even if her group was to mount their horses and make a run for it, chances were they would be cut down before they got very far.
“Stay between the horses,” Rinan said again as he removed his sword from its scabbard. “If I see an opening and tell you to make a run for it, get on your horse and ride to town as fast as you can. Stay low in the saddle and don’t look back.”
Rinan stepped out from the row of horses and took several strides toward the charging men. The other five remaining guardians did the same, each in a different direction.
Eliana found herself holding her breath as the distance between the attackers and defenders closed.
***
The charging man’s face was covered in soot, his white teeth bared in a snarl as he raised his sword to attack. Holding his sword in a defensive position in front of him, Rinan assessed the situation. The man in front of him was followed by two more, several paces back. Their rivet-studded armor was made of leather, making it easier for them to move while giving up some protection. Rinan noted the vulnerable spots and steeled his resolve—he would not let any of these attackers get to Eliana. He simply would not.
When the lead attacker swung his sword at Rinan, instead of trying to stop the blade, Rinan deflected it off to the side, letting the man’s momentum carry him forward and past him. Spinning, Rinan sliced the man across his hamstring, crippling him and sending him to the ground howling in pain. Rinan completed the spin and faced the two other men charging him.
One of the onrushing men stopped in his tracks, while the other kept the charge. The second man attacked. Feigning a parry, Rinan ducked below a wild swing, then brought up an armored hand and hit his opponent hard in the throat. The man dropped his sword and reached for his neck, trying to breathe through his crushed windpipe.
The remaining foe was more cautious than the others. Smiling wickedly, he approached slowly.
“Those two were fools,” he growled. “I am not a fool. And you, guardian, are dead.” The attacker reached behind him and pulled out a dagger, the sharp edge gleaming even in the dim light of the overcast sky. With a sword in one hand and the dagger in the other, he moved in.
Avoiding jabs and thrusts, Rinan tried to get in a clean cut at his opponent. This man was more skilled than the others, and each blow Rinan made was stopped, deflected, or avoided.
The two danced in combat for several moments, neither gaining the advantage over the other. Rinan could hear the clashing of metal on metal around him, but didn’t dare take his eyes off his opponent to see how his fellow guardians were faring. He knew the longer this fight took, the more Eliana was at risk. He had to try to put an end to it quickly.
An idea struck him as he fought off the latest onslaught. He faked a thrust to the left, opening his right side to his attacker’s dagger. The move worked as the man in yellow and brown attempted to stab Rinan’s side. Anticipating the move, Rinan grabbed the wrist that held the dagger and twisted, causing the smaller blade to fall to the ground. His attacker yelped in pain and took a step back, wringing his hand free from Rinan’s grip. Pressing the attack, Rinan drove the man back further.
After regaining his bearings, the man stopped Rinan’s approach and began to counterattack. Rinan allowed a particularly strong blow to knock him off his feet. In his roll away from the man, Rinan grabbed the fallen dagger but kept it behind him as he stood. He slumped, feigning an injury. The attacker, seeming to smell an impending victory, gloated from several steps away. “Time to die,” he said.
Glaring into the man’s eyes, Rinan grimaced, and then threw his sword straight up in the air. His opponent looked puzzled as he
watched the weapon fly upward. Rinan used the distraction to throw the dagger with his other arm. It flew true to its mark, catching the man in the neck. Rinan caught his sword by the hilt on its way back down.
The man reached to pull the blade out, but the damage was done. Watching him fall to the ground, Rinan said, “I guess you can be fooled after all.”
***
Eliana sat on the ground and held her grandfather. The numbness she felt had less to do with the cold and more with what she had just witnessed. Daimh and Abrecan were hunched over her father and the other guardians who had fallen.
Part of her realized she was no longer hearing the sounds of battle. After carefully laying her grandfather down, she stood and peeked around the horse.
Captain Wayte was motioning for two of the guardians to search the nearby trees. Another of the guardians was checking the fallen attackers. Rinan was by Wayte’s side, sheathing his sword. Relief flowed over Eliana when she realized her true husband was safe.
Walking quickly back to the horses, Wayte headed to where Councilor Kenrik lay, while Rinan came over to Eliana. “Are you hurt?” they asked each other at the same time. Both shook their heads.
Eliana wanted desperately to hold Rinan, to tell him she loved him and that she was glad he was safe, but of course she couldn’t do so in front of the others.
“Let’s check on your father,” he said.
Wayte was kneeling down by the former king. The guardian’s face was as white as the snow that continued to fall around them. He looked up at the approaching queen and shook his head.
Taking a few steps forward, Rinan then said, “What happened? I saw his wound. It was serious, but we should have had time.”
Abrecan stood up and looked Rinan in the eye. “Apparently the wound was more serious than you thought. There was nothing more that could’ve been done.”
Something in Abrecan’s tone seemed off to Eliana, but she couldn’t place it. She still had not fully come to the realization that she had just lost both her grandfather and her father.
The Hidden Sun (Bariwon Chronicles Book 1) Page 6
