Ra-khir spoke his piece, "A bit too directly, though, Captain, don't you think?"
Kedrin laughed. "Maybe. But this was Saviar's first judgment, and he handled it very well. Had this been a test, he would have passed."
"Yes." Ra-khir's tone remained flat. "Had it been."
Saviar remained as quiet as possible, certain he had no direct role in this discussion, even though he was the subject of it. The two older men had always seemed perfect friends as well as father and son, closely allied in word, thought, and deed. He had never heard them argue.
Kedrin went straight to the point, "What's bothering you, Ra-khir?"
Ra-khir considered his reply. Behind him, Saviar saw the stiffening of his back and shoulders while he thought. Then, Ra-khir spoke with measured caution, the hostility leaving his tone. "Are we talking captain to subordinate? Or father to son?"
Kedrin reined his mount directly beside Silver Warrior, and they walked along in tandem. "Father and son, then?"
"Fine." Ra-khir continued to look straight forward, toward the mountains that defined the city of Bearn. "Papa, with all due respect, I don't wish to talk about it now."
"Ah." A smile played across Kedrin's lips, and he winked at Saviar. "Then, perhaps, Sir Ra-khir, we had best go the captain to subordinate route."
Ra-khir finally turned his gaze to Kedrin, and his posture further stiffened. Saviar wished he could see his father's expression. "Captain, with all due respect, I don't find this subject appropriate for children."
Kedrin threw glances in every direction. "And I, Sir Ra-khir, don't see any children."
"Saviar-"
Kedrin interrupted, a rudeness he rarely indulged in."-is of age, Sir Ra-khir."
"Not by the tenets of his own people."
Saviar bit his lip and scowled. The reminder hurt.
"We," Kedrin said with clear warning, "are not Renshai. By our standards, and those of the kingdoms we serve, Saviar is a man."
Ra-khir did not argue. Not only was Kedrin's point undeniable truth, it would gain him nothing. "Yes, sir. But I don't feel this is a topic appropriate to discuss in his presence."
"I want to hear it," Saviar blurted out, immediately cursing himself for the indiscretion. His best strategy was to remain silent. Better to look the fool, an old Erythanian proverb stated, then speak foolishly. He tried to fix the damage. "If it involves me, I should know."
Kedrin inclined his head toward Saviar without losing the rakish angle of his hat. "The young man has a point, has he not?"
Ra-khir's words emerged stilted, clearly spoken through gritted teeth. "It is not always in a man's best interests, Captain, to know every word spoken about him."
Saviar no longer thought it best to keep quiet. He knew he could gain the advantage with appropriate outrage. "You mean you're going to speak ill of me? My own father?"
"No, no," Ra-khir cringed, half-turning in his saddle. "Saviar, I wouldn't ever speak ill of you. There is nothing ill to speak. You're a boy…" He amended, "A man of great talent and caring nature. I am proud of you every moment of every day."
Saviar hammered the point home. "Then why can't you speak freely in front of me?"
Cornered, Ra-khir groaned politely. "Very well, Saviar. Captain." His shoulders slumped ever so slightly, as if he wanted to collapse but could not because it might belittle the uniform of the Knights of Erythane. "I just feel Saviar gets enough pressure from his mother without us adding to his burden."
Kedrin urged gently, "What do you mean?"
"I mean she's always after him to perform his best, rain or shine, day or night, well or sick."
"What's wrong with that, Sir Ra-khir?"
It was not the question Saviar expected. He stared at his grandfather, who presented him with another wink.
"Nothing, in theory, Captain. But it's a lot of stress for a child, especially when he's always getting compared with a brother who has the-" Ra-khir stopped with an uncomfortable suddenness. "-who has a unique amount of… uncanny… natural… ability."
"It is the life you chose for him, Ra-khir."
Saviar mulled his grandfather's words, his brow knitting. They seemed to hold an inordinate meaning for the knights that he did not understand. He supposed it referred to his father's decision to marry a Renshai, yet Ra-khir's prolonged hush made it appear to carry even more weight.
"Yes," Ra-khir finally said. "And I knew there would be times when I regretted it. Yet…" Now he gave Kedrin his full attention. "… I don't think, Captain, that we should add to the boy's…" Again, he corrected himself, "… the young man's burden by expecting him to mimic the accomplishments of an immortal."
"Ah."
"Especially Colbey Calistinsson, who didn't even undergo the intensive training of the Knights of Erythane, in addition to those of the Renshai."
"Do you think he couldn't have?"
"I don't know, Captain. I doubt he would have spared the time; but that's not my point." Ra-khir dropped a hand from the reins to smooth the fabric of his knight's tunic. "I just think we should allow Saviar to relax on the rare occasions we manage to pry him off the Fields of Wrath."
Kedrin chuckled.
The sound seemed so out of place, Saviar jerked his attention fully to the Knight-Captain.
Ra-khir tensed again, looking askance at his father. "Did I say something amusing, Captain?"
"Indeed, Sir Ra-khir. Did you think a journey to console the siblings of a lost young prince could be seen as a pleasure outing?"
Saviar saw the grim humor in the situation, and he knew Ra-khir must, too.
"Well, no, Captain," Ra-khir admitted. "There is that aspect of the trip. But I rather thought… I mean I wanted…" He seemed unable to complete the thought.
So Kedrin helped him. "We can learn from every experience, no matter how small. Don't you want the chance to guide your son on different paths than just the one his mother chose for him? You lose that if you decide only to play with him, to avoid the difficult events and discussions in his presence."
Saviar realized the conversation had progressed to levels he did not quite understand. The words conjured only images of Tae's relationship with Subikahn. In his youth, Saviar had envied the playfulness of his twin's father, how Tae had turned every interaction with the boys into a merry game. In the Eastlands, they had had no worries, no responsibilities. If anything negative ever happened in that kingdom, the twins remained blissfully ignorant. Tae seemed steadfast in assuring that nothing of import ever troubled his only son, nothing disagreeable ever marred their perfect bond. Now, Saviar eagerly awaited Ra-khir's response; but, when it came, it surprised him.
"This isn't about me and Saviar anymore, is it, Captain?"
Saviar's muscles locked in spasm. They read my mind.
Kedrin, too, looked taken aback momentarily, then smiled. "I suppose there is a bit else mixed in there, Ra-khir. We are a product of our experiences, no matter how hard we try to escape them."
His grandfather's words cued Saviar to the realization that they were referring not to Tae, but to Ra-khir's clownish stepfather.
"Biased or not, my point is still valid," Kedrin insisted. "Every life experience changes us. Why shouldn't I want the best for my grandsons?"
"You should, Captain." Ra-khir continued to emphasize the knightly relationship long after they had already reverted to a father/ son conversation. "But is overburdening him with options and decisions really 'best'?"
Saviar felt the need to cut in. "I'm not overburdened. I want to know what it's like to be a Knight of Erythane in training."
"Did you like it," Ra-khir said stiffly, "when your grandfather asked you to make a judgment in the king's place?"
Saviar flushed, then told the truth. "It scared me to death." He added quickly, "But I'm used to getting put in difficult situations, and I felt great when I realized I actually… handled it…" He turned to doubtful questioning. "… all right? Didn't I?"
Kedrin reassured. "You handled it v
ery well. In fact, you demonstrate an impressive natural kindness, empathy, and sense of fairness. You have great potential for knighthood."
Ra-khir's stiffness became so intense it looked painful. He might gainsay his father but never his captain. "Please, Captain. Don't encourage him."
"Why not?" Saviar and Kedrin said in tandem, though the knight tacked on a "Sir Ra-khir."
Ra-khir sighed deeply, then shook his head. He drew breath, and Saviar awaited a lecture. Surely, his father would remind him how exhausting Renshai or knight training was on its own, how few managed either. He would have to pass his Renshai testing before he could even consider becoming a knight-in-training, and none of his Renshai peers could possibly understand why he would attempt both. They would tease him viciously; and even the knight-apprentices might ostracize him.
But Ra-khir did not lecture; he did not need to. "You say I'll understand when I'm a grandfather? I'll truly understand?"
Kedrin only laughed.
CHAPTER 7
Babies are born innocent, without preconceived notions or prejudice. They have only needs. They love the ones who satisfy their needs, their parents. Blood does not become significant until their minds become warped by societal bigotry.
-Sir Ra-khir Kedrin's son
Dewcoated the hedge of prickles, the sawgrass, and the random array of rocks and twigs that littered the central courtyard of the king's palace in Stalmize. Prince Subikahn leaped and danced through obstacles that made the gardeners shudder every time they had to tend the area. His sword cut bold arcs through the air, leaving a wake of flashing silver. Silently, his torke, Talamir, watched every movement, his expression unreadable.
Subikahn drove into the last maneuver, his sword low, his legs flexed. Silky black hair spilled into eyes nearly as dark, with just a hint of his mother's blue. The sword made a shining contrast against the deep olive of his skin. He held the position for what seemed like forever, waiting for his torke to speak.
"Beautiful," Talamir finally said.
"Thank you." Subikahn slammed his sword back into its sheath. "Now what did you think of my svergelse?"
Talamir laughed. "You did a fine job, Kahn. You'll definitely pass."
"You're sure?" Though he knew he had performed well for several months now, Subikahn still worried about his manhood testing.
"No doubt. They'll pass you."
A man. The words sounded wonderful from the mouth of one who would certainly know. "You're not just saying that because-"
Talamir interrupted, his tone gaining a note of irritation, "I would never say something that important just to please anyone. You know that."
"Of course. I'm sorry." Subikahn could not stop grinning. "I didn't mean to impugn your character. I'm just so excited." Suddenly seized by the desire to share, he raced toward the gate. "Let's tell my papa. Everything."
"Everything?"Talamir scurried after his student. "Subikahn, wait. What exactly do you mean by everything?"
"I mean everything." Subikahn tripped the latch and yanked on the heavy portal. "He's a wonderful man who deserves to share my every delight. The most understanding father in the world will find joy in whatever makes me happy."
"I'm not so sure," Talamir said, his soft reply lost beneath the squeal of massive hinges. Closing his eyes, he followed Subikahn into the castle.
Sunlight glinted from bits of quartz and mica in the mortared stone construction of Stalmize Castle. King Tae Kahn clung like a spider to the courtyard wall, directly below the library window. Above him, his constant feline companion, Imorelda, watched him through the window, tail twitching daintily, her paws tucked calmly beneath her.*You have a visitor,* she said in the mental voice only he could hear. *Who's there?* he sent back. *Not here. Down there.* The silver tabby glanced past him to the ground, five stories below.
Tae followed the animal's gaze to a plump maid arranging blankets on the ground beneath him. Alneezah. He knew her at once, from her actions alone, and he could not help smiling. The servants had grown used to their king's strange antics. The son of a crime lord who had survived his youth by his wits, quickness, and wiles, he suffered from a restless need to know the location of every exit and to practice using them on a daily basis.
Tae's guards and butlers had requested the right to cushion the entire base of the castle, in case their king lost rooftop footing or a grip on a window, niche, or ledge. Afraid to lose his edge, Tae had dismissed their requests as unnecessary. Still, Alneezah always found an excuse to keep Tae safer. She also knew Imorelda's favorite treats and somehow always had them on hand for chance meetings in the corridors.
"What are you doing down there?" Tae called to the maid.
Alneezah did not bother to look up, though she did grant the king a respectful curtsy. Tae hated formality, but his advisers assured him of the necessity. Without it, they told him, he could not command the respect required to run a single country, let alone the entire Eastlands. "I'm airing out some quilts,Your Majesty."
"In the central courtyard?"
"Yes, Sire."
"On the ground?"
Alneezah finally glanced up. Though not traditionally beautiful, her features were becoming in their own way. Shiny black hair fell in waves past her shoulders, hiding her ears, and bangs eclipsed her gentle, brown eyes. The pink circles of her cheeks gave her a look of constant coyness, and her small nose seemed to disappear above full, heart-shaped lips. "Yes, Sire. On the ground."
"Directly beneath my dirty feet."
Alneezah bit back a smile. "Oh, I hope they're not dirty, Your Majesty. Some dignitary may wish to kiss them."
Caught off guard by the unabashed banter, Tae had no retort. *She's good.You should marry her.*
Tae felt his cheeks warm. When Kevral had chosen Ra-khir as her husband, she had devastated Tae. It was not that he had expected anything different. At that time, Ra-khir had everything he did not: striking good looks, impeccable honor, and a romanticism Tae could only watch and envy. Also, Ra-khir had just single-handedly gone to war against the entire country of Pudar to win Kevral back from their custody. Since then, Tae had devoted himself entirely to their son and never considered courting another woman.
Not that Tae had had no opportunities. The lesser kings of many countries had offered their daughters to him, and nearly every unattached woman in his own kingdom batted her eyes and giggled around him. He had a trove of barren concubines who happily shared his bed to satisfy their urges as well as his own. But, his deep love, and most of his attention went solely to his son; and only Imorelda consumed as much of his time. He had brought the boy into the world and swore to any gods that might exist that he would do a far better job raising Subikahn than his father had done with Tae.
Tae reached for any excuse to silence the cat.*Alneezah? She's too young for me.* *She's nearly thirty. You're thirty-seven.* Imorelda rose casually to poke her furry head out the window. Shed hairs swirled through the sunbeams, making her appear to grow an unearthly halo.*Close enough.*
Tae ignored the animal to call down to the maid again. "You don't need to protect me, you know." His toes wedged into comfortable ledges in the mortar, and his fingers looped around irregularities in the stone.
Alneezah continued spreading blankets as if Tae had never interrupted. "Who said anything about protecting you,Your Majesty? You have two competent guard forces for that."
It was true. In addition to the main army, his father commanded an elite group of men. Organized criminals, they penetrated every area of the world with ease and acted on information with a swift efficiency the guards would not dare to emulate. Though no one other than Tae knew it, Imorelda acted as a third line of defense. Only four other people in the world would even believe he could communicate with a cat. Queen Matrinka had had a similar relationship with Imorelda's mother, Mior, and only Darris, Kevral, and Ra-khir knew about it. All three of them, as well as Tae, had needed serious convincing despite trusting Matrinka implicitly. Eventually, Tae's uncanny kn
ack for languages had allowed him to communicate with Mior also and, later, with the kitten she had gifted to him. Few humans seemed able to resist Imorelda's charm, and they all spoke openly in her presence. *She's cagey and cheeky. Qualities I adore.* *Then you marry her.* Tae shifted fingers that had begun to cramp.*Most humans look upon those as character flaws, not qualities.* *Most humans wouldn't know quality if it scratched their eyes out and batted them around the floor.* *An interesting turn of phrase.*
Imorelda sat on the window seat and licked one gray paw.*Yes, isn't it? I made it up myself.* *I would never have guessed.*
Imorelda stopped her bath suddenly, and her head disappeared from the window.*Subikahn's here.* Her face returned, her little black nose crinkled.*And that yellow-furred one who always smells like metal and oil.*
By "yellow," Tae knew she meant blond. She always identified humans by the color of their hair, which she interchangeably referred to as "manes" or "fur."*You mean the Renshai.Talamir?* *Yes, that one.They're looking for you.*
Tae skittered back up the wall to the window ledge.
Imorelda yawned and stretched before moseying out of Tae's way and allowing him to duck inside.
"Ah, there you are, Papa." Subikahn showed no surprise at finding the king of Stalmize dangling out of a tower window. His thin black hair was disheveled, like his father's always was, his cheeks still pinkish from exertion. His olive skin always seemed darker in the presence of his pale Renshai torke. Subikahn's lips held a smile that seemed permanently glued there, while the Renshai looked more nervous than excited. He shifted from foot to foot, his hands hovering above his swords. He would not touch a weapon in the king's presence, but he seemed incapable of putting his hands calmly at his sides.
Tae spun toward them on the window seat, preparing to dismount; but Imorelda stomped into his lap before he could drop his feet to the floor. Effectively trapped, he sat. "Hello, Subikahn." He nodded toward the other Renshai, "Talamir."
"Your Majesty," Talamir executed an awkward bow. "Thank you for seeing us without notice."
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