The Dead Falcon (The Eastern Slave Series Book 4)

by Victor Poole

  The marriage Ajalia had observed, where the man was older, and the wife much younger, had been in the fringe of the East. Her first Eastern master had had a younger brother; this was the husband. The brother had married a maid from a farm; she had been nearly twenty years his junior, but theirs, Ajalia had seen, had been a love match. The couple cherished each other, and the children, when they had come, had been some of the happiest children she had seen. Ajalia had encountered her first master's brother a few times, while she lived with her current master in the East, and he had aged gracefully. His children, when she had seen them, had been quite the nicest young people she had ever met.

  "Minna," Ajalia said to the girl, "go quickly, and send Clare and Sharo down. I have sewing work for you to do," she added, and Minna's face cleared. Minna, Ajalia saw, had been worried that she was going to be gotten rid of. It was plain that Minna knew who Ocher was, and was reluctant to enter his employ. Ajalia was sure that Minna had no inkling that Ocher was at the dragon temple to secure a wife. Minna ran up the stairs, and Leed turned a chilly eye on Ossa. Ocher was watching the girl as well.

  "Tell me what you're like," Ocher said to Ossa. Ossa's lips were working a little, and her eyebrows were drawn together.

  "Are you thinking of marrying me?" Ossa asked. Ocher smiled, but Ajalia thought that the bearded man looked uncomfortable.

  "She thinks she can find me a wife," Ocher said, hooking a thumb at Ajalia.

  "Well," Ossa said, spreading her hands a little. Ocher looked at her, and she looked at him. "How old are you?" Ossa asked. Ocher smiled, but he smoothed out his cheeks.

  "Probably too old for you," Ocher told her. Ossa grinned, and a flash came into her eyes.

  "Do you want children?" Ossa asked him. Ocher regarded her, an inscrutable look in his eyes.

  "I don't know," he admitted. "Do you?" he asked. Ossa was studying Ocher's eyes, and breathing a little more quickly. Ajalia could see the girl's chest rising and falling.

  "That depends," Ossa said cautiously.

  "Do you like me?" Ocher asked her. He propped his fists on his hips, and looked, Ajalia thought, as though he were ready to settle down to business. Ajalia looked at Ossa, and saw the girl's lips working studiously back and forth. Ossa's dark hair was pulled smoothly back from her face, and her clothes fell neatly over her full figure.

  "I like your beard," Ossa said finally.

  Sharo came down the stairs, and Clare appeared behind her. Ocher was staring hard at Ossa; when Sharo drew near, Ajalia saw that the girl had regained most of her cocky attitude. Sharo glanced easily at Ocher; she clearly knew who he was.

  "What do you want?" Sharo asked Ajalia breezily. Ajalia did not smile, but Ocher looked sternly over at the girl.

  "She is with you now?" Ocher asked Ajalia, sounding displeased.

  "I have been weeding out secrets about Tree," Ajalia told Ocher. "It seems Sharo is of some interest to the priests." Ocher made a dismissive face; his expression was reminiscent of the look Delmar had made, when he had heard the priests mentioned.

  "Were you keeping secrets for the old man?" Ocher asked Sharo. Sharo bridled a little, and looked with annoyance at Ocher.

  "Everyone seems to be treating this woman like she's important," Sharo complained, folding her arms, and glaring like a petulant child. Her eyes seemed to say that she was disappointed that no one was recognizing her importance. Ocher's nostrils flared with distaste at the young woman, who met his eyes defiantly. "I didn't keep any secrets for anyone but myself," Sharo added haughtily. "And besides," she added, glancing at Minna, who had followed Clare down the stairs, and was now drawing near, "Tree didn't have any secrets."

  "Yes he did," Minna said from behind Sharo. Minna no longer looked as though she feared Sharo; her eyes were clear, and she stood confidently in the hall of the dragon temple.

  Ajalia thought that Minna had put together for herself that Ajalia had offered employment to herself, but not to Sharo, and Minna's spirits seemed to have lifted, now that Ajalia had told her she was not going to be gotten rid of right away. Minna looked at Sharo, and then at Ocher.

  "Tree was hiding a lot of special objects," Minna told Ocher. "Coren came and took them, and Tree told him to hide them away where no one would know."

  "Isacar is bringing Coren to me," Ajalia told Ocher. She could not remember if she had said so in front of the others or not.

  "I heard," Ocher told her, "and I heard you tell him to get the things out of Coren," he added. Sharo was looking back and forth between Ajalia and Ocher, a dark line between her eyebrows. Sharo seemed to be growing thoroughly fed up with the way Ocher looked at Ajalia, and with the way Ajalia spoke.

  "Who are you?" Sharo demanded, a pout in her eyes.

  "I'm Ajalia," Ajalia said, "and I'm guessing you don't want to marry Sharo?" she asked Ocher, who snorted, and looked at Clare.

  "I'll marry you," Clare told Ocher. She went, without looking at Ajalia, and stood beside the older man. Ocher's eyes opened a little in surprise.

  "Who are you?" Ocher asked.

  "I'm Clare," Clare said, without looking up at him. She stood right next to him, her shoulders facing the same way that his did. Ocher turned to look at her, and she remained still, looking at the wall. Her cheeks flushed slightly, but she kept her expression still.

  Ajalia watched Clare closely. She had seen little of the girl since the night her spirit and been broken in Daila's kitchen, when Ajalia had pointed out how Clare's arms had yearned for a child. Ajalia was interested in the change in Clare. The girl seemed subdued now, and determined.

  "And why would I marry you?" Ocher asked. He looked a little taken aback by Clare's boldness. Clare glanced up, and met his eyes.

  "I can keep up with you," Clare said. The girl, whose auburn hair was gleaming in the afternoon sun that filtered through the windows of the great hall, looked briefly at Ajalia. "I lied about my age," Clare said to Ajalia. "I'm older than I said." Clare looked to the side, at Ocher, who was taking her in slowly, and she blushed. "Ajalia took me to see the Thief Lord," Clare told Ocher. "She pretended to offer me to him, to frighten me. I was being a fool," Clare said clearly. "I'm sorry," she told Ajalia. "I'm not fifteen. I'm almost twenty."

  Ajalia studied Clare, who had turned her face again towards the carved interior of the dragon temple. Ajalia had seen that Clare was more developed than the other girls, but she had thought Clare an early bloomer. The girl's face was smooth and young-looking; Ajalia was not surprised that Clare had been able to pass as a younger woman than she was.

  "Well," Ajalia said, and she felt a settling motion in her heart. "Then that is settled," she told Clare. "Are you agreeable?" she asked Ocher, who was considering Clare thoughtfully. Ocher looked over at Ajalia. Ossa, who had grown progressively more annoyed throughout this exchange, opened her mouth. "Take your things," Ajalia snapped at Ossa. Ajalia hated inopportune interruptions; she could see the very tentative burgeoning of interest growing between Clare and Ocher, like tender seedlings, and she knew that Ossa's aggressive expression showed that girl's willingness to do what she could to stomp on these tendrils of potential love. "Go in there," Ajalia told Ossa, pointing at the room where Chad and Calles's voices could be heard as low murmurs, "and keep your tongue."

  Ossa closed her mouth in an angry line, and marched away with her sewing things.

  "I would like to talk to you about this," Ocher said carefully. Ajalia saw that he was glancing at the other girls, and at Leed.

  "Leed is all right," Ajalia told him. "Go and wait with Ossa," she told Minna and Sharo. Sharo opened her mouth to argue, but the look on Ajalia's face stopped her. She turned and went with Minna into the room where Ossa waited. "Now," Ajalia said, turning to Clare and Ocher, "what do you think?"

  Ocher was still looking uneasily at Leed. Sun came slowly down the stairs. She was wearing her old plain clothes, and holding a sewing bag close.

  "I'll get rid of that one," Leed said importantly, and headed towards Sun.
Ajalia, who was tired of standing, led Ocher and Clare into the same room where she had taken Ocher the first time they'd met.

  "I want children," Clare said, before Ocher had finished settling into a chair. Clare glanced nervously at Ajalia, and her mouth was pulling a little downwards.

  "Tell me what you're thinking," Ajalia told Ocher. Ocher was sitting cautiously back in a chair, his hands folding and unfolding. He looked at Clare, and then at Ajalia.

  "I didn't think you'd find anyone," Ocher admitted. "I want Ajalia to choose me," he told Clare frankly.

  "It's too late for that," Ajalia told him again, "It would never have happened, even without Delmar." A ruddy glow grew over Ocher's brow; Ajalia thought she could see his jaw working beneath his beard.

  "But why?" Ocher asked. "You told me about your master," he put in, before Ajalia could answer, "but you still haven't given me a real reason for why I am not worthy of you. Why wouldn't you choose me?"

  Ajalia stood up, and went a little towards the door.

  "Where are you going?" Ocher demanded, his voice rising.

  "She's giving me space," Clare said, in a low voice. Ocher looked sideways at the girl.

  "I'm too old for you," Ocher told Clare, his eyes stubborn. Ajalia kept her back discreetly to the pair of them; she heard a soft rustle of clothing, and then an interesting silence. She looked out at the interior of the dragon temple, and at the sunlight that drifted over the carvings. The white stone was beginning to bear the slightest sheen of gold. Ajalia had directed her boys to clean carefully, and to gradually increase the ratio of poison tree juice that they put into their cleaning vessels.

  A comfortable rustle, and a small sigh, filled up the room behind her. Ajalia looked at the door of the room where the other girls had gone to wait with Chad and Calles, and she thought about Delmar, and of when he would come back. She heard the inaudible murmur of voices behind her, and she knew that Ocher and Clare were talking in whispers. Pretending that she had not heard this, Ajalia wandered out into the main hall, and waited. After several minutes, Ocher appeared behind her, and cleared his throat.

  "I'm going to marry Clare," he announced. "How much money does she owe?"

  Ajalia turned, and examined Ocher. Ocher met her eyes without embarrassment, though his hair was a little ruffled, and his skin was flushed. Ajalia went to the door of the room, and called to Clare. Clare appeared, and Ajalia was sure that she had been adjusting her clothing. Her hair, like Ocher's, was a little mussed.

  "I'm going to pay you for something," Ajalia told the girl. "What great service can you think of that you have performed for me lately?"

  Clare looked at Ajalia, and Ajalia saw how the girl had changed; Clare's eyes, which had only recently been mulish and angry, and then beaten and morose, glittered now with what appeared to be an iron will.

  "I know you have Card building huts in the quarries," Clare said. "I brought that opportunity to your attention," she suggested.

  "I did that deal myself," Ajalia said, "and Card takes credit for the idea. Try again."

  Clare's lips pursed, and she glanced briefly at Ocher.

  "Ossa is practicing witchcraft," Clare said, "and I'm the only one who knows."

  Ocher gave a start, and put a hand to his chest, as though he was afraid to find a spike of ugly energy there. He looked around at the door where Ossa had gone, and his eyes darkened. Ajalia was watching Clare, whose mouth was in a determined line.

  "Why didn't you tell me before?" Ajalia asked.

  "Because I didn't think you understood about witches," Clare said instantly. Her eyes went to Ocher, and Ajalia saw aggressive possession in her face; she told herself that Clare would invade Ocher's heart in a magnificent fashion. "And," Clare said, "if I'd told you before, you wouldn't have paid me for the knowledge." Clare watched Ajalia fearlessly. Ajalia smiled in spite of herself, and drew the leather purse of coins from her bag. She handed the purse of money to Clare, who hefted it, and then gave it straight back into Ajalia's hands. Ajalia put the purse of coins back into her bag.

  "Clare, you have paid your debts. She is a freed woman," Ajalia told Ocher, "and can do as she likes. You have chosen a very clever wife," Ajalia added to the bearded man, who was staring now at Clare with something like wonder in his eyes. "I told you," she added, pausing on her way towards the room where Ossa was, "that I would find you someone like me."

  Ocher met her eyes for a brief moment, and smiled. Ajalia saw that he would be good friends with her now, and that he would not ask her again to like him.

  "I would like to ask you two questions before you go," Ajalia called back to Ocher, who waved a hand at her, indicating that he would wait. Ajalia saw him cinch his arms around Clare's waist, before she turned away, and she smiled again. She thought she could hear the murmur of affectionate words, and when she glanced back from the door of the chamber where Calles waited, she saw the two of them wound up tightly in a kiss. Ajalia was smiling when she went into the room.

  Calles and Chad were sitting together in a pair of chairs, their heads close together, and their eyes bright. Calles jumped up to her feet, and smoothed the front of her clothes, when she saw Ajalia.

  "We have been waiting for you," Calles said, her face vivid with excitement. Minna, Sun, Ossa, and Sharo were in an opposite corner of the room. Sharo stood apart from the other girls, and regarded them with some scorn. Minna was standing with her hands folded, the picture of a useful girl, and Ossa was looking at her with displeasure. Sun was standing close to Ossa, and pouring a litany of quiet complaints in her ear. Sun stopped speaking, when she saw Ajalia come into the room, and she turned her eyes onto Calles, who had approached.

  "Clare has bought her freedom from me," Ajalia told Calles, who, she thought, would be interested in this news. Calles's eyebrows went up, and her lips dropped open.

  "How?" Calles asked, blank shock in her face.

  "She had something I wanted," Ajalia said, "and she sold it to me. I would like to talk to Ossa and Sun for a few moments," Ajalia said, "before you go." Calles nodded, and returned to Chad, who watched her approach with eagerly bouncing knees. Chad looked as though he were bursting with interesting things to say. As soon as Calles sat down, Chad leaned close to her, and they resumed their conversation. Ajalia was sure that they were gossiping about what had happened in the city that day. She could see Chad sending curious glances at the place where she kept her knife, and she thought she discerned the words, "I carried it for her once," coming quietly from him. Ajalia realized that Chad would now enjoy a measure of celebrity in the city of Slavithe, as he had been in her service nearly from the beginning of her stay, and could relay much gossip about her personal habits and dealings in Slavithe. She didn't mind being talked about, as long as Chad was sensible enough to leave most sensitive details alone. She had heard Chad gossip before, and his stories and speeches generally revolved around his own involvement in interesting events. She had not heard him be malicious, or indiscreet, which, she thought, was a wonder, when his usually muddled brain was taken into account. He would repeat several times over that he had known Ajalia before anyone else, and that she had been interested in his family, and offered him a job. He would boast that he had seen and carried her knife, and say that he had been the first man she had hired when she had come into Slavithe. Ajalia felt that Chad would do more good than harm, in spreading stories about himself, in connection with her, to his circle of acquaintances in the city.

  Ajalia drew Sun and Ossa towards a window that was laid into the wall of the room, and she turned a stern eye onto Ossa, who watched her calmly.

  "Clare is going to marry Ocher," Ajalia told the two girls. Sun's eyes widened, and then her mouth squeezed up into an annoyed knot. It was my idea first to get married, Sun's expression said clearly, but she said nothing.

  "I would be a far better wife," Ossa said quietly, her eyes fixed steadily on Ajalia.

  "Why?" Ajalia asked her.

  "Because I am steady, and
calm," Ossa told her. Ajalia reached for the cords of magic that lay in the sky outside; the afternoon sun was gradually sinking towards the evening. Ajalia wondered if Calles's husband and children had missed her by now.

  "Do you think that a man of Ocher's age and situation requires watching," Ajalia asked her, "as if he were a child?" Ossa's lips tightened a little, but her gaze did not falter. Ajalia twisted the cords of light from the sky in her hands, and drew up a shimmering golden cord from below her feet.

  "I think that a man of Ocher's age does not know what he wants," Ossa said. Ajalia, when she held the lights ready in her hands, examined Ossa's soul. The girl was made up of a dark green. Ajalia rifled quickly through Ossa's colors, looking for dark places, or ugly shadows. Ossa's green was much darker than the other colors Ajalia had encountered thus far; the girl reminded her a little of Salla, the witch who had given her the slim leather book before she had died.

  "Who else knows what you are?" Ajalia asked Ossa. Ossa looked quickly at Sun, and then back at Ajalia. She looked, for a moment, as though she did not know what to say.

  "I don't know what you mean," Ossa said carefully. Ajalia put a twist of gold light around Ossa's soul, just above her ribs, and the girl's eyes grew large. Ossa put a hand to her heart. "What are you doing?" Ossa whispered, looking over at Chad and Calles, and then over at Sun.

  "Who has been teaching you?" Ajalia asked. Sun was watching this scene with rapt attention; she was gazing at Ajalia, open-mouthed, and her eyes turned often, as if drawn with an irresistible force, towards Ossa. Ossa looked as though she wanted to sink down into the floor, but she kept her eyes steady, and still.