The Raven Tower

by Emma Miles

  ‘I don’t think I could ever fit in here.’ Kesta threw herself into a chair.

  Rosa took in a deep breath and then sat down beside her. ‘Queen Ayline looks out for her ladies; young as she is. However, Thane Jorrun usually only comes to Taurmaline once a month if that. My Lady … Queen Ayline has agreed to allow me to go with you to the Raven Tower as your companion until you’re settled. That is if you would like my company?’

  Kesta looked at the older woman feeling overwhelmed and struggled hard not to show any weakness. ‘That is a kind offer, but you don’t have to come.’

  ‘I want to.’ Rosa glanced at her and then picked up one of the books. ‘Would you like me to read to you while you try some carving?’

  ‘I would like that very much.’

  * * *

  Rosa walked behind her and her father as they went down to the main hall for dinner. As before, King Bractius greeted them and Rosa slipped away to sit at one of the lower tables. Jorrun stood politely as she was seated but she avoided looking at him. For a while she made polite conversation with the king and queen and her father, but they were interrupted several times by Thanes and Jarls of the nearby strongholds of Elden who had been summoned to Taurmaline.

  ‘I hear you were down in the city today.’

  She started as the Dark Man spoke beside her. She glanced at him but refused to reply.

  ‘We will not be able to take the pony with us on the ship.’

  ‘I’m sure your man is resourceful enough to get her to the tower.’

  ‘You do know that Tantony is a Merkis? He is the leader of my warriors and runs my stronghold for me.’

  ‘I wouldn’t care if he was king of all the world,’ she retorted.

  ‘No, I don’t think you would.’

  She looked up at him, but his focus was somewhere across the room. Instead she turned to Bractius.

  ‘Your majesty, I must ask that you do not invite me to dine with you tomorrow night. I need to spend the time alone and would not wish to offend you by declining an invitation.’

  The king’s eyebrows went up, his eyes widened, and then slowly narrowed, but he nodded. ‘Of course, it’s your prerogative. This … must seem a very busy place compared to the islands.’

  ‘It is indeed. You have had no word?’

  ‘If I had I would have informed your father at once; of that I promise.’

  She nodded and turned back to her plate, willing the king to finish his food and retire so that she could be released.

  * * *

  When she returned to the refuge of her room, she went straight to the window but could see nothing on this moonless night. Not a single star shone through the thick cloud. She knew that she shouldn’t even try but as alone and desperate as she felt she couldn’t resist the temptation to walk. She turned to the candles on the table and flexing the muscle within her skull and between her eyes she slipped her consciousness into the fire, focusing on her far away and beloved home. The pain that hit her knocked her backward and off her chair, smacking her head hard against the floor. She managed to roll over onto her hands and knees and drag herself onto the bed. A tear tickled her cheek, and she tried to ignore the nausea in her stomach. One more day and then her life would no longer be hers. Only one more day.

  She woke slowly; becoming aware of Rosa moving about the room. She’d opened the shutters and cool air breezed in with the scent of recent rain. She could smell porridge and sweet fennel tea and despite the throbbing of her head, hunger began to stir.

  She sat up groggily and tried to get her mouth to work.

  ‘Good morning, Rosa.’

  ‘Oh, good morning, my Lady. I hope I didn’t wake you?’ She quickly fetched a dressing robe and helped Kesta into it.

  ‘No, not at all. Is it late? I don’t want to waste the day.’ She looked out the window and saw that the sun was trying to peer between fast-moving clouds.

  ‘It’s early yet.’ Rosa poured her some tea and after offering a pot of honey, sat to finish her own. ‘I found that Tantony lurking about at the foot of the stairs. He says he’s sent a man with your pony on ahead to the Raven Tower. I’ve asked the kitchens to put a lunch together for us, so we can walk further out today. They can spare us a boy to carry it.’

  ‘Why bother with a boy when we have a Merkis Tantony.’ Kesta grinned.

  Rosa tried to look concerned, but she couldn’t help laughing. ‘I’m not sure he’ll put up with that.’

  ‘He will if he wants to come with us.’

  ‘Before we go, can I take some more measurements? I’ll quickly pop down to the seamstress and be back within an hour.’

  Kesta sighed and looked down into her cup. ‘I know you’re right and I should show some dignity, but it goes against my nature to go along with this meekly.’

  Rosa snorted. ‘My Lady, from what I’ve seen you do nothing meekly! I’m sure Thane Jorrun is well aware of your feelings on the matter. I wonder …’ She stopped herself and her eyes widened.

  ‘No, go on,’ Kesta reassured her.

  ‘It makes me wonder what the king and Thane are truly planning,’ she said carefully. ‘The queen and her ladies are speculating that it must be the magic of the Fulmers that prompted their bargain for aid.’

  ‘Because spirits know why any man would want to take on a demon-eyed harridan like me.’ Kesta finished sourly.

  ‘I think your eyes are amazing.’ There was a hint of hurt in the older woman’s tone. ‘And I love that you’re not afraid to show how you feel.’

  ‘Well that’s something I could never be accused of.’ Kesta smiled wryly. ‘I think it’s safe to say that Thane Jorrun didn’t choose to take me on for my diplomatic skills. Come on, let’s get these measurements done before I think about it too much and change my mind.’

  ***

  Rosa hadn’t yet returned when her father knocked urgently at the door. He stood looking at Kesta awkwardly for a while until finally, feeling sorry for him, she relented and stepped forward to hug him.

  ‘Any news?’ she asked.

  ‘Nothing.’ He shook his head and Kesta noted the dark circles around his eyes. ‘Although the Dark Man says there has been no further attack on the Fulmers.’

  ‘You have seen him today?’

  ‘I met him and the king early to discuss our plans for the defence of the islands. You know, King Bractius is more astute than I first gave him credit for. They’re just dealing with a merchant who is making a complaint, so I thought I’d pop up to see if you wanted to join us? I would value your input.’

  Kesta hesitated. Ordinarily she would have jumped at the chance to be involved; however, she’d been looking forward to spending her last day of freedom out in the open with Rosa. Her father frowned at her in confusion.

  ‘I had made plans for today …’

  Her father’s smile faded, and she held back her desire to use her knowing on him to see how he was coping with their situation. Respecting a person’s privacy was an important part of being a walker and sometimes it didn’t pay to look too closely at what a person truly felt about you. Her father’s anger and grief weren’t things she could face at the moment, anyway. Guilt squirmed inside her belly, there wasn’t much time left to spend with him, but the thought of having to speak with the Dark Man made up her mind.

  ‘I’m so sorry, but I really need to be outside.’

  He nodded and sighed. ‘I understand.’

  ‘Let me walk down with you.’ She took his arm, and they made their way down toward the main hall.

  Rosa was waiting outside, and she had to stop herself from laughing out loud when she saw that Merkis Tantony was carrying a large basket; the face he pulled would make anyone believe it was full of dung. Kesta kissed her father’s cheek.

  ‘May I call on you this evening before I go to dinner?’ her father asked.

  ‘Of course!’ Kesta forced a smile but couldn’t meet his eyes. She turned to Rosa and Tantony. ‘Are you ready?’

  ‘Y
es!’ Rosa replied enthusiastically.

  ‘I don’t see why we can’t take a servant,’ Tantony muttered as he followed them.

  They followed the same route as the day before down through the city to the Forest Gate. Rosa pointed out some of the traders, telling Kesta which ones were reliable, who charged too much, and which sold the best goods. Tantony trailed behind them and they ignored the occasional snort he made when he disagreed with something Rosa said.

  The sky was a little overcast still as they skirted the lake but by the time they decided to sit and eat, patches of sunlight were breaking through. Rosa flicked out the blanket they’d brought and laid out the food. As Rosa described each dish, Kesta was surprised at how much had been packed and delighted that, other than a selection of sliced cold meats, it was all things she could eat. Rosa pulled out a flagon of wine and three small pewter chalices. Kesta looked up at the hovering Merkis to see his reaction as Rosa handed him some wine.

  ‘Thank you for thinking of me.’ He gave a small bow.

  Kesta picked up a strange shaped parcel of batter and biting into it found it was a pleasant mixture of cheese and vegetables; the batter itself was slightly spicy.

  ‘So how long have you been at court?’ Kesta asked Rosa to make conversation.

  ‘Thirty years.’ Rosa winced. ‘I was eight when I was sent to court to serve the old queen. I am the second daughter of a minor noble; one who had not managed to retain his fortune. I was of little value as a wife as things stood and a burden on my father’s limited resources. Queen Myrtle agreed to take me on as a lady-in-waiting as she had a fondness for children. She taught me much, and I learnt to make myself indispensable.’ Her shoulders rose as she took in a deep breath. ‘When Myrtle died, the king dismissed most of the ladies back to their families but some of us were allowed to remain at court to help run the household and see to the things the king didn’t want to have to bother with. When the new queen came to Taurmaline, she arranged to bring in her own ladies. There are only two of us left that once served Queen Myrtle, the rest have been married off to widowers who valued a woman who can run a household over the attractiveness of youth.’

  Kesta looked at her and wondered how lonely her life must have been in a court of young women; always worrying if she’d be sent away or sold off to some man. No wonder she felt so much sympathy for her and was willing to travel with her to the Raven Tower.

  Kesta glanced up at Tantony and saw that he was regarding Rosa intently.

  ‘And what of you, Merkis?’ she demanded. ‘Don’t just stand there blocking out the sun; have some food and tell us how long you’ve been at the Raven Tower.’

  ‘Well.’ He knelt awkwardly and Kesta saw that the position caused him pain. ‘I was a Hirsir commanding a hundred men for King Dregden. Eight years ago, I was injured in a Borrowman raid and it took me a long time to recover.’ He tore a hunk of bread in half and layered meat on it but Kesta could tell that he was hiding his discomfort at telling them of his weakness. ‘I was awarded the position of Merkis for my services and sent to Northold – the Raven Tower – to command there on the king’s behalf.’

  ‘So, you were not originally Thane Jorrun’s man?’ Kesta asked in surprise.

  ‘No.’ Tantony’s expression became guarded. ‘He was given the Raven Tower at Northold when Thane Ragfin was killed alongside the king.’

  Kesta wanted desperately to ask more but part of her was afraid of the answer and she got the impression that the Merkis didn’t want to speak about his Thane. Her heart gave a jolt when Rosa asked for her.

  ‘Is he a hard man to command under?’

  Tantony continued to chew his bread and stared off into the distance. ‘He is a very private man. If things run smoothly, he’s happy to leave us to it; he doesn’t tolerate deception, theft, or fighting. When he first came to the stronghold, he sent away several servants and some of the warriors. One man he killed outright for something he heard he’d done. He is … a cold man; but strangely easy to be loyal to.’

  They sat – and in Tantony’s case stood – in silence eating the food although Kesta had lost much of her appetite. She gazed out at the lake where small boats lifted and dipped on the wind-stirred water. She’d lived all her life surrounded by the sea; her life tied to the rhythm of its tides. The lake didn’t smell the same; it smelt of mud and rotting leaves.

  ‘Oh, ma’am.’ Tantony turned to her. ‘I arranged for some of my warriors to go ahead to the Tower and they are taking your pony with them. The farrier was happy for it to travel.’

  ‘Thank you.’ She shook herself out of her melancholy and smiled at the Merkis.

  ‘Do you know the history of the Raven Tower?’ Rosa asked her, perking up as well.

  ‘No, I have never heard it,’ Kesta admitted.

  ‘It started life as a village and then grew to a stronghold.’ Rosa poured them all some more wine. ‘Many, many years ago the Thane of that stronghold was called Dagcarr. He was a great warrior, of course, and had not only driven off many raids from the Borrows but had led raids against them. It was even said that he’d led a successful raid along the coast of Chem. The king honoured him by making him a Merkis and then a Hersir of his warriors. The king had three daughters and the youngest of them had hair the colour of butter and eyes like a summer sky. Asta was only fifteen when Dagcarr persuaded the king to let him have her for his wife. Dagcarr was a very jealous man, and he didn’t like his young and cheerful bride talking to other men. He killed one of his own warriors when he caught him gazing after her. It was he who commanded the building of the Tower to keep Asta locked away. For years she was kept there alone with only Dagcarr allowed to enter the Tower. The only other company Asta had were the ravens that came to settle in the rafters.

  ‘The confinement turned Asta mad and one day she threw herself off the Tower. The king accused Dagcarr of causing her death and sent his warriors to slay him. Since that day they say that Asta’s ghost haunts the Raven Tower and Dagcarr haunts the strongold. Allegedly the ravens still cry both their names.’

  ‘Is that true?’ Kesta demanded.

  Tantony laughed out loud; it was a warm, deep sound. ‘No, it’s not true. The Tower was built purely for military purposes. The stronghold where the Raven Tower stands is actually called the Northold. It was a defensive position chosen to protect Taurmaline from invaders who might follow the river south. The Tower was built to overlook the forest and give a better view of the lake and the land all around. There was indeed a Thane Dagcarr who was Hasir to the king; he actually kidnaped the king’s daughter after the king refused to let him have her. Dagcarr had designs of his own to become a Jarl and be elected king himself; as in the old ways. The king and his warriors pursued him and killed Dagcarr and all his warriors. They were too late to save the girl; she’d killed herself with a dagger rather than submit to Dagcarr.

  ‘The Northold does have some dark history; but there are no ghosts, my lady.’

  ‘Thank you, Merkis.’ She looked at the man’s weathered face more closely. His nose was a little crooked as though it had been broken and badly set, scars across one side of his jaw made his short grey beard uneven; but if you looked beyond his rough appearance, there was kindness in his grey eyes. She felt guilty that she’d sought to make things difficult for him, but she wasn’t about to admit it. ‘But I hope I am not expected to live locked away in that Tower; because I won’t put up with that!’

  ‘No one is allowed in the Raven Tower but Thane Jorrun.’ Tantony’s eyes went hard, like flint. ‘Not even the servants can go in. My warriors carry instructions from Thane Jorrun to prepare the best room in what we call the Ivy Tower in the main stronghold for you. It’s a nice room that gets much light.’

  She looked down at her hands; trying to force away the rush of emotion as she pictured a cold stone room in an isolated forest stronghold full of strangers.

  ‘Have you tried the hazel cake there?’ Rosa reached over and squeezed her hand. ‘It is made with
mead and one of my favourite things.’

  ‘I’ll try it.’ Kesta nodded and took in a deep breath.

  ***

  They stayed until the sun began to make long shadows and the clouds began to cluster in gloomy knots. They packed away the remnants of their food and the three of them walked side by side back to the Forest Gate. The plaza was busy with stalls closing and people making their way home or looking for bargains among what was left of the now not so fresh foods. Merkis Tantony went ahead of them to push a path through the diminishing rush of people and back to the kitchen courtyard.

  ‘Ladies.’ Tantony gave a low bow. ‘I have a quick errand to run and then I’ll be back to lurk in the corridors.’

  His face remained perfectly serious but Kesta knew him well enough now to recognise that he was being humorous.

  ‘Well, we will be sure not to let ourselves be attacked or try to run away before you return.’

  ‘I would be most grateful.’ He turned and stalked rapidly away, the slightest of hitches in his gait.

  ‘What would you like to do this evening?’ Rosa asked cautiously as they made their way up the stairs to the castle guest rooms. ‘Did you want my company, or do you want to be on your own? We … could join the queen and her ladies if you wanted.’

  ‘I imagine it would be a good idea for me to make friends and allies here in Taurmaline.’ Kesta sighed. ‘But I really can’t be doing with small talk and trying to be sociable; not tonight. I would be happy if you did stay and read to me for a while and maybe we could take dinner in my room?’

  ‘I would be happy to.’ Rosa turned to smile at her. ‘I have a couple of errands myself that I must see to, so I’ll pop to the kitchens on the way past to make arrangements. Shall I see if your father is about and let him know you’ve returned?’

  ‘Yes; thank you.’

  Kesta barely had time to build up the fire in the grate and take off her cloak before her father knocked and came in. He strode straight to her and gave her a hug that lifted her off her feet. He smelt of old leather, wood smoke, and the herbs of the cleansing scrub her mother made. She clung to him as she hadn’t since she was a child and when he let her go, he turned to hide the glistening in his eyes.