The Broken Kingdom

by Sarah Chapman

  ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I will take care of Vann. But I cannot… I cannot lead the gemengs. They will not follow me.’

  ‘Karesh, you didn’t think you could be my second in command. You have exceeded all my expectations. If the time comes you have to take my place, I know you can do it.’ she paused again. ‘It’s a lot to ask, Karesh. So if you don’t want to, I will understand. But just know I trust you and I believe in you. So if you choose not to take my place, don’t let it be because you don’t think you can.’

  Karesh fell silent.

  ‘That’s all. You may go.’

  Andalla’s garden seemed to get worse the more Riley visited it. She trailed after Andalla and Ralana, a cloud of Andallites following.

  She was distraught, distracted. She was not the type to dwell, she had never spent much time thinking of what ifs and might have beens, but her declining health was like quicksand. Aerlid had told her thirty to forty years. But she was failing now, so would she spend the next ten or more years in a slow decline? Would she watch as her body failed, as the simplest tasks became impossible? And how would she lead the gemengs? She couldn’t. She wondered what would be worse, the slow decline or a quick collapse. But then Adila might soon be cursing her with everlasting night.

  She was jolted out of her dark musings as she nearly ran into Andalla and Ralana, who had stopped.

  Andalla was frowning at her.

  ‘So sorry, your magnificence.’ Riley managed. She pulled herself together then. She might not have long (or perhaps she’d have too long), but she needed to get this done.

  ‘My people will take you and my beloved back to your world now.’ he said, his tone suggesting he’d had to repeat himself.

  ‘Your magnificence, I wondered if I might stay here a while with Ralana. Perhaps she could show me where she will be staying in your palace.’

  ‘You have seen my palace.’ he stated.

  Riley hesitated carefully, then she said, ‘your magnificence, there are certain things about the wedding that ought to be discussed in private.’

  ‘Oh.’ He thought about that for a moment before saying, ‘yes, of course. I imagine you’ll be very busy.’

  Riley nodded.

  ‘Very well. The Andallites will return you when you are done.’ He turned to Ralana and they said their goodbyes.

  Riley drifted away, not wishing to pay attention to this, but not wanting her mind to stray.

  Then he was gone and Ralana said, ‘I’ll show you the palace. It is most magnificent.’

  Riley nodded and followed. Once inside Riley did not speak until Ralana had shown her around a bit. She pretended to be paying very close attention. She was already more familiar with this place than she wanted to be.

  ‘So,’ Riley began, once they were in an upstairs, windowed hallway, ‘how are you planning on decorating it?’

  ‘Decorating?’ she asked, her eyes wide.

  ‘Of course. You are to be his wife. It is your duty to make a home fit for him, he’s not going to be content with you putting trees everywhere. You do know how to cook, don’t you?’

  ‘Cook?’

  ‘Of course. You have thought about this, haven’t you?’

  Ralana shook her head.

  ‘Well, at least you have time. You’ll have to make a list, you can get what you need as wedding presents.’

  ‘Oh, I don’t need presents.’

  ‘It is tradition. Come, let’s start a list.’ Riley turned to the Andallites and asked for pen and paper. On cue they presented a long, narrow roll of parchment and a quill. ‘You’ll need a carpet for this hall for starters, and some tapestries.’

  The words appeared on the parchment, the pen unused.

  ‘Vases.’ the Andallites added. ‘Candles. Lights. Curtains.’

  Riley nodded and they kept walking into the next room. ‘And for this room too of course. Couches and tables and mats,’

  ‘But there is already furniture here.’ Ralana stated.

  ‘Yes,’ Riley agreed, looking at the cloud filled room. ‘But you have to make this place your own. Perhaps a nice dinner set. You’ll need cooking wear, and perhaps some servants.’

  ‘Cushions. Shelves.’ The Andallites added. ‘More rugs, more curtains.’

  Ralana looked stunned, but Riley kept going, leading her through every room. She and the Andallites kept adding more to the list, it grew longer and longer, falling to the floor.

  ‘Come now, Ralana, what do you think you need?’ Riley prodded.

  ‘Oh, I couldn’t possibly ask for all this.’

  ‘Of course you could. They don’t have to give it to you, it’s just a suggestion. You want them to have options, don’t you?’

  ‘I… yes, I suppose.’

  ‘And you have your whole life to decorate the palace. You certainly don’t have to do it all now.’

  ‘It would be best if you did.’ the Andallites added. ‘It would please Andalla. Do you want to displease him?’

  ‘No, of course not.’ Ralana replied, ‘I- alright. It’s so long.’

  ‘I think it’s far too short.’

  ‘Far too short.’ The Andallites agreed.

  ‘Let’s keep going, I think you should do the rest, Ralana, we’ll just help.’

  ‘Yes… alright.’

  And hours passed this way, Ralana relaxing more as the time went by. By the time they were done the list was dragging along the floor and ended somewhere in an unseen room behind them.

  ‘You should probably show that to Andalla.’ Riley told Ralana once they finished. ‘He might have some ideas.’

  ‘Oh, yes, I wouldn’t want him to disapprove.’

  ‘Just tell him it’s what you’ll ask the valkar to give you as wedding presents. Ask if he wants to add anything.’

  ‘Yes,’ she nodded. ‘I will.’

  ‘It would be nice too if you gave him presents, and his family. I’m sure they’d be very happy.’

  ‘Oh!’ Ralana brightened at that thought, ‘do you think if I grew him a nice tree he would be happy?’

  ‘I’m not sure. Ask him what he and his family would like as gifts.’

  ‘I… I don’t know who his family is.’

  ‘We are.’ The Andallites said in unison. ‘We want gifts.’

  ‘Oh, do you? What would you like?’

  ‘Whatever Andalla wants.’

  ‘You must ask him, when you ask him about the gifts the valkar will give the both of you, ask him what he would like for himself and his family.’

  ‘Yes, I will!’

  Riley smiled, said goodbye. Then one of the Andallites took her back home.

  ‘Make sure she doesn’t say it’s a list of options. If she does, you must correct her.’ Riley said once they were back in the forest.

  The Andallite shook his head. ‘No. A list of presents, all will come. The princess is too sweet.’

  ‘Exactly.’

  The Andallite smiled then, and it was an unsettling, sharp and devious smile.

  Chapter 40

  ‘Karesh,’ Vann began, ‘do you know what’s wrong with Riley?’

  Karesh opened his eyes wide and shook his head.

  Vann’s eyes narrowed. ‘You do.’

  ‘No,’ he shook his head, ‘I don’t know.’

  A strange look crossed Karesh’s face, equal parts despair and confusion.

  ‘She’s been upset for days now, Karesh, if you know, you must tell me. I can’t help her if I don’t know what’s wrong.’ Vann pressed.

  Karesh hesitated for a moment. And then he shook his head again. ‘You could not help her, even if there was something wrong.’ He said quietly.

  ‘Are her nightmares getting worse?’ Vann asked, alarmed.

  ‘The Master doesn’t have nightmares.’ Karesh said carefully.

  Making a sound of annoyance, Vann walked past him, heading for Riley’s tent. He stopped just as Riley walked out.

  ‘Hello.’ she said. There was a strained, tired look to
her lately, coupled with what seemed a deep and all engulfing sorrow.

  ‘Riley, can we talk?’

  ‘Not right now. Can you get my sword for me Vann, and put it in its scabbard?’

  He blinked. ‘Where is it?’

  ‘In my tent.’ she said and walked off.

  Vann opened his mouth to object but she was already gone. He ducked inside the tent.

  Her hands on her hips, Riley absently paced around the door to the camp. She was supposed to be on guard duty, but her hands were so clumsy, she couldn’t pick up her sword without hurting herself. In this condition, a fight with an ehlkrid with her bare hands would be even worse. But she couldn’t excuse herself from her duties now. No, she wasn’t going to hide in her tent and wait for the end to come.

  Guard duties fell squarely on the original ten. The younger children were being trained to be warriors by Galis the Strong, but Riley wasn’t going to send them out to face ehlkrid just yet. Occasionally one would go out for practice, but with the other warriors. So far the ehlkrid only attacked hunting parties. They came close to the shield, but hadn’t attacked the guards yet.

  Every day they came closer.

  Riley looked out towards the forest. Then a shout broke the silence. Riley looked back towards the camp, alert. The shout was not loud, but it was one of pain. She did not wait any longer and quickly headed to the location of the cry.

  It took her only another second to realize it had come from her tent. Vann! Suddenly she was running much faster, propelled by fear.

  She arrived outside her tent to find a small group of gemengs and Karesh. Vann was standing there, one hand tightly clamped on the other wrist. Bright red blood was everywhere.

  ‘Vann! How did this happen?!’ she pushed herself to the front.

  ‘I don’t know, I picked up your sword and it… it bit me!’

  ‘What? Where are the healers, Karesh?’ she demanded.

  ‘They’re coming. But it might be deep.’ there was a lot of blood, on his clothes, on the ground. ‘Perhaps we should get Aerlid.’

  Riley took one more look at Vann and agreed. She grabbed his shoulders and carefully ushered him towards Aerlid. Vann kept his hand tightly around his wrist all the while.

  As soon as Riley spotted Adila’s angry golden head she yelled for Aerlid. A moment later the crowd moved and she saw him sitting on the ground in his circle.

  ‘Vann’s hurt. Fix him.’ Riley ordered as she sat Vann down in front of Aerlid. She did not let go of him. ‘If you hurt him, you’re going back to Rose.’ her voice was suddenly very dangerous.

  Aerlid did not waste any time, he took hold of Vann’s injured arm. He did not attempt to move Vann’s hand.

  To Riley it seemed an age before Vann finally relaxed.

  ‘You can let go now.’ Aerlid said, and Vann lifted his hand from his wrist. His tanned skin was covered in blood, so it was hard to say, but Riley could see no wound or scar.

  ‘How did this happen?’ Aerlid asked. ‘Your hand was nearly severed.’

  Vann grimaced. Riley told someone to get some cloths and water.

  ‘I don’t know.’ Vann said. ‘I picked up Riley’s sword and,’ he shrugged, ‘I don’t know what happened.’

  ‘Did you drop it?’ Aerlid asked.

  ‘You think I did this to myself?’

  Adila was looking at them intently, ‘did you ask Aerlid to allow your weapons to kill?’ she asked Riley, who was now gently wiping blood off Vann.

  ‘Yes.’ Riley said flatly.

  Adila’s face clouded over. She walked away, heading towards Riley’s tent.

  ‘Are you ok?’ Riley asked Vann.

  He nodded. ‘I’m fine. It was just a… surprise.’

  ‘I fear this may be my fault.’ Aerlid interrupted. ‘Don’t look at me like that,’ he scolded as Riley gave him a deadly look. ‘I had to… move the soul deeper into the weapon, so it was not engrained in all of it. It may be that by using a living weapon to kill, it became… well, intentionally murderous.’

  Riley stared at him. Then she looked down at her hands. Then up. ‘You mean my weapons have been trying to hurt me.’

  ‘Anyone who comes close.’ He narrowed his eyes as he looked at her hands too. ‘You kill mostly with the sword, right? Do you injure yourself so much with the dagger?’

  ‘No.’ Riley shook her head.

  Adila arrived back, sword and dagger in hand. ‘These were never meant to kill.’ she said, deeply angry. ‘I will take them back to Fearlid. You’ll have to find your own weapons next time.’

  Riley frowned at her as she left, but perhaps all her anger was not really directed at Adila. She turned her attention back to Vann and helped him to his feet. ‘Come on, I think you need a change of clothes.’

  ‘I can walk on my own.’ he said as they walked off, but he did not sound upset.

  ‘And you should lie down. I’ll bring you some food.’

  ‘Alright.’ and he smiled. ‘We have to talk anyway.’

  ‘About what?’

  ‘You’ve been upset.’

  Riley shook her head. ‘The sword was hurting me too, but I thought I was just being clumsy.’

  Vann looked at her in surprise. ‘Why would you think that?’

  ‘Well, I’m nearly twenty, and Aerlid said I’ll probably only live thirty or forty years. I thought I was… getting old.’

  ‘Thirty years?’ he gasped. ‘Why? That’s not long enough!’

  Riley shrugged. ‘I’m half valkar, half human. The longest before me has only lived to fourteen. But I’m ok now, Vann. There’s nothing to worry about.’

  ‘Nothing to worry about? First, you should tell me when you’re worried about something, we’re… we’re friends, Riley. Second, living thirty years is not ok! Can’t the valkar do something?’

  Riley shook her head. ‘Come on, we’re here. Go get changed. I’ll bring you some food.’

  ‘And you’re going to bring me the food?’ he asked, his eyes narrowed.

  ‘That’s what I said.’

  ‘Good. Because we’re not done talking.’

  Chapter 41

  Once again Andalla and Ralana were strolling around the gardens with Riley trailing behind. She was far behind, a small group of Andallites clouding around her.

  ‘He has been asking her what he should get her and her family for the wedding.’ One said.

  ‘She tells him no, but he ignores her.’ and they smiled. ‘Though she said Ladana might like a flower from his garden.’

  ‘We have told him we saw the valkar preparing.’

  ‘Yes, working, working, making everything on the list.’

  ‘He has been thinking of his own gifts. He is worried the valkar will make something nicer, he is worried the valkar will not like his gifts, they all have funny ideas. He has many ideas, he has been thinking hard.’

  ‘Castles.’

  ‘Unicorns.’

  ‘Gold.’

  ‘A golden castle shaped like a unicorn.’

  Riley smiled in satisfaction. ‘Good.’

  But she could not make her next move yet. She waited until Ralana was leaving, and then she approached Andalla.

  ‘Your magnificence,’ Riley said as she bowed low. It was not hard to beg. If she failed to convince him of this, everything would be lost. ‘I beg a favour of you.’

  ‘Hmm?’ He smiled, ‘speak.’

  ‘Your magnificence, I need a sword of your making. Please, let me go on a quest to win this favour from you. My sister, Ralana, asked the valkar to make me a sword to fight the ehlkrid, but it broke. It was too weak and I am too weak to fight them alone. Only a sword made by you is powerful enough.’

  ‘Any quest I send you on would be arduous.’ he said forebodingly. ‘You would probably die.’

  Riley nodded. ‘Yes, your magnificence, very likely. But without it I will surely die anyway. Please, your magnificence, though I am unworthy, give me this chance. I will likely miss the wedding-’

&
nbsp; ‘Oh no!’ Andalla interjected. ‘You are my beloved’s family!’

  ‘Yes, I will apologise to my sister. But I’m afraid I cannot wait until after, without a weapon, I will die.’

  ‘Hah! You are unworthy and weak, but…’ and he smiled very smugly. ‘I will give you a sword, it shall be my wedding gift to you.’

  Riley threw herself on the ground. She was not acting when she said with enormous relief, ‘oh, thank you your magnificence! Thank you! But please, I must have it now, before the wedding, I cannot wait.’

  ‘If the ehlkrid are giving you so much trouble, perhaps I should just destroy them now.’ He said in an amused tone.

  Riley went cold at that tone, and she allowed some fear to enter her voice as she said, ‘no, please, I have not yet had enough time to prove my worth to you!’

  ‘Are you afraid of how I will judge you?’

  Riley didn’t reply.

  Andalla laughed. ‘Good! Well… it would be inconvenient to eradicate the ehlkrid before my wedding, and it would distress my beloved if you were eaten before then, so! You may consider yourself blessed, and with this new sword I give you I expect to be most entertained by your antics! Rise! I shall make it now! Bring me my pot!’

  Riley hopped to her feet but kept her head down. She kept thanking him, the smile on his face urging her to keep going.

  Andallites swarmed around them, four were carrying the pot. They placed it in front of Andalla and glided back, leaving space.

  Andalla plunged his hand into the swirling gold of the pot. And he pulled out a sword.

  ‘A sword fit to fight the ehlkrid!’ he said.

  Riley’s face suddenly fell. But it was not just because Andalla was using the pot himself. No, the sword was singing. It was like a choir was singing with the sword.

  ‘Y-your magnificence,’ Riley stuttered. ‘I fear with your great bravery and power you can… you cannot perceive how beneath you I am. I cannot charge in on the ehlkrid announced. I must sneak up and fight them in a cowardly way, I am very weak.’

  Andalla blinked. He looked at the sword. ‘Ah, I see. You must fight like a worm, not a man.’

  Riley nodded.

  ‘You are perhaps right,’ he said magnanimously. ‘You are so far beneath me.’ He put the sword back into the pot. And then he drew out another. But this one glowed even brighter than Adila.