Broken World Book Four - The Staff of Law

by Southwell, T C

  “If you hand us over, they’ll kill us.”

  “The King wishes to know why they’re pursuing you, and what this stone is.”

  Talsy thought quickly before replying, “The stone is sacred to my people. Queen Larina stole it, and we took it back. They have no right to it, or to us.”

  Orland glanced at her and nodded. “My father said they were probably Larina’s bunch. We’re not friends of Queen Larina, and fear not, you will not be given to them. But the King is quite taken with the idea of giving them Tyrander.”

  “No!” Talsy sat up in horror, forgetting the bedclothes. “You cannot! Kieran is not what they really want. They want the stone more than him, but they’ll kill him.” Orland glanced at Merina, and Talsy realised that it was the Princess’ decision. She grabbed Merina’s hands. “Don’t! At least give him the chance to prove that he’s not Tyrander.”

  Merina looked undecided, then shook her head at Orland, who grimaced.

  Talsy slumped with relief as he left. “What will happen now?”

  Merina shrugged. “They’ll probably go back to Larina.”

  “What if they don’t? What if they lay siege?”

  “To Malatar?” Merina laughed. “They’d lose.”

  “They’re undying.”

  “They’d still lose. My father has one of the mightiest armies in all the kingdoms. Black armies may be hard to beat, but burning oil works well on them, I’ve heard, as do great rocks thrown down on their heads. On the field they’re invincible, but under a city wall, they can be crushed.”

  “Oil?” Talsy raised her brows in surprise. “Your streets are not paved with tar, but if you have oil, how have you survived the war with the land?”

  “Not the black oil. We’ve never used that. My father will not allow it in the city. We use oil extracted from certain trees, without harming them. My father claims that to injure the land is wrong, and the black oil carries a curse to all who use it. We heard tales of other towns that were destroyed because they used it. In fact, Queen Larina was forced to tar her streets after she imported the black oil.

  “When the land started swallowing people around her city, smaller towns nearby bought tar to pave their streets too. Our people were frightened that it would happen here, and begged my father to buy tar for the roads. He refused, saying that as long as we didn’t use it, we’d be safe, and we were. No one was attacked in or near Malatar.”

  “Your father’s a wise man. But...” Talsy frowned. “How do you know how to fight Larina’s black army? Have you fought them before?”

  Merina smiled. “No, our walls are too high and strong for them, but she has attacked other cities, some of which survived by using burning oil and rocks thrown down from their walls.”

  “I see. What if they cut us off and starve us?”

  “That would take many moons. They’d starve before we did.”

  Talsy nodded, remembering what Chanter had said about the Riders needing the sustenance of blood and souls to survive. “Thank you for not giving Kieran to them.”

  “I haven’t decided his fate yet.” Merina rose. “Rest now, I’ll come and see you again later.”

  Talsy closed her eyes as the door shut, another wave of sickness making her empty stomach twist.

  Merina went to her father’s cosy, book-lined study, where she found him seated behind his polished oak desk, bent over a pile of scrolls. The heavy green velvet curtains were closed to keep out the chill, but a fire crackled in the hearth, imparting its warmth and light to the atmosphere, and Ronos’ favourite wolfhound snored on the sheepskin rug in front of it. He smiled and invited her to sit in the padded leather chair in front of his desk.

  “How’s Talsy?”

  “Not too well. She has bad morning sickness, it seems to last all day.”

  “Poor lass; and soon her child will be fatherless, like yours.”

  “It worries me, Father. She obviously loves Tyrander. The shock of his execution could harm her.”

  Ronos raised a brow. “Are you sure it’s not you who’s unwilling to punish him?”

  “No, although he seems changed.”

  “That does not excuse his crimes.”

  “No.” She looked down at her clasped hands. “But it seems unfair to make Talsy suffer.”

  The King’s expression softened. “You always were a kind lass. Perhaps you should tell her what he’s really like, then she won’t mourn his passing.”

  “That won’t help. She’s convinced that he’s not Tyrander, so nothing I tell her will make any difference to the way she feels.”

  “Then we must prove to her that he is Tyrander.”

  “How? She claims to have met him, yet somehow he has fooled her.”

  Ronos pondered this. “The dye didn’t wash out?”

  “No.”

  “Then it will grow out.”

  The Princess nodded. “That means waiting until it does.”

  “Are you in a hurry?”

  “No, the longer he suffers at the thought of his impending execution, the better.”

  Ronos leant on his desk and steepled his fingers. “Then we wait.”

  Orland wandered in and flopped down in a chair, smiling at them. “Well, the black army didn’t much like our reply to their demands.”

  “What are they doing?” Ronos asked.

  “Milling around, trying to decide what to do next, I suppose. The leader threatened to tear down our city, stone by stone, so I told it to try. They’ll be gone by the morning, I’d say.”

  The King frowned. “They must want that stone pretty bad.”

  “They claim that our guests stole it from Larina.”

  Ronos shrugged. “It’s a moot point, but I wouldn’t give those abominations the time of day. I don’t understand why they’re making so much fuss about a piece of stone.”

  “Talsy says it’s sacred to her people,” Merina offered.

  “Well, I’d rather she had it than that witch Larina.” Ronos looked at his son. “Keep an eye on them; you never know what mischief they may be planning. I don’t like having a black army on my doorstep. If they don’t leave, I’ll send a courier to Larina. I know she doesn’t want to start a war with me.”

  Kieran sat on the hard bed and rubbed his head, which ached from the rough scrubbing the guards had subjected it to, trying to wash out the non-existent dye. By the time they had given up, Kieran was sure most of his hair had been torn out by the roots. He gazed morosely out of the window, through which a portion of darkening sky was visible. He looked around as the key grated in the lock, and the door creaked inwards. A willowy female figure stood silhouetted in it, then entered, leading a small child by the hand. Kieran raised his gaze to Merina’s fearful, defiant face.

  “Before you die, I want you to meet your son.”

  Kieran groaned. “My nephew, Princess.”

  “Don’t you think you’ve lied enough?”

  Kieran studied the child, who appeared to be about five years old, and possessed his dark brown hair and black eyes set in a delicate face. The boy regarded him warily, his thumb plugged into his mouth.

  Kieran smiled at him. “What’s your name, lad?”

  The boy hid behind his mother’s skirts, and she replied, “Urlik, after my grandfather.”

  “A fine name.”

  Merina pulled the child forward. “Urlik, this is your father.”

  “I’m not!” Kieran protested. “I’m his uncle!”

  “You’d lie to your own son? I thought perhaps you would admit the truth when confronted with him.”

  Kieran gave a low growl and lay back, stretched out one leg and bent the other, staring up at the roof. “If you won’t believe me, Princess, kindly leave me alone. You can wait until doomsday for that lock of white hair to sprout, because it won’t.”

  “We’ll see about that.”

  Kieran looked up at her. “How’s Talsy?”

  “She has the morning sickness badly, but she’ll be all right.”


  “There’s a bottle of tonic I bought for her in one of the bags, will you see that she takes it? I was trying to pluck up the courage to give it to her, but I was afraid she’d try to beat me to death with it.”

  Merina’s brows rose. “You bought her a tonic?”

  “Is that so strange?”

  “From you, yes.”

  A bitter smile curled his lips. “I couldn’t imagine Tyrander buying tonic for his wife, I suppose.”

  “And you couldn’t pluck up the courage? It sounds as though you’re afraid of her.”

  “I am. Talsy doesn’t like being told what to do.” Kieran’s smile widened and Merina stared at him in patent astonishment, which puzzled him until he remembered that Tyrander had had yellow, decayed teeth while his were white and even.

  “I suppose you’d have me believe that she’s hit you.”

  “Hit me?” He chuckled. “She’s given me a black eye, maybe two, I can’t remember.”

  “You’re lying! You beat me!”

  Kieran rolled onto his side. “Ask her then. I didn’t beat you, Princess, I only met you yesterday. I’ve never lifted a hand to a woman; my father taught me better than that. And I don’t pick on anyone smaller than me.”

  “That must be hard,” Merina retorted. “There aren’t many bigger than you.”

  “Well, they don’t have to be bigger, just not a foot shorter and less than half my weight.”

  “That didn’t stop you before!” Her eyes glittered, her fierce expression at odds with her gentle features.

  Kieran rolled onto his back again and covered his face with his hands, driven to distraction with frustration at the unending disbelief. “Aargh! Go and talk to Talsy, Princess, maybe she can remember how many black eyes she’s given me.”

  “I’m sure you’ve coached her well.”

  “Oh, god.” Kieran lowered his hands and stared at the roof. “Don’t condemn me for my brother’s sins, please. It’s bad enough that he tried to kill Talsy and me. Don’t let his curse live on after his death. Wouldn’t it be ironic that you might do the very thing he wanted to, because he hated me for being the brother he never knew? I think he was so twisted because he knew he had a twin, but never met me, while I was ignorant of that. It’s as if his hand is reaching from the grave to try to drag me in there with him.”

  “Tyrander -”

  “Kieran.”

  “Changing your name doesn’t convince me of anything, but you spin a good yarn.” Merina turned to leave.

  “Princess.” Kieran sat up.

  She paused in the doorway. “Yes?”

  “Please tell me if Talsy gets any worse. I worry about her.”

  “How touching.” Merina vanished through the door, which slammed in her wake.

  Kieran lay back with a sigh. “Of course, you don’t believe that either.”

  Merina handed Urlik to his nanny and marched to Talsy’s room, finding her picking at a plate of roast fowl and steamed vegetables smothered with gravy.

  Merina settled on the bed beside her. “How are you feeling?”

  Talsy shrugged. “Rotten.”

  “Which is Tyrander’s pack?”

  “Tyrander’s dead, but Kieran’s is over there in the corner.”

  Merina went over to the three satchels and found two dark bottles in the first one she opened. Taking one back to the bed, she uncorked it and sniffed the contents, her eyes watering at the powerful metallic scent. It certainly smelt like a tonic.

  She handed it to a hovering maid. “Take this to the doctor and ask him what it is.”

  The maid bobbed and departed, and Talsy eyed the Princess. “What was that?”

  “Tyrander says that he bought you a tonic.”

  “Have you been talking to the dead?” Talsy said, becoming fed up with the situation. “Kieran’s got a cheek. Does he think I look so dreadful?”

  “You are a little pale.”

  “I feel a little pale. If he was here, I’d make him drink the foul stuff himself.”

  Merina frowned. “You don’t respect him?”

  “Sure I do, when he doesn’t trample on my toes.”

  “He has hit you!” The Princess looked triumphant.

  “Did I say that?” Talsy laughed. “He’s a pushover! I’ve given him one or two black eyes myself. Kieran would never hurt me. I must admit, to begin with I was a little afraid of him. After all, he’s rather large. He was very quiet until I got to know him better. Then he kept trying to rescue me, and usually ended up making things worse. I gave him a pretty hard time, poor man. I still do. We’ve had a few fights, and I usually win, because he doesn’t want to hurt me.” She snorted. “The moron.”

  Merina shook her head in disbelief. “Tyrander beat me. He... he locked me in a room and came to me... when the urge took him. If I tried to fight, he would get more violent. I have scars...”

  Talsy took the Princess’ trembling hand. “That was Tyrander, not Kieran.”

  “They’re the same person!”

  “They’re not! I saw them together.”

  Merina covered her mouth to stifle a sob, and Talsy squeezed the fragile hand she held. “I’m sorry. How did you escape?”

  “My father. I sent a message to him with one of the servants I had brought with me. Two died trying to get out, the third succeeded. My father came and demanded that Tyrander release me, but he refused. My father was afraid that if he went to war with Tyrander, he might kill me, so he sent assassins. Twice Tyrander was wounded, and in the end he... he put me on an old horse and sent me into the desert. I think he wanted me to die, but my father’s men found me.”

  Talsy put aside her plate. “It’s okay, he’s dead now; he can’t hurt you anymore.”

  “He’s in the dungeon. You’ve got to believe me. I don’t want you to be upset. He’s fooled you by being nice to you, but that’s Tyrander down there, I’d stake my life on it.”

  “Well, let’s hope you don’t have to,” Talsy muttered with a sigh.

  “I know you love him.”

  “You do? I mean, of course I do.”

  Merina leant forward. “That’s why he’s been able to fool you. Love is blind!”

  “It may be blind, but it’s not completely stupid.”

  “He fooled me too, when he courted me. I thought he was wonderful, so dashing, charming, and utterly handsome.”

  Talsy snorted. “I suppose he’s not bad, if you like his type.”

  Merina did not seem to hear. “Every time I go down to the dungeon, and he’s so pleasant and kind, I remember how much I loved him. I want to throw myself into his arms...”

  Talsy smiled. “Maybe you should try it sometime. He’ll probably faint from shock.”

  “I wish you’d believe me,” Merina mourned.

  “I wish that was Tyrander down there, waiting for the chop. But it’s not, it’s Kieran. I only wish I could prove it. Unfortunately, I can’t, because they’re identical. If I showed you Kieran’s scars, you’d just say they were new. The only difference was that lock of white hair, which Kieran doesn’t have.”

  “Yes,” Merina agreed. “When it grows back, you’ll see that I’m right.”

  “When it doesn’t, you’ll feel rather silly, I think.”

  “If that’s not Tyrander, I’ll... I’ll...”

  “Careful,” Talsy warned, “don’t promise something you wouldn’t like to do.”

  “I’ll kiss him. On the mouth.”

  “He might like that.” Talsy giggled, imagining Kieran’s embarrassment, then lay back with a sigh.

  Merina rose to her feet. “You’re tired. I’ll leave you to sleep now. Don’t worry; I won’t have him executed until you believe me.”

  “Oh good,” Talsy murmured, “then he’s safe.”

  The following morning, a maid approached Merina in her morning room, where she was busy with her embroidery, to inform her that Princess Talsy was far sicker, with a high fever, headache, palsy and chills, and had already vomi
ted upon waking. Merina hurried to Talsy’s bedchamber, the frightened maid trotting behind her, and raked the Princess’ pale features with a worried glance before ordering the maid to fetch the doctor. By the time he arrived, Talsy tossed in a restless sleep, trying to push away the covers. Merina chewed her lip while the doctor examined Talsy, shaking his head in confusion and pessimism. He mixed a foul smelling concoction in a cup and trickled it into the Princess’ mouth, his brow furrowed. When he finished, Merina confronted him.

  “What’s wrong with her?”

  “I have to say I’m not sure, Highness. She has a fever, and I’ve given her something for it, but I don’t know what’s causing it.”

  “What was in that bottle I sent to you?”

  “A strong tonic, very good, I should think. If she recovers, she should take it. It will build her strength.”

  “If?” she demanded, alarmed.

  “She’s gravely ill, Highness.”

  “She might die?” Merina’s heart quailed at the thought. “She’s pregnant!”

  “I can’t help that, I’m afraid.”

  Merina gazed at the sweating girl in the bed as the doctor left, her brow wrinkled with worry. Two maids tended Talsy, wiped her face with damp cloths and covered her when she threw off the sheets. After a few minutes of indecision, Merina hurried out.

  The rattle of keys in his cell door roused Kieran from his doze, and he sat up as Merina came to stand at the foot of his bed. She looked worried and upset, but he waited for her to speak.

  “Talsy’s very sick,” she blurted at last.

  He jumped up and reached for her without thinking. “Take me to her!”

  “No!” Merina jerked from his hold. “What can you do? You’re not a doctor.”

  “Is she being treated?”

  “Of course!”

  He swung away, muttering, “It’s that damned child.”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “The baby! It’s making her sick.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. She has a fever; she’s ill!”

  “He’d better come,” he said.

  “Who?”

  “I must see her, Princess.”