Merina shook her head. “You can’t help her, and you’re a prisoner. I only told you because you asked me to.”
“Thank you.” Kieran strived to remain calm. “Would you do something else for me, please?”
“What?”
He hesitated. “I know this is going to sound bad, but try to understand. I want you to leave her alone, get everyone out of the room. Will you do that?”
“You want her to die,” she said. “She needs care!”
“No!” Kieran lowered his voice when she stepped back. “Listen to me. I love her. I would never harm her, I swear! I promise you, if you leave her alone in her room, with the window open and the door locked, just for a few hours, she’ll recover.”
“How’s that possible?”
“I can’t tell you, but it is. If you care for her at all, if you have any kindness in you, please do as I ask.”
Merina eyed him. “I’ll think about it.”
“Thank you. It’s the only way to save her.”
“At least your tonic was just that, and not poison.”
His brows rose. “Of course it was. Why would I wish to harm her?”
“Why did you beat me?” She swung away.
“I didn’t!”
The door slammed in his face and the key grated in the lock. Consumed now with worry, he paced around, cursing.
Chapter Three
Talsy tossed and muttered in a delirium all day, burning with fever, her skin flushed and sweaty. Merina hovered over the two maids who tended to her, or fidgeted in her room. She liked Talsy, and the thought of her dying and taking her unborn child with her to the grave filled the Princess with deep sorrow. Ronos came twice to enquire about their sick guest, Orland once.
By the time dusk drew its veil over the land, Merina could not bear the waiting any longer. The doctor had returned twice to administer medicine, shaking his head each time. His attitude made it clear that he expected the girl to die, and his expression was sympathetic but hopeless.
After he left the second time, Talsy called a strange, slurred name in a pleading tone, and Merina came to a decision. She ordered the maids out, and they looked shocked at her sharp tone as they scurried from the room. Merina waited for a moment, gazing at the sick girl with puzzlement and anxiety. Lilac perfume drifted in through the open window on a cool night breeze, raising goose bumps on the Princess’ arms. She left the bedchamber and locked the door, going into the adjoining room, where she slid aside a panel that covered a spy hole in the wall. Why had Tyrander asked that Talsy be left alone? Curious, she put her eye to the hole and waited.
Talsy tossed in the bed, groaned and occasionally mumbled the strange word. Merina’s back grew stiff as an hour passed, but she persisted, switching eyes occasionally.
A soft flutter of wings drew her attention to the window. A raven landed on the ledge and scanned the room, cocking its head. It hopped down onto the floor. A rush of wind filled the room, ruffling the bed hangings, and a man stood where the raven had been. Merina gasped, pressing her eye to the hole. He glanced around, then approached the bed. The Princess had seen enough. Lifting her skirts, she ran to her father’s study, bursting in without knocking.
King Ronos looked up in surprise. “What is it? The Princess?”
“No! Yes! Father, come quickly! There’s... It’s... He’s...” She gulped. “A Mujar!”
“What?” Ronos leapt up. “Are you sure?”
She nodded. “I’m sure!”
“Where?”
“With Talsy!”
Ronos rounded his desk and yanked open the door, bellowing for the guards.
“What are you doing?” Merina demanded.
“We mustn’t let him get away!”
“But…”
Ronos marched away down the hall, barking orders at the men who rushed to his side. She ran after him, wondering why he summoned crossbowmen. By the time he reached the Princess’ room, four such men flanked him.
He turned to them. “No one shoots unless I say so, or I’ll have his head, understand? If I do tell you to shoot, aim for his arms; I only want to stop him escaping.”
The men nodded, clearly intimidated by the King’s daunting expression. Ronos crept to the door and unlocked it, then flung it open. The man leapt away from the bed, and the room filled with wind.
“No!” Ronos shouted. “Wait! We mean you no harm! No harm!”
The wind died, and the Mujar stood poised before the window, gazing at the King.
Ronos stepped into the room and held out a hand, palm up. “No harm.”
The Mujar cocked his head, studying the King with expressionless eyes.
Ronos walked a little closer, fell to one knee and bowed his head. “Mujar. You honour my humble castle with your presence. Words cannot describe my happiness.” He looked up. “Please stay here with your friend, she needs you, and we welcome you. No one in this city will harm a Mujar, or I shall have them put to death.”
Orland burst in. “What’s all the commotion?” He stopped dead, staring at the stranger. “By the gods!” He dropped to one knee and bowed his head.
The Mujar studied them with narrowed eyes, clearly unsure of whether to trust them or not. His gaze flicked to the crossbowmen in the corridor, their weapons dangling forgotten in their hands, their mouths open.
The King gestured at the men to leave. “I only called them to stop you from fleeing, that’s all.”
He seemed to relax a little, glancing at Talsy. “She needs me.”
“Go to her,” Ronos said, “I swear, no one will harm you.”
The Mujar returned to the bed and sat beside the sick girl. Merina closed her mouth belatedly, her eyes captivated by him. The King rose to his feet, followed by Orland, and they watched the Mujar dip his hand in the basin of water beside the bed and trickled some onto Talsy’s brow. She moaned and writhed as he placed his palm on her forehead.
Merina crept closer to her father to whisper, “What’s he doing?”
“Hush, he’s healing her, I think.”
Merina slipped her hand into his and stared at the demigod who had come amongst them, straining to hear the words he muttered in a strange tongue. After a few minutes, Talsy stopped tossing and relaxed with a sigh. The unman pulled the covers up to her chin and turned to face his audience. Merina shivered as his eyes slid over her, coming to rest on the King.
Ronos bowed again. “I’m King Ronos. This is my son, Orland, and my daughter, Merina.”
The Mujar nodded. “No harm.”
“Thank you.”
“Where is Prince Kieran?”
“You mean Tyrander.”
“No, I mean Kieran. Tyrander is dead.”
Merina gasped and sagged, and Orland stepped closer to take hold of her arms and help her to a chair.
The Mujar’s eyes narrowed again. “You’ve harmed him?”
“No!” Ronos said. “He’s fine, quite all right. We... we thought he was Tyrander. My daughter was married to Tyrander. He looks... the same.”
“Identical,” the Mujar agreed.
Ronos glanced at his son. “Orland, fetch the Prince.”
Orland hurried out, and Merina fanned herself. Ronos looked confused and embarrassed. The Mujar rose and approached the King, studying him.
“You don’t hate Mujar,” he stated.
“No, we don’t.”
“One helped you.”
Ronos nodded as the unman walked around him. “Yes. They lived amongst us, and we didn’t judge them. We never asked them for anything, nor did we harm them. It was in my grandfather’s time. I can’t say we liked them. We were indifferent. People fed them if they chose, but when others threw them into the Pits, we didn’t.
“Then the mountain exploded, and a river of lava came straight towards the town. It was little more than a village then, with no wall. There was no time to flee, and many would have perished. My grandfather went into the town and found a Mujar. He asked him to help, and the Mujar agreed. He made the la
nd rise up, stopping the lava. That’s why there’s a cliff there now.”
The Mujar circumnavigated the King and stopped in front of him again. “So, you worshipped them.”
“Yes, but they all left soon after they had saved us, long before I was born. Is it wrong?”
“Yes, we’re not gods.”
“Sorry,” the King mumbled. “I just wanted to reassure you.”
“I’m assured. How strange.” He went back to the bed and sat beside Talsy. “I can walk amongst your people.”
“Absolutely! No one will say a bad word to you.”
The Mujar eyed the King, who radiated friendship and a desperate sort of yearning, as if his life depended on convincing Chanter of his trustworthiness. In Chanter’s experience, Lowman kings’ pride was mostly to blame for Mujar’s downfall. Ronos’ demeanour seemed odd, yet he detected no duplicity on the King’s part. The man was in earnest.
“I am Chanter.”
“I shall not use your name against you, thank you for the gift of it.”
“You’re well versed in the ways of Mujar.”
“We have prayed for another Mujar to come to our city since the last one left, and in that hope we have all learnt your ways. Some thought your kind left because we offended them in some way, so I’m careful, you see.”
“You did offend them, but not with your manners,” Chanter said. “You drove the Mujar away with your worship of them.”
“But... how is that possible? We only gave them their due, for saving the town. What did they want of us in return?”
“Nothing but what you had given them before, and your love.”
Kieran came trotting in, followed by Orland. He hurried over to the bed, pausing to clap Chanter on the shoulder.
“Chanter! Am I glad to see you.” He bent over Talsy. “Is she going to be all right?”
“Of course. They are chosen.”
“Who?” Kieran straightened to glare at Ronos. “This lot? They put me in a damned dungeon!”
“They thought you were Tyrander. A whole city of chosen,” Chanter marvelled.
“They weren’t good enough to save the race, like Talsy.”
“No. They made one mistake. They worshipped us.”
“Too bad. People always go to extremes, don’t they?” Kieran turned to Ronos. “I didn’t think much of your dungeons.”
“I didn’t think much of your brother,” the King retorted. “I’m glad he’s dead.”
“So am I. I didn’t know him long, and all he wanted to do was kill me. He took sibling rivalry a little too far.”
Ronos inclined his head. “I apologise, Prince Kieran.”
Kieran bent over the sleeping girl again, placing a hand on her brow. “Was it the baby?”
“No,” Chanter replied. “Not directly. It has weakened her, allowing her exhaustion to become a serious illness. It might have killed her, so I would have been forced to intervene soon, but strangely, I was invited in.”
“Is it time?”
“Not yet. She’ll recover now. It’ll be easier later on. Now would be very dangerous.”
The Prince tucked the bedclothes around Talsy’s shoulders, obviously relieved at her return to health. An awkward silence fell for a moment, then Ronos dispelled it by saying, “Well, we must celebrate the Princess’ recovery, and our new guest. I’ll order a feast tonight. We would be honoured if you joined us, Chanter.”
The Mujar smiled and inclined his head, and the King sent Orland to give the orders, evidently not wishing to let Chanter out of his sight. He had yet to take his eyes off him. Orland returned within a few moments, having found a bevy of curious servants just outside.
Ronos gestured to the door. “Perhaps, in the meantime, you’d care for some refreshment? Talsy should sleep, I suppose.”
The King stood aside so Chanter could precede him, and they followed Orland into the grey stone corridor, where servants shuffled aside, staring at Chanter with expressions of awe and wonder. Evidently the news of his presence had spread through the keep like wildfire.
Merina fell into step with Kieran, glancing up at him shyly. “I’m sorry for the misunderstanding, Prince Kieran.”
He shrugged. “Under the circumstances, it was understandable, Princess. Frustrating, though.”
“I’m amazed that two men who look so alike can be so different.”
“I think it had a lot to do with our upbringing. Perhaps if we hadn’t been separated, we would have been more alike.”
She gazed at Chanter’s back. “You have an incredible friend.”
“He is kind of strange, isn’t he?” Kieran chuckled.
“That’s not what I meant!”
“I know. I’ve just become used to him now, that’s all. When I first met him, I found him rather awe inspiring too.”
“It’s hard to believe that stupid people actually threw such beautiful and magical men into those horrid Pits.”
Kieran smiled. “That’s Trueman nature, I suppose. We’ve become so convinced that we’re the best creatures ever created that when we’re confronted with someone better, we’re consumed by envy.”
They entered Ronos’ warm, wood-panelled study and sat on the overstuffed leather-covered chairs that thronged it. A servant brought a jug of wine and cups, gaped at Chanter and almost dropped the tray. The Mujar settled upon a sofa and gazed at the fire that crackled in the grate. He accepted a cup of wine from Orland and sipped it with apparent enjoyment. Ronos’ eager to please attitude warmed with satisfaction.
“So, may I ask what brings you here?”
“You did,” Kieran said.
“I meant before I found you.”
Kieran glanced at Chanter, who did not seem inclined to answer. The Prince launched into the story of their quest, which his hosts listened to with great interest. Chanter rose to examine some of the books, riffled through them and replaced them on the shelves. The Mujar appeared unembarrassed at being the object of such fascinated scrutiny, though each time he glanced at one of his audience they looked away with obvious shame, as though caught peeping through someone’s bedroom window. Even so, their eyes were drawn back to him as if by a magnet. When Kieran finished the tale, Ronos looked thoughtful.
“A strange but worthy quest, Kieran. So, once this staff is restored, the world will return to normal again?”
“No.” Chanter turned. “The laws cannot be restored.”
“That’s a point of dispute, I’m afraid,” Kieran said. “Talsy maintains that the laws can be restored, Chanter denies it. I suppose it’s safe to say maybe the laws can be restored. We’re not sure.”
Ronos nodded. “We’ll help you any way we can.”
“All we need right now is a safe place to rest for a while; we’ll journey on once Talsy’s better.”
“That you have with us, never fear. Stay as long as you wish. The black army will not bother you within my walls. They have left, returned to Larina, I would guess, either permanently or to fetch reinforcements. But Larina would be a fool to move against me. She has no hope of winning such a war, even with her crossbreed warriors.”
“Thank you. We’re most grateful for your aid.”
Ronos waved it away. “The longer you stay amongst us, the better pleased I’ll be. To have a Mujar in our city again is a great honour.”
That night, Ronos provided a sumptuous feast for his guests, but the Aggapae remained in the stables with their horses and Talsy slept. Chanter consumed prodigious amounts of food and wine, unaffected by the alcohol. Kieran became pleasantly drunk, something he had not indulged in for some time. The Mujar’s reticence forced the Prince to do most of the talking, but Chanter was the guest of honour and centre of attention. By the time Kieran reeled from the banquet hall with Chanter’s help, the birds awakened in the first glow of the false dawn.
Talsy woke to find Chanter sitting cross-legged on the end of her bed, gazing into space with the vacant-eyed preoccupation that only Mujar could indulge in for hours
on end. She sat up with a smile and glanced around the empty room.
“Is it safe for you to be here?”
He smiled. “Yes. These people wish me no harm.”
“Was I that ill?”
“Yes.”
She yawned and lay back. “Where’s Kieran?”
“Asleep in his room.”
“They believed you, then.”
“Mujar don’t lie.”
A knock on the door drew Taly’s attention. Merina hesitated in the doorway, gazing at Chanter.
“Come in,” Talsy invited. “I take it you’ve met Chanter.”
The Princess nodded, shooting the Mujar a shy smile. “Are you feeling better?”
“Much. It seems I’ve missed all the fun.”
“I’m afraid so.” Merina approached, stopping beside the bed. “When Kieran asked me to leave you alone, I was suspicious. But when Chanter came, it was the most wonderful thing that has ever happened in our city. You are blessed to have such a wonderful friend.”
Talsy grinned at the Mujar. “Well, this makes a change, doesn’t it?” She looked at Merina. “We’re used to a very different attitude towards Mujar.”
“Thank goodness we found out about Kieran, too,” Merina said. “He’s everything Tyrander pretended to be, but was not. He’s told us the whole story, and my father has sworn to help you all.”
“And you’ve got a promise to keep.” Talsy giggled.
Merina blushed. “I should have believed you. I noticed some things about Kieran that were different, but I was so bitter that I refused to admit I might be wrong.”
“Blame Chanter, he’s the meddling Mujar who brought us together,” Talsy said. Chanter raised his brows, and she added, “I know what you did. I doubt King Ronos has ever had his horse run away with him before.”
“I only wished to put you amongst people who could protect you from the Torrak Jahar,” he replied. “I didn’t know of Tyrander’s crimes against Princess Merina. It seemed a better idea than Kieran’s.”
“It was. He didn’t understand what would happen if you had done as he asked.”
“I thought as much.”
Broken World Book Four - The Staff of Law Page 5
