The Cotti King indicated the girl. "This is your maid, Sulina. She will take care of you on the journey to Jadaya."
"I am accustomed to choosing my maidens."
"Well, I could not bring a selection. Sulina is trustworthy, that is why I chose her. At the moment, we three are the only ones who know you are alive, and I would like to keep it that way. That is why I do not want you to leave the carriage on the way to the desert."
Minna's eyes glinted. "I will not be confined in this rattletrap for five tendays!"
"Actually, it is one of my better coaches. Perhaps after dark you can walk around and stretch your legs, so long as you wear a veil. If anyone sees you he will think you are Sulina." He wagged a finger. "But only when I am here to accompany you, for your safety."
She snorted, still frowning. "Where is Blade? Why is he not here with me? He can keep me safe, when he awakes. I am certain that he will delight in slitting any Cotti's throat if they come near me."
"I am sure he would, which is why he is not here. He could cause a lot of trouble. He will not take his new situation well, I fear. He is confined to one of the supply wagons."
"You mean chained."
Kerrion shrugged, studying his hands to avoid her gaze. "Put bluntly, yes, but he will not come to any harm, I assure you. I need him intact."
Minna-Satu looked thoughtful, eyeing him. "How long was I asleep, and how did you revive me?"
"Three days, and as to the other, I will explain in due course. It is a long story. Right now I must get my men moving again, and you need to rest. Sulina will provide for all your needs, just tell her what you wish. But do not put your head out of the window or try to leave the carriage. If you try to escape I will have to tie you up, and I do not want to do that."
"As you pointed out, what good would it do me to escape? I am ill-suited to be a farmer's wife."
Kerrion chuckled at the vision her words conjured up. "Good, at least we agree on that point." He looked at the Cotti girl, who knelt in the corner. "Tend to the Queen's comforts, Sulina. I will return when we make camp."
Sulina pressed her forehead to the floor. "As you will, Sire."
After Kerrion left, Sulina sat on the cot opposite, gazing at Minna with great admiration. "You're brave indeed to speak to the King so boldly."
"I am a queen, stupid girl. I answer to no one."
"I've never met a woman who is unafraid of men, and the King treats you so well. You even struck him, and he didn't retaliate."
Minna snorted. "He knows better. I would never forgive him if he raised a hand to me." She frowned. "Does he strike Cotti women?"
Sulina shook her head. "I've never heard of the King doing such a thing, though most men do. The King is a kind and just man. He even spends time with his mother."
"I should think so."
"None of his brothers would ever do such a thing. It is considered unmanly to take the council of women."
Minna's lip curled. "That must be why Cotti are such fools. At least Kerrion seems a little wiser than his forebears."
"He's a great king."
"Perhaps."
After a pause Sulina asked, "Is there anything you wish, My Queen?"
"Yes. I would like a meal and wine, some warmer, more suitable clothes, shoes, and my hair properly bound."
"At once, My Queen." Sulina rose to her feet, and Minna pondered her unexpected predicament.
Kerrion rode back to check on the assassin, finding him still asleep. Returning to his place at the head of the column, he led the men on towards the mountains, his heart buoyant. Minna's awakening lifted a great worry from his mind, and it was all he could do to keep from grinning like an idiot.
Her reaction to the situation had taken him somewhat aback, but he would have to get used to the fact that she was not a subservient Cotti woman. The prospect of her company delighted him. He enjoyed her spirited arguments and proud demeanour. She was worthy of a king. Blade's continued slumber worried him, however. He did not want the assassin to die, but feared that he may have given him too little of the antidote.
That evening, after he had checked on Blade again, he walked to the carriage with a heavy heart. Minna had kept Sulina busy, and was dressed in a rich gown of burgundy velvet that he had brought for her, amongst others. Her hair was dressed in elaborate plaits and ringlets, and a healthy glow replaced her pallor. She tapped her foot when he entered the coach, and pinned him with a cold glare.
"I am bored, Kerrion. I trust you do not expect me to sit here and do nothing for the next five tendays, since I may not even look out of the window."
He sat opposite her, smiling. "You could talk to Sulina. She can tell you all about the desert and my city, our customs and traditions."
"Sulina is a maid. She is not a fit companion for a Queen."
"Then what do you want?"
"If you will not ride with me in my prison, then let Blade. At least he has the rank to be a suitable companion."
Kerrion smiled at her assertion. "Before you elevated him, he was a common assassin."
"But now he is a lord."
"And he is still asleep, I am afraid, but even when he wakes I cannot allow it." He sighed, his smile becoming wry as he studied her mutinous face. "I will ride with you as often as I can, all right?"
She sniffed. "I suppose it will have to do."
"I thought you liked my company?"
"It is tolerable, though I find your manner of speech uncouth."
Kerrion inclined his head. "I shall endeavour to remedy that."
"I find it troublesome to think that I may never socialise with my own people again. When we reach your city, I shall expect to enjoy Lord Conash's company often."
"That may be difficult. It depends on him, for if he is unco-operative, he will have to be imprisoned."
Her eyes narrowed. "So that is how you plan to bend him to your will? Imprison him unless he obeys you, and offer him his freedom if he does?"
"Something like that. Do you think it will work?"
She shrugged, affecting unconcern, but he could see that she disliked his plan. "Far be it for me to try to predict Lord Conash. Even I do not know him so well, but it may. I assume you plan to use him to assassinate your enemies?"
"He is the perfect man for the job, do you not think?"
"With his thirst for Cotti blood, you may send him to kill one man and find your entire court slain the next morning, and Blade gone. It will be difficult to unleash him without the risk of his escaping."
Kerrion shook his head. "I know him well enough to be certain he will only kill the man he is paid to. His code of honour will ensure it."
"I would not be so sure. When he wakes, you may find you have a sand cat by the tail. You cannot let go, nor can you tame him. I do not think his code will bind him when he finds himself imprisoned and blackmailed. And what about his escaping? How do you plan to prevent that?"
"I am not sure, but it will not be easy to escape my city and cross the desert alone. He had the help of your Cotti spy when he did it before."
"He may prefer dying in the attempt to dancing to your tune," she pointed out.
"That would be unfortunate."
"Not only for him."
In nightfall's gathering gloom, three days after Minna-Satu took the Queen's Cup, the huge golden bell high in the palace tower stopped tolling. A great vacuum of silence followed the cessation of its mournful dirge, as if the city held its breath. The citizens of Jondar stopped what they were doing and turned to face the palace, then fell to their knees in one last gesture of love and loyalty, a great wail of sadness arising from them. Stalwart soldiers cried out in grief, priests and priestesses offered up incense and chants, tore their robes and howled their anguish.
Regent Chiana, seated in her rooms with Jayon for company, looked up as the bell fell silent. Two tears overflowed and ran down her cheeks. Usually it was the duty of the new Queen to see to her mother's burial, but now the burden fell upon the Regent, and
she dreaded it. The thought of seeing the two people she loved most in the world pale and cold in death filled her with a deep, aching sorrow that sat in her chest like a stone. Jayon murmured words of comfort, striving to hide his grief.
When Chiana was sufficiently in control of her emotions, she rose and walked to the vast throne room where the honour guard and High Priestess waited. A bevy of young priestesses bore garlands of sweet- scented white shay flowers and bowls of sweet wine that would be used to wash the dead before burial. Priests carried torches and bells, their heads bowed and cowls hiding their faces.
All were clad in the drab grey of mourning, and Chiana wore her bright chestnut hair pulled back in a severe bun. A glance in the mirror that morning had shown her that her sorrow was evident in the dark shadows beneath her blue-grey eyes and the downturned corners of her mouth. The bulk of the retinue went unadorned, only the honour guard wore golden armour over their grey tunics. Black plumes decked their helmets, and they carried their spears point down.
All stood in silent solemnity as Chiana took up her position at the head of the assembly and led them from the bier room. Four priests carried the litter on which Minna-Satu would be borne to her tomb deep in the bowels of the palace, to be laid beside her mother. All walked with measured steps, while the priests rang their bells and chanted. At the back of the procession four soldiers carried another litter for Blade.
As the procession approached the bier room's doors, the two Cotti guards who stood outside it shifted with unease. Chiana halted before them and glared over their heads, disdaining to look at them.
"Stand aside. We are here to take the Elder Queen to her tomb."
"We have orders to let no one in."
"Until the bell stopped ringing. Are you deaf?"
The Cotti glanced at each other, and one opened his mouth to speak again, but a strident voice rang out behind Chiana.
"Stand aside, fools!"
The guards stepped aside, and Chiana turned to find Lord Batian, the Cotti noble Kerrion had left in charge of the small occupying force in Jondar, striding towards them. She glared at him, then led the honour guard forward. Two officers moved ahead of her to push open the doors. Their torches illuminated pale floors and walls, glinting on the gilded edges of Minna-Satu's royal banner, which hung beyond the satin-covered plinth. Chiana walked closer, stopping in shock when she discovered that it was empty. She stared at it, too stunned to speak, then glanced around for the second body that should have been in the room. The chamber was innocent of corpses, and Chiana swung to face Lord Batian, ignoring the angry, horrified muttering of the clergy.
"Where is the body of the Elder Queen?"
He drew himself up, his expression unrepentant. "King Kerrion took it, and the body of the assassin, Blade."
Chiana gasped, struggling to master her shock. "This is an outrage! Why has he done this depraved thing? To what end?"
Batian shrugged. "I do not know."
"Is this how he insults his daughter's kingdom? Does he mean to throw her mother's body in some ditch beside the road?"
Lord Batian shook his head, frowning. "I am sure King Kerrion plans to do no such thing. He is an honourable man, but his reasons for this action are, I am afraid, known only to him."
Chiana approached him, her eyes bright with anger, and was annoyed to find herself forced to look up at him. "You must know something."
"All I know is that he had the bodies removed on the day he left, and he took them with him."
"Why would he do such a thing? As an insult to the Jashimari people? Is this how he treats us? He denies our former Queen her rightful burial in her ancestors' tomb and steals her body for his perverted reasons? This is intolerable!"
"May I suggest that you do not make this public, Regent?"
"Are you now my advisor, Lord Batian? You treat Cotti women as fools, but do not think that I am one. If I told the Jashimari people what your King has done, they would turn upon the Cotti and slay as many as they could."
"Indeed. I am glad you realise that. I offer my regret for any anguish this inflicts upon you."
"Your regret rings hollow," Chiana retorted. "Not only has he stolen the body of our former Queen, but also that of my husband. He has offended the Jashimari nation with his theft and mortally insulted me more than I can say. I would not accept your apology, or his, even if he, or you, were to tender it, which I sense neither of you has the manners or breeding to do. Suffice it to say, this incident severely undermines the cordial nature of our peace, and I shall require some form of explanation from your King in due course."
Lord Batian accorded her a slight, stiff bow before marching away, the Cotti soldiers following. Chiana turned to the High Priestess, whose aged, grim visage might have been carved from wrinkled stone.
"Grave though this is, we must keep silent about it, Exalted One," Chiana declared. "In the interest of the peace our former Queen gave her life to achieve."
The High Priestess frowned, but inclined her head in reluctant acquiescence. "As you wish, Regent. I do not agree with it, but the decision is yours and I pray it is the right one. This, I think, is just the first of many insults we will receive from the accursed Cotti barbarians. By allowing it we pave the way for more. Nevertheless, you are the one who was privy to the Queen's wishes and chosen to carry them out. We will give honour and pray for her soul's safe passage though her mortal remains have been stolen from us."
"Thank you, Exalted One. I am certain she would have wished it this way. I would not have thought Kerrion capable of such an atrocity. The Queen had such faith in him."
"He is a Cotti."
"So he has proven."
Chiana went to the door at the back of the room and released Minna-Satu's feline familiar, Shista, from the prison to which she had been confined during Minna's death. The dappled golden sand cat flitted past her and vanished through the bier room's door without a backward glance. Chiana watched her leave sadly, taking with her the last echoes of Minna-Satu's presence. The inside of the stout wooden door was scored with deep claw marks, which the cat had made in her agony of grief when she had sensed her friend's demise.
After the short ceremony of prayers and melancholy chants, Chiana returned to her rooms, where she found Jayon bleary-eyed from a valiant effort to drown his sorrow with several bottles of wine. The truant lock of brown hair that was forever falling into his eyes was tousled from being roughly brushed aside, and a melancholy demeanour had replaced his normally cheerful one. He made an abortive attempt to stand and bow as Chiana went over to her desk and sat behind it. Abandoning his futile endeavour, he regarded her from his seat on the divan.
"I trust the ceremony went well?"
"No, it did not." Chiana picked up a quill and pulled a sheet of paper towards her. "The Cotti King has stolen the Queen's body, and Blade's. We had nothing to bury, we only prayed."
Jayon stared at her. "Why would Kerrion take them?"
"I would like to know the answer to that myself. I can only surmise that he sought to give insult."
"That bastard!"
"My sentiments exactly. I shall write a formal letter of protest."
Jayon leant forward, putting aside his cup. "You need more spies in Jadaya. We need to know what's going on there. I want to go as soon as possible."
"You are not a spy." Chiana glanced at him in surprise. "You would be discovered."
"Well, not as a spy as such. After all, we're no longer at war. Surely merchants will be going there to trade now?"
"Not for a while, I think." She stared at the blank paper before her. "It will take time for the scars of war to heal and for our peoples to stop regarding each other as enemies. It is still dangerous for a Jashimari to go to Jadaya."
"I'll take the risk. I was in more danger when I fought at the front."
She nodded, the quill poised over the paper. Jayon had been a patrol leader during the war, and rescued Blade after a Cotti spy shot him with a crossbow. "If you really w
ant to, then go with the wagons that will carry the stipend to Jadaya. At least that way you will be going there for a reason, and there should be no grounds for suspicion."
"I shall find out what he did with them, if nothing else."
Chiana scowled at the empty page. "Good. Now I need to be alone so I can write this letter."
Jayon tottered to his feet and bowed, almost toppling over. Recovering with the aid of a swift grab for the table, he weaved his way to the door, closing it behind him. Chiana stared at the damp spots on the paper, unable to stem the tears that rolled down her cheeks. She longed to see her husband one last time and wash his body in the ritual cleansing before burial, the last duty of a wife. Now she would never see him again, and had no grave at which to mourn.
Blade lay in a dream-like state, caught somewhere on the edge of a sleep from which he could not wake. The rattle of wagon wheels, mingled with the steady drumming of hooves, held him from the abyss of true sleep. His limbs refused to obey him. Even his eyes would not open, trapping him in the dark confines of his skull.
Sometimes the travel sounds would stop, allowing him to sink into slumber's soft arms, then they would start again, dragging him into the half-awake state. Dreams of blood and death plagued him, from which he longed to wake. At times dull pain throbbed in his arm and thigh, or he was lifted and tasteless liquid poured into his mouth. Sometimes voices impinged upon him, soft and calm or loud and argumentative, but the words made no sense.
One day, with a supreme effort of will, he dragged himself from the horror of a bloody dream into the world of drumming and rattling, forcing his eyes open. A canvas canopy hung over him, billowing in the wind. The hoops that held it up swayed as the wagon rumbled over rough roads. As he gazed at it, the sleep that dogged him threatened to drag him back into its enervating depths. He gave a wordless cry of despair, fighting to stay in the world of sensations.
The Queen's Blade II - Sacrifice Page 22
