“And you!” He stepped towards Yuna, and this time he did not hold his hand. The slap would have fell a horse, yet Yuna stood with her eyes downcast, taking the punishment without a hint of retaliation. Echinni had never seen him hit Yuna. It shocked her.
“What in Halom’s name were you thinking? You stupid ox! Letting her run around the city like that!” Her father was the only person who could make Yuna shrink, despite the fact that she was still half a head taller than him. “You think you are so capable? That you are the only protection she needs against an entire city? That damn sword on your back has made you too confident. But now it’s not just your own life you gamble with. It’s my daughter’s as well.” He stepped towards Yuna again. “Is that how you repay me? Taking chances with the little girl I know you love?”
It made Echinni hurt inside to see Yuna wilt like this. “Don’t touch her,” she hissed, and grabbed his arm. “Stop it!”
The High King shook his head and glared at Yuna. “Won’t do any good anyways. I try to raise you to be respectable, honourable. I give you responsibility. Yet you can’t get away from the wildness within you.” Yuna didn’t move and kept her eyes down. Already Echinni could see the red mark showing beneath Yuna’s face tattoos.
Despite being possibly the greatest member of the Syklan order, a hero of the Merikas Skirmishes, a woman so feared that an entire battalion had turned and fled rather than face her, Yuna Swiftriver – the bearer of the mythical sword Hunsa – was still a tragic little orphan girl when she stood in front of her King. For he was the man who had given her a home when no one else would, and the man who had spared her life.
“Leave her alone!” Echinni didn’t know what had come over her. “Stop it. Enough. Can’t you see it’s enough.” She slapped the back of her father’s head and scratched his arm with her nails before she knew what was happening.
Her father stopped and looked down at her. “Here is something new.” His voice had gone quiet, and somehow that was more frightening than his rage. He lifted the arm with Echinni on it as a tree might lift a squirrel to get a look at it.
“You don’t ever get to hurt her!” Echinni could feel the tears running down her cheeks, knowing she must look ridiculous hanging from her father’s arm, although she didn’t care. “You don’t get to judge her. Not after what you did to them.”
Her words scored a hit, as she saw some of the fire leave her father’s eyes. Sadness filled the void left behind by the rage.
“Fair enough,” he said sadly, looking at his daughter almost in a new light. “Let go,” he sighed, and lowered her gently to the floor.
Echinni let her arms drop and her father turned away.
“So it’s true then.” Echinni’s mind reeled. She had heard a strange version of the Battle of Istol, the battle which had defeated the Navutians once and for all, and yet she had not believed it. Not until now. “All of them? Even the children?” Echinni couldn’t believe it, but her father did not respond. “You’re … a monster.”
His shoulders slumped, almost as if she had stabbed him. Then he turned to look at her with sad eyes. “Yes,” he said, “I am. A monster who changed it all, because sometimes it takes a monster to do something momentous.” He made her meet his gaze and the anger returned. “But then I think of your dead mother, or your dead baby brother, and I am glad I am a monster, because I know that no more mothers or children will die under the axes of Navutian raiders again. So yes, I killed them all, bar the one standing in that corner.” He pointed at Yuna without breaking his stare at Echinni. “Yet I will let Halom, Fenrir and the Lady judge me for what I have done, not a naïve little girl.”
His eyes were ablaze once again, but Echinni could see the hint of tears in them. She had never heard her father speak so openly before.
“Yes, I was reckless, and I’ve done stupid things. But I won, Halom be praised, I won somehow, and, Lady take me, I’ve tried to make things better.” Her father was forcing himself to talk through his emotions, and his voice cracked because of it. “Yet … I can feel it all slipping away.”
“What?” Echinni asked as she clutched her hands together. “What do you mean?”
“I am surrounded by sharks, Echinni. In that council room when I sit upon my throne I can feel them, nibbling away at the foundations of what I’ve created. Yet I don’t know how to fight back. I do not have the weapons for this battle. You can’t hack at law until it submits, or smash mutually beneficial trade agreements, or chop up the right amount of taxation.” His voice was not much more than a whisper. He had turned to look out of the window now. He stared up at the soaring heights of the Red Tower, and then shook his head and turned, stepping towards her. Echinni shrank back.
“Don’t cower. Look at me,” her father said as he stood before her. “Maybe I should have tried to explain all this earlier. But you are still so young to have such burdens.” He placed a hand on her shoulder, and this time it was gentle. “Some part of me wanted to keep you young, to try and let you enjoy your youth, like your mother would have wanted, but I have failed in that too.” He shook his head.
Her father’s unfettered, unabashed sorrow was something Echinni had never experienced before, and she could not bear it.
He now flung up his hands. “It is time to end this charade. It is not working. So be it.” He looked at her and appeared to steel himself for what he was about to say. “The other kings and queens, the rulers of the nine nations, they plot and they scheme and they will eventually take the power I have gained. They dance rings around me with political skill I am no match for. I have the threat of my army, I have promised violence on my side, but fear will not hold them forever, and already there are plans to overthrow us.”
“But …” Echinni was trying to catch up. She hadn’t realised it was this bad. “But what you said is true. All nine nations are safer and overall wealth has increased in these last fifteen years. All of my economics instructors say the same: we are experiencing an unprecedented period of prosperity. The other kings and queens must see and hear the same.”
“Yes.” He smiled at her. “They do. But who is prospering? I have won the hearts of the common people. Many of them have grown rich under my new rules. Merchant classes have grown powerful and there is new upward mobility through the classes. Hard work, cunning, ingenuity and entrepreneurship are rewarded with profit, and those profits benefit us all because the wealth is then distributed to others. Yet in this new system, it is those who do not adapt who suffer. The nobility were always staunch supporters of keeping the status quo. All this change has upset the old order of things. I should have seen it. I too was naïve about how the world works, and the consequences of my actions are catching up with us.”
Echinni thought about this, and it did make sense. The fake smiles were covering thoughts of revenge and plots to return things to how they had been before, with the nobility at the top and all others beneath them. Before the Union Wars, the Mihanes were minor landowners in Asgur, but the might of her father had landed them at the top, and everyone else they had passed on route was now trying to find ways to pull them back down.
“Yes.” He nodded, smiling at her. “You recognise already what I had to learn the hard way. You are smarter than I ever was. Their power is being eroded, and this new prosperity is threatening their positions and legitimacy. They are going to strike back soon, I just can’t see how.” Her father sighed, “And on top of it all there are rumours of rebellion and war in Kenz once more. Someone has raised an army and it is headed to Dawn. So, now you must understand why you cannot go gallivanting off to a local tavern simply because you want to experience what young women are meant to experience. There are those who would hurt you, or hurt you to hurt me. You have enemies because I have enemies, and because you will be Queen. Our role is not to be good or evil, but only to retain the power I have taken. We must use that power to keep our people safe, to keep order, and hold the horrors of the world at bay so the men, women and children we protec
t can go to sleep at night knowing their world will not be torn apart by the morning.”
The truth behind his words was like heavy stones being placed on her shoulders. Echinni wanted to say that she had never asked for any of this, that it wasn’t fair that she had this burden to carry, that she didn’t want to be a queen. She wanted to scream that it wasn’t fair that she couldn’t experience life, to know joy, and love, and all the good things the wars had been fought to achieve. She only had one life – why wasn’t she allowed to live it her way?
“I know,” he said tenderly, and his eyes showed just how tired he was of it all. He had been fighting his entire life. Fighting the world, and now he was overmatched, and struggling to hold it all together.
“My life for the stability and safety of millions,” Echinni said as the reason behind all of it clicked into place. “That’s what being a true ruler is about, isn’t it?”
Her father nodded, and in that moment she could almost see the burden he carried. The burden she was meant to inherit.
“You see it,” he said, “and I am sorry for I did not see what this would mean for you until recently. If only I had your mind, my beautiful girl. You do not have the luxury of a normal childhood.” The High King moved to the door and looked back over his wide shoulder. “Think about all this the next time you want to play truant, and what the consequences might be if it went wrong.”
The High King closed the door behind him. His boots echoed down the marble floors as he went.
Echinni hugged her knees to her chest. The world felt cold and ugly now, when only last night it had seemed wondrous. She rocked back and forth and let her tears stain her silk dress.
It was then she felt the warmth of long arms wrapping around her. She hadn’t heard Yuna come over, but the giant woman now held her as a mother would a babe.
Echinni felt empty and had no more tears to cry. She thought of the hurt her family had done to Yuna, and how that horrible action had brought nearly a generation of peace and stability; but it was all too much: too and real and too brutal.
“It’s all so terrible. Is nothing simply honest and good in the world?” she sobbed. Yes, she answered herself, the Will is. Whatever it is that I feel and hear, that is good and true.
“Shhh. Quiet now,” Yuna crooned, and held her, rocking back and forth with her.
“Did he hurt you?” Echinni asked.
“No. He could never hurt me.” Yuna swept a huge finger across her tight braids.
She found Yuna’s arm and cradled it against her cheek. “How can you stand it, Yuna? How can you love us?”
The warrior didn’t answer right away. Echinni could feel the scars on Yuna’s arm against her cheek. She has so much pain inside. Echinni wanted to take that pain from her but knew she wasn’t strong enough.
“I love you because you are my sister, and you love me back,” Yuna said simply. “And I love him because he is my King, because he spared me and took me in when everyone else in the world wanted me dead. He raised me as his own even though every time your father looks at me he sees the people who murdered his wife and child. I love him because he recognises the monster in me, has allowed me to grow strong, and yet still allows me to love the only person he has left in this world.”
“You’re not a monster, Yuna.” Echinni held the big arm against her face, trying to comfort the huge woman.
It was then she heard the bells within the Oratorio sing out against the noon sky.
“Help me out of this dress, we need to send someone to fetch Kai and Jachem,” she said. “No, forget that. We need to go right now. You are going to use your rank and put together a very hasty but dangerous and trustworthy honour guard. Every guard you see along the way to the gates will do. We can get a carriage along the route. That way we are taking precautions, and no one has expressly forbidden us from entering the city as of yet. So technically we are not doing anything wrong. We will be as official and protected as anyone could hope. You might need to put the fear of Halom into some people, but I’m sure you can manage,” Echinni finished, pleased with her plan.
Yuna just chuckled, and Echinni saw her shake her tattooed head in mild disbelief. “We are still going through with this? Did you listen to your father at all?”
“Yes, I did listen.” Echinni huffed a bit at that. “He may be High King,” she said as she headed to the boudoir to find something official and regal, “and he may know about horrible things, and may have made some excellent points, but I am the one who can hear and feel the Will, and it is telling me Kai and Jachem are important. They need to be here.”
Yuna sighed. “Alright, but we’re swinging by the armoury. I don’t want guards with ceremonial weapons. And if there is a hint of trouble, we are turning around and coming right back. We should take the servants’ corridors as well to try and get out of the tower before any further orders can be implemented.”
Echinni smiled and opened the hidden servants’ door leading down to the kitchens. “We’ll try not to get caught this time. Don’t worry, we can’t get in trouble for this.”
Yuna rolled her eyes and looked at the small service door. “Sometimes I wish I was a smaller monster.” She unbuckled Hunsa from its over-the-shoulder strap so it wouldn’t scrape the low ceiling, and then had to turn sideways to get through the door.
Echinni smiled at Yuna’s comment, and she grabbed her adopted sister’s hand and made her look at her. “Yuna, you are not a monster.”
The corners of Yuna’s mouth turned up slightly. “Yes, I am, little one. But it’s fine. I’m your monster.” She gently squeezed Echinni’s hand. “Come on, let’s go shock those two crazy boys.”
22 - Catching a Break - Kai
For a society which could make marvellous wonders, gadgets and artefacts which may last for many more thousands of years, the Jendar sure made a lot of useless junk, or maybe I am just missing the significance of why I would need a ‘floating tissue box’. I fear I may never understand their weird and wonderful civilization.
-Chronicler Talbot in Observations Log: Device Determination – “floating tissue box”, Item Tag: RC-4567LM.
Today was the day.
“I still don’t know if I believe it,” Kai said to Hanson.
“Don’t you go ruining this, Kai Johnson. Gideon’s blessed you with some luck, Halom knows why, but he has.” Hanson rubbed clean a wooden tankard and set it down with a thump. “And another thing, you probably haven’t thought of it, but don’t give anyone any ideas that you might be trying to win the princess’s affections. The High King would skin you alive in front of the whole city if there is any hint of romance between the two of you.”
“I never thought of that!” Kai quailed as a shiver ran down his spine. He had only seen the High King once, during a parade, and even from that distance the giant man looked absolutely terrifying. “What if he thinks I’m trying to seduce her? Or taking advantage?”
Hanson dried another mug and considered for a moment. “Well … I imagine he’d kill you.” He put the mug down and scratched his chin. “Not have you killed neither. No, a man like that would do it himself. Probably with those huge hands of his. Rip your head off, or something equally dramatic.”
“How in the nine hells is that supposed to make me feel better?” Kai waved his hand in frustration.
Hanson laughed. “Oh, I don’t think there’s any point trying to make you feel better. From where I’m standing you’re proper screwed. A beautiful woman like the Princess, and a roguish devil like yourself? What else would her father think?”
“I thought bartenders were supposed to give sage advice and all that sort of nonsense,” Kai said. “Not describe in detail how you’re doomed. Gods, Hanson, you’re terrible at this, how have you stayed in business so long?”
“By steering clear of princesses mostly.” Hanson grinned.
“Oh, shut up,” Kai huffed.
The sound of hoofs on cobblestones stopped just outside the entrance to the pub. Kai we
nt to open the door, but what he saw made him go pale and dive back inside.
“Holy Halom!” he shouted.
“What is it?” Hanson asked.
“There must be a dozen guards outside!” Kai scanned the room, looking for an exit.
The driver of the carriage called out in a loud voice, “Kai Johnston and Jacehm Sanders, we are here to escort you.”
Hanson went to the door and poked his head out. “They’re in here. I’ll send them right away.”
“What are you doing! They’re probably here to arrest us or something!” Kai threw his hands up at Hanson.
“If they are, you think I’d hide you in here and risk losing the pub?” Hanson quirked a nonchalant eyebrow at him. “Hold on, I’ll ask.” He turned to the open door and bellowed, “Are you kind people here to arrest the two aforementioned gentlemen?”
“No, good innkeeper, we are here as an escort only. Can you please tell them to hurry, we need to load their belongings and then be on our way,” the driver of the carriage said.
“I don’t trust them,” Kai said, “those guards don’t look happy.”
“When have you ever seen happy on-duty guards?” Hanson asked. “Now get your things. Either they are here to arrest you or to take you off to the Oratorio like the Princess said. Either way you’re doomed, best just get on with it.”
“You are the absolute worst.” Kai shook his fist, but got up from hiding behind the table.
“If they were here to arrest you, they wouldn’t be waiting outside, you daft boy.” Hanson chuckled at Kai’s expense. “Now get your gear and your partner, and get on with your adventure.”
“Jachem! They’re here.” No sooner had Kai said the words than Jachem appeared, bundling past him packed and ready. By the time Kai had grabbed his own bag, Jachem was already giving the driver detailed instructions on how to pack their instruments.
“Be careful with that, if you jostle it too much it will take much longer to tune when we arrive,” Jachem advised, holding his head. “No! No, no, no. I’ve changed my mind. No, put it back!” He grabbed his guitar case from the driver. There was panic in his eyes.
Visions: Knights of Salucia - Book 1 Page 25
