by Bridie Blake
“Is that when you knew you loved him?”
“I was still terrified of him!” She laughed. “But he had me intrigued. From that night on I would seek him out. I wanted to hear him talk. To watch the way his eyes lit up when he was passionate about something.” She sighed. “And then one night he kissed me, and my world changed.”
“When was that?”
“One season before you arrived.”
“And then all the secrecy.”
“I wanted to tell everyone, but he wouldn’t hear of it. He knows my family will disown me and that people at the palace will turn their backs on me, but I don’t care. I’m a woman; I already face hardships.”
“There’s a difference between being a woman and being Kalaowin.”
“Yes, but at the end of the day we’re all facing an uphill battle. As long as we all stick together, we can overcome it.”
“Please never change,” Tempani whispered as she wrapped her arms around her. “I need your positivity in my life.”
—
Nic was drowning. In requests for help. In pleas for food. In debt. His father had drained the kingdom’s resources. Raising taxes had done nothing to help. He now understood why his father had been pushing the marriage to Princess Naleeni. Galiena’s wealth would have turned things around.
He had thought he would make a good king. That he could make a difference in Kamara. But now it seemed he would spend his reign just trying to stay afloat.
He had barely slept since Teddy left. His weeks had been filled with Parliament meetings where they planned his coronation and discussed the threat of the commoners, who had not stopped rioting since Wimarc’s death. And there was the threat of the Kalaowins, as Hallam pointed out at every opportunity. His uncle was trying to convince everyone that Tempani was planning a rebellion with the Kalaowins. And Nic knew he had the ear of the most influential nobles, convincing them that the throne was not secure.
Nic didn’t believe Hallam was behind his father’s death, but he wasn’t sure of his motives now. Did he want the crown? Or did he just want to rid the kingdom of the Kalaowins? Well Nic wasn’t going to let either option happen. He was born to be king. It was all he’d ever known, and all he ever wanted. He hated the way his father and his ancestors before him had ruled. He was going to make a difference.
He rubbed his eyes and yawned. He had been holed up in his study for most of the day. His back ached from hunching over his desk. He rolled his neck around, trying to stretch out the pains.
None of this was how he pictured it. Chae and Madoc were supposed to be here and running the King’s Guard and the Raiders. Darby’s wisdom was to counsel him. And Tempani was meant to be by his side.
Instead he was alone with only Xanthir by his side. And Dagan. He looked up when his bodyguard walked in.
“It’s late, your Majesty.”
Nic waved his hand at the reports on his desk. “These don’t understand the need for sleep.”
“They will when you’ve run yourself into the ground, and there’s no one here to read them.”
“Any word on Hallam?”
Dagan shook his head. “If he was behind it, he’s covered his tracks well. My people have found no trace of treason.”
“Teddy was mistaken.” He got to his feet. “I never did believe him responsible. They were brothers.”
Dagan held the door open for him. “You always see the good in people.”
“Some would say it was foolish.”
“Only behind your back.”
Nic laughed. The sound was foreign to his ears after these past months. “Then they are the fools. My people are free to speak their minds.”
Dagan smiled sadly at the young king. He had grown from an arrogant, petulant child to a man before his eyes. He often prayed to the God Windel that his charge would live long enough to rule. That he would die an old man in his bed. With so many snakes in court, he knew the likelihood was slim. But he would do everything he could to protect him and keep him safe.
—
Keer approached them and spoke quickly. A tribe had arrived unannounced, and it was important they follow him to greet the newcomers. Her niska pushed forward and surged up the path, Tempani hot on her heels.
They came upon their guests, and Tempani was surprised by their apparent ease at being in the Shiasa’s camp. They stood easily, chatting amongst one another. Her niski was there, kissing the cheek of a young man.
She gasped when the man lifted his head. “Nika?”
He turned at the sound of his name and nodded at her.
“What is this?” Her niska pushed Tempani out of the way and came upon her husband.
“Our Nika,” he said, clasping Nika’s face between his hands.
“Helio,” she spat. “Show yourself.”
A man in his forties wandered over, a lazy smile on his face. “Mama,” he said and crossed his arms over his chest and bowed. When he rose he leant forward and kissed her cheek.
She frowned at him. “Why are you here?”
He turned to Tempani, and she gulped. He looked so much like Hamalia. “I am here to follow her. Now that she is here, we will unite behind her.”
Tempani tried to blink away the stinging tears that suddenly appeared.
Helio walked over to her and placed a warm hand on her shoulder. “You are as beautiful as my dear sister.”
She covered his hand with her own and reached up to kiss his cheek. “She always spoke so fondly of you.”
“As my son did of you. Nika?”
Tempani stared at him. “We’re cousins?” She squeaked.
He just shrugged, and it irritated her. It was just like him to treat this as though it was not a major deal. It was just one more thing to add to the very long list of things that were kept from her.
Those years of training with him and not a word. Not even a hint that they shared such a special bond. How could he have kept it a secret? Especially when he saw how lost she was and how distant she felt from her family. He was her family, and he could have told her. He could have been there for her.
But he was, wasn’t he? He was there for her each time she snuck out of the convent. He stayed there after she’d left with Madoc and waited in their spot because he knew she would return. He believed in her. He never doubted her abilities or that she would do this.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“If I had, what would you have done?”
“I don’t know.”
He looked at her disbelievingly, and she sighed.
“I would have run from the convent and gone with you. The only reason I went to Fenella was to be with family.”
“And you never would have been able to fulfill the prophecy that way. You never would have belonged to both worlds. You had to be Kamari before you could embrace your Kalaowin side,” Helio explained.
She shook her head. “This is too much.”
“Pa!”
Zadi pushed past Tempani and threw herself into Helio’s arms. He laughed and picked her up, smothering her in kisses. When he finally released her, she turned slowly to Nika and kissed his cheek as they patted each other awkwardly on the arm.
“Where’s Ma?”
“She got held up on the road delivering a baby,” Nika explained.
Tempani watched them with a smile. Before knowing the truth, she never would have guessed they were brother and sister, but seeing them standing together, it was obvious. Their mannerisms were awfully similar. The proud way they held themselves, the stubborn set of their mouths, the strength in their eyes.
She didn’t notice Chae was beside her until he whispered in her ear. “Finally, we get to meet our family.”
~10~
THE TRIBES WE JOIN
The Ikra tribe was there to stay. They fell into the routine of camp life with an ease that Tempani envied. Her friends were still on the outer, wanting to belong but not accepted by her niska’s tribe. The Ikra people weren’t welcomed with open arms
either, but as a fellow tribe they had more standing than the Kamaris.
Helio hadn’t been shunned as Hamalia had, but he had been seen as a betrayer nonetheless for his close ties to Hamalia and Otto after they wed. He had kept in contact with the pair right up until Hamalia’s death. And Tempani guessed the association with Otto had continued in secret.
She wondered what it must be like for her niska to feel as though her two children betrayed her. But her niski was able to move past that. Why couldn’t she? Her niski was beyond happy that his son and grandchildren were here. The smile had not left his face.
Chae was thrilled with the reunion. He and Nika had become fast friends, and she often came across them trading tips on combat and hunting. A small part of her was jealous of their blossoming friendship. Nika had been her friend. Chae her brother. She didn’t know how she felt about sharing them. Even with each other.
She frowned as she watched Madoc amble down to the stream. He had been growing more distant the longer they spent here. She worried about him. It couldn’t be easy seeing her and Chae amongst their Kalaowin relatives when he had no idea where his were - and if he would even be accepted by them if he did find them.
She understood his need to belong. To fit into one of their worlds. It was the thing that bound the two of them together. And Chae. The three of them were of both worlds and didn’t quite belong in either. But one day they would. They would live in a kingdom that accepted both races. But before that could happen Madoc needed to belong to the Kalaowin people in the way she and Chae now did. And she knew just how to make that happen. She raced off to find her uncle to discuss the idea with him.
The following day, after dinner had been served and the children had been settled for the night, Helio called his tribe together and invited Tempani and her friends to join them.
“A Kalaowin tribe is family,” he started. “We live, eat and breathe together. When we lose someone, we feel their loss forever, and when we gain a member, it fills our hearts with the purest of joys. Tonight I ask my family to extend their arms and welcome a lost Kalaowin into our fold.”
Tempani translated quickly for her friends.
“Madoc, a man without a tribe, belongs back with his mother’s people. It is said that his mother never claimed him as her own, and in doing so, he has never been claimed by a tribe. Until now. We are not the family he was born into, but we will be his family now. If he accepts.”
Madoc looked up at Helio, the surprise clear on his face. “I thought I had to marry into one?”
“They are realizing that some rules are allowed to be broken.” Tempani reached over and gripped his hand. “Uhana would want you to belong.”
His eyes glistened with tears as he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. “Thank you.” He got to his feet and walked towards Helio, who welcomed him with a hug.
Helio gripped his dagger and cut along his palm and then asked for Madoc’s hand. He cut a similar line across Madoc’s palm. “Your blood is my blood.” He pushed their palms together, their blood mingling together. “Our blood belongs to the earth.” He knelt down, dragging Madoc with him and together their hands burrowed into the ground, their blood mixing with the dirt. “You are sworn to protect our blood and our land until the day you die.”
Madoc blinked away his tears as he stared at his open palm.
“You are now Madoc, of the Ikra tribe.” Helio leant forward and kissed Madoc on each cheek before turning to his people. “We welcome a new son to our fold this evening.”
They let out a cheer and surrounded him to offer their congratulations.
“Chae, now of the Scrola tribe,” Tempani said as she rose to her feet. “You are a member of my tribe because our blood is shared. Tonight you join with the earth and become a brother to others.”
Chae clambered to his feet and offered his palm to Tempani, who followed the same ritual as Helio. When they pulled their hands free from the dirt, she wrapped her arms around him. “I hate that I have to share you.”
He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. “Yes, but I always belonged to you first.”
They turned when they heard voices coming from the camp. The Scrola tribe had gathered and was ready to welcome Chae into their fold. Keer stood at the front with a spear in his hand. He stepped forward and held it towards Chae.
“Tomorrow you hunt with us.”
—
Nic yawned, barely able to keep his eyes open as he sat in the drawing room waiting for Otto and silently cursing his mentor for requesting they meet here instead of at the palace. He jumped when the door burst open, Otto’s frame blocking out the light from the hall. He rushed in and closed the door behind him.
“Here,” he said and thrust a pack at him. “We must leave. Now.”
“What?” Nic stammered. “Have you lost your mind? I can’t leave!”
“Hallam has just declared you unfit to rule due to your reluctance to punish those responsible for Wimarc’s death. He has appointed himself king.”
Nic’s eyes widened. “He can’t!”
Otto called for Lindow and then turned to Nic. “He has the full support of the court.”
“How?”
“Bribes, trickery, charm. The nobles’ way,” Otto spat. “Nic, he’s authorized the capture of Tempani. At any means.”
The color drained from Nic’s face, and he stumbled backwards.
“We are going to her, and we are leading this rebellion with her.”
“So it is true,” he said to himself.
“Of course it’s true,” Otto snapped. “We’ve been working towards this for years.”
“We?”
Lindow rushed into the room, bowed quickly to Nic and then faced his master.
“It’s time,” Otto said. “Gather everyone and use the trails I’ve shown you. Take only what’s necessary.”
Lindow nodded. “Good luck, sir. May the God watch over you.”
“And the Goddess,” Otto whispered.
“Wait,” Nic grabbed Otto’s arm. “My family. We can’t leave them behind.”
“I got them out,” he said. “They’re safe.”
Nic breathed a sigh of relief. “Lead the way, sir.”
—
Tempani walked through the tents, tired after an afternoon spent with Aidis. The dragon’s knowledge on magic and the life of the First Shiasa was extensive, and they spent many hours discussing both at length. She was learning all she could for the day she went into battle. But she couldn’t start the rebellion without the support of her niska.
She sat beside her uncle and sighed.
“What’s wrong?”
“Why doesn’t niska want the Kalaowins to join the rebellion? Doesn’t she want to free her enslaved people? Isn’t she sick of the fighting?”
“She doesn’t want her people to suffer for a cause that she doesn’t believe in. In her mind we are two separate kingdoms. The Kamaris and the Kalaowins. She doesn’t see the need to be united. Kalaowins fear that a united kingdom would mean total Kamari rule. We would lose our customs. Don’t forget the tale of the First Shiasa. It was a northern sorcerer who worked against us.”
“Yes, with a Kalaowin. If the right person were to lead the kingdom, we could retain both heritages.”
“Is that person you?”
She shrugged. “I believe I could make a difference, but I do not believe that I will make it through this alive. Kill the face of the rebellion, kill the rebellion.”
“And you think we would allow you to be killed? You will be surrounded by the finest fighters I know. No hand will be laid on you.”
“But there’s Lord Ricton,” she said. “You may not place much faith in a northern sorcerer, but trust me, he is powerful.”
“As are you,” he said. “You will defeat him.”
“I’m not even powerful enough to convince niska that I’m a worthy successor.”
He smiled. “She has chosen you. If she hadn’t, she would not be training you
. She would not have allowed Madoc to be adopted into my tribe. She may have put up a fight, but it was all for show. The day her grandchildren walked back into this camp was the happiest day of her life.”
“She could show it,” she muttered.
“She does not show her emotions.”
“What is with this family? Am I the only one who can show my feelings?”
He laughed. “Hamalia was the same.”
—
They picked their way through the woods. He knew they were close. He had felt their eyes on him since their morning stop. They would show themselves soon enough. As soon as they realized they weren’t turning back.
He knew he wouldn’t receive a warm welcome. Nor would Nic.
“I am Otto, husband of Hamalia of the Scrola tribe!” He called out in Kalaowin.
The only sound he heard was a faint bird whistle. He sighed and felt his hopes deflate. But then he heard the whistle again. This time it was closer. Off to his right. He turned his mare in that direction, and Nic followed.
The whistles grew louder. They were getting closer. He heard a rustle up ahead and a short, sharp whistle. He knew the signal. He pulled his horse up, and Nic followed suit. They appeared out of the trees. Their weapons pointing at the duo.
Someone barked the order to lower them. Otto recognized the voice immediately and fought a smile as Chae stepped forward, dressed only in a pair of torn breeches.
“Chae!” Nic exclaimed and dismounted. The two men clasped each other’s arms in greeting. “It’s good to see you.”
“You too, King Nicolass,” he said. “Should I be bowing right now?”
“I’m not king anymore,” he said sadly. “I’ll tell you all about it later. First, I need to see her.”
Chae frowned. “She’s not the same person she was when she left. A lot has happened.”
“And I am not the same man. Believe me.”
Chae turned to his father. “You’re brave.”
“Either that or stupid.” Otto grimaced. “Is Helio here?”
Chae nodded and motioned for them to follow.
There was a bustle of activity when they arrived at the camp. Darby looked up at the commotion and saw his old friend. He wandered over to them, and Otto placed a hand on his shoulder.
