Falling From the Tree (Darshian Tales #2)

by Ann Somerville

  Pa was carried into the front room and laid on the long chair. Ma and Myka held a low-voiced conference at the door, and then Myka called her daughter to her side. “He’ll be fine, Karik. Jena doesn’t need us, but she’ll need you, so stay and help her, all right?”

  He nodded and Myka smiled before she led Meran out. Meran had been avoiding his eyes. but Karik had more important things than her feelings to worry about just now.

  Peit and Lori were standing out of Ma’s way, watching as she probed his Pa’s side. Pa was gritting his teeth, but she soothed him gently as she worked. It didn’t look as if Pa was dying. Karik came to them and knelt at his mother’s side. “Do you n-need help?”

  “In a moment, Ka-chi,” she said somewhat distractedly. “Peit, Lori, thanks for your assistance—maybe one of you can see if Risa needs a hand.”

  “We need to...catch that beast,” Pa got out in wheezed gasps.

  “Oh hush, Reji, let Risa sort that out,” Ma scolded.

  “Leave it to us,” Peit said in his calm, deep voice. “Come on, Lori, let’s see what mess Risa’s made of things.”

  Pa made a face at the insult to his partner and then sighed as the door closed. He reached for Karik’s hand. “Thanks...son.”

  “I’m sorry, P-pa. I sh-should have kept huh-hold of the beast b-better.”

  Pa shook his head and winced as Ma probed his ribs. “Not your fault. Just an accident.”

  He still felt guilty, but then his mother turned her head to look at him. “That one’s been funny for a day or so. We might have to cut its throat. Can’t have an animal like that in the herd, right, Reji?”

  “No, love. Risa’ll—” He winced again as he moved slightly. “Damn it.”

  “Well, lie still, you idiot. Yes, you’ve cracked two ribs, I’d be sure of that and you’re going to have a lovely bruise. Karik, would you get me the new pot of chuo sap ointment—I just made a batch this morning and it’s in the workroom.”

  Karik nodded and went to his mother’s workroom at the back of the house. It stank of tirsel leaf—she had clearly been making up stocks of ointments and creams, which was probably why she’d been in the garden collecting herbs when he’d found her. He collected the large pot clearly marked in her neat hand and brought it back to the front room.

  Ma asked him to help take his father’s trousers off. When the damage to the knee was revealed, she tsked. “You’re going to have trouble walking for a few days.”

  “Got work... to do.”

  “Not in this condition you haven’t. Karik, you’ll have to help Risa for your Pa. Lori will give you a hand and then Gyo will be here in a couple of days.”

  “Yes, Ma.”

  “Good lad. Now lie still, Reji, or this cream will end up somewhere you don’t want it.”

  Pa pulled a comically horrified face, and Karik grinned. Ma made Pa comfortable and treated his injuries with the ease of long experience, her calm demeanour doing much to reassure Karik. It was obvious that Pa wouldn’t make the stairs for a day or two, so she and Karik made up a bed for him on the long chair. Although he grumbled about the things he needed to do, he was still in enough pain for that grumbling to be only a token, and once Ma gave him some pijn, he dropped off to sleep. Ma took Karik out to the workroom while she tidied up her kit. “You still look worried, Ka-chi,” she said, chucking him under the chin.

  He caught her hand again. It was so much easier using her gift to talk to her. “It just happened so fast.”

  “I know, dear. You did the right thing, though.”

  He flushed again. “Pa asked me to help with the next caravan, me and Gyo. Do you think he still wants me to go?”

  She frowned a little. “I think he probably does more than ever now. Risa can’t manage on his own. He might ask if Lori can go with you, although it’s short notice.”

  He nodded. “I want to help, Ma.”

  “Of course you do, Ka-chi.” She pulled him to her and kissed his forehead. “I can manage with him now. Why don’t you go and talk to Risa about helping with the transport? I think he’d appreciate that.”

  “Yes, Ma. I’ll come back in an hour or so.”

  “Thank you. Now go on, your Pa is depending on you.”

  Voyaging: 2

  Arman shook the raindrops off his cloak and cursed the weather soundly as he shivered in his wet clothes. “Not on the wooden floor, Arman,” his housekeeper scolded him, coming up to take the cloak from him. “And take those boots off right now.”

  “Sorry, Pira. I just wanted to get dry. I’m soaked.”

  She put her hands on her hips to give him a proper glare. “Well, why didn’t you put your cloak on?”

  He grinned at her. “I got caught by the docks and left my cloak in the carriage. I’m sorry,” he said, hanging his head in mock shame.

  “Useless man,” she grumbled. “Here, give me that shirt and go find a dry one. Anyone would think you’d never seen rain before.”

  “I wasn’t expecting it and I hadn’t realised how dark it had got.”

  “Oh, that’s just silly. Go and find Kei. He’ll tell you you’re silly too.”

  “Yes, Pira,” he said meekly, handing over his wet clothes. He would need to change his trousers, but he wasn’t going to do that in the hall. “Is he in the library?”

  “Where else? Go on, I’ll tell you when supper’s ready.”

  “I’m starving, I hope it won’t be long.”

  “It’ll be ready when it’s ready—don’t be greedy.”

  “Yes, Pira.”

  She could have let him have some bread, he thought disconsolately, but Pira didn’t like him making raids on her kitchen, and Arman had long ago given up trying. It was a small price to pay for a quiet, comfortable household. It used to irk him that they needed a housekeeper, but he knew it was simply practical—they had too many claims on their attention and time to spend it on routine chores. And Pira needed the position and the accommodation, so it all worked well.

  As he walked into the library, Kei held up a hand without turning around, still scribbling furiously, so Arman waited patiently for his lover to finish recording the thought he had in his head. Finally Kei stopped, and turned to him with a big smile already on his face. “Sorry about...well, look at you,” he said, one eyebrow raised. “A firm admirer of your beautiful body though I am, I have to say I’m a little surprised at this display,” he added. “Pleased, but definitely surprised.”

  Arman grinned and came over to him. “Warm me up, I’m frozen.”

  Kei put his hand back up again with a look of horror on his face. “Not on your life—gods, did you jump in the sea?” He stood but kept a wary distance from Arman’s cold, damp flesh.

  “More or less. Got caught in that downpour.”

  “Oh, did it rain?” he said vaguely. “You look cold. Go and dry off and I’ll bring your robe.”

  Kei allowed him to steal a quick kiss before shooing him to the washroom. Arman had to admit the low heat from the stove was welcome—winters in Darshek were mild but on a wet evening, they could be chilly and he was thoroughly soaked. Later he’d have a bath, but he liked to do that just before they went to bed and it was too early for that now.

  Kei joined him and took on the task of mopping the water from his thick plait. It would take forever to dry and Kei suggested he just unbraid it and tie the whole thing up in a towel, piling it all on top of his head like he did when he bathed.

  Finally he was warm and dry, and his fastidious lover allowed him to hold him close. “You’re home early,” Kei murmured.

  “Well, I got wet,” Arman said simply and Kei laughed. “Kevi was less voluble than normal and I finished the inspections sooner than I expected.”

  “The new gantry’s done?”

  “Nearly. A week, I think.”

  “Good. Come and get something hot to drink, I’m sure Pira will make us some tea.”

  Of course. She’d make tea for Kei. She’d probably dance naked through the stre
ets if Kei asked. But then a lot of people would.

  Pira only smiled as Kei led Arman into the kitchen. “Some tea for the poor old frozen man, Pira?”

  “Less of the ‘old’, you brat,” Arman grumbled.

  Pira only shook her head in amusement. She was a good deal older than either of them and doubtless thought they were both brats. She had water already boiling—which made him think she’d been planning to take pity on him anyway—and tea was soon set in front of him, along with two sweet cakes. “One for you, one for him,” she said sternly. “Don’t spoil your supper.”

  “Yes, Ma,” Kei said, snatching up the cake so eagerly, he looked more like six than thirty-six. “Your cakes are too good. I can’t stop eating them if you put them out.”

  “Huh, it’s more that your stomach is a bottomless pit. Don’t steal Arman’s or I’ll slap your hand.”

  Arman looked at his lover sternly. “Glad to see someone can keep you under control.”

  Kei just laid his head on Arman’s shoulder. “But you love me anyway.”

  “Sadly true.” He poured out some tea and then sipped it, glad of the warmth both from the drink and Kei’s body so close to his. “So what were you working on?” he asked as he slipped an arm around Kei’s waist.

  “Oh, Jezinke wanted to talk to me about the results of the oivi mould tests and I wanted to get the notes down while they were fresh in my mind.”

  “Promising?”

  “Yes, they are, but the side effects are still a problem. He’s going to try some other leaf moulds from the oivi trees, and see which ones he can make into pellets without losing effectiveness.” Arman nodded. There had been some great advances in medicine under Kei’s directorship of the medical section at the academy, and the sister institution in Urshek had contributed a good deal to the anti-infection drugs that were Kei’s main research interest, along with decent pain killers that were less disabling than the ubiquitous pijn. It had actually been a Prijian healer who had discovered that the leaves of the yusus plant were an efficient, minor pain reliever, although he’d had to come to Darshek before he had done so. “Oh, there’s letters from Mari and your brother. And I had a chat with Jena. Reji’s managed to get himself hurt by being kicked by a beast, can you imagine?”

  “How on earth did he do that? I thought he was infallible when it came to those things.” Arman sipped more tea and assessed Kei’s demeanour. Reji couldn’t have been too badly injured if he was this calm.

  “Jena isn’t sure—he was with Karik at the time. The beast was behaving very oddly and just lashed out. He’s got a badly sprained knee and cracked ribs. Feeling sorry for himself, she said. Anyway, it means he’s not coming up this time. Risa’s going to bring Karik and Gyo to help, and see if he can persuade someone like Lori to come too.”

  “Karik?” Arman frowned. “Isn’t he a little young still? He’s no giant, either. Gyo, I can see, the boy’s tall. Karik’s not.”

  “He’s nearly sixteen—sixteen next month, in fact. As for tall...well, he’s got a deft hand with animals, Reji says, and that’s the main thing. They don’t seem to mind his looks or his stutter, poor lad.” Kei looked briefly sad. “Jena and Reji think it will be good for him to see other Prij and the world outside the village.”

  “He’s not a Prij,” Arman pointed out curtly.

  “You know what I mean—don’t get all prickly,” Kei said in a soothing voice. “It’s a shame Vikis and Kesa moved up here. Karik’s got no one to compare himself with. Except you, of course, and you’re not his age.”

  Arman grunted. The subject of Karik always aroused rather confused emotions inside him. Unlike his real parents, Karik was modest and scholarly, which was one of the reasons Kei liked him so much. Arman certainly didn’t dislike him, and the boy seemed to have a good heart, but being in his company made him uncomfortable. Karik’s stutter—caused, Kei thought, by a severe lack of self-confidence—made talking to him a chore, and although Arman tried his best to ignore the defect, it was another reason to avoid him. “Are they to stay here?”

  “Jena would appreciate it. Would you mind?”

  Pira sat down at the table and poured herself some of the tea. “It’d be nice to have some youngsters around here, I say.”

  “What, younger than me? I thought I was your adopted child, Pira. I’m wounded,” Kei said, and laughed at her disgusted expression.

  “You already have too many people mothering you,” Arman said, tugging Kei’s braid. “No, of course I don’t mind, and I imagine Jena and Reji would feel happier about that.”

  “Yes, they would,” Kei said, smiling at him in gratitude. “They won’t be here for nearly a month. They’re bringing the beans—it’ll be slow going no matter what wagons they use.”

  “Fine, then we have a month to arrange things for them,” he said, batting Kei’s hand as it reached for Arman’s cake. “Don’t, you tuktuk.”

  “That’s an insult to tuktuks,” Pira said, sipping her tea. “Now hurry up and clear off. Dinner will be half an hour and I don’t want you in my way.”

  “Yes, Ma,” Kei said cheekily, but he leaned over and kissed her forehead. “You better eat some sweet cakes too, you’re so grumpy.” He ducked away from her attempts to tug his braid, but forgot Arman had an easier reach. “Ow!’

  “Stop teasing her, and come give me my letters,” Arman said sternly, but inside, he was smiling. Kei had hardly changed in sixteen years and Arman still adored every teasing, annoying inch of him.

  ~~~~~~~~

  “So what does your brother say?” Kei asked as they lazed in the bath after supper and two more hours of paperwork. The hot water had driven the last chill from Arman’s bones and he felt nicely languid and relaxed. Kei’s lovely body sitting in his preferred spot on Arman’s lap helped, of course.

  Arman had meant to pass on the contents of the letters earlier, but they had got onto the subject of the new teachers from Kuprij and Andon coming to the academy and whether Lord Meki was finally going to retire this year or not, and he’d forgotten to mention it. “He confirmed the reports we’ve had—Kita’s getting more erratic, apparently, and more extravagant too. Prijus encourages her, of course—no sense in that damn family at all, it seems. The senate are actually starting to voice criticisms aloud—it’s even more strident in private, he says—and there have been riots in the market place over the increased taxes. It got pretty ugly, he says. He’s talking about moving out of Utuk again—he’s worried about the children’s safety.”

  “Can he do that and still be a senator?”

  “He can if he doesn’t care about having an active political role, and there are certainly things he can do in Garok. My father won’t be happy with him, but reading between the lines of what Mari said, I think they might like to leave too.”

  Kei settled himself in a slightly better position on Arman’s lap. “They could come up here.”

  “Oh, and that would cause a stir, don’t you think, an active senator suddenly decamping to Darshian? Besides, Tijus wants the children raised in Kuprij. You can’t blame him for that.”

  “No. But your father and Mari could come up here to live. No one would care about that, surely.”

  “Probably not, although Tijus would have to listen to the gossip. But Father won’t leave his grandchildren, and you can’t blame him for that either.” Not when his daughter-in-law had finally fallen pregnant after ten barren years, and then produced two children in quick succession. Arman had been pleased too—Tijus had wanted children very badly, and he and his wife deserved their fortune. “But Mari says they might visit again at the end of this year. Father’s arthritis hasn’t been too painful lately and the winter might be kinder to him here than on Kuplik.”

  “I’d like to have them here again. Mari is such a nice person. Your father is too, of course,” Kei hastily amended.

  “I doubt even Mari thinks he’s ‘nice’,” Arman said with some amusement at his stern, gruff father being equated with the sweet
and gentle Mari. Still, there was no doubt his father had mellowed considerably in his old age, now he had found a measure of contentment in his life. “But it would be good to see him again. I doubt he’ll make many more journeys north.”

  “No,” Kei agreed sadly.

  Visiting Utuk wasn’t an option either of them had ever suggested. Many of the people who had witnessed Arman’s treachery were still in post, including several senior (albeit now very elderly) senators, Lord Blikus and, of course, the sovereign herself, who’d never forgiven Arman and made a point of mentioning the fact to his brother as often as possible. Tijus often reported her jibes with his usual benign humour in his letters, but Arman knew it had made his position difficult.

  Kei interrupted his musings by kissing him on the cheek. “Don’t be sad. You’ll see him again. He’s still easily able to come. He enjoys sailing—it’s not as hard as it might be for someone his age.”

  “Maybe. It’s all right. You don’t need to worry about me. I’ve got you and that’s all I really want.”

  “Family’s important too, especially when you spent so long thinking you didn’t really have one.”

  Arman stared into Kei’s loving, worried eyes. “You’re all the family I need, and I mean that. Now, stop talking about them. I want to know what terribly naughty things you plan to do to me tonight.”

  Kei grinned. “Perhaps I was just planning to go to sleep. I’ve been teaching most of the day and I’m very tired.”

  “That would be very naughty indeed, considering what your bottom is doing to my cock.”

  “My bottom? My bottom is merely sitting where it always sits.”

  “Yes, and it always makes my cock want to do things to it, as you perfectly well know, especially when you wriggle like that. If you really are tired, then stop that right now.”

  Kei pouted and took Arman’s earlobe between his teeth, tugging on it gently. “Funny,” he breathed. “I don’t feel so tired anymore.”

  “So you are planning naughty things? I was hoping you were.”