by D. D. Chant
“Is that why Senior Shin gave up so much that day in the Justice Chambers? He was repaying a debt?”
“No, it was more than that.” Rae hesitated. “Shin is a younger son. In our society, firstborns do not usually have any interaction with second or third sons, but Kai and Shin have always been friends.”
She stood abruptly, and walked the length of the room in agitation. Every now and then she cast Astra a contemplative glance, until finally seeming to decide on something.
“You're going to find out anyway, so I might as well tell you now: Shin is Headman Chopra’s second son.”
“And Headman Chopra is the man who attempted to have me executed on my return, correct?”
She nodded, and for a moment Astra looked at her with unseeing eyes.
“Why did Senior Shin stand against his father?”
“Because he knows that his father wishes both our families, and the Elder Headman himself, harm. He feels the guilt of his father’s actions as heavily as if they had been his own, and so attempts to avert any injury Headman Chopra seeks to cause.”
“That is why he wears no colours,” Astra murmured absently.
“He hasn’t worn his family colours since he was sixteen years old.” Rae paused, sadness creeping into her expression. “He has been almost as lonely as Kai. I think that’s why their friendship is so strong; they have been to the same dark place, filled with bitterness and hate.”
“What is between our families, Lady Sen? What is it that both links us together and yet has the strength to rip us apart?”
“I can’t tell you that.”
Astra cocked her head to one side.
“Can’t? Or won’t?”
“A little of both,” Rae grimaced. “The truth is that even I don’t know all the facts. My husband, bless him, thinks that if I don’t know, I won’t worry.” Rae smiled a little.
“Then why are you telling me any of this?”
“Because I know that Kai won’t tell you, and you need to know, so that you can understand why Kai is the way he is, and why he does the things he does.” She paced the length of the room again. “I know that Kai seems cold and unfriendly. Actually to be fair, he is cold and unfriendly, but… I’m making such a mess of this!”
She paused, dragging one hand through her hair, and crushing her skirts with the other. Astra rose slowly from her chair, and made her way to where the older woman stood. Reaching out, she placed her hand on Rae's arm.
“I understand, Lady Sen.”
Tears welled up in Rae’s eyes, and she clasped Astra’s hand tightly.
“What I’m trying to say is that Kai has his bad points, but his good points make you forget that they exist.”
Astra nodded in what she hoped was a placating manner. She was beginning to feel that perhaps Kai Uel Ne Sen was not the brute she had once thought him. However she was by no means ready to accept that he was as pleasant as the picture his mother drew. A knock at the door startled them both, and Dhal entered, followed by a manservant bearing a huge tray. Rae turned away quickly, using the hem of her skirts to wipe away the tears on her cheeks. With forced bravado she smiled and returned to her seat.
“Thank you, Dhal.”
“My pleasure, Lady Sen. Is there anything else?”
Rae shook her head, and both men bowed before leaving the room.
“What will you have, Aya? Tea? Or maybe coffee?”
Astra shivered in distaste.
“Tea if you please, I don’t like coffee.”
“Please tell me that you’re not one of those irritating women that are always on a diet, and harp on about calories and carbs all the time?”
Astra smiled.
“Not at all.”
She leaned forward, selecting a pastry tart filled with chocolate mousse and topped with a swirl of whipped cream from the plate of cakes before her. Rae smiled approvingly as she brushed the flaky pieces of pastry scattered across her skirts to the floor.
“Never trust anyone who doesn’t eat cake; there’s something not right in their head.”
Astra smiled, but before she could reply, the door opened. Kai stood on the threshold, his face drawn into a frown. He looked first at his mother and then at Astra, before stepping into the room. He was followed by an older man, with thick grey hair and dark piercing eyes. Astra imagined that Kai would look very much the same in thirty or forty years. She rose to her feet and bowed.
“What happened?”
It was Rae who spoke, her voice strangely flat, as though she expected the worst, and now nothing could surprise her.
“We have been summoned to the High Court.”
“Again? Why?”
Kai’s eyes turned to Astra, as though he was waiting for her to answer the question. Astra remain silent, her eyes cast down, wondering what had happened. Fear clutched at her chest. Had they found out about Ben? No, they couldn’t have, she was just being paranoid.
“It is nothing to worry about, Mother.”
Rae looked somewhat less than reassured by his words, and frowned.
“Kai is right my dear; it is nothing that you should worry about.”
Hyun Jae Uel Ne Sen stepped forward, and slid his arm around his wife's waist, giving her a comforting squeeze. He was older than Astra had expected; some ten or fifteen years Rae’s senior from what Astra could tell.
Rae wriggled out of his hold and stood, hands on her hips, in front of him.
“If it’s nothing to worry about, you won’t have any trouble explaining it to me.”
Both men looked slightly uncomfortable and remained silent.
“You see what I have to put up with? They’re conspiring together to give me grey hair!” She flopped down in to a chair and mumbled irritably to herself.
Hyun Jae Uel Ne Sen smiled fondly down at his wife, and moved forwards to place a hand on her shoulder.
“Really, my dear: how could you cause a scene and make our guest uncomfortable?”
Rae snorted.
“Aya isn’t a guest, she’s family!”
Astra felt the strangest warmth flood through her at Rae’s words, melting the frozen wastes that surrounded her heart. She blinked rapidly, aware of tears that threatened to spill forth, and of tightness in her throat. There was relief too, pushing away the fear that she had refused to acknowledge, the tension and horror that had filled her at the thought of being in the complete control of these people.
It was the unknown element that had scared her most: she could imagine the worst that they could do to her, the pain they could inflict, the degradation that they could make her suffer.
Councillor Ladron had often used her imagination against her like that. It had been his enjoyment of her fear that had forced her to develop a protective barrier of impenetrable calm. Yet Rae’s words brought the relief of knowing that she didn’t have to be scared any more, at least not of Rae.
“We need to leave.”
Astra tried to appear as though Kai’s voice had not startled her, but turning to find him standing so close made her uneasy. He held out his hand, and Astra obediently took it, and allowed him to lead her forwards to bid his parents goodbye.
“Thank you for your blessing, Mother.”
Rae regarded him from eyes that spoke eloquently of her disgruntled state.
“See that you keep my new daughter safe,” she replied, returning the appropriate response to Kai’s formal recognition of her acceptance. However, with characteristic irreverence for the occasion, she leant forward, adding, “Or don’t bother coming home!”
Hyun Jae chuckled and raised eyes filled with amusement to his son before bestowing a kiss on his wife’s averted cheek.
“I must attend also, my dear.”
“Yes, yes… All of you leave and enjoy your secret meeting.” She tossed her head in an airy gesture of unconcern. “I’m not interested in the least.”
Astra smiled and looked up at Kai, but could see no reaction to his mother’s words. She ha
d always assumed that the cold demeanour he displayed with her was particular to their dealings. Yet despite his obvious care for both his parents, that cold formality was still there. Astra discovered a growing curiosity about the man who was her Bonded mate, and it surprised her.
Normally she only cared to understand others so that she could protect herself from them. However, there was more to her interest in Apprentice Headman Sen. He intrigued her. She wanted to know what he was thinking, his secrets, why he was so cold and aloof.
What made him so withdrawn?
She knew that she would never be truly easy until she had some answers.
Chapter Thirty-Three
The drive to the courthouse was silent. Astra sat beside Kai, with Headman Sen seated in front of them, conscious of a budding sensation of panic.
Why had they been called back before the court?
Had something gone wrong?
Had they decided they had been too lenient on her and her foster-family?
Or was this all about Ben?
She couldn’t understand why her Bonded mate, and father by Bond, were so calm.
Astra started as she felt a warm hand settle on hers, and jerked her head around to look at Kai.
“Stop it.”
“Stop what?”
“You’re creasing your skirts. It’s a very bad habit of yours: do you want everyone to know how uneasy you feel?”
Astra looked down to see the sharp pleats she had been forming in the fabric of her dress, and attempted to smooth them out.
“Why are you so agitated, wife?”
The title held no warmth, but taunted her, pricking at her temper.
“If you recall, I do not have the fondest memories of the Justice Chambers, Senior.”
“Cheats, liars, and thieves rarely do.”
Astra felt her anxiety drowned out by a crashing wave of anger. Looking up, she found his eyes were upon her, a swiftly calculating gleam in their depths.
“Why are you attempting to anger me, Senior?”
“I did not attempt anything; to attempt is to leave room for failure. I have made you angry because you are useless to me scared.”
Astra regarded him thoughtfully for a moment.
“What exactly is going on, Senior?”
Kai didn’t answer her for a long time, and when he finally did speak, his words had nothing to do with her question.
“You made my mother cry.”
Astra’s mind went blank as she waited for him to continue, but he remained silent. She had no idea how to reply, she wasn’t even sure a reply was expected of her. His words had been free of accusation or anger, but Astra knew better than to suppose that was because he didn’t feel either emotion. She had only one course open to her: to remain quiet. She had learnt long ago that a meek and submissive attitude, coupled with silence, was most likely to save her from unpleasantness.
Corbani Va Dic Ladron had always been placated when she adopted such a stand, feeling that he had won. He’d never really understood the strength that lay behind her actions; the cunning that had allowed him public victory of the battle, but kept her in a position to continue fighting the war.
“You have nothing to say?”
Astra was not expecting the question. It hadn’t occurred to her that the same strategy would not work on Kai.
“I’m not sure what kind of answer you seek, Senior.”
“I expect the truth from you, Aya. I will always expect the truth.”
She considered his words for a few moments, before turning toward him again and meeting his eyes with her usual composure.
“And am I to expect the same truthfulness from you, Senior?”
Kai held out his hand, and Astra pulled away a little. She was already sitting closer to him than she liked due to the confines of the pod. His invasion of her personal space was disconcerting. He was a foreign presence, and the closer he was the less in control she felt.
“Where is the dagger I gave you?”
“It is… safe.”
“I told you that you were always to wear it.”
“Yes.”
“And?”
Astra met his eyes coolly.
“And I have always obeyed your words, Senior.”
She shifted in her seat pulling her waistcoat closer around her. Under the cover of the voluminous coat she pulled her skirts up to her thighs. A moment later, she presented the dagger to Kai, hilt first. It was warm from contact with her flesh, and she saw his hand jerk as he realised where she had hidden the weapon.
“How did you manage to hold it in place?” the confusion in his eyes eased and was replaced with horror. “You were in possession of a weapon when we met the Elder Headman?”
“You were the one who told me that I was always to wear it, Apprentice Headman Sen.”
“I searched you.”
“You were not very thorough.”
Kai frowned.
“It seems I underestimated you. You are far more dangerous than I first thought, Dam’sel.”
Astra watched as he flipped the dagger in his palm so that he held the knife within his clenched fist. The blade pointed toward the floor, and he paused, waiting for her to rest her hand on his.
“I will always speak the truth to you, Aya, provided that you are also truthful with me.”
Astra felt that there was more to his words than their surface meaning.
“And so it will be for me also, Apprentice Headman Sen.”
The pod stopped, and Kai returned the dagger to her before climbing out. Astra hastily slid the knife back into the garter on her thigh, and stepped out after him.
Before they entered the court chamber, he looked down at her again.
“Is there anything you need to tell me, Aya?”
“No, Senior.”
Kai stared down at her thoughtfully for a moment longer, and then led her in to the court chamber.
She didn’t know what she had expected, but the reality was worse than she had imagined. Before the Headman stood Rem and the rest of her family. Ben was a little to one side, with two of the Elder Headman’s Red Guard flanking him.
Kai bent down, and Astra felt his breath stir her hair as he whispered in her ear.
“Is there anything you’d like to tell me now, Aya?”
Astra tried not to panic. If they had discovered the truth about Ben, then Apprentice Headman Sen would not be so calm and unruffled. She took a deep breath and smoothed her hand down the bodice of her dress. Nothing could be gained from telling the truth now, and she had the strangest feeling that Kai was testing her. This could all be a ruse to see if she had anything to hide.
“No, Senior, I have nothing to tell you.”
Kai shrugged and, taking her hand, led her forward.
“Remember, Aya, that it was you who wanted to do it this way.”
Astra was very aware of Elder Headman Amajit’s eyes upon her as they approached the centre of the large room where Rem and the Va Dic Tobans stood. As they joined the group already waiting, Astra moved to stand next to her family but Kai kept a hold on her, pulling her back to stand with him.
Elder Headman Amajit gestured for silence, and immediately the suppressed murmur from the gallery above was muted.
“I know that you are all wondering why this meeting of the Headmen has been called. I confess that I am wondering myself. Headman Chopra?”
Kim Uel Ne Chopra rose from his seat and bowed.
“Elder Headman, thank you for calling us all together.” He paused, and Astra saw Shin Uel Ne Phoenix pale. His hand clutched at the hilt of his sword desperately and he gritted his teeth.
Astra stiffened as she remembered how hard Headman Chopra had worked to have her family destroyed. Kai glanced down at her warningly.
Chopra smiled, his eyes resting on her, and she could detect cruelty in their depths.
“Dam'sel Aya?”
Astra forced herself to meet his eyes steadily.
“Elderman?�
�
“Who are these people that you brought among us, and who you have begged asylum for?”
“They are my family, Elderman.”
Headman Chopra smiled, turning to the other Headmen.
“Her family, who she loves so dearly.” His smile twisted, turning into a sneer. “You lie, Dam’sel. You bring shame to your family, your Bonded mate, this court, and the whole of the Una nation with your deceit!”
The noise from the gallery was deafening, a cacophony of hissing and heckling that trembled on the air. It was so thick with hate that it was almost a physical thing. Astra could feel the disgust directed toward her pressing against her skin.
Elder Headman Amajit held his hand aloft, and the jeering subsided. Astra was surprised to hear Kai’s voice; calm, strong, and raised a little so that his words could be heard distinctly.
“You will speak to my Bonded wife with the respect due a daughter of the House of Sen, Headman Chopra.” His voice contained a coldly detached threat that sent a shiver of unease down Astra spine.
“You choose to stand beside her, Kai Uel Ne Sen?” demanded Headman Chopra.
“I do, and it will be my pleasure to force every insult you have offered her down your throat when this is done.”
“You heard it!” Headman Chopra was practically jumping up and down in glee as he poked a finger aggressively in Kai’s direction. “From his own mouth you have heard it! He has sheltered a traitor, and even now he takes his stand by her side, forsaking the brotherhood of the Headman for this Una woman who has disgraced us all!”
“For your sake, I hope you are able to prove your words true.” Kai paused and took a step closer to the raised platform where the Headman sat. “However, if you cannot substantiate your claims be assured that, as is my right by Una law, I will strike you down for the slur you have cast upon my family and upon the woman Bonded to me. I will accept nothing less than your blood to appease my honour.”
The ice in his voice seemed to penetrate the triumphant ecstasy that surrounded Headman Chopra, and for a moment Astra saw the full strength of the hate Chopra felt for Kai.
“I wonder if you will be so hasty to claim her as your wife when you find how she has deceived you.”
