by D. L. Kramer
The trader stopped, his eyes widening slightly then narrowing. "You're the bastard heathen that stole my boy!" he snarled.
"Unless you can provide me with the boy's mother to verify that he is your son," Nahtan said, his tone low. "I'll have you flogged for insulting your king." He walked around to stand in front of the trader. "And even if he were your son," he continued. "You had best have a very good reason for the scar on his throat."
The trader held his ground, his gaze shifting from Nahtan to Bear. He paused for a moment on Bear, and Nahtan guessed it was taking that long for him to realize how much larger than him Bear was. When the trader looked back at him, Nahtan corrected himself that the man must have had more than two ales so far. Such neglect for self-preservation was only found in the very drunk.
"I want my boy back, or I'll kill you where you stand," the trader snarled.
Nahtan didn't even blink as the Mo'ani escorting the trader swung his staff into the back of the man's legs, dropping him to his knees. The trader went down with a curse and grunt, landing solidly on the ground and nearly toppling over. Bear stepped to the trader's side and put one hand on his shoulder, holding him down with little effort.
"I don't think you quite grasp the situation," Nahtan leaned against his desk and folded his arms. "You and I both know the boy is a slave from the southern villages. Now, something you know--that I don't--is exactly where he came from and how long ago."
"I'm not telling you anything," the trader said, his eyes as defiant as his tone.
Nahtan shrugged. "That's entirely your prerogative," he said. "Just like what to do with you is mine. You have already broken one of my laws simply by bringing a slave inside the city's walls. Now I'm willing to overlook this if you help me get him back to his parents. Otherwise, I'll arrange more permanent accommodations for you here." Nahtan waited patiently while the trader seemed to weigh his choices. Seeing Bear's fingers whiten, Nahtan had a pretty good idea of what influenced his final choice.
"I don't know where the boy's from," the trader finally said, his voice pained. "I bought him from a mule skinner about twenty leagues south of Valin Hold last summer. He was mute then."
Nahtan shifted his gaze over to Yenene. She still stood by the door, her eyes closed. After a second, she nodded her head a single time without opening her eyes. Knowing he was telling the truth, Nahtan looked back at the trader, then to the Mo'ani standing behind him. "Take him to get his legal belongings and escort him to the city's gates. If he shows his face back in Herridon again, arrest him."
The Mo'ani nodded his head, took the trader's arm and dragged him to his feet before pushing him out of the room. Yenene's eyes remained closed for several seconds after the door closed. When she opened them, she looked to Bear.
"You nearly broke his collarbone," she said evenly, her tone telling Nahtan how unhappy she was.
Bear shrugged. "He's already had entirely too much to drink today," he replied. "That's why he couldn't feel it until I had that much pressure on him."
Yenene shook her head and turned to Nahtan. "Kutci was--" she paused. "--Astounded at your control of your temper just now."
Nahtan sighed. "It wasn't easy," he admitted. "And I can't promise I'll always have it." He turned to walk back around to his chair, taking off the gold circlet and setting it on the corner of his desk. "When you see Calan, I still want to talk to him," he said to Bear, then looked to Yenene again. "And I'd like to talk with you when you have some time."
"I'll go find him now," Bear said. "He won't come if it's too close to his peak business hours."
Yenene shrugged as Bear left the office. "I have time now," she said to Nahtan. "The boy is in the library with Meda, so I'm sure he's being watched." She came to sit in one of the chairs by his desk.
"I'm sure you know I'm planning to head south," Nahtan began. He rarely needed to tell Yenene anything. Between Kutci and Jensina both speaking with her, he had a feeling she knew more about what was going on than he did. Yenene nodded and he continued. "I want you to go with," he said. "I'm planning to make no effort to hide our trip, so hopefully the church guards and auction masters will be watching us and not looking for an army."
"Of course I'm going," Yenene gave him a puzzled look. "There would be no reason for me to stay here."
Nahtan couldn't help but smile. "I just wanted to formally ask you," he said. "Even though I know it's pointless most of the time."
"It's never pointless," Yenene returned, sighing. "Sometimes it just seems I'm hearing things twice--which I suppose I am."
"I don't suppose you've been told anything else lately that I should know about?" Nahtan asked. "Any riots, famines or droughts that might occur while I'm gone?"
"None that have been mentioned," Yenene shook her head. "I'm pretty sure those things take years to actually occur, so Herridon should be safe while we're gone."
Nahtan nodded, then paused, trying to find the best way to ask what he needed to know. "Have you been told anything about Lord Valin?" He knew Yenene knew his feelings about Rial and was hoping Jensina had perhaps told her where the young lord's loyalties might lay.
"No," Yenene shook her head. "Jensina speaks often of your other acquaintances, but never of him. It's almost as if he's not there to her--even though I know she has to be aware of him."
Nahtan sighed and nodded, not surprised that Yenene didn't remember her warning to him the night Rial returned to Herridon.
"All right," he said, leaning back in his chair. "I guess I'll just have to go on common sense and the occasional instinct with him."
Yenene stood to leave. "I'll be in the Grand Cathedral at dawn tomorrow," she told him. "Jensina doesn't always answer the questions I ask, but if she does, I'll come find you."
Nahtan stood and walked with her to the office door. "Thank you," he said. "And thank Jensina and Kutci for me, too."
Yenene smiled. "They know," she assured him.
Six - "Has he changed their fates?"
Halona considered the bound scroll in front of her. The gold seal was unbroken and she made no effort to open it. She already knew what the scroll held--further evidence of Nahtan's power to change what she had written. She sighed as she ran one fingertip lightly over the seal.
"Thou can change the fate I have written for even thee, nephew," she said quietly, closing her eyes.
"What troubles you?"
Halona opened her eyes and turned to face Zakris, her finger still covering the seal.
"Jensina's son," she answered. "He has--changed things even I could not foresee."
"Changed what?" Zakris asked. He held his hand out for the scroll. Halona considered the rolled parchment for a moment, then handed it to him. Zakris held her gaze as his fingers broke the seal. He looked down at the scroll as he unrolled it, and after a moment, his eyes returned to meet Halona's. "Why did you not say something of this earlier?" he asked.
Halona shrugged. "Disbelief," she answered after a moment. "I underestimated Nahtan's abilities, which is understandable since none of us knew what he was or where he came from."
Zakris sighed and looked back at the scroll. "What of the others?" he asked. "Has he changed their fates as well?"
Halona shook her head. "None so drastically," she answered, then paused. "If the Wardsman agrees to help Nahtan, it could change even more. There's also the spirit who speaks with Jensina's priestess."
Zakris nodded his head slowly. "Zared is still in conscience form," he noted. "I see no choice but to risk the fates of all of Nahtan's friends to stop my brother from spreading his wickedness." He handed the scroll back to his daughter. "Consider if you would send any of your servants to help him."
Halona accepted the scroll and nodded her head as her father's form vanished, not bothering to mention to her father that she had already sent one and planned to send another. Her hand tightened on the parchment, crumpling it in her grip. If only Nahtan had known that Rial d'Valin was to die in the river rather than be pulled to safe
ty. The thought of a mortal with no written fate made her shiver. There was little any of the gods could do to stop him from following any path he now chose.
As fate now considered him dead, his mind was closed to them, making it so they could not see his intentions or thoughts. They would not be able to see what decisions he made or how they might affect those around him.
Seven - "And your sword can stop a god?"
There were times when Mallin's continued devotion to the Archbishop's men drove Nahtan insane. He could only guess how it made Bear feel.
"I'm not letting them go just because they say they won't cause any problems," Nahtan repeated for what felt like the tenth time.
"You can't continue to hold them prisoner for their one-time beliefs," Mallin argued. His brown hair hung loose to his shoulders and was neatly combed. He no longer wore his armor or blue church cloak, but also refused to wear anything with Nahtan's coat of arms on it. His powerful arms were hidden by the collared tunic and vest he wore. "They did nothing but uphold the Archbishop's laws in the manner they were expected. Now that the Archbishop is dead and you are on the throne, they no longer wish to follow those laws."
"And they have to prove it to me with more than just words," Nahtan responded.
"It's words you want," Mallin's voice remained level and his sharp eyes shifted from Nahtan to Bear. "You just haven't heard the ones you expect. They have families they need to provide for, and over three years in the dungeons hasn't let them do that."
"It's their attitudes too," Bear pointed out. "If they were serious about swearing loyalty to him," he nodded to Nahtan. "Then they would have been out of there within an hour of you coming up here."
"What do you want them to do?" Mallin asked Bear. "Drop to their knees and beg for mercy?" He looked to Nahtan. "You've sworn you won't stoop to that level."
"And I haven't," Nahtan said. "I don't want to ever see any man have to beg to live. But I refuse to order those church guards set free if I believe they could be a danger to the merchants and farmers around Herridon."
"What proof do you have that they would be?" Mallin asked, leaning back in his chair.
Nahtan didn't bother looking at Bear as his friend pushed himself away from the wall beside the window. Rolling up the left sleeve of his tunic, Bear showed a freshly stitched cut about three inches long just above his elbow.
"One of them thought that since I don't use any bladed weapons I'd make an easy target," Bear said, his voice even. "Should you decide to talk to him, don't ask him any questions except the ones he can answer with a nod or shake of his head. The healer tells me his jaw is just as broken as his nose." Rolling his sleeve back down, Bear stepped back to lean against the wall again.
"Where did he get a weapon?" Mallin asked, his tone serious as he looked at Nahtan.
"We're still checking into that," Nahtan responded. "But we're pretty sure it was one of the church guards you talked us into releasing last week. I have enough proof that I've issued a warrant for him."
Mallin stood, his grey eyes troubled. "I'll not bother you on the subject again until this is resolved," he said. "Let me know if you find who smuggled the weapon in."
Nahtan stood with him. "It's not that I want to see them live out their lives in the dungeon," he said. "But I have to protect the people in the city and those noblemen who helped me take the throne. I've kept my word to you and seen to it that their families had opportunities to provide for themselves, so you can be sure no one is starving or sleeping in the alleys."
"I know," Mallin gave a curt nod of his head. He looked to Bear. "And my apologies for not realizing the danger you would be in when some were released by their word of peace alone."
"Actually, you should be glad it was me," Bear returned. "If they'd tried that with Nahtan, he probably would have gutted them."
"Only if I had my sword drawn," Nahtan sighed. He didn't mention what might have happened if they'd attacked him and he had gotten to his skinning knife. "I still want you with us when we head south," he added to Mallin. "I know you don't want to leave the church guards here alone, but Gahrit won't do anything unjust."
"You trust this boy to make your decisions for you?" Mallin asked.
"He's only two summers younger than me," Nahtan pointed out. "And if you want to insult him, you'll have to go through his sister and brother to do it."
Mallin considered it for a moment, then nodded. "I'll go," he agreed. "Captain Janec will know where to find me when you decide what day to leave." Nodding to both of them, he left the room, closing the door behind himself.
Nahtan turned to look at Bear. "You sort of forgot to mention that the church guard who attacked you is still unconscious."
Bear shrugged. "Yenene says he'll wake up eventually," he said. "And his jaw will still be broken, so it doesn't really matter, does it?"
"It might to the church guard," Nahtan sat back down. He knew all too well how much strength Bear could put into his punches. Every so often, his head and eye still twinged with pain. "Was Calan coming by today?"
"Not until tomorrow," Bear said. "He was restocking today and 'just couldn't get away'."
"So much for wanting to stay on my good side," Nahtan shook his head. Standing up, he pushed his chair under the desk. "If you need me, let Renato know," he said. "I'm going to go take my daughter for a ride out of the city."
"How are you going to get out with her?" Bear asked.
Nahtan smiled at his friend. "I broke into this city with armies camped inside and outside of both gates. Getting out with one little girl is easy." He had never told his friends how he managed to hide Valry. If Rena was the one making everyone notice her, he depended on Jensina to keep her unnoticed when he wanted it--if only symbolically. He reserved his tactic for when they left the city alone.
Bear chuckled as he left the office.
Nahtan stopped by his room first to get his cloak and sword. He pulled the heavy sheathed sword over his arm and head, positioning it on his back before tossing the red and gold cloak over one shoulder. Leaving the castle, he found Valry with his sister. They were sitting on a stone bench in the courtyard while Leisl braided Valry's hair.
"Want to go for a ride?" Nahtan asked, sitting beside Valry.
"Don't you have more people to talk to?" Valry asked, handing Leisl one of her hair ribbons as she finished a braid.
"There's always people I can talk to," Nahtan shrugged. "But I thought we could go pick wildflowers to take to Jensina's altar for your mother."
Valry smiled, then tilted her head and pointed over his shoulder. "You don't need that to pick flowers," she said, indicating his sword.
"No," Nahtan agreed. "But I do need it if someone should try to hurt either of us."
"I thought you'd vanquished all your enemies," Leisl said, starting the braid on the other side of Valry's hair.
"As long as I hear Zared's name, I'll have enemies," he returned. "Yenene's told me he's not happy about how I ruined all his plans here."
"Would you be?" Leisl gave him a deliberate look.
"No," Nahtan admitted. "If I'd spent that long looking for someone, I'd do everything in my power to kill him." He met her gaze. "Which is why I take my sword every place I take Valry."
"And your sword can stop a god?" There was no mistaking the disbelieving tone of her voice.
Nahtan refused to rise to her bait. He wouldn't continue this argument with her, but would end it with a single statement. "My sword already stopped a god," he said evenly.
"Please don't fight," Valry said from between them. As she handed Leisl the second ribbon, she took her father's hand. "We can go pick flowers."
Nahtan held Leisl's gaze for a moment more, then stood and picked up his daughter. "Zared had his chance to destroy me," he told Leisl. "He failed. He doesn't get another chance, but the people he corrupts do--and my sword can stop them just like it did their god." Nodding goodbye to her, he turned and carried Valry to the stables.
"How com
e you and Nana always fight?" Valry asked as he set her down outside Renato's stall. The black Dwellers' horse stomped his hooves against the hard ground and tossed his mane anxiously.
"Your aunt just doesn't always realize what some of us went through to get where we are," Nahtan explained after a moment. "She didn't--have to make some of the sacrifices the rest of us did."
"Like what?" Valry asked, reaching up to pet Renato when he lowered his nose to her.
Nahtan considered his daughter for a moment. It was impossible for him to know how much she understood. He decided she was too young to know he had left her mother barely a month before her birth so he could start the wars Halona had set in his fate.
"Maybe when you're older you'll understand," he finally told her.
Valry gave him a look that brought his memory of Rena surging forward. It was the same look Rena had given him when she discovered her empathy. Could she have inherited her mother's abilities?
"Nana is older and you said she doesn't understand," Valry pointed out.
Nahtan paused to push the thoughts of Rena from his mind with a slight shake of his head. Perhaps Valry was old enough after all. He opened Renato's stall and stepped to the horse's side with his bit and bridle, buckling it on with barely a thought of his actions. Moving quickly, Nahtan then saddled him and lifted Valry up onto Renato's back before leading him from the stable.
Once clear of the castle grounds, he swung up into the saddle, positioning Valry in front of him. He then pulled his cloak off of his shoulder and swung it around his back, pulling the front edges over Valry as well.
"Lean back," he instructed. She did so, nearly disappearing behind the three quarter length red wool cloak. With her hidden, Nahtan had no trouble riding through the city and passing through the gates. Only the Mo'ani watching the walls and on patrol through the city gave any sign of noticing him, something that told him they were doing what they were supposed to.
