Altaica

by Tracy M. Joyce

  Umniga gave only half of the formal greeting, merely bowing perfunctorily before Shahjahan. Karan saw Shahjahan narrow his eyes at Umniga and prayed to Rana and Jalal that these two would deal peacefully with each other and that Umniga would not lose sight of their goal.

  ‘Well met, Umniga.’ Shahjahan countered her with scrupulous courtesy and a full formal greeting.

  Umniga’s eyes were hard as she was forced to reply, ‘Well met, Clan Lord Shahjahan.’

  Pio was sitting at her feet beside Isaura. Upon the entrance of the three large men, he had stopped playing his flute. Now he looked between the old man and Umniga with worry. Umniga was angry. The old man looked annoyed. He felt the tension between them build like static in the air before a storm. Suddenly, he stood. Gripping his flute tightly, he stepped forward between them. Nicanor moved to grab him. Oh no … not again. Not now!

  Vikram intercepted Nicanor, his hand on his sword. The old man’s eyes snapped from Umniga to Nicanor, then to Pio. Pio gripped his flute so tightly he was afraid it would break. Silently he gave it to Umniga. He drew a breath and introduced himself as he had been taught.

  Shahjahan appeared stunned and said nothing. Umniga’s lips were twitching in amusement at the look on his face. Baldev laughed uproariously and couldn’t master himself to respond. Karan’s eyes twinkled with amusement as Pio began to look worried and back away.

  Karan bowed low to Pio and returned his formal introduction and greeting. He winked at Pio as he stood. ‘Baldev, I’m not sure who is scaring him the most—you braying like a donkey, or Shahjahan.’

  Shahjahan, rueful, laughed at Baldev, before returning Pio’s formal bow. ‘If only I had a company of warriors as brave as this boy.’

  Baldev’s laughter ceased, though following Karan’s example his grin remained fixed in place as he bowed to Pio. ‘Well met, little man. Let’s hope they all have such stout hearts.’

  ‘Pio.’ Lucia, clearly unimpressed with her son, was holding out her hand, beckoning him. He went quickly to her and she grabbed his hand and hauled him against her side, eyeing the men warily. Nicanor moved beside them protectively.

  ‘They don’t look like much. Do you know why they were on the boat?’

  ‘Not yet, my lord. We have been occupied with other tasks.’

  ‘I hope this wasn’t a waste of time. Come, we’ll talk outside.’ Shahjahan spun on his heel to leave.

  ‘My lords, there is something you should see first,’ Umniga said, interrupting their exit.

  Shahjahan frowned. ‘You are not in charge here, old woman.’

  Umniga bit back a retort before smoothly continuing, ‘Nevertheless, Lord Karan and Lord Baldev may want to see this, and by your grace they will.’

  Shahjahan nodded tersely before she led them to Nicanor’s tool box. Baldev examined the bear carving closely. ‘Fine work. Which one did this?’

  ‘The boy’s father, Nicanor is his name.’

  Shahjahan cast an appraising glance at Nicanor. He did not fail to note the emphasis in Umniga’s speech. He was certain that there were more plans afoot than his.

  ‘The other one, his brother—Curro—has the tools of a smith. The boat’s figurehead was a horse.’

  ‘Enough, Umniga,’ Shahjahan warned.

  ‘Shahjahan, perhaps we could try to find out now why they were on the boat, before we confer?’ Karan suggested.

  Nicanor and Curro tensed as the three lords approached them and their family and friends sitting nearby. Jaime protectively moved Gabriela slightly behind him. Daniel, however, sat disinterested to the side.

  Baldev gave a toothy grin, trying to look harmless, and held his hands out palm up. The effect was unsettling at best.

  ‘Umniga, they know you. See what you can do,’ Shahjahan ordered.

  ‘I’ll try, but it will be a pantomime, I expect. They only know a few words and nothing useful at that.’ She pointed at Nicanor and Curro, then gestured to indicate all of them. She made an undulating sideways motion with her hands to indicate the ocean and then looked at them raising her hands in query. Please gods, let them understand.

  They were too focused on the lords to respond. Umniga scowled, huffed in frustration at the three men behind her, then returned to her task. She grabbed a bucket of water nearby, dunked her finger in it and drew a crude boat and waves on the earthen floor.

  ‘Oh!’ Lucia exclaimed. ‘Of course. They want to know why we were at sea.’ Lucia drew stick figures of people, lots of them. Then she drew a sword, gestured to indicate all the figures. She pointed repeatedly, alternating between the sword and each figure. Finally, she arranged her face into a terrified expression, touched the sword, pretended it impaled her and died theatrically.

  ‘Now, we must talk,’ Shahjahan said quietly.

  Umniga cast a subtle glance at Karan, indicating Isaura and Pio, before she followed him out.

  ‘You should have been a travelling player, Lucia,’ Daniel commented dryly. ‘Their theatre companies always did like shameless overacting.’

  She made a face at him. ‘Well, it worked, and I didn’t see any of you coming up with anything better.’

  ‘We were too busy enjoying the show,’ Nicanor said as he gathered Lucia and Pio in his arms. ‘And please, by all that’s holy, stop introducing yourself to everyone, Pio!’

  ‘I think we just saw who’s in charge,’ Curro murmured as Nicanor sat next to him.

  ‘Mmm. Did you see the way they looked at Pio and Isa?’ Nicanor asked.

  ‘Yes. You think they want something from them?’

  ‘I don’t know. There’s nothing we can do until we know more, even then I doubt we’ll have much say in anything.’

  ‘They have only helped us,’ Gabriela offered from where she sat nestled in Jaime’s arms.

  ‘Yes, but they helped Isa first, then Pio,’ Elena said. ‘Haven’t any of you noticed that Isa is always their primary concern?’

  ‘Isa is in a worse state than the rest of us—that is why.’ Lucia’s voice was fierce. ‘There’s no other reason, Elena.’

  * * *

  ‘Asha,’ Karan said. ‘These people have been fed and given new clothes. Did the villagers of Parlan supply this?’

  ‘The clothes, most of the clothes, Lord Shahjahan delivered via us, along with food, but the people of Parlan had fed them already, Lord Karan.’

  ‘We have brought supplies too.’ He summoned one of his captains. ‘I will make sure that my men restock the villagers’ stores.’

  ‘And, no doubt, make sure they know it is from you,’ came Shahjahan’s sarcastic tone. ‘None of your games here. We need to talk.’

  Karan ignored him and instructed his captain to deliver the supplies.

  ‘Let’s walk down to the beach. I’ve always liked the sound of the ocean.’

  Karan snorted at Baldev’s uncharacteristically mellow remark. Shahjahan led the way.

  ‘Your mood has improved,’ Karan said.

  ‘I just needed to see Asha.’

  ‘At some stage, try to actually talk to her and tell her how you feel, rather than just see her.’

  ‘You’re not one who should be giving advice about women.’ At this Karan merely grinned.

  They caught up to Shahjahan, who was talking to an old man sitting by a workshop, nestled into the grassy dunes near the beach. ‘This is Deo,’ Shahjahan tersely stated by way of introduction. ‘He led the rescue of our strangers.’

  ‘Well met, Deo.’ Baldev smiled. ‘You have our thanks.’

  Shahjahan scowled, wishing these two would stop ingratiating themselves with his people. ‘Deo said we should walk over there to the rise—that there is something we should see.’

  When they crested the rise they realised what Deo meant. Wrecked on the rocks at the headland was a boat. Its side was impaled upon a large outcrop of rock, being pounded by the waves. Each one further stabbed its rapidly breaking hull. With the surge and wane of the current, the boat would waver from side to side. Slowly
it came to rest at an ungainly angle on the rocks, until the figurehead sat half submerged. Its rearing horse appeared as if it was struggling valiantly against drowning.

  Karan understood Umniga’s reaction to the horse. As he watched it struggle, a visceral tension filled him and he shuddered involuntarily. None of the men spoke, yet they turned away as one.

  ‘We want the boy and his family,’ Baldev said.

  Shahjahan raised his brow, he was not surprised. ‘You and they are in my territory.’

  ‘You saw the figurehead and the box.’

  ‘It doesn’t change anything.’

  ‘We don’t care about the others. They are yours.’

  ‘At the moment they are all mine,’ Shahjahan countered.

  ‘Now who is playing games? What do you want?’ Karan demanded.

  ‘A formal peace agreement.’

  ‘Only on the same terms on which it now stands.’ Karan continued, ‘We hold north of The Divide, we will not enter your lands save with your permission. Your clan members south of The Divide will not venture across the river into the north. You and your issue will make no hostile incursions into what is now our territory.’

  Shahjahan had expected no less. He would not have given up the land, why would they? He countered them with, ‘Some will have relatives in the south. You will never allow them to meet?’

  Karan shrugged; he knew this game.

  ‘I want a resumption of the quarterly trade fair between our clans. That will allow families to meet and benefit us all.’

  Karan looked at Baldev before speaking. ‘An annual trade fair.’

  ‘Karan, you test my patience!’

  ‘Annual.’

  Shahjahan scowled. ‘Done, on one more condition.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘We also resume the annual games between our clans.’

  ‘They will be held at the same time,’ Karan said. ‘At The Four Ways as they used to be.’

  ‘Agreed, but alternating each year between the north and south side of the bridge.’

  Karan and Baldev moved away to quietly discuss the terms. ‘He’s asked for almost exactly what we thought,’ Baldev said.

  ‘And for what I hoped,’ Karan replied.

  ‘The trade?’ Baldev asked, to which Karan nodded. ‘The games?’

  ‘That I hadn’t foreseen. Are you happy for them to resume?’

  ‘They’ll lose,’ Baldev said with delight.

  ‘You are such a child sometimes, you know that? I take it that we are in agreement,’ Karan said affectionately.

  ‘Yes, I’m happy for them to go ahead. One event for both will be easier to control than several.’

  ‘Exactly. Closer ties will provide the opportunities that I seek.’

  They returned to Shahjahan. ‘Agreed. You will have your formal peace, an annual market and the games. We will have the boy and his family.’

  ‘None of which you were not prepared to give already, eh? Well, it is done. Let us pledge it before the Kenati and the village as witnesses.’

  ‘I will also draw up an agreement; Asha and Umniga can formally witness it,’ Karan finished.

  ‘You will not take my word before witnesses as is traditional?’

  ‘It’s not your word I’m concerned about.’

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  WHEN THEY RETURNED to Parlan, the village was in a flurry. As the clan lords walked past the houses, they noticed worried glances from some of the villagers.

  ‘Damn it!’ Shahjahan cursed. Outside the lodge was a contingent of soldiers. Ratilal had arrived.

  Baldev’s entire frame stiffened and his fists clenched. Karan placed a restraining hand upon his arm, diverting his attention and cast him a warning look. Baldev drew a deep breath and regained his control, only then did Karan release his arm.

  The warriors of Horse and Bear appeared to lounge under the white cedar tree in the square, yet they were acutely aware of the altercation at the door, the locations of their enemies and the return of their lords.

  The three men marched up to the lodge where Vikram was half blocking the door.

  ‘Bring them out,’ Ratilal demanded.

  ‘Ratilal …’ Vikram began.

  ‘Lord Ratilal.’

  Inside, Daniel watched the door of the lodge intently. Jaime joined him; it was the most animated he’d seen his brother in weeks. ‘Any idea what’s going on?’

  ‘Of course not,’ Daniel bit out. Jaime had been trying to engage him in conversation since they were rescued; it was irritating. He tried to talk to Jaime the way they used to, he tried to joke and be lighthearted, but the words never came out the way he intended. He knew he shouldn’t be annoyed, but he couldn’t help it. Jaime was happy, he was not. It was that simple. There was no escape from the happy couple. He prayed that the men in charge would decide what to do with them soon, for he was beginning to hate the sight of Jaime and Gabriela.

  Daniel took a breath and tried again. ‘All I can tell is this one is new and, judging from Vikram’s posture, he doesn’t like him one bit.’

  Following the commotion at the door, Lucia looked up anxiously. She shuddered, whispering to Gabriela, ‘I don’t like the look of that one. Look at his face, those scars.’

  Ratilal saw her look at him and leered coldly, which turned into a grimace as it tugged on his facial stitches. The look lasted only seconds, but Lucia felt a chill run down her spine and was thankful he broke eye contact as the other leaders approached.

  A large calloused hand landed heavily on Ratilal’s shoulder. ‘Ratilal, good to see you up and about. A word, son.’

  Wincing, Ratilal cast a scathing glance at Vikram, but followed his father away from the lodge door.

  Baldev glared at his departing back before moving with Karan to Vikram’s side. ‘Where is Asha?’ he urgently asked.

  ‘With Umniga in Deo’s barn. They’re restocking her wagon. Her guard is there too.’

  ‘Her guard?’

  ‘Those who travelled with her. Most consider themselves her guard now. The moment Ratilal arrived they discreetly went to her.’

  ‘Excellent.’

  ‘What did he want?’ Karan asked.

  ‘To drag them all out and inspect them like animals.’

  Baldev and Karan shared a knowing glance. Their captains had materialised beside them. Karan took his aside and whispered to him, ‘Split some men off to help Vikram protect these people. Your primary task though is the safety of the boy, Pio, his family and the unconscious girl.’

  ‘What of her family, my lord?’

  ‘From what little I have observed, the boy’s family may well be hers, but watch to see if any others show an interest in her. Do whatever it takes to keep them safe and out of Ratilal’s clutches.’

  Baldev and his captain joined them. ‘You will have some of my men too,’ he began. ‘But you must all tread gently; it appears they have run from an enemy—they are scared. Guard them, and befriend them if you can. We need them to trust us.’

  The captains nodded, but before they departed, Karan spoke again. ‘Remember, whatever it takes.’

  The two lords returned to Vikram. ‘You will have help,’ Baldev said.

  ‘Lord, we need none.’

  ‘No, Vikram. This is not optional,’ Karan insisted. ‘I gather the men you chose to accompany Asha—you trust them completely?’ Vikram nodded. ‘How many of those that came with Shahjahan do you trust?’

  Vikram paled, pursed his lips, but said nothing.

  Karan spun about and Baldev fell into step beside him. As they strode off, Karan said, ‘We need to see the Kenati, now.’

  * * *

  As Ratilal left with his father, Lucia suddenly realised that she had grabbed Gabriela’s hand in fear and that Gabriela was now speaking to her.

  ‘Lucia, what is it?’

  ‘Didn’t you see him?’

  ‘Who?’

  ‘The new one at the door.’

  ‘Not really,’ Gabriel
a mumbled. ‘I was watching Jaime and Daniel. Do you think things will ever be the same again?

  Lucia, still shaken, said bluntly, ‘No, never.’

  Gabriela let out a small groan, recalling Lucia to herself.

  ‘I’m sorry—I was still thinking about that man. Gabi, Daniel needs time. He will find someone else eventually, but give him time. There is nothing you can do.’

  ‘I wish Isa was awake,’ Gabriela said wistfully. ‘She’d think of some way to fix this.’

  ‘She’d certainly have something to say, but I don’t think it would be any different.’

  * * *

  Asha was tense, angry and pacing. ‘I can’t stay hidden! We’ve work to do.’

  ‘Yes, you’ve work to do, both of you, and a lot of it,’ Karan remarked as he and Baldev entered the barn.

  ‘What do you need?’ Umniga asked as she poked her head out of the wagon. They explained the peace agreement. ‘I’m not a scribe,’ she grumbled. ‘I don’t carry parchment, quills or ink.’

  ‘That’s not the work you have to do. I brought those.’ Baldev raised his brows in surprise. ‘You will just have to witness it. We will do both the traditional swearing before the village and witnessed documents for each of us.’ Umniga opened her mouth to speak, but Karan cut her off. ‘No, you need to determine exactly who the boy’s …’

  ‘Pio.’

  ‘Who Pio’s and the girl’s family are. We have assigned guards to them. The guards will need to know who their families are. Umniga, Asha, we need these people to understand they are ours now and will be coming with us. Make them think that we are their friends and will protect them. It will be easier if they come willingly.’

  Umniga nodded. ‘Of course, but I need to get the girl across the river to the other Kenati and I need to do it soon, or she will die.’

  ‘Then you need to start working—go.’

  ‘You lot,’ Baldev growled at the guards. ‘Don’t let Asha out of your sight.’ They left, but not before Asha cast a puzzled look over her shoulder at him. ‘I’d be a lot happier if she could have stayed in here,’ he grumbled.