Part Twelve
by
“She’s coming, Mistress Tellyn!The Queen is coming here!” Gyp shouted over the ringing noonday bells, as he ran into the shop.
Tellyn looked up from grinding her herbs, and chuckled.“Yes child, I know.I had a visit from her page this morning.”
Biting her tongue at the news, Kyrian softly asked, “Is there a reason why she comes, Tellyn?”
“Lyssera always has more than one reason for her actions, Kyrian.Her page informed me that she wished to purchase some of my restorative teas, but I believe she is using this as an excuse to meet you.It could also be that a certain mule-headed warrior has grown tired of playing nursemaid to the queen’s soldiers and has recalled that she has other friends,” the herbalist said gruffly, laying aside her mortar and pestle.With a rustle of skirts, the old woman moved across the room and began gathering a sampling of her unguents and potions, packaging them for transport.
Kyrian was silent, absorbing the information.She had not seen Azhani for weeks, and the only word of the absent warrior had been that she was now in the employ of the queen, much to the disgruntlement of many of the nobles.It hurt the stardancer deeply that Azhani had yet to come back for her.The warrior hadn’t even sent a note.What news she had heard came from the gossip of customers.
The stardancer’s gut churned painfully.Once again, she considered packing up and leaving.Y’len wasn’t far, and she knew that Tellyn would be happy to provide her and Arun with supplies.While stuck with the herbalist, Kyrian had gladly given of her healing knowledge, teaching Gyp various medical techniques while Tellyn dealt with the business.
Only her oath of friendship kept her from fleeing.Heart hammering in her chest, Kyrian took several deep breaths to calm down.The hurt flowed out of her, leaving behind the sharp sting of anger.She would stay in Y’Syria and help Azhani, even if all she were allowed was the sidelines.
Angry, healer? a tiny mental voice asked.
Just a touch, she answered, sighing softly.Lyssera is Ylera’s sister – there’s no mystery in why Azhani would rather spend her time with the queen.The “rather than with me” was left out of the thought, but deeply felt.
The muffled thud of mail-covered fists knocking on the front door, filtered into the room.Tellyn barely twitched an eyebrow as Gyp raced out of the stillroom to greet their visitors.Gyp’s breathless voice announced the arrival of their expected royal guest.
“Mistress Tellyn, Lyssera of House Kelani is here to see you.”The boy tried to make his voice sound as schooled as a court herald’s, causing Tellyn to wince at the shrillness in his tone.
Shaking her head ruefully, she looked at Kyrian.“Never stuff your patients heads with false praise, even by virtue of your respect, stardancer.Treat all equally and leave the poppycock to those who have the taste for it!” said the herbalist grumpily as she scooped up her skirts and made her way into the reception area.
Kyrian chuckled and began grinding another bunch of herbs.
%%%
Lyssera beamed happily, noticing that her old friend looked as cantankerous as ever.“Mistress Tellyn, it has been far too long,” she said, taking the old woman’s hands in hers and brushing a fond kiss on her wrinkled cheek.
“If those idiots in the high court would get their heads out of their collective asses, you’d have more time to visit, Lyss,” Tellyn griped, returning the queen’s embrace brusquely.
Lyssera’s tinkling laughter filled the room as Tellyn turned to greet the others who had accompanied the queen.
“Allyndev!Astariu’s tits, boy, you’ve been getting some sun!Is it a miracle?Has Astarus himself come to drag you from your dusty old library?” the old woman asked incredulously, accepting the young man’s strong embrace heartily.
Allyn blushed, his tanned cheeks flaming a deep scarlet.“Nah, nah, Gram, I’ve been tutoring under Master Azhani these past weeks.It has been a most illuminating experience.I have never felt so invigorated!”He spotted Gyp and let go of Tellyn, flashing a brief look at Lyssera before running over to the herbalist’s assistant.“Gyp!I have to show you this thing Master Azhani taught me...” The two young men immediately exited out a door that led to the rear of the house.
“Mind the gardens, boys!” Tellyn called after them, as the door slammed shut on their excited babbling.
Standing
but a pace behind the queen was Azhani, who searched the room eagerly,
hungry to see her friend.When she
did not see the stardancer, she quietly asked, “Where is Kyrian?”
Tellyn’s
eyebrows rose as a disapproving grimace perched on her lips.“Hello
to you too, warrior.Your friend,”
she emphasized the word, ”is working in the stillroom.”The
herbalist lifted the flap to a belt pouch and removed several packets,
handing them to the queen.“I believe
this is what you’ve come for.If
you’d care to stay a bit, I’ll see what I can scare up in the kitchen for
us to drink while Azhani visits Kyrian.In
fact, why don’t you tell your men to come in too – they’re probably cluttering
up my porch with their armor.”
Gamely,
Lyssera opened the door and motioned to the guards who had accompanied
them.The men entered the herbalist’s
house respectfully, easily taking up relaxed positions against a wall.Tellyn
vanished into the kitchen, where much clattering and banging of pots could
be heard.
Squaring
her shoulders, Azhani took a deep breath, steeled her courage and went
to face Kyrian.Now remember,
warrior, this isn’t a fight.Don’t
attack; let her lead the discussion.Be
honest.She’ll know if you’re lying.She
silently coached herself as she walked across the reception area to the
little door that led to the herbalist’s stillroom.
A
myriad of herbal scents swirled around the warrior as she entered the room,
the most pungent being freshly ground mint leaf.Kyrian’s
back was to the door, and she took a moment to admire the stardancer’s
well-developed arms as she stirred a large, bubbling cauldron.
Okay,
warrior, open your mouth and say something.You
can do it, just don’t shove your foot in too deeply at first.Azhani
searched for something to say, stalling for time.She
continued to stare at her friend’s back, hoping for inspiration.Wavy
locks of Kyrian’s reddish gold hair escaped a loosely tied ponytail, curling
up and brushing her jaw.Perspiration
soaked the fabric of her short-sleeved tunic, and as Azhani watched, Kyrian
reached up and wiped her face with the back of her arm.
Here goes nothing...“Try this.It might help.”Azhani offered quietly, hanging a skin full of cool wine over the stardancer’s shoulder.
“Thanks,”
Kyrian replied absently, taking the skin and drinking deeply before handing
it back.
Well,
I didn’t get it dumped on my head.That’s
a good start, right?The
warrior thought as she hung the skin on her belt.
Licking
her lips, Kyrian said, “That stuff’s pretty good.They
must treat you pretty well in the dungeon.”She
looked up and over her shoulder at the warrior.Though
lacking any rancor, there was a hard edge to the words that matched a similar
gleam in the stardancer’s eyes.Azhani’s
heart thudded painfully and she winced.
Ouch.I
guess I deserved that.Okay, don’t
say anything yet.Let her keep talking.Azhani
silently coached herself.
Laughter breezed in from the reception
room and Kyrian raised an eyebrow, listening as the queen and the herbalist
exchanged bawdy jokes.
“You
must be here to say good-bye before she has you hung.”Again,
the words were free of anger, yet they struck Azhani like the sharpest
blades.
Uh...
oh shit!How do I fix this?I
don’t want her to hate me.I don’t
know what I would do if she hated me... “Kyrian,
I-“ the words stuck in the warrior’s throat and she looked at her friend
helplessly.
“Hmm?”
Kyrian turned around fully, facing Azhani for the first time since she
had entered the room.“You what?Are
you here for some other reason?Are
you telling me that you weren’t a prisoner; that wild dogs weren’t keeping
you from visiting?That your hands
weren’t broken beyond repair?Because
that’s exactly what I’ve been thinking, even, goddess forbid, hoping had
happened.”Now, acid etched the words
as deep green eyes began to glisten wetly.Stubbornly,
Kyrian held the tears back, clamping her jaw shut and gazing into Azhani’s
face.
What?Flash
fire anger sang in the warrior’s veins.Fuck
this.I’m out of here.It
was on the tip of her tongue to scathingly tell the stardancer to take
her accusing looks, her teary eyes and wild speculations and stuff them
up her ass.Fuck friends.Friends
are for ...but the thought faded away
when Azhani saw the minute quavering of pale, pressed lips.The
tiny flicker of hurt that had manifested as flippant anger, broke through
Azhani’s defenses, drenching her ire.Astarus’
balls, I have truly screwed this.I
need to say something, anything...
“Kyrian
– Oh Kyr, gods, I’m sorry.I should
have told you what I was planning, but I didn’t know what to expect.”She
began pacing the room, but caught the narrowing of the stardancer’s eyes.“Not
from you... never from you,” she said, forestalling the angry words she
could almost see forming on the stardancer’s face.“No,
from Lyssera and her people – I couldn’t know that she would not accept
Arris’ story.If you had been damned
with me, I could have never forgiven myself.”Please
believe me.Please understand...
she silently begged.
“But
that’s the problem.You never even
gave me the choice.I never had a
chance to be damned or not.You took
that away from me, and that hurt,” whispered Kyrian, pain lancing her statement.“I
swore my friendship to you, Azhani Rhu’len – and my oaths don’t come lightly!I
must have been imagining it when you returned that oath.”
Azhani
flinched over the bitter words.Stepping
forward, she gently placed her hands on Kyrian’s shoulders and said, “You
did not dream it, my friend – and you are my friend.I-“
she shook her head regretfully.“There’s
nothing I can say that will repair the hurt I’ve caused you, and I knew
that when I made my decision.I will
not regret keeping you out of danger, but I will always regret that what
I did pained you.Please forgive
me, Kyrian.Though I do not deserve
it, I ask that you give me a chance to mend those hurts that I can.”
Ducking
her head to avoid the warrior’s eyes, Kyrian bit her lip as her breath
came in shuddering gasps.
“Kyrian.”Softly,
yet commandingly, Azhani spoke her friend’s name.The
stardancer looked up, meeting eyes so blue, they were almost purple.“Please,
I need you.I don’t want to go back
to Oakheart without you.”
Timeless
seconds passed as the two friends shared their gaze, each trying to read
the other’s soul.
Astariu,
if ever there was a time for me to pray to you, it’s now.Please
don’t let her leave,thought
the warrior.
“I’m
still mad at you,” Kyrian said, cracking a tiny smile.
“Okay,” Azhani replied, a grin breaking out over her face and lighting her eyes.Thank the twins!I wonder if I should do a dance of victory?
“I
reserve the right to chase your butt around the practice field every morning,”
the stardancer added.“I’m tired
of beating up motionless pells.”
Maybe
not.Ah gods, it feels good to know
she’s coming home with me.“I’m
all yours,” the warrior said happily. “Maybe you can even show my student
a thing or two.”
“Student?”Two
ruddy eyebrows shot up.“You’ve got
some stories to tell, I’ll bet.Now,
why don’t you introduce me to this woman you conned into giving you an
army.”
Linking
her arm with Kyrian’s, Azhani turned to head into the reception room.“Well,
it’s not exactly an army...”
%%%
As
Kyrian prowled her new room, Azhani stifled a grin.The
stardancer’s face was a wash of pleasure and consternation.She
looks so adorable!The
thought fluttered through the warrior’s consciousness before she could
stop it.Huh?Where’d
that come from?
“But... this is just so huge, Azhi!I don’t need this much space, I-“
“Am grateful to the queen for her generosity?” Azhani interrupted when Lyssera opened her mouth to suggest a new placement.She gently enforced her statement by stepping on the stardancer’s toes.Come on, my friend, please don’t offend the elven queen in her own home on the first day.
Lyssera had given
Kyrian a room that was near the warrior’s and Azhani liked the thought
that her friend was only a few short steps away.At
night, she pretended that she could hear the stardancer’s soft snores and
the image lulled her to sleep.Come
on, it’s a nice room, Kyr.Just take
it.Please.
Closing her mouth, Kyrian nodded in agreement.
“All right, then if everything is fine, I’ll leave you to unpack.Afternoon court begins shortly.It would not do for the queen to be late,” Lyssera said, winking at Azhani.“You, on the other hand, have the freedom to stay and help your friend acclimate herself to Oakheart.”
Azhani sketched a short bow.“As your majesty commands,” she said, smiling wryly.
Light, airy laughter followed the queen out of the room.
Alone with her friend, Kyrian continued to look around the chamber, amazed at the simple beauty of its construction.As a part of one of Oakheart’s massive trees, the room was all of wood.Tapestries lined the walls, acting as decoration rather than insulation.On the floor were soft, thickly woven rugs from Y’skan, their brilliant hues giving Kyrian the impression she was standing on a field of wildflowers.
The room was actually three chambers linked together by short halls.One was a bathing area, another was where she would sleep and the third was a covered balcony that led to a private garden, which she shared with Azhani.Stepping outside, Kyrian inhaled deeply of the fresh fragrance of growing things.
“It’s magical,” she said as she felt her friend’s presence behind her.“This place, this city – it’s nothing at all like I imagined it to be.”Kyrian strode to a balcony and looked out to the lake.Two ships passed as she watched, their bright white sails catching the wind and taking them to new ports.“Y’len is not of the trees - not like it is here.”
Azhani joined Kyrian at the balcony rail.“I remember.There are more ground dwellings there – places where there are no stairs at all,” she said, smiling at the memory.
“The temple was like that – all one story, so that the acolytes could hurry, hurry, hurry to wherever the masters needed them to be,” Kyrian said, with a far away look in her eyes.“I remember having to hustle to make it to classes because inevitably, one class was always on the other end of the school from the others.”
Azhani chuckled lightly.“Do you miss it?Do you miss Y’len?” she asked.She bit her lip, waiting for the stardancer’s answer.Please... Azhani prayed, trying not to flinch under her friend’s searching gaze.Please say you want to stay.I need you, Kyr, though it pains me to admit it.
Kyrian turned,
cocked her head to the side and looked up at the warrior’s face.Shadowed
by the balcony overhang, Azhani’s eyes glittered brightly when she stepped
forward and into the light.
“I do,” said Kyrian finally, keeping eye contact with the warrior.Just as Azhani opened her mouth to speak, the stardancer covered the warrior’s lips.“No, I don’t want to go back – I’m here, with you, and that’s where I want to be, Azhi.
“Bu-“Azhani’s voice burred against Kyrian’s fingertips.
The stardancer giggled over the sensation.Lowering her hand, she twined her finger’s with Azhani’s.“When are you going to accept that I like you, Azhani Rhu’len?” Kyrian asked, a tinge of exasperation coloring her voice.
Shaking her head, Azhani shrugged and replied, “I don’t know, Kyr.I guess I’m just so amazed because you’re still here.I forget that you actually want to be around me.”
“Well, stop it, because it’s starting to piss me off.”The stardancer admonished, shaking the index finger of her free hand at the warrior.
Azhani’s eyes sparkled merrily, and she snapped her teeth at the offending digit teasingly.“Yes, Kyr,” she said, when she’d caught the tip of the stardancer’s finger between her teeth.Mm, tastes like sweet bread...
Kyrian laughed and gently withdrew her finger from Azhani’s mouth.Inwardly, she trembled, hoping that the flush of excitement she could feel creeping across her face, wasn’t visible to the warrior.Ah gods, I started this, now how do I finish it?
“So,” the stardancer said as she turned away from the view to look back into her room.“How about we get my stuff unpacked?”
%%%
As
the ancestral home of the elven monarchy, Oakheart Manor was an astonishingly
beautiful place, filled with the greatest treasures of the seven kingdoms.It
was also, unfortunately, crawling with courtiers, diplomats, pages and
hoards of other personnel that ran the machinery of the kingdom.
Okay,
so maybe I should have stayed with Tellyn after all,Kyrian
thought as she struggled to keep up with Azhani.Then
she considered the alternative. No, wild dogs couldn’t make me
leave Azhi’s side.The
stardancer had moved into Oakheart the day of the queen’s visit to the
herbalist.Years of working with
small village councils and governors of larger cities did nothing to prepare
the stardancer for the sheer mass of bureaucracy that filled the halls
of the Lyssera’s castle.
At
any given time of the day, the halls of the manor were filled with an amalgam
of noble and servant that flowed in a dance that seemed ever changing and
amorphous.For a person used to small
towns and villages, it was utter chaos.
Factions
controlled various members of the Queen’s Council, which were a group of
men and women who had either inherited or been chosen for the position.Each
advisor represented a group of towns and villages in Y’Syr and they were
each convinced that their particular district was the heart of the kingdom.Loud
arguments between the different groups could be heard peppering the halls,
as delegations jockeyed and parlayed to get audience with their representatives,
or most desirously, the queen.
As
a member of Lyssera’s retinue, Azhani had access to all parts of Oakheart
Manor, and she took it upon herself to familiarize Kyrian with the best
ways to maneuver the large, maze like structure.For
three days, they had been roaming the castle at all candlemarks, while
Azhani kept up a running commentary about the different sections of the
massive structure.
Built
thousands of years before humans had ever set foot upon the lands that
would become Y’myrani kingdoms, Oakheart Manor was a staggering complex
of buildings and bridges, constructed in and around nearly fifty ancient
oak trees.The highest rooms belonged
to the queen and her family, but the lower halls and rooms teemed with
life from every corner of the kingdoms.
In
one alcove, Y’droran dwarves diced with Y’skani desert men, wagering bags
of pure white sand against bags of gold and gems.Music
from Y’Tolan lutenists blended with Y’Noran pipers, creating a pleasant,
if somewhat jarring harmony that wove around the everyday sounds of people
walking and talking in the halls and pathways.
Azhani
and Kyrian were on a middle level, working toward the kitchen area that
was located near the ground.Barely
heard above the bustle were Azhani’s descriptions of the halls, pointing
out which doorway lead where.Kyrian
was grateful to the builders who had cleverly used various bits of wood
and shell to create mosaic tapestries along the walls and ceilings.Each
major hall had at least one unique work of art, and nearly everyone who
lived in the manor learned to navigate by these mosaics.
The
two women were in the Hall of Trees, passing a colorful mosaic of trees,
birds and animals that surrounded a peaceful, functioning fountain.Seated
on a bench in front of the fountain, was Prince Allyndev, the young nephew
of Queen Lyssera.He jumped up upon
seeing his instructor and her friend, standing at a smart attention as
the two approached him.
“Master
Azhani, Stardancer Kyrian, did you hear?Ambassador
Kuwell challenged Ambassador Iften to a duel!”
Azhani
groaned and Kyrian frowned, trying to place faces to the names that Allyndev
had spouted off.Finally, the craggy
features of the Y’droran Ambassador came into her memory, but the face
of Iften evaded her.
Changing
direction in mid stride, Azhani began fighting her way through the stream
of people toward the ground level, and the courtyards.Traditionally,
dueling was considered legal, but the queen frowned upon such actions,
preferring diplomacy to blades.
Allyn
easily kept up, leaving Kyrian to once more duck and dodge her way down
the hall.
“Do
you think they’ll kill each other?” the young man eagerly asked, seeming
to relish the thought of bloodshed.“Will
there be a lot of blood?”
“Not
if I can help it,” Azhani growled.
Stairs
were taken two and three at a time, and several banisters would never be
the same, as three half-elves scandalized half of Queen Lyssera’s court
by sliding, slipping or otherwise skidding down toward the ground.Finally,
they reached the great hall and burst out the doors and into the main courtyard.A
crowd had gathered, surrounding the two men who were loudly shouting epithets
at each other.
“You
dirt grubbing dwarf!I’m going to
take a strip of your flesh for every one of these fake stones you tried
to pass off on me!” Ambassador Iften’s menacing shout could be easily heard
above the noise of the gathering courtiers.An
ominous shattering sound echoed in the courtyard.
“Lies!You’re
the thief, Iften!I bet you’ve stolen
the real stones and switched ‘em out for glass.Just
like a sand-eating desert raider to try and pawn his fakes off on a good,
honest dwarf.Run home to your Cabal
masters with your tail between your legs, dog!” the dwarven ambassador
replied gruffly.
Iften screamed something incoherently,
and charged the dwarf.Rolling her
eyes and sighing heavily, Azhani easily leapt up and over the crowd, landing
in front of the dwarven ambassador.The
thud of studded leather was loud as Iften bounced off of the very solid
body of the former Y’dani warleader.Dazed,
the Y’skani man staggered back, shaking his head woozily.
“Is
there a problem here?” Azhani drawled, turning to wink at Kuwell.
“Well,”
Kuwell replied, hooking this thumbs in his belt and peering around the
warrior’s elbow at the still stumbling desert man.“Not
so’s you’d notice, m’friend.Though,
that gentlemen there’s gonna need a red-robe soon, or like as not, he’ll
be making an intimate acquaintance with them there cobbles.”
“I
can’t leave you alone anywhere, can I Ku?” Azhani said aggrievedly, as
she reached out to grab Iften and steady him.By
this time, Kyrian had made her way through the crowd and gently took Iften’s
arm and led him to a bench, where she sat him down and began examining
him.Azhani watched, able to just
catch the light yellow glow of the stardancer’s magic at work as her friend
calmed the older man down.
After
a few moments, she gave the dark-skinned man a bundle of herbs to chew
and swallow along with a swig from a wineskin.Three
other desert men approached and she spoke to them quietly, before stepping
aside and allowing them to lead their now complacent leader to his quarters.
The
stardancer made her way back to Azhani, who was slapping the dwarf on the
shoulder and laughing uproariously at something he had said.The
warrior looked up at her friend’s approach and her mirth immediately died
at the expression on Kyrian’s face.Troubled,
she moved to speak to her friend, but was forestalled by the stardancer’s
upraised hand.
“No,”
she said softly, so that only Azhani’s sharp ears could hear her.“Everyone
should hear this.”
“All
right,” Azhani said softly, stepping aside to allow her friend to take
the center of the court.
Kyrian
smiled grimly and faced Kuwell, who waited expectantly.“Good
day, Ambassador Kuwell.I am Stardancer
Kyrian of Y’len,” she said formally.
“Good
day, Stardancer Kyrian.I am Ambassador
Kuwell Longhorn of Shale Valley,” the dwarf replied, bowing.“The
gods honor me with your presence.”
“Thank
you.I have come to tell you that
your friend, Iften Windstorm
was not in his right mind today.His
food had been poisoned by krill dust.”
A
collective gasp filled the air.Krill
dust was a very powerful hallucinogenic drug, outlawed in all seven kingdoms.The
effects were random, always harmful and often, deadly.
Kuwell
snorted in disgust, and said, “Figures that the old rat would lick the
poison of his masters.”
Prince
Allyndev pushed forward, loudly asking, “Are you accusing Ambassador Iften
of collusion with the Cabal?”
“Allyndev,
get Lyssera and ask her to join us in the swan garden,” Azhani ordered
quietly, her voice brooking no argument.The
young prince’s lips twisted to argue and then he visibly took hold of his
temper, stiffly turning and walking back toward the manor.
Pointing
to one of the many lurking pages, the warrior said, “Go to the kitchens
and bring refreshments for,” she mentally tallied who would be there, “six.Bring
them to the swan garden.”
The
boy nodded and said, “Aye, Master, t’will be done as you say,” and then
ran off.
Adjacent
to Lyssera’s sitting room, the swan garden was about as private as they
could get within the manor.Curious
ears would find it hard to sneak into the heavily guarded residential floor
of the Kelani family.Quickly, Azhani,
Kyrian and the dwarven ambassador, made their way up the various levels
until reaching the guarded doorway that led to the queen’s chambers.
The
warrior was easily recognized and allowed in.Pausing,
Azhani quietly gave the guard some instructions and then entered the Kelani
residence.Queen Lyssera was waiting
for them.The reason behind the name
“swan garden” was immediately evident when the trio entered the treetop
greenhouse.Beautiful ornaments from
around the kingdoms, all depicting swans in one form or another, liberally
littered the garden.
Letting
out a low whistle of appreciation, Kyrian stared at the chair where Queen
Lyssera sat.Made of white ash, the
chair curved up behind the queen, cradling her in a cloak of painstakingly
carved wings.
The
table was another priceless piece, having a base of burnished copper depicting
three swans arranged in a circle.Topping
the table was a slab of rock crystal.As
the sun streamed down overhead, millions of rainbows danced off the fracture
lines in the quartz, bathing the small group in color.Not
far away, the tinkling sound of a fountain could be heard, and above them
were several overhanging tree branches, heavy with leaves providing welcome
shade from the mid afternoon sun.
A
page liveried in Lyssera’s personal colors, pulled out chairs for the arriving
group of people, waiting patiently as each of them sat.When
they had all arranged themselves comfortably, the young man turned to a
cart and began serving drinks.
“So,
a little bird tells me that Ambassador Iften suffered from krill poisoning,”
Lyssera said, not bothering to dissemble as the rest of the small group
settled into their chairs.Trays
of finger foods were laid out on the table and then the page backed away,
leaving his elders to their conversation.
Kyrian
nodded, folding her hands in her lap and looking right at Vice-ambassador
Kirthos, who was the Y’skani desert man that had come to represent his
fallen leader.“Yes, he was. My
cursory examination tells me that it is something that is long standing.I
asked him if he knew he had ingested the substance, and his reply convinced
me that he was as surprised by it as I was.Therefore,
I would assume that he was unaware of the poison.Someone
must have put it in his food.”
“Which
leads me to wonder, Vice-ambassador, if anyone else knew of the Ambassador’s
new spice?” Azhani asked, leaning forward.Her
gaze was so pointed, the desert man flinched.
“Honored
Master Azhani, I assure you that neither I, nor any members of Ambassador
Iften’s clan, would dream of such a vile act!Krill
dust is anathema to those who follow the Serpent – we would rather eat
glass!”The Y’skani’s dark green
tattoo – a coiled snake that wrapped the length of his arm with the head
coming to rest on the back of his right hand – pulsed as he pounded the
table emphatically.
Azhani
nodded, accepting the man’s words.She
looked to Queen Lyssera, who raised one dark blonde eyebrow and turned
her gaze on the dwarven ambassador, Kuwell.“My
friend from Y’dror.Would your honor
be satisfied if I put the skills of Master Azhani to ferreting out who
caused this debacle?”
“Aye,
Lyssera.I have no doubts in the
skills of our friend,” the Y’droran said simply, folding his arms and nodding
in agreement.
Eagerly,
Kirthos jumped up and began pacing the garden.“Yes,
I too agree!Master Azhani is the
only one who can fairly find the heinous poisoner!”His
eyes darted from the warrior to the queen.“I
am right in assuming that she is not a member of your court – that your
relationship is that of an employer and employee?She
holds no allegiance to Y’Syr?”
Turning
her face so that the dark brown scar adorning her cheek flashed in the
fading afternoon light, Azhani said, “You assume correctly, Vice-ambassador.”Her
voice was hard-edged and Kyrian inwardly sighed, wishing once again she
could reach the wound that had so deeply hurt her friend.
“Excellent!I
accept then, that you will have an open mind and will not make assumptions
based on political alliances.”He
sat down, folding his hands on his lap and looking expectantly at the rest
of the group.
He’s
not as dumb as he looks, Azhani
thought, impressed by the desert man’s savvy.Naturally,
he will be the first suspect.Of
course, I would be surprised to find that he is the poisoner – they tend
to like the shadows.Turning
to look at the Queen, Azhani sipped slowly at her drink.
“Good.I
only ask that the results of this meeting not be spread.I’d
like Master Azhani to have the freedom to move about without having to
dodge arrows.”Everyone nodded.“Vice-ambassador
Kirthos, I suggest you find someone that you trust to prepare the ambassador’s
meals from now on.”
“Of
course.I will speak to Starseeker
Vashyra immediately.She will undoubtedly
know someone who is qualified,” the desert man said arrogantly.
Azhani
watched him as he spoke, trying to ferret out clues that might tell her
whether or not Iften’s second reached for a higher position.After
only a few heartbeats, she dismissed him as a suspect.Kirthos
was young, brash and ambitious, but he spoke the truth when he voiced his
distaste for the poison.Serpent
clansmen revered the snake, including the tiny yellow creature found only
in a mountainous region on the eastern coast of Y’skan.Krill
dust was made from the desiccated corpses of these tiny snakes, which was
an act so atrocious that it was unthinkable.
Kuwell
too was ruled out.His clan and the
DaCoure house had been friends for many years and she trusted the stout
blacksmith implicitly.Barring Kyrian
and a few others, this left the warrior with an impressive list of suspects
to weed through.
“I’ll
be happy to take care of the ambassador’s meals,” Kyrian offered quietly.“He
shouldn’t eat anything really strong for a while, anyway.The
krill needs to be cleansed from his system.”
“Bless
you, Stardancer.You do my clan much
honor,” the vice-ambassador said stiffly.
Azhani
stifled a snort of laughter.At least
Kirthos was one less pig-headed courtier she would privately want to smash
for being rude to her friend.
“Since
we are in accord, then I see no further reason to discuss this matter.Master
Azhani, when you have your results, please let me know.Thank
you,” Queen Lyssera said, dismissing the group with a wave of her hand.
They
all rose to go, until the queen’s voice halted Kyrian.
“Stardancer
Kyrian, would you mind staying?” asked the queen.“I
have a matter to discuss with you.”
Shrugging
her shoulders when Azhani looked at her curiously, Kyrian turned away from
the door and said, “Of course, my queen.I
am at your discretion.”Easily resuming
her chair, Kyrian watched as Azhani, Allyn, and the two ambassadors exited
the garden.
When
she was sure that they were alone, Lyssera nodded toward the tray of snacks
that sat, mostly untouched, in the center of the table.“Go
ahead – you must be starving, I can hear your stomach from here!”
Chuckling
ruefully, Kyrian reached for the tray, grabbing a handful of raw vegetables
and a couple of meat-stuffed pastries.“Thank
you.I am very hungry, though I think
Azhani was ready to start chewing on the foliage.She
hasn’t had anything since yesterday, while I managed to get in a bit of
breakfast.”
“Well,
then I’m surprised our warrior friend didn’t just start eating the vice-ambassador,”
said Lyssera, a droll grin brightening her features as she spoke.
Kyrian
giggled, envisioning Azhani leaning over and taking a chunk out of the
supercilious desert man, and then said, “I don’t think she would have liked
the taste.A bit too dry for Azhani.”
“True,
she is much fonder of moister meat.”Lyssera
observed suggestively.Her grin blossomed
into a full-throated laugh when Kyrian blushed.
Politely,
Kyrian coughed and asked, “You wished to speak with me about something,
your majesty?”
Lyssera
sighed heavily.“Don’t tell me she’s
quashed your sense of humor already, stardancer?”Smiling
sadly, she said, “I meant no offense.I,
perhaps better than any, know how lonely Azhani is without my sister’s
company.Ylera was one of those wonderful
individuals who are larger than life.Everything
she touched blossomed, and those whom her affections were directed at came
willingly to her side.
Azhani
has never been the kind of woman I would consider to be an aggressor in
matters of the heart.If Ylera had
not wanted to love her, then not even altering the course of the wind would
have brought my sister to the warrior’s side.”
Nodding
slowly, Kyrian said, “I know, your highness.Ylera
was my friend.We were classmates
at temple.”She sighed and smiled
wistfully.“The princess’ conquests
were stuff of legend among the acolytes.”
Lyssera
sat forward, even more interested to know the enigmatic young woman who
chose to side with Azhani Rhu’len.“Were
you one of the ‘princess’ conquests’, Stardancer Kyrian?”
Taken
aback by the boldness of the queen’s question, Kyrian stared, dumbfounded
while her jaw worked to answer the question.Finally,
she blurted out, “Not unless your sister was into children!”Seeing
that her harsh words had wiped the good-natured smile from Lyssera’s face,
Kyrian hastened to explain, “I was very young for an initiate, my queen.You
could not have known.When Princess
Ylera and I shared teachers, I was only thirteen summers old.”Closing
her eyes, Kyrian allowed memories of that precious time to surface.“I
think I might have gotten a crush on Lera, if I hadn’t had the chance to
know her.”The stardancer smiled
sadly.“After hearing her snore,
tell bawdy jokes and belch louder than most of the boys, it was impossible
to see her as an untouchable beauty.Ylera
was more than just a flighty princess, she was a charming, friendly young
woman.”
Opening
her eyes, she smiled brightly at the queen.“She
wanted so badly to make you proud of her, your majesty.She
always knew she would be your envoy to the kingdoms, and she worked hard
to learn everything she could about diplomacy.I
suppose that was another reason why any tender feelings, I might have had,
vanished.Ylera was very selfish.Not
in a bad way, but everything she did was in furtherance of her aspirations.”Kyrian
sighed sadly.“I wish I could have
known her when she was with Azhani.From
what Lady Glinholt tells me, Lera had changed – had started to allow her
heart to lead her choices, rather than her political goals.”
Lyssera
listened intently, shaking her head ruefully when Kyrian finished.“I
suppose one more person should be added to the list of those who understand
what Ylera’s loss means.Tell me
more, stardancer.My sister spoke
often of Y’len, and of the things she learned, but she rarely mentioned
the people.”The queen’s jaw dropped,
and her eyes widened as if a torch had just been lit inside her head.“You’re
Kyr!” she blurted.
“Yes,
that’s my name,” the stardancer laughed.
“No,
no, Lera used to talk about a dancer initiate named Kyr all the time,”
Lyssera explained, scooting her chair closer to Kyrian.“Unless
there’s two Kyrs, it has to be you she was talking about.”
Wistfully,
the stardancer said, “It’s nice to know she remembered me.”
“Oh
gods, you are her.It’s your fault
that my sister developed an unhealthy addiction to oatcakes and honey in
the middle of night watch, isn’t it?”
Holding
up her hands, Kyrian said, “Guilty as charged.It
was the only thing we could make on the open fire while doing our last
minute studying.The nights before
a final exam were long and hunger-inducing.”
“I
have never seen anything as funny as my sister trying vainly to recreate
a recipe, all while soaking wet and covered in a thick coat of mud and
moss!I nearly injured myself, I
laughed so hard.I’m fairly sure
it woke several of the initiates,” the queen said, going into a long description
of one of Ylera’s many crazy outings. “I
don’t know how she managed to convince me to leave the temple and go exploring
the forest, but every time I visited, we had to see what new things were
growing in the forest.I can only
hope she didn’t drag poor Azhani out into the rain for mushrooms and mint
leaves.”
Uncomfortably,
Kyrian shifted in her seat mumbling, “She’s never mentioned anything to
me.”
Lyssera
nodded knowingly.“Me either, my
friend.Our Azhani is as tight lipped
as a moneylender’s purse when it comes to discussing my sister. I
get bits and pieces, but never whole cloth.”The
queen shook her head sadly.“We talked
a little, but I can’t seem to get beyond the surface.Sharing
our grief only seems to dull the edge of pain for her.I’m
worried about her, Kyr.I’ve known
Azhani for years, and though everything seems to be okay with her, something
is missing.There’s an emptiness
in her eyes that haunts me.I want
to help, but I know how hard it is for her to be around me.”
Leaning
forward, the queen took Kyrian’s hand in hers and stared earnestly into
the stardancer’s eyes.“When I saw
the two of you exit Tellyn’s stillroom, I thought my old friend had finally
returned.The spark of life was in
her eyes again, Kyr.It was having
you by her side that unlocked her heart.I’m
so very glad you’re here now.”
“So
am I,” Kyrian whispered.“I missed
her, and I worried about her.”
“I
worried as well,” Lyssera said, getting up and pacing around the garden.“Before
you came, she talked only of revenge, of seeking the head of Arris Theodan
and presenting it to me on a platter, as if the bloody gift would somehow
ease the loss of my sister!”
“It’s
a goal,” the stardancer said, though her words were tinged with sarcasm.
“I
hate it.Kyrian, I loved my sister
dearly.She was my twin, and there’s
not a moment that goes by that I don’t wish she were beside me, ready with
an insightful piece of advice or witty comment.” She stopped pacing and
slumped into her chair again.“She
would never have wanted this single-minded plan for vengeance.Ylera
would not want our countries to go to war over her.”
“Then
what...”
“What
am I going to do?I don’t know.Before
you came, Azhani threw herself into every task as though it were ordained
by fate.Now, I don’t know.I
gave her the task of finding Iften’s poisoner, to see just how she handled
it.”Lyssera rubbed her face wearily.“Tell
me, stardancer, how can I give men to a woman I’m not sure wants to live
to see the dawn, after the death of King Arris?”
“I
don’t...” Kyrian shook her head and sighed.“I
don’t think she has a death wish, majesty.I
think she’s just very determined to have justice for Ylera.”
“Why?Why
is it so important that she be the one to kill Arris?When
she speaks of his death, it’s always in terms of his body
on her sword.”The
queen said the words as though she had heard them hundreds of times.
“Wouldn’t
you want to be the one to deal the blow of vengeance, if it were your fiancée
that were murdered?” Kyrian asked simply.
Surprise
colored the queen’s face. “Fiancée?No,
Kyr, I don’t think their relationship would have gone that far, had Ylera
lived.My sister, bless her, was
far too conscious of her place in Y’Syran society.The
nobles would not have tolerated an Y’dani/Y’Syran match of that nature.The
ink on Theodan’s treaty was still too wet.”
“Azhani
does not know that.And who knows,
the princess might have had a change of heart,” Kyrian pointed out rationally,
inwardly cringing.I
will forget this conversation; I will forget that I ever heard anything
about this.Azhani never needs to
know how lightly the queen views her sister’s relationships.
“You
think me unkind,” Lyssera said solemnly.“Perhaps
I am.I am a queen, Kyrian, and that
means that I cannot forget for one moment that every word I speak, every
action I take, will have infinite repercussions.This
is why I must – I must,”
she emphasized the word, “be sure of those in whom I have placed trust.I
trust you, stardancer, because I know you love Astariu wisely.Therefore,
I will trust your wisdom about Azhani.Reassure
this queen that she has not let her own anger and grief cloud her judgment
– tell me that the warrior’s desire to murder a king is not lunacy!”
“I
wish I could ease your concerns with a word or two, majesty, but I can
only offer the memories I carry up here,” Kyrian said, tapping the side
of her head.“I cannot, in good conscience,
speak words said in confidence, but perhaps I can share the tale of how
I came to know Azhani Rhu’len.Maybe
you will find something in the story to soothe your fears.”Calmly,
the stardancer began to tell the queen of her adventures since leaving
the village of Myr, up until the moment that she and Azhani had left the
stillroom at Mistress Tellyn’s.
Lyssera
listened, avidly clinging to any clues that gave her hope.They
were few, but before Kyrian finished, the queen had heard enough to ease
her mind for the time being.Azhani’s
goals may seem single-minded, but the warrior still had a very strong sense
of honor and duty.Perhaps she would
not self-destruct, after all.I
swear Ylera; I will not let your beloved go down the path of vengeance.Not
that way, not like Father did...
Forcing
herself to listen to the stardancer, Lyssera shoved away the painful memories
of her father’s mad quest to avenge her mother’s death.Nothing
would ever take away her last sight of King Ylesril chasing a badly mangled
demon off a cliff.He had never even
slowed down as the rocky escarpment crumbled away beneath him, just kept
trying to hack at the creature’s bleeding body as they fell.
The queen
would do most anything to see Azhani avoid such a fate.
~Chapter
Twenty-Four~
Azhani
tried not to fidget.She had crammed
her tall frame into one of the tiny booths in this dockside tavern that
she had frequented for many years.The
Captain’s Hook was the most disreputable spot on Y’Syria’s harbor, and
she had found that it was the best place to gather information.
Within
moments of arriving, she had overheard enough clandestine talk regarding
a lucrative smuggling operation, to keep the queen’s navy busy for weeks,
if not months.Grimly, the warrior
kept a mental tally of faces and names, intending on passing on the information
to the captain of Lyssera’s guard.She
had also seen two murderers and a moneylender wanted for graft, hiding
in the tavern’s shadows.For those
men, she had written notes to the commander of the dockside guard and sent
them by messenger.One of the fugitives
had already been apprehended as he tried to board a ship bound for Y’mar.
The
warrior had a neat system in place.Three
dock rats – children she had befriended three years ago on her last visit
– sat by the door, ostensibly begging for coins.By
using simple signals, they kept her apprised of those folks she should
bend her ears to and those she should ignore.The
kids happily performed the duty and Azhani made sure that some of the queen’s
largesse made its way into their small pockets.
She
nodded as one of the boys pointed to a newly arrived customer.Examining
him, Azhani was not impressed.Typical
of all sailors, he was barefoot, the soles of his feet so toughened from
years of working on the decks of ships that he didn’t even notice the roughness
of the straw-covered floor.He carried
himself in a stoop that was indicative of a man who had spent many years
rowing, and as he moved into the hazy light cast by a nearby torch, Azhani
could make out the gnarled hands of an oarsman.
A
voice whispered in her ear, “That’s Zekk.He’s
with the Wave Queen.”
The
warrior leaned back, letting the informant know that she had been heard,
and watched as Zekk worked his way through the tavern, loudly greeting
friends and strangers alike.Finally,
he reached her table, staring into the darkened cowl of her hood as if
trying to see into her soul.
“It
likes me that you be seekin’ a bit o’ taste,” he said, in a rambling, lilted
accent that was pure Y’maran docksider.
“Nef’
tay crawl the holes yonder,” she responded, mimicking the twisted vowels
perfectly.“Take chair and yap; sup
ye a bit o’ Jonny B’s blood and chew words,” she said, nodding at the pitcher
of warm ale that rested in the center of the rickety table.
Deciding
her offer was genuine, the sailor eased into the opposite chair and poured
a large helping of ale into his own mug, then drank gustily.He
belched and poured another.This
one he drank slowly, seeming to savor every drop of the harsh, bitter beer.
Azhani
calmly waited for the sailor to drink.It
was no use to force the man to talk – Y’marans were notoriously close-lipped
until they felt they had been adequately greased.
Three
cups into the pitcher, Zekk set his mug aside and nodded.“Chew,
woman, it likes me not to sit long.”His
eyes roved the room, settling finally on one of the more obvious light
skirts that dominated the end of the bar.
“Aye.Tis
bitter shame to lay waste to time better spent.Short
o’ it is – taste me dreams, I have.Flavor
likes me and would it is have more.Landies
call it wrecked though, leave me clinging to short sail.Likes
me not,” she explained, putting just enough need and outrage in her voice
to stimulate any good smuggler’s greed.
Zekk
stared at her as though she had gone daft.“Lightening
struck you are, woman.Dream dust
taste demon’s filth!”He stood suddenly,
making the bench creak ominously.Shaking
his head, he cursed, “Kraken take you, I’ll not rot for hell’s droppings!”Angrily,
he stormed away from the table, causing no few glances in Azhani’s direction.
The
warrior shrugged and ignored the stares.After
a while, the patrons turned their attentions elsewhere, finding more interesting
things to amuse them.
“Zekk’s
the last of ‘em, lady,” said a youthful voice.
“All
right, what about the gambling hall?Is
it still held in Tarvik’s warehouse?” she asked.
“Not
since old man Tarvik went down in a squall two seasons ago.Yannev
Ironfoot runs it out of an old sawmill outside of town now.”
“Great,
I’ve had a hankering to go riding.Gather
your friends, Skye, we’re going for a picnic.”The
warrior untangled her body from the bench and gratefully made her way to
the door.
A
tow-headed child leapt down from her hiding place behind the warrior’s
former seat and laughed.“A picnic?Azhi,
I haven’t done that since last time!”Grinning
hugely, the girl sped off to gather her friends.
Smiling,
Azhani thanked the gods that her old contacts had not left the docks –
it would have been twice as hard to gather the information she needed without
them.
%%%
The
sun had long set when Kyrian drained the dregs of a large pitcher of water
and finished telling Lyssera about her life with Azhani Rhu’len.
“It
hasn’t been boring, but neither have I seen any signs of the soul-sick
madness of one who wants to die, your highness.”
For
several minutes, the queen was silent, contemplating her words.Fastening
her gaze on a point some yards beyond Kyrian’s head, she said, “You love
her.”The statement fell out into
the air between them, echoing madly in the stardancer’s ears.
The
garden was silent as the words played over and over again in Kyrian’s head.Finally,
she quietly said, “How could I not?I
have tasted the color of her aura and swum in the energies of her essence.More
than that, I have laughed with her, cried with her, saved and been saved
by her.”
Lyssera’s
eyes closed slowly as she said, “I wonder if that’s how Ylera felt?Her
heart was so eager to love, that she was drawn, moth to a flame, to those
whose energies were strong.”The
queen didn’t ask if Azhani returned the stardancer’s feelings.The
question would have been ridiculous – Lyssera wasn’t blind, and it was
no secret that the warrior rarely left Kyrian’s side.If
she did not love her, she would.Even
a sense-blind human could see that destiny had written itself neatly into
the women’s lives.
The
questions that remained were – trivial, at best.Of
course, she would give Azhani the men to destroy Arris’ hold on Y’dan.Whether
that entailed a war, an assassination, or some other mission that had yet
to be revealed, she was certain that the warrior deserved her support.To
do otherwise would be to dishonor the memory of her twin.
With
that settled, all that remained were personal, less political meanderings.Lyssera
burned with curiosity.Would the
warrior allow love into her life again?Elves
were known for their passions and the queen’s was matchmaking.Not
surprisingly, she had never had the chance to practice her skills on her
sister, but perhaps, by helping her sister’s beloved, she would have some
sense of what it would have been like.
Lyssera
gave Kyrian an appraising gaze, wondering what could be done to make the
half-elven stardancer appeal to Azhani’s tender side and whether or not
she would be amenable to her plan.Imperceptibly,
the queen nodded.Yes, a plan was
definitely necessary, if she were going to get the stubborn warrior to
crack the careful mask of non-emotion she had donned and allow the budding
feelings underneath to flourish.
Fleetingly,
the thought passed that she should, perhaps, let the gods choose whom Azhani’s
affections would fall upon, but one look into Kyrian’s dark green eyes
decided the queen.If she had anything
to do about it, Azhani Rhu’len would be with Kyrian.
“Well,
it’s no matter now.As to more political
issues – will Ambassador Iften be all right?I
understand that krill dust is very dangerous if taken too long.”The
queen signaled, and her page drifted out of the shadows to refill their
cups with a fresh bottle of wine.
“Now
that the poisoning has been detected, so long as no more krill gets into
his system, he should recover.In
fact, I’ll be checking on him when you’re finished with me.Would
you like me to send a page with a report?” Kyrian sipped at the chilled
wine, licking her lips appreciatively over the fine vintage.
“I
would appreciate that, thank you,” Lyssera said, turning to look out into
the garden.
Kyrian
set her goblet on the table and quietly left the queen to her musings.
It
took some time to locate the ambassador’s quarters, but eventually, the
stardancer was by the older man’s side, calmly assessing him when he woke.Pale
hazel eyes blinked rapidly, and then he looked up at the red-robed young
woman who was tending him.
“I
am truly blessed, to have the honor of one of the Goddess’ Own, by my side,”
he said, his voice sleep-roughened.
Smiling,
Kyrian handed him a glass of cool tea, urging him to drink.Slowly,
the man sipped at the sweet beverage and then tried to sit up.The
stardancer gently assisted him and asked, “Are you hungry, Ambassador?”
For
just an instant, a frown appeared on the old man’s face, then he cocked
his head as if listening to something.A
shy smile crept over his face.“My
fears wish me to say no, thank you.However,
my stomach has other ideas.”Sheepishly,
the ambassador asked in a small voice, “Would you do an old desert rat
a favor, Honored One?Would you see
that whatever meal you allow me, is prepared properly?I
fear that I can not trust even my own servants.”
“Actually,
Ambassador, I will be making your meals for the next few days, if that’s
acceptable?”He nodded, smiling gratefully.“Good.Would
a bowl of grain cereal satisfy you?I
can prepare it over your hearth, right here.”Kyrian
offered diffidently, rising to seek a page.
“Please,”
Iften asked humbly.
Standing,
she stuck her head out the door, catching the sight of the ambassador’s
page.Quickly, she asked him to fetch
her what she would need to make the meal.Once
he was gone, she turned back toward the ambassador’s room, grateful to
see the slowly returning color to the man’s unnaturally pale skin.Several
candlemarks of sleep, as well as a few doses of an antidote, had done wonders
for him.
Crackling
wood from the fire filled the room with a peaceful sound.A
light snore echoed from the bed, as the ambassador dozed.Quietly
drawing a chair close to the fire, Kyrian waited for the page to return.When
he did, she softly hung the pot from a hook in the fireplace and filled
it with water.
Soon,
she had a thick, filling cereal cooking.The
smell must have woken the ambassador, because his voice broke into her
concentration.
“Was
it Kirthos?”
“Pardon
me?” Kyrian asked, dishing up a bowl of the thick grain cereal and adding
healthy dollops of butter, maple syrup and dark brown sugar.
“The
poisoner – was it my brother-in-law Kirthos?”A
coughing spell shook the ambassador’s frame.Kyrian
set the bowl down and rushed to his side, easing him to a sitting position
until the spasms stopped.Reaching
for the teacup, she carefully spooned in a grayish-blue powder and stirred
it swiftly.
“Drink
this,” she advised the older man, who was breathing in short, uneven spurts.
Slowly,
he drank, wincing at the now sour taste of the drink.“Thank
you,” he said, laying back against his pillows and taking longer, more
even breaths.
The
stardancer inclined her head.“No,
I don’t believe it was Kirthos... but the truth has yet to be fully determined.The
queen has set Master Azhani to seeking the information.I
imagine she is doing so right now.”
Another
light spasm of coughing shook the old man’s body, causing her to frown
in consternation.Krill should not
affect his system like this.
“Ambassador,
may I read you?” she asked formally.
A
sad smile crossed the old man’s face.“Nah,
nah, child.‘Tis nothing.You
don’t need to waste your talent on me – I know that my time is short.‘Tis
the sand-lung, not anything you can help.”
Desire
to help the ailing man warred with the knowledge that what afflicted him
was incurable.Sand-lung - a disease
that many desert dwellers suffered from – was painful, but not disabling.Yet,
the respiratory sickness was always fatal, stealing years from the ends
of Y’skani lives.The desert dwellers
were otherwise healthy, hearty folk.Seeing
the swarthy ambassador suddenly made pale by wracking coughs saddened the
stardancer deeply.
Iften
relaxed against his cushions, watching the emotions that flickered openly
across his caretaker’s face and felt something wonderful stir in his old
heart.She
actually cares that I’m dying?Astarus
bless me - I feel storm blinded!Before
accepting the mantle of ambassador for his tribe, Iften Windstorm had lived
the solitary existence of a Desert Walker – one of the hearty few who prowled
the dark sands of the Great Y’skan, seeking clues to the massive wasteland’s
creation.
The
Serpent clan was the largest single group of the Y’skani nomads.Because
of that, the other tribes looked to them to represent the clans to the
outside world.Iften had come to
Y’Syria to broker trade agreements between the elves and the desert men,
as well as to learn about the other cultures that dominated the seven kingdoms.He
longed to return to the land of shifting sands, but knew he would probably
never study the ruins that dotted the desert again.
Eyes
glistening with moisture, Kyrian cleared her throat and said, “I may not
be able to cure you, Ambassador, but surely I could ease your discomfort.”The
young woman didn’t understand why she was so drawn to this old man, but
she had served Astariu long enough to know that when people touch your
heart, there was always a good reason for it.
The
old man’s face crinkled up in a bright smile.Shaking
his head, Iften said, “Child, you go ahead and do what you can – I’ll not
say no to a little coddling from the Goddess’ Own.”
Gently,
Kyrian laid her hands against the ambassador’s chest.Softly,
she began to chant, calling upon the goddess to attend her and open the
inner eyes that allowed her to see into the bodies of her patients.The
room tunneled away, replaced by the energy streams that pulsed with the
life of Iften Windstorm.Kyrian’s
trained mind quickly scanned the flowing lines, easily picking out where
the foreign substance of the krill poison had entered and struck the healthy
energies, burning and blackening the pathways that lead to the older man’s
cognitive functions.Easily, she
called lances of cleaning energy into being and began attacking the krill,
burning it out of the ambassador’s system.
Lulled
by the soft chanting, Iften fell into a light doze, watching the flames
in the hearth dance merrily.
%%%
Oily
smoke from dozens of torches scattered about the large warehouse, settled
about the casino’s patrons.Azhani
slowly worked her way through the room, losing and winning enough coin
to keep the bouncer’s suspicions down as she listened to the thread of
conversation that flowed around her.It
didn’t take long to learn which of the men and women in the establishment
would, for the right price, fulfill her every wicked desire.
Not
that I have any wicked, wanton needs, the
dark haired warrior thought, half sorrowfully, half in amusement.Azhani’s
gaze flicked from whore to whore, measuring them against the remembered
beauty of her Ylera, and found them wanting.Against
the memory of her new friend Kyrian’s cheerful smile and lusty laugh, even
those memories began to pale.
When
she realized that little bit of personal information, the warrior stood
stock still, staring down at the handful of copper coins she just won from
a dice game and tried not to shake.Guilt
wracked her, pushing her to just chuck the money and go running to the
nearest temple to beg the goddess’ forgiveness.Sanity
intruded at the very last moment, smacking her upside the head in the form
of a drunkard who vomited loudly, narrowly missing her boots.
Disgusted,
the warrior pushed around the gathering crowd and headed for the back of
the gambling area, where the real action was taking place.A
small pit had been dug and then surrounded by a thick, short wall.Inside
the pit, two warriors would square off, each trying to beat the other bloody
– all for a pittance in coin.
Standing
around the pit, were several men and women, all clamoring for their favored
fighter to smash his or her opponent into the dirt.Moving
in and out of this crowd like well-oiled snakes, were boys who gathered
bets and paid off winners.On the
other side of the crowd was a cluster of tables.Men
and women of varying size, pitted their strength against others, betting
on who could lay their opponent’s hand down first.Azhani
skirted past the pit fight arena and calmly slipped into a chair recently
vacated by a very disgruntled man.Seated
across from her was a bear casually masquerading as a man.
Bare
from the waist up, muscles bulging and gleaming with sweat and oil, Eskyn
Dowser was one of Yannev’s best arm wrestlers.Once
an oarsman in the High King’s navy, the dusky-skinned native of Y’skan
had broken his back during a storm and was useless aboard a ship.Yannev
Ironfoot had seen profit in the sailor’s disability, and had encouraged
the young man to build his upper body muscles until he was as he now appeared.
Sailors
and soldiers from all over, lost and won good money either betting on or
wrestling against the muscled man.Eskyn,
not being dim, used his own profits from the scheme, to become head of
a well-known smuggling operation, working just outside of the law to bring
in otherwise illegal goods.
All
this Azhani knew from her time as Y’dan’s warleader, having dealt with
Eskyn many times over the years.Though
a crook, the big man had some morals – and he would be her best lead to
discovering who was behind the ambassador’s poisoning.
The
wrestler was in the middle of a long, lusty kiss and paused only long enough
to grunt, “Be right with ya, bud,” before returning his attention to a
scantily dressed woman who eagerly leaned in for more kisses.
“Don’t
fall in,” Azhani purred, hiding a smile when Eskyn suddenly shoved the
flustered girl away from him and pounded his fists on the table.
“Astarus’
balls! Azhani Rhu’len!” he exclaimed loudly, a huge smile spreading across
his dark skinned face.He looked
up at the woman he had been kissing and said, “Why don’t you grab us a
couple of beers, hon?And tell Yanny
that I’m off for a while – I need to refuel.”
“You
want something to eat, Essie?” the woman asked, running her fingers lightly
over his bald head.
A
deep, rumbling chuckle emerged from the man’s chest and he nodded.“Yeah,
I think I’d like that – breaking bread with the former
warleader of Y’dan isn’t something I do every day.”
“Bad
news travels faster than Astarus’ hounds, old friend,” Azhani said, settling
into her chair and sighing heavily.
“Ah,
but good news flies on the wings of owldragons, no?Whispers
come to me that our fair queen knows quality when she sees it.”The
big man leaned back in his chair, cracking his neck and shoulders loudly.
Shrugging
nonchalantly, Azhani said, “Well, I’m not exactly claiming poverty at the
moment.”
“Ah,
good.I am pleased to hear that.”He
smiled at her, then turned his brilliant white smile up at his lady friend
when she delivered a large tray of food and beer.“Beautiful,
my sweet.Thank you.Why
don’t you go and enjoy the bard, my dear?” he suggested, giving the woman
a push in the direction of a shadowed stage.When
she had gone, Eskyn lifted his mug of ale and said, “Now then, what is
it I can do for my old friend?Unless
you have brought the queen’s guard here to arrest me?”He
made a show of peering into darkened corners while the warrior rolled her
eyes.“Ah, but I do not see any trees
about,” he said, using the docksider nickname for the warriors who served
as the city guard.
“Krill,
Eskyn, I need to know where I can find it,” the warrior said, not wasting
any more time.
Surprised,
the smuggler rolled his chair away from the table and over to Azhani’s
side.A massive hand reached out
to brush the skin of the warrior’s face before she could flinch away.“Hmm,
not sick, no,” he said, searching her eyes briefly before adding, “and
ye’ve not gone daft.”
“I’m
not sick and I’m not crazy, Es – I just need some information.”Blue
eyes glittered in the dim light.“I
take it personally when my friends become ill,” she added, hoping that
he would think she was on a personal vendetta.
Eskyn
rolled his chair back to his side of the table, marveling again at the
ingenuity of the gnomes his partner had hired.The
chair was a simple construct.Sturdy
and well built, it had two large and two small wheels that allowed him
a freedom of movement he though he had lost forever when the mast had snapped
and crashed into his oar box, pinning him to the deck.
A
particularly loud cheer from the crowd around the pit arena gave him the
moment he needed to gather his thoughts.Eskyn’s
conscience and years serving in the navy urged him to spill all he knew
about the seedy individuals that controlled the admittedly small drug trade
in Y’Syr, but his hard-earned business sense cautioned him to silence.Earning
the enmity of any one of those men and women would make doing his business
that much harder.
The
noise level faded down to its normal roar.Grasping
his cooled sandwich, Eskyn took a big bite, chewing and swallowing slowly.
Azhani
tapped her foot, waiting for the big man to wrestle his conscience into
submission.It was like this every
time – the dance the two played out echoed back to the very first time
a young desert rat and an equally young landlubber had crossed paths at
an Y’maran dock.
Finally,
Eskyn said, “What’s in it for me?”
“Funds
or favors?” Azhani offered, knowing the man’s greatest weaknesses.
Dark
brown eyes scanned the warrior from head to toe.One
thick brow rose challengingly.“Favors?Are
you finally admitting that you find me irresistible, Azhani?”
“In
your worst nightmares, Es,” the warrior replied, leaning forward, her glittering
blue eyes boring into his face.“Look,
I know that you’ve got a shipment coming in tomorrow – what if I could
convince the trees to stay in their forest, instead of shading the lake?”It
was a bluff – her position in Lyssera’s household was tenuous and undefined
at best and no better than that of the commonest of servants at worst.
Eskyn
put his elbows on the table and leaned his chin on his fists.“You’re
lying,” he said without preamble.“You
could no more tell an owldragon not to shit on a rock, as send the trees
to leaf.Show me the color of your
money, or show me your backside.”
A
pouch heavy with coin appeared on the table.Eskyn
reached for it, but was stopped by a powerful hand grasping his wrist.
“This
one, and two more if your information pays out,” Azhani said, her voice
steely with determination.
She
released him and he gathered up the pouch, mentally tallying its contents.Azhani
Rhu’len had yet to stiff him; he trusted her not to start now.The
leather bag vanished under the table, sequestered in a specially built
compartment in his chair.
“All
right, this is what I know,” he began carefully, telling her as much as
he knew about the city’s drug trade.
%%%
When
the big man had finished his low voiced report, Azhani closed her eyes
and rubbed her forehead.What
a goddess damned mess,she thought,
standing and stretching to work out the kinks that sitting for over a candlemark
in one position had put in her back.
Clasping
Eskyn’s hand, she said, “Thanks, Es.I
won’t forget this.”
The
dusky skinned man laughed, covering her hand with his huge paw.“Nah,
nah, forget it or not, just remember to be sending me my gold!”
“If
I don’t, I’m sure you’ll be happy to send me a reminder, old friend,” Azhani
said, smiling at the smuggler.
“Oh,
aye.If’n your mem’ry heads the way
of shark bait, I’ll not be slack-sailed in gaffing you,” he said, falling
into the cant of his sailing days.
“Fash
not, board man, ye’ll have yer butter,” she replied, using the same style
of speech, though she spoke with a different accent.
Nodding
in approval, Eskyn let the warrior’s hand go.“Good
hunting, my friend,” he said as she turned to leave the casino.
Only
the die-hard gamblers remained – the rest had won or lost what they could
and had gone home.Azhani slowly
made her way through the thinning crowds, knowing that it had to be approaching
dawn.
Gray
light filled the sky, promising a foggy dawn.Azhani
paid Skye and watched as the urchin scrambled off toward the docks.I
wish she would let me find a place for her and her friends...
Wearily, Azhani began the long trudge back to the city, and the sprawling
tree house that Queen Lyssera called home.
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The story and characters of Banshee's Honor are copyright
to the author, 2002.