Part Thirteen
by
~Chapter
Twenty-Five~
Arriving
at Oakheart at pre-dawn, did nothing to improve Azhani’s standing within
the queen’s court.Already, murmurs
were flying around the packed chamber, causing Lyssera to briefly rub her
eyes.Sending a quick prayer to Astarus,
who looked after fools and their errands, she hoped that whatever had caused
her weaponsmaster to stay out so late, would be worth the candlemarks of
gossip she would have to endure.Lyssera
stifled a sigh as yet another rumor reached her ears.
“Did you hear,
my queen?Master Azhani has been
out howling at the moon!” a wide-eyed merchant from the outer provinces
whispered in shock.
Lyssera
ignored him.According to Allyndev,
the warrior was sleeping.Azhani
had not answered her door when the young man had knocked to inquire after
her health.
Kyrian
was still with Ambassador Iften, making sure that there were no other ill
effects from the krill poisoning.Without
any new information, Lyssera had to deal with her court and her advisors
alone.During the morning session,
she easily dismissed their concerns by informing them that she had someone
investigating the matter of Ambassador Iften’s poisoning.After
talking amongst themselves, it was agreed by the court and council that
she had done the right thing.
Of
course they agreed.Lyssera’s
thoughts were tinged with disgust.They
don’t have to pay for it.As
Lyssera’s weaponsmaster, Azhani earned a retainer.It
was small, but more than enough to provide the warrior with the occasional
frippery.Essentials, such as food,
shelter and clothing were free.Before
hunting for snakes in Y’Syr’s garden, Azhani had asked for and received
extra funds.
Understanding
the need to grease the wheels of information, Lyssera had willingly given
the warrior access to some of her personal fortune.Now,
she was understandably anxious to discover what her money had bought.Already,
the morning’s gossip had brought news of three men in the Y’Tolan ambassador’s
party who had fallen sick, though their ills were quickly proven to be
weather related and not due to krill.I
need to find the guilty parties quickly, before there’s a panic.The
safety of Oakheart Manor is legendary, and I will not allow some skulking
bastard to destroy that!
One
of the courtiers leaned over to whisper some juicy bit of gossip but quickly
changed his mind when he saw the expression that crossed the queen’s face.The
count was a rumormonger, but he liked his head where it rested – decorating
a pike was not something he had planned in his near future.Shuddering,
the man turned to another one of the ever-present minor nobles, praying
that whoever had put that look on Queen Lyssera’s face was not someone
he knew.
%%%
Azhani
was not asleep.Two guards standing
in front of the door that led to Baron Draygil Var’s suite, were quite
unaware that perched precariously above them, was the former warleader
of Y’dan.The information that she
had purchased from the smuggler Eskyn, led her to this minor noble from
the southeastern town of Tarin.Two
years ago, Baron Var’s father had died, leaving him a tumbled down mansion
and a pile of debt.To pay the debt,
what little monies there were left in the family treasury, went into a
steadily thriving export business.Salted
beef, cured leather and glue was purchased in Y’Nor cheaply and sold in
Y’skan at tremendously inflated rates.
A
little bit of discussion with the pages for both the Y’skani and the Y’Noran
delegations, had given Azhani all the information she needed.One
of the main goals of the Y’skani delegation was to cement a trade agreement
with the plains people.Queen Lyssera
had generously offered her services as a moderator, and over the last few
months, had spent candlemarks at the treaty table, hammering out a mutually
beneficial agreement.
The
two kingdoms had dickered incessantly over concessions and as yet, they
had not signed any documents.If
those negotiations came to fruition, both kingdoms would reap the rewards.Baron
Var, however, would be paupered.
Deeply
in debt to the Cabal, Var’s options were limited.Over
the course of the day, Azhani had followed a trail of clues, learning that
the nobleman received many visitors from the infamous House.Ostensibly,
they met for trade matters, but even men who are experts at misleading
the law can make mistakes.
A
wicked smile curved Azhani’s lips.No
one paid any attention to the pages – the young boys and girls who were
employed by the crown as an easy means of delivering messages around the
ancestral home of Y’Syr’s nobility. Hearing
and seeing everything in their duties, pages were never shy of sharing
what they learned, for the right price, and Azhani was happy to take advantage
of that.
There
was no love lost between Baron Var and the page that had been assigned
to serve him, and the boy quickly told Azhani all he knew of the young
noble’s dealings with the House of Cabal.What
she heard, caused the warrior to clench her hands into fists several times
before she gave the boy a pocketful of silver and sent him off to the kitchens
for a treat.
Now,
she waited, poised to gather the rest of the information she would need
to prove that Baron Draygil Var was a traitor.From
her perch, Azhani watched silently as the nobleman exited the room, stopping
only to share a crude joke with one of his guards before heading off to
court.As soon as his men settled
against the door, she dropped.
“Hello
lads,” she purred, acting swiftly.Her
hands shot out, grabbing both men by the collar and slamming their heads
together with a resounding thud.Limply,
they slid to the ground.Working
fast, Azhani tied their hands together with a bit of leather thong and
then dragged them into the baron’s rooms.Later,
the queen’s guard could return and determine if Var’s men were involved
in his crimes.
Seeking
concrete evidence of Var’s crimes, she hurriedly searched the rooms.Minutes
later, she found it, hidden between the mattresses of the baron’s bed.The
lock on the baron’s cell door was a vial, not much larger than an arrowhead
which was filled with a thick, grayish dust that smelled like citrus and
tasted like soap.
Carefully,
Azhani slipped the dangerous substance into a pouch at her hip.A
bit more judicious searching turned up even more evidence – a signet ring
from the House of Cabal, given only to those members of society who joined
their criminal organization.Wrapped
around the ring was a scrap of parchment with the words, ~The
master is pleased with your efforts, Var.To
complete your work– see that the
old sand worm does not sign the treaty, and your debt is forgiven.~written
in a spidery, delicate script.
Just
before she left the room, Azhani added another carefully applied thump
to the heads of Var’s guards and then headed for Lyssera’s court.A
brilliantly cheerful grin appeared and she began to whistle as she walked
down the halls.Today was going to
be so much fun!
%%%
The
rumors were flying fast and furious when Kyrian finally made an appearance
in the large chamber that served as the queen’s court.Lyssera,
seated in a rigidly uncomfortable position on her throne, stood and walked
down to greet the red-robed stardancer.
“My
posterior thanks you for your timely arrival, good stardancer,” the queen
muttered softly as she smiled politely at the men and women lining the
sides of the aisle.
“It’s
always a pleasure to serve your majesty,” Kyrian replied just as softly,
smiling gently.
“And
how is the good ambassador?” Lyssera asked in a normal voice?
The
stardancer’s smile broadened.“He
is well, your majesty - cranky and irritable and demanding that he be allowed
to eat real cow, instead of just the drippings.”
Lyssera
chuckled, her merry laugh infecting the stardancer until she too, was laughing.Returning
to the throne’s dais, each woman took her accustomed spot – Kyrian on a
low chair that sat to the queen’s side and Lyssera on the elaborately carved
yet far less comfortable throne.
“I
have had a letter from King Padreg,” Lyssera said conversationally.
Kyrian
tilted her head interestedly.
“He
and his lady send their love to you and Azhani.Padreg
also wishes you to remind Azhani of their deal.”The
queen’s dark golden eyes twinkled merrily.
Two
amber colored eyebrows rose in confusion.“Deal?Oh
boy, I wish Azhani would tell me these things.What
deal?”
Shaking
her head, Lyssera shrugged and said, “I haven’t the faintest clue.Ask
the warrior yourself, she’s here.”
Striding
up the red carpet toward the queen’s throne was the warrior, a jaunty grin
on her face and whistling an infectious tune.Effortlessly
sinking to one knee as she reached the foot of Lyssera’s throne, Azhani
announced, “I have completed my task, my Queen.”
The
crowd hushed as her words penetrated the fog of conversation.Stillness
filled the room as everyone waited for the queen’s reply.
Inclining
her head, Lyssera regally said, “By all means, my friend, share your findings.Tell
us who slithers in our midst, seeking to destroy Oakheart’s peace.”
Rising,
the warrior lifted her head and in a clear voice said, “After much investigation,
I have determined that the poisoner of the good Ambassador Iften was Baron
Draygil Var.”
A
collective gasp echoed off the ceiling.
“Nonsense!She
spouts lies, my queen!”The baron
in question pushed his way to the throne, indignation bristling from every
pore.
Calmly,
Azhani turned to face the small-statured elven man, one eyebrow raised
in curiosity.“If it is lies that
I speak, my lord baron, tell then why it is that I discovered these in
your quarters?”From the pouch at
her belt, Azhani produced the vial of poison, the signet ring and the note.
Baron
Var went white, fear and rage flickering across his face before sputtering,
“You didn’t find that in my room, you planted it!I
know who the poisoner is my queen – it’s this scum you’ve hired, Azhani
Rhu’len.King Arris was right to
call her Oathbreaker!”Disgusted,
he sneered, “I am shamed that you allowed such a one into your household.”
The
scar on Azhani’s face twitched as she ground her teeth, but she kept silent,
waiting for Lyssera to speak.
The
queen did not disappoint.Rising
from her throne, she stepped gracefully out onto the carpet and circled
the baron and the warrior.One elegant
hand came up to cup her chin.
Attentions
fully held by the drama playing out before them, the nobles were pinned
to their seats as the queen’s eyes scanned the court.
“Baron
Var, who I hire is none of your concern; however, your opinion is noted,”
she said icily.“Azhani, your service
to me thus far has been unimpeachable and all know that Theodan of Y’dan
held you in the highest regard.Hence,
I trust that your information is fairly gathered, but my court may not
be so swayed by your reputation.Therefore,
I ask, do you have any further proof of the baron’s guilt?”Not
that Lyssera truly needed any more proof; Var’s greed, as well as his opposition
to the Y’Nor/Y’skan treaty, was well known.
“I-“
Azhani started to reply when she was interrupted.
“Why
don’t we ask the goddess to verify the truth?” Kyrian stepped forward,
her words echoing through the room.Smiling
sweetly at the fuming baron, she said, “I am sure that Starseeker Vashyra
would be happy to oblige you, my queen.”The
approving warmth in Azhani’s eyes made every word she spoke worthwhile
to Kyrian, who was beginning to shake under the scrutiny of the hundreds
of nobles that were attached to Lyssera’s court.
“An
excellent suggestion, Stardancer Kyrian,” Lyssera praised, nodding at a
page who scurried off to find the priest of Astariu who was assigned to
the Y’Syran court.
Several
tense minutes passed while Azhani and Baron Var stared each other down.The
warrior wore an expression of unconcerned boredom while the baron struggled
to keep his hands at his sides, away from the jewel-hilted dagger that
rested against his left hip.Nervous
chatter flitted from one end of the chamber to the other, as the nobles,
growing bored by the hard silence, began to quietly whisper to each other.
Indifferently
turning away from the fuming baron, Azhani casually bumped her elbow into
Kyrian’s arm.The stardancer looked
up, surprised, but then smiled at her friend.
“Hey,”
the warrior whispered, her voice barely carrying beyond the stardancer’s
ears.“Want to get something to eat
after the manure hits the crowd?”
“Sounds
good to me, tall, dark and dangerous.You
can tell me what the hell you promised Padreg, while we eat,” Kyrian whispered
back.
What
I promised Padreg?Huh?Then
it hit her.Oh
shit!He must have told her about
the midwinter joining.What the hell
am I supposed to say?“Oh, it’s nothing,
Kyr.Padreg just wants us to get
married with him and Elisira during Winterfest?”Oh
yeah, that would go over like a pig in a barrel.
Whatcha
so freaked about, warrior?Telling
Kyrian about your promise, or admitting that you find the idea of marrying
her – intriguing?A
mischievous internal voice prodded.
Azhani
wanted to close her eyes and thump her head against the nearest wall, but
she didn’t.No,
you rutting satyr!I love Ylera!She
is the only one I will ever love!The
words felt strangely hollow, though.
The
opening double doors at the end of the hall, saved her from having to argue
further with her conscience.Starseeker
Vashyra swept down the aisle, gathering all eyes to her tall, beautiful
form.Taller than Azhani, but willow
switch thin, with long, silver-touched black hair that flowed almost to
the floor, the priest of Astariu was a formidable sight in her azure silk
robes.A star tattoo emblazoned on
her forehead, proclaimed her status as a starseeker.Vashyra
was one of the goddess’ chosen intermediaries, and no one would dare call
her word into question.
When
she reached the small group clustered at the edge of the dais where Lyssera’s
throne sat, Vashyra inclined her head and said, “I understand I am needed,
your majesty?”
“Starseeker,
I am pleased that you were able to join us so quickly,” Lyssera said, ascending
the steps to her throne and seating herself in the great chair.“We
have a matter of law before us that needs the goddess’ touch to clear up.Are
you willing to aid us?”
“Of
course, my queen.I am always proud
to share Astariu’s gifts with the people of Y’Syr.What
is it I may assist you with?” the priest asked serenely, her violet eyes
looking from Azhani, to Kyrian, to the baron and back to the queen.
The
room quieted down as the nobles all strained to watch and listen.Kyrian
felt sweat break out on her palms and would have turned and run from the
room if Azhani had not leaned over and whispered, “Hey, look at Var – I
think he’s about to piss on his fancy velvet shoes.”
Covering
her giggles with a sneeze, Kyrian looked at the queen and said, “I beg
your pardon, my queen.”
Lyssera
waved her hand as if it were nothing and said, “Starseeker, the issue is
plainly thus: Master Azhani Rhu’len has accused Baron Draygil Var of poisoning
Ambassador Iften Windstorm with krill dust.To
prove her claims, she has produced a bottle of the poison, a signet ring
marked with the seal of the House of Cabal and a note of ominous tidings.Baron
Var has, in return, denounced Master Azhani as an Oathbreaker and claims
that she has falsely accused him of this crime.I
would ask that you intercede, calling upon your talents as a starseeker
and bringer of truth.”
“It
shall be as you have asked,” the priest calmly said, turning to take the
evidence from the warrior.
“No!I
refuse to submit to this charade!My
queen, you must see that you have been placed under a cruel spell by this
vile beast that has been allowed to live in your home!” Baron Var exclaimed,
causing the crowd to murmur and mutter excitedly.
Around
the room, nobles whispered, “It’s true.Didn’t
she betray her own king?Did we not
see the bodies of the slain burn in a weeklong bonfire just on the other
side of the great Banner Lake?Was
she not the one responsible for the death of the queen’s beloved twin,
Ylera?”
“Silence!”
Lyssera was standing, anger pouring off of her in waves.“You
will accept the judgment of Starseeker Vashyra, or you will spend time
in the dungeons!”
The
creaking of the old manor’s walls was the only sound heard as the hall
fell silent.Baron Var snapped his
mouth shut and backed away from the dais, while the blue robed priest began
to chant.
The
bottle, the ring and the parchment took on a hazy, golden glow and slowly
rose from Vashyra’s hand as she chanted, hovering in the air momentarily
before shooting out and impacting Var in the chest.Unconsciously,
he caught the items, dropping them hastily when he realized what his actions
signaled.
Snarling,
“This is your fault, you bitch,” he drew his jeweled dagger and lunged
for Azhani, stabbing her deeply in the gut.As
he shoved the blade in, the nobleman threw down a mirror, shattering it.“Master,”
he cried, twisting his dagger viciously, “I need you!”The
warrior’s blood spurted out over Var’s hand, spattering the shards of glass
littering the floor.
Shocked
by the man’s desperate attack, Azhani was unable to deflect the blow, staggering
back into Kyrian, who caught the warrior and quickly lowered her to the
ground.The stardancer’s hand went
immediately to her baton, but indecision gripped her conscience.Should
she attack the gibbering man who was laughing madly and waving his bloody
dagger at anyone who dared to come close, including the queen, or should
she stay by Azhani’s side and attempt to staunch the blood that flowed
freely from the horrible wound in her belly?
The
decision was torn from her as the man launched himself at Lyssera, only
to be buffeted back by a wave of power from Starseeker Vashyra.Belatedly,
Kyrian gripped her baton, casting a glance down at Azhani, who was weakly
trying to sit.
“Baron
Draygil Var, you are hereby declared guilty of treason.For
this act, you shall be banished.Furthermore,
you are charged and found guilty of the crime of attacking one of the Queen’s
Guard, for this crime, you shall die.”Lyssera’s
voice, cold and harsh, rang out through the court’s chamber.
Draygil
laughed, drool and spittle flying from his mouth to spatter against Kyrian’s
robes.“You think I care about your
charges, Queen Listless?Your laws
mean nothing to me, bitch, for I am of the Cabal.Master,
I have done it.I have struck down
your hated enemy!” he called out, almost pleadingly.“Come
see, Master.See what I have done
for you!” Madly, the baron
slashed his blood-soaked blade across his own arm and began to sing a disturbing,
off key melody.As he chanted, his
blood dripped down his arm and onto the ground.Mingling
with the warrior’s blood, it began to glow an evil reddish color.
Behind
him, the air began to fill with a thick, grayish haze.Starseeker
Vashyra’s chant changed and the sound of the two spellcaster’s chanting
merged into a disharmonic music that caused everyone who could hear it
to wince in pain.Golden beams of
energy crackled at the edges of the fog, attempting to clear it, but the
power behind the baron’s spell was strong.A
face appeared in the mist, its lips moving in unheard words.Suddenly,
the words became audible as the shadowy form of a man stepped out of the
mist and into the throne room.
“Draygil
you fool, I told you never to use that spell!What
is it that you –“ the speaker’s words faded off when he noticed the crowd
surrounding his servant.The sorcerer’s
body flickered, fading in and out as golden arcs of lightening coruscated
around him.Turning, he spotted Starseeker
Vashyra.Eyes narrowing, he chanted
a few guttural words and pointed, knocking the priest back and halting
her spells.
Azhani
Rhu’len staggered to her feet, crying out, “You!” and grabbing for her
dagger.Her actions caused fresh
blood to pour from her wound, sending the warrior reeling to her knees
in pain.
Hollow,
mirthless laughter followed.“Now
that is exactly how I like to see the children of my enemies, Daughter
of Rhu’len.Tell me,” he sneered,
“How does it feel to grovel in the dirt?”Almost
willing to forgive his puppet the transgression of summoning him to the
Y’Syran throne room, Kasyrin Darkchilde smiled evilly.Ever
since the Cabalian mage and Azhani’s father had first fought, he had longed
to see this woman kneel before him.
Revenge truly
was a dish best served ice cold.Are
you rotting in hell yet, DaCoure?
he thought nastily, feeling all over again the shame and anguish of his
original defeat at the hands of Rhu’len DaCoure.I
told you that day, that you would fail, and I was right.Look
at me now, Rhu’len DaCoure.Look
at me and weep for the loss of your House!
Hatred suffusing
every line of the warrior’s body, Azhani dug down into her reserves and
stood, cupping one hand protectively over her wounded abdomen.“One
measly, half-assed cut from any of your flunkies, will never be enough
to put me in the dirt, Darkchilde,” she said, with her voice grating through
clenched teeth.A small, warm hand
at her back, as well as soft, almost voiceless singing gave the warrior
the courage to drop her hand.Clean,
bright yellow energy wrapped around her body, encasing her in the healing
spell of Astariu’s Own.
Kasyrin
roared; his revenge thwarted.“Demons
take you, spawn of DaCoure!”A rapid
stream of harsh syllables followed and the mage’s hands lit with an ominously
red glow.
“Darkchilde!”
Starseeker Vashyra shouted, distracting the sorcerer.The
star emblazoned on her brow pulsed with a brilliant golden light.“Begone,
pawn of Hell,” she commanded, waving her hands dismissively.
A single amber
beam of force erupted from the priest’s star-shaped tattoo and flew across
the room, twisting into a cyclone before striking the ghost-like form of
the mage.He reeled back, stumbling
under the buffeting force of the priest’s psychic blow.Dark
gray tendrils of slithering energy emerged from the swirling mists of the
portal and caught the sorcerer.Ugly
yellowish green sparks of energy began to twist through the crimson of
Darkchilde’s hands.
“Get
ye hence!” Vashyra’s voice rose to a piercing shriek, causing the cyclone
of golden energy to strike once again.
Teetering
at the edge of his portal, Kasyrin brought his hands out to release the
spell, when something distracted him.
Flying
through the air in a graceful arc, was Kyrian’s baton.Boiling
red energy lanced out and knocked it aside, but that was all the time Vashyra
needed to redouble her efforts to push Darkchilde through the gateway.
With
a distinctive, sucking pop, the window closed, preventing the evil mage
from unleashing any further magicks upon the Y’Syran court.
“Damn.Hate
it when that happens,” Azhani commented wryly, slumping as pain washed
over her body.
Gold-tinged
purple eyes met the warrior’s weary blue gaze.“Azhani
Rhu’len, hear the words of the goddess and heed them well,” Vashyra’s normally
sweet voice had changed to something incredibly ethereal and impossibly
familiar.
“The
breaking is at hand.Upon the day
when the sun stands still and the stars no longer spin with time, a battle
will rage.Three chosen by fate shall
unite to face the Beast.The Blade,
the Heart and the Stringless Puppet shall cross paths.Upon
that meeting, the Beast shall rise to seek his place.Stand
well against the storm, and time shall sing of thy glory into the mists
of forever.Fall, and all will blacken
and fade.”At the end of
her speech, Vashyra’s eyes rolled up into her head and she collapsed.
“Looks
like a plan to me,” Azhani muttered as her knees started to give out.“Ow,”
she added as Kyrian caught her and laid her on the carpet.
“Shh,
I’ll take care of you, my friend,” the stardancer murmured, stroking her
fingers through the warrior’s dark hair.
Smiling
weakly, Azhani hazily mumbled, “I know you will.”The
warrior’s voice faded away as she passed out.
~Chapter Twenty-Six~
Azhani
opened her eyes and groaned weakly.Her
side ached fiercely and her bladder was dangerously full.What
happened? she thought blearily, yawning
and blinking moisture from her eyes.As
she came awake, memory returned.Oh
yeah, traitors and sorcerers and stabbings, oh my!
“Ugh,”
she croaked, trying to sit up.
The
motion woke Kyrian, who had passed out in a chair next to the warrior’s
bed.Rubbing her face, the stardancer
reached for her friend, helping her to sit.“Sorry,”
she said sleepily.“Must’ve fallen
asleep.”
“S’okay,
just need to find the privy,” Azhani said, yawning again.“Then
you can go find your own bed.Chair’s
not that soft.”
Staggering
to her feet, Kyrian lifted Azhani up and helped her to stand.“Can’t.Gotta
stay here with you, warrior.Queen’s
orders.”
Azhani
snorted.“I can take care of myself,
Kyr.I don’t need a nurse-Ow!”A
startled oath of pain was forced from the warrior when she tried to move
too quickly toward the water closet.“Damn.I
hate being injured,” she growled.
“It’s
getting to be a routine with us, isn’t it, Azhi?”Kyrian
said, making sure that the warrior had finally gotten positioned and then
turning away.“You get broken and
I fix you.”
“Hah-hah,
very funny, Kyrian,” the warrior griped.“Ah
gods, is there anything to drink in this room?I
feel like I ate a sheep, wool and all.”
Kyrian
laughed.“Yeah, there’s lots of water,
my friend.I made sure of it.”The
stardancer went over to the bed and poured a cup of water for the warrior
and set it on the bedside table.
After
she had been helped back to the bed, Azhani gratefully drank the water.“Thanks.Now,
I suppose I get to have something foul tasting and good for me, right?”Lines
of pain shadowed her face as she spoke.
“Oh
yes, it’s time for your medicine, my friend,” Kyrian said, lifting a gently
steaming pot from the fire.Expertly,
she mixed a cup of pungent-smelling tea and handed it over to the grimacing
warrior.
Closing
her eyes, Azhani drank it down as fast as she could.“Gah!”She
shuddered.“Do I get my spoonful
of honey now?”
“Baby,”
Kyrian said, her voice filled with warm amusement.“Here,
open wide,” she put a spoon in the warrior’s mouth.
“Mm.Baby
I might be, Kyr, but at least I don’t have to wake up with medicine mouth!”The
warrior yawned.“Now, since you’re
not going to leave me to sleep in peace, why don’t you at least climb in
bed with me?It’s certainly large
enough and I know you don’t kick in your sleep.”
“All
right, if you insist,” Kyrian said, unbuckling her belt and shucking her
stardancer’s robes.Underneath, the
young woman was wearing a simple knee-length tunic, which was more than
enough to sleep in.
The
stardancer drank a cup of water and then slid into the bed on the other
side of the warrior.Yawning, she
said, “Goodnight.”
“Night,”
Azhani murmured sleepily.
Kyrian
dropped off to sleep almost immediately, but the warrior lay there, staring
at the ceiling and listening to her friend’s deep, even breathing.
Go
to sleep, warrior, she told herself,
but her eyes wouldn’t shut.Lying
just inches away, so close that she could feel the stardancer’s heat, was
the woman who had grown from a nuisance into her best friend.
Ah
goddess, what am I doing to myself?She’s
just a friend.Why am I suddenly
so aware of her?The
stardancer turned in her sleep, her hand reaching out and wrapping around
Azhani’s arm in a light, comforting embrace.
“Astariu,”
Azhani whispered, shocked by the intense wave of desire that radiated outward
from the point of contact.She closed
her eyes, willing a vision of Ylera’s dead, battered body to appear.All
she got was a hazy memory, tinged with sadness and disgust, but lacking
the emotional impact that thoughts of her elven lover usually brought.
What the hell?Every muscle in her body went taut with the strain of staying under the covers.Instinct yelled at her to get up, to get out of the bed and away from the woman who was stealing her hatred, and yet she couldn’t move.I can’t blame Kyrian,she thought sadly as a tear leaked out of her eyes.I have to go on.I know this.I have to let go of the past.
She
sniffled softly and wiped her nose on her sleeve.It’s
so hard, though.She
looked at her peacefully sleeping friend and smiled mournfully.I
guess I’m just going to have to start getting used to noticing that my
best friend is beautiful.
Reaching
out, she brushed a stray lock of amber colored hair out of Kyrian’s face.And
that she touches parts of my heart that I thought had died.
A
gentle, sweet smile spread across Kyrian’s face, causing the warrior to
wonder what dreams danced in the stardancer’s sleep.
%%%
Waking
up wrapped in Azhani’s arms, was like scratching a bothersome itch for
Kyrian.It felt wonderful and yet
she knew there would be a painful aftermath.It
was bliss to feel the softness of the warrior’s breath on her neck and
at the same time, it made the stardancer feel sick knowing how much pleasure
she was deriving from the gentle contact.
Do
I love her?Why yes, my queen, I’m
so in love with Azhani that I’ll make do with whatever scraps of emotion
she’ll give me.Is that what you
wanted to hear?
Kyrian
was fairly certain that was not what Lyssera was asking.Sighing,
the stardancer disengaged herself from Azhani’s embrace and rolled out
of the warm bed.The room was temperate,
but the heat of the warrior’s skin told her that a fire would be necessary.Azhani’s
wound was mildly infected, something Kyrian hoped to address later that
day.
Once
the fire was stoked, she exited the room and headed for the kitchens, seeking
breakfast.Pausing in the doorway,
she looked back at the sleeping woman and burned the sight into her heart.In
her sleep, the warrior had rolled over and grabbed Kyrian’s pillow, pulling
it to her and cuddling it like she had cradled the stardancer only moments
before.
%%%
While Azhani recovered, Lyssera spent
time closeted with several of her courtiers.Surprisingly,
a few of the nobles had recognized the face of Kasyrin Darkchilde as that
of a well-known silk and spice merchant from Y’skan.Going
by the name of Kesryn Oswyne, the sorcerer had ingratiated himself to the
wealthy and elite of all seven kingdoms with gifts of rare spices and silks
from the remote desert tribes.
Those
nobles who became a part of Lord Oswyne’s “favored” circle, soon found
that the merchant would pay handsomely for seemingly small favors.A
waved fee here, an extra set of transport documents there, and no one went
away from the deal unhappy.As quickly
as she could, the elven queen began to interview those that were identified
as Kesryn’s “chosen”, gathering what information she could about those
supposed favors.Most of what she
learned was harmless graft, but there were a few clues that pointed the
way to a darker, more sinister plan by the sorcerer.
That
plan remained a mystery to the queen and her advisors.This
made Lyssera chafe and she wanted Azhani to heal as fast as she could,
though she knew that Stardancer Kyrian would do all she was able to help
the warrior recover.Using the warrior’s
down time to her advantage, the queen spent candlemarks talking to her
about Kasyrin, learning all she could about the mage.
Azhani
knew very little, but what she did know she gladly shared.Thirty
years ago, Kasyrin had risen through the ranks of the Cabal, starting as
a street thief and working his way up to becoming an assassin and finally
a sorcerer.Using his knowledge and
skills, he challenged the Old Man, the nebulous leader of the House of
Cabal.Very few people alive knew
the Old Man’s true identity, and he used his power to keep it that way.
Immediately,
the shadowy leader recognized Darkchilde’s threat and sought to have him
eliminated.Calling on the skills
of his best intriguers, the Old Man snared Rhu’len DaCoure, by then a captain
in Theodan’s army, into a web designed to destroy the sorcerer.Through
a trail of clues, rumors and half-truths, Rhu’len was led to believe that
Kasyrin was responsible for the death of his beloved Ashiani.
The
destruction of Kasyrin Darkchilde became one of the foremost goals in Rhu’len
DaCoure’s life.His single-minded
determination impressed many, scared some and gained the enmity of the
Cabalian sorcerer.Every time Kasyrin
attempted to gain a foothold in Y’dan, Rhu’len was there to stop him.
After
several years of cat and mouse, it came down to a combat of arms.With
his magical powers drained away by a starseeker, Kasyrin had to face Rhu’len
with only a blade.The battle was
frighteningly short.Rhu’len DaCoure
was one of the best swordsmen of his time, and Kasyrin, though fair with
a blade, was no match for him.As
he lay dying, Darkchilde vowed revenge.Laughing,
Rhu’len turned away, leaving the sorcerer to bleed to death.
It
was only after Kasyrin’s death that Rhu’len learned the truth.The
mage had never been responsible for Ashiani’s death – it had all been a
product of the Old Man’s machinations.Rhu’len
continued to rise within Theodan’s army, but he never forgot the lesson
he learned.While he was alive, the
Cabal found it very difficult to operate within the borders of Y’dan.
The
events following Azhani’s wounding, proved that Kasyrin had not died, however,
and this left the queen feeling very chilled.Obviously,
the mage had retreated into the shadows, rebuilding his power base and
planning his revenge.That he answered
his servant’s call, revealing his identity, meant nothing good.
As
Azhani and the queen talked, Kyrian came in to change the dressing on the
warrior’s wound.Watching the two
women interact, Lyssera realized that it was going to take an overt act
to get them to acknowledge their feelings.She
would have to convince Azhani to take a chance at love one more time.Kyrian’s
emotions were easily read, though the stardancer tried hard to conceal
them.The warrior’s feelings were
more difficult to see, but careful observation revealed that they were
there.
Confusion and longing flickered in Azhani’s
eyes when she looked at Kyrian.The
stardancer seemed oblivious to this and the warrior was quick to look away
from her friend’s face.Yes, Lyssera
decided, it was time to speak.Quietly,
she waited for Kyrian to finish, wanting to talk to Azhani alone.
Meddler,she
thought fondly.But it
would be worth it, if some happiness arose from it.
“Thank
you,” Azhani said quietly as Kyrian changed the dressing.“It’s
almost healed, you know.”
A
wry half grin twitched on Kyrian’s lips.“Yes,
I know.This is what I do, you know.Now
shush, and let me work, Azhi.”
Azhani
chuckled and stretched her arms above her head, giving the stardancer plenty
of room to work.“I’m just grateful
for the quick healing you did back in the throne room, Kyr. I
was about to fall down and kiss that damn mage’s ghostly boots.”
“I
wish I could have been more thorough.What
if you’d had to fight him?” Kyrian asked, wrinkling her brow comically
as she tickled the warrior’s belly before pulling the tunic down over the
freshly bandaged spot.
Squirming
away from her friend’s agile fingers, Azhani replied, “Then I’d have tossed
you at him first, so I could make a run for it!”
“Great,
leave me to do all the heavy fighting while you run off into the woods
like some demented rabbit.Thanks,
but no thanks, Azhi.You’re the tall,
dark and dangerous one, remember?I’m
just the two-copper sidekick who follows you around like a mooncalf.”And
if you knew how close to the real truth that was, you’d probably run faster
than that rabbit I mentioned.
“I
guess I’d just have to rescue you again, wouldn’t I, healer?” Azhani joked
as she pushed herself up on the pillows.Ah
gods, but it feels so good to have a friend like Kyr.How
many other people would be willing to be a cranky warrior’s rag doll at
night?Since
the stabbing, the stardancer had stayed in the warrior’s room, rather than
returning to her own quarters.The
arrangement worked out nicely, giving Azhani a nighttime caretaker she
trusted and Kyrian the reassurance that the warrior would not try to get
up and hunt down Kasyrin Darkchilde in the middle of the night.
It
was such a nice setup that Azhani regretted knowing that the day was soon
approaching when Kyrian would move back to her room down the hall.The
distance, though short, would mean a return of their roles as warrior and
stardancer, leaving the easiness of their friendship to live only behind
closed doors.Azhani wasn’t sure
she could let that go, not now, not after she had allowed Kyrian to climb
so far inside her heart.
And
just when did that happen?How did
you go from wishing only to see the death of Ylera’s killer, to staring
at the golden highlights in your best friend’s hair?Oh,
beloved, am I right to want to move on?Can
I let you go?
“Good
answer,” Kyrian praised, standing up and brushing her hands on her robe.“If
you’ll excuse me, I need to see to Ambassador Iften.”She
rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically.“That’s
one thing I really have to thank you for, Azhi – you’re a good patient.You
understand the need to lie still and let me do my work.The
ambassador thinks he’s still a lad and can leap from his sickbed after
only a few days rest.”
“My
daddy always taught me to respect my elders, pay attention to my surroundings
and to never, ever cross a medic,” Azhani said seriously, though her eyes
twinkled merrily.“I’ve done pretty
well with two and three, wouldn’t you say, my queen?”
Lyssera
laughed gaily.“I can’t disagree
with you there, old friend.”
“Well,
two out of three isn’t too bad, as long as you always remember number three,”
Kyrian said as she turned toward the door.“I’ll
be back as soon as I can.Don’t do
anything heroic without me, okay?”
“Okay,”
Azhani agreed, watching as the stardancer left the room.
The
spicy scent of cinnamon and apples drifted around the room, melding with
the aroma of leather and the clean smell of the bed’s linens.Staring
at the low fire that burned in the hearth, allowed Azhani’s mind time to
wander and she found herself thinking of Kyrian, and wishing that she had
stayed longer.
Theirs was an unusual friendship.Since
escaping Arris’ clutches, all Azhani could think of was revenge; of putting
the monster who had slain her beloved Ylera, into the ground where he could
harm no other.Now, killing him wasn’t
nearly so important.Thinking of
revenge left her cold, with a bitter taste in her mouth.Yes,
she wanted to get the bastard off of Y’dan’s throne, but her original plan
of just attacking until he was dead, seemed so unimaginable.
Life
in Y’Syr was good.Queen Lyssera
treated her well; teaching Allyn and the other guards fulfilled the warrior’s
need to hone her skills and being friends with Kyrian had done a lot to
heal the rift in her heart.
“Did
I ever love her?” she wondered aloud, startling Lyssera.
Gazing
at Azhani’s face, Lyssera asked, “Deep thoughts, my friend?”
“I’m
drowning in them,” Azhani admitted softly, as a troubled expression washed
over her face.
“Your
question – was it about Ylera?” Lyssera asked delicately, keeping a neutral
tone in her voice.
“Yes,”
the warrior replied sadly.“Pretty
pathetic memory if I have to ask myself questions like that.”
“No,
my friend.I’d say it was a healing
heart trying to find its way back to living,” Lyssera said tenderly.
“How
can I let go of my feelings for Ylera?She
was everything to me.I must be an
idiot or crazy to turn away from all the joy she brought me!” Azhani cried,
burying her face in her hands.
“You’re
neither crazy nor an idiot, my friend - only mortal.Life
goes on, and so does the heart.We
all need companionship, my friend.Even
I do not always sleep alone.You
could do worse than to let someone into your life,” said the queen gently.
Shocked,
Azhani spluttered, “What?”
“You
could do worse than to open your heart to someone like Kyrian.”Lyssera
held up a staying hand.“I don’t
want to hear that only Ylera holds your heart and that you would never
dishonor her memory by doing something as wonderful as falling in love
again.I think that’s owldragon dung
and I know Ylera would agree!You
could do my sister no greater honor than to love again.”
For
a long moment, Azhani just stared at the queen, her jaw working as words
tried to form.Tears gathered in
her eyes, and then vanished to be replaced by a deep confusion.Shaking
her head, Azhani said, “I don’t know what to say, Lyss.What
I felt for Ylera was deeper than anything I had ever known before.Watching
her die, leeched all the love in me away.For
so long, I felt like I had no emotions; that they bled away and stained
the stones of Y’dannoch castle.”Wide-eyed
wonder shined out of the warrior’s face.“I
like Kyrian, Lyss.She is so much
to me, and she touches me in so many ways that I can’t begin to name them,
but love?I don’t know.I
just don’t know.”
Lyssera
took Azhani’s hand in hers, cradling the warrior’s calloused fingers with
her own.“All I’m asking is that
you allow for the possibility of love, my friend.The
heart and the mind don’t always speak the same language, but with love,
translations aren’t necessary.”
“I’ll
think about it.I wish my father
were still here.He would know what
to say,” the warrior said wistfully.Rhu’len
had learned to love again, though before he died, he had been between relationships.“How’s
Allyn?” she asked, changing the subject.
Releasing
the warrior’s hand, Lyssera replied, “Anxious to have his teacher back.He’s
been routinely defeating some of my better guardsmen and needs a serious
challenge to knock some humility into his skull.”
“Oh?Why
don’t you ask Kyrian to spar with him?Two
or three rounds and she’ll have him praying for my return,” Azhani said,
chuckling mischievously.“In fact,
have her tell him it’s an object lesson.”
“Object
lesson?” the queen asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.
“He’ll
understand,” said the warrior, grinning wickedly.
“The
stardancer must be very good, to inspire that kind of revenge.”
“She
routinely kicks my butt at the Goddess Dance,” the warrior said.Though
she does have that rather irritating habit of avoiding direct confrontation
when weapons are involved.I need
to address that.I wonder if being
bedridden will get her to talk about it, because Astariu knows she’s as
close-mouthed as a monk about it otherwise.
“This
I have to see.All right, I’ll ask
Kyrian the next time I see her.”
“I’m
sure she won’t mind having a moving pell,” said Azhani.She
and Lyssera shared a laugh over the image of Prince Allyndev running around
the salle, trying desperately to protect his head from Kyrian’s well-placed
attacks.
%%%
“You
are so good to me,” Ambassador Iften said warmly, while Kyrian plumped
pillows and straightened covers for him.
“Yes,
and you return that kindness with your curmudgeonly ways, you know,” the
stardancer teased, shaking her finger at him.
He
chuckled.“Well, I’m just an old
man trying to get a little tenderness from a beautiful woman before I die.”
The
banter between Iften and Kyrian was natural, flowing out of a mutual admiration
that had been in place since the stardancer had been caring for the old
desert man.For Iften, Kyrian was
like the granddaughter he had lost to a sandstorm many years ago and to
Kyrian, the ambassador was the grandfather she never had.When
she wasn’t with Azhani or spending time in the city’s hospice, Kyrian would
while away her candlemarks with Iften.
As
a Desert Walker, Iften had seen many marvels and wonders, and he never
tired of sharing his experiences with the pretty young stardancer.Today,
he had regaled her with his adventures inside of an obsidian cave high
in the Y’oro Mountains.
Settling
a tray over the man’s lap, Kyrian reached out and tweaked Iften’s nose.“You
just keep hoping, Granther.Maybe
Astarus will send a nymph to dance in your dreams.”
Greedily,
Iften lifted the lid on his dinner tray and let out a squawk of delighted
surprise when he saw a steaming, still sizzling steak with all the trimmings,
waiting for him.A beatific smile
lit up his face and he said, “Cow!It’s
really cow!My nose was not deceiving
me after all!”
Laughing
and shaking her head, Kyrian tucked a napkin into the old man’s collar
and then stepped back to settle in a comfortable chair while he fed himself.
A
loud moan echoed around the room, proclaiming Iften’s absolute pleasure
over the meal.“I take it,” he said,
wiping his lips, “That I’m no longer in danger of feeding the worms?”
On
the stand next to the stardancer’s chair, a cup of water sat, with beads
of moisture gathering on the glass surface and dripping down to puddle
around the base.Reaching for it,
Kyrian drank deeply and said, “Yes, I think you’re out of the woods.I
can find no trace of krill in your system and your aura’s as clean as it
can be, considering.”She did not
add that he was dying – the sand-lung was rooted deep, and nothing she
tried would evict the stubborn disease completely.Her
healing had given him years back, though, and with luck and care, the old
man would see many more years before the desert born sickness took his
life.
“So,
what was all the hullabaloo out there, a few days back?” asked the ambassador
between bites of his dinner.“Kirthos
wouldn’t say – didn’t want to upset the old man and cause him to have a
relapse.”
“Before
or after Azhani got stabbed?”The
stardancer’s voice was strangely hollow.
“Stabbed?What the hell?Is she all right?”His fork fell to his plate as his appetite vanished.Please no, don’t let the warrior be dead.It will break my little Kyr’s heart.
“She’ll
be all right in a few days, but, oh gods...” the stardancer sobbed and
her glass dropped to the floor as she buried her face in her hands.“I
almost got her killed,” she whispered brokenly.
Pushing
his meal aside, Iften levered himself off the bed and walked over to kneel
beside the crying young woman. He
took her hands in his and pulled her into his arms, clumsily patting her
back and whispering comforting words until she could speak again.
“Tell
me about it, sweet Kyr.Share your
burden with an old man whose shoulders are strong,” he encouraged gently.
Slowly,
the stardancer began to tell the story.“Azhani
came to court to reveal who had poisoned you.”
“Yes.”Iften
nodded.“I know that much.Kirthos
tells me it was a courtier named Var.I
remember him from the talks.Sly
little man with too much love for money and not enough care for his people.”
“He
accused Azhani of planting the evidence against him.The
queen called on Starseeker Vashyra to cast a truth-seeking spell.When
he was revealed as the poisoner, he attacked Azhani and st-st-stabbed her.”Kyrian
shuddered.“I tried to help her,
but he must have been some kind of mage, because he cast this spell that
brought this other mage and oh gods, he was so powerful, granther!”The
stardancer’s shudders grew violent as remembered fear gripped her.“I
was so scared,” she whispered.
“Shh.It’s
all right, he’s gone now,” Iften soothed.Whether
or not the mage was truly gone, he did not know, but it seemed to be the
right thing to say as Kyrian calmed down.
“There
was a battle between him – Azhani called him Darkchilde – and Azhani, but
it took Vashyra’s magicks to send his seeming back through the portal that
Baron Var created.”Pulling away
from the ambassador, Kyrian settled back in her chair and wiped her face
on her sleeve.“I could have done
something to help, but I just stood there, too scared to move a muscle.”
“There’s
no shame in fear, lass.No one will
fault you for that,” Iften said, infusing his words with as much assurance
as he could.
“She
could have died,” said the stardancer dully.“And
I would have stood there, unable to even lift a hand to protect her.It
was the queen who took my baton and threw it at the right moment, distracting
the sorcerer long enough for Starseeker Vashyra’s spell to work.I
could barely remember how to wield Astariu’s Fire, much less my own weapon!”Kyrian’s
hands fisted and she pounded her legs in frustration.
“Is
she dead, then?” Iften asked, using his voice like a whip.
“No!I
healed her enough so that she could fight but-“
“Then
you did your duty, stardancer.Scared
or not, you did what the goddess blessed you to do and that’s to be commended.How
many of the queen’s guard threw themselves in harm’s way to rescue Azhani?Can
any of those court peacocks strut and preen about how they saved Azhani
Rhu’len’s life?”
“No,”
Kyrian whispered, as her shoulders slumped wearily.
“Let
it go, lass.Life is too short to
dwell on should-have-dones,” the ambassador counseled wisely.
“I
know, but sometimes, when I go to sleep at night, and she’s there beside
me, I have to reach out and touch her, just to be sure I’m not dreaming,”
the stardancer said sadly.
“You’re
a good lass, Kyr, with a gentle soul.I
would be far more concerned if you blithely went on with your life, relegating
the incident to the realm of the every day, and I would bet that Azhani
feels the same way.A good warrior
knows that the true test of friendship is the aftermath of battle, not
the frenzy of death.”The old man
struggled to stand, waving off the stardancer’s silent offer of help.Shaking
out his tingling legs, he grinned wryly at the stardancer.Finally,
he was able to totter back to his bed and pick up his forgotten meal.
“I’ve
heard about battle lust, and battle fatigue – I guess I just never thought
it would happen to me.It didn’t
– I didn’t feel this lost after...” Burying her face in her hands, Kyrian
let out a shuddering breath.
Iften
sat, quietly waiting for her to talk.Kyrian
stood and began pacing.
“I
don’t know if I can talk about this right now, Granther,” she said helplessly
as she drifted around the room, letting her fingers graze over the various
bits of art and knickknacks that decorated the chamber.
“All
right, I won’t ask you to bare your soul if you’re not ready to, lass.Would
ye rather talk about something else?Your
warrior friend, maybe?” he asked gently.“I
rather think she’s a bit more pleasant subject, no?” A teasing grin tugged
at the corners of the old man’s mouth.
“Granther!”
Kyrian chastised, flushing a red almost as deep as the color of her robes.
Iften
chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.“If
you insist on giving me the name, I thought I might as well have the duties
that come with being a pretty lass’ grandfather, Kyrian.You
can’t blame me for wanting to see you happy.”
Startled,
the stardancer stopped in her tracks and turned to look at the ambassador.“What
do you mean?”Am I that
obvious?
“Ah
lass, to be young and in love again,” Iften said dreamily, winking at the
outraged expression on Kyrian’s face.
Blessed
Astariu, I am that obvious!she
mentally wailed.WhatamIgonnado?
Whatifsheknows? Ohgodsohgodsohgods...“Oh
gods,” Kyrian whispered frantically as her thoughts spilled out of her
mouth.“You can’t tell her.Please
don’t tell her.She doesn’t know...”
she babbled anxiously.
Holding
up a hand to halt the stardancer’s tumbling words, Iften said, “Don’t fret
yourself about it, lass.I’ll not
give up your secrets; they are yours to hold and yours to tell.A
load heavy to bear, I am sure, but as I have said, my shoulders are strong
and I am willing to lend them to you.”A
gentle smile creased his careworn face.
The
stardancer examined the ground at her feet, noticing her empty glass sparkling
in the firelight.It would be so
easy to unburden her troubles to this man – already he had proven a capable
and generous listener, though the stardancer was wary of spilling so much
of her soul onto the newly healed ambassador’s admittedly broad shoulders.
Shuffling
back to her chair, she realized she was thirsty.She
considered digging around in her bag for the flask of brandy she kept to
revive patients.Realizing she didn’t
have the energy to stand up and walk the four or five paces to the table,
she settled for giving the distant haversack a half-hearted glare.She
sighed and mulled over the prospect of actually putting words to the morass
of emotion whirling around in her heart.
Iften’s offer to listen was genuine
and motivated only by his care for her – shouldn’t she return that generosity
by treating it as the gift that it was?Hadn’t
she been going in circles for weeks on her own, trying to tell herself
that all she felt for Azhani Rhu’len was friendship?Didn’t
the warrior’s face haunt her dreams, taunting her with what she would never
be able to have?Iften deserved some
truths from her, since he had been so willing to let her invade his secrets,
and probe every corner of his mind and body for a cure to the sand-lung
that was ravaging his life.Surely,
talking about her feelings for Azhani had to be better than thinking about...
Than thinking about how you almost got her killed, right, Kyr?That’s what really has you in knots, isn’t it?You froze again, when the time to act came.You froze and it was Lyssera’s quick thinking that saved the day.She hasn’t said anything, but you know the queen’s itching to know why you didn’t act faster.Astariu’s blessed womb, Kyr, she even had to take your weapon from you and use it to distract Darkchilde.Sister Jerlayne would be mortified to learn that her best student couldn’t even concentrate hard enough to distract a mage’s seeming!
“Here
now, Lass, if you go falling into the quicksand of your mind, even a sand
storm will seem like a blessing.Drink
up, and speak of what itches so terribly,” Iften said as he handed her
a flask.
Without
looking at the beverage, Kyrian drank deeply, coughing painfully as the
harsh liquor burned all the way down.Wheezing,
she asked, “What the hell is this?”
“Desert
mead, and don’t ask what’s in it,” Iften replied, winking charmingly.
Shuddering
as she took another drink, Kyrian capped off the flask and handed it back.“Thanks,
I think I needed that.”
“Anytime,
lass,” he replied, settling back on the bed and taking a swig of the harsh
beverage.
“I’m
in love with Azhani,” Kyrian said in an almost inaudible whisper.Then
she shook her head ruefully.“And
I don’t know how to forget my feelings, but I have to.She’ll
never accept them, or return them.I
knew Ylera Kelani and I am a pale shadow compared to the sunshine she was.”
“Kyrian,
lass, love isn’t about filling a mould.You’re
right – you can never be what Ylera was to the warrior, but that doesn’t
mean Azhani is incapable of loving you,” Iften said gently.
Hope
rose thickly in Kyrian’s heart, forcing her to swallow heavily and push
the heady feeling away.“No, I don’t
think so.We’re just friends.She’s
not the kind to let someone that close to her heart.Ylera
was special – she could get anyone to fall in love with her.”Closing
her eyes, Kyrian smiled in memory.“It
used to drive Sister Jerlayne crazy; all the acolytes used to slave to
the princess’ beck and call, and Ylera loved every minute of it.The
only time she didn’t care for the adulation, was when she wanted to study,
and for that, she came to me.Everyone
knew I was just plain old Kyr – boring and studious.They
couldn’t imagine that Ylera and I could be friends, and that is exactly
how she wanted it.”
“It
was much the same here, I’m afraid,” Iften admitted.“Half
the court wanted to marry her and the other half hated her for it.It’s
no wonder that she jumped at the chance to visit Y’dan when she did.”
Lost
in her memories, Kyrian wistfully said, “You know, I don’t think I’ve even
told Azhani that I knew Ylera.When
I first found out that they had been lovers, a part of me was jealous.”Seeing
the expression on Iften’s face, Kyrian smiled ruefully.“Oh,
not of what they had.I was only
thirteen when I knew Ylera and she was more like a big sister than anything
else.No, what really struck me was
that Azhani knew Ylera as an adult, something that I’ll never be able to
do.”
“I
can’t tell you what you want to hear, Kyrian.All
I can say is that you should talk to Azhani.Perhaps
the best thing you can do for her is to be her friend.Love
can grow from many foundations, and friendship is the best of them.Always
remember: communication and honesty are the firmest building blocks a relationship
can have.Let your heart be your
guide, lass, and the gods will see you home.”
Looking
at the old desert man and seeing the depth of knowledge reflecting back
at her in his eyes, Kyrian could only nod her head in dazed agreement.
Like the story? Want to see if the other stuff I've written is cool too? Venture here: Shay's Playground
The story and characters of Banshee's Honor are copyright
to the author, 2002.