CHAPTER 29 Gathering of the Children

Zen watched Obi pacing the baronial grounds. Ilena wasn't late, but the earliest time she would contact them had passed. It also happened to be the same time as when Ilena herself would have been pacing, wanting to hear from Obi. Obi wasn't doing too well, any more than she had. Zen sighed, his heart heavy. He was missing Shirayuki already, too. He was only two days away from being home, if he just went home. It was hard to make himself sit still. Watching Obi didn't help. Zen opened the window and leaned out. "Obi!" he called, letting the irritation out.

"Yes, Master?" Obi immediately was under the window, then climbing up to it on the second level. Zen stepped back enough that Obi could sit on the window sill. Really. Most people would have stayed on the ground.

"Go!" he said crossly.

"Go?" Obi asked innocently. "Go where?"

Zen looked away and towards the place they both knew Ilena was, a frown on his face.

Obi's face fell. "I can't do that, Master. Who would protect you? You still have only me for one more day."

"Then leave Petroi and Thayne here and just go yourself. I've got the other eight, plus the P'rathna. That's twelve, just for me, far more than I want. She's meeting the Children and House tonight, isn't she? You should be there for that."

"I can listen to it well enough here."

"So can I, but we both know that the presence of the General is important to morale. That's you, too, not just her." Zen's scowl wouldn't go away and Obi's arguments, while valid and made to make him feel loved and watched over, only made it worse.

Obi paused and looked at him closely. Finally he nodded. "I understand, Master. You know...you know how to speak it now. They'll pass it on to Dane for you, or Tanner, whoever is closer. You don't have to feel alone either, now. I think Mistress would like to hear from you, too. She's likely feeling the same, not having Master, Obi and Ilena with her."

Zen's eyebrows raised in surprise. "You - It'd be okay to use the network?"

"Of course, Master," Obi smiled as he put his legs out the window in preparation to carry out his order. "They all love you, too." He paused, thoughtful. "You could do it in the morning at your usual meeting time with Mistress. The river isn't busy then."

Zen relaxed. "I'll think about it. Get."

Obi got, dropping from the window to land lightly, passing on his orders to Petroi and Thayne as he went.

-o-o-o-

The field had been harvested nearly two weeks ago. Tonight it was full of torches, scattered campfires, people, and a raised platform - currently empty of people. The platform was in the center of the field and the trees around the field were as full of people as the field itself was. The current betting pool was who was going to arrive first - Father or Mother. Everyone knew where Father was on the road. The updates came every Child on watch he passed. He was moving fast, at his usual favorite of 'gallop and a half'. Mother, however, wasn't giving her position away. They only knew who along the line had heard her that one time she'd talked to them. She wasn't talking since then. They did know she wasn't running. Horses had to walk through dense woods, the same as people. Most bets were for Father to arrive first, but some still believed in the magic of Mother and wanted to see her suddenly pop up out of nowhere. They'd heard from Lyrias she'd done it again, and there were many here now from there who'd seen it with their own eyes.

This was the largest gathering of Ilena's households to be held in one place, even if not everyone was here in or around this field. She'd promised the Regent twelve hundred to go into Tarc with him, but she also had to maintain almost double that number at the border, at a minimum. Over three thousand had gathered. Many were already in Tarc at the border watch - about half and half Family and House. There were also many scattered over the northern part of Wilant, within the Wilant borders, to watch it as they had been for over two years now - one third of the current total number and all Family. Here in this field were mostly those who would be going into Tarc, therefore they were mostly House rather than Family. And all of her Children would be participating by long distance code.

The Lieutenants walked up to the central platform. They'd been keeping the peace, so to speak, but Obi was close enough now to get this started. This was also momentous - the Wilant Lieutenants and the Lyrias Lieutenants meeting officially for the first time. They'd met several times with Miss Kiki and Mister Mitsuhide already and were in close communication daily as they prepared and got people settled, but this was the official start to it all. The six strode up the stairs, one trio on either side of the platform, and met peaceably - for Houses - settling all the House into one in preparation to receive the Queen and King. They knelt on cushions in front of the table, the matching pairs seated together. Obi's title had been slipping from Consort since Ilena had let it slip in both cities she'd wished he'd accepted the higher title, and the House wanted him to have it. They hadn't told him yet, though.

Set an extra chair. The field froze, then buzzed excitedly. Feed the falcon first. Dinner for two or she'll eat the Lieutenants. Everyone's blood ran cold slightly for a moment. They all knew what would happen if she had to face them hungry. She'd fought hungry before. She really did eat people, or so the rumor went, if she wasn't fed first.

Landras and Damas looked at each other. Has Mister Obi eaten yet?

No. Delayed by distance, but not much.

Dinner for three then. Hands busied themselves at the campfires being used to cook meals. Who saw the Queen? How far out is she?

No answer. Silence spread across the field. The person who passed on the order should have answered. Danel and Mandor looked at each other. Missus Ilena, please do not eat us. Food is being prepared.

How far out is she? They turned. It was Obi's voice himself.

One saw movement on the other side before fully turning, though and stopped. Get down! Barakka called. Watch'er! Zeph called at the same time. Both were warning the crowd of impending danger just as two horses exploded from the surrounding woods from opposite sides of the field to race towards each other. People scattered out of the way, but no one got hurt anyway, the horses were that good.

Obi stood up on the back of his horse, but instead of waiting for his horse to reach the oncoming one, he jumped onto the platform, letting his horse continue straight ahead. He lept over the Lieutenants in his way and grabbed a body that had risen up to meet him. After a bit of a tussle, he held that body pinned, then grabbed another body and pushed it to the ground and stood on it with one foot, though it didn't fight back like the first one had. After a bit of whispered fighting, the one in his arms relaxed, letting him relax, slightly.

"Gods, Woman. Why do you like your drama so much?" Obi pulled the head covering off the one in his arms and the long black braid that fell out loosely down her back gave everyone to know who it was.

"It's better than court drama. This is a lot more fun." The field went wild with agreement. She'd come suddenly and from an unexpected location, like they'd wanted. And Obi'd noticed from the beginning while the rest of them were watching the horses. They couldn't have asked for more, really. After a bit of discussion they decided Ilena got there first since Obi had found her already on the platform.

Obi was still frowning at Ilena when she suddenly twisted in his arms, grabbed his head, and kissed him passionately. He stiffened at first, then let her. He owed it to her after the kiss he'd given her in the list after all, then he broke it off. "Ah-ah. You can't eat me. Eat your dinner." He pushed her away and sat her down in the center chair of the three at the table on the platform, then reached down and lifted the person under his feet by the hand. "And you are?"

"Hungry." The quiet voice pierced through just enough, and laughter spread.

Obi smiled. "Me, too. Shall we eat, then?" Obi gestured to the chair to Ilena's left, took the one on her right, and the waiting servers walked up with plates and mugs. They served Ilena first and she wasted no time in digging in to eat. Neither did her guest. "Really, Ilena? Did you really eat nothing for the last two days?"

"Off the land, and his breakfast," she answered, not pausing.

"Not enough," he growled at her. She merely rolled her eyes at him.

The servers also brought food and drink to the Lieutenants, who ate sitting at their cushions as usual. The rest of the field got noisy as the attendees celebrated with food and drink. It felt like the Family celebration at Falcon's Hollow at the beginning of summer, though with a House flair instead. It was following a similar pattern as well. Obi relaxed and as Ilena's stomach filled with food, so did she. When she leaned back, content, the Lieutenants relaxed. She'd be happy now, hopefully.

"You've seen it before? What Ilena does when she's hungry and doesn't get fed?" Obi asked them. They nodded. "What did she do?"

They looked at each other. "Took out Green Dragon," said Barakka.

"And his house," said Danel.

"What was left of it," amended Landras.

"Which was surprisingly rather a lot of it," Ilena said calmly.

Obi looked at her. "Was this after or the same night?"

"After. I couldn't stay, remember? I sent them a message saying a wealthy client wanted to hire the House and wanted to see their strength first to be sure he had the right house. Then I snuck away from Farmor. It took longer to get to their house than I thought it would and I was hungry. They refused to feed me, even though I said I'd brought a message from Earl College and was dying of hunger and would give it to them when I'd been fed." She took a drink from her mug, set it down and twirled it on the table absently, remembering that night. "They said they'd feed me after they heard the message, so I gave it to them first - death, that is. Then I raided the kitchen, kicked Green Dragon's body out of his chair and ate at his spot, since they owed me that much respect, at least." She looked up at him soberly. "Nobody took orders against you after that, so I guess a little hunger was an okay payment."

"How did they know you'd done it because of me? There were a lot of us who lost in that fight."

"Because I told everyone, of course, when the query went out for why the House had been taken out - the Queen had taken retribution for them putting the life of the King on the line." She looked up into his eyes and they flashed. Calling loudly she asked, "Who is the King?"

The crowd roared with one voice, "Obi!"

"Who chose it?" she called again.

"The House of the Queen!"

"Are you satisfied, My House? Has the Queen delivered sufficiently?"

The crowd went wild and the Lieutenants bowed.

To Obi she said, "It was the House's dream I've delivered, not mine. They wanted you more than they wanted me."

"Not true," Landras and Damas said together.

"Of course," Daniel and Mandor said together.

"Damn straight," said Barakka and Zeph.

"See? Four to two. They want you more." Ilena said, waving her hand at them, then taking another drink. "So...take it." Obi grimaced. "Or don't. It's still who you are to them."

"I thought you said I'd have to take all of Wilant for that."

"Do you still not understand, Obi?" Ilena looked at him, her eyes soft. "We've said it to you before, you know. Even Roald." She tipped her head sideways at him. "Every nightwalker in Wilant knows the name or reputation of Obi. You already have it - Wilant. ...It's the same as for the Children and the name of Father. While I set that one, you set for yourself the other, without understanding it. You even stepped into it yourself. If you speak it, even more than the House of the Queen will follow you."

"It's my own fault, you're saying," Obi said wryly, leaning back. Ilena gave a positive shrug. Obi sighed. He leaned over and put one finger under her chin and pulled her to him, kissing her lips. When they parted, he kept her close to him. "So...who is your companion?"

Ilena went serious. "Don't be too jealous, Obi. He's one of my special people. If you're ready, I'll announce him." She was about to go when she changed her mind and came back, "Ah, I've already apologized to him."

Obi sat back a little and looked at her, though he didn't release her just yet. "Another one you 'protected'?"

"Yes. The last one." She looked at him in the eye, her eyes clear.

Obi kissed her nose and let her go. "Let us know him, then."

Ilena stood and the surroundings settled into silence. Ilena to the Messengers. We're ready. Is Master Zen ready? As they waited for the answer, Ilena looked at Landras. "He can't hear. Will you translate for me please?" Landras stood and went to the side of Imori. Another chair was handed up and Landras sat just to the side of and behind Imori where he would be able to hear the murmured translation without it interfering too much with what Ilena needed to say. He wasn't the only one in the field with a translator. Because the House was here in the main, the language was the language of the night Children. Only a part of the House and Family could translate between the two, so there were clumps of the Family receiving translations as well. There was one translator who was assigned with sending out generally the proceedings in the language of the day Children.

Mistress Ilena, we're present, and Master Zen is listening.

Ilena to Kiki. Is your house present and ready?

We're ready and present. That came back faster since it only had about three people to hop through.

Ilena raised her head and paused, collecting her thoughts and letting those far away settle into listening. Welcome to this gathering of the Family and the House. We're pleased to be with you, though the cause be sobering. I've required this to be an all-Family, all-House meeting for a specific purpose, but there's a thing I must do first. Please forgive my housekeeping at a time such as this. Ilena closed her eyes and reached out a hand to Obi, her two little fingers stretching for him. He took them in his two forefingers, wondering slightly that she needed strengthening for mere housekeeping.

Master Zen, King Izana. I've claimed my third claim again. Will you gainsay me? There were intakes of breath and Obi stared at Ilena. She almost never called to the King directly, though everyone guessed he followed it when he chose to. They were going to be waiting a long time for that answer. Obi rubbed his thumb on her fingers slowly, calming her.

It's Izana's to say. That was from Zen, of course, and not an unexpected answer, though she hadn't explained who or what the third claim was yet.

-o-o-o-

Izana, for his part, when the word came, was thoughtful for a moment. He was sitting on his balcony, his translator and double agent standing near him. This one had sent him a message several months ago, requesting an audience at a specific time and date, late in the evening, and even requested the place for the meeting. That was enough for Izana to know who the meeting was really with. Given the timing, so close to the beginning of Zen entering Tarc, it was a meeting he should not, and did not, want to miss. He'd had Lord Barret put it immediately on his schedule marked of the utmost importance and nothing had been allowed to interfere with it. Lord Barret was also on the balcony with him, as he also needed to know what was said. The translator had summarized things that had been important to this time, but not wasted his time on the irrelevant unless he was asked. Izana knew he was delayed quite a bit, so he couldn't hold up this question very long.

Finally he sighed. "Send this: Mother will have a cow, but you may have him - my gift to you for the trouble I caused you earlier. Rename him."

-o-o-o-

Ilena was watching Imori when the word came back and it was translated for him. His eyes went wide and he stared at Ilena. She nodded soberly at him. "He still loves me, and I still love him, but I swore that time I was there to protect the Second Prince because he protected me and all of Clarines and Selicia by taking my place as the successor to the throne. Izana agrees with me that this is my place. Can you abide it?"

Imori bowed from his seat. "I am yours."

"Yes, you are," she answered firmly, and he knew she wouldn't let him go. He was going to still be one who wouldn't be allowed to say 'no'. He nodded.

"Who were the first two?" Obi asked, just for clarification.

"Izana and Master Zen," Ilena said calmly. "You were the fourth. Of course, that's because I met him at the castle and you only at your place after." Obi nodded. Sometimes timing made things turn out that way. "It goes without saying Nana and Petroi were already mine, so they weren't claims." Obi blinked as he translated that distinction.

Ilena took a breath. I've retrieved my third Child. Please understand and welcome him, the last to be returned to me. From this time you will know him as Liam Melick, brother of Obi Melick, Consort to the Second Princess of Clarines.

The crowd around them broke into general cheering and welcoming congratulations. "Simple housekeeping?" Obi raised an eyebrow at her. "I wasn't quite prepared for a brother, you know." Ilena looked at him with a sparkle in her eyes, though they seemed to be shadowed a little with worry. Obi looked at her until she was steady again, then he leaned around her and looked at Liam. The new man looked back at him calmly. Obi looked closer. He was very good. Under the calm, he wasn't calm at all, but no one who hadn't already worked closely with a consummate court player like Ilena would have seen it. "Welcome to the Family," Obi said calmly. "We'll talk more later when the atmosphere is clearer. I trust the five year old Ilena. She wasn't wrong, and she still isn't wrong." He held Liam's eyes until the man had steadied and nodded at him.

-o-o-o-

The name change and adoption reached Izana. He was still, then quietly he mused, "You will go so far as to claim him and name him brother to Obi. ...What a dangerous collection you have close to you, Ilena dear." His eyes narrowed. "It's a good thing I trust you already, or I would be considering my next moves against you, dear sister." But in his mind he was already setting up the defense he would need if she did turn against him. It was better to have them in place than not.

"...Is it because you learned how to keep dangerous men on leashes as Marcovik's Steward? Or did you practice with him so that you could have those two in the end? I hope my little brother can keep you tamed. Keep him alive for me." It was an order. He'd have her pay the ultimate price if she didn't, now that she had everything in place to make sure it happened. It was also the last move to completely ensure he didn't take her from Zen. Imori couldn't be allowed to come anywhere near him, even if the assassin wasn't going to kill him. Ilena in that one move had made it so that he couldn't take her and Obi from Zen's board, and he'd let her. He sat back and sighed. "Ah, Lord Barret. I didn't think that one through, did I? She's won that match."

"You spoil her as much as Regent Zen does," Lord Barret said calmly. "She's a Wisteria and will use anything to her advantage, particularly if there's something she wants. You seem to keep forgetting this lesson."

"I've been lulled by my brother's lackadaisical approach to the game, I think," Izana said. "And my Mother stepping out of it altogether. Ilena has surprised me yet again."

"She isn't cutthroat like you are," Lord Barret disagreed. "Thus you don't consider it a possibility until it happens."

Izana looked at him a moment. "Is that what it is?" he mused, and actually, in the end, he had to agree that might have somewhat to do with it. "Why don't you tell me these things ahead of time?" Izana pouted at his Director of Intelligence.

"I can only tell you what I've seen happen, King Izana. I can't read her mind. That is your specialty."

Izana leaned back, affronted, and stared punishingly at Lord Barret a long moment. "Who was it that complained that I wasn't listening to the advice of my advisors and personal aides enough? Where is that advice now?"

Lord Barret bowed. "Forgive me, My Liege."

Izana scowled at him. "I'll accept it as my punishment, but don't take it so far that I think you also have treasonous thoughts."

"No, King Izana," Lord Barret promised.

Izana decided to test him anyway. "Ilena doesn't want to rule over Tarc. Will she wiggle her way out of that as well?"

Surprisingly, Lord Barret paused and gave it serious consideration. Izana only slightly raised an eyebrow, but that was expressive for him. "That's not necessarily a given…," that was even more surprising, "as she also wants Tarc as her playground."

Izana laughed. "Only her, Lord Barret. Only she would think running that country would be worth it just to galavant around in it when she pleased. Everyone else would just schedule a vacation and go visit."

"Indeed, Your Majesty, indeed." Lord Barret's mouth quirked up in a smile.

-o-o-o-

The next order of business was the most important part of the business of the House and Family. Children listen to my song. Everyone sat up straight. Obi knew what was coming but it was his first time to experience it. He opened his ears, relaxed as much as possible, got into memorization mode, and listened very carefully. The first line was the most important, for it set the code to decipher the rest.

Playmate, come climb the red apple tree with me.

Ilena paused. The entirety of all the Children around her repeated the line and it was passed all through her lines all the way to the outer borders of Selicia and Tarc and all the lands she had Children of Agent level and above in. It was the first line to a Clarines children's rhyming song. Thereafter what she sang would have no meaning until they had each deciphered it for themselves. She sang another line and they dutifully repeated it, faithfully copying the sounds and memorizing them. Line by line they did this until she paused a longer pause. Then she sang the whole song from the beginning, without the code line, and they listened carefully again, memorizing it in total. They repeated it back in total when she was done as well. Then she was silent as they figured out the new main line code.

This one was different. She was having all of them learn it, not just the Family. Obi wanted the day and night Children to integrate, and they needed to be able to communicate for the war without complications. Plus, it was her final culmination, considered the 'unbreakable code', though she'd confided to Obi that no code was unbreakable and she was working on the next one. The codes were decipherable by the Children because they had the one key inside them that was never learned by the spies. The first line to the children's rhyme was both an access to that key and was to throw off the spies with a completely unrelated thing that they potentially understood, having potentially already broken the previous code.

This time Landras didn't translate for Liam, and Ilena explained as she sat back down that she'd just set everyone to learning a particular lesson he would learn at a later time, when he'd had time to work up to it. He nodded and waited patiently, sipping his drink slowly, enjoying the taste of alcohol again after twenty years of only getting it on rare occasions in town when he'd had just a little extra spending cash after selling the wood not required for the castle.

Once the code had been deciphered, they all had to report back that they'd understood it and were ready to speak it. That would take a while. Each local area would take a count, then send their group report on when they'd all figured it out. Ilena had ordered the Lieutenants to handle all the Children gathered in this quadrant for the war. They'd set it up so that the Children were broken into squads, each handled by Captains who then reported to one of the six Lieutenants. The Lieutenants would report to Obi, as would all the local Captains, as that was already his job, to receive those reports. Then he would give Ilena the final result at the end.

When Obi had the code figured out for himself, he opened his eyes and looked at Ilena. She looked back at him, and he nodded. "Master Zen will have lost it," she said quietly to him. "They'll have to translate for him again, but they shouldn't tonight. Not yet. Will they remember?"

Obi nodded. "It was one of my orders when I left, to remind them. They'll give him the summary reports only." The summary because they didn't want any word-for-word spoken translations. It would also be written then the paper burned after it was read, so that there wasn't anything out loud or left as evidence to allow for the breaking of the code.

"I also told the translator for Izana the same. I hope he'll also remember."

"I am sure he will," Obi said soothingly. "We all understand the seriousness of this change."

Ilena sighed. Liam looked up and reached out his hand to touch Ilena's elbow lightly. "Remember what you said to me."

Ilena paused, looking at him, then nodded. "I'll trust my support and my strength." Liam nodded, satisfied.

Obi watched them, wanting to know what had happened, that this stranger-become-brother would without reservation support Ilena. It made him remember. "Ah, I told Master before coming he could talk to Mistress in the mornings."

"He can still use the old code until he learns the new one." Ilena answered him, supporting his decision. The rest of them wouldn't forget it, after all. Obi nodded.

Reports began to come in, slowly at first, then more quickly, and even around them individual reports were being given, all in the new coded language. Tongues not quite used to some of the sounds stumbled here and there, but it went unremarked. That was expected at the beginning. Ilena paid attention, though. If there were individual sounds that many people had difficulty with, she needed to know so she could either fix it or change it. By the time the reporting was done, she was sufficiently satisfied. Obi turned to her and gave her the report that all Children were now prepared for the line to be up again. Ilena nodded to him, then stood again. The Children around her settled to hear her.

Now that we can speak freely again, we'll discuss the war plans without fear of our enemy understanding them. Remember that Obi and Regent Zen and my life all depend on this code and the plans we'll discuss remaining secret. It goes without saying the peace of Clarines, Wilant, Tarc, and Selicia also depend on it.

Ilena covered not only what they would be doing, each part of them, in Tarc and on the border, but also what would be happening in Selicia. Her contact with that king's council had let her know what they were doing to keep the attention of the Lord of Tarc in that direction and what they wanted help with. Zen and she had discussed what their orders to the Children in Selicia would be and now she was able to give those orders. Because the code was new, and the orders so important, they were repeated back down the line to make sure they had been understood and conveyed correctly. There were a few corrections to Tarc and Selicia, but in the main it had all transferred from her mouth to their ears quite well. When they finished, she sighed and sagged back into her chair. That had been rather a lot of talking.

Obi stood and explained what he wanted help with for his part. That was brief, by comparison. The one thing he did take the time to do was confirm one last time, person by person, the Children in each of the clans and which clan they belong to, committing it to memory. He wanted to be able to contact them quickly if necessary, and learn them on sight when he entered the clan tents.

He paused, then added the thing Zen had ordered him to say, though Ilena hadn't approved. Obi to the Children in Tarc. Regent Zen and I have completed the P'rathna and been tested and approved, as well as those with us. The P'rathna who were our teachers have requested that they be allowed to continue with us that their own tests may be completed. We've asked them what those tests are. It seems we're believed by some to be the fulfillment of the Lore of Tarc, and they wish to understand it. We can't say it. It's not a thing we understand. Who can say it? Perhaps you can find out.

It was the planting of the rumors. The Children would now begin to ask, planting the seeds for Obi's arrival in the clans. After they'd come, and when they were gone from the clan, they would plant the next seed of the rumors, until it had spread to all of the clans. By the time the clans came together at the Marluk'nak', they hoped that the combined rumors would find acceleration to boost their claim in the end.

Obi ended with, Please take care of my heart, that I not be lost, lest the war be lost.

Ilena sat up and added. Please take care of my special someone, that the countries not be lost to chaos and the Blood Moon. Thank you for your service and your strength.

Obi could see Ilena was fading fast. He whistled for their horses. Three, then five, then twelve appeared.

"Oh, my," Ilena said. "It appears that more spies than horses were taken, and Kiki didn't know how to retrieve the horses. I wonder how large a herd we'll begin with?" She waved to the people standing in front of the stand so the horses could come to where the whistle had originated from and whistled the sound again, long and loud. Those horses already in front of them came forward into the space opened up for them and over the next fifteen minutes another twenty-seven came. "I think we'll need to whistle regularly on our journey back east, Obi." Amazement was in her voice.

"I'm in agreement," Obi said, also in awe. Thirty-nine horses just in this area alone. "Do any of them look like they still have owners?"

Ilena shook her head. "They wouldn't have come, but would have stayed with their rider." She pinched her lip. "We'll take them with us. We'll need them for the ride into Tarc. We may not be able to put all of our Children on horses, but if we put the ones who stand around the Marluk'nak' on horses of Tarc, that will be to our advantage." She looked at the horses in the front. "See, here's yours and mine. Go and welcome yours so that the others will acknowledge him as herd stallion. Then I'll welcome Reshali so they recognize her in her rightful place."

Having done this before at the castle, Obi knew what to do. He walked to the edge of the stand and stared the stallion down until he looked away, then he bent down and put his hand on the forehead of the stallion. He blew on Obi and Obi removed his hand. The horse bowed to him and he nodded, then stepped back. Ilena walked up and bowed to the stallion and he nodded back. Ilena put her hand under his nose and he sniffed it briefly, then let her put her hand on his forehead briefly before turning away from her. Ilena then went to Reshali and stared her down until her horse looked away. Like Obi, Ilena repeated the process to prove dominance over Reshali. Then Obi went to Reshali and was re-introduced to her, as they'd done at the garrison in Lyrias, the same as Ilena had done with the stallion. Then he and Ilena stood and stared at the rest of the horses until they all bowed and nodded, indicating they would be obedient to this herd.

Ilena sighed and dropped down from the stand, then walked through the herd, Reshali going with her, until she had woven her way through to all of the horses, touching them lightly. Reshali also touched each one lightly with her nose, or with a brush of her side, or a twitch of her tail. As they did that, Obi walked around the outside of the new herd with the stallion, one hand on his back, until they had circled it completely, then they stood sideways to it, unconcerned, until the ladies returned to them. The horses touched noses and Obi and Ilena kissed. Not part of the herd creation, Ilena lay her head on Obi's chest for a moment, and he put an arm around one shoulder and kissed the top of her head. He looked up at Liam. "Liam, is your mount here?"

Liam stood and walked to the edge of the stand and stared at the herd until one came up to him. He followed the same procedure as they had with that one, then said, "Yes." Ilena stared at him, then a slow smile came to her face until she had blinded him and he had to drop his eyes.

"Call Polly. She'll be happier being your pack mule than your mount after all."

Liam looked up at her surprised, then nodded and gave a peculiar whistle. The mule came out of hiding at the edge of the woods and walked up to Liam, shoving him with her nose. He pet her until she was soothed, then stood ready. Obi boosted Ilena up on Reshali, then mounted his stallion. Liam mounted his new horse as well.

"Enjoy the party," Obi raised his voice. "Then get sober quickly tomorrow. It'll be all work after that until we're free of the Lord of Tarc." They were sent off with a cheer. The three turned their horses and began the fairly short ride to the manor of Earl Sieran, where they would sleep for the night and meet with Zen and the other leaders of this war in council the next day.

Ilena only let them get as far as being out of sight of the torches of the field. She found another empty cleared field and led them into it, the herd of horses following them and surrounding them. She slipped off Reshali and went to Obi and held her arms open for him. He looked at her, then slid off his horse to let her hold him, though he stood a little stiff. Ilena gently wrapped her arms around his head and shoulders. "Obi, just as you needed a new name to be freed from your past ties, so did Liam. I'm sorry I didn't warn you in advance. I didn't know I would be able to find him. Izana's father hid him well, and Izana kept him there." She released him, facing him respectfully. "I'll introduce the two of you by your past names, so you may both understand, but those names should never be spoken again."

Obi nodded. He certainly agreed that his name shouldn't be. This must be why Liam had dodged the question of who he was. Obi looked at Liam, who looked back calmly, even still. He'd also come down off his horse and was waiting respectfully on the two of them.

"Liam," Ilena gave an order first, "though I've named you brothers, you'll give Obi the same respect that you give to me. He is my partner in all things." Liam indicated he understood. "If you must test us, I'll have you do it here and now so that there is no doubt between us."

Obi shifted to high alert, though he didn't move. Liam had come from the depths of the wasteland woods, put there in hiding from even Ilena's eyes and had needed his name kept a secret, according to King Brother's words, but King Brother found Ilena sufficient to have him. The man seemed calm and his words were soft, and he hadn't resisted Obi on the platform, merely understood that Obi needed complete control of the situation. These latter things made it seem as if he were one of the Family, but the former, and Ilena's words just now said he was of the House and it was at the House gathering he'd been introduced. ...And she'd placed Liam in his family.

Liam, for his part hadn't moved. He was already very difficult to shift from his rock hard state of calm and to read below it, but Obi could just sense an increase of awareness from him, like that of interest in something newly seen. He bowed. "Princess Ilena, there is no need for testing. I've been given to you. It is enough."

"Your restraint has been honed to a great level in the last twenty years, but I would have you not have to restrain yourself with us, and instead have us become your restraints ourselves so that we aren't worried for you."

Liam raised an eyebrow. Finally he said, "Princess Ilena, you are often difficult to understand I've found. ...Haven't you received that which you threw a tantrum for twenty years ago? Surely it is enough?"

Ilena looked at Liam, judging him. "No, Liam, it isn't. Though Izana has given me the right to use your person, you haven't yet said if I have your heart."

Liam blinked. After a moment, he said, "So...is that what you meant by that?" Ilena nodded. "Princess Ilena...you had that when you threw the tantrum. ...Have I not come home?"

Ilena looked at him and her eyes began to glisten with threatening tears. She bowed to him slightly. "Thank you, Liam." Liam smiled a kind smile and Obi sensed it was genuine. Ilena dashed the tears from her eyes, then looked between them. "Obi. This was Imori Daed. … Liam, this was Wellesley College. ... Both of you are the heirs and last of your lines, as well as the firsts of the line of Melick."

Obi and Liam stared at each other, their faces still showing external calm. Obi couldn't know what Liam thought of him, but he knew he was looking at a living legend, though he had never made a name for himself. The name of the house of Daed was infamous in the night world, a whispered name even there. Even though it had been eradicated just over twenty years ago by Izana and Zen's father, the same as Izana had eradicated the house of Penchant that spring. The Penchant's had been the master assassin house in Wilant. The Daed's had been the master assassins of southern Clarines. It had been assumed that all of the house had died, there being no word of any of them remaining, but Imori had been the heir. Ilena had dug up a ghost and he had eaten dinner calmly next to her. Obi had put him on the ground and he had not resisted. Obi had asked his name and he had refused to give it, knowing it would cause trouble. Just like Ilena had requested a name change for Obi to erase from him the past sins of his fathers and brother, Izana had granted the same for Imori, and Ilena had given them to each other.

Obi looked into her eyes soberly. "Why did you claim him?"

"Because I trust him," she answered. "From the time I was five."

Liam said softly, "You said you also claimed Obi then. Will you tell me why?"

"I did. Because I knew he was what I needed to have beside me and none other would do. I loved him from my first understanding of him."

Both men looked at her and in nearly the same breath said she was crazy.

"The Colleges are not tameable," Liam said.

"How can you trust the untrustworthy?" Obi asked.

Neither had been said as an attack upon the other. They had only voiced the truth of the two houses.

Ilena shook her head. "Obi is tameable because he chooses to tame himself for the sake of others. This is what he showed me in the beginning. Everything else he is, is strength - the strength I need to stand. Liam is trustworthy because from the beginning he chose to grant me the gift of allowing me to trust him. Everything else he is, is protection - the protection I need to move. ...Obi is my sword. Liam is my shield. What the others in those families did or were is not of consequence to me. You are both essential and indispensible to me. Thus you have been renamed and made mine."

There was silence in the field as they considered her words. "You are Obi and Liam Melick. Those others do not exist. Those Houses are dead. From this time, look forward and walk with me." She looked at them, both just Ilena and the Princess, and all her other aspects within and around her, asking and ordering.

Obi put his hand to his chest and bowed formally to her. At the same time Liam bowed the servant's deep bow of respect.

-o-o-o-

"What are you going to do with all of those?" Kiki waved at the horses behind them. Ilena sighed and slipped of her horse, the men doing so as well. Ilena whistled and the herd turned and walked off into the night and the woods, Polly going with them after her burdens had been removed and receiving a pat from Liam.

"I'll teach you the recall whistle tomorrow, Kiki," Ilena promised. "You need to know it, apparently."

"Apparently," Kiki said, her dry tones a little shocked.

"I need a bed, please," Ilena said as she enfolded Kiki in an unashamed embrace. "One with Obi in it, please. Liam can be in the room next to us. Nothing fancy. I'm not supposed to be here after all." Kiki returned the embrace, then turned and led them into the house. Ilena had called her out when they got close to the manor home, and she'd met them at the back servant's door. "I'd like to sleep in, if possible, and have a bath in the morning as I'm too tired for one tonight." Kiki nodded sympathetically. "Zen's been missing the two of you fiercely and I'm afraid I've been a poor substitute, though I've tried," Ilena smiled ruefully at Kiki.

"He's also annoyed at having to have all the other guards as usual," Obi commented. "He sent me on so he could feel like he'd done something towards seeing Mistress. He's so close and yet so far from her it's difficult. I've told him to talk to her on the main line in the mornings, though, so that may help him some."

Both Obi and Ilena knew that Kiki and Mitsuhide would want their report on Zen right away. Mitsuhide was keeping this part of the manor free of prying eyes, but was probably close enough to hear the conversation, and if he wasn't Kiki would tell him.

"When should he arrive tomorrow, Obi?" Kiki asked.

"He's impatient. He'll leave right after breakfast, so… maybe just before lunch? They're all on horseback now, so they'll move quickly." Obi shrugged. "Just have the line tell you where he is as he comes."

"And make sure we're up with time to be ready for him," Ilena said rolling her eyes at herself.

Kiki gave her a small grin and opened a door into a small bedroom with an adjoining bath. "This one's for you two. The next door down will be Liam."

"Thank you, Kiki. Give Mitsuhide a hug for me," Ilena said gratefully.

"And a kiss for me," Obi said with a grin and a twinkle in his eye. Kiki glared at him, but he knew there wasn't anything in it. She was happy to have him be here and be himself. They watched as Kiki took Liam to the next room and excused herself. Liam bowed to them slightly and took himself into his room and they went into theirs.

Obi turned from closing the door behind them in time to watch Ilena sink to the floor. He looked at her with wide eyes, but she looked back at him without moving. He relaxed. "It's that bad, is it?" He put his hands on his hips and tipped his head at her.

"I've slept in the mud and rain, under a bush, in the straw next to a mule, and on a pine bed on the ground next to a horse. I'll take a floor as a much better alternative. I feel so dirty that I don't want to soil the bed. I'll miss the horse, but if I can have you instead I'll be in heaven."

Obi laughed and crouched down next to her, running the fingers of his hand gently across her forehead to lift the hair away from her eyes. "You can have the floor if you must, but I won't join you there. If you want me, you have to make it to the bed."

"But Obi," she whined, "I'm sooo dirty. I may not look like I still have pounds of mud on me, but that's only because the rain might have washed away the worst of it, maybe."

Obi pursed his lips. "I'm not carrying you to the bath. You have your own legs and feet this time."

Ilena sighed and closed her eyes, a frown on her face. In two and a half breaths she was asleep. Obi stared at her, then shook his head. That wouldn't do. Five minutes later he had had the bath filled and it and himself ready. Poking his head out the door, he could see she was still where he'd left her. He quietly walked over to her and stole her sword belt from her, setting it at the foot of the bed for now. Then he undid one boot, carefully pulling it off her foot. It would definitely need cleaning, that boot, before Master Zen arrived. He set it close to the door and took her other boot off and set it next to the first.

He pulled off her socks and set them near the boots, then lightly ran his finger around and inbetween her toes until they twitched. He determinedly kept it up until the whole foot moved away from his fingers. He switched to the other set of toes and they curled away from his fingers, so he ran his finger up the arch of that foot. The other foot came for his hand rather violently, so he pulled back briefly and glanced to see if she'd opened her eyes yet. She had and he smiled at her.

"Come and get me," he teased her. She moved quickly, but he moved faster - to another crouch just outside her reach and closer to the bath room.

She looked for where he'd gone, looked him up and down and licked her lips. He crooked a finger at her. She managed to crawl her way to him, and while he gave her the kiss reward she wanted he unbuckled her jacket. She wiggled out of it, but while her hands were caught in the sleeves, he teased her again. She scowled and as soon as she had her hands she was after him again. Once more he moved faster and just outside her reach, another length closer to where he wanted her.

Ilena sighed and sat on the floor. She ran a hand through her hair, then rubbed an eye with the heel of her hand. Poor thing is pretty tired, he had to admit. Slowly she unbuttoned her shirt, then held out her hand, silently requesting that he help her out of the sleeve. He cautiously moved close enough to grasp the sleeve cuff and she pulled her arm out of it, then gave him the other hand. He held onto that sleeve as well, but before she was completely out of it she'd grabbed him with the already free hand. It wasn't as bad as it could be. She'd only caught his wrist.

She tugged on it and he let her pull him. She put his hand on her cheek and held it there for a moment, her eyes still mostly closed, then kissed his wrist. It was too cute. He ran his hand over her hair and pulled her head to his chest, holding her for a moment. He kissed her and, supporting her head with his hand, put her gently on the ground. He helped her out of her pants next. They would need a good double scrubbing. She hadn't been wrong about how dirty she'd gotten, not really. When she was free from the pants, she rolled onto her side and curled up.

"Ah-ah, that won't do. That puts you back at square one," he scolded gently.

"More comfortable."

"Well, that may be, but also colder. Will you come or must I tease you more?"

Ilena opened her eyes reluctantly, but when she looked at him, she licked her lips again. He grinned and held out his hand. "Come on. If you want me that much, walking for a bit won't be that much trouble, I would think."

Her face scrunched up unhappily, but she took his hand and let him pull her up to standing. He took off her underclothing and then led her by the fingers into the bath room. Before she could lean on him and fall asleep standing, he sat her on the wash stool. He handed her the end of her braid and she automatically took out the thong tieing it and began to unbraid it. He dumped a bucket of warm water over her, watched it run brown towards the drain in the floor and scooped up a second bucket to dump over her. After a third one, it looked like the surface mud had been washed away sufficiently and she was done unbraiding her hair. He washed that first. It would do no good to get the rest of her clean then get it all dirty again from the mud remaining in the hair.

Ilena let him scrub for a bit while he worked at her scalp, leaning into the massage. When he moved to the lower part of the hair to work it clean, she leaned over and picked up a washcloth and the soap. By the time he was ready to pour the rinse water on her hair, the rest of her was ready to be rinsed as well.

"Too tired to let me do it all?" he teased lightly. Ilena nodded and he put his hand on her shoulder in sympathy. "You're done. Come on. You probably still need to soak to feel clean, knowing you."

He helped her stand and she moved to the tub. Before she could fall in, he grabbed her again and helped her get into it, giving her a little kiss on the way. "No drowning. I'll be there in a bit." Ilena nodded and leaned on her arms over the side of the tub, setting herself so she wouldn't slip down inside. Still, she was asleep by the time he arrived even though he'd been quick. He slipped in with her with a sigh. He ran his fingers over her back from the smooth right shoulder to the scarred left one, then down to the lioness and roses and over to the falcon. He slowly traced the falcon, as it should be now that she was an adult. He was also seeing the falcon on the tent roof as he'd seen it for two weeks every night and every morning. He was glad it was there, watching over him for her.

He wrapped his arms around her and she stirred sleepily. "Come. I'll keep you from drowning," he said quietly and pulled her into his arms, to lean against his chest. She went with him and cuddled with him.

*Sigh* "I'm sorry, Obi," she said softly. "Thank you. Being clean is so wonderful." She put her hand on his chest and ran her fingers lightly over his skin, but not for long, already starting to fall asleep again.

He picked up her hand and kissed the fingertips. "You're welcome." Her fingers twitched and he licked one. That was his last straw. In a short amount of time he had her awake enough that her want met his. It wasn't too difficult. He knew she wanted him as badly as he wanted her. That woke her up enough, when they were done, to dry herself off and make it to the bed before falling asleep again. This time he could let her. He pulled the covers over them and curled up around her, holding her close, and let himself fall asleep as well, hearing the rain outside the window tapping them a lullaby.

-o-o-o-

"Obi?"

"Mmn?"

They were being lazy this morning, enjoying the quiet presence of each other, lightly touching as their way of remembering each other.

"Did you ever find a suitable candidate for hair for you?"

Obi smiled slightly. "You know, I find the entire concept rather funny."

"Mmm...perhaps, but...I've been slightly unsettled."

"Oh?" Obi lifted himself on his elbow to pay closer attention to her, running the back of his hand down her cheek.

She captured that hand and held it. "I don't really like the thought of you wearing another woman's hair. I'd rather you only wore mine...though I don't feel the same about Petroi's if he's willing to give it to you."

Obi held her hand tightly in his. "I don't really want anyone's hair, you know. Mine is just fine, in my opinion. What I look like doesn't matter to me. Does it matter, really?"

Ilena sighed. "No, not really. You are coming from Clarines, after all. And if you were the Marluk' you could do whatever you want. After all that isn't a worldly being." Ilena sighed and rolled onto her back to look at the ceiling. "It's why I asked Master Zen if he wanted for us to just walk into Tarc fearlessly: the All and the Na'luk coming together across the plains to the Marluk'nak' with their servants. We can come as we are, white cloaks and everything if we want. Are not the spirits and their servants all incomprehensible?" Ilena closed her eyes and looked like she'd swallowed a slug.

"Yeah, Master and I, we don't like it either," he consoled her, running a finger down her closer arm. "But it's another weapon and he wants to discuss all the ways to use it when he comes today."

Ilena turned her head away, then curled on her side, her back to Obi. Obi sighed to himself. She wasn't particularly mad about it today, nor mad at him for having said it. It was just something she didn't want to hear or talk about. "It's just natural," she finally said. "Why do we have to discuss it like it's child's play to desecrate another country's beliefs?" Obi paused, his hand poised above her arm, suddenly refraining from touching her. "It just makes us the terrible nation that abuses its neighbors. I don't like it...even if we are naturally and unknowingly exactly what they are looking for to save them from themselves. Really...I'd rather fight it every step of the way and make them force me to take that title...if I had to have it at all."

Obi finally put his hand on her arm and coaxed her to turn back to him, pulling her into his chest and kissing the top of her head. He wove his fingers into the hair at the back of her neck. He didn't have anything to say to her. He could only hold her. It really was a terrible thing, to be caught in this thing and at the same time be the enemy that was only trying to protect itself.

Obi pulled her head up and kissed her, then took her for his own, slowly, gently, until they were completely filled with each other. He would walk over the border in five days. This was their last quiet morning together. They would be apart for at least one month, longer than they'd ever been apart since they'd been together, except when Ilena had been tied to her bed by her injury and Obi had been with Zen fighting against Marcovik.

At the end of that month, Ilena would be free. Obi couldn't accept any other outcome. Any other outcome meant she and he and possibly even Zen would be dead. They would use the lore against the Tarc. She was that important to them. Even she had already set up things that used it. They'd seen it, once they understood it and began to think again about what Ilena had been planning and doing. They would discuss it and hear it from her, the full plan in her head. She didn't want any other outcome either.

-o-o-o-

Epilogue

Ilena looked north in horror. The words coming into her ears from the line of Children in Tarc were telling her things she did not want to be hearing. They had planned long and hard, even for another day and a half just before. Obi had gone into the Lord of Tarc's tents, bravely facing this hurdle that was necessary, Petroi and Thayne at his side, Justinian and the P'rathna behind him to watch and serve. Not only could Ilena not go into Tarc yet, she couldn't even look at the tents of the Lord of Tarc from a distance. Her life was forfeit if she did. But Obi was there and the words coming to her ears were that Obi and his men had been overpowered. The Lord of Tarc had understood who he was to her and had turned the knife, taking Obi from her. It was yet another taunt, another lesson that she would never have what the Lord of Tarc didn't give and then take from her himself.

As Ilena sank to her knees, the tears were streaming from her eyes. She wasn't seeing through them anyway. She was seeing what the words were telling her. Seeing only her Beloved and her Sons. When the words finally released her, her wails split the air, her cries for the man she would never see again unheard by his ears deafened by death.


Fini Book 3: Regent of Wilant. Thank you for reading with me. We enter Tarc in The Missing Princess, Book 4: Lord of Tarc.