Chapter Nine
"Kally?" Roald knocked at the door to her room. "Can I come in?"
She was half asleep, curled up in a ball with a pillow in her arms like a safety blanket or Thom's teddy bear. At the sound of his voice she started a little, and tried to answer him but couldn't make her mouth work. A little choking sound came from her, but no words, and she didn't really want to speak anyway.
She got to her feet and padded silently over to the door. When she opened it Roald gave her the frown that was so characteristic of him and she managed a small smile. She let go of the door handle so that she could wave at him without letting go of her pillow, and that made him smile.
"Can I come in?" he asked. "I have food. The innkeeper said it was alright as long as we didn't make a mess,"
Kalasin smiled. "I thought you didn't like charming people," she said, accidentally breaking her protective silence.
"I don't and I didn't. That remains firmly in your department of deviousness. Someone recognized me,"
"Oh," She stepped aside to let him in. He placed the tray on the table and sat down on one of the chairs. She returned to her bed and sat with the pillow between her feet.
"Are you going to keep that?" he demanded. She glanced down.
"Yes,"
He knew better than to say anything so he just raised one eyebrow and changed the subject. "Are you going to eat?"
"Do I have a choice?" she shot back.
"Eat now please," he retorted. She glared, but took the offered soup.
Roald didn't comment on the way she ate. He didn't tell her that it was unhealthy, or that she should be more careful. He knew she knew and now wasn't the time for elder brother nagging.
And he waited until she'd eaten half the bowl before he started to talk, because he knew that when she started to talk the eating would stop.
"Are you ok Kally?" he asked softly. She handed the bowl of soup to him and looked away.
"Can I not answer that question right now please?"
He didn't say anything.
"I'm sorry Roald, that I was so, different in that cave. I had more magic than I could handle, and I was frightened,"
"What do you mean, more magic than you could handle?"
"Didn't you even notice? The gods were putting their power into us all the time we were walking up that mountain. They couldn't interfere once we were in the cave, like Chital told us, but they gave us power beforehand so we'd have enough of our own left to get back here,"
There was a silence. "He saved me, Chitral I mean. Before he came I was about to panic, break down, but he did something to stop it happening. Were you wondering about that?"
"Kally,"
"I just thought you should know that, in case you were confused,"
"Kally, are you going to shut up any time soon?" he demanded suddenly.
His voice hadn't been that loud, or threatening, but it startled her. She twitched, and jumped back, instantly silent, staring at him with large and frightened eyes. Her brother was surprised, and stepped back himself.
"Kally, I'm sorry," he began. "I didn't mean to scare you," He moved forward again, and reached out to take her in his arms. She brushed his hands away, shaking her head.
"Please don't touch me Roald," she pleaded. "I'm alright. I'm sorry I was frightened, but it's better now, and I'm sorry. I just don't want to be touched right now,"
Roald nodded and stepped away. "So you'll let the pillow comfort you but not me," he noted, trying not to sound so bitter and failing miserably. Kalasin winced and he took an apologetic step towards her.
"I'm sorry Kally," he said. "I didn't mean that the way it came out, and I'm tired, and you probably are too, so I'll go now. I'll see you in the morning; please at least try to get some sleep,"
She nodded, managed half a smile, and saluted sarcastically. Roald's eyes widened in relief as he closed the door behind him. He made his way down the hall to his own room and sleep.
After he was gone she sank down onto her bed and resumed her ball position, one edge of the pillow under her head to catch her tears.
"Faithful why can't you tell me what's going on?" Alanna asked.
"Primarily because it's against the rules," the cat told her. "But also because you really wouldn't like it,"
"Please," Alanna tried.
"No," Faithful repeated.
"But…" he cut her off. "Don't you think you should feed yourself, not to mention me, sometime,"
Alanna smiled and rolled her eyes. "You've already charmed the kitchen staff. Just go and get your own food,"
"Are you going to go and see his Majesty?" Faithful asked suggestively.
Alanna whipped round and stared at him. "Faithfu…" she began to shriek, before she remembered that most people didn't understand Faithful when he spoke most of the time. She knelt down next to the cat and absently scratched behind his ears.
"Please don't do that Faithful," she whispered. "Not at the moment. When whatever's going on right now is over, then you can scold me all you want, but not now, not until Kally and Roald are safe, and everything's alright again, please," She stood up and walked away.
Faithful had been peering up at her, but at her last words he looked away. "That's never going to happen," he murmured quietly, too low for Alanna to hear. He shook himself out and disappeared.
"Alanna?" Thayet called out to her. Alanna stopped and waited for the queen to catch her.
"Are you alright?" Thayet asked. "You look a bit pale,"
"I was just talking to Faithful," Alanna explained. "Some of the things he had to say were a little disturbing," she blinked nervously.
"Anything that concerns me?" Thayet asked. Alanna shook her head, not trusting herself to speak.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Thayet asked. When Alanna nodded she smiled and continued speaking. "I was just going to visit Shinkokami; Would you like to come?"
Alanna nodded. "How is she?" she inquired. "I haven't seen her since the day I arrived,"
"Yes, she's stayed in her quarters mostly. She's anxious for Roald to get back, probably even more than I am,"
Alanna smiled. "For good reason I'd say," she guessed.
Thayet nodded. "Very good. She's very persistent about waiting till he gets back. I don't know how she can stand it personally,"
"I can understand it," Alanna replied softly. "But I pity her that she has to do it,"
"If he doesn't get back, if they don't get back…" Thayet said. "Shinko wants to ask you to be there, instead of Kalasin," She smiled. "Would you?"
Alanna smiled. "It won't come to that," she replied confidently.
"But you will, if it does?" Thayet asked.
"Of course I will," Alanna replied. Then, after a moment of silence, she continued. "What about you? Are you alright?"
Thayet rubbed a hand across her eyes. "They've been giving me things to help me sleep, but it doesn't seem to work. I'm worried about them Alanna. My babies are out there on their own and I don't know where or why," she exhaled loudly. "Jonathon keeps saying they're not alone, but I find that so hard to believe. I know, the Gods are watching them, but I don't know the Gods, and…"
Alanna smiled at her. "Aly was missing for a long while," she remembered. "And I had no idea where she was or what she was doing either. But George found her, and she was just fine. They will be too,"
"I hope you're right," Thayet replied. Alanna smiled and put an arm around her friend.
"Of course I am,"
Thayet looked at her dubiously. "I would have been more inclined to believe you if you hadn't done that," she told her. "You never hug people,"
"That's as maybe," Alanna replied somewhat snappishly. "But the Goddess promised that they'd be back, and so they will be,"
Thayet shook her head. "I hope so," she replied.
"Mother?" Thom's voice interrupted their conversation. Alanna turned to see her son running towards them, his robe flapping about him in an academic frenzy. For a moment he looked so like the uncle after who he had been named after that Alanna felt something reminisint of physical pain. She shook the feeling off.
Thayet smiled.
"I'll tell Shinko you agreed," she told Alanna, who nodded
"I will go and see her sometime," she agreed. "But I've been a terribly negligent mother since I got here so I should probably try and make up for it,"
"He could have found you and he didn't," Thayet pointed out.
"But he's my son," Alanna whined. Thayet laughed.
"I swear," she said, "You and guilt,"
Alanna glared, and then stopped as Thom reached them and picked her up and hugged her. "Put me down," she commanded, laughing in spite of herself.
"Yes do," Thayet told her godson. "And apologize to her for not seeking her out earlier. "She's been here nearly a week,"
Thom set his laughing mother on the ground and turned to the queen with a deep mocking bow. "Sorry your Majesty," he told her. "I've been busy,"
"You're always busy," another voice broke in, preceding the appearance of George, Jonathon and Lianne. The princess had been the one to speak, and after they had all gathered she continued, smiling cheekily up at her father. "Do I still have to find him?" she asked. Jonathon ruffled her hair and the others laughed. Lianne blushed.
"So how are your studies going?" Jonathon asked Thom.
"Well enough," the young mage replied. "I recently translated a document brought back from what is now the Copper Isles over a millennia ago. I was planning to send a copy to Alianne, after I've determined the potency of the spell it includes,"
Alanna sent Jonathon a look promising hell to pay and turned to her son. "And what is this spell about exactly?" she asked.
Thom gave her an indulgent smile. "Don't worry Mother," he told her. "I'll check it very thoroughly. I wouldn't send Aly anything dangerous,"
"You're not going to send Aly anything at all," George told him. "It absolutely will not do for her to receive anything that could draw attention to her. She's deeply undercover, and the wrong kind of attention could be dangerous,"
Thayet reached out for Alanna's arm as the knight stepped towards her husband.
"We were going to see princess Shinkokami," the queen reminded her.
"How long will that take?" George asked. "I'd sorta hoped that my family could have some time together, as a family, while we were all here. 'Course it would be nicer if we could all be together at our home, but still…"
"Well why don't the ladies have their visit with the princess," Jonathon suggested, "And Thom and Lianne can find their respective brothers, then we can all have dinner together, because I know your wife won't eat otherwise, and then you can have your family time,"
Lianne looked interested suddenly. "That's a wonderful idea," she commented enthusiastically. "Come along Thom; I'm sure I know where Alan and my brothers are," She led him away.
Alanna glanced after them, and then at Jonathon. He smiled gently, and turned away. Alanna felt Thayet's hand on her arm and nodded. She and the queen headed for Shinko's rooms, leaving their men folk talking in hushed whispers.
Princess Shinkokami sat up as they entered the room, making an attempt to smile.
"It's alright Shinko. Relax," Thayet told her, reaching out and snagging a chair and pulling it over to the bed. Alanna placed a hand over the princess's forehead to determine the young woman's condition for herself. She wasn't reassured.
"I don't need to tell you you should be resting more," she said. Shinko nodded.
"I can't help it," she explained softly. "I miss him,"
Alanna smiled at her first, and then at Thayet. The queen took her cue.
"Of course you do," she agreed. "I'd be concerned if you didn't. But you need to make sure you take care of yourself, for his sake if not for your own,"
Alanna let the small rush of power flow into Shinko. The princess's body relaxed back into the pillows immediately, deep asleep. Thayet glanced up at Alanna.
"That wasn't very fair," she informed her. "I hate when people do it to me,"
"It's better than being drugged," Alanna pointed out, thinking of the night before her ordeal when George had drugged her brandy to make her sleep.
"I wouldn't know," Thayet answered.
"Well shall we go and find the men then?" Alanna suggested.
Shinko's face filled his sleep, smiling kindly down upon him. "Roald," she whispered. He reached out to touch her face. She kissed his fingers. "When are you coming back to me?" she asked.
"Shinko," he whispered. Her smile widened.
"Come back Roald," she whispered.
She knew the instant he woke and began to move. Her body tensed, but then the sounds dyed down again and she relaxed. Then his footfalls sounded in the hall and she sat up. He knocked on her door and then entered.
"I've spoken to the innkeeper and gotten us a horse and some food," he told her. "So we can go as soon as you're ready. Do you need anything?"
She smiled. "A little privacy so I can get dressed and I'll be ready to go," she told him. Roald nodded and hurried from the room. She climbed from her bed and went to the window, staring up at the mountain. She shook her head and turned back to her clothes.
Roald was in a hurry, but still thorough, forcing her to eat something before they left the inn and checking to make sure she was alright every so often. They went quicker no that they had two horses, but even with that she suspected that they were covering the distance much faster than they should have. Roald didn't notice it; he didn't even notice the sky changing colour until it began to get cold. Then it was only reluctantly that he stopped, and only for thought of Kalasin, who simply rolled her eyes and told him, "I'm alright," He didn't believe her.