Disclaimer: Anything that you recognise as Tamora Pierce's belongs to her.
A/N: I'm loading you all down with updates! Long chapter. I really hope this fic's not getting boring.
Thank you to everyone who reviewed since yesterday. :)
Kit49: Yes, definitely not liking Sir Marrin! :) I'm glad that you're still liking the plot though, and thanks for being such a faithful reviewer.
Aindel S. Druida: I know what you mean about the last chapter. Even though it was kind of a revelation bit, I actually wrote it like a filler chapter. Thanks for reviewing; I always appreciate your comments. You get right to the point...or something. I don't know what I'm trying to say, lol, but I do appreciate it.
Roherwen: Thank you! :) Your reviews have been really encouraging. And don't worry, I'm going for major D/N fluff in coming chapters!
fell4adeadguy: Battle scenes coming up! Thank you for the review!
Equestrian-babe101: Little bit of fluff in this chapter but lots more to come. :)
DestinyHunter: Thank you for reminding me about Jon! I'd completely forgotten about him. Poor Jon. :P Stuff about the animals will be coming up. Thank you for reviewing!
Dragon and the Wild Mage: Update just for you! :)
Goddess Of The Moon: Thank you, I always appreciate your reviews. And yes, battle scenes coming. :)
um: LOL, I was wondering if anyone would catch that! I'm almost as much of a LOTR fan as I am a TP one. I'd like to say that I got hooked because of Tolkien's writing but sadly, I have to admit that Viggo Mortensen started it for me! :D I may have to let you down on the tragic ending though! But who knows?
Lauren Raven: Thank you for reviewing. And reading it all at once! I agree, men are stupid, lol. Sometimes. And thanks for pointing that out about the Gift references. I think I used it when I should have said "magic". I'm trying to update the earlier chapters to fix that.
Daine stroked a taut hand over Zebara's neck and tightened the grip of her legs. Moving gently with the horse's gait, she tried to relax the tension in her body. In vain. It was no use. She was good and worried, although loath to admit that aloud. She pushed a handful of untidy curls back from her face, only to have the wind hurl them back into disarray.
'What's happening?'
The nosy mare's question was barely perceptible over the thumping of horse hooves. Daine groaned. Even the amusingly brash animal sounded anxious. It didn't bode well for them that no one was exactly exuding confidence. As they'd hurried to saddle mounts for the brief ride south, Azassandra had done her best to assure the Tortallans that everything would be fine, but the white lines of stress about her mouth had done little to sway anyone's doubts. The princess' stallion, Isis, was galloping close enough for Daine to see that the other girl looked even more uptight than she felt. Isis was also taking advantage of their proximity to give an indignant Zebara the occasional nip.
Numair, Alanna, Onua, Jardan and thirty mounted warriors were dispersed along the wide merchant road around her, trying to maintain an orderly pace while the horses seemed determined to flee. Thayet had stayed behind with Zek and a bespelled mirror, and was attempting to make contact with King Jon in Tortall. The gods above knew what was going on back there, Daine mused irritably. At some point in the future, she was going to insist on taking leave of her duties. For at least a week. Or perhaps a month.
It was never going to happen, but it was fair nice to think about.
King Benjamin and Sir Aimon, the recently titled Champion, had last been seen striding purposefully toward the military barracks. Queen Lijana, at her husband's request, was searching for her absent son. Despite his wife's protests, the king seemed resolute that Braydon was somehow involved with Sir Renwald. Daine wondered if he knew something that they did not.
'Well?' Zebara prodded impatiently.
'We're going to the peasant markets to warn the people that there might be danger. That's all. It's probably nothing.'
'Your flanks twitch when you lie.'
Well, if there was ever a habit she was going to break!
Pointedly refusing to respond to that comment, Daine turned her attention back to the road. It was dusty and travel-worn, apparently a popular route for trade. At various intervals, they passed family groups resting on embankments of dry yellow grass and tried not to shower the unfortunate folk with dirt.
Before long, she heard the familiar sounds of a market fete - breathy young laughter, the wheedling calls of peddlers and nimble fingers dancing on lute strings. It was such a...a human sight, she thought, as the company brought their stamping, snuffling animals to a halt. And so utterly incongruous with the situation at hand. There were dark-haired, bright-eyed people absolutely everywhere, white teeth flashing in leathered faces as they enjoyed the revels.
A coarse-featured lady knight turned in her perch to look at the Tortallans. "It would be best if we dismount, I think. We want to cause as little panic as possible. The peasants in this part of Raillenden are not hostile toward the Crown; they shouldn't give you much trouble. Separate and approach people, explain that there is a danger of a siege at the palace, and direct people toward the southern keeps." She pointed toward a road spindling into the mountains. "In that direction. Troops have already been allocated to assist there. We've undergone this procedure before, when the nearby island clusters decide to become aggressive. Everyone understands the importance of these precautions."
That said, she swung herself elegantly to the ground and led her horse into the crowd, clearly expecting them to follow suit. Daine looked at Numair, and smiled suddenly. The mage had not hesitated to grasp the opportunity of dismounting. He was already back on his feet and grabbing for Bandit's leading rope. Shrugging, she slid easily from Zebara's back, looking into the throngs of market-folk once more. It was only then that she became aware that the music and laughter had stopped. Within moments of their arrival, the atmosphere had taken on the gloom of the palace. They were like a traveling pack of doom-prophets, she frowned. The previously merry peasants had moved into scattered huddles and were watching them somberly, clearly wary. As well they might be, she conceded ruefully, having half of the king's armed Second Battalion disrupt their festivities.
"Magelet?"
Turning, she found Numair hovering behind her. He quirked a dark brow in enquiry.
"Are you coming?" He looked at her closer. "Are you all right, sweet? I know things seem bad right now, but..."
But they could, and most likely would, get a lot worse.
Shoving her worries back, Daine forced a tight smile to her face. "I'm fine, Numair. Let's go. We don't know how much time we have."
Urging a reluctant Zebara on, she strode forward at Numair's side. A little ahead of them, Alanna and Onua had stopped to speak with a group of peddlers, their faces intent. The Lioness gestured toward the southern mountains and nodded gratefully when the men began to hurriedly assemble their carts.
An adolescent boy pulled away from his father and ran up to Numair, expression fearful.
"Please, sire, can you tell us what's goin' on?"
The mage bent to reassure him, before stepping to speak with his father. Daine shot an assessing gaze about the busy plain. Word was spreading quickly. The scene was one of escalating motion as parents gathered their children and merchants collected their goods. Raillenden guards had stepped in to help carry belongings...and babies, she noticed with faint surprise.
The undercurrent of urgency was barely disguised.
Scooting around an abandoned fruit stall, she dodged dripping melon juice and headed for a young family clustered about a wagon.
"Do you need any help?" she asked politely, already reaching for a bundle of not-so-fresh fish.
The mother straightened and beamed at her. Around Onua's age, she was barely drooping under the weight of the two...three babes slung around her neck and back in muslin pouches. A sobbing child clung to her legs, while another of his siblings slept on obliviously in the wagon. Daine blinked. Mithros bless, she didn't know how some women coped.
"Oh, thank you! You're a gods-send. Would you mind terribly packing up those silk screens, please? I don't know what I'm going to do with them," she chattered, hands efficiently tying cloth parcels together. "Tomei - my husband - is forever telling me that I wouldn't know a sensible buy if it came up and waved at me, but they were so cheap! I'm Molly, by the way. You must be the new wild mage. How are you getting on with Jardan? He's such a dear boy. Always had a little something for my Bobby. That's Bobby over there, sleeping. Honestly, the child can sleep through anything. Why, once there was a thunderstorm and..."
Taken aback, Daine picked up a screen and tried to make sense of the conversation tumbling from Molly's busy lips. She wasn't sure what surprised her the most: the fact that the woman was acquainted with Jardan, the fact that she was apparently acquainted with her or the unexpectedly educated tones.
"You know Jardan?" she asked, when her companion paused for a much-needed breath.
It didn't seem polite to question a woman on why her voice didn't fit her situation.
"Oh, yes. We're all very fond of him. So kind. I used to work at the palace, you see," she explained. "As a nursemaid. I was very fortunate in my placing there. I'm sure you know how wonderful Her Majesty is. The queen takes very good care of her household. Do you know, she even insists that the domestic staff receive a basic education? It took time away from our duties, of course, but Tomei appreciates it now that I can help with the money." She laughed suddenly. "Of course, my helping with the money usually involves spending it. Anyway, Jardan would often play games with the children. Such a shame what happened to his betrothed. She was a lovely girl."
A muscular man with extraordinary coloured eyes - like sunlit whisky - appeared and walked toward them. Dressed in a loose shirt and trousers, he stepped jauntily, seemingly relaxed about the evacuation. He winked at Molly and grinned at Daine, and she noticed a multitude of twinkling gold earbobs. Reaching down, he swung the crying boy-child into his arms, surprising him out of a wail.
"This is my husband," Molly introduced them. "Tomei, this is the visiting wild mage, Mistress Sarrasri."
Tomei carried his son to the loaded wagon and wrapped him in a blanket. Then he turned around to bob respectfully, cocking a cheerful salute.
Daine couldn't help but smile back at such tenacious merriment. She looked questioningly at Molly.
"You've heard of me then, m'am?"
The other woman tilted her head. "I left the queen's employ when I met Tomei. He travels, you see," she added vaguely. "But I still have my friends there. I'm just an old gossip, I'm afraid!" This confession was uttered with blunt jollity. "I heard that another wild mage had come." Her gaze sharpened suddenly. "This trouble at the palace. Does...does it have something to do with that Sir Renwald, Mistress?"
Daine stared at her in shock. She searched for the right words, not sure how much King Benjamin would appreciate her giving away. Although she wouldn't be precisely astonished if Molly knew more than she did!
"Why...would you think that?" she asked carefully.
Molly looked around a little nervously, as if fearing the man himself was lurking about. "I - I was somewhere I...shouldn't have been once. I overheard a conversation between Sir Renwald and Lady Lucia Marksham. I know I should have told someone but I thought...he's such a powerful man and..."
Daine reached out a reassuring hand to halt her anxious babbling.
"It's all right, Molly. I won't mention your name to anyone, I promise. What was the conversation about?"
"Well, I really only listened when I heard the word 'Renaikev', Mistress. I mean, you don't hear anything about that family anymore, you see. So naturally I was interested. Then Lady Lucia - so pretty, that one - told Sir Renwald that he would be found out and that he had to stop. It sounded suspicious, if you see what I mean."
"Did you hear anything else?" Daine asked, brows knit.
Was the beautiful healer involved too? It certainly sounded like it.
"Nothing relevant, Mistress Sarrasri. I'm sorry."
She shook her head. "No, don't be sorry, Molly. And please, call me Daine." Awkwardly, she tried to ask the question niggling at her mind. "D'you think that Sir Renwald and Lady Lucia are...involved?"
Molly stared at her blankly for a moment, before breaking into spontaneous laughter.
Daine stopped, perplexed.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh! It's just...I don't know what view you have of us here in the Isles, Daine, but even we draw the line at that kind of companionship!"
"What do you mean?"
"Well...you do know that Sir Renwald and Lady Lucia are brother and sister?"
At Daine's expression, the amusement in Molly's face died.
"I heard them talking about their father. I thought it was common knowledge... Certainly in the servants' halls..."
"I don't know." Daine thought back quickly. No, she was sure no one had ever implied anything of the sort. "No, I don't think it is."
"Molly?"
They both looked up to see Tomei standing patiently by the hitched wagon. Behind him, a stout ox shifted placidly.
"We should go, love."
Only a few peasant families remained in the plains, dotted about in straggling groups. Daine could see the backs of carts and wagons disappearing into the mountains. Hopefully to reach safety. These people with their friendly smiles and craftsfolk hands would be as out of place on a battlefield as the king's knights were at a fete.
Molly looked at her kin and hesitated.
Daine spoke up at once, not wanting the woman to risk harm because of her. "'Tis best to get your family to the keeps as quickly as you can. I just hope that it proves to be unnecessary."
Tomei reached out to help his nodding wife into the wagon. She settled herself fussily and turned back once more.
"I hope I was of some help."
"You were. Thank you for telling me."
As the wagon rattled out of a rut, Daine found herself caught by an intense whisky gaze.
"Be careful, Mistress Sarrasri," Tomei said quietly. "The danger has been a long time coming, I think."
And with those ominous words the couple departed, their babies sniffling and Molly waving.
Voices mumbled incoherently nearby but Daine was oblivious. She chewed on her lip - a gesture that Numair frequently pointed out - and tried to reason things through in her mind.
When a large hand touched her shoulder, she jumped and whirled to face the dark figure.
"Sorry, sweet," Numair apologized quickly, trailing caressing fingers down the neckline of her shirt before letting his arm drop. "I didn't mean to frighten you. The knights are preparing to head back to the palace and...what's happened?" he asked sharply, peering into her expressive face. He grasped her upper arms in a gentle hold.
Eyes shadowed and for once difficult for the mage to read, she told him what Molly had said, omitting the woman's name as pledged, even to the lover she trusted implicitly. A promise was a promise.
Numair frowned, lightly stroking her back. They'd moved unconsciously into each other arms as she explained, the closeness so natural that neither of them was aware of their embrace.
"So Lucia is a Renaikev also," he murmured slowly.
"It would seem so," Daine agreed. She rolled her eyes. "It's getting to be a regular family gathering around here."
"I honestly didn't foresee that," Numair stated, seemingly astounded by the fact.
Daine poked him in the ribs and laughed. She couldn't help it.
"What?" he asked defensively.
"Nothing. It's just not often that I get to inform you of something, that's all, Master Mage," she teased.
He scowled at her in mock-annoyance.
"I'll have you know, my beautiful former student, that..."
What he'd have his beautiful former student know, she never found out. Alanna, already mounted on her white gelding, chose that moment to interrupt.
"If you two are quite finished swooning over each other in the middle of an open field," she began, and Numair glared at her.
"We're not swoon..."
He stopped and flushed suddenly, and Daine realised that she was close enough to feel warm breath brushing her cheek.
Becoming aware of many amused faces, they fell apart, exchanging regretful looks.
"As I was saying," Alanna countered, eyes sparkling amethyst, "We're about to depart. Many of the troops have in fact already departed. You two are the only people still on foot. I thought it best to intervene before you completely forgot yourselves and shocked my poor horse."
"Alanna!" Daine's cheeks grew hot with embarrassment.
A reluctant smile tugged at Numair's mouth.
"I didn't realise that you'd become our moral guardian," he said pointedly to Alanna.
She grinned cheekily back, clicked her tongue and compelled a disdainful Abacus forward.
Daine reached for Zebara and prepared to launch herself up. Numair grasped her hand and she stopped, surprised.
"Numair? What is it?"
He looked down into her quizzical, upturned face but didn't say anything for a moment. She waited, curious, knowing that he was wise to the need for haste.
When he finally spoke, it only heightened her confusion.
"You know that I love you."
His deep voice was serious and intent.
She looked down at his long brown fingers, wrapped so firmly about her own.
"I know," she said, frowning up into steady dark eyes. "I know that, Numair."
He let out a deep breath and smiled, not very convincingly. Raising her smaller fingers to his lips, he pressed a warm kiss to her knuckles. They stood stock-still, hand-in-hand, until Azassandra startled them both by galloping within inches of their feet.
"Have you seen Jardan?" she asked, looking troubled.
Daine shook her head. "He might have left with the Battalion."
"He didn't," Numair denied. "They took his horse with them but I saw him take hawk-form a while ago."
Both girls paled.
"You don't think he's gone after Sir Renwald alone, do you?" Azassandra asked no one in particular.
"He flew in the direction of the palace. Perhaps he just wanted faster passage back," the mage suggested.
"Perhaps," she replied doubtfully. "But knowing Jardan, I somehow doubt it." The princess pinched her nose in her father's familiar gesture. "I'm sure he's trailing that bastard. He's been living for this for four years."
Tension descended upon the trio as Daine and Numair mounted a gossiping Zebara and Bandit. They rode back to the palace in silent convoy.
"Honestly, father, I'm hurt. I really am."
The sneering voice reached Daine's ears as she followed Alanna into the Royal Hall. It had taken them a good quarter hour to push their way through the throng of soldiers in the courtyard outside. She couldn't believe how many regiments had been assembled in such a short time.
Perhaps there was hope yet.
In the midst of gathered nobles and knights, Prince Braydon had made his reappearance. A red-faced King Benjamin emanated fury before him.
"You knew Renwald Verran's true identity. Correct?"
"Possibly," Braydon conceded with a sly stretching smile.
Daine was put forcibly in mind of a snake.
"Braydon!" Azassandra exclaimed, face flushed and clothes wrinkled as she pulled free of the chattering masses. "Where have you been?"
"Probably sniffing about garbage middens with the rest of his kind," the king snapped, no love lost between father and son.
Yes, there were definitely rat-like tendencies there too.
"Why would you do this?" Queen Lijana asked, standing up from her throne. Braydon's mother looked devastated. "Why would you collude against us? You're not going to tell me that you're kin to him. I can testify to that, at least!"
The prince sneered and remained stubbornly silent. The king threw up his hands in disgust.
A flustered steel-haired commander shoved his way into the room, almost falling before his ruler.
"Sire," he gasped. "Lady Lucia has been located."
Braydon looked over at him sharply. Daine shared a speaking glance with Numair. They would have to tell the royals what they'd discovered. Azassandra, upon being informed of the familial relationship a few minutes earlier, had been shocked. As Daine had suspected, it was not common knowledge. At least not beyond the servants' quarters.
"Then have her brought here at once," King Benjamin ordered impatiently. "If she's been keeping company with Verran, she may be involved."
"I'm afraid I can't do that, sire," the man refuted grimly. "She's currently on route to the mausoleum. She's dead, milord."
The breath caught in Daine's throat and she heard Azassandra's soft gasp.
But it was Braydon's reaction that really drew attention.
Porcelain-white, the ostracized young heir reared back.
"No!" he said blankly, looking - for just a moment - like a lost child. Then anger suffused his expression. He strode forward and grabbed the older man by his shirt. "You're lying."
"Braydon!" his father roared. "Let him go at once!"
The shaken knight jerked free of Braydon's brutal grip and straightened his clothes. "She's dead, Your Highness," he told the prince quietly. "I'm sorry if you were close to her but...she's dead."
Glittering eyes darting about the hushed room, Braydon backed up a few steps and shook his head. Then, in an unexpected movement, he pushed the man roughly out of his way and fled the room.
Queen Lijana, despite her husband's fierce commands to the contrary, hurried after him.
Numair moved to help the poor vassal up and Daine cleared her throat.
"How did she die?" she asked carefully.
Jaw tight, the king waited tensely for the answer.
"It was most likely magically-induced," they were told. "There's not a mark on her."
When Daine fell momentarily silent, Numair glanced at her before matter-of-factly informing the others of Lucia's connection with Renwald.
"Siblings," King Benjamin repeated, amazed. "I'd no idea."
"No," Daine murmured, just loud enough for her love's ears. "Neither did Numair astonishingly."
He pinched her playfully, and surreptitiously, on the waist.
Thayet found them in the crowd then.
"There you are," she said soberly. "How did it go at the market?"
"Everyone safe, we hope," Numair answered. "Did you manage to contact Jon?"
The queen nodded, mouth softening for a moment. "Yes. He was rather...insistent that we all return at once." She put her shoulders back. "I told him that was impossible, that we have duties here."
"And did he accept that?" Daine was doubtful, thinking of their king's notorious stubborn streak.
"Eventually," said Thayet dryly. "He sends his greetings. And his knights. A Tortallan fleet is on its way."
"Hopefully it won't be needed," Alanna muttered.
And hopefully it would get there in time. The words popped uninvited into Daine's mind.
"If not, then we'll have a heavy escort home," Thayet nodded. "Which can't be a bad thing."
The king came to join them, Sir Aimon at his side. Both men were rigid with strain.
"Your majesty," Alanna bowed shortly. "Have the Riders arrived yet? I see a number of troops have answered the summons."
When King Benjamin eventually answered, it was in flat, stricken tones. "The Riders have been located. Or their remains have. Thousands of men and women torn to pieces on the eastern peninsula."
Nausea kicked in Daine's belly and her hand rose to her mouth. Gods...
"Blazewings?" Numair asked tersely.
Sir Aimon nodded, his grief tightly roped back. "Looks like it. It would have taken a massive army to defeat the Riders and we've had no reports of invasion. No human would kill in such a way, at any rate."
Daine squeezed Numair's hand tight enough to contract the bones but he didn't pull away.
"How many available troops do you have?" Alanna watched the Sailan leaders with serious eyes.
The king sighed. "Hundreds, possibly thousands. But without the Riders and the Guard..."
"We may be able to get the Guard back," Numair stated. "If they're under mind-control, that is something we can fight."
"And if they've turned traitor, that's yet another card against us."
A sudden commotion had them all turning toward the large double doors. A bloody, bedraggled and barely clothed figure stumbled into the room and fell to his knees. Azassandra was the first to recognise him. She ran forward in horror.
"Jardan! Mithros, what happened to you?"
Daine joined her at his side, scanning the wild mage's face. He was blanched and sweat-streaked, chest heaving with deep breaths.
"Didn't get very far," he panted. "Ran into a pack of Blazewings. Maybe six. Seven. I don't know. I was going to question the birds, see if they've seen anything, but they've all taken flight. Every animal in the vicinity is heading for the hills. Now I know why." He looked up at the king. "Verran is on his way here with an army of rebel soldiers," he paused for air, "And Blazewings."
"Seven?" King Benjamin asked, crouching by Jardan to examine his injuries.
"No."
Something in his voice, weak though it was, commanded the attention of the room.
"That was just a scout pack, sent ahead. There's more."
"How many?" Daine asked, dreading the answer.
"Thousands."