Chapter 6

'Do you think we've lost her,' Mai glanced towards Kashmana as they came to a breathless stop.

'I hope so,' he quickly composed himself, 'only I'd hate to have to attack an innocent child. Even if that child's Onchasen is trying to kill us.'

'Because you'd hate to think of someone attacking your own children?'

'My children are far from innocent from the moment they are born Mai,' he shook his head, 'for them to be attacked at birth would be an honour. But just because MacTay themselves have no innocence, doesn't mean we like to see it become lost in others.'

For a few moments Mai was silent. Then she smiled strangely at him, almost forgetting their danger for a moment.

'You're not a bit like Kisara painted you to be.'

'Actually I'm every inch of what Kisara painted to me, I'm just more than that too. People forget we're not actually Wen, but Fay playing the part of Wen. We have to be, it's the only way to defend ourselves against that damn Ni.'

'You must find it so unfair when people only focus on all the negative,' she shot him a sympathetic look.

'Unfair,' he laughed, 'hardly. I deserve every inch of what I get and then some.'

'You can't truly believe that.'

'Why not?'

'Because you… you're not completely… I mean…'

'You have no idea about MacTays, do you,' he interrupted her. 'You don't know what we're like or what we're capable of. All you're seeing is what I'm presenting you with; therefore your senses are telling you to believe what you're seeing as truth. But the best lies are those that don't appear to be lies at all, you should know that much surely.'

'I do,' she pulled a face, 'but that doesn't mean I can believe you're such a terrible person.'

'Then you need to be told about some of the things I've done.'

'No,' Mai shook her head, 'because that would just be you trying to make yourself out to be something you might not be.'

'Or it could be me trying to make myself out to be something I know I am.'

'I can't believe that.'

'Why not?'

'Because…'

'Because?'

'You're too nice Kashmana.'

At that Kashmana gave a heavy sigh and shifted his gaze away from her. For a long time neither one of them said or did anything. Then Kashmana leant back against the wall of the small cave they were in and sighed again.

'Do you know why we MacTay have the Golden Feather as our coat of arms?'

'It's because Fray is your grandfather, right?'

'Right, the Golden Feather represents Life and Air respectively. Unfortunately more people, including members of my own clan, are ignorant of that fact or at least choose to forget about it.'

'What about your mother.'

'What about her?'

'Well… where did she come from?'

'My mother…' he frowned in thought for a long while, then sighed. 'I don't even think my mother knows where she comes from. My father and uncle just found her own one day, that's all anyone really knows. People say it was meeting her which broke the bond my grandfather had with his sons; that he called her a whore and told them gods should not be with whores, but that's just not true. After all our clan was given the MacTay system to rule over as a wedding gift from grandfather. It was why my father named his first son Fray, to honour him. And things were good between them and grandfather for a long time. Right up until just after I was born, when Ni… when Ni made sure my mother could never have any more children.'

'Why… what happened?'

'My grandfather begged his sons not to retaliate. He told them starting a war with Ni was what he wanted and it would just cause them no end of trouble. In a lot of ways he was right… our reputation… everything we are is because of the decision my father and uncle made that day. People say Fray's sons betrayed him, but that's not true; he betrayed them when he refused to punish his brother for his crimes. That's what caused the rift between them. But of course everyone wants to blame my mother, the whore, because in their eyes she is not a true god, but my grandfather is.'

'Without lifting a figure you've managed to stop an attack,' the Teen suddenly materialised in the room, 'you truly are a God.'

'What are you talking about,' False advanced on him menacingly.

'Calm down False,' Ni lifted a hand to silence him, 'it would appear my friend here is delivering good news for once.'

'More than that,' the Teen smirked, 'so much more than that. It seems you may not have to marry the little Vii Sen after all. I mean, all you really need is to get those greedy Veronsen-Vii back on side; the others seem more or less complacent now.'

'And how would you know?'

'I've been monitoring things.'

'You must run one tight network of spies.'

'Who said I had spies; can't I have other means of monitoring things?'

'Like…?'

'I don't know, maybe things like that device I gave you earlier.'

'You have my palace bugged,' Ni leapt angrily to his feet. 'How dare you; give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you on the spot?'

'Because I wasn't the one who planted to bugs,' the Teen remained calm. 'I didn't even know they were there till I accidentally picked up the transmission from one.'

Ni gritted his teeth in an agitated manner. It was clear he didn't fully believe the Teen wasn't responsible for the plants. Although False had the feeling his father was more concerned over thoughts of who else it could have been.

'Now, now your highness,' the Teen mocked, 'there's really no need to be suspicious of me. After all, if I were the one to have planted the devices, do you really think I would admit to them being there?'

'You seem stupid enough,' Ni's voice was tight.

'Haven't I proven to you yet that I'm far from stupid?'

'No, only that you can't be trusted.'

'I suppose that may well be true.'

'If you didn't plant the devices, then who did,' False asked the question he knew his father was dying to.

'I don't know,' the Teen shrugged, 'but there's definitely a God Signal to them.'

'Well that narrows it down,' False frowned, 'the only ones who use God Signal devices are the MacTays and the Guronha.'

'Or anyone who's stolen from either clan and wanting to frame them,' the Teen's tone was sly.

'Like you, you mean?'

'Perhaps.'

'The MacTay would have more reason to spy on me than the Guronha,' Ni grunted, 'after all, they hate me more than anyone.'

'Really,' False rolled his eyes, 'I would never have guessed.'

In reply Ni shot him a sour look, but said nothing.

'I wouldn't rule out the Guronha if I were you though,' Helen spoke for the first time since the Teen had arrived, 'they may not have anything against you directly, but they could be working with the rebels or the restless for that matter.'

'You're right,' Ni shot her a strange smile, 'and this is exactly why you're going to make me the perfect Queen.'

'Because I'm smart or because I appear to have your best interests at heart?'

'Both.'