Chapter 31
Forestalled
Alas ! Alas ! wretched man that I am! Why did my mother give me birth? Why did my father beget me to be exposed to so many sufferings?
-Konrad IV, King of the Romans
It was a while since Kiormund dreamed of the Moss, of how cool and refreshing the water was in summer, of how fun skipping stones across the river with Graha was, of how pristine the streams were when they were not littered with the corpses of fleeing hordesbeasts.
But that was behind him now, since the day he had left the shores of Mossflower to return to the land where he was born and raised. Or rather, most of that.
"It isn't that hard, right?" asked Veil, sitting cross-legged on a large rock to Kiormund's right. "It's just water."
"It's slippery!" exclaime Kiormund as the wet sphere spun. The otter's eyes never left the ball of water cupped gently within his paws, taking extra care not to burst it with his claws.
"Don't worry," said Kiordan, juggling four balls with ease. "It'll come to you with practice. You seem to be handling this much better than dealing with winds."
"Surely it isn't that hard?" asked Veil, stretching his arms. "It's just water, and it isn't even real!"
"Not real, you say?" Kiordan's spheres suspended themselves in the air before they were launched across the air with a flick of a claw. Veil gasped right before all four hit him in the chest, sending him plunging into the Moss.
The ferret resurfaced soon, suddenly appearing on the grass that covered the banks. "Fine, I get your point."
"As long as it feels real…" muttered Kiormund, cupping the bottom of the ball with his paws and watching its motion stagnate to a halt.
"Very well done, Kio!" The emperor clapped his paws. "I see that you're improving – your mother's going to be somewhat impressed. Oh, and she's going to be joining us in a moment."
The aqueous orb slipped through Kiormund's paws. "She's here?"
"Almost. Hirsent finally got her to pay you a bit of attention, which is something you need, right?"
Kiormund turned back to his grandfather and shrugged, pulling his legs away from the water and onto the grass. "I suppose. I don't know."
The older otter scooted forward to sit next to his grandson. "When I was your age I indulged in everybeast's praises and rewards, but then, I already had a crown or two back then. Besides, I'm certainly old enough to know that everybeast is different and wants different things! The seasons have taught me well."
"Were you prepared for your duties? At all?"
"Hm… that's a hard question to answer. I had regents, of course, and they started fighting with each other. If it weren't for Birnardu of Lecannu I would have been dead before I was even as old as you are now. Then again, would it be so bad compared to being old?"
Kiormund shook his head. "Being dead certainly sounds less appealing."
"I'd agree," said Veil, rinsing his footpaws in the river. "Though I must say I haven't tried being old yet."
"Not recommended," chuckled Kiordan. "Your bones and muscles creak badly, you never manage to sleep well, and you don't even get ottermaids throwing themselves at you."
Kiormund's cheeks burned as he awkwardly stared at his grandfather, earning a wink and a giggle from the emperor.
"Oh right, you're too young to want that. Mentally, at least – that's what I get for placing you with a abbeyfull of monks."
"They aren't actually celibate, Grandfather."
"They aren't?" Kiordan rubbed his paws. "Huh, maybe it isn't such a boring place after all… but I digress. Fathering the next generation is one of the more important things to do for a ruler, and I expect that sort of thing to preoccupy your life for the next few seasons."
"Don't you get to choose for me? Or Mother?"
Kiordan reached his paw through a Pathway, chuckling as it manifested in front of his grandson's head and tweaked his snout. "We trust you with a lordship, we can trust you with a maid as well. Just… please don't let your father forge your path."
"You don't trust him?"
The older otter scoffed. "The three of us have been together for two weeks, and the quarrels between him and his brother are as predictable as the tides… but the fact that Sigrid Rainpeer will be back is still spurring him onward. I shall put it mildly, and say you're not famed for being his favourite child."
"That is not surprising," said Kiormund, watching coldly as his grandfather's paw retreated back to where it had been. "I am acutely aware."
"It doesn't help that most ottermaids are not eligible," muttered Kiordan, shuffling closer to Kiormund on the grass.
"Why?" asked Veil. "I don't think they're going to have a problem with how Kio looks. They're not me, after all."
Kiormund dipped his head down, looking into the water below and peering into his green eyes, dull from sleep and magical exertion. "Because they're too related to me."
Veil's brows furrowed almost immediately. "Oh."
"Very nice, you've been paying attention to our discussions. If push comes to shove we can pull out a female from another species I guess. A half-marriage, as Birnardu put it. Enough to create a political bond and render you no longer eligible I suppose. The lynxes of Laskarine have a few husbandless she-cats, but they're a head taller than you and two more than I do–"
"Could I make my own decision when I have time to think about it?" asked Kiormund. "You were raised by rats, so you can do things their way, but…"
"Very much an otter. I understand." The old otter stretched out his paws as he picked himself up. "I know it isn't your strong suit, but I'd appreciate it if you can make a decision on your own. Provided you tell me and your mother beforepaw, that is."
The astrolabe fell into Kiordan's paws once more. "But now, you should rest. We will have much to discuss tomorrow."
With a snap of his claws, the emperor vanished, and an instant later Kiormund and Veil had faded into thin air as well.
Waking up from the realm of slumber had always been something Kiormund struggled with. His grandmother had told him that the minds of princes are hampered by an excess of time spent below blankets, and the young otter had to agree even if his half-brother Corrado was the sort of otter to be dragged into his bed.
It took the otter a few long moments to find his footpaws on floorboards and trek towards the wardrobe. Kiormund no longer had completely clean clothes – the rapid journey and lack of rest made sure that dirtied cloth could not be washed and dried, but what he had left should suffice.
Both dark brown and cream-shaded fur were soon covered by a blue tunic, while a doublet followed for the upper body and a pair of long trousers for the lower. While he was putting on his jacket, the door suddenly swung open and Egil entered the room, accompanied by a gust of cold air. "Kio, your mother's here."
"Already?" stammered the otter. "But– but I thought she was still inside the city! Why would she… of course."
"Can't wait to see you, I bet." muttered Egil, dusting off his boots.
"What were you doing so early in the morning?"
"I went for a little walk, and I saw a few things, like your uncle hitting one of the Aventofts."
"Lamont wouldn't do that!"
"Well, that's what I saw. He drove his fist into the squirrel's stomach!"
"We shouldn't tell anybeast else."
Egil nodded. "A private affair, clearly. Anyway, my father's here too, which might make things a bit awkward, but you should know that I do not envy your situation. Not in the slightest."
"Mother can be a bit hard to manage," said Kiormund, nodding.
Egil swiftly followed suit. "All parents are the same."
Once Kiormund had finished his preparations he decided not to delay any more. Instead, he gently opened the door and climbed down the staircase. As expected, Lady Lorelei Skyward was there waiting for him. The princess bore no crown nor luxurious robes, but her brown eyes brimmed with spirit few had in the mornings. Her stare followed Kiormund until he was directly in front of her, and despite him being the beast looking down into her eyes, both otters knew who was the senior between them.
"Mother," mumbled Kiormund, dipping his head down in a small bow.
"I trust you've been well, hm?" asked Lorelei. "You've been out of my sight for so long…" She patted her son's stomach. "And evidently you've been fed well by both Redwall and Floret alike."
Kiormund's cheeks burned as his head dropped even lower. "I can adopt a more temperate diet if you wish me to do so."
"I think it's too late for that, pup." Lorelei shook her head, gesturing Kiormund out with a flick of her paw. "The Komessoi are already here with their candidates, Helskerland remains lordless, and your efforts should be focused on refining your Thaumaturgy instead of matters of flesh."
"I understand, Mother. It's just… things have been hard on me."
To his surprise Lorelei nodded once, then twice. "You have been travelling too far, and too fast. You need rest, and time spent with beasts who care for you genuinely."
"That rules you out then," chuckled Veil, though his laughter was cut short when the Shade realised Lorelei was staring straight at him.
"Do curb your friend's proclivities, pup. Nothing good comes out of this backtalk. In the meantime… you are to stay with us until we leave for Wossaham."
"What about Helskerland?"
"What, do you want it?" snapped Lorelei.
"It's my duty, and-"
"I know that. Don't think I don't. But do you truly desire the office and all that comes with it?"
Kiormund hesitated for a few long moments before shaking his head.
"Good. I'll get somebeast I trust to manage the lordship. Remember Ignazia? She'll handle things as well as anybeast can, while you learn from across the Strait."
"Will Father approve?"
"He does not have to know, and neither does your grandfather. You are my child first and foremost and your happiness matters more to me than all other beasts."
Kiormund found his paw supporting himself on a table. "Do you have plans for me too?"
"I do not deny that I do," replied Lorelei. "It's in our blood."
The younger otter found himself meekly nodding. "You should still tell them about it."
"I will in time. Meanwhile, I have another thing to ask of you."
Kiormund's whiskers bristled. "What would that be?"
"Come here and give your mother a hug, Kio."
The pair of otters lurched forward and embraced each other. Kiormund squinted as his mother's paws swept across his back, and his discomfort only magnified as one of them moved across his rudder. But eventually he let go, and so did she.
"Seasons, you've grown. Good – I doubt your father's beasts would follow somebeast as short as your grandfather."
"I still haven't learned how to fight well, though."
"You'll have beasts to prepare you for everything, so don't fret. I already had the rat sail over from Wossaham to help you deal with the major challenges of rule. Once you get to Revesvakt, watch her carefully and try doing as she advises."
Kiormund gave a brisk nod. "I won't disappoint you, Mother."
Lorelei shrugged. "You will. You always do. But you can afford to do so since your focus is on your subjects. Do not let them down."
"What should I do, then?" asked Kiormund as he rubbed his claws nervously. "Is there something, anything to help me keep the ship of state afloat? Is there a guideline, a principle, a light in the far distance for me to strive towards?"
Lorelei's brows furrowed as her head cocked up, while she spent a few moments coming up with an answer. In the end all she did was shake her head. "No."
"There – there isn't a correct way to rule?"
"Not at all. All one can do is to manage all the problems sent your way."
Kiormund's head hung limply as his mother spun around and made for the doorway. "You should prepare for the city next, I have to talk to your father about your situation."
"Can I be with you?"
"Hm?"
Kiormund stood up straight, clasping his paws together. "Because I have a feeling this is going to be about me."
Lorelei sighed. "You would be correct. Follow me."
When they found Erlend he was not in the greatest of moods.
The grey-furred otter's scowl was evident the moment he saw both mother and son. He had apparently endured a discussion, and, being lost in thought, was running his claws through his whiskers. His grey travelling clothes had been abandoned in favour of armour, his surcoat bearing a black wolf on a white field, roaring and ready to strike.
"You just had to tear me from Sigurd, did you?" asked the otterlord, crossing his arms as he deposited himself into a chair. "The pup's been waiting for me for months."
"Everyone in this room knows he's your favourite son, Erlend." Lorelei took the other chair, shooting the standing Kiormund a look. "But you too forced him into a marriage with a random ottermaid he did not know well. For seasons' sake, you could have allowed him to sneak behind our backs and tie the knot with somebeast who he yearns for! It isn't like you don't have any experience in this matter."
Kiormund's eyes drifted from one parent to the other as silence reigned over the trio, until it was broken by a cough from Erlend. "What do you two want from me now?"
"A reprieve," said Lorelei, pointing at her son. "Look at him – he doesn't look ready. Not at all."
"I was still in my mother's womb when I became Lord of Kaldos, Lorelei," The oldest otter dipped his head downwards. "But I grew into the role, and I have no doubt our child can rise to similar heights."
Lorelei rolled her eyes. "Yes, but for the first decade and a half of your life you needed somebeast else to help you govern. And I don't think you're mentally ready for the duty, right?"
Another sharp glare from his mother drew forth a nod from Kiormund. "I… I don't know how well I can do. Or how poorly, for that matter."
"You two do not have to worry. You've met Bragi, correct?"
Lorelei nodded. "He's far too like you to provide Kio with proper confidence… and unlike you, those two do not share blood."
"Then perhaps drastic measures should be taken. Once the business in Gystra is settled I shall go to Helskerland with him, and catch up on everything Lord Holmger has neglected, while you watch from the sidelines."
"If you say so," said Lorelei, rubbing her whiskers. "But you cannot forget that Kio is my son as well as yours."
Erlend nodded. "Perhaps even more so."
Kiormund turned his head from Erlend, then onto Lorelei, then back to Erlend again. Was this how they spent the last few seasons? Bickering about me… without me?
"What do you think you want, pup?" barked Erlend, snapping Kiormund away from his thoughts. "Do you desire what we are going to give you? Or are you to scurry off to wherever you fancy once more?"
The younger otter shut his eyes before they snapped open. "I will do my duty as an otterlord."
"A vague answer," replied Erlend. "One I had expected from a beast with your name." He got up from his chair. "Redwall must have been a great place for you to have grown up in. Tranquil, joy-filled, safe. When I placed you there three seasons ago, I must admit that I thought you might have been a threat to Sigurd… but you weren't. You were – you are an otter with all the goodwill our kind can dispense, but only through actual governance can we see your naivete removed from you like guts from a fish."
Wincing at the bloody imagery Kiormund nodded rapidly.
"Good. I'm sure everybeast on the island will look forward to your rule."
"What about Eucheria?" asked Lorelei.
On hearing the name Erlend's face brightened up. "When Bragi tried probing about that city's defences, the last Dux had sent me a present. A chest full of gold coins, with the blazing sun of the city surrounded by the names of long-dead Briscan rulers. A badly needed subsidy for the defences on the Glorr." He walked over to Kiormund and ruffled his headfur with a firm paw, rough even. "Keep up the pressure. Raise your forces and have them cross the Helsk, maybe take your due from a few farms. The city could be taken, of course, but you need to have them know that they still have hope." The lord of Kaldos chuckled. "Hope that does not come for free!"
Kiormund's rudder shook. "So I'll have to fight?"
"Of course. You are an otter of noble blood, after all. Did Redwall train you up?"
"I haven't been any good at it."
"I thought not. They're defenceless without their walls and heaven-sent swordbearers. The former can teach you nothing, the latter does not exist outside their walls."
"And Bragi will teach me what to do as well?"
"I assume your mother plans for one of the vermin she grew up with to teach you how to behave at court, but their histories speak for themselves – war is best mastered by woodlanders." The tall otter turned to his wife. "Who would that beast be?"
"You've met Ignazia before."
"Ah yes, her." Erlend rubbed the side of his head. "Make sure her tongue doesn't bother you too much. You are of the blood of wolves and it is you who shall rule."
"Could I ask you a question, Father?"
Erlend nodded while Lorelei watched coldly from her seat.
"I don't understand the wolf's blood metaphor. I never did."
"There is a reason why both of us bear their sigils. You haven't forgotten, have you?"
Kiormund shook his head. One or three, on a silver or a gold field, standing or springing, wolves festooned upon shields and banners of both sides of the Helsker strait.
"Good. It's a Travrikan legend, so I'd have to say that I don't know all of it."
Lorelei took to her footpaws as well. "Maybe you could ask the wolf in the city once we get there? I imagine we are still on good terms since we met yesterday evening."
Erlend's face lit up. "There's a wolf in Gystra?"
"Big triangular ears, hopelessly tall stature, and huge mouth and fangs?" Lorelei chuckled. "I can't imagine this Sarno could be anything else."
"Interesting…" Stretching himself, the grey otter yawned. "Have you packed up, pup?"
"Almost."
"You'd best start now." Erlend's tired green eyes stared at the windows. "I need not the strongest foresight to see the Steward planning something dramatic for his darling city. Get going… but there's one more thing."
"What would that be?"
"Shed some weight, will you? You're not an abbeybeast any longer."
Turning around, Kiormund walked up the staircase, stopping long enough to see his father's disapproving look before breaking into a sprint. He was neither aware of himself reacting to Veil's worried look, or flinging the door open, or of Egil's surprised gasp. By the time the young otter had control over all his senses he had already collapsed into his bed, clutching the chest that protected his hammering heart, as he began to truly worry over things to come.
A/N: Good evening, it's your author speaking to you, considering that Kio is a little preoccupied. Isn't that right? Oh, sorry, couldn't hear clearly - there must be some creature screaming into a pillow. Now, moving on...
Writing these three coming together was something I had always wanted to do, to make the plot kick into high gear... or just higher gear. The plot is still meandering, I must admit, but things are coming together as we enter Gystra. Lorelei and Erlend are yet to win the Best Parent Award, but hey, at least they finally acknowledged his existence. Yay.
At least we still have grandpa Kiordan to contend with, as well as Veil the ferret. These two are some of my favourite characters to write, but I suppose their time together wouldn't really last long... so enjoy it while it lasts!
Finally, I'll be headed back to the UK very soon, where I shall be haunted by visions of examinations. I appreciate you reading through this chapter, and you shall have more of my thanks if you send me a review!
