4

 

Rejection

 

Elcon swept into his outer chamber, unsurprised to find Benisch admitting him. Without greeting his steward, he continued into his inner chamber, where he cast off his robes. Anders emerged from his own chamber and gathered Elcon’s discarded garments from the chair where he’d flung them. At the tinkle of bells, the servant lifted his head and widened his eyes. Elcon paused while removing the circlet of Rivenn, but then set the circlet on a side table for Craelin to return to the strongroom. He didn’t have to look to know Benisch had followed him into his inner chamber. He kept his voice quiet. “What do you want with me here?”

“I came to see if there is anything I can do for you.” Benisch spoke after a small pause.

Elcon shook his head and faced Benisch, who hesitated near the door. “Anders sees to my needs. It’s not your place.”

Benisch recoiled as if wounded. “I thought only to see to your comfort, Lof Shraen.”

“There’s no need, as you can see. I’m well-tended. Now, if there’s nothing else…” He suspended his sentence, hoping Benisch would take the hint.

“Wait!” Benisch pressed forward into the chamber.

Elcon raised his eyebrows.

“I wonder…I wonder if I might have a word with you, Lof Shraen, in private?”

Elcon sighed. He needed to take Benisch to task but weariness dogged him now. “Very well, come into the outer chamber and you may speak that which weights your mind.” He slipped through the door behind Benisch, seated himself on a bench angled before the hearth, and then sent his steward what he hoped was a quelling look. “If you are long-winded, I do not promise to attend.”

Benisch, when he had arranged himself on the bench opposite Elcon’s, tilted his head to one side. “Have you decided what you will do with the Elder boy?”

“I don’t know at this point.”

Benisch sent him a sage look out of watery gray eyes. “Tongues wag in Torindan—throughout Faeraven, for that matter. I deal with the merchants who travel between the ravens. I hear things.”

Elcon eyed him, repelled by his gossip but drawn to make the inquiry that Benisch must await. “What do you hear?”

“There are those who question your authority to sit upon the throne of Rivenn and to wield the scepter of Faeraven. They say you are too young to carry such authority. Freaer and the three shraens who support his claim will vie again for the alliance of Faeraven. There are those who say he takes his cause to the Elder nation. And now some of those who supported you at the siege of Torindan watch and wait.” Benisch drew close, and his breath rasped near Elcon’s ear. “Don’t misstep regarding the Elder youth.”

Elcon backed away and looked into Benisch’s face, which had settled into lines of asperity. “What would you have me do? From what you say, if I do nothing I may lose supporters. But, if I charge him with treachery, I risk turning the Elder nation against me.”

“I say, banish him. Take him into the mountains and leave him there.”

Elcon pushed a hand through his hair. “I’ll consider your words, Benisch, although I don’t well regard them.”

“Consider your own position, and you will make the right choice.”

“That’s enough.” Elcon abandoned any attempt at politeness. “Leave me.”

Benisch’s face settled into cordiality. “Good night, Lof Shraen.” He bowed. The outer chamber door thumped behind him with force.

“Latch the door behind him, Anders.”

 

****

 

Arillia won this time, but only just. Elcon found her waiting at the edge of the kaba trees that stretched from Rivenn through Westerland and Darksea to the shining waters of Maer Ibris. They laughed together as Elcon pulled his charger up beside her. “Vixen! You’ve been practicing. I’ll warrant I could leave you behind every time until now.”

The late summer sun, coming bold at this hour, glinted off the gold of Arillia’s hair and backlit her pale skin. Elcon’s laughter died. “You look stunning.”

Her smile gave way to a look of desire. Their eyes locked, and he bent to place a kiss upon her cheek. He meant only to brush her skin with his lips, but she turned her head and their lips met and clung. Elcon drew back, narrowed his eyes against the sun, and took a calming breath. She looked so luminous he wondered if, to enchant him, one of the Fiann had changed places with the Arillia he knew.

She fixed her pale gray eyes upon him. “Do you remember, Elcon, how in our early days we promised to marry one another?”

He tilted his head and looked at her, trying to connect a memory to her statement, but his mind went blank. “Yes?”

Her smile faltered. “Oh, that you would forget your promise to me.” Her voice changed, took on warmth. “I cherished it, you see.”

“Pray remind me.”

“I should let you suffer longer, but I’ll not. We only agreed to wed one another because our parents wished it and to protect ourselves from other suitors.”

“I remember something, now that you mention the matter.”

Her gray eyes took him in. “I think it, now, not so bad an idea.”

“Have you a suitor you despise?”

She chortled. “I didn’t mean it that way.”

“Then you have no other suitor? I shall take comfort in that knowledge, although I can scarce credit it.”

“I want no other suitor, Elcon. You are quite enough.”

He raised an eyebrow to let her know he did not miss her irony and he knew that she gave no direct answer. He turned his black charger upon the trail. Torindan, fortress of Rivenn and high hold of Faeraven, rose pink and graceful in the near distance. They passed through a long meadow painted in shades of gold and green. Birds sang and flitted from bush to bush or winged across the dome of sky. Beyond the meadow, southern mountains thrust up their peaks. Weild Aenor edged the meadow to the north, its sparkling waters foaming as they combed through rocks poking above the surface.

Arillia drew alongside him, demure in her gray riding garb, or, she would have been demure, did not her hair escape the edges of the feathered cap she wore. He preferred her hair unfettered, not braided and coiled as now. He knew a sudden desire to tear the cap from her hair and free it from its constraints, but he did not. Arillia had worked hard to reach adulthood, and he would not take it from her.

His brows drew together. Why had she mentioned their childish promise to marry? Did she view the prospect of marriage to him as a protection against undesirable suitors? Or did she desire him? The thought of a union with Arillia brought a queer feeling to his stomach.

Her gentle voice called him back. “Stop scowling so. What dark thoughts burden you?”

“I’m wondering who your other suitor might be.”

“Perhaps I have none but only wish to make you jealous.”

“Then you may congratulate yourself.”

Her laugh danced in the air. “It seems I won twice this day.”

 

****

 

Blue crobok wings fluttered in the stand of weilos that shimmered down the hill and bent at river’s edge to wash their long tresses. The river sucked and sloshed against its banks and, further from shore, eddied into whirlpools. Kai skimmed a flat pebble across its bright surface. The stone arced once, twice, thrice before sinking.

He sighed and straightened. Although he did not blame Elcon for wanting time alone with Raena Arillia, he thought it a poor choice for the Lof Shraen to go out without a guard. Elcon would no doubt call for him upon his return, but for now Kai was free to climb the earthen path that skirted the hill, a trail no doubt made by deer. The sun beat on him as he emerged from beneath the trees, but he didn’t mind it. Soon enough they would trade summer’s warmth for the cold, overcast days of winter.

A crashing in the brush warned him of the stag before it appeared. As the magnificent beast leaped past him Kai had little time to sidestep. Thwack! The stag arrested midair and crashed to the ground below the path. Kai looked, not toward the slain deer, but uphill, one hand going to the hilt of his blade, the other to the dagger tucked into his belt. His posture relaxed. “Well, then. Good day to you.”

Dorann lowered his bow and gave a nod. “I’m sorry I startled you.”

“You came a bit close with that arrow.”

Dorann slung his bow across his back and half-slid down the hill to draw abreast of Kai. He pulled a hunting knife that gleamed and dove into the brush below the path. “You were safe enough.” Kai followed, coming upon Dorann in time to see him slash the dead beast’s throat. “I suppose I’m used to lesser marksmen—excluding, of course, Aerlic.”

Dorann bent to examine the motionless animal, then stood and gave Kai a grin.

“It’s well I came across you. The Lof Shraen requires at his meeting table this eve all who accompanied Shae.”

Dorann gave him a long look but nodded without speaking. He turned to hoist his kill upon his shoulders. The great head hung backward, its antlers branching down, and swung as Dorann started up the hill, dragging the dead beast behind him.

“Here, let me help you.”

Dorann shook his head. “I’m balanced this way.”

“How is it you still hunt and track while your brother serves as a guardian of Rivenn? Should I speak to Craelin on your behalf?”

“He already asked.” Dorann puffed out the words. “I said no.”

“You said no? Why?”

Dorann paused at the top of the hill. “Each man has his place in this world. Here’s mine.”

 

****

 

“How did you come upon the Elder youth you brought into Torindan?”

Why did Elcon ask the same question twice? Kai, seated beside Craelin, frowned. Had Elcon not heard their answers when he first asked, or did he look for another truth?

Across the Lof Shraen’s meeting table Aerlic, Eathnor, and Dorann quaffed steaming cider after a fine meal. Beside Kai, Guaron kept his own counsel. Farther down the table Benisch still attacked a roasted crobok leg.

Kai tried again. “Emmerich came into Elderland at Gilead Riann in place of Shae.”

Elcon’s green eyes lit. “You saw this?”

“I saw this.”

Dorann cleared his throat. “As did I.”

Elcon said nothing for a time then gave a curt nod. “I believe you.”

Benisch waved the half-eaten crobok leg. “Begging your pardon, but whether or not you saw the Elder come from the gateway matters not. That’s not the question t’ask at all. You want to know just who came through the gateway.” He looked first to Elcon, and then swept a glance to all those seated. “Who is this Elder?”

Kai considered Benisch’s question. How could he say with certainty he knew the answer? And yet he felt he did. Try as he might, he found no words to speak his heart.

Elcon lifted a tankard to his lips, his expression meditative.

Benisch eyed them. “Am I to understand none can answer my question? And yet you brought this Elder, whoever he might be, into Torindan and into the presence of your Lof Shraen.” He shook his head in apparent amazement at such perfidy.

Elcon put his tankard down. “Thank you, Benisch. You’ve clarified matters.”

Benisch sat back with a grunt and gave himself once more to his food. Kai averted his eyes. Although Benisch had excellent manners, he did not like watching him eat. He looked instead at Elcon and wished he could explain that accepting Emmerich as DawnKing required a knowing that started first in the heart.