CHAPTER
34
THEY GATHERED IN THE
GARDEN AFTER HIS FATHER was laid to rest.
Not deep within the
garden. Heath knew that Liam was camped there, and if Marcus was to
join them, or if Anna saw some of the ‘goings-on,’ as she put it,
it would disrupt the gathering.
No, there was a small
area by the kitchen gardens that would serve. Heath had benches
brought out, and his mother spread a blanket for the children and
arranged for food and drink. The public mourning was over; their
private grief would take much longer to deal with.
Marcus helped settle
Lara on the bench. Keir had Xykayla in his arms, Amyu was carrying
Xykeirson. Heath was amused at the number of things that seemed to
accompany babies—blankets, cloths, baskets, and the like. “Like
provisioning an army,” he muttered.
Atira smiled at him,
then winced as the scab on her lip stretched. The bruises on her
shoulder and face were still ugly and mottled. Her arm was slung
tight to her body, but the willowbark tea seemed to help, even if
she screwed up her face before each cup.
Heath looked back
toward the kitchens. There were a few guards there, lounging about
the rear door. There were more within calling distance, not to
mention Liam’s warriors. He was probably being a little too
careful, but better too much than not enough.
“Kavage?” Marcus
asked. The man had taken off his hooded cloak, here under the
trees. Heath took the offered mug.
The sparring circle
was also well within view. Rafe and Prest were sparring with Ander
and Yveni, keeping a discreet watch.
Heath relaxed
slightly.
Lara took Keirson
from Amyu, smiling as she looked at her sleeping son. “He is so
tiny,” she marveled. “So precious.”
“They are perfect,”
Anna declared. Meara was at her feet, pulling on her skirts,
babbling something around the fingers she had stuffed in her mouth.
Anna reached into one of the baskets and offered her a hard
biscuit. Meara grabbed it with her sticky hand and tried to shove
the whole thing in her mouth.
Aurora laughed.
“Silly baby,” she scolded. “Not all at once.”
Meara looked at her
with big eyes and then held the damp biscuit out to her. Aurora
leaned over, pretending to eat it. “Num, num, num.”
Meara chortled and
crammed the biscuit back in her mouth, making the same kind of
noise.
“All they seem to do
so far is eat and sleep,” Heath pointed out.
He was treated to an
exasperated look from all the adults. “They are babies,” Keir said.
“It will be some time before they do much else.”
“How do you know?”
Heath asked, staring at the big, dangerous warrior cradling a baby
with complete ease.
“We are of the
Plains,” Marcus said. “We were raised in thea camps, which are
thick with babies. We learn to care for them even before we learn
to wield our wooden blades.”
“They don’t break,”
Lara said with a soft smile. “Would you like to hold—”
“No,” Heath said
firmly. He stood, just to make sure that a babe was not thrust into
his arms. The tiny things made him nervous. Besides, there were
other things to speak of. Heath opened his mouth before he lost his
resolve. “I heard Lord Reddin asked for a Council
meeting.”
A shadow fell over
Lara’s face. “Yes,” she sighed. “I put him off for a day or two.
The Council will press me to choose—” She cut off her own words as
Liam appeared at the edge of the blanket.
Marcus froze, then
started for the kitchen.
“Don’t.” Liam’s voice
was strangled. “You need to hear what I have to say.”
Marcus didn’t
acknowledge him, but he stopped, still facing the
kitchen.
“Warprize, Warlord.”
Liam inclined his head, speaking in the language of the Plains.
“Allow me to offer you congratulations on the birth. Twins are a
blessing from the earth itself. The tribe has grown. The tribe has
flourished.”
“Thank you,” Keir
said. “Would you sit with us for a while?”
“No,” Liam said,
eyeing the back of Marcus’s head. “I would not interrupt. Let me
say what I must, then I will return to my tents.”
“As you will,” Keir
replied.
“Warren and I have
talked,” Liam said. “He is very pleased that my warriors have
secured the border between Xy and the Plains. He can use his men to
deal with the bandits that have come down from the mountains to
plunder.”
“We talked to him
last night,” Lara said. “He told us that, as well.”
“I think it best that
I return to the border to be with my warriors,” Liam said. “There
are ruins there, atop a cliffside. It offers a wide view of the
foothills and the Plains beyond.”
Lara looked over at
Keir, her face lit up with a smile. “I remember,” she
said.
Keir returned the
look, his love in his eyes.
Heath looked
away.
“So I will go,” Liam
said. “It is clear that there is nothing for me here.” The pain in
his voice was so stark, so naked that everyone stilled. Even Aurora
looked up at the sound. Liam continued. “If Simus sends word of the
results of the spring trials, or about the lights in the sky, I
will send the messenger on to you.”
“I hope he does.”
Keir frowned. “I would give much to know what has happened
from—”
“I am trying to
protect you,” Marcus said, his voice a low growl.
Heath caught his
breath. Marcus hadn’t turned, hadn’t yet acknowledged—
“I never wanted
protection,” Liam spat. “All I wanted was you. But you reject me.
Reject our bond—”
“The elements did
that, not I.” Marcus didn’t turn, but his voice was strained and
tight. “I don’t want you to suffer.”
“Suffer what?” Liam
lashed out. “A loss of status? So instead, you cut out my heart and
leave me?”
Anna was sitting
openmouthed, staring at the two men, her eyes wide.
“I am no longer of
the tribe, no longer a warrior, no longer a person by our ways and
our laws.” Marcus’s gruff voice held a pleading tone. “There is no
bond. It melted—”
“That is so much ehat
dung smeared in the grass,” Liam snarled. “Our love could not be
extinguished by damage or injury. Only by your fear.”
Marcus jerked around,
and for a moment Heath thought for sure he’d attack the tall
warlord.
“You are a stubborn
old badger,” Liam spat. “Dug into your hole so deep, your teeth
bared for a fight.”
Marcus turned on his
heel and headed for the kitchens, his hands clenched into
fists.
“This is not over,”
Liam called after him, trembling with rage. He took a breath, then
inclined his head to Lara. “Forgive the intrusion, Warprize. I
meant no offense.”
“None taken.” Lara
looked after Marcus. “I don’t know—”
“I will never give
up,” Liam said fiercely. He drew in a slow breath, then nodded to
Keir. “My men and I will depart tomorrow, Warlord. We will speak
again before I depart.”
Keir returned the
nod.
Liam spun on his heel
and faced Atira. “Warrior, if you wish to return to the Plains, it
would please me to have you in my service.” He stalked off, fury
radiating from his tight shoulders and clenched fists.
“My, these Plains
warriors take their tactics seriously, don’t they?” Anna
asked.
ATIRA ADMIRED THE WAY
THE WARPRIZE DEFTLY danced around Anna’s question. Xyians had funny
notions about sharing, and it didn’t seem the time or place to try
to explain it to Heath’s mother.
Thankfully, little
Meara started to fuss, and Anna swept her up in her arms. “Time for
a nap, little one.” Anna heaved a sigh. “Maybe for both of us,
eh?”
Aurora picked up the
blanket and the ball and trotted off after Anna. “I can guard you
while you sleep,” Aurora offered.
“That would be
lovely, dear,” Anna said absently. “Lara, those babes will need
nursing soon.”
Atira watched as two
of the guards casually stood as Anna approached and offered to take
the babe for her. Anna accepted the offer with a
smile.
Heath had watched as
well, but now his attention returned to Lara and Keir. Lara had
leaned up against Keir’s shoulder. “Marcus just wants to protect
Liam, doesn’t he?”
Keir brushed
Xykayla’s cheek with his finger. “We all wish to protect our loved
ones from pain.”
“But part of loving
is sharing,” Lara responded. “Sharing hopes and fears, pain and
loss, bodies and minds. Why else love?”
Keir kissed her
forehead. “We’ll work on him,” he promised.
Atira snorted to
herself. Might as well try to get an ehat to fly. But she lifted
her head and watched the leaves dance in the sunlight as she
considered Lara’s words.
HEATH DREW A DEEP
BREATH AND RAN HIS HANDS through his hair. “Lara, we were
discussing—”
“The Council,” Lara
said. “They will want me to choose—”
“Father’s successor,”
Heath finished for her.
“Lara will need to
choose new members for the Council as well,” Keir said. “Not to
mention those vying to be in the expeditions to open the trade
routes.”
Lara tilted her head
and gave Heath a concerned look. “We have lost his wisdom and his
experience just when we need them the most. And there is no one
that I can think of that can replace him, other than you. He
trained you, Heath, whether you realize it or not, and I need those
skills.”
“I know,” Heath
said.
Lara glanced at
Atira. “If you could serve for a year, even a few months, it would
let me establish—”
Heath smiled
ruefully. “It will take longer than a few months, little bird.” He
drew a deep breath. “I accept, Your Majesty.”
Startled, Atira
looked up at him. Heath gave her a quick glance, then forced
himself to look at Lara. “I will serve for as long as you and Keir
need me.”
“Heath, I—” Lara
sighed. “Thank you. I need you more than you know.”
Heath stood up. “One
of the first things I need to see to is the security. I’ll appoint
Detros Captain of the Castle Guard.”
“A good choice,” Keir
said. “He knows his men, and the castle.” Keir frowned. “Although
the man might need to spar a bit more often.”
“I’ll see to it,”
Heath said. “Now.”
With that, he forced
his feet to move. He’d find Detros, promote the old man, and then
see to his father’s desk. There was work to be done. And maybe,
just maybe, he’d lose himself in it so deep and so far that he’d
forget the pain in his heart.
“Heath?” Atira
called.
Heath stopped, then
turned to look at her.
She was looking at
him, puzzled, as if she didn’t understand what he’d done. “We’ll
talk later,” he croaked out. “I need to go take care of this.” He
took a few steps back. “Please continue to use my room until you
depart with Liam,” he said, the words strangling him even as he
spoke. Then, coward that he was, he turned on his heel and headed
for the kitchens.
ATIRA’S HEART
CLUTCHED IN HER CHEST AS SHE watched Heath leave. He’d been so
abrupt, so . . . distant. She looked over at Lara. “Did I say I was
leaving?” she asked.
Keirson started to
fuss. Lara cooed at him before answering Atira. “I think you and he
have much to discuss,” Lara said softly. She carefully stood, then
smiled at the bundle in her arms. “I’d rather nurse in our
chambers. A nap sounds like an excellent idea for
afterwards.”
“Kayla still sleeps,”
Keir said. “I’ll be up shortly.”
Atira was still
gathering her wits as Lara and Amyu gathered up Keirson and the
various baskets and started to slowly walk to the kitchens. Did
Heath really mean to leave her? Or did he want her to
go?
“If you wish,” Keir
said, focusing on Atira, “I will release you to serve with Liam. I
would regret the loss, for you have proved your worth as a warrior
many times over. But Liam is a good man and powerful
Warlord.”
Atira stared at him.
“You will have to return to the Plains eventually to reclaim your
status as Warlord.” She didn’t mention other rumors she’d heard, of
his more ambitious plans.
But to her surprise,
Keir agreed. “Lara knows that I cannot be Warking without being
Warlord. This season, Simus will strive to seek that status, and
Joden may become a Singer. But next year . . .” He looked down at
the babe in his arms. “There will be separations.”
“Why did you bond
with Lara?” Atira blurted out.