“Until recently, I wasn’t calm enough to meditate. I haven’t been that calm in years. Until I met Kenric, I had forgotten what calm even felt like. I was twenty when I was conscripted and twenty-three when they tossed us into the war. We fought nearly every night, and the war ended less than a year ago.”
Inaba nods and places his hand on my head. “There is more to you than is readily apparent, I think. Let me look.”
It is a feeling like someone rapidly flipping through the pages of a book, scanning all those memories. Things I hadn’t thought about in ages come back as he rifles through my memories. He skips through most of the content until he gets to the training center. It’s hard to contain all the shifting emotions. My knees are starting to buckle beneath the onslaught. I see Kenric start forward, but I wave him back.
His flipping dies down and finally stops with Kenric carrying me out of the tavern. When Inaba speaks, his voice is soft. “You fought for a very long time. I saw your oath to those girls, and your duels were all because of that oath. If you fought that many nights, you are not human, yet you have honor. What are you?”
I nod. “I am Fey. I do not know if you have a word for what I am.”
Inaba nods and pulls the others into a conference.
There is quite a heated discussion before Inaba turns back to me. “Your king is a spiteful, hateful man. Kenric’s king is a lecherous oaf. If you ever want to serve a better one, come and find us. You would be valued, respected, and revered, much like your own people revere you. We are divided in our thoughts. Usually, it is fairly easy for us to reach a consensus and then take action. In your case, our path is not clear. Some think that perhaps we are meant to stay here and serve you. Some think that we are meant to leave here and take you and Kenric with us. Some think that we are meant to learn from you and then return home.”
Laughing, I nod. “Sorting this mess out is no easy task. I am torn in my own thoughts. Kenric’s king has already sealed his own doom by attempting to attack my king. I will be surprised if there are two stones still stacked atop each other when Ellisar finishes with this place, and Oskar, Kenric’s king, will definitely not live to see that day. I begged Kenric, once I figured out what his king was planning, to turn around and go back to the port.
That, unfortunately, isn’t possible without causing problems for both Kenric and me, which could lead to us fleeing from both armies. It seems we must go to the capital and have this second wedding, no matter what else we do. Leaving with you afterward is an intriguing option, and I will need to discuss it with Kenric. We probably won’t be able to leave court immediately, so maybe it’s best if we follow behind you once we’re released.
Crossing his arms, Inaba looks at me for a long moment before he nods. "We could disguise both of you and leave this place. If we dressed both of you as one of us, would anyone think to question it? I doubt they would notice so carefully as to realize there were two more leaving. No one would know where you went. If we pose as your honor guard, they would assume we are returning to Ellisar, wouldn't they?"
I have to admit, it’s not a bad plan, and it would definitely change the course of that final battle if Kenric were to be long gone from this place. Perhaps this is how I free him from it? It’s something to think about, at the very least. I’m also curious to see what kingdom created these warriors, since they tell me there are many more like them. I nod, but before I can reply, someone is yelling for the Sergeant. I quickly dismiss my armor, weapons, and the bubble.
I gesture to the Sergeant. "I think they’re calling for you. It seems it’s nearly time for us to move out. We must make arrangements for the new guards."
Inaba climbs into the carriage, much to Kenric’s frustration, followed by Miyabe. The rest either climb atop the carriage or sit with the driver, much to the driver’s consternation. Kenric assures him that we have been looking for these men, and now that we’ve found them, they will accompany us.
Kenric helps me adjust the frilly dress as I retake my seat before joining me in the carriage. Miyabe begins peppering Inaba with what are clearly questions until Inaba gestures for silence. Speaking in Kenric’s language, Inaba asks if Kenric considers himself my husband. Frowning, Kenric nods. “We have already been married once, by her people. A second wedding is required here for it to be legally valid. I won’t let any of the other lords try to claim her on some technicality. Víl? is my wife in every way,” he says.
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Inaba repeats this to Miyabe, who shrugs and asks something else. Inaba laughs before translating. “He wants to know if you have any sisters and if they’re like you.”
I shake my head. “No sisters. However, I might be able to introduce you to some women from my war band. You might find them just as interesting.”
Miyabe smiles and salutes me when Inaba translates this. Shaking his head, Kenric asks if I’m still collecting admirers. I nod, much to Inaba’s amusement.
Kenric explains to Inaba, “She has many admirers at her court. When we sailed back, the crew didn’t want her to get off. They wanted to keep her so she could sing to the leviathans. Duke Jellema, the duke in Varpua, wanted to keep her and send her back to help negotiate another trade deal with her king for a whole new set of items, most of which she suggested. My Sergeant at Arms, who has been with me since I was a boy, has offered to adopt her if I die. Now it seems Miyabe also has an interest in my wife. I think I’ll need to improve my swordsmanship if I want to keep her.”
Inaba translates, and Miyabe grins at Kenric, flashing some quick hand gestures. I recognize these gestures as another form of trade language. Kenric looks confused by them, so I start translating. “He says that he likes you and he will help train you. I warn you that they don’t seem to come with a training mode. They practice like they fight, so if you do this, make sure that I’m nearby so that I can heal you.”
Kenric makes a dismissive gesture. “You’re half their size and you held your own against Hagiwara.”
I translate this for Miyabe, who laughs uproariously at it and begins signing back to me. “He says that he will take your measure in the ring. Hagiwara would have taken your head. He promises to be gentle with you because you are my husband.”
I have a better idea,”
I sign to Miyabe. “Let me get him in a ring first. Unlike all of you, I am used to training others. He doesn’t know it yet, but he’s not my equal with a sword. He's only ever seen me fight without one. We were attacked by bandits earlier, and I had to make most of them forget the fight.”
Miyabe signs back, asking how I fight without a sword. “Brute strength, claws, and teeth. Snapping necks, snapping spines, ripping out throats, disemboweling them.”
Miyabe blanches slightly, then grins and signs back. “Maybe it’s a good thing you don’t have a sister after all.”
I chuckle and sign to him. “I am Fey. We are predators in a place where even the plants might eat you. If you ever visit my home, be very careful outside the cities. There are many dangers present that are not immediately obvious to the untrained eye. Even many small, harmless-looking things can kill. There are tiny Fey, no bigger than my hand, even with their wings, but they are quite poisonous if they bite you.”
Miyabe shakes his head and signs back. “What is Fey?”
I try again. “Not human. Something else. Something older.”
He signs back with something I don’t recognize. “I don’t know what kami is.”
Miyabe signs, “Nature gods. We worship them.”
I shake my head. “We never pretend to be gods. No sane person would worship us.”
Miyabe laughs at this and repeats our conversation to Inaba.
Inaba laughs and tries to explain. “Nature gods aren’t quite right, but it’s as close as I think this language gets to what a kami really is. It is a thing of spirit that may be the spirit of a place, a river or lake, a tree, a phenomenon like a storm, a crop, or even a disease. Many of us do worship them. We make offerings and pray to them for help and guidance, or protection. I agree that you are not a god. I have seen you bleed in your memories.”
I shrug and shake my head. “I’ve never fought a god. I don’t know if they bleed or not. I know that many of the things we fought didn’t bleed and they were not gods, either.”
Inaba nods. “I saw that too, in your memories. You have lived in darkness too long. It is good that Kenric brings you into the light. I think you will find peace in the light. Once you are married again and these obligations of yours are fulfilled, you should come with us when we leave this place.”
I’m not sure if their king is far enough away to keep Ellisar from finding me. I suspect that Ellisar has spies there as well. Kenric looks at me, curiously, so I explain Inaba’s offer to leave both of our kings behind and travel to their court to seek favor.
Kenric shakes his head. “We can’t leave the court here until King Oskar releases us. He’ll release me before he’ll release you, but I refuse to leave without you. If I leave without you, I might as well put you on a silver tray and serve you up to Oskar. I won’t do that. I’d kill Oskar and every lord in this kingdom to make myself king before I let that happen. Duke Jellema thinks it may be quite a few months before Oskar is willing to release both of us. It’s going to be very hard on the Sergeant to travel back and forth while we wait to be released. I need to plan the fields and the crops for the coming year.”
I have an idea. “Let’s find a younger son and train him to manage the estate.”
Kenric rejects my suggestion. “Most of the younger sons are either sent to the military or to one of the temples. Managing the estate is typically left to the oldest son since he’ll inherit it.”
I frown, thinking. “You’ll need someone who can handle small matters on their own authority. Someone who fills the same role as Ellisar’s steward should have filled. Namely, taking care of little things before they turn into big problems.”
Kenric nods in agreement. “I see the need for it, but I have no idea where to find such a person.”
I shrug. “Perhaps among the merchant families then. You’ll need someone to be your agent. I don’t like dumping all of that on the Sergeant. He has enough to do, training all your men, men you’re going to need. Please don’t ask me since I can’t answer. You’ll thank me later.”
Kenric swallows hard and nods.
- What do you think happens next? Who’s walking away—and who’s not?
- If you could write the next line, what would it be?