Griffin's Destiny (9 page)

Walking had become an exercise in sheer willpower; his feet felt like iron weights were attached to his ankles. He had to consciously order his legs to swing forward and his knees to lock so he wouldn’t fall. Gendan’s voice faded to a soft buzz, like a distant swarm of bees heard on a hot, summer day. He had to keep focused on walking—
swing the leg, lock the knee, shift forward, don’t fall, do it again…

He became aware he now walked amidst a crowd of excited castle folk. Gendan tried his best to keep them from overwhelming their young lord, but they kept breaking past to touch Ashinji with eager hands. He tried to acknowledge their heartfelt joy at his return, but every nod of his head, every lift of a hand, was a monumental struggle.

Gendan escorted him to the Sakehera family’s private bath house and sent in a servant to assist him. After helping to scrub away weeks of road grime, the manservant stationed himself in a corner on a stool, keeping watch while his young lord soaked and drowsed in the heated water.

Ashinji did not realize he had fallen asleep until the servant woke him, then helped him get from the bath house to his own bed. His last thoughts before falling away into slumber were of Jelena and the first night they had spent together in this very bed. He imagined he could still smell her scent lingering on the pillows.

When next Ashinji opened his eyes, the golden glow of the late afternoon sun had set the shutters of his windows ablaze. He rose only long enough to use the chamber pot, then returned to bed where he promptly fell back to sleep and straight into a dream.

Jelena stood atop the broad staircase before the main entrance of Sendai Castle, her infant daughter cradled in her arms, eyes narrowed against the bright glare of the morning sun. Below, spread in neat ranks across the parade ground, the Prince’s Guard waited—at ease, yet attentive. The sounds of muted conversation, jangling harness and blowing horses filled the air.

Jelena waited as well, for her uncle and for Mai. Last evening, over an intimate supper in her private apartments, Jelena had accepted Mai’s offer of marriage; much to her surprise, he had insisted they wait until he returned from the war.

“You’ve suffered the loss of one husband already. I won’t make you a widow twice,” he offered in explanation. Reluctantly, she had agreed with his reasoning. Though neither one wished to dwell on it, they held no illusions. That night, they clung to each other, unable to sleep, afraid this would be their final time together as lovers.

The clatter of arms and armor drew Jelena back to the present. She turned to see her uncle, accompanied by his two sons and his aides, sweep out of the shadowy interior of the main atrium onto the steps beside her. Prince Raidan looked resplendent in his exquisite blue-lacquered armor, his dark, shining hair adorned with a simple gold coronet.

“Good morning, Niece.” His handsome face was set in hard lines and sharp angles. Beads of perspiration dotted his brow.

“Greetings, Uncle,” Jelena replied, then nodded to her cousins. Contrary to his usual sullen demeanor, Raidu wore a look of feral anticipation.

Perhaps the prospect of bloodshed excites my cousin
, Jelena thought.

His brother Kaisik, however, looked like a rabbit caught in a snare—terrified but resigned. Jelena’s heart ached for her sensitive younger cousin.

“Is Mai with you, Uncle?” Jelena strained to see over the heads of the soldiers clustered around the prince. Hatora stirred and began to whimper.

She’s hungry.
Jelena bounced the baby to distract her.

“I’m here, Jelena,” Mai answered, emerging from behind the knot of the prince’s aides. He moved to stand beside her, reached down to tickle the baby, and received a drooling smile for his efforts.

Raidan’s eyes flicked from Jelena’s face to Mai’s and back. “I’ve promoted Mai Nohe to my personal staff,” the prince announced. “He’ll take his orders directly from me now. I hope this pleases you, Niece.”

Jelena’s face lit up with surprise and delight. “Yes! Oh, yes, Uncle, it does, very much!” She and Mai exchanged ecstatic glances. Jelena realized her uncle had done this thing as a favor to her; still, Mai’s promotion meant much more than just an increase in pay and responsibilities. It meant the prince considered Swordmaster Kurume Nohe’s son a worthy consort for his niece.

Raidan took Jelena’s elbow and steered her away from Mai and the others. “Jelena, I’ve just come from the king’s quarters. Your father is no better, but he’s no worse, either, which is cause for cautious optimism. I’ve left detailed instructions with my chief medical assistant as to how the king is to be cared for. I’ve given Sonoe instructions as well.”

“Sonoe has been wonderful, Uncle. She’s barely left Father’s side. I’ve practically had to force her to come away long enough to bathe and eat,” Jelena said, then added, “Sonoe really loves Father, Uncle. I can see it in her eyes whenever she looks at him. It’s…well, it’s unfair that she’s denied marriage to Father simply because she’s a commoner.”

“It may be unfair, but it’s the way things are,” Raidan replied. “Listen to me carefully now, Jelena.” Jelena took a deep breath and fixed her eyes on her uncle’s face. As if sensing her mother needed to concentrate, Hatora stopped fidgeting and tucked one tiny fist into her mouth.

“I am entrusting you with the defense of Sendai,” Raidan continued. “I can see I don’t need to tell you how vital your task will be. You must stand in for both myself and, more importantly, for the king.”

Jelena nodded. “I’ll not fail you, or my father,” she said.

“The survival of the elves as a people, as a nation, has never before been so precarious.” Raidan paused, then laid a hand on her shoulder. “Jelena, I know something of what the Kirians have planned for you, and until recently, I didn’t much care. You know now that I do. While I can’t tell you exactly what will happen, I do know it will be extraordinarily dangerous.”

Jelena swallowed hard and clenched her hands a little tighter within the folds of Hatora’s blanket. “I know the Sundering will be dangerous, Uncle, but it’s necessary. The Key must be removed from me and placed within an inanimate object the Kirians can safeguard. Otherwise…”

“Otherwise, the Nameless One will use his growing power to tear the Key from Jelena’s body—destroying her in the process—and use it to complete what he began a thousand years ago,” Taya said.

At the sound of her voice, Raidan looked up and a tiny smile creased the corners of his mouth. “Ah, my wife has arrived, at last,” he murmured. The princess approached with measured stride, dressed in lightweight silk the color of the sea at dusk. A red sash, symbol of her rank as a First Mage of the Kan Onji, bound her slender waist.

Raidan held out his hand and Taya clasped it firmly. She fastened her cool gaze upon Jelena. “Your niece knows her duty, Husband,” the princess said. “You needn’t worry. The Kirians will see to it that the Sundering goes as planned.”

“I’m not afraid, Uncle,” Jelena lied. “Both Sonoe and Aunt Taya have helped me prepare. I’m ready.” She knew Raidan could see right through her brave façade by the way his eyes narrowed.

“What about my mages, Wife?” the prince asked, veering away from the subject of the Sundering.

“There are five Firsts and nine Seconds of the Kan Onji waiting at the outer city gates,” Taya reported, “as well as an additional twenty or so mages from the other orders. Every order sent at least one representative. You should have more than enough magical strength.”

“If only I had another troop division,” the prince muttered, then added quickly, “but the mages will improve our chances, no doubt.” He squinted at the sky. “It’s time we were on our way. Even though the Soldarans don’t seem in much of a hurry, they can still beat us to Tono if we don’t move fast.” He looked to his aides and called out, “Get to your mounts and bring mine!”

The knot of people gathered on the steps dissolved as the prince’s aides hurried off. Raidu and Kaisik remained behind, as did Mai. The way in which Raidu stood between his father and brother reminded Jelena of Sadaiyo. Ashinji’s brother, too, had often used his body thus, as not only a physical barrier, but a psychological one as well, cutting his sibling off from their father’s attention.

“Kaisik,” Jelena called out. At the sound of his name, Kaisik jumped as if stung, and turned to look at her. “When you come home, I’ll teach you how to play Hounds and Hares,” she said. She had promised to instruct her young cousin in the popular Soldaran board game months ago, but had never been able to find the time.
Now
, she thought with a twinge of guilt,
I may never get the chance
.

Kaisik smiled. “I’ll look forward to it, Cousin,” he replied. Raidu snorted, but said nothing. Jelena frowned and a sharp comment formed on the tip of her tongue, but reluctantly, she swallowed it.

This is no time for harsh words.

A groom arrived with Raidan’s horse. The prince gestured to his sons. “You two, go mount up.”

Jelena laid a hand on Kaisik’s arm as he turned to go. “I’ll see you soon, Cousin,” she said.

Kaisik’s haunted eyes belied his brave reply. “No doubt I’ll have all sorts of exciting tales to tell you,” he said. “Take care of yourself, and Hatora, too, Jelena.”

Blinking back tears, Jelena turned to Mai and whispered, “I’m really afraid for him. He’s not a soldier, Mai. He’s just a scared young boy! My uncle should let him stay here in Sendai.”

“He’s a prince of Alasiri, Jelena,” Mai replied, stroking her hair. “He is where he’s supposed to be, doing what he’s meant to do, which is riding to the defense of his people.” He slipped his arms around her and the baby and pulled them close. “I’ll keep as close a watch on him as I can,” he promised, “but I’m certain Prince Raidan already has at least one minder assigned to the boy. He’ll not let anything happen to his son.”

Jelena twisted in Mai’s arms to look at her uncle, who stood close to his wife, speaking to her in a voice too low to overhear.

It’s as if no one else exists in the world besides themselves, and nothing else matters except what they need to say to each other at this moment…I had that kind of love, once.

Jelena’s brief surge of envy dissolved into guilt and she drew in a sharp breath.

“What is it, love?” Mai asked. Jelena shook her head, then reached up to clasp Mai’s chin in her hand, drawing his face to hers. She kissed him hard, savoring his unique taste and smell. She wanted to implant his essence deep within her memory, so she would not forget him if the unthinkable happened.

When at last their lips parted, Mai whispered, “I love you, Jelena.” He kissed Hatora’s forehead and added, “Both of you.”

“I know,” she replied. “Come home to us.”

Jelena watched as Mai collected his horse from a waiting groom and swung aboard the silver gelding with easy grace. It took every bit of strength she had not to fall apart, for was it not on these very steps that she had stood and watched Ashinji ride away, never to return?

“You’re thinking of him, aren’t you?”

Jelena turned to find Sonoe standing at her elbow. “Sonoe, is something wrong, has my father…”

“Keizo sleeps. There’s been no change. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you, pet.” Jelena breathed a sigh of relief, then refocused her attention on Mai as he prepared to ride out.

Sonoe reached out and squeezed Jelena’s shoulder. “You needn’t feel guilty for thinking of Ashinji, especially now.”

“But I do, Sonoe. My thoughts should be only for Mai. He’s the living man, the one I’ve pledged to marry!” Jelena’s voice broke in a sob. “I couldn’t even tell him I loved him, not even now, when he’s riding to war and I might never see him again.” She held up her bare wrist. “I finally took my wedding bracelet off last night, and it felt like I’d betrayed Ashi. Mai loves me so much, and I know it would have meant the world to him to hear me say those words, but I just couldn’t, Sonoe. I couldn’t.” Jelena wept openly now and the baby began to wail in response.

“Hush, sweetheart,
shhhh
,” Sonoe murmured, slipping her arms around Jelena. “Mai knows how you feel, and he accepts it. Don’t torture yourself over this. Everything will be as it should, I promise.” Something in the other woman’s tone made Jelena turn to scrutinize her friend. Sonoe’s face looked paler than usual and dark shadows smudged the skin beneath her jade-green eyes.

“You’re exhausted, Sonoe,” Jelena whispered, wiping her face on a corner of Hatora’s blanket, then sobbed, “Oh, Hattie baby…please don’t cry!” She rocked the squalling infant in an effort to soothe her.

“Here, let me take her,” Sonoe offered, holding out her arms. Jelena relinquished the baby to the red-haired mage, who gathered her close, then placed the tip of a forefinger to the infant’s wrinkled brow and spoke a single word. Almost at once, Hatora’s tiny face relaxed and her squalls subsided.

“You’re going to have to teach me that one,” Jelena said, shaking her head in disbelief.

“Of course, pet,” Sonoe replied, smiling.

Raidan and his entourage were at last ready to ride out. Taya stood at her husband’s left stirrup, holding his dragon-crested war helm in her hands. The Prince’s Guard, waiting at ease while Raidan and his staff made their preparations, now snapped to attention. As soon as Raidan gave the order, they would all leave the castle and ride through the city to join the main bulk of the army, which lay encamped outside the city gates under the command of Lord Sen.