Kei's Gift (62 page)

Tiko quirked a disbelieving eyebrow at him. “Really? Because I’ve noticed something very odd about you two. When you slept in the wagon with him, you always looked better rested and so did he. It was the same in Ai-Darbin. I’d rather not listen to the pair of you mutter and cry out all night with bad dreams, or have you keep the rest of us up that way. So you’re sharing a tent and that’s it.”

“No, I
can’t
,” Kei said furiously. “It’s not good for me to—”

“To...?”

“To feel good...damn it, it’s like giving spirits to a habitual drunkard!”

Tiko was taken aback. “Being a bit dramatic there, aren’t you? Look, it’s for three weeks. You’re a lot better than you were when I first met you. Can’t you grit your teeth and enjoy yourself for that long, or is punishing yourself how you plan to get over what’s bothering you? “

It sounded stupid even to Kei’s ears. But at the same time, it could set back what he’d achieved thus far by weeks, even longer. Still—he was going to Darshek, so it might not matter. If there was a solution, it would be found there, not in Ai-Albon. “All right,” he said with ill grace. “But I don’t like being pushed around.”

“I’m an army captain, healer, it’s my job to push you around. Come on, man, stop looking so morose! The general could be wearing a cast-iron loincloth for all the threat he poses to you.”

Tiko seemed to think that so long as Arman wasn’t a sexual predator, Kei faced no danger from him. He couldn’t push this point without exposing more of himself than he wanted—and there was the undoubted truth that he and Arman both suffered excoriating nightmares when they slept apart, although Arman still did so occasionally even when Kei was close. Kei could only accept the practicality of the situation, and hope he’d come far enough along his recovery for it not to make too big a difference. There was also the simple fact that sleeping next to one of the soldiers would be uncomfortable, although he’d tried to convince himself he could bear it. A small part of him was relieved that he now wouldn’t have to.

He got Arman settled on the thick padded pallet, and then dragged his own bedroll into the tent. Arman was astonished at his doing so. “Kei?”

“Don’t ask,” Kei growled. “Damn that man.”

Arman was forced to sleep on his back, so he couldn’t move any closer, or even curl around himself for warmth. Kei settled on Arman’s good side, and, giving into the inevitable because they would end up that way later because of the cold, he cuddled close to him. “I’m going to enjoy this and then pay for it later,” he muttered.

“He made you sleep in here? Tiko?” Arman’s hand curled around Kei’s braid the way it always seemed to. “Why?”

“Because he’s a meddling old bastard,” Kei said, hoping it was loud enough for Tiko to hear.

“I’m sorry—should I speak to him, explain?”

“No,” Kei said with a sigh, reaching around to touch Arman’s cheek. “It probably doesn’t matter and we’ll sleep better, it’s true.”

“Well, I apologise in advance for making you feel good,” Arman said solemnly, but Kei could hear the smile in his voice. “But since you’re here, move closer, would you? I’m cold.”

Kei did as he was asked, and once again found himself amazed at the peace lying next to Arman could bring him.
Pijn for my soul
, he thought regretfully, even as the warmth of Arman’s affection washed over him, an irresistibly pleasurable sensation that made him want to live in those arms forever. Which was not and never would be an option for him, so he better damn well not get used to it.

~~~~~~~~

The truly irritating thing about Tiko being right over the sleeping arrangements was enduring his self-satisfied smile the following morning. Of course Kei had slept well, and Arman had rested peacefully too. That wasn’t the issue, Kei thought angrily as he dismantled the tent, Arman watching at the side, seated on his stool.

“Getting upset about this won’t make it better,” Arman said mildly.

“That’s easy for you to say—you’re not the one who’s likely to have to live with this mess for the rest of his life!”

“No, I’m going to have to live with the guilt of having caused it. You’ve been a lot better lately. You handled things in Darbin so well—is it possible you’re getting better anyway?”

“Some things are better,” Kei admitted grudgingly, folding the canvas as Neki had painstakingly instructed him. “But most of it is being with you. As soon as we have to part, it will be no different.”

“I’m sorry,” Arman murmured.

Kei was hurting him with his bad temper, and this wasn’t Arman’s fault. He went to him and laid a hand on his shoulder. “No, I am. It’s been a good break for me, and I’m enjoying this time—I’m being a coward because I know what’s coming and fear it.”

Arman smiled up at him. “There’ll be an answer in Darshek. I feel it in my bones. If the answer turns out to be that you have to keep me in a jar in your house in Albon, then I’ll certainly consider it.”

Kei laughed. Arman could make him laugh so easily sometimes. “You’re loopy.”

“No, just Prijian. We better get moving.”

They had an easy journey to Ai-Tuek, overtaking the slower moving wagons carrying Arman’s soldiers on the second day. A day after that, they arrived in the village just before dusk and were received by the elders. All the facilities Kei had demanded for Arman were freely provided, and no one bothered them in the least for the two nights they spent there. Arman was in good shape—far less tired than three days in the wagons would have made him, and brighter in mood. How much of it was because he was now away from Ai-Darbin, Kei wasn’t sure.

The villagers were content to let Tiko be the one who interacted with them, passing on Kei’s now nearly four-month-old news of their hostages, and deflecting invitations for Kei to join the clan head for a meal. Tiko reported when he dropped over to see how they were both getting on, that there was nearly as much curiosity about Arman’s ‘chariot’ as there was about Arman, and the village wainwright was busily sketching designs and making notes, which amused Arman to hear. He and Kei worked together a little on the medical text but although he was in amazingly good condition for the distance they’d come, he was still tired from the journey, and spent some of the day sleeping with Kei watching over him, glad to see him so much improved.

And then they were off again. Kei spent his days feverishly practicing the exercises he’d been taught, and the nights in Arman’s gentle, unthreatening embrace, letting Arman’s cultured voice shred his fears and exposing them to simple logic. “You’ll be gone at most another six weeks. Considering you could so easily still be back in Utuk, I think they’ll think that’s a price worth paying.”

“You don’t know my sister,” Kei said darkly.

“No, I don’t, but I’d like to. I’ve always wished I’d had one—my mother died giving birth, but I was never told what sex the child would have been.”

“Funny, I always wanted a brother. Pa and Reji made up for a lot, and I had Banji and Misek, but I always wanted to be someone’s older brother. You know, them following me around admiringly, asking for my wisdom.”

He heard Arman chuckle in the darkness. “I did that to Tijus. I think it drove him mad sometimes, but he was very kind to me, considering. I don’t know why I wanted a sister—I suppose it was partly missing my mother.”

Even though he had now lost both his parents, Kei had been far luckier than Arman, raised a lord with all the privileges that meant. He told Arman about Myka, and they talked until Arman fell asleep. Kei wasn’t long in following.

They made good time and arrived in Ai-Albon just as dusk was settling on the fourth day out of Ai-Tuek. As they passed the outlying farms, children ran to spread the news, and not long after that, the signal horn was blown. By the time they reached the village proper, all of his clan were there to meet him, waving, cheering, grinning broadly, a joyful sight and a somewhat overwhelming one for him. He gritted his teeth and pasted on a smile, raising his hand in welcome, and as he did, a slim figure pushed her way out of the crowd and ran to him. He slid out of the saddle and braced himself for an armful of healthy woman to hit him full on. “Kei! Gods, Kei!”

He hugged Myka to him, suddenly overwhelmed by joy at seeing her even though he’d been so apprehensive—this had been his dream for so long, what had sustained him for many weeks in Utuk. “I’m so happy to see you,” he said with total honesty. “I’m so happy you’re safe.”

She looked wonderful, for all she was crying with joy. “Gods, you’re damn thin,” she said, wiping her nose with her hand. “What happened to you?”

“A long story which I’d rather not tell here. Where’s Fedor, and Reji, and Banji—”

“Oh, slow down, I can’t keep up,” she laughed. “Father!” she yelled with a total disregard for formality.

With a big grin on his lined face, Fedor came forward and clasped Kei’s hand. “My son, I’ve dreamed of this day.” He pulled Kei forward into a crushing hug and pounded his back. “We’ve been on edge for days, waiting. Everyone here has been longing for the day when you’d return to us.”

“Kei?”

Kei turned in response to the diffident calling of his name. “Oh, gods, I nearly forgot about you. Father, this is Captain Tiko. Tiko, this is Fedor—my
real
father, so you can give up the job now.”

Tiko grinned and stepped forward to shake Fedor’s hand. “An honour to meet you, Fedor. Uh—you’ve met our guest.”

Muffled in his scarf, and hidden by the oilcloth, Arman looked more like a bundle of laundry than the frightening vision he had presented to the village all those months before. “Yes. General Arman.” There was no friendliness in Fedor’s tone and Arman merely nodded in acknowledgement. “Kei, we’ve arranged to put him in your house, but if that’s a problem, Reji’s away so we can use his.”

He hadn’t even thought about Reji being gone when he returned. “Reji’s not here? Why?”

Myka pushed forward. “He went to Darshek two weeks ago but you’ll see him when he gets back.”

“I’ll see him in Darshek before that, I imagine.” Strangely Myka only grinned at that statement. “Mychichi? I thought you’d be mad at me.”

“Why?” she said, her impish smile betraying she knew something he didn’t.

“Because I’m going on to Darshek—didn’t the message get through?” But it must have done if they were expecting Arman. He was confused.

“Yes, but it’s all arranged! The Rulers sent another healer back with us, and he can go to Darshek with the general.” She grabbed him around his waist. “You can stay here where you belong!”

Arman had to have heard some of this, but he revealed nothing to Kei’s gift, nor in his expression. Tiko was less guarded, clapping Kei on the back. “Well, that’s perfect then.”

Kei freed himself of Myka’s grip, feeling trapped by more than her embrace, and suddenly very angry at his decision being so easily ignored. “No. Tiko, Fedor, I need to talk to you about this. Uh, perhaps it would be better if the general was taken to Reji’s house after all.”

Myka frowned at him, but Fedor merely shrugged. “As you wish. The new healer, Teki, can supervise him while you come to our house to talk.”

“Give me a little while, father, and I’ll be there. I just need to make sure my patient is properly settled and to tell Teki about his condition. Myka, I’ll meet you there.”

“But, Kei—”

“Let the boy do his duty, Myka. You come with me,” Fedor said, but with a puzzled frown on his face. “We’ll wait for you at the house, Kei. Teki?” he called. “Please go with my son.

Tiko had to push people back who were clustered around Arman’s cart. All the other beasts were led away and the cart was drawn up to Reji’s front door. A man of Reji’s age met them there and shook Kei’s hand as Arman was removed from the vehicle. “I’m Teki—tell me what you need.”

“For now, just come inside.” He needed to get away from the crowd.

He closed the door behind the soldiers with a sense of relief. Myka and Fedor’s meddling had not been what he’d expected at all. The house was neat as Reji always left it, even though there were no special arrangements for hosting Arman. Kei directed Tiko to have Arman taken through to the bedroom, and tried not to think about the last time he’d been here, making love with Reji.

He checked Arman carefully, wanting to use the contact to calm his mind, then motioned Teki over and quickly explained Arman’s injuries. “He needs to rest and to have a decent meal later. A bath too, but I’ll handle that.”

“I thought I was taking over,” Teki said, frowning.

Arman watched them both with a blank expression, as if he had nothing to do with this tussle between healers. “No. I’m sorry, but I gave an undertaking to personally take the general all the way to Darshek.”

“Kei—”

Kei whirled and glared at Tiko, pointing an angry finger at him. “Not one word, captain. This is my patient, my job, my responsibility. I’ll hand him over to another healer when
I
judge it right to do so, and not before. I’ve been pushed around for months by you and the Prij, and I won’t allow my damn sister and father to do it now!”

Tiko held his hands up in surrender. “Whatever you want. But right now, you also have a responsibility to your clan which can’t be put aside. The general will be fine until you get back. I promise no one will break your toy.”