Kei's Gift (98 page)

He discussed this very little with Kei, allowing his lover to concentrate purely on humanitarian issues, and on maintaining the good spirits of the Gifted. Reji reported that Kei was becoming something of a favourite with them. Reji was surprised, he said—the minor gifted were usually considered of no interest to the truly Gifted at all, since the gulf between their abilities and experiences was so great. Kei had worked his magic on these strange people as he had done on an embittered Prijian general, and Arman again wondered what on earth Kei saw in him. It certainly wasn’t for lack of alternatives.

Arman tried to make sure they were both well-rested on the two nights following the dinner, since by the third, they would be on board one of the captured Prijian ships, waiting for the tide and ready for sail. He insisted Loti fully examined Kei before they departed for the docks that afternoon—Kei’s headache lingered, and he’d been very tired by the end of each day. Loti took his time, much to Kei’s evident disgust and Loti’s palpable amusement, before declaring him fit to travel. “You’re recovering nicely,” he said.

“I told you I was,” Kei snapped, putting his shirt back on.

“Yes, yes,” Loti said peaceably, winking at Arman who was trying not to laugh—Kei in a temper was a sight to behold. “Still try to rest, although I don’t suppose you’ll have much else to do. It’s a good thing you’re not prone to seasickness, lad—I’d be reluctant to clear you.”

“Well, I’m not and I’m going. Arman?”

“Loti, thank you for your help—we’ll see you on our return.”

Loti bowed. “My hopes and good wishes go with you both.”

Arman waited until Loti had left the apartment before pulling his grumpy lover into his arms and kissing his forehead. “Now, I know your answer, but for the sake of form, I’ll say it. It’s still not too late to stay behind. Logistically, we don’t need you.”

Kei sighed in exasperation. “Yes, you do. I promised Reis I’d be with them all. Quite aside from the fact I already told you I was going for my own reasons.” He stood back and put his hands on his hips. “Enough? No more of this?”

“No more, I promise. But you also remember
your
promise not to distract me, and that means you obey me as any other soldier or sailor will. Misbehave, and Meki will stick you in the brig and I’ll fix the irons myself, never think I won’t.”

Kei looked at him seriously, all temper gone. “No, I promise.”

“And you don’t set foot on Utuk unless it’s completely safe and without me at your side. What
ever
happens, do you hear me? A civilian running amok is the very last thing we need.”

“I understand.” Kei put his hand over Arman’s heart. “You’re scared, I can feel it.”

“Always. Before every battle. Every soldier is, Kei. You coming along makes it worse, I won’t lie to you.”

Kei put his arms around Arman and laid his cheek against his face. “You know why.”

“Yes, I do,” he said gently. “Now, come on, everyone is waiting downstairs. We need to get on board while we still have the light.”

Despite the caution of the Rulers, it was clear the population of Darshek pinned a lot on the rescue succeeding, and were determined to see their soldiers and sailors off in style. Lord Meki had given in to the inevitable and so a small caravan of carriages complete with military escort had been arranged to take the all the Rulers, the Gifted and other participants such as Arman, Kei and Reji from the Rulers’ House along the streets of Darshek and down to the docks. Almost like a triumph in reverse, Arman thought sardonically. He would rather not have had the attention, and Kei and Reji, crouched in their respective corners of the open carriage, clearly disliked the entire business.

The cheers of the crowds were quite deafening and the progress of the carriages irritatingly slow, although they had left plenty of time for this reason. Arman held Kei’s hand as they travelled along, and Reji had a hand on Kei’s arm too, but it was obvious Kei was still suffering from the massed emotions he sensed. “Not much longer,” Arman soothed, now wishing he’d sent his lover and Reji down to the ship earlier in the day. He wondered if it brought back unpleasant memories of the day the hostages had arrived in Utuk, but decided it was better not to ask.

In fact, despite the press of the crowd, they were at the docks in half an hour. Two of the three ships were already loaded and sitting at anchor out in the harbour. It only remained for the vessel carrying the two Rulers and Arman to take her passengers on board. Lord Peika had suggested a speech could be made, but Lord Meki had vetoed that idea, not wanting the delay or to raise expectations higher than they were.

“Better to return victorious and make our damn speeches then, than to make promises we can’t keep,” he’d muttered to Arman when this idea had been raised earlier in the day. So all that happened in the end was that Lords Meki and Peika and the other passengers went on board without ceremony, while the other Rulers spoke only briefly to the crowd, making thanks to those going on the mission on behalf of the populace.

Gangplanks were withdrawn, then Reis and Jera, the other mind-mover, shifted the boat away from the docks, out into the harbour. Reji excused himself as soon as they were moored to go see his hairy charges below deck.

“Let’s find our berth,” Arman said to Kei. They would be waiting a couple of hours—they could have used the Gifted to get moving, but there was no real need with the weather being as fair as it was, and it had to be said the sailors were happier with the idea of trusting tide and wind to move their vessels than a mysterious force they had no experience of.

They had been given one of the officers’ cabins—still very small for two men, but more spacious than the last one they’d shared on a boat. Their packs had already been stowed, so all Kei had to do was pull out his medical notes and set them on the desk.

“Well, this is familiar,” Arman said dryly. Kei nodded and came into his arms. Arman kissed him in a perfectly chaste fashion, sensing Kei wasn’t in the mood for play and only wanting to give him a little comfort. “Come and sit? We can go up on deck when we get moving, catch the breeze while we eat.”

It had been a stressful day, so many last minute preparations to attend to. He’d only caught up with Kei in the last half hour before they’d left the Rulers’ House, which might have contributed to Kei’s bad temper, although that was probably more to do with healers making rotten patients, as he’d been repeatedly told. It was good to have Kei in his arms now. They would have a little more time to themselves over the coming days, although Arman had promised to teach the two Rulers some rudimentary Prijian, and once contact with the mind-speakers in south Darshian had been established, there would be an intense period of intelligence gathering through Neka’s Gift. That wouldn’t be for at least four, possibly more days—they also hoped to confirm through Jena that the hostages were alive. If they couldn’t contact her, the worst would have to be assumed.

“You’re going to have to be damn careful walking about on deck,” Kei said as he joined Arman on the narrow bunk—they were really going to have to sleep very close together at night. “Any rough weather and as medical officer, I’m ordering you confined to your room. You’d only have to fall awkwardly and hit those ribs or your leg and you’d have to start from scratch with the healing.”

“Yes, Kei,” Arman said patiently. It was only the fifth or sixth time in the last three days he’d said this. “I don’t want to break my leg again either, you know. It damn well hurt doing it the first time.”

“Hmmm.”

Kei settled against him, and once again his extraordinary braid was coiled in his lap. Arman picked up the tail. “So now I know what really passes for foreplay among the Darshianese,” he teased, flicking Kei’s chin with it, making his lover chuckle a little. “Were you flirting with me that night?”

“No...it wasn’t sexual at all...I didn’t feel desire for you that way until after we left Ai-Albon, and then only dimly...but you made me feel so safe and warm, I could forget for a little while I was a prisoner, and the war....” Kei twisted to look at him. “But it wasn’t fair of me because I knew you wanted me, so I was always trying to pull away. I’m so glad we stopped doing that,” he said with a wry smile.

“And I,” Arman agreed with feeling. “When this is over, I know I said I would go back with you....”

Kei stiffened. “Yes?” he said warily. “You’ve changed your mind. I thought you might.”

“No, I haven’t changed my mind,” Arman said, hearing the disappointment in Kei’s voice. “But I’ve a previous obligation to Ai-Darbin.”

“Oh. I’d forgotten about that.... Six months,” he said slowly.

“I don’t have to do it now, and I dare say they don’t expect me to do it at all, but....” He brushed his hand down Kei’s braid. “I want to start my new life right. Follow your customs, your laws. Make amends for my past—and Seya was right, that judgement was meant to heal. How will it look if I say I wish to be part of your village life, but I ignore a judgement so fairly and wisely arrived at?”

“Not good, I know.” Kei shifted so he could look at Arman. “You want me to live in Ai-Darbin for six months?” he asked quietly.

“Could you bear it? Not now, of course, but later? Perhaps you and their healer could exchange places—I believe such things happen.” He didn’t want to push Kei over this—it had to be his choice entirely. “Or if we wait until you’ve recovered, I could go on my own—it’s not like the two villages are so very far apart.”

“No,” Kei said, sounding thoughtful. “If it’s important to you, of course I’ll do it, if I can arrange things. Just give me some time to...adjust.”

Arman kissed him. “All the time you need. I thought I’d mention it so you did have a chance to think about it. But there’s a long way to go before that happens.”

“Yes. Arman?”

“Yes?”

“You did make sure Tiko was on another boat, didn’t you?”

Arman laughed. “Yes, I did. It was worth more than my life to inflict him on you—or me. Reji’s a lot more civilised in his protectiveness.”

Kei smiled and leaned against him again. “Reji’s been such a good friend,” he said contentedly. “Thank you for letting him stay.”

“He’s your past and your future, Kei—he’s going to be part of my future too. I know he and I won’t be friends, but he’s an important figure in the village. I want to get along with him.”

“You might be wrong about the friend thing, Arman. Give it time—and of course, continue to treat me nicely,” he added with a cheeky grin. “He’s very impressed when you do that.”

“Now that could be a hardship,” Arman said placidly. “But I suppose nothing’s too great a sacrifice to make if I want to befriend one of your clan. I feel badly that you’re merely being used as a device, but I suppose needs must.”

“I’ll force myself to endure it,” Kei said, leaning back so he could nibble on Arman’s ear gently. “They have to be alive. After all this time, it would be too cruel of fate if they weren’t.”

Arman could have reminded him they knew from personal experience how cruel fate could be. But he didn’t. Kei was grasping for comfort. So close, still too far away from winning the prize. “Luck has guided us so far. All we can do, is do our best. If fate can bring me to you out of the worst circumstances, then truly anything is possible.”

Kei nodded and held him close. For now, that was all they could do for each other.

Even though Arman was forced to spend most of each day locked away with the Rulers, Kei found his days were surprisingly full. He took to spending an hour or so each morning with Reji, helping him muck out—there were soldiers on hand to do the task, but Kei had always enjoyed working with Reji and the beasts, and the soldiers were only too glad to pass the job to someone else. There was no doubt Reji appreciated it, especially when the weather grew rough as it did a day out of Darshek, and both beasts and passengers began to suffer badly from seasickness. Ironically, it was the two mind-movers who could possibly have helped with the motion of the ships, who were laid as low as could be, and Kei had to spend a good deal of time at their side, although there was little that could be done.

There were only two treatments for seasickness, neither very appealing—one was to dose the victims with pijn so they slept away their misery—the other was to give them ipo tea made half with fresh water and half salt, and honey added to it. It tasted pretty foul, and the only virtue was it did stop the victims being sick so thoroughly and left them far less weak when the weather improved. Getting his patients to drink it was a considerable battle though, and after two days of this, Kei decided he would have to do something about the taste if he were to continue to prescribe it to them.

Since the urs beasts could also be drenched with the stuff, after breakfast, Kei used that as his excuse to rope Reji into coming up to the galley to help him with his experiments. He wanted to try different ingredients to see what would make the ipo tea more palatable, manfully ignoring Reji’s suggestion that alcohol would be the obvious addition. “Yes, and then I’ll have to deal with them puking because of the hangover,” he said, giving his friend a severe look. “Not to mention what a drunk urs beast would be like to manage.”

“But they wouldn’t be suffering,” Reji said with a grin.

“Not at that point, no. Be sensible, Reji. Fruit juice?” Reji shuddered. “We should try it at least.”