Out of the Faold (Whilst Old Legends Fade Synchronicles) (29 page)

“Well?” Fredrick said.

“I…” Darius stammered. “I didn’t wear any.”

A soft clearing of throat caught the King’s attention and he found Pearl frowning at him with her arms crossed under her br
easts. He knew what that meant.

“I’m sorry, Doran. I misread that part. I could read at the age of two but maybe I haven’t been that good at it.”

Darius Somas Kolder Doran,

I am returning from our journey very soon. Please inform your mother and the King we have guests of the Siri nation with us. Give everyone my best. Listen to your mother and Pearl. Don’t listen to the King.

Yours forever,

Papa

“Can you believe he put ‘don’t listen to the King’!?” he demanded of Pearl and
she laughed.

Darius searched the King’s face and when he smiled Darius did too. The boy took the letter from Fredrick then ran out when he was dismissed. Pearl looked back at him as she slipped through the door. He sighed, wishing she’d stay and just be there. Most evenings she’d come to read while he worked and it was pleasant. It was comfortable.

“Mama, Mama,” he called as he approached the corridor
that the Doran suite occupied.

Coral stood placing dinnerware on a table as one of the servants held a large dinner tray. He placed it down on a sideboard and backed out as Darius ran into the room.

“Mama, Papa is coming home,” he announced, waving the letter at her. He handed it to her then kicked off his boo
ts and jacket, letting it drop.

Pearl walked in after him. She picked up his things and put them away in the wardrobe while Coral read
the letter. She frowned at him.

“Sorry, P
early,” he said apologetically.

Coral sat in a stuffed chair to read the letter. Pearl noted a look of concern on Coral’s face but the woman smiled it away. She handed the letter to Pearl.

“The King read it to us,” she said but when she looked at it the letter was much longer.

Darius Somas Kolder Doran,

I am returning from our journey very soon. Please inform your mother and the King we have guests of the Siri nation with us. Give everyone my best. Listen to your mother and Pearl.

Yours forever,

Papa

My dearest Coral,

I am pleased to say we are returning within a day of you receiving this letter. I have sent the King a report of our number in preparation for our Siri visitors. We have representatives of two clans joining us. We will be delayed in returning home to the Doran Estate. Please, send word to Father.

I miss you terribly.

Yours forever, in the eyes and hearts of the gods,

Amias

Pearl handed back the letter
.
Two Siri clans were sending representatives. Pearl wondered what that could mean. She hoped they had sent Krisa with them. She missed her so much. They didn’t get to see each other enough. It had been over a year since they’d taken a trip to the Siri forest where they celebrated Krisa’s birthday and coming of age. The King had summoned the girl’s father from Brynntown. It was the first time they’d seen each other in five years and there were tears all around. He was now posted here at the castle as one of Fredrick’s scribes. The last time Krisa had been to the castle was perhaps six months before.

Coral served their dinner as Glory walked in, all smiles. She kissed Darius on the cheek and sat to read the letter from Amias
that Coral pointed out to her.

“Oh good!” she cried. “A formal dinner!”

Coral looked to Pearl and they both smiled. Without a queen on the throne all the entertainment and dinners and parties were left to Glory to arrange, as the betrothed of the Prince and future queen of the land. And because she elected herself to that responsibility. She thrived on it. Glory stood up and waved as she dashed out the door, no doubt on her way to the kitchens.

Pat lay hidden in the long swaying grasses. For the tenth time in the last day or so he read the letter he’d received, orders.

Leave cannot be extended…return to Marshalls…report to Captain Doran immediately.

And Captain Doran delivered the King’s orders himself during a visit to the western outpost close to Siri lands. He hadn’t told Krisa for two days until she demanded to know what was wrong.

He’d been at her side, literally, for six years. He trained with her with the Siri, they welcomed him easily and he’d stayed. Coral had made a case with the King that he was getting excellent training so he’d have a better officer for it when he came back. Pat never expected or thought of having to go back. He lay in the grass contemplating the fact he had to leave Krisa. He got a lump in his throat. He was being silly, he thought to himself, folding the letter.

From his side appeared Krisa, crawling silently through the grass at him. He hadn’t heard her at all. And now her face was even with his. She peered at him but he couldn’t even smile. She lay down with her head on his chest and he placed his arm over her back. They stayed there like that for a long time.

“Do you remember the time you pulled me out of the muddy gully and let me ride with you even though I was covered in filth?”

“Yes.”

“The next day I told Glory I was going to ask you to marry me when I was fifteen.”

He lifted himself up on his elbows to look into her face. “And why haven’t you?” he asked.

She shrugged, telling him, “I don’t know.”

He touched her cheek softly then fell back down again, more in agony now that he was going to have to leave her.

“I didn’t know if you’d want to,” she told him.

“For a Siri woman who sees everything and knows everything how could you be unsure?”

She thought for long moments then said, “Most of the time your heart is there, but there are times…you have uncertainty.”

“Those are the times when I tell myself I am too old for you and I’m not Siri,” he told her honestly.

She lifted herself up on her hands and knees and leaned in for a soft kiss. Their first. From a long distance away they heard a long low whistle. Their lips stopped moving against each other and she pulled away. She disappeared into the grasses. Pat took a few deep breaths then stood. She still hadn’t asked him.

“Darius. Darius,” the voice whispered. “Darius.”

He turned over, opening his eyes only a little. A pair of dark eyes peered at h
im from under dark unruly hair.

“Papa?” he asked. The eyes smiled. “Oh good. You are back. Now he’ll leave me alone.”

The voice chuckled. Amias pushed back the covers from his son and lifted him out of the bed he was sharing with his mother. Coral looked as beautiful as ever and it took a great amount of will to not crawl in with her at that moment, but he had something to show his son.

He made him put on his boots but carried him in his arms, the boy resting his sleepy head on his father’s shoulder. They passed many guards on duty. It was barely sunrise so not many other people were up and around, though when they reached the stables there was plenty o
f activity.

The Marshalls’ war horses had returned as well as approximately thirty others, beautiful brown, sleek horses with long manes. The boy stared in wonder at how many there were. Groomsmen were busy brus
hing and caring for the mounts.

“You rode a
ll night?” he asked.

“We had a very bright moon tonight. I was anxious to get home to you.”

The boy smiled then got down to examine the horses. He walked down all the stalls then stopped and stroked the nose of his father’s horse, reaching up high. It nudged him in recognition. Amias stood leaning against a post watching him. The child could trip over his own feet standing still but he’d grow out of that, he told himself. He seemed to grow more every t
ime he came home from the road.

“We’ll have to get you your own horse soon,” he told Darius. “Mother won’t be happy riding in the carriage much longer.”

“A real horse?”

“Yes.”

“There are new puppies,” Darius announced. “You want to see them?”

“Maybe later. I haven’t said good morning to your mother yet.”

“Oh, you’d better do tha
t,” Darius told him with a nod.

They found Coral still sleeping. Glory was stirring in the adjoining room so Amias shooed Darius off to her. He removed his boots and jacket then slid in next to his wife. She was so warm and soft as he wrapped his arms around her. She roused and smiled with her eyes closed then turned over and buried her face in his neck.

“How did you know it was me?” he whispered. “It could have been any old ruffian in your bed.”

“It’s the smell of horse, pipe smoke, campfire and you. It’s the nicest smell in the world.”

He wrinkled his nose. He pulled her close. He nuzzled his scruffy face on her cheek, kissing her neck hungrily.

“The girls,” she whispered and he groaned. Glory emerged tentatively from the other ro
om, towed by Darius.

“They need a suite of their own,” he whispered as he sat up in greeting.

“Good morning, Captain Doran,” she smiled.  She kissed him on the cheek. “I’ll take Darius to breakfast if you’d like to sleep. He said you’d ridden all night.”

Coral looked at him. It was not typical for him to ride all night at all. It isn’t safe traveling on the roads
in the dark. He did look tired.

He shrugged. “The Siri travel in the night as well. We’d reached the garrison too early to stop so they just wanted to ride through.”

“Is there
urgency
?” she asked, getting concerned.

He shook his head as Pearl emerged from the other room, dressed in her robe, with disheveled hair. She re-braided.

“Take Pearl with you,” Amias called out to Glory. The girls looked at each ot
her as Amias settled back down.

“Yes, Captain,” Glory cooed, leading the other two out. She closed the door.

“You are sure?”

He reached for her. Her question never got answered.

The dinner Glory hosted was impressive. All thirty Siri, the King’s table and all the courtiers in Danyc were to be seated and an army of household staff awaited their queues. People milled around before dinner waiting for the King before they could sit. He finally emerged from a door at the back of his table accompanied by his sons Tomas, Jimm and Glory. The Doran table sat to the King’s right, the family having earned the place as some of his favorites. Darius sat between his parents. The
lords and ladies of the court
found their usual spots. The Siri were seated across from the King at a large table with a smatter
ing of other guests among them.

The gentle rumble of voices filled the formal dining hall before the King stood to get their attention.

“Welcome, everyone,” he announced loudly. “Welcome to the esteemed representatives of the Siri nation.”

Enthusiastic applause filled the room. The Siri were very well respected as a clever and resourceful people, coming to aid at times of need. They appeared to have unnatural abilities to detect trouble and thwart aggressors. During the battle of Verdera they had immobilized so many of the Kusira Sisters attacking the Danycians they had
won distinction from the King.

Krisa sat near the end of the Siri table near two other young
Siri;
one was a leader’s son and the other a small child, the daughter of another. Krisa had come of age but was still seated away from t
he older members in the middle.

Pat sat with the Dorans. Now as a Marshall again he sat to his Captain’s side. His eyes wandered to the end of the Siri table. A worm of jealousy wriggled in his gut as the young Siri man tried to engage Krisa in conversation. Her face was unreadable though. She avoided eye cont
act with anyone, including Pat.

“They have traveled many days to visit with us. I hear rumors of the possibility of a future union to strengthen our ties. We look forward to our discussions in this matter.”

Amid the applause Coral looked to Amias with a question on her face. He glanced at her with a slight frown. There was a little movement at the Siri table as the elders looked toward the young man next to Krisa. He smiled down at her. Alarm rushed through Coral as she watched the girl’
s face drop and her head lower.

“What does he mean?” she demanded of Amias in a loud whisper.

“This isn’t the time,” he told
her.

But Pat had heard. And he stood up. The King, still standing and in the middle of his speech looked over to the young Marshall in annoyance. The look on Pat’s face though was unmistakable. He looked like he was going to vomit. The King motioned quickly with his hand to go out the closest door, behind the King’s table. A rumble of voices grew as he disappeared with a guard.