Robinson Crusoe 2244 (5 page)

Word finally turned to the ball set for the following night and Tallis beamed.

“Vareen is putting the final touches on my dress tonight,” she said excitedly.

“And my suit was done yesterday, but we’re not allowed to see them yet,” Tannis added.

Vareen stood nearby, helping clear the plates from the table. “It wouldn’t be fair to present your outfit separately. You’ll just have to wait until the ’morrow.”

A patter of rain splashed the window and the staff quickly brought in the clothes from the cords outside. An hour or so into the game, one of the twins looked up and saw Leodore watching from the doorway.

“Father!” they both cried and hugged him around the waist. He smiled, and for a moment, he looked like the man Robinson knew from before his mother had died.

“Children, I’d like a few moments with your brother. Please.”

When they were gone, Leodore sat in a chair opposite his son. “I’m sorry I struck you today,” he said softly. “No excuse is worthy.”

“It was foolish of me, Father. I deserved—”

“No,” he said sternly. “No child should ever fear their own parent. There are too many threats in this world—too many greater dangers—for them to fear coming home. And this will always be your home, Robinson. No matter how old you grow or which direction life takes you, you will always have a place under this roof. You and Tannis and Tallis. I hope you know that.”

Robinson did. And then he sought a question to fill the silence between them. “Why did Tier Frostmore walk the Road?”

Leodore sighed. “I wish I could tell you, but it’s for the best that I don’t.”

“I’m not a child. You can trust me.”

“I know that, but you’re not exactly a man yet, are you? Men don’t scale towers before the crack of dawn on a lark. Why did you do it, by the way? I forgot to ask.”

“I heard they were keeping a render there. It’s been years since anyone glimpsed one outside the Wall. Many believe they no longer exist.”

Leodore snorted. “Oh, they exist. Maybe their numbers have waned here in the south where the walls can’t be breached, but in other Regens, and on other continents, they are very real and very dangerous. Now, I have a question of my own. What’s the story with you and Tier Saah’s daughter?”

Robinson’s heart picked up pace, but he didn’t dare look away. “Tessa? We’re classmates. And friends.”

“You looked very
friendly
today.”

Robinson could only shrug. Then his father asked the question he’d been dreading. “Do you love her?”

He could not lie, so he simply nodded again. Leodore leaned into his chair, looking infinitely weary. His fingers dipped absently into the small pocket of his vest. Robinson saw a glint of silver there.

“There are things I should have told you about her father long ago. Things I had hoped to say once you finished school and joined me in the trade. I see now I’ve waited too long.”

“Father, I would never jeopardize—”

Leodore held up a hand to silence him. “I cannot forbid you from attending the ball. Your absence would draw too much attention. And attention right now is the last thing either of us needs.” He looked at the bruises on his son’s arms as he said it. “But I can and will insist you stop seeing this girl immediately.”

“But, Father! We’re in love!”

“Of your sincerity I have no doubts. And maybe the girl loves you too. Who knows? All that matters is that you are my son and I know what’s best for you. I forbid you from having contact with her. And if you defy me on this, I will have no choice but to see you apprenticed to another Tier. Someone in the far Regens to the north where you’ll be safe. From others … and from yourself. Do I make myself clear?”

Robinson was too stunned to answer.

“I’ll take your silence as assent. Please don’t test me on this. What I do—what I have always done—is for the sake of this family. Your mother would have done the same.”

“No, she wouldn’t have!” Robinson said. “She would never agree to this!”

“Your mother knew the value of sacrifice better than any other, Robinson. I only hope you are spared that pain.”

Even as his father walked away, Robinson knew he would defy him. He and Tessa belonged together. Regardless of the rift between their fathers, he knew in his heart they would risk the Wall, the Road, and everything short of dying to stay by each other’s side.

As dusk arrived, the rain slowed to a drizzle. Robinson sat on the porch, watching the clouds turn pink to the east. A screen door squeaked. Vareen sat down beside him.

“He doesn’t know what real love is,” Robinson said. “Or maybe he did once and has forgotten.”

“Is that what you believe? That after six months, your mother’s memory has passed from his mind? You’re not that big a fool, boy.”

Robinson hung his head. “What history is there between father and Tier Saah? I know they’re both on the council. And rumor has it one of them will succeed the Regent when he retires. But it goes deeper than that, doesn’t it?”

Vareen nodded. “When your father was your age, your grandfather made a pact to marry him to the daughter of the Tier of Rivers.”

“Wait. You mean, Tier Saah’s wife?”

“She was Janal Florencia then. Some say she was the most beautiful girl to ever walk the Isle. He used to visit her at the House of Healers where she apprenticed. But it was during those trips that he noticed a second girl who was beautiful in a different way. Strong willed but compassionate. And she had a gift for medicine that went far beyond those who had come before.”

“Mother.”

Vareen nodded again. “Alan Crusoe was not a man to be defied, especially by his own blood. He threatened to Exile your father and disown him. Even beat him senseless. But none of these could change his heart. When the Naming Day Ball arrived, Annabess and your father stood before the entire Crown and abdicated their apprenticeships for each other.”

Robinson was stunned.

“No one had ever turned their back on the Tiers before. They were prepared to live the lives of ordinary citizens or accept exile themselves. Your grandfather knew it was no bluff. It cost him most of his political clout, but in the end, Leodore remained a Crusoe and your mother along with him.”

Robinson couldn’t believe it. Abdicating an apprenticeship? He’d never heard of such a thing.

“I don’t tell you this story to give you
ideas
,” Vareen said. “Those were different times. But they do illustrate one undeniable truth: the greatest love anyone can hope for is the one for which you are willing to sacrifice everything. Make sure this girl is worthy of that before you do.”

Later that evening, Robinson lay awake in bed, listening to the rain and trying to process all he’d been through and all he’d heard that day. He wondered if he’d have the strength to do as his father had and stand in front of the entire One People and choose exile because of love. If nothing else could make him a man in his father’s eyes, that would. But deep down, he knew the truth. He was a boy. And that was a man’s act.

Just as he began edging off to sleep, Robinson heard a knock at his window. He slid tentatively out of bed and crossed to it. Tessa was outside.

She was crying.

“My father has forbidden me from seeing you,” she sobbed as soon as Robinson opened the kitchen door. He quickly hustled her into the parlor where they could whisper without worrying over waking the staff.

“Mine gave the same order,” he said.

“What can we do? We’re not enemies. I don’t even understand what they have against each other.”

She was soaked through, so he bid her to wait as he went to retrieve some towels. When he came back, she had wandered into his father’s study. He was nervous. They were never allowed in here. But his father had gone out earlier and still hadn’t returned.

Tessa was staring at a sketch of Robinson’s mother, shivering. He wrapped a towel around her.

“You never told me what happened to her.”

“Surely you heard? There was a medical emergency in Regen 4. She took a flyer and it crashed on the way there.”

“But why didn’t she just use an authorized pilot to fly her?”

“None were available.”

She set down the photo and turned to embraced him. “I want us to start a life together. A family. But I feel as if something is about to happen.”

“I feel it too.”

“Earlier you asked me about the word campaign. Well, I snuck into my father’s office at home. I’m not proud of it. The truth is I didn’t expect to find anything. But there was a document on his desk with that word.”

“A document?”

“A
confession
. Tier Frostmore’s. He admitted to being part of the campaign, the gist of which I took to mean a revolt.”

“Against who?”

“Who do you think? The One People.”

Robinson felt a sickening hollowness in his stomach. “Did Tier Frostmore mention any collaborations or implicate anyone else?” he asked nervously.

“No. He had something on his person. A tincture of some kind. He drank it when the guards weren’t looking. That’s why he was acting so delirious yesterday. Robinson, do you suspect your father could be involved?”

The question rocked him. “I can’t say. Is it any more improbable than yours?”

“No, but I hope in my deepest heart it’s neither.”

He agreed. They held each other and talked until their worries were tempered. The rain had lessened but not abated. She noticed something on the desk.

“What’s this?”

Tessa picked up a slightly curved instrument made out of wood and pulled two halves apart, revealing a shining blade within.

“Be careful with that. It’s very old.”

“Is it sharp?”

“I don’t know and I don’t want to find out.”

“This is contraband.”

“I know.
Very old
contraband. My father says it’s been in our family for centuries. It was a gift from a foreign merchant to one of my ancestors when the Crusoes owned ships instead of flyers. It even has our family crest engraved there. See?”

“It’s beautiful,” she said before setting it down. “What are we going to do?”

Robinson thought long and hard. “As I see it, we have two options.”

And as he spelled them out for her, Tessa’s eyes grew wider and wider.

Shortly after she’d gone, Robinson returned to bed but still found sleep elusive. He had never doubted his father but was troubled by his many secrets. He needed to diffuse his suspicions and one thing kept coming to mind—the object his father held most dear.

Robinson hadn’t been in his parents’ room since his mother died, and sneaking inside felt like a terrible violation. But when he saw his father’s suit hanging on the bureau, he couldn’t help but check the vest pocket. He found his mother’s locket.

It too was very old, made long before the Great Rendering. None could confuse it as contraband, however. It was handcrafted with an elegant flower center-set. Robinson smiled. Holding it felt like holding a piece of her.

But as he moved to return it, he felt something shift subtly inside. He looked closer and noticed a locking mechanism. He didn’t know what he would find, but his hands trembled when he depressed a small button. The locket split in half. Inside were two things: a small piece of paper and a circular disc. He knew the disc carried information. It was illegal for all but the Feed operators to possess. He unfolded the paper only to see it had a single number written across it:

He had no idea what it meant, but he knew it was important.

The following evening, the family were dressed in their best clothes and rushed through the rain to load into the carriage.

“I want you to be on your best behavior, children,” Vareen said as she continued to primp the twins. “This is a big day for your brother. Today, he becomes a man.”

Robinson blushed.

“Are you going to watch it on the Feed?” Tallis asked.

“I wouldn’t miss it for all the five continents!” Vareen said.

As Robinson was about to enter, Vareen pulled him into a hug and whispered into his ear, “I’m very proud of you. And your mother is too.”

He smiled but entered quickly, hoping she couldn’t see his tears in the rain.

The muddy roads and spate of carriages made the ride longer than normal. It felt muggy inside the carriage despite the thunderstorm.

“Roderick Illus said the ancients used to be able to predict the weather years in advance,” Tannis said unexpectedly. Tallis asked if that was true.

“No one knows the weather before it knows itself, dear. Though I daresay calculating it a few days early was more than likely feasible.”

“How?” Tannis asked.

“The ancients once deployed sentinels to watch the skies from above.”

“Sentinels?” Tallis asked.

“Satellites, I believe they were called. Machines. One of the many wonders that elude us. And if we’re lucky, always will.”

“Why?” Tallis asked.

“Because any machine that is built for one purpose but can be used for another is dangerous. I shouldn’t’ve mentioned it. Even speaking of such things violates the Eight.”