Souls of Aredyrah 3 - The Taking of the Dawn (12 page)

He entered the hut, muttering to no one in
particular, and went about preparing a robust stew of mussels,
shelled crab, and seaweed. Brina and Torin watched Reiv silently,
the two of them obviously afraid to break the spell that had
enchanted him. Finally Brina placed a hand on his forehead. “Are
you feeling ill?” she asked. “You do not seem yourself.”

“Very amusing,” Reiv said as he tossed
another handful of seaweed into the pot. “I am quite myself, thank
you. Now, you just sit down and drink some tea. This will not take
long to cook.” He hung the pot on the spit over the fire pit and
gave the stew a stir.

“I think Reiv’s in love or something,” Kerrik
said. “He didn’t even go in the water today. All because of that
girl Cor-ra.”

Torin’s usually rigid face perked up. “What’s
that? Cora?” he said. “Buxom Cora?”

“Torin—please—the boy,” Brina said, motioning
her eyes in Kerrik’s direction.

“What’s wrong with buxom?” Kerrik asked.

“Nothing,” Reiv said sharply. “And I will
have no more talk of it in Cora’s regard.”

All went quiet.

Jensa swept through the drape and into the
hut. She stopped, surveying the group that was now sitting in
awkward silence, then turned her attention to Reiv who was pouring
refills into mugs.

“What’s going on?” she asked suspiciously.
“Why is Reiv cooking?”

“Gods, you all act like you have never seen
me cook before,” Reiv said.

“We haven’t,” a round of voices replied.

“It seems a girl named Cora has left Reiv
feeling somewhat domestic today,” Torin said.

“A girl?” Jensa said, shocked. “But—but what
about—”

Reiv’s eyes darted to hers.

“Alicine?”

“Listen, I was with Cora barely any time at
all. We spoke less than a dozen words. But even if I had brought
her here and had my way with her—”

“Reiv please…not in front of Kerrik,” Brina
said.

Reiv’s annoyance flared. “At the pace I am
going, Kerrik will know the touch of a woman before I will!”

“He’s right you know,” Kerrik said. “There
are plenty of girls who like me.”

“See…even a seven-year-old has better luck
with the women!” Reiv said. He threw the ladle into the pot,
sending the stew splattering. “I am tired of being surrounded by
people all the time. I was a royal, a prince accustomed to having
his own room, then his own apartment. Now I live in a one room hut
with four other people and I never have a moment’s privacy!”

“What are you saying?” Brina asked, rising to
face him.

“I am saying I want my own place!”

Reiv wheeled toward the doorway.

“Reiv!” Brina called after him.

But he continued on, determined not to listen
to a word of protest, determined not to waste any energy arguing
about it. He had plans to make, a hut of his own to build. But even
more importantly, there was a girl named Cora to consider. She had
tickled his senses and toyed with his mind; she had sent desires to
the primitive regions of his body, then had simply walked away,
calling him a big shell, or some such nonsense. He refused to
accept her rejection or her excuses. Why should he? After all, he
had been born a prince; he had even transcended to the gods. No, no
girl would call him a big shell and get away with it. He could be
as small as the next man. And he intended to prove it.

Back to ToC

Chapter 10: Guilty
Secrets

R
eiv tromped across
the sand in the direction of his only sanctuary, a calm inlet pool
bordered by a semi-circular wall of glistening rocks and pocked
coral. On the other side of it waves crashed, sending sprays of
water fountaining into the air, then settling in fine mists upon
the pool. It was the perfect place for Reiv to contemplate the
problems of the world. For a while now he had been considering his
future, or trying to, and this was the only private place he knew
of. Kerrik had introduced him to it when Reiv had first arrived in
Meirla. Back then, Reiv had been about as far from being a Shell
Seeker as any person could be. As a prince, he’d had plenty of
opportunities to swim, but in Tearia the pools were free of sea
creatures, and you could always see your feet at the bottom. When
Kerrik first took him to the pool to teach him to dive, it had been
more than a little intimidating. There were crabs and fish, and
salt water that stung his eyes and tasted bitter on his lips. Over
time, Reiv grew to love the swift currents and dark recesses of the
sea. But it was the calm of the pool that always drew him back.

As he approached, he heard voices followed by
laughter just over the rise. The pool was on the other side of it,
and he wondered if someone had dared make his private sanctuary
their own. He crept to the top, crouching in an attempt to stay
hidden from view. In an instant he spotted Cora, and he dropped to
all fours. He crawled across the sand until he was safely concealed
behind a large clump of shore grass.

Cora had been in Reiv’s thoughts ever since
his mind boggling conversation with her that morning. He’d seen her
only once since then, and that had been from a carefully calculated
distance. He was determined not to speak with her, yet there were a
thousand things he wanted to say. He was not sure if he was
performing the ritual properly, he had never played such games as a
prince, but people usually wanted what they could not have, so he
hoped his pretended disinterest would make her realize she had made
a mistake in his regard. He and Alicine had acted out a similar
version, but they’d never ignored each other entirely;
circumstances had not allowed it. As he thought back on it now, he
recalled how the romantic misunderstanding with Alicine had left
him feeling like a fool. His cheeks burned at the recollection. He
could ill afford to let that happen again—especially with Cora.

Reiv ground his teeth as he peeked over the
rise toward the pool. What was he doing groveling in the sand like
this? Where was his pride? Cora was just a girl, a girl like any
other. But he knew that wasn’t the reason he was hiding behind a
clump of vegetation. That strutting rooster Lyal was with her, and
Reiv felt the raging need to spy on them.

Cora was swimming in the pool, paddling
slowly as she skimmed across the water. Lyal was on the shoreline,
walking along it as he followed her from one side to the other. He
said something to her, and she laughed and rolled onto her back,
floating backwards. She was clothed, but even through the distance
Reiv could see there was no real point in it; her peach-colored
skin was clearly visible beneath her clingy attire. Reiv felt
jealousy rise to his throat as he watched Lyal’s lusty eyes roam
over her. What right did that arrogant stud have to be in Reiv’s
place of solitude? What right did he have to look at Cora like
that?

“That’s not his sister, if that’s what you’re
wondering,” Torin’s amused voice said.

Reiv jerked his head over his shoulder to see
Torin towering behind him. “Shhhh! Get down,” he whispered. “Do you
want them to see you?”

Torin chuckled, but got down as instructed
and lay on his belly next to Reiv. “What have I missed?”

“Nothing to miss.”

“Why are we hiding then?”

“We are not hiding!”

Torin raised a brow. “So we are prone on the
sand because…?”

Reiv scowled. “Fine. I saw Lyal arguing with
Jensa this morning. I just wanted to see what he was up to. That is
all.”

“No interest in Cora, I suppose?”

“Of course not. Why should I care?”

“Because she’s an attractive girl,” Torin
said. “You could do worse for a mate.”

“I am not looking for a mate,” Reiv
snapped.

“I thought you wanted a hut of your own.
Young Shell Seeker men normally stay with their families until they
are ready to start one of their own. You are clearly thinking in
that direction. I would suggest—”

“I do not think I need advice from a man who
shows no interest in women,” Reiv retorted.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Torin
asked.

Reiv hesitated. Maybe he should not have said
anything. It was Torin’s business if his attentions did not turn in
that direction. “Nothing. I have just never seen you with a girl,
and you are attractive enough.”

The veins in Torin’s neck bulged. “Are you
implying that I’m attracted to
men
?”

Reiv wished he had just kept his own mouth
shut. “I am sorry. I did not mean to offend.”

Torin leapt up, red-faced. “I have known the
touch of a woman,” he said heatedly. “Can you say the same?”

It was then Reiv’s turn to leap up. “Gods,
Torin! Do you want them to hear us?”

Torin leaned in threateningly. “Take back
what you said.”

Reiv glanced toward the pool, then back at
Torin. “Fine, I retract my words. We will speak of it no more.
Satisfied?” Torin spun and stormed away, leaving Reiv to stare
after him.

Reiv's conscience scrambled for an excuse,
but then he realized, perhaps he was wrong about Torin, but Torin
sure wasn’t wrong about him. He returned his attention to Cora and
Lyal, but his mind was no longer on the subjects of his spying
eyes. The argument with Torin was gnawing at him, and he couldn’t
help but cringe at the callousness of his own remarks. He and Torin
already had an uneasy friendship, and this certainly wasn’t going
to help things any. Perhaps if he offered the man an apology, said
it like he meant it. But he knew Torin’s acceptance wasn’t likely,
at least not until Reiv had suffered enough.

Reiv plodded down the beach, rehearsing
various versions of what he might say. Before long he found himself
well past the village. He gazed out toward the horizon. The late
afternoon sun was growing dim behind a bank of clouds moving in
from the north. He sighed and turned back, then quickened his pace
toward the icy reception he knew was awaiting him.

As Reiv approached the hut, he noticed Jensa
and Torin arguing beneath a nearby palm. Their voices were rising
and falling with obvious emotion, and for a moment Reiv wondered if
it involved his earlier altercation with Torin. It occurred to him
that maybe it had something to do with Dayn and Alicine; they had
departed from Meirla over two weeks ago, and Reiv knew their
journey to Kirador was a dangerous one. Could word of tragedy have
filtered back so soon? Fear mushroomed in his throat as he hurried
toward them. He dreaded whatever news there might be, but couldn’t
wait another moment before knowing it.

Torin did not see Reiv approaching; his face
was buried in his fists.

“What is wrong?” Reiv asked upon reaching
them. “It is not Dayn and Alicine, is it?”

Torin raised his eyes to him, and Reiv was
shocked to realize they were red with tears.

“No, Reiv,” Jensa said. “It’s Farris. He’s
dying, and now Mya has fallen ill also.”

“Gods,” Reiv replied. His chest felt as if it
had suffered a blow. Farris was only nine, a clever, inquisitive
boy, and Mya’s only son. Reiv had spent a brief time with them in
Pobu, and now regretted the last words he’d said to the child had
been a lie.

“What of Mya’s girls?” Reiv asked.

“No sign of sickness in them yet,” Jensa
said. “Torin wants to go to them, but Nannaven will not have
it.”

“But why?” Reiv asked. “He could help look
after them until…”

“Nannaven sent word that the fever is
spreading. A messenger came bearing the news about Farris and Mya,
but kept a safe distance. He was told not to come near the village.
We need to call a clan meeting as soon as possible. Nannaven fears
the sickness will spread to Meirla and wants travel between us to
cease.”

“Well, I don’t care what she wants!” Torin
said. “I will be at their sides no matter what she orders.”

“You cannot risk yourself, Torin,” Jensa
said. “If Mya and Farris are ill, there is nothing you can do.
Nannaven will take care of them until they are better.”

“And if they don’t get better?” Torin
said.

“Of course they will,” Reiv offered.

“How can you be certain?” Torin said. “Word
is that people are dying in droves. The dead are being piled upon
pyres.” He shook his head. “No. I will be there for Mya and I will
see that Farris is held in my arms before he is returned to the
earth!”

Torin pivoted toward the hut, but Reiv
grabbed him by an arm, stopping him short. “Torin, think what you
are saying. Mya would not want you to risk yourself, not for her or
for Farris.”

Torin jerked his arm away. “My son is dying,
Reiv. This may be the last chance I have to tell him I love
him.”

Reiv took a startled step back. “Your
son
?”

“Yes. My son. Would you keep me from him
now?”

“No, of course not. I—I did not know.”

“It is not something we speak of.”

“What of Eben? Did he know?” Reiv asked,
wondering if Mya’s recently deceased husband had been a willing
participant in the deception.

New regret swept Torin’s features. “Eben was
a good father to Farris. That is all that matters.” Then he turned
and continued toward the hut.

“What about Kerrik?” Reiv asked, struggling
to keep pace.

“He does not yet know about Farris, though he
always suspected my affection for Mya”

“How is he going to handle you leaving like
this?”

“He will understand,” Torin said.

“Understand what?” Kerrik asked from the
doorway.

Jensa rounded Torin to scoot Kerrik back
inside. “Torin is taking a little trip to New Pobu,” she said. “It
is none of your concern.”

But the boy would have nothing of it. He
planted his feet in front of Torin, barring his path. “Why are you
going, Torin? Why?”

“Nothing to worry about,” Torin said.

“You must think I’m as stupid as a snail,”
Kerrik said.