The Swans' War 1 - The One Kingdom (37 page)

ARDEN OPENED THE DOORS ONTO THE BALCONY AND THE SCENT of lavender enveloped him like a soft, tumbling wave. He closed his eyes and drew a breath. It was the fragrance he always associated with Llyn—Llyn and her garden—and it had lost its sweetness in recent years. Llyn had, for most of Arden's youth, been one of his favorite aunts, though she was in fact some variety of second or third cousin. He was fascinated by her and found he could talk to her like no other. There was something so safe about her garden, the fact that there was never anyone else present, that Llyn saw so few others and never gossiped. She also seemed to have a startling insight into his very soul. Llyn had often seemed to know what he was thinking, what distressed him. During the storms and droughts of youth and adolescence, Llyn had been his pilot, guiding him surely between the many hazards.

But Arden was no longer a boy, and had made choices of which Llyn would never approve. He could not pretend he was a child just to satisfy her, to make her feel needed, locked away here in her garden. Arden was a man now, and made the hard decisions forced upon Renné men.

He had seen less of Llyn these last two years, and had avoided her altogether since the spring. He told himself it was because he now found her prying annoying and her wit oddly unfathomable—she was forever laughing when he did not— but it was more than that Llyn had always guessed his secrets in his youth, and he was desperately afraid that she might do so now. He wondered why she had called for him.

"How like your cousin you look, there in the moonlight." It was Llyn's lovely warm voice floating up from the darkness below.

"Toren?" Arden said, still not able to accept this comparison.

"No, Beldor." Llyn laughed.” Who else?" She laughed again and he felt vaguely foolish.” Of course Toren. How fare you, Cousin?""Well enough," he said, wondering again why she had requested he visit.

"I am happy to see you," she said warmly.

Arden hardly knew what to say. He could not tell the truth, and a lie would sound so false. He chose the lie, all the same.” And I am happy to hear you sounding so well," he said.

"Are you indeed?" she said, the laughter returning to her tone.” Well, I have very little of which to complain." He could see her moving beneath the branches of a willow. Her dress was pale, perhaps yellow, and her beautiful hair swayed as she moved gracefully among the tendril boughs. A breeze shivered the leaves as though a thrill ran through the garden.” You have done well at the tournaments this season, I am told." "You don't care for tournaments," Arden said, his impatience coming to the fore.” No, but I care for my cousins and wish them success in their endeavors." "However misguided they might be," Arden said. Llyn was by the small pool now, her shadow cast down upon the damask of moonlight that rippled across the surface. He leaned a little to one side and gazed into the garden for a glimpse, wondering if she were truly so hideous. Neither spoke for a moment, and then Llyn said, "I'm sorry, Cousin; has my request that you visit inconvenienced you?" Arden looked down at his hands laid on the balustrade. He felt a terrible guilt suddenly. What a selfish brute he was! Too busy to visit Llyn—Llyn, who was locked up here with few visitors.” Not at all. I just feel... guilty that I have not visited you more often." "Ah, is that it?" She didn't sound convinced of this lie.” Well, do not feel badly. I am rather too pleased with my own company, and I have my garden, my books, and my history of the Renné . I do host the odd visitor other than yourself. There are a few, in truth, whom I see too often. But that is not the case with you." Arden bowed his head at this, as though accepting a compliment. Llyn moved again, dodging among the branches and the patches of cold moonlight.” The truth is, I feel badly for asking you to come here. . . ." She saw that he was about to protest and said, "No, it is true. I have requested your presence with an ulterior motive: I have a favor to ask of you.""Anything at all," Arden said quickly, trying to make amends for hurting her feelings, which he was certain he'd done.

"There is someone I need murdered. ..." She laughed at his stunned silence.” You were supposed to laugh, Cousin," she teased.

He did laugh now, but out of relief.” With our history such things are not to be made jests." He could see her head nod in agreement.

"One of your mother's ancestors fought at the battle of Cooling Keep....""I believe that is so," Arden answered, and then was suddenly wary. He thought of his strange meeting with Gilbert A'brgail, who had appeared like a ghost come back to haunt them. Had Toren told her about A'brgail?

"Did he keep a diary of his war years, do you know?" Llyn asked.” And who would have such a book, if it existed at all?" "I would have to ask Mother. She might know." "Would you do that? I'm looking into the destruction of the Knights of the Vow, and your mother's kin Ajean A'ville was a commander of a wing of the army.""I will put the question to Mother tomorrow," Arden said, wondering at the timing of this request. Was this merely part of Llyn's study of Renné history?

Llyn appeared to bend over some flowers, screened from his view by the branches of a tree.” You've traveled with your cousins a great deal this summer, have you hot?" she said, and Arden felt his fingers take hold of the railing.” It has been my good fortune to do so." "Have you noticed anything ... untoward among them?" "I'm not sure what you mean," Arden said, feeling his mouth go dry.

"Dease came to visit me, and I thought him ... I don't know, strangely unlike himself...." Arden closed his eyes, casting about desperately for some answer.” Cousin Dease is in love with you, Llyn," he said softly.” I'm sure he is never quite himself in your presence." He could see that Llyn was suddenly very still.” I hardly think that is the case," she said, though it was not a very strong protest.” Oh, it is well known within the family. It is why he has never married—or so everyone says." "Is that what everyone says?" She laughed.” Well, everyone has been wrong before." The sound of water falling into the pool was all that could be heard for a moment. Llyn stood so still that Arden lost sight of her. Had she moved? Slipped silently away without his realizing? "Llyn?" He saw her move then, where she had stood beneath the lace maple.” I didn't mean to distress you." "Kind of you," Llyn said softly. Her fingers appeared, reaching up to caress the leaves, like a hand breaking the water's surface.” Llyn? Do you think that Toren is making a mistake— returning the Isle of Battle to the Wills?" The hand disappeared back into the depths of the garden.” I am an authority on the past, Arden. What will happen in the future I cannot say. Perhaps returning the Isle of Battle will prove a disaster. Perhaps it will be the gesture that ends our feud. I cannot say. All I know is it has taken unprecedented courage to do this—to bare his breast to the daggers." "But the Wills have never hesitated to use the knife against us." "Oh, I was not talking about the Wills, though that took courage enough. I meant the Renné ?' Arden could see Llyn moving through her garden, too much like a ghost, he thought; living half a life.

"Good night, Arden Renné ," she said.” Luck in all of your endeavors." "Good night, Llyn." And then, "Llyn?" She stopped.” Yes?" Arden didn't know what it was he had suddenly wanted to say.” Luck to you as well." "Thank you." He heard her footsteps on stone and then a door closed. For a moment he stood staring down into the garden, all that was unsaid trying to tear its way out of his heart, and then he turned and went in, pulling the double doors to behind him. Dease appeared to be waiting at the foot of the long stair, standing before a painting, hands clasped behind his back. He wore his habitual dark clothing and, as always, was perfectly groomed. He turned toward Arden as he descended the stair, a small smile appearing on his handsome, serious face.

He looks like a man in mourning, Arden thought suddenly. It had never occurred to him before, but Dease looked like a mourner. His Renné -blue eyes were always attentive and solicitous, his manner concerned and subdued as though out of respect for the dead.

"And how fares young Arden Renné this evening?" Dease asked quietly, as though Arden had lost a mother or brother. "Well enough, Lord Dease. Kind of you to inquire." Dease fell into step beside him.” You've been for an audience, I understand... ?" "The castle rumor mill appears to be well greased this evening." "No more slippery than usual. How fares our cousin?" "I wish I could say," Arden said seriously.” Llyn is a mystery to me." "And to me," Dease said softly.

"She is searching for some journals my mother's family might have: part of her history, I take it." He knew this was why Dease had waylaid him—to find out what Llyn wanted. At least that was part of the reason. They emerged from the castle into a large quadrangle that Toren's mother, Lady Beatrice, had ordered made into a garden. Gravel paths meandered through the beds of flowers and among the small trees—Castle Renné was not famed for its beauty without reason. A watercourse whispered through the garden from one corner to another, for the castle was built over the Elbe, a tributary to the Westbrook. Arden glanced up to the brightly lit windows of Lord Hal-bcrt's rooms. Toren's father was stalked nightly by madness, by battles and phantom assassins; thus the many candles, all swung up out of reach on chandeliers. There was no screaming this night—not yet. Moonlight fell into the quadrangle, and torches guttered in sconces at the corners of paths. It was a garden of shadows and shapes, of faint light, cool and lustrous, and warm and shimmering.” How goes your argument with Toren, Dease? Is he at all nearer seeing the folly of his ways?" Dease didn't answer for a moment, then shook his head.” No, he will not listen to me. No, that is not true. He listens but does not agree. Any number of times I have come close to warning him: saying that his own family might be forced to extremes if he continues with his plans, but I haven't said it yet. I don't know why." Arden looked up again at the brightly lit windows.” I know what you mean. ... I have been tempted to do the same: to warn him in some general way, but it would only put him on his guard. It wouldn't change his mind. Though putting him on his guard has occurred to me as well." "Careful what you say, Cousin. Lovers hide in the garden's shadows." They passed over a small stone bridge, moonlight flowing beneath.” What else did Llyn say?" Dease asked casually.

"Oh, I don't know. It was polite conversation. She asked after you.""How kind of her," Dease said.” But no doubt she asked after many.""Not so many, but you in particular." In this one area Dease didn't hide his feelings well: he was in love with Llyn, and all of Castle Renné knew it. Arden wondered if Dease suspected, as Arden did, that Llyn was in love with Toren. But then, Llyn hid her feelings much better than Dease.

They stepped out into a crossing of paths, the moonlight falling on the gravel. Dease stopped to look up at the moon floating overhead. As they stood there, staring up, a small feather floated down from the sky and fell at their feet. Arden bent and picked it up. It was delicate and dark, almost black.

"I saw no bird," Arden said.” Perhaps the night is molting?"Dease laughed.” Perhaps so."

They walked on, gravel grinding beneath their feet like broken bones and teeth.

"IT WASN'T NEAR BAORE," GARTNN SAID.” IT HOVERED OVER YOU, Elise. That was clear when I awoke."Elise felt a shudder that seemed to begin in her heart and pass out of her body through its extremities. She had woken just before Fynnol attacked the nagar, woken with a strange feeling of another's presence.” But what was this thing?" she asked.

"I can't really answer that," Gartnn said.” The nagar are like half-breeds—both river spirit and ghost, or so the old songs would lead you to believe." "That was not some creature out of song," Elise said.” It was real, and utterly terrifying. I tremble yet when I think of it." Elffen nodded, though Elise was not sure which part of her statement she was agreeing with. The three of them had taken a walk along the riverbank, though they could still hear the ringing of Baore's caulking iron with each hammer blow. It was morning, and the light of day had shone harshly on the ruin of their boat. To Elise's inexperienced eye it looked like it should be broken up for kindling. The caulking was coming out in thick, dark cords, planks were soft, and frames broken—but this Valeman said he could make it float, and Gartnn seemed to believe him. Elise only hoped they would stay close to shore, if the boat ever floated again.” Why was this nagar near Elise?" Elffen asked.” And did you hear the way these strangers talked? Last night wasn't the first time they'd seen it!" Gartnn nodded gravely, his gray beard like a bow wave before his out-thrust chin.” I haven't felt good about these strangers since we landed among them: a Fael story finder traveling with men who claim to be from some innocent little village in the far north. Did you see ... ? The one called Tarn carries a Fael yaka bow and a sword that only a man-at-arms might bear. The moment Baore has our boat afloat we will set out, though I fear that won't be until late tomorrow." He looked up at Elise.” Keep your purse close, and try to remember your name is Angeline, not Elise."