The beggar prince, p.24
The Beggar Prince, page 24
part #1 of Unbroken Bond Series
“Then you will see the real Anieszriel. Then you will see why she is so feared.” Drake took a step forward, his gaze piercing deep into Marshalla.
“Right now, our two saving graces are Tip's love for you, and the fact that she is too weak to force her will upon him. The latter will take months to rectify, even with a host as young as Tip, so she will be working on redressing the former.”
Marshalla broke her gaze with the ranger. The discomfort was too great.
“I don't want you here, my girl,” he continued, “because I'd hate to do what I'd have to do should she succeed in supplanting you in his heart.”
“She won't!” Marshalla exclaimed, gritting her teeth in defiance as she stared at him once more. “Tip loves me!”
Drake smiled at her.
“Make sure he never forgets that, for all our sakes.” And without another word, Drake turned back to his cooking.
“Mardaley believes in us,” Marshalla continued, her defiance burning bright as she rose what's left of her apple to her lips.
“Ha!” Drake exclaimed as he stared over his shoulder at Marshalla. “The Mardaley I know would've handed Tip over to the Tower by now!”
Icy tendrils clawed at Marshalla's insides as she stared at the ranger before her.
“Don't believe you,” she managed.
“Oh it's true, my girl,” he replied, turning back to the pot before him. “The Mardaley I know only cared for the greater good. Nothing was too great a sacrifice for The Greater Good!”
He looked over his shoulder once more at Marshalla. “But, for reasons I cannot fathom, you and that little boy have softened his shrivelled old heart. Hells, he's even looking into how he can separate Anieszriel from Tip! Did you know that?”
A proud, grateful smile parted Marshalla's lips.
“You didn't did you? Well, he is, old fool that he is. Nevermind that countless mages and suchlike have tried gods knows how many ways over the centuries, old Mardaley's convinced he can do it, for Tip's sake. And that's his great plan. For once, he's sacrificing the greater good to save someone.” Drake shook his head. “You and that little boy are going to have to tell me how you got to that old goat.”
Marshalla grinned. “It'll cost you.”
“Oh? Bartering are we?”
“Of course. A street rat's always got to be thinking of the future.”
“Ha! I'll make a ranger of you yet.” He looked over at Marshalla once more.
“Go on, go look after those boys. You go make sure Kasha hasn't gnawed their legs off or somesuch.”
Marshalla's eyes grew wide before staring out of the open door.
“I jest, girl, I jest.”
Sighing, she turned back to Drake, shaking her head. But the smile upon her lips faded as his faded.
“But remember my words.”
Slowly, she nodded as an uncomfortable silence fell upon them both. Nodding himself, he turned back to the pot. Nodding once again, Marshalla rose and headed for the door, the three cubs in tow. It did not take her long to find them, their laughter drawing her straight to them. They were playing battle-mages, firing off spells and swinging mighty staves of twig at an invisible army of epic proportions. Shaking her head, Marshalla headed for them. It was Davian who spotted her first, the sounds of her coming clearly breaking him from his play.
“Hey, Marsha!” Davian yelled, turning to wave at her. Grinning, Tip stopped and waved too. Smiling, Marshalla waved back as she hurried her steps. But as she neared them, the hulking head that was Kasha's rose from the grass not far from the pair to stare straight at her. As Marshalla stared into his eyes, she felt herself slow to a crawl. As if reading her discomfort, the night panther lowered his head back to the grass.
“Oh, don't be like that, Marsha,” Davian said. “He really is quite harmless.”
“And big,” Marshalla replied. “Don't forget big.”
Davian smiled. “Yes, he is rather big for a panther. Drake called him a night panther, never really heard of that kind before.”
“Marsha's never seen a panther before though,” Tip said. “Can't blame her for being scared.”
“Like you, you mean?” Davian asked with a mischievous grin on his lips.
“Wasn't scared!” Tip cried in response.
“Truly? So you screaming and crying when he snuck up behind you, that wasn't–”
“Shut up!”
“Ok, ok, enough.” Marsha stared at a pouting Tip, smiling at him before levelling a scolding gaze at Davian, who remained unrepentant. Shaking her head, Marshalla looked about her till her eyes fell upon a cluster of little trees nearby.
“Come, let's go sit,” she said as she headed for the trees. Before long, all three were sat under the trees and within their shade. They watched in silence as Kasha played with the three cubs.
“Glad you finally awake, Marsha,” Tip said as he pulled at the grass before him. Frowning, she looked at him.
“What you mean?”
“You were sleeping for quite a long time,” Davian replied.
“What you mean?” she repeated, turning to stare at Davian. “Sun's still up.”
“We got here yesterday, Marsha.”
Surprised, Marshalla looked at Tip. “And you didn't wake me?”
Tip shrugged. “After all that pretend sleeping you were doing, Davian and me thought we should let you sleep proper. Just didn't think you'd sleep this long.”
“Pretend sleep?” Marshalla asked as she frowned.
“You were often the last to sleep and the first to wake,” Davian replied with a smug smile. “We knew you weren't always sleeping.”
“Oh, did you now?”
“Yes,” Davian replied as his smile grew.
“Yes,” Tip added, grinning as well. “Can't fool us.”
“Must remember that for next time, then.”
Chuckling, the two boys looked at each other before staring at Kasha and the cubs once more.
“I'm glad we made it out though,” Davian said as he too began pulling at the grass before him.
“Me too,” Tip added.
“How long are you planning to stay here for?” Davian asked
“Ani says at least a year.”
“A whole year?”
“Uh-huh. She says going to take that long before people forget about us. Start to forget about us.”
“What do you think, Marsha?”
Marshalla tore her gaze from Tip to stare at Davian. “Hoping we can go back sooner, a year's really long.”
“Yes, it is isn't it?” Davian replied.
“Yeah,” Tip said, nodding as he spoke. “But Ani says we shouldn't count our kitchens just yet.”
“Don't have any kitchens,” Marshalla replied, frowning.
“Chickens.”
“You don't have any chickens either,” Davian said.
“Oh, yeah.”
“I…think she means we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves,” Davian offered. “I've heard that phrase used by humans before.”
“Oh. Funny thing to say,” Marshalla mused.
“Hehe, yeah,” Tip added.
Then, Marshalla looked at Tip. “You and Ani been talking a lot.”
“Yeah,” Tip nodded, but as he answered, he dropped his gaze to the grass before him, and Marshalla couldn't help but feel it was because he couldn't look her in the eye when he spoke, a feeling that made Drake's words ring all the truer.
“So, how long do you think we should stay for then, Davian?” Marshalla asked as she tore her gaze away from Tip once more.
“Me?”
Marshalla nodded.
“Well, I don't know…left to me we won't go back.”
Marshalla frowned. “But Merethia's your home.”
Davian smiled sadly as he lowered his gaze to the grass in his hands.
“Not anymore it's not,” he muttered. “I can't condone what my father tried to do, what my brother did. And if I can't condone that, how can I go back?”
An uncomfortable silence fell upon them all as both Marshalla and Tip stared at the forlorn Davian.
“He still loves you, Davian,” Marshalla said at last. Davian laughed as he looked at her.
“Oh, he loves me, but not like you think. He loves me like…like a shepherd loves a prized sheep dog.” Shaking his head, he dropped his gaze to the grass once more.
“I guess I've known all my life,” he continued, pulling at the grass one more. “Guess I've known how much he cared, but I…I wanted to believe I could make him care more.” He looked up at them. “Do you know what I mean?”
Marshalla nodded in response. Smiling, Davian dropped his gaze once more.
“And Thalas,” he continued, “well it wasn't hard to see why he was always so angry, always so hateful. Father never hid his displeasure of Thalas from anyone, not from me, or his friends, or even the help.” Gritting his teeth, Davian pulled angrily at the grass.
“Do you know what the stupidest thing was though?” he asked, raising his gaze to Marshalla as he tugged away at the grass. “I thought…I truly thought…if I could make Father love me like my friends' fathers loved them, and make Thalas like me, maybe then, Father will like Thalas and he wouldn't be so angry and miserable. Such a stupid notion if there ever was one.”
Marshalla shook her head. “No, it's not.”
But Davian shook his own head, dropping his gaze once more. The silence that followed was deafening.
“So, what you both been doing all day, then, eh?” Marshalla asked, eager to lighten the mood. Before either could answer though, Kasha rose suddenly, his gaze going to the house. Taking a step forward, he stopped and turned his gaze towards Marshalla and the boys.
“What ails him?” Davian asked, frowning. Marshalla stared at the great panther for a spell before smiling.
“Think…Drake's called him. Food's ready.”
With eyes wide with excitement, both boys looked at each other before scrambling to their feet and racing off towards the house.
“Hey!” Marshalla exclaimed, but it was too late. Sighing, she too rose and followed, the great panther already heading back himself, the three cubs in tow.
*****
With his hands behind him, Thuridan stared out of the window in his reading room, his features twisted in a frustrated frown.
“You're certain?”
Behind him, Thalas nodded as he turned to stare briefly at the others. “I'm certain, father.”
But Thuridan remained unconvinced. “He matched the eye-witness descriptions perfectly, and he's well acquainted with Mardaley. Do you truly mean to tell me it wasn't him? You have failed me in the past, Thalas, so I shall ask you just once more, are you certain?”
Thalas sighed through gritted teeth. “We made him watch us have our fun with his wife, then we made him watch Durlin extinguish the life out of her. Then, we told him if he gave us what we wanted we would spare his daughters. He wasn't lying, Father, I am certain.”
At last, Thuridan turned, his displeasure plain. “I take it you cleaned up after yourselves.”
Thalas nodded in response.
“I have that to be thankful for, at least,” he muttered, just loud enough to be heard by all.
“What other avenues are there, sir?” Neremi asked, stifling a scowl.
“Avenues?” Thuridan snarled. “My dear Neremi, do you think I would be standing here wasting breath with you if there were others?”
“Sir, it's been almost two months now,” Eldred replied. “Surely, there must be–”
“Did you hear me stutter, young man?”
“No sir,” Eldred replied, visibly smarting.
“So, you did not understand my words?”
“No sir.”
“No?”
“I mean, yes sir.”
“Yes?”
“I mean–”
“Father, what do we do now?” Thalas asked, coming to his friend's aid. Thuridan turned his piercing gaze onto his son.
“We? You, do nothing, save whatever nonsense you do to waste your lives away. I, on the other hand, have the unenviable task of salvaging this mess you've brought me.” Frowning still, he turned his gaze on the others.
“Go, get out of my sight.” And without another word, Thuridan turned back to the window.
“Come,” Thalas said before turning and reaching for the door. Before long, all five were walking down the darkened streets away from the Grovemender residence.
“I swear, your father gets more insufferable the longer this drags on,” Neremi snarled once they were a safe distance away.
“Can you blame him?” Eldred asked.
“Yes!” Neremi exclaimed.
“No, I mean, it's been almost two months, and still nothing. No great rampage, no threatening missives, nothing. The king's long since abandoned the search for the Kin-Slayer and regularly belittles the Matriarch over how she handled the escape, even calls her a scaremongerer. He's feeling the pressure from the Matriarch to show she was right. I heard she's practically sitting upon his neck demanding daily updates.”
“Well, I hope she chokes him.”
Thalas chuckled at her.
“I do! And I hope I'm there to watch.”
“Much as I would love to see the old bastard die myself,” Thane said sombrely, “we're still suspended from the Tower, and until he releases us, suspended we will remain.”
“I know,” Neremi said, sighing as she spoke.
“And if he is proven to be incapable of resolving this,” Durlin said, “do you truly think we will be allowed back?”
None spoke.
“So, what do we do?” Neremi asked, staring at Thalas as she spoke. He looked at her before sighing and shrugging.
“We hope, and we pray.”
“That's it?” Thane asked, sneering.
“You have a better idea?”
“You're our glorious leader, and that's the best you can come up with?”
“Do you have a better idea?” Thalas asked, his ire straining on its leash. Thane glared before turning and walking away. As he walked away, Thalas turned his gaze to Durlin, who was staring intently at him. No words passed between the two, but soon Durlin turned and hurried after Thane.
“I'd…best go with them,” Eldred said. “Keep them out of trouble.”
“Yes, good idea,” Neremi replied.
“Yes.” But as he walked, he suddenly stopped and turned to Thalas.
“You'll find away,” he smiled. “You always do.” And without waiting for a response, hurried after the others.
“That Thane is becoming more and more of a handful,” Neremi muttered. His eyes still on the receding figures, Thalas nodded.
“That he is.”
“I'm surprised he hasn't challenged you yet.”
“He will, once this is over.”
“I…yes, he would, wouldn't he?”
“And then there's Durlin,” Thalas said, a worried frown twisting his lips. “He and I used to be so close.”
“Yes…” Neremi muttered sadly. “It used to be as if he was your counsel.”
“Yes. But now…the way he stares at me sometimes, it's almost as if he can barely contain his hate.”
Neremi looked from him to the distant figures before staring back at him. “Well, you did get Fallon killed.”
Thalas moved to speak, but no words came. Smiling guiltily, Neremi slipped her hands into his.
“I know a quaint little inn not far from here. Perhaps you and I can find something…naughty we can do to pass the time.”
Thalas looked down at her hands as he shook his head.
“It was not my intent for Fallon to die, Neremi,” he said, his voice heavy.
“I know, Thalas,” Neremi replied as her smile faded.
“I know my anger cost us our prize, and not a day has gone by that I haven't berated myself for it.”
Raising a gentle hand to her lover's cheek, Neremi sighed. “I know.”
Sighing himself, Thalas closed his eyes as he savoured her touch.
“Come,” she said, a mischievous smile dancing on her lips. “The inn isn't far.”
Thalas said nary a word, and instead allowed Neremi to drag him down the path of her choosing. As they walked, however, Neremi stopped suddenly as a disgusted gasp escaped her lips.
“What is it?” Thalas asked, looking where she stared. As he stared, he watched as the tiniest mouse he'd ever seen stared up at them from within the shadows nearby.
“Ugh,” he muttered in disgust. “What is this city coming to?” Shaking his head, he raised his right hand at the little creature. But as he did so, the mouse walked forward into the light before stopping and staring up at them once more, and as Thalas was about to begin casting his spell, the mouse stood on its hind legs and stared calmly at them both as its eyes glowed a hue of purest azure. Slowly, Thalas lowered his hand as he stared at Neremi, who stared nervously back.
“Greetings,” the little mouse squeaked at the stunned pair.
*****
Groaning, Marshalla stirred from her bed, the light of the morning sun bathing her room in a warm golden hue. Yawning, Marshalla rose to sitting, stretching as she did so, and with a deep sigh, swung her feet off her bed, narrowly missing the panther cub resting beside her bed.
“Oh, sorry, Gray,” she said, wincing. “Didn't see you there.”
The startled panther stared at her with indignation before nestling down once more.
“Said sorry.” she muttered as she rose, and stretching once more, headed for the door, little Gray hurrying after her as she left.
“There you are!” Drake exclaimed the moment Marshalla reached the bottom of the stairs. “What time do you call this, my girl?”
Marshalla pulled a face at him in response.
“Warned you, didn't I?” Drake continued with a smug grin. “Warned you the washing up would take forever, didn't I?”
Marshalla frowned, but kept her peace.
“Exactly. So next time I tell you to best get started, you'd best get started.”
Marshalla growled under her breath as she glared at Drake. It was then she noticed the bow in his hand. “Going hunting already?”
“It's almost noon!” Drake replied, laughing.
“What?”
Shaking his head, Drake picked up his hunting bag from the hook where it rested beside the stairs as Davian and Tip wandered into the corridor.
