The Eynan Page 7

  Most of the king's retinue was known to Gallia, even if in some cases only by sight, though there was one good-looking young man whom she didn't recognize. He had a distinctly foreign look about him; enough it piqued her interest. His hair was so black as to be almost blue, surprisingly his eyes were green; his skin had a healthy honey tone to it. She tried to decide what country he must be from. His garb was familiar, but she couldn't quite place it.

  Jhond would know, of course, she thought absently, before she realized she could not ask him. The loneliness swept over her again, drawing her attention from what was happening in the reception room, until a voice spoke to her.

  "Ah, My Lady Gallia, it has been some time since we last met. You are looking remarkably well. You look lovelier each time I see you." King Corianus' silky voice washed over her.

  She pulled her senses together, performed a perfect curtsey, and replied, "Why, thank you, Your Majesty. It is extremely gracious of you to say so."

  "Rise, my dear."

  She rose with a fixed smile on her lips.

  "May I present a traveler from a distant shore? Prince Patinus, may I introduce you to a flower of Timendra, the Lady Gallia Talchel. Lady Gallia, the Prince of Irobi, Patinus."

  The handsome man with the green eyes gently took her hand and bowed gracefully. "A pleasure, My Lady."

  So that's where he's from, she thought. Across the Estan Sea. What, she wondered, was he doing so far from home? She realized, with a start, that the king was still speaking. "The prince has heard much of the renowned gardens of your lovely home. Would you be kind enough to show him around them, Gallia?"

  * * * *

  Gallia sipped her tea and wondered quietly why the duke was on edge. He had invited her here to his private sanctum because he had something he wished to discuss with her, the message had said. Now, though, all he could do was pace up and down the study. It was most disquieting.

  While she waited, she allowed her mind to drift back over the past few days. King Corianus had finally left yesterday. He'd been expected to stay for a sennight, but instead, he had lingered for ten days. However, Gallia had to admit it hadn't been anywhere near as difficult as she had expected. She had been somewhat stiff and formal at first as she attempted to carry out the king's wishes and show Prince Patinus the gardens...almost but not quite a royal command she had no choice but to obey. However, she had soon relaxed, as it was difficult to maintain such a stance in such lovely surroundings with an escort clearly delighted to be enjoying them.

  Duke Vikor must have realized Gallia hadn't found Patinus' company as irksome as the other guests in the king's party because she invariably found herself seated next to him at dinner. She usually had the days to herself as the men folk were out hunting, but during the evening, she was expected to join the family in entertaining the king and his guests. Patinus was a very good conversationalist and, as he was a stranger, his comments were rarely of a personal nature.

  Toward the end of the first week, they were out walking in the garden one evening when Patinus had invited her to sit in a quiet arbor in the corner of the garden. Gallia had sat, quietly enjoying the play of the moonlight on the petals of the large flowers surrounding them.

  "I always find myself feeling relaxed in your company, Gallia." She'd glanced at him, and he'd shrugged. "You have such a quiet dignity about you."

  She had felt a little puzzled, but hadn't known what to say.

  He'd taken her hand and said, "Though, I have begun to wonder if you don't use it as a shield to keep others at a distance."

  Stung, she'd pulled her hand free and snapped, "Once bitten, twice shy!" She'd sucked in a breath. "You've obviously heard something of my...situation."

  Patinus had inclined his head. "I'm sorry if I offended you. It wasn't my intention to tread on such dangerous ground. If anything, I wanted to help." He'd paused. "Please, forgive my lamentable manners."

  She was immediately contrite, but had let the matter drop, as she had no idea what to say to him without stepping on that dangerous ground herself.

  The following day, the day before the king's party returned the capital, Patinus hadn't gone out hunting with the others, but instead he'd asked Gallia to go riding with him. She had been tempted to say no, but realized without a good reason it would seem churlish, so she'd agreed. However, it had proved more difficult than she could have imagined.

  She didn't know how it happened, but she'd found herself taking Patinus to all of the favorite places she used to visit with Jhond.

  The pond he had shown her many years earlier, which was filled with water falling from the distant mountains. She had explained to Patinus, just as Jhond had explained to her, how the waterfall was much more spectacular in early spring when the snows on the high peaks had melted and the rivers were swollen.

  The glade, which was hidden deep in the forest and which was a riot of color when spring carpeted the ground with wild flowers.

  The cliff top that could be treacherous if one didn't know it was there, coming on it suddenly from out of the forest, but well worth it for the wondrous view over the countryside below.

  Each place brought back memories, memories that broke her heart all over again. Patinus obviously had known something was bothering her, but he'd had the grace not to question her or to argue with her, when she finally said on the cliff top they must return home.

  He'd had difficulty keeping up with her as she'd raced her horse homeward.

  That night, she had refused to come down to dinner. Patinus himself had come to her chamber, asking to see her. She'd refused, but sent him a message to say he shouldn't worry because it was merely a headache brought on by the excitement of the day. In truth, she hadn't wanted to look at his handsome face, stare into his green eyes and admit to herself how much she enjoyed being with him and what an interesting companion he was. Admit the guilt she felt at forgetting Jhond for even a few short minutes when...

  "Gallia, my dear," Duke Vikor spoke up, interrupting her reverie. "I have a very important matter to discuss with you, one I am not sure you will like."

  She frowned, wondering what it could be.

  "The king has asked me to speak to you on the subject. He feels it would be very good for the country, and for you, too, of course." He hesitated and began to pace again.

  "Father, please come to the point. Whatever it is," she said wearily.

  "The king would like you to accept a proposal of marriage from Prince Patinus of Irobi," he said formally. He looked at her quickly, and she was sure he must have seen the color drain from her face, but she attempted not to react. "Patinus spoke to me himself before he left, not about marriage, but he did tell me how very special he thought you were."

  Still Gallia said nothing.

  "I received the proposal officially from the king by special messenger a short time ago. He has received a formal request from the prince and he has recommended you accept. I don't know if you want all the details," he continued, as she sat there silent and unmoving, "but an alliance between Timendra and Irobi would be very advantageous to us. The Illurian Empire is still expanding and Irobi is one of the few states to hold out. They need our help to continue resisting, and the intelligence we can gain would be invaluable because we do realize that if we are not next on the emperor's list, we can't be far from the top."

  Gallia stood and turned her back on Vikor as she moved toward the hearth. She stood looking at the intricately patterned fireguard and the dust motes that twisted in and out of the carved metal, but they soon faded from view. Instead, she was seeing her future and understanding, perhaps really for the first time, how empty it was going to be. She hadn't really thought beyond the now, beyond the pain she felt at having lost Jhond, the only man she had ever loved, the only man she'd ever considered loving.

  But she suddenly remembered who she was, who she was supposed to be. She was a member, albeit a minor one, of the ruling royal house. Marriage to Jhond would have been possible if they had b
een who they should have been. However, now that wasn't to be, she should have realized it would be impossible for her to stay unmarried. She was a perfect candidate to be sacrificed on the altar of expediency. What had the king said? It would be good for the country. He had recommended she accept. She knew damn well what that meant.

  But after all, did it really matter who she married when it wasn't Jhond? Well, if she had to marry someone, it would be nice if she could at least like the prospective bridegroom. She couldn't deny she found Patinus likable; he had shown consideration of her feelings. That was something. Wasn't it?

  * * * *

  Duke Vikor was nervously wringing his hands as he waited for her answer. While he hoped she would agree, he didn't really expect she would. The problem was she had no choice. King Corianus had told his brother he could pose the question any way he liked, as long as in the end the marriage--and the alliance--took place. Corianus had even remarked, in his usual thoughtless manner, that the breakdown of her relationship with Girau's wayward son was a blessing! He believed this alliance with Irobi could prove pivotal in the war he was certain was coming. The king firmly believed the Emperor of Illuria had his eyes fixed on Timendra, and Vikor wasn't of a mind to argue with him. On a more personal level, though, he hadn't relished having to push his daughter into an unwanted marriage, not so soon after the unhappy situation with Jhond. Whatever in all the hells that actually was!

  As he mulled all this over in his mind, he watched as Gallia finally turned back from the fireplace. She stepped toward him, and he braced himself.

  "Very well, Father, I will do as Uncle Corianus wishes," she stated dispassionately.

  "You will?" he replied, with a mixture of relief and utter confusion. "I must say I hadn't expected you to agree quite so readily. I had all these sensible arguments ready. You've taken the wind out of my sails," he added with a smile, hoping to relieve the tension he felt.

  "Why not? What else do I have to look forward to?" she replied icily.

  He was chilled by the despair in her tone. It only added to the impression that had been growing since she'd returned home permanently that she had lost interest in all of life's pursuits. The only time he had seen her look remotely interested in what she was doing was when she was fencing with Master Sepnar.

  Damn Jhond Reeve. What in the hells happened between them?

  Chapter 9

  They tied the horses securely before moving forward to the ruins, which were somewhat larger and more majestic than Jhond had expected. Ruins they certainly were, but that didn't dispel the air of grandeur that still clung to the site. The stone blocks were huge; it was difficult to see how they could ever have been maneuvered into position all those long centuries ago. Beyond the collapsed entry gate were the remnants of what must once have been an imposing entrance at the end of a long, straight roadway. Once it had been lined with columns, the remains of which could be seen scattered around. There were still some stumps at regular positions on each side of the roadway.

  It was still possible to see the layout of the gardens and what must have once been a moat, overgrown now with grasses, lichen and moss. The hedges and bushes had grown into huge trees and the climbing plants had run riot over everything. It made moving through the area very difficult. Even though much of it had fallen in long since, it wasn't difficult to see the crenellated tops of towers and linking walls where the soldiers must have stood guard over the secrets within what surely had been a fortress.

  "I can hardly believe this place," Jhond said, as he looked around with awe. "I had no idea it was so huge."

  "True, but you can believe it is the Temple of the Magi, eh?"

  "Yes, oh yes. Now what's the best way to get inside?" Jhond said thoughtfully, scanning the area.

  "Over there." Ninian pointed. He was indicating a low archway almost directly in front of where they were standing. It did seem to be a direct line from the road down which they had just ridden. In reply to Jhond's raised eyebrow, he said, "Well, that road's as old as the ruins. It must've been a direct route to the entrance, don't you think?"

  "Can't argue with that. Though that might take some arguing," Jhond added, indicating the twisted and gnarled roots and undergrowth that blocked their way.

  Ninian rummaged in his hold-all and after bringing out two machetes, passed one to Jhond. "Here, let's see them argue with these."

  "Came prepared with two, eh?"

  Ninian smiled. "I have my reasons."

  They hacked a path through the wild garden and finally reached the old archway. There were unusual markings running round the top section of the arch. It was a language long since forgotten, though Jhond did recognize some of the lettering. They walked inside. Most of the roof was gone, littering the ground all around them. What little remained looked so unsafe it made the two men hurry across the presumed entrance hall to the next archway. This was a similar archway, though larger and with the remains of two huge doors still hanging from rusty old hinges. Luckily, as the doors would've proved impossible to move, they'd frozen in place slightly ajar so Jhond and Ninian could slip easily between them.

  Ninian took the lead and strode purposefully through the rooms, at first just going straight forward through one room after the other. Then he entered the fourth room and unerringly moved to the right. Jhond frowned. "Where're you going?"

  "Over here," Ninian replied casually.

  "Yes, but why? You act almost as if you know where you're going." There was slight suspicion in his voice now.

  "Not really. It's just I've been in a few places like this and the layout always seems pretty similar."

  "There is nowhere similar to the Temple of the Magi."

  "Okay, you pick a direction. I don't see it matters," Ninian said, with a hint of frustration.

  "I suppose you're right. No, go on. Let's see what's in that direction."

  Ninian nodded and continued toward an open archway that turned out to be at the top of a staircase. It consisted of worn stone steps descending into the deep blackness.

  At the top Jhond stopped. "Don't," he said in a shaky voice.

  "What?"

  "Don't go down there. There's something wrong." He hesitated.

  "What do you mean? What's wrong?"

  "I don't know. Something is wrong. I...I feel it. It's cold. Clammy. Not right. Can you not feel it, too?"

  "Yes, but I needed to see if you could," Ninian replied, an odd smile on his lips, his voice seeming a little deeper.

  Jhond frowned. "I don't understand."

  "I know, but you will. Come this way." Ninian turned around and walked in the opposite direction. He passed the doorway through which they had entered and continued forward so it was as if he had turned left from the entrance. There was an identical open archway, with an identical staircase leading down.

  "What do you feel now?" he asked Jhond.

  "Nothing. It's cold here, too, but it's just normal cold, almost fresh. In fact," Jhond added thoughtfully, "too fresh for such an old building. It should be musty or something."

  "Unless there's another entrance down there allowing in fresh air," Ninian remarked.

  "I suppose."

  "Shall we see?" Ninian began to move down.

  "Ninian, what exactly is going on?"

  "I will explain. Later. Come on."

  Jhond waited for a second before following Ninian into the darkness. He'd only gone a few steps when he realized the absurdity of what they were doing. "Ninian, this is ridiculous. I can't see my hand in front of my face. We've no idea what's down the next step. Or even, if there is a next step."

  "Well, we'll just have to fix that, won't we?" Ninian said, his voice seemingly deeper than ever.

  Jhond decided it had to be because of the effects of where they were. Then suddenly, there was light. Right in front of Ninian, there was light.

  "What is that? Do you have some kind of torch?" Jhond asked, puzzled.

  "You could say that," Ninian said, as he turned back
toward Jhond. In his hand he carried a tiny jewel, no larger than a gem one would wear in a ring. "Take this," he said to Jhond, but momentarily, Jhond's attention was held by the sight of another tiny gem floating in the air just a couple of steps down from where they stood. The gem was giving off enough light that the way below was almost as bright as day.

  "Jhond, take this," Ninian repeated, thrusting the other small gem toward him.

  Jhond was fascinated by what he saw, but hesitated to touch it.

  "It's a jewelite. Is the name familiar?" Ninian asked.

  "By the Lords of Light, yes. From the old books. It's much smaller than I ever expected. And the amount of illumination...it's unbelievable." He stopped. He looked at Ninian, his eyes large and round with fascination and something else--fear. "Who are you?" he gasped.

  * * * *

  Patinus watched the bird fly high to catch the warm air currents as it winged its way north. It would still take some time before word reached its destination. Suvran had taught him the code so only a few letters and numbers could convey so much. By tomorrow, the emperor would know his plan was well on its way to fruition. It had taken even less time than anyone could have expected. The lady had agreed to the match without the need to resort to gentle persuasion, let alone royal command. Patinus had surprised even himself, though he had to admit Gallia had made it that much easier. She proved to be so much more than he could ever have expected; not only beautiful, but also intelligent.

  Somewhere under that icy exterior she had woven around herself was a warm and loving person. Whatever had happened with this young friend of hers had certainly made her more receptive than he had any right to expect. Oh, for all the wrong reasons, but that was of no consequence. A pity the man couldn't be thanked personally.

  Patinus had persuaded King Corianus to arrange the wedding sooner rather than later, citing that the populace in both countries would feel safer knowing there was such an important alliance in force. It was common knowledge the empire looked to new lands to conquer, new peoples to enslave, new wealth to steal. With the eyes of the Irobans on the lookout for intelligence to pass on to the Timendrans, and the agreement between them for the enlargement of the Timendran Navy and strengthening of the coastal forts on both sides of the Estan Sea, both states would be more secure.