Whispers and Promises (restarted)

[heartofcourage]

Kyra grinned as he kissed her lips as she asked him, nodding as he explained that things might be tense for a while. She knew that he would be in a mood as well, but she would have to stay away from their chambers until after the delegation left. It had been a long time since she had been away from Rath for any longer then a day.

"I suppose I will do what I must, my prince." She said softly, kissing him again as she felt his hand gripping hers so tightly. "Do not take any others to your bed while I'm gone."

She always teased him, a smile on her lips as she gently wiped her rouge from his lips with her thumb.

 

[DrStein]

Rath let out a little chuckle at that. "If this pretender to your throne is really the prize I've been told she is," he whispered in Kyra's ear, "I'll have to refrain myself from setting her up a guest chamber in the royal kennels." She wiped the makeup from his lips. In response, he gently touched two fingers to his lips before placing them on hers. "I'll give you a night of passion to make the gods jealous to make up for the time we'll be apart," he promised with an impish glint in his eye.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I have no doubt of that, my sweet prince." She said with a grin, devilishly nipping at his two fingers before she seductively suckled on the tips for a moment before she released him. "If you can stand to stay away from me that long."

 

[DrStein]

"The wizards may not take kindly to me pulling you into a storeroom and making you scream my name." Rath looked over his shoulder and saw that Darius was making his way toward them again. "Take an honor guard and be on your way. We'll be together again soon enough."

Rath reluctantly parted ways from Kyra and went to rejoin Darius. "The Lady Kyra certainly seems to be feeling more at home these days," the spymaster remarked.

The prince wondered if perhaps Darius was starting to catch on. But he would continue to play the game. "She is coming to see Rhagal as a place to build a life. Master Ithros says she is the best student he's ever had."

Darius glanced around. "Speaking of Dathish... I have some news that may interest you. There are two survivors of King Rue's house."

Rath's brows went up before he trained his face back to a mask of calm. "Who?"

"Their names are not spoken in the court, but allegedly Rue's daughter was sold into slavery. Finding her at this point would be almost impossible but for divine intervention."

Rath kept silent at that, resisting the urge to glance toward Kyra who was walking with Amina in the edge of his vision. "And the other?"

"Her brother. There's a record of his execution, but... members of the court speak of him in the present tense. One does not speak of a dead man in such a manner." Darius bent down to smell the flowers and continued. "I know not his whereabouts. But I will let you know what more I discover."

Rath nodded. "Thank you." Rath took his leave at that point. He ached to tell Kyra, but not only would he need to keep his distance for a few days but he dared not give her hope until he knew more.

 

[heartofcourage]

With an honor guard, Amina and Salemar in tow, Kyra left the palace to visit the wizard's guild. She had only been there once before with Rath but they were kindly men who welcomed her with open arms. She found their conversation to be lively and intelligent and she enjoyed her time with them she she had the chance to visit.

It might have seemed odd to the people of Rhagal as they watched the king's concubine escorted through the town with a guard, but Kyra had long since quit worrying about what other people thought. She loved Rath and he loved her. That was all that mattered to her in the long run. No matter what the king wanted, they would be together.

 

[DrStein]

At the city library, the wizards happily welcomed Kyra. Among them was Shar, now a year older and with the shaved head of an apprentice like Salemar. The library was a grand hall of books and scrolls. Several of the citizens followed the group in out of curiosity and were immediately welcomed by the wizards.

Salemar smiled and commented, "You know, word is spreading around the city of you, my lady. The people are inspired by the story of a slave girl who has learned our tongue, our history, songs and so forth. The wizards say that more people come to the library every day. More children are learning to read. They also speak of the prince and his kindness to the boy, Shar."

"Indeed," one of the wizards agreed. "They say that the prince wants to bring a new enlightenment to Rhagal. I won't pretend I know for certain what his grace wants, but I do hope the rumors are true."

 

[heartofcourage]

"It makes me happy to know that people are encouraged to try something new." Kyra said with a smile as he took a seat next to Shar to listen about everything that he had learned so far in his new home.

"I will say that the prince is very concerned with the state of education in his lands and he wants all his citizens to learn as much as they can since they have the resources at their fingertips." She mentioned to the wizard as Shar pulled out his papers and books.

 

[DrStein]

At the palace, the throne room was prepared to receive the guests. King Athmir sat upon the throne and Rath stood by his side in royal finery with a great turban on his head. He fought to keep the corners of his mouth from turning down before the Dathish royals and their honor guard entered the room.

The princess Inwana was the first, followed by a pair of musicians providing her a fanfare. She was pretty, with long dark hair and dark eyes. Her dusky skin was paler than Rath's or Kyra's however. She clearly spent most of her time away from the direct light of the sun. She also had her nose in the air with an imperious look in her face.

Her brother, Prince Dinaran and his wife Shula were next. There was an overwhelming bearing of arrogance about the two of them. Dinaran made no attempt to disguise the fact that his eyes were roaming the room, judging everything in his sight. Rath felt an almost immediate revulsion toward the both of them but kept his face calm and relaxed.

Princess Inwana curtsied before the Rhagali royals. "Greetings, oh king and prince. Thank you for your hospitality." There was little sincerity in her voice. She said the words because they were expected of her. She tried to play the perfect courtier but she couldn't feign honesty, sincerity or humility. She was here grudgingly. Rath glanced over at his father whose hand unconsciously tightened on the arm of the throne. He clearly saw it as well.

Best to get this over with. Rath bowed to them and stepped forward. "Peace be upon you. I am Prince Arakhmon Rath, son of Athmir of the house of Katum. I hope your journey finds you well."

There was an awkward silence. "Well enough," Inwana responded.

Rath felt a corner of his mouth twitch downward. This was going to be difficult.

At the library, Shar showed a great enthusiasm for his studies. When Kyra caught him staring at her from the corner of his eye, he would blush and speak quicker as if trying to distract from his mistake. Still, he was obviously far more intelligent than his appearance a year ago would have ever suggested. "I believe that the gods sent me a message the day Prince Rath pulled me from the rubble. Giving health and life to others is the way of morally superior men. The gods breath life into all of us. The highest calling is to work toward the same."

One of the wizards smiled and remarked. "Shar seems possessed of a wisdom beyond his years. Wouldn't you agree, my lady?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"Shar will grow into a great man one day." Kyra said with a smile as she placed her hand on the young boy's hand. "Perhaps he'll be the greatest wizard this city has ever seen."

"But...you must keep up with your studies and be dutiful in what the others tell you." She said to the boy, squeezing his hand gently as she looked up at the wizard that seemed to be his teacher.

"Sir, I do not believe that we have met formally. My name is Kyra." She said, extending her hand towards the man as she waited for his reply.

 

[DrStein]

The wizard took Kyra's hand in both of his and bowed until his forehead touched her knuckles. "I am Master Khalid. You already have met my cousin, Ithros, at the royal library. He speaks very highly of you. We come from a long line of scholars, so we know a keen mind when we see one."

For his part, Shar looked as if he were in the presence of the gods themselves. "What's it like with the prince and the king?" he asked.

At the palace Rath and his father were accompanying Darius who was showing the Dathish visitors around the palace. They seemed rather unimpressed, which grated on Rath's nerves. The other women brought to him by his father may have been fussy, temperamental and vain, but none of them showed the sort of barely disguised contempt that these pretenders to the throne displayed.

They were shown their quarters and almost immediately Lady Shula began to complain under her breath to her husband. Rath felt his patience beginning to snap and cast her a sidelong look. "Rhagal may not be as cosmopolitan as you are accustomed to, Lady Shula, but what we lack in luxuries we make up for in dignity and honor."

Their eyes snapped to the prince, who stood there with a composed, if somewhat cold look in his eyes. Shula stammered out something he couldn't make out and scurried off into the bath chamber. Prince Dinaran cast Rath a dirty look and snapped his fingers at a servant, ordering his possessions be brought to the room. Inwana awkwardly shuffled a little further into the room.

"If you need anything..." Rath had to force himself to say the words. "Just ask." He left and closed the doors behind him. Away from their eyes he growled slightly and stalked off.

King Athmir followed behind his son and once they rounded a corner said, "I confess, I would not be heartbroken if you did not choose that one."

Rath stopped and looked at his father. A silence passed between them before the corners of the prince's mouth turned up and he laughed. "Perhaps we could cut their visit a bit short?"

"I'll see what can be done." The king did not smile as his son did, but a sardonic, lopsided grin creased his lips and eyes. It seemed they still had that much in common: neither one of them suffered fools gladly.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Any member of Master Ithros's family is in my debt." Kyra said with a smile as Shar asked what the king and the prince were like.

"Well, the prince is a kindhearted man who is deeply involved in his people's lives. He thinks about them often and strives to find new ways to enrich their lives. Perhaps when you are further in your studies, we might invite you to the palace to meet him." She exclaimed, watching the young boy's eyes light up. "He is always keen to talk to someone with a sharp mind."

"The king is much the same way. He has the best interests of his people at heart and he wants to see them flourish." Kyra knew that she was making up the best of the king, but she thought that a young boy would be better served still believing that he was a great man.

 

[DrStein]

"That reminds me," Khalid said. "Ever since his grace started making his public appearances, we've been thinking of several civic projects that the palace might fund. Master Lamiro has been working with the magistrates for example. He envisions a series of granite obelisks with the laws of the land carved upon them. They would be placed in every village in the land so that every citizen may know the rights they are due. If you would tell the prince and the king that we request an audience with them, we would be in your debt." Khalid's placing of Rath before his father may have been accidental or it may have been deliberate. The aging sage spoke so evenly and eloquently that it was likely the latter.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kyra listened and thought about the political ramifications of what was being suggested. Not paying respect to the king was a deadly mistake. Still, she kept her smile bright and sunny, nodding as she listened to him.

"I will bring it up to the prince and perhaps the king will meet with you on the matter." She said softly, skimming over the lapse. "There are many things that he would like to see done in his country. Helping the citizens is his biggest goal."

 

[DrStein]

Khalid bowed his head again. "Thank you, my lady. We have great hopes that the prince will continue his father's work to make our kingdom greater by the day." At this point it would be obvious to an astute listener that the wizard put more faith in communicating with the prince than the king. Around the court King Athmir had a well-earned reputation for being somewhat... difficult to reach. He would hold court, hear the proposals of his courtiers, advisors and citizens, and then depart. It would be weeks or even months before it became obvious what he had decided.

By contrast, Rath by the day became less and less moody. He kept his royal bearing and poise, but he was more... approachable.

For the next few hours, the wizards provided Kyra with any book or scroll that she asked for. They talked of history, philosophy, law and what portents had been read in the stars for the coming months and years.

At the palace, Rath was trying to get through the evening meal listening to Inwana droning on about... something. He stopped paying attention and merely nodded as he mechanically ate his food after she began prattling on about her awful poetry. Her brother and sister-in-law sat by getting the occasional word in edgewise and casting him dour looks, still clearly unhappy about his embarrassing them earlier.

"If you don't mind my asking, your grace," Shula eventually said, interrupting Inwana during a pause in her rambling for breath, "what is this I hear about a Dathish concubine? A slave was it?"

Rath lifted a brow. "The honor code of Katum forbids slavery. A slave is a tool kept by weaklings and idiots. You did learn this before you came here, did you not?"

Shula flinched but continued on. "Uh... yes, of course I did. But I hear your servants talking of this concubine of yours. How did you come by her if slavery is illegal here?"

Rath decided that the best lie was one made entirely of the truth. "Some obsequious merchant house gave her to me as a gift hoping to buy a favor from me. I freed her and made clear to them they were no longer welcome in the palace."

The king sat by saying nothing.

"I don't like people who make such crass and foolish assumptions about me or my culture," Rath added. "It leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Wouldn't you agree?" He fixed Shula with a pointed glare at that question. He wanted this conversation to be over and hoped to stonewall them by once again pointing out their lack of manners.

She narrowed her eyes and gulped down another glass of wind, impatiently holding it out for a servant to refill.

Dinaran picked up where his wife left off. "No slaves... but you still keep concubines?"

This time the king spoke. "I have four myself. In previous generations it was not uncommon to take as many as twenty. But I suspect that within a few generations, the king will take only the queen to bed."

Rath resisted the urge to comment that he had learned months ago that the father of these impudent guests kept twelve concubines himself. That would be tipping his hand.

"I only ask because the servants seem rather taken with her," Dinaran remarked casually. "I wouldn't want my dear sister to be seen as second to a whore."

Rath's jaw tightened but he tried to keep from snapping. Inwana glared at him as if she already had some sort of claim on him. "I don't see that being a problem," Rath said at last. "If you'll excuse me, I like to look at the stars before I retire for the evening."

He left the dining hall with as much tact and dignity as he could muster but inside he was alternately terrified and fuming. Did they suspect something? It wasn't safe for Kyra to return to the palace at all until they left. He called over a servant and wrote a letter to Kyra, instructing her to stay with the wizards in the library until he told her to return to the palace. His words did not say why, though he knew she would share his suspicions. He told the messenger only that he did not like their guests and did not want the Lady Kyra to see her former countrymen conducting themselves so poorly.

After the messenger left, he tracked down Darius in his chambers and told him to keep as many eyes on the envoy as possible. He didn't give a reason. Finally he retreated to the library. Perhaps Master Ithros could offer him some wisdom.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kyra was in heaven at the wizard's guild. Perhaps in another life, she would have studied there among them, learning their craft and putting their knowledge to good use in the world. It warmed her heart to see the young men learning from their elders, the people of Rhagal coming and going to share the knowledge that they had learned that day.

It was nearing dinner time when she received a note from Rath. She frowned slightly at the words, her heart aching to be near him as she let out a sad sigh. Looking at Shar and then at Kahlid, she saw that they most definitely wanted to know what the letter had said.

"Master Khalid, it has been deemed too dangerous for me to return to the palace at the moment. Do you think I might stay here this evening? If it wouldn't be too much of a problem. The last thing I want to do is disrupt your usual order." Kyra said, trying to remain diplomatic about the entire thing.

For Rath to tell her to stay away his meeting with the new royal family of Dath must have gone much worse then they had expected. She would send him back a note with her plans in it the moment that she got consent from Mater Khalid.

 

[DrStein]

Khalid looked alarmed at the news. "Of course, my lady. We have a few spare apartments for visiting scholars. I'll have one prepared for you and your handmaiden immediately."

Salemar stood and bowed. "I'm afraid I must return to Master Ithros. Perhaps I can find some answers for you when I do." He looked over at Amina with a sad smile and departed. The two of them had been exchanging glances the whole time they were there.

Meanwhile at the palace Rath was making his way toward the library when he heard voices coming down the hall around the corner. He recognized Inwana's voice and quickly slipped into the nearest room, a small study where his father often met with advisors. He left the door open a crack and listened in.

"What I find strange is that we have yet to see this concubine." Dinaran's voice.

"What was her name?" Shula asked with spite in her voice.

"It was... I think I overheard one of the servants call her Kyra." Inwana this time.

"That name sounds familiar," Shula remarked. "I could swear I've heard it before." Rath's blood ran cold at that. Was it possible that Kyra had met any of them before the coup?

"It's the name of a bird, you ninny," Inwana said. "Probably some pet name the prince gave her. Honestly, a man that handsome shouldn't be associating with whores."

"Weren't you saying earlier that these people are dogs?" Shula's question seemed to carry a certain contempt for both their hosts and her sister-in-law.

"They are," Inwana replied with a tone as if saying the sky was blue. "But the prince is nice to look at and even a dog can be trained. It's a shame he's so caught up in trying to rule this awful desert."

Whatever direction the conversation went in after that, Rath couldn't tell. Their voices faded as they went further down the hall. When he could no longer here them, the prince peered out cautiously and found the hallway empty. He made his way quickly to the library. This was very bad.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kyra scratched out a note to the prince as quickly as she could, leaving in the care of Salemar as he returned to the palace. There was no one else that she would trust with a letter that important, she thought to herself as she watched him tuck it against his chest and make off for the palace.

How had her life turned out like this, she asked herself as she dutifully followed Master Khalid to her room for the evening. She had told Rath that she was safe were she was, wishing that he could come and be with her that evening. She was scared, even if she didn't show it to anyone. She knew what the people of Dath were capable of doing and she knew that her dreams that evening would be haunted by the screams she heard coming from the palace the night that she had run for her life.

 

[DrStein]

At the library, Rath talked with Master Ithros about both his and his father's reservations regarding their visitors and of any way they might be able to get rid of them. He would not take the risk of revealing Kyra's secret, not even to the old pagekeeper. It wasn't a lack of trust, but simply the worry that someone else might be listening in.

Salemar came to them with a letter from Kyra. It had obviously been written in haste, but it relieved him to know she wouldn't be returning to the palace that night.

Ithros thought for a moment. "If they do anything more to offend you or your father, it would not be unheard of to revoke hospitality and ask them to leave. Your grandfather once had to do that. An envoy from Battoria once struck on of the palace servants and was asked to leave."

Rath scoffed. "Given the Lady Shula's attitude, that seems an inevitability."

He would speak to his father in the morning. He bid the two men good night and returned to his chambers alone. It felt strange to go to bed without Kyra beside him. His arms unconsciously sought out her body and he drifted into an uneasy sleep.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kyra didn't sleep a wink that evening. She simply sat curled up on the bed, watching the door which she had barred with a study chair. She trusted the wizards to keep her safe and she knew that they had their own guards, but even that wasn't enough to save her family from slaughter. Each time someone walked past the door, she held her breath, only letting it out when they passed. The number of tears that she shed that evening were the same amount that she had cried her first night in captivity.

 

[DrStein]

When morning broke, Rath dressed and received his usual report. He paid little attention to the goings-on at breakfast, only vaguely hearing his father remarking that he was trying to find an excuse to send their Dathish guests away. For their part, they were late to join everyone at the meal, and by then Rath was already on his way out.

He met Darius in the garden as soon as the spymaster was available. "What news do you have for me?"

"Nothing yet, your grace." Darius spared a glance around them. "Though our guests seem to have a strange interest in Lady Kyra. The prince and his wife seem very suspicious of her."

"I see." Rath wouldn't give anything away. He couldn't. "Keep me posted. I'm going to the city today. Apparently the wizards want to speak to me."

He departed quickly. He took only two guards with him and left without fanfare, heading straight for the library. Master Ithros would explain to the king why the prince had left. Of course, he mainly wanted to see Kyra again and be sure that she was still safe.

When he arrived, Master Khalid greeted him. "Are you well, my prince?"

Rath had seen the dark circles under his eyes that morning. He knew he looked a bit haunted. "Our guests are... trying my patience."

 

[heartofcourage]

Sleep had never found Kyra that evening and as the morning broke, she freshened up in a basin of water provided by the wizards. Amina had told her that she would bring breakfast shortly and she patiently waited for that moment. She wondered what Rath was doing that morning. Did he miss her? Was he thinking about her that very moment?

 

[DrStein]

Rath asked to see the Lady Kyra, saying that he needed a friendly face considering how rude the Dathish royals had been. He was shown to her apartment and when he laid eyes on her and saw her to be in even worse shape than him, his heart ached. She must be terrified. And unfortunately he was about to bring more bad news. "Good morning," he said as if nothing were wrong. "I hope you don't mind me intruding on your studies here, but I found our guests to be an insufferable bore and needed someone to talk to away from court."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kyra turned towards the door as Rath was shown in and she couldn't contain herself as he spoke. She as up in an instant, her arms tight around his chest as she hugged him. It had been a long night and she couldn't help the tears that fell as she pressed her cheek against his shoulder.

"I missed you." She murmure softly, shaking like a leaf as his arms wrapped around her.

 

[DrStein]

Rath started at her reaction. He looked over to Khalid and nodded. The wizard closed the door, leaving them to their privacy. As soon as he was sure they were safe, Rath kissed her passionately. "My father and I are working to get rid of our guests, but... I worry. They seem very suspicious of you. Especially the Lady Shula. I overheard them talking about how strange it is that they haven't yet seen you."

He held Kyra close in his arms. "You'll need to stay here until I can send them away. Until then, did any of the slavers who took you have any connections to the usurpers? Do you know?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"I don't know. I don't know if they would know who I was when they saw me." She said as she remained in his arms, her eyes closing tightly at the fact that she had to stay there for the time being. "I need you here with me, Rath. Last night was the longest night of my life."