Moons' Dreaming (Children of the Rock) (2 page)

However you looked at it , Dea and Emlie were at fault.
For Hion and Damon to ignore that fact would be a betrayal of their vows to the people.

Dael understood that, but he still couldn
’
t believe that this was the only appropriate response to the crisis.

“
What else can we do?
”
Damon asked the Redmother, his words an uncanny echo of Dael
’
s tortured thoughts.
“
As her mother
’
s representative in Rhenlan she has full authority over her people. With authority comes responsibility.
”

“
It is wrong to shed blood over a question of jurisdiction.
”

“
The forest was never the issue.
”

“
Sometimes it
’
s necessary to prove a point,
”
Hion said.
“
How we designate territory as the charge of one royal house or another is part of our Shapers
’
responsibility. Such decisions must be reached through reason and compromise, and the decision-making process cannot be abandoned on a whim, or replaced by a show of force. Dea may continue to refuse us the forest for now, but the princess
’
s death will remind her that the law cannot be ignored.
”

The council recognized that the king
’
s decision was final. Hion leaned back in his chair.
“
There is nothing more to say. You are dismissed.
”

Dael stepped aside to let Brownmother Thena pass. Damon approached the doorway more slowly, one hand on his uncle
’
s arm, speaking into Ledo
’
s ear with great intensity. As they reached the door the prince looked at Dael and smiled.
“
My father and I appreciate your support, Captain.
”

“
Thank you, Highness.
”
Dael bowed his head in respect, and because he did not want the prince to see the doubt in his eyes. It was his job to support his king
’
s decisions, but he wasn
’
t very happy with this one.

Damon and Ledo swept past him and departed. Dael remained where he was until he felt eyes on him once more. He looked up to find the Redmother standing in the doorway, her old face filled with hatred.

“
This situation is despicable.
”
Despite her anger, she kept her voice low.
“
Emlie never plotted against anyone in her life.
”

Dael glanced past her at the silent figure on the throne. Hion, lost in thought, either couldn
’
t hear them or wasn
’
t bothering to listen.
“
The evidence, Redmother, suggests otherwise. His Majesty has no other choice.
”

“
This court should be concerned less with evidence and more with justice.
”

There was no answer Dael could give. Vissa passed him and stalked away, her black skirts swirling around her ankles. Dael waited until her footsteps faded away before addressing the throne.
“
Orders, Your Majesty?
”

“
See Damon.
”

“
Yes, Your Majesty.
”

* * *

Vray could not hold anything in her memory this morning. She couldn
’
t even remember from moment to moment whether the sky outside the study room window was cloudy or clear. Trying to commit the family histories of every person in the city of Edian to some storehouse in her head was impossible. Her tutor
’
s voice buzzed like a fly, and made as little sense. Study and work held no meaning for the young princess. All she could think of was her father
’
s council meeting.

The tower walls of the castle seemed to dissolve around Vray as anxious speculation, instead of family records, filled her head. What could they decide? She knew what Damon wanted, and why. Nothing mattered to him more than the prestige and security of the kingdom of Rhenlan. Whatever best served Rhenlan
—
a border war to prove who had jurisdiction over a border village, marriage with an unwilling bride to cement an alliance with Dherrica, a public execution
—
was the course of action he would pursue with all of his energy. Yet, how could he? How could Father allow it? No show of power was worth the price of the princess
’
s life
.

Was it?

She wished her mother was in Edian Castle.
Mother is never here
, a bitter voice far in the back of her mind reminded her. Vray kept that angry little girl with her red braids and tear-stained face very deep inside her, usually. Her mother never listened to her, and rarely involved herself in the affairs of the kingdom. Vray was used to taking care of herself. Everyone said she was very mature for a fourteen-year-old.

Parents were supposed to make everything all right. But Queen Dea had sent her daughter into an enemy
’
s castle, while Queen Gallia of Rhenlan cared more for her purebred horses than for her duties as wife and mother. Vray had learned that lesson well early in life. The nurses and teachers had quietly whispered it to each other, as if she, with her sharp ears and talent for observing, hadn
’
t been just across the room when the servants gathered to gossip. No, it was only to be expected that Mother would be absent from Edian during this maddening crisis. Even if she were here, she would probably do nothing to interfere with Damon. Vray clenched her fists in frustration. Mother never interfered with Damon. She just smiled, as if his self-indulgence was amusing.

And I
’
m not just a jealous little sister.

Father
—
and Dael
—
insisted that it was not her place to question Damon
’
s decisions as heir. Dael told her to stay out of Damon
’
s way, while Father told her to be a dutiful princess. But the things her teachers told her about duty contradicted everything Damon did. They were ruling Shapers, sworn to protect and guide their people. Damon was only too happy to give orders. He did not, in Vray
’
s opinion, care how his decisions affected the people he led; all he cared about was being obeyed.

Well, she was a dutiful princess. As was poor Emlie. Vray squirmed restlessly in her chair, checking the weather outside the diamond-paned window once more. She saw only clear blue sky, and a flight of birds in the distance, rising from one of the fields beyond the outskirts of Edian.

Vray
’
s stomach tightened with worry, and the ache in her head grew worse. If she was so afraid, how must Emlie be feeling?

“
I have to talk to Emlie,
”
she said. The words came out as a dry rasp, and she heard a gasp from her tutor, Danta. Vray realized that she had been talking to herself. She looked at the startled Redmother and was surprised to see that Danta
’
s fleshy, wrinkled face had gone pale. Vray
’
s anxiety for Emlie transformed to anger at the thought that Danta might forbid her from seeing the jailed princess.

“
You don
’
t think it
’
s wise?
”
Vray demanded.

Danta
’
s gaze dropped. She bowed her head, her plump fingers fidgeting with the black material of her skirt, but she made no answer.

Sometimes I think I can be as scary as Damon
, Vray thought as she rose from her chair. She patted Danta affectionately on the shoulder but didn
’
t pause long enough to apologize for being harsh with her. Danta was in no danger. It was Emlie who needed a kind word while the ruling Shapers downstairs debated her fate.

Vray rushed down the tower stairs, her blue skirts hitched up and red hair flying. As she reached the bottom, Dael
’
s familiar voice bellowed,
“
By the great crumbling Rock!
”
For once, he wasn
’
t chastising her. If Dael had left the audience chamber, then the council meeting was over. She followed the sound of the curse around the corner and saw him, already halfway across the stone-flagged courtyard, probably on his way to the guard barracks. She ran to intercept her friend.

“
Not now, Kitten,
”
the guard captain said as she planted herself squarely in his path. When she didn
’
t move, Dael gave a most perfunctory bow, then straightened, swinging his long golden braid back over his shoulder. He tried to step around her, adding, in a voice dull as unpolished pewter,
“
Please, Highness.
”

His eyes, blue as the deep lake beyond the town, avoided hers, his face an impassive mask. Vray recognized the look. He was hungry for some comfort but too angry with himself to ask. Her hands automatically came up to clasp his upper arms.

“
What
’
s happened?
”
she asked him.

Dael closed his eyes and swallowed, clamping down hard on whatever had torn that curse from his lips. Her brother, probably. Dael trusted her, but he also tried not to rouse her quick temper where Damon was concerned.

“
It
’
s no use, Kitten,
”
he said.
“
The law is the law, and there
’
s nothing anyone can do to stop it now.
”

“
Tell me.
”

He took a deep breath.
“
Princess Emlie must be held accountable for the actions of the guards in her service.
”

“
That sounds like one of Damon
’
s arguments,
”
she said angrily.
“
I
’
ve heard them all before.
”
She began to turn away, and it was Dael
’
s turn to grab her.

“
Don
’
t, Kitten.
”

She stood stiffly in his grasp and glared at him.
“
She
’
s barely two years older than me. She still likes to play in the garden with the kitchen cats!
”
Then the implication of his words struck her.
“
Execution?
”

He nodded.

“
They
’
re going to kill her?
”

He nodded again. She tried to pull her arm from his grasp, but he held her easily, looking around in case there were servants or guards about to see them. She was fourteen, gangling and thin, and he was captain of the king
’
s guard, no giant but big and strong enough to hold one stubborn girl. She knew that it embarrassed him when their arguments escalated into public shouting matches, or when he had to physically restrain her from doing something he didn
’
t consider wise. He would not let her rush off to confront her brother; not unless she could convince him that she knew what she was doing. Dael worried more about her impetuous behavior than she did.

“
King Hion has decided to take firm action in the matter.
”

“
King Hion decides nothing!
”
she snapped back.

“
Hush,
”
he warned, shaking her.
“
Think
—
and keep still, Kitten.
”
He
’
d given her the pet name during the years he
’
d helped raise her. He hardly ever used it now, not since she
’
d discovered the sport that was possible between men and women and decided that he would be an ideal partner. The fact that he used the name now showed how distracted he was. He would never admit it in so many words, but she was dear to him, and he didn
’
t want to see her do anything foolish.

“
How can I keep still?
”
she demanded.
“
Someone has to speak up against this. You know it all comes back to my brother
’
s pure, blind ambition!
”