A cheer went up, and Yveni waved in acknowledgment, while firmly moving towards the exit. Gil caught his eye and made his way over, Paole behind him. Gil shook his head at him. “You, my lad, continue to astonish me.”
“I astonish myself. Are you all right?” he added to Paole. His mouth was turned down unhappily and for the life of him, Yveni couldn’t understand why.
“I’m fine. Are you sure you want me here?”
Yveni grabbed his hand. “Absolutely. Come on. Gil, you have an old friend to meet.”
The Sardelsans and several of the governors had been moved to the council chambers, where it was a lot quieter than the main hall, and given refreshments. A servant came up to Yveni and the others with fruit juice and water, and Yveni gratefully accepted a glass. “Gods, thank you. I thought we’d fry out there.”
“Better fry than die,” Gil said.
“This is true. I’m still shaking.” He grinned at Paole, but the man could barely raise a half-smile in response. What was wrong?
Governor Leandro clapped his hands for silence. “Gentlemen, if you could all take a seat, I’ll ask Commander Markov to address the meeting. Raul, would you translate, please?”
“Thank you, Your Excellency. Your Excellencies, Your Grace…Huntmaster Gil,” he added with a grin. “Good to see you again, my friend.”
“Same here, Markov. Now tell us what the hell’s going on back home.”
“Perhaps I should explain why we’re here. When His Grace the vicont disappeared, the regent turned the country upside down looking for him.”
“Hah,” Yveni muttered.
“No, it’s true, because I led the search. We found the horses and the clothes you left behind, but you’d vanished.”
Yveni smirked. Gerd had been very good at his job.
“A month or so later, as Gil’s probably told you, His Grace the regent announced that he had evidence that Uemiriens were involved in your disappearance. This led to a good deal of persecution, for which I apologise, Gil. By the gods, I thought it utterly wrong.”
“Never mind, Markov. All in the past.”
“No, it’s not. I mention it because two months ago, His Grace announced that he was now certain the vicont was dead and that Uemire was behind it. He whipped the duchy up into a fury.”
“Wait. What about my sisters?” Yveni demanded.
“I haven’t seen either of them in months, Your Grace. Statements are issued by the Vicontes Serina but I honestly doubt she has any hand in them. I know the regent is desperate to have you declared dead, but so far the cabinet is blocking him.”
“Good,” Gil muttered. “Go on.”
“I was ordered to take a force of our best and most loyal soldiers to Uemire and punish them for this crime, and if possible, bring back evidence of your death.” Markov coughed behind his hand. “I, uh, may have a little difficulty with that.” Yveni grinned. “Now His Grace the vicont informs me the regent plotted his murder, I’m no longer bound by my oath to support him, but am, instead, obliged to support the lawful claimant to the throne. Which is the Vicont Yveni.”
“So Konsatin gets rid of his most senior army commander and three ship loads of the most loyal soldiers by sending them on a fool’s errand,” Gil mused. “Convenient, wouldn’t you say, Your Grace? Commander?”
“Now you mention it, Gil, I believe you may have a point.”
Yveni stood. “Which makes it imperative that I return and oust this criminal with all haste. If we act now, we’ll wrongfoot him. He won’t expect an attack, and certainly not so soon. Commander, you will sail back to Sardelsa and I’ll go with you. If necessary, I’ll fight all the way to the castle.”
“Very good, Your Grace.”
Paole made a peculiar noise. “Excuse me,” he said gruffly and walked out of the room without waiting for anyone to do so.
“Paole!”
Gil caught Yveni’s arm. “Let him go, lad.”
Yveni stared at the door that had closed behind his friend…his lover. Then he shook himself. “All right. Your Excellencies, with your permission, I’d like the soldiers to be allowed to reprovision on the mainland, but not in any way that burdens the population.”
Governor Leandro nodded. “We’ll see what we can do. But Your Grace, allow me to offer you some advice. I understand the need for haste, but these last few days will have shown you how difficult a military campaign with a small force can be. I counsel you to take a little time to plan and seek advice. There are those in the city who may wish to go with you and fight at your side.”
“Aye, lad,” Gil said. “Though Sofia will skin me alive.”
“No, I forbid it.”
“Let’s talk about it. Some of us have skills that might be useful.”
“Your Grace,” Markov interrupted. “A day or two, even a week, will make little difference.”
“No more than a week, then,” Yveni grudgingly allowed. “But I won’t be talked out of it, let me make that clear.”
Markov bowed. “I wouldn’t dream of it, Your Grace.”
The rest of the discussion centred on the billeting of Markov’s officers and provisioning. Governor Leandro arranged for Yveni to return to the fort the following day to consult with Markov.
“What about the evacuees?” Yveni asked.
“There are four seers among them,” Gil said. “They’ll be on their way back if I know my wife, and I do.”
Yveni grinned. “Good. Then I think you and I should take Luna and Mathias home, and perhaps Ferdi could be persuaded to open another bottle of his good wine. This needs celebrating.”
Gil rubbed his eyes. “Even if it didn’t, I need a damn drink.”
Luna had calmed down, and her colt nuzzled Yveni’s hand as he took his lead. “Look at him. All this drama and all he wants is a bellyful of milk to be happy.”
“Horses are a lot more sensible than many people I know. Come on, girl.” Gil
schnicked
to make the mare walk on. They set off through the now peaceful streets, though from the taverns, the sound of celebrations could be heard. The city wardens would be busy later.
“What’s wrong with Paole?” he asked.
Gil chewed his lips thoughtfully. “Not really for me to say. But you can work it out if you recall what you’d just decided when he walked out.”
Yveni replayed events in his mind. “Because I’m going back?”
“Yes. This morning, he’d have thought the chances of you both living through it were slim, but if you did, the prospect of you going home was still remote. Now you’re planning to depart in a week.”
“He can come with me!”
Gil tsked. “Think about it, lad. The man had a dreadful time of it as a slave, worse than you probably know. For the very first time in his life he’s happy, settled and free. And in love, or near as makes no difference.” Yveni glanced away, embarrassed. “And either he goes with you and gives up everything he’s longed for all his life, for a place with you which might mean living in the shadows, or he loses you. If this last year’s anything to go by, that’ll hit him hard.”
“I have to go home, Gil. It’s not just for me, it’s for Serina and Olana. You know that.”
“I do, and I’m not arguing. Paole’s the one suffering, that’s all I’m saying. Whatever you do, try to see things from his view.”
“I will. I…I think I love him.”
“That’ll do to be getting on with,” Gil said dryly. “Love or not, go easily with him.”
“You said you’d come back too.”
“I said I’d fight for you to return, and I mean it. But as for staying, lad…I need to talk to my family. I can’t be holding your hand forever.”
“I don’t want you to! I just don’t want to lose you again. I’ve lost so many people…” Yveni stopped and hung his head. “I’m sorry.”
Gil put his hand gently on his neck. “Now, don’t cry, lad. You’re a hero, remember?”
“I know. But if you and Paole and Raina… Why can’t Serina rule instead of me?”
“None of you will if you don’t get rid of Konsatin. The rest can be sorted out later. Don’t cry, Yveni. Oh, come here.”
He pulled Yveni into a hug and Yveni sobbed shamelessly into his shirt, overwhelmed and overwrought. He thought he’d be happy to be going home and yet all it meant was losing the people he loved.
“There, there, lad. You’re strong and you have a knack of pulling your nuts out of the fire, so maybe something will work out. Sometimes life means pain.”
“It’s been nothing
but
pain for years.”
Gil pushed him away a little so he could look into Yveni’s eyes. “Nothing? What about this afternoon in the governor’s office?”
“What do you…did he
tell
you we had sex?”
Gil grinned. “No, lad. You just did. Fun, was it?”
Yveni put his hand over his mouth. “Not saying,” he mumbled through his fingers.
“Never mind. Now wipe your face and let’s get these horses home. They’ve had a long day and so have you.”
Yveni sniffled and took the colt’s lead again. How could he have been so stupid as to say that? And to cry all over Gil as well. He wasn’t a
child
any more. At moments like this though, he really wished his father was still alive.
“Your father would have been proud of you.”
Yveni stopped dead. “How did you know I was thinking of him?”
“I didn’t. I suppose it’s natural our thoughts turn to those we love. I miss him still.”
Tears filled Yveni’s eyes again. “So do I. Everyone back home too. But I’ll miss everyone here.”
“Now don’t start up again, I just calmed you down. You’ll worry Ferdi.”
Yveni scrubbed his face with his arm. “There.”
“Well done.” Gil clapped his shoulder. “So, how
was
the sex?”
“Gil!”
Paole lay on his bed, arm over his eyes, utterly uninterested in the noises of celebration and happy conversation from downstairs. Ferdi had demanded a full report, and Paole had managed to give it, but then excused himself on the grounds of feeling unwell. No lie, since he felt truly sick at heart.
A little later he’d heard the house’s front door bang, and more exclamations and laughing. Gil and Yveni had returned, he supposed. Gil at least. Maybe Yveni was still at the fort. He had an army now. He was a
leader
. He’d come of age today, done them proud and won a great victory without a shot being fired. A real hero.
Paole felt like a pig, being unable to rejoice along with everyone else. Yveni was only doing exactly what he’d always said he wanted to do. Paole could have worked out what would happen if he’d succeeded today. But Paole hadn’t
wanted
to. Because it meant losing the most precious thing in the world to him, and he wasn’t ready for that. Not today. He didn’t feel strong enough.
Give him time and he’d endure. He’d endured much, much worse. He’d endured Ebner and his filthy habits and his rapes. He’d endured the other masters with their whips and endless cruelties. He’d beaten kirten fever too. Giving up Yveni wasn’t even in the top dozen worst things he’d lived through.
It just felt that way, that was all.
He tried to fall asleep but it wouldn’t come. So he lay there, thinking of nothing, trying to feel nothing, the way he had so many nights when he’d been enslaved, hoping to make it through another night, another day, until he won his freedom. Funny, he’d never believed he would and never thought he’d come home. Yveni had given him that, even if he’d not been able to find his family. They’d checked all the records, but Paole’s name wasn’t in them. Too long ago, and his parents might never have gone anywhere the names were collected. He knew now they would have searched, would have kept on hoping. But he also knew how impossible it would have been to find him without crossing over to Karvis, and few Uemiriens did that voluntarily.
It hadn’t mattered too much for him because he’d had no real hope. But if Yveni really was leaving, maybe Paole would do some travelling around Uemire and look for himself. He could spread the word about what happened to the slave children and what the parents could try. Yveni said he’d do what he could, and Paole believed him. It would be something. Something to hang on to.
The door opened and closed. “Paole?” Yveni whispered.