One quick note: Ch 5 sort of forced me close to the edge of the evil Marry-Sue. Fear not, dear reads, that very painful, but necessary evil has passed! It had to be done, thanks for sitting through it. I didn't much like writing it, and Sable didn't enjoy it much either.
Chapter 6. A Silver Moon and Many Conversations.
"He is on the balcony?" Sable asked. Nod. "Every well, then." She swept passed the young Weapon and found Zachary on the balcony the G'ladheon girl had just vacated. His visage was perturbed. Whatever he and the girl had discussed had upset him as well. She came to his side and effortlessly perched herself on the railing. She waited a moment, expecting him to explain why the girl had fled like a frightened deer, but no details were forthcoming.
"Well?"
"Mm…"
"You're so very articulate…"
"What? Oh, Sable. Forgive me, I was –"
"In your own world?"
"Yes…" They sat in silence for a while, he thinking of whatever had passed between him and his subject and she content to wait. Finally, he asked, "So, did you get a reading on our guest?" She suppressed an involuntary shudder.
"Yes…I would not trust him as far as I can throw him." Zachary laughed and some of the shadows on his face lightened.
"Considering what you can do with a little bit of help from your brooch, that is quite a lot of trust." She made a noise of irritation in her throat at his seeming lack of concern over what she deemed to be a very dangerous situation.
"Fine then," she snapped. "Trust him no farther than you can throw him." He sobered at her terseness.
"Did he say something to you? Did he hurt you? I can't see how he could have done, but –"
"No, little brother," she said, laying a hand on his shoulder. "He didn't harm me…His reading was just unsettling. As I said, don't trust him overmuch." Zachary nodded, treating her to an appraising look.
"Mm…Well, I hope you're alright. You look a bit shaken." He took hold of her shoulders and slid her off the railing, the better to assess her. She smiled reassuringly up at him.
"Don't worry. I am fine." Still smiling for his benefit, she turned to gaze at the sky. "What a fine night…" She leaned over the balustrade, enjoying the cool breeze on her face. The moonlight sent silvery waves running down her black hair and illuminated her pale skin as if it were reflective.
"It is very fine out…Miss G'ladheon agrees with me that it is the sort of night no Eletian would want to spend indoors. If I know you at all, and I believe I do, you are chomping at the bit to go prowling under the stars…" She flashed him a grin, which he reciprocated – they were thinking of the many nights they had sneaked out to play by moonlight as children. "So, why is Lord Shawdell so utterly pleased to pass the night cooped up inside surrounded by mere mortals?"
"Yes…If a half-blood Eletian can barely stand to be parted from this sky, then how can a pure Eletian do it so easily? He does not seem quite – right. I hold to my earlier assertion: he cannot be trusted."
"I suspected as much. But I did not wish to jump to unfounded conclusions." She nodded. At this point in time there was nothing anyone could do about the Eletain, and the best thing to do would be to change the subject. This, Sable did.
"So," She asked conspiratorially. "What happened with Karigan?" She elbowed him playfully. He sighed heavily.
"I spoke to her more openly… As I told you, the throne room was no place to talk of such things."
"Yes, I heard about your rather odd meeting with her. She was very confused by your desire to play Intrigue. A board game, really Zachary?" He looked at her sheepishly as she took her place on the railing.
"It seemed like a good idea at the time…I just wanted to meet the woman who survived all that to bring me a message." He smiled wistfully, "She told me exactly what he thought of me. It was very refreshing to be told I'm not a good king by somebody who can explain why without a hidden agenda…" He chuckled.
"And you enjoyed that?" He nodded.
"She's quite spirited."
"So you got a blast of that G'ladheon temper, eh?"
"Yes."
"You seem to have survived tolerably well. What made her rush out like that?"
"I haven't the foggiest." He rubbed his beard absently.
She stretched like a cat; someone with less innate balance would probably have taken a header off the balcony. Her stomach flipped; through the arch, she could see the Eletian watching her. She shuddered and turned back to Zachary, who was regarding her critically.
"Are you so sure you are all right? You look a bit pale – well, paler than usual."
"I am uncomfortable with him. He is too intense, too powerful…Too dark." She hugged herself. "Don't cross him, little brother."
"Then how am I to deny him without causing him to retaliate?"
"Um, tell him you're unsure your people would respond well to a king with great magical power. If he says you would have the power to put down any rebellion, tell him you don't approve of violence that can be avoided. Beyond that, just be your charming self. If he does prove to be the unreasonable sort…well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it! Pray he's in a good mood when you break the news to him."
"Pray my luck is that good, more like."
"You are king, though you were second born. You are king of a peaceful, prosperous country. I would say your luck is quite good."
"You're forgetting the three assassination attempts, an older brother who hates me and the endless game of Intrigue I have to play." She smiled warmly.
"You're proving my point. You are alive, despite multiple attempts on your life. Yes, Amilton hates you, but he's far way. And you are very talented at the game. You are lucky, little brother." Sable smiled at him brightly. "See, so worry only as much as need be – otherwise you'll give yourself wrinkles." She tapped his nose with her index finger. "Tell him thank you, but no." He frowned, some torment twisted his face. After sucking in a deep breath, Zachary admitted,
"… Well, part of me wants that power… Not for the power, but for the good I could do with it. I mean, there are groundmites inside my borders! Not only that, but they slaughtered most of the heirs to the Lord-Governor's! And now, my men can't find them. If I had that kind of power, those creatures would be disposed of by now. No more murdered children! In the name of the gods, they were on a field trip for school – no one should worry about their child's safety at school!" He railed.
"The bigger questions are: how did they get so far into the country undetected and where are they now? 'Mites aren't exactly known for stealth… How did they make it to Selium without causing enough mischief to alert us to their presence? It's as if something smarter than their own will controls them…which is no comfort." Sable pointed out, Weapon's pragmatism showing through.
Zachary frowned and tugged at the cuff of his silver edged short coat. He looked particularly grand and kingly tonight. He was garbed in navy blue velvet, his waistcoat was silk of a liter blue and embroidered with silver and his shirt was cream-colored. Sable felt acutely relieved that her king so totally looked the part tonight – he needed to be able to hold his own next to the Eletian.
"Are you ready?" He asked, proffering his arm. She took a deep breath and came to stand beside him. He smiled as she slipped her arm through his.
"Thank you for putting yourself to the hazard." He kissed her cheek and escorted her back into the brightly lit ballroom.
They parted after a quick bow, him to his dais and her to refreshment table. Alton was at her elbow in a moment. He smiled down at her,
"So, are you up for another set?"
"Yes, and then I'm going back to Barracks – where I belong." Alton nodded and ushered her onto the dance floor. On their way, they passed Beryl Spencer dressed in her Merwellian Scarlet uniform. Sable made eye contact with her old friend and Black Shield Pledge mate for a split second. Then Beryl turned back to the wizened, clearly foul tempered old man in a rather ridiculous bear-pelt cloak – the Lord-Governor of Merwell Province. Sable felt a squeeze of nostalgia; she missed Beryl fiercely, especially now that F'ryan was gone. She had many close friends in the messenger service, but she, F'ryan and Beryl had gone through the Academy together. Even those who had dropped out still felt a connection with those who had continued.
Beryl was a Green Rider, but her gift made her more of an asset in espionage than in message running. Her gift was that of deception. She could assume a roll and nobody would be the wiser. Thus, Beryl was often apart from her comrades in green. This was lamentable, but necessary.
The dances flew by. Alton lead well, and Sable followed unthinkingly, her mind far way. All the things Zachary had spoken of had awakened something inside her mind. She had missed something vital. She just had no idea what it was. Her preoccupation must have shown on her face because Alton inquired,
"What has you looking so grim?"
"I don't know…"
"Does it have anything to do with your dace with the Eletian? That seems to be distressing more than one Greenie girl."
"Was that what upset Karigan?"
"That and her allergy to aristocrats," he informed her blithely. So, he's pretending not to be disappointing by her early exit, fine, I'll play along. Best if I just change the subject…
"It's funny to think this gown will get stored alongside my uniforms… It's going to look ridiculous."
"Well, it will have all those other lovely gowns to keep it company."
"What others? Alton, remember, unlike you, I'm a poor Rider with no rich father or clan."
"But the gowns you wore to the masquerades?"
"The ones I borrowed from my friend in the theater district?"
"You have a friend in the theater district?"
Sable laughed. Yes, he would be surprised to find quiet, honorable Sable had a friend in the theater district – that seedy part of the city where all the theaters, and consequently, thespians resided. The area was not really that seedy, but as actors had a bad reputation, their jobs being classified as disreputable, the area had been given an unfavorable review. This did not make it any less chic for the wealthy to attend plays, but consorting with the actors… Now that was a different matter entirely. Not that Sable cared.
"So, you borrow gowns from someone in the theater? An actress?"
"Yep. He owes me his life, so he lends me costumes when I need them."
"This sounds like a story worth telling."
"Well, I had strained my right arm on an errand, so I had three weeks leave. Now, you know me, so it should come as no surprise that after five days, my arm was mended and I was beyond restless. A couple of the other Riders suggested we pool our money and take in a play. Afterwards, we hit a pub. Late that night I left another pub in that district to find a woman in yellow being harassed by a group of men."
"And you stepped in."
"Yes. And when I had done, I discovered the woman I had saved was in fact a man."
"In a dress?" He sounded shocked and amused at once.
"Yes… He – She was on her way to work. Eemie is an actor. Very talented, by the way. So ever since I, her 'valiant Rider,' came to her rescue, she has provided me with the gowns I need for the masque balls."
"You lead an interesting life." He commented as the dance ended.
"I like to think so."
"You'll be leaving me to the wolves then?"
"I'm afraid so… You and I both know I don't belong here."
"Nobody but you thinks that, Sable." She laughed.
"Thank you, but I must return to my drab world." And that was all the excuse she gave for leaving. She had done her duty; there was not reason to linger. As she left, Sable took one last look at the glowing ballroom; it was beautiful, glamorous and brilliant and a world away for her and her life. She felt no regret in leaving.
…
Sable was in no mood to sleep. The night was far too beautiful to waist in sleep and she had far too much on her mind. She was going to take Sunset, her blood bay gelding, for a long ride under the lovely silvery moon. Sunset would be pleased to be out in the cool air. She peeled off the fine gown and gingerly placed it back in the box Zachary had sent it in.
She braided her hair and pulled on her plain work uniform. Sighing deeply, she smiled at her reflection. She was her drab, everyday self again. She was herself. Satisfied with what she saw in the mirror, Sable yanked on her boots and marched out of her room with every intention of hopping on Sunset bareback. She never got so much as a glimpse of the stables. At the door into Barracks stood Captain Mapstone – clearly in the act of scraping mud off her boots.
"Laren?"
"I was just coming to find you." Said the captain, her hazel eyes serious and her face grim.
"Why?" Sable inquired warily.
"F'rayan had a second message." Sable's heart sank into her boots. Her body went cold.
"The good-by to Estora… Oh, gods, Laren! I should have known!" Laren shook her head slowly.
"Don't beat yourself up over it. I missed it too. Luckily, Estora noticed some inconsistencies in the letter and told Karigan. Now, we need to decode the message."
"Do you want my help, or…" Sable wanted to vomit. How could she have missed something so obvious? If something terrible happened, it would be all her fault! Laren gave Sable a sympathetic look and squeezed her shoulder.
"Don't beat yourself up. Put your skills to good use. C'mon."
Grappling with her guilt, Sable followed her Captain back to her quarters, where the other Riders with skills and abilities useful in decoding were waiting.