Chapter 46 Aleksis
46
Aleksis
‘This must have taken years of preparation,’ Markus said. ‘And a great deal of caution, when a single error might have drawn the whole plan to my cousin’s attention.’
They were under the trees in the half-light of evening, Markus with the three of them, enjoying some very good mead while Aleksis attempted to explain the situation concisely and clearly. Why was it so hard to summon that voice now, the measured voice of the royal adviser? Markus would think him incompetent. He might say no to coming back. Matiss kept glancing his way; the big man knew him well. And now Matiss spoke in his stead.
‘We have many loyal folk within the Ruler’s household, Markus. Among the guards; in the kitchens, the gardens, the stables. One or two key folk in senior, trusted positions. And many more out in the community, though that network is harder to maintain safely. We can’t – couldn’t – keep travelling out to talk to folk, to exchange information. And we didn’t want to risk messages by pigeon, though we do have birds in certain households, and we use them when we must. We have a network of safe houses. If not for that, our flight from court would have been far more difficult. And we’ve placed some of our folk in strategic locations. Places where they may gain information not available elsewhere. A broad reach. It has taken time, yes. But not years; Lady Elisabeta has not been Ruler so long.’
‘A pity we were never able to place a spy with Bishop Petras at Raven’s Watch,’ put in Karolis. ‘Or in one of the other houses of his Order. We judged that simply too perilous. The Church of the Godly wields significant power. Second only to that of the Ruler. And since Petras became Bishop, its power is still greater. He’s a man of enormous ambition.’
‘I don’t remember much about the warrior monks.’ Markus’s voice was low, warm. ‘They did visit court once, long ago. I recall the tricks they did with their swords and the combat displays they put on. As a child I found them dazzling.’ A pause. ‘Strange, the things I quickly remembered, while barely understanding what they were, and the things that came back much later, aided by visions that were not my own. To know you were coming to find me, Aleks, and wondering why now? The news of my father’s passing came from the outside world; a message reached us. I knew there was unrest. But I had not expected to be … called upon. I’m ill-prepared for it. I know little of the wider picture. Borders, leaders, what the people truly want. The warrior monks must be a formidable fighting force. I fear that this Bishop might challenge my claim to the rulership, valid though it would seem to be. It would be deeply wrong to achieve this at the cost of more lives; perhaps to face an armed conflict within the Northlands. That would defeat the purpose. My father’s wish was to lead in peace; to open his ears to the voices of the people; to serve them rather than to rule them. And, I imagine, to maintain friendly relations with our neighbouring territories. If our venture began with bloodshed, my time as Ruler would be forever tainted.’
‘Your father knew how to deal with Petras.’ Aleks had got his voice under control again. ‘Lady Elisabeta lacks the required subtlety. I don’t think she reads him well. And he, of course, does not believe women have what it takes to hold positions of leadership.’
‘We can’t charge straight into this,’ said Karolis. ‘If you agree to come back with us, Markus, we’ll need to keep you under cover, hidden, for some while. We thought you might stay with someone who can help prepare you. There’s a trusted scholar of our acquaintance, a man with an extensive personal library and an immense knowledge of the Northlands, our neighbouring territories, and history both recent and ancient. You’d be safe there; he’s an ally. His dwelling is nowhere near court, and it can be kept secure. As for the rest of us, we cannot reappear at Dragon’s Keep, or anywhere Elisabeta might track us down, until everything is in readiness. But we will continue to work toward that day. All of us. That includes those of our team who are at present out in the community playing their own parts.’
‘What of the others who came here with you?’ Markus asked. ‘The young man, Lukas, and the woman? What part do they play in your grand plan?’
Matiss was about to speak, then clearly thought better of it. All eyes were on Aleksis.
‘That’s for each of them to say.’ Why did this feel like an admission of defeat? Why did it make his heart shrink? ‘Lukas has made it clear he wants to go back to Heartwood. He has family there. But he’s carrying an injury. Karolis has been helping him as we travelled. I understand your healers here will provide further treatment; they said he would spend tonight in their house. He needs to be completely well before he can attempt the journey home, and he shouldn’t go to Heartwood until the Ruler’s men have been withdrawn. Elisabeta will very likely want to keep a force there even with the Commander gone. Who knows what story will be attached to his disappearance along with a number of his men? One thing is certain. I can play no part in that situation. Whatever authority I held was gone the moment we left court.’
‘A few misleading messages might help,’ Matiss suggested. ‘There would be ways of doing it. But you’re right, we should make sure Lukas doesn’t go back until it’s safe for him to be there. He may have been a reluctant member of our team, but he’s acquitted himself bravely. We owe him for that.’
‘He’ll want Stasya to go with him.’ Karolis stated the blunt truth. ‘He’ll expect it.’
Silence. Then Aleksis drew a deep breath and said, ‘That’s her decision to make. Whatever their choices, we must ensure their safety on the journey, and perhaps maintain some protection until the two of them … settle. I am hoping that …’ He looked at Markus, who was regarding him with a half-smile, as if both puzzled and amused.
‘You will travel under the protection of the Forest Folk,’ his friend said, ‘at least while you are in Heartwood Forest. All of you. As for the future, its pathways are numerous and changeable. How soon had you hoped to make news of my return public, Aleks? When would I step up and identify myself to my cousin?’
‘I had hoped we might do it at the Grand Council, when the leaders of our neighbouring territories will be gathered at Dragon’s Keep, along with Bishop Petras. The time of the Harvest Festival. That gives us the summer to prepare.’
Markus lifted his brows. ‘The longer the preparation, the more likely it is that information will leak to the wrong ears, and the greater the possibility that one of you – of us – will be recognised, my friend. A disguise goes only so far. Could it not be sooner?’
‘We must get it right,’ Aleksis said. ‘Part of that is to spread the message among ordinary people, the people whose lives will be changed if they have a wise Ruler, someone who will lead in the same spirit of justice and tolerance your father lived by. No secrets exposed; no grand plans announced until the Council. Instead, something much simpler and more palatable. We have an idea about that, too. Or rather, Karolis does. But we’ll talk about that tomorrow. I see Juho hovering; it must be past time for sleep.’
—
He was tired beyond exhaustion, worn out in body and mind. But sleep eluded him. The three of them had been housed in one of the leafy dwellings within the forest, and now lay under a roof of branches and greenery, on pallets that were sheer luxury after so many nights spent on rocks or bare ground. He was clean, he was warm, he’d been well fed. He should be lost in dreamless slumber, as it seemed his companions were, Matiss gently snoring, Karolis motionless and silent. But Aleksis’s mind was restless, swirling with questions to which there were no answers. He felt like getting up and hurling something out into the night. What did that make him, an angry child thwarted in some selfish desire? A fool who’d lost the capacity to find his own answers?
He rolled over for the hundredth time, covering his eyes with his forearm. The moonlight was dim through the woven lattice of the roof. Somewhere out there an owl hooted, as if to remind him that it was night-time and all sensible human folk were asleep. Then Karolis spoke softly, startling him.
‘Talk to her, you fool.’
‘What?’
‘You’re worried about her. Stasya. You wonder where will she go, what will she do now this part of the story is over. That’s muddling up your thoughts. So talk to her. Ask her.’
‘She had no choice but to come with us. To save her friend. To save herself. Now we’re here, we’ve found Markus, and these folk will see us safely back down the mountain. So we don’t need her to find the way a nymore . She’s free to go.’
Silence.
‘They’ll escort her and Lukas home when the place is rid of the Ruler’s men. And they can pick up their lives again.’
‘Mm-hm. Didn’t you say not long ago that it’s Stasya’s decision? Sounds as if you’re making the decision for her.’
Matiss stirred. ‘Storyteller,’ he mumbled. ‘You really think we don’t need one in the team?’
‘Vital role,’ said Karolis. ‘If you’re reluctant to ask her, Aleks, then I will. And if she says no to an escort home, then you may need to consider why she might not want to go back to the settlement.’
‘Do what the royal adviser would do,’ added Matiss, struggling up to a sitting position. ‘Put all the facts in front of her and give her time to think it over. Answer her questions honestly.’
‘The royal adviser does not always answer questions honestly. Even when he isn’t plotting the overthrow of his Ruler,’ Aleksis said. ‘He answers them … cautiously.’
They were both staring at him in the semidark. It was curiously unsettling. He wondered for a moment whether the mission had turned him crazy. Be honest, Aleks. These are your trusted friends.
‘Stasya is one of us,’ Matiss said. ‘Part of our team. A wayfinder, yes; but so much more. What she does, none of the rest of us can.’
‘But—’
‘You want to protect her. To keep her safe from harm. But would she want that? So far, she’s done a pretty good job of protecting herself. And us, on occasion. You don’t want her wielding a weapon, doing harm to folk when it’s so alien to her nature. We feel the same, and we’d try to stop that from happening again. But Stasya may be prepared to risk it in order to help the team. In order to achieve the greater goal.’ Karolis paused. ‘Could be you’re letting your personal feelings get in the way, Aleks. That’s not like you.’ Now he sounded mildly amused.
The temptation to throw something was becoming harder to resist. ‘She could have been killed today. Did you happen not to notice Rihard with his knife to her throat?’
Matiss sighed. ‘How often do you think I imagine Leja in trouble, Leja under threat, Leja scared or trapped or hurt? But do I try to stop her from playing a part in our work because of that? Do I ask her to set that work aside and wait on her own at home while I put myself at risk for the same reason? Of course not. Why? Because she’s doing a job none of the rest of us can do. A job she’s good at. She’s playing her part, as all of us are. Do I worry about her, do I often wish I could protect her, keep her safe? Of course I do. She’s my wife and I love her. It’s only natural to feel that way. But I don’t act on it. We’re all part of this, Aleks. We trust one another. We work as a team. Stasya belongs to our team; at least give her the chance to say yes or no to going on with us.’
‘She’s a grown woman, not a fragile child, Aleks. I should point out that she got herself out of Rihard’s clutches pretty efficiently, taking advantage of a moment’s opportunity. And made herself remarkably useful in that fight, considering she has no combat training at all. I could remedy that. Indeed, if we take up the plan I suggested, I should do so. That might help allay your fears.’ Karolis sounded perfectly calm. Aleksis began to wonder if the two of them had planned this assault on his feelings. If that was what this was. He did feel … attacked.
‘Maybe you should lead the team from now on, Karolis,’ he said with some bitterness.
‘Bollocks. You’re the leader; you were from the first, and you will be to the end. We trust you, Aleks. We hope you trust us enough to listen, even when what we say is unpalatable to you. Just talk to Stasya, will you? Allow her the freedom to make her own choices. You can’t deny that she’s earned it.’