Chapter 29 #2
“Karthlander scouts were spotted beyond that bluff.” The man waved his hand in the direction of the sighting.
Aleron studied the area. “We detour east then.”
“But then we’ll be in Alsation territory.
“Better than dealing with the Karthlanders.”
“I heard that,” Tashama said from inside the carriage.
“East.” Aleron returned to the carriage. “Such as it is now, my lady.” He kissed Tashama’s cheek.
She smiled and snuggled her head against his shoulder.
“Will there be trouble with the Alsations, sire?” Listra asked.
“Not if we can help it.” Aleron kissed the top of Tashama’s veiled hair.
Not long after they entered Alsation territory, soldiers wearing green tunics and helmets halted the lead carriage.
Tashama peered out the window as Aleron walked out of the carriage. “They want us to turn over any Karthlander we have with us. They need one for a prisoner exchange.”
“We have no Karthlanders with us.”
“They say they have a mind reader who can tell where a person is from. If we’ve lied, it’ll go bad for the rest of us.”
“There are no Karthlanders amongst us,” Aleron reiterated.
“They’re checking out the first carriage’s occupants, now, sire. Perhaps we ought to hide the lady…”
“We’ll deal with this.”
“Yes, sire.”
As the man hurried back to the front of the train, Tashama leaned out of the coach. “I’m putting everyone at risk.”
The mind reader was speaking with the princess in the lead coach.
“You can handle a mind reader with the powers you possess, Tashama.” He returned to the carriage and sat beside her. They waited another twenty minutes, then, as the soldiers opened their carriage door, he motioned for the occupants to get out.
“We’ve had no difficulty with the Alsations.” Aleron stretched his legs.
“You are King Aleron of the Maldovians, your people say.”
“That is correct,” Aleron replied as he stood straight and folded his arms across his chest.
“We want no trouble with the Maldovians. The Karthlanders have taken one of ours hostage, however.”
“Why would they have taken one of your people?” Tashama asked.
The soldier glared at her, then walked around her in a slow circle as he studied Tashama’s manner. “You are not a Maldovian.”
“You are quite right about that.”
He frowned as he considered her further while Aleron touched the hilt of his sword. “And yet you are not a Karthlander either.”
Tashama smiled.
“But you’re not an Alsation. What exactly are you?”
“A Texan, for all practical purposes. I’m sure you won’t find any of those varmints around these parts.”
The man turned to Aleron. “She speaks a foreign tongue.”
“Often.” Aleron relaxed his grip on his sword.
The soldier scratched his head. “Never heard of such a thing. What would you be doing with a caravan of Maldovians?”
“Aleron is marrying me. You see, I have special powers. I tell people’s futures and see the past. I can even tell you what you’re thinking.”
The man smiled. “All right, tell me what I’m thinking.”
“You are thinking I’m lying. Now you are wondering how I knew that.”
“You could guess at such a thing.”
“All right, then. Think of something else.” Tashama smiled as she watched the man, whose forehead wrinkled in thought. “You bounced your baby on your knee this morning and watched him take his first step.”
“Tell me what my future shows.”
“Certainly.” Tashama reached out for the man’s wrist to his surprise, then studied him for a moment. “You will be reunited with your friend soon.”
The man smiled. “We’ll have a hostage exchange.” He waved at his soldiers. “Allow the Maldovians and Texan to go through.”
As they returned to the carriage, Aleron turned to Tashama. “About the kiss you said we were going to have…”
“We have had that kiss, Your Highness.”
Listra’s eyes widened.
“Perhaps we should have this discussion some other time.”
“Oh, no, by all means discuss away,” Listra said.
Aleron squeezed Tashama’s hand. “You do know what we’re thinking then.”
Tashama’s cheeks turned pinker. “Yes, sire.”
“Then you know what I was thinking when I walked with you in the gardens the other day and…”
“Yes, sire.”
Aleron pulled Tashama close as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She wriggled her cheek against his shoulder. “I cannot help that I have such visions of you.”
“Most men have such thoughts when they look at a woman who piques their interest.”
“Ahh,” Aleron groaned. “I will have to have you wear the clothes of the Bachavin order to keep others from having such thoughts about you.”
Tashama smiled as Listra sat on the edge of her seat, waiting to hear what thoughts these were. When Tashama said nothing further, Listra sat back against her seat. “So the Alsations will find a Karthlander to trade for the release of their comrade?”
“No.”
“But you said…”
“I said the Alsations would be reunited with their compatriot.”
Aleron tilted his head down. “The Karthlanders take them prisoner?”
She nodded.
“That’s awful.” Listra touched her cheek.
“They’ll soon be free.” Tashama took a deep breath.
“Even the man whom they hold now as a prisoner?”
“Yes.”
“Why would he have been taken prisoner?”
“He was a spy for the Maldovians.”
“Ahh.” Listra looked back at Aleron who raised his eyebrows in acknowledgment.
Tashama turned her chin up to Aleron. “Teach me how to read.”
His face brightened as he considered Tashama’s small, upturned face, her eyes shimmering in the fading light of the carriage. “No.”
Listra watched Aleron as if she were trying to determine why he said such a thing. Turning her attention to his belt, Tashama ran her fingers over the gold chain. “I taught you how to swim.” As she looked up to consider his expression, she smiled as his mouth turned up at the corners.
He shook his head.
“Why not?”
“You know how to do many things I do not. This is something I will be able to do that you cannot.”
“I will learn how to read your language, or I will change it to mine.”
Aleron laughed. “That, you’ll never be able to do. Why did it take so long just to consolidate the Karthlander and Maldovian languages into one?”
“We will see.” Tashama tugged playfully at Aleron’s belt.
Despite detouring through Alsation territory, the caravan soon ran into Karthlander cavalry. As the foot soldiers searched the first of the carriages, Tashama said to Aleron as he reached for her arm, “Let me speak with them.”
“What if they are Loran’s men?”
“They won’t let us go, no matter what, but if these are some who are loyal to General Karam, then I’ll ask him to allow the rest of the party to continue on their way.”
“All right, but I’m coming with you.”
“What about me?” Listra asked.
“Stay put,” Tashama said to Aleron’s surprise.
“You stay here for now, Listra,” Aleron said.
Aleron walked out of the carriage first, then offered his hand to Tashama as guards ran toward them. “Who leads you?” Tashama asked as the soldiers encircled them with spears outstretched.
“A Maldovian woman speaks for the men here?” one of the Karthlander soldiers replied.
Tashama pulled off her veils, and several of the men gasped at the sight of the Karthlander woman. “Who are you?” another of the men asked.
“I asked you first. Does General Karam lead you?” Tashama placed her hands on her hips.
The soldier grabbed her arm and twisted it back as she cried out. “Women don’t speak to us like that, Woman.”