First Things First
“I will go too.” Hanni declared.
“Ye,” Litoc pointed to a soldier, “tell yer tratsus we need our weapons ‘ere. Now. Tell ‘im we need a drak o’ yer best ta go with my friends ‘ere. An’ ye, guard the door with three others. No one is ta be allowed in unless it’s the weapons.”
Litoc brought us to one of the larger guard stations on the west side of the property. The room could seat two dozen men, but the arrangement of the furniture limited that number to about half. Swords in leather scabbards were on display on a rack, most of it missing. On the walls hung leather armors and shields. A faded out painting of a crest of blue and yellow decorated the top of the door.
“I’m alright. We’re alright,” Hanni told Jibel who crowded her as soon as we reached the room, asking her about the blood on her. “Join your friend there.”
Litoc circled back to my suggestion at the corridor as soon as we were in the station, instructing the able soldiers, through one of the lieutenants, to increase the frequency of patrols on the estate grounds. Once I’ve raised the possibility of assassins being already within the vicinity, Tukru volunteered to go and scout. Litoc insisted he take a few soldiers with him. Tukru protested at first, but Litoc’s insistence won out.
“Ye take eight, ‘anni takes the other ‘alf.”
“As long as they do not impede me.” Hanni commented.
“After that showin’? I doubt there is one who’d question ye. Or yer ability.”
Jakeli faced him across the table. His expression wasn’t hard to read. By the way he seemed to have recovered, carrying himself with his chest puffing higher, chin up as the minutes rolled and by the keen attention he paid to Litoc, the Prince was about to assert his claim. His expression only changed when the doctor, followed by two soldiers, descended the stairs.
“Your Highness?” The man who appeared to be in his late fifties addressed the prince. “I was told you were hurt.”
“I’ve a waving arrow through my leg. Yes, I am hurt!” Jakeli replied impatiently.
The doctor approached and dropped to his knees to examine the wound. The soldiers placed the doctor’s tools beside him and waited.
“Your Highness, the Lord Steward is here.” A soldier sounded off from above the stairs.
“He’s not needed now. Tell him to attend to the mess in the corridors.” Jakeli barked.
He winced as the doctor palpated the area around the wound. Jakeli, much like Litoc, looked like he was in his mid-forties. His skin was lighter, than his cousin’s but had more lines in his face than Litoc. While Litoc’s lines were heavier on the sides of his mouth, however, Jakeli’s were more concentrated on the eyes. His light hair, similar in tint to his son’s, had more white in them than Litoc’s and started further up his head as well.
The children sat side by side to my left, periodically exchanging glances. Hanni had her back to the door leading out, Tukru sat on a chest by the stairs leading up. It struck me how, without being told, that Tukru and Hanni picked the first points of contact should an attack happen. I was just glad to find a seat.
“I ferget.” Litoc spoke, unwinding the piece of cloth from his neck while putting one boot up the table, “Child? Would ye be kind enough ta rouse the old cook? Tell ‘im ta fix somethin’ nice fer us an’ send wine in the meantime. Yer newfound friend’ll be ‘appy ta go with ye.” Noting my sudden rigidity, he added, “’ell be fine Jorj. ‘e doesn’t go anywhere without guards tailin ‘im.”
The two boys jumped out of their seats and headed up the stairs, Vindeth leading.
“Now elim, tell us everything ‘bout what ye and the old man ‘as been up to.”
“That is a matter for the kingdom, the king, and the people he trusts.” The prince responded, raising his leg while the doctor placed what looked like a block of wood covered in leather underneath.
“An’ if I were ta decide that I didn’t trust ye? Where does that put ye? Hmmm?”
I unslung the bow from my shoulder and placed it on the table, letting it drop the last few inches on purpose. The prince jumped at the sound. I had the impression it had more to do with what Litoc insinuated than the actual sound of the bow hitting the table.
“There are… steps. For succession… I-”
“Is that what yer on ‘bout? Tell me, what ‘appens if I just up and decide ta head to Bariststal now an’ announce myself? Or what if we just leave now? Make ye fend fer yerself? They got ta the old man, they got ta the three most powerful men in the kingdom after ye. ‘ow long would ye last, hmmm? Or, an’ this is just me wonderin’, what if I just take ye ‘ere right now an’ be done with it? Am I missin’ anythin’?”
Jakeli turned visibly white. I could see his right hand gripping the edge of the bench as he tried to put on a show of control. Litoc’s gaze was fixed on his cousin. His eyes had a coldness in them that I had only seen once. The left edge of his lips however…
I should have known by the way he went about it, the way he phrased his words. Litoc, for all his apparent gifts, was still Litoc after all. I removed the daggers from my belt and pretended to be interested in them as I spoke.
“You either tell us everything, do as we say, and be king. Or he becomes king and find out about all of it anyway. And all your feigned bravado tonight will be for nothing. Remembered only as just another one of the victims of the evil Khevernaki kingdom.”
The doctor’s eyebrows raised a few times, eyes scrutinizing Litoc sideways. When he looked my way, I gave him a wink. He was engrossed on the task at hand after that. The soldiers behind him stood uneasy, both deciding that looking straight ahead was the best call.
“Jorj, why’d ye ‘ave to spoil it? I mean, ‘snot everyday I get ta be kin’.”
“You have no plans for the throne. Let’s not waste time on this charade.”
“Heh, ye an’ yer big words.” He shook his head and pursed his lips before speaking again. “But what ‘e said, elim, ‘strue. Ye ‘ave got ta prove yer worth it, play nice, an’ by Annun as o’ this moment, I swear ye are the king.”
“And if I don’t you’ll either let Khevernak take me or you finish me yourselv- aaaah!” He cried then got ahold of himself. “What are you doing?”
“Apologies Your Highness, I… this arrow, I cannot bend nor break it.” The physicker explained, nervously.
“Just… just do what you have to do and be quick with it.” He barked then leveled his gaze at Litoc, “Did I get that correctly?”
“That’s ‘bout it. Unless I missed somethin’.” Litoc turned to me.
“We only came for the child. Well, children,” I began, acting as nonchalant as I could, “but it would be nice if we can learn a thing or two before we leave. In exchange, we might be able to help you out with your troubles. We have no designs on the crown but remember, should you be king, it is only because we allowed it.”
Litoc’s eyes widened at my words. He beamed me a grin from where he sat. Even Tukru cast a look in my direction.
“Aargh! Marekata’s waving tits!” The prince screamed.
Blood oozed from under his trousers. The doctor cast the arrow onto the floor and endeavored to cut the prince’s trousers to get a better view of the wounds. He motioned for one soldier to push down between the bleeding sides as he rummaged inside his chests for bandages.
“Fine. I’ll… tell you.” The prince conceded between grimaces. “But you will help me with this… sivi and sivei.”
“Ha. Least I can do.” Litoc agreed. “They were my parents after all.”