Destiny (3 page)

He stood too, glad for the movement. ‘Can I organise an escort for you, Physic Gynt?’

Tor smiled at the old title; he had not heard it in so long. It was not hard to see that the young man, not that much older than his own children, was struggling to cope with what had presented itself at his door last night. Tor could not blame him—all sentients, but especially Tor and the Paladin, lived with the strangeness of their lives, accepted each new curiosity for what it was and rarely thought to analyse it. Young Gyl over there would be trying to rationalise everything and yet it was not possible—none of this was rational. Gyl must learn to accept that now, and it was to be hoped that his mother, the Queen, might help him to achieve the level of understanding he would require as Under Prime to assist rather than fight them.

‘Thank you, Gyl, but I shall be fine.’

The soldier nodded curtly. ‘Then if you’ll all excuse me, I must do my rounds. If I can be of any help, please don’t hesitate to seek me out.’ Gyl cringed inwardly at
how hideously polite and restrained he sounded. He could not help but cast another glance
her
way. Lauryn was looking at the floor, but a brief smile flitted across her mouth. She felt embarrassed for him. So be it. He bent and kissed his mother’s hand.

‘Your majesty,’ he said, not looking at her. ‘I shall contact you immediately your husband, the King, returns. Try and rest, Mother.’ He felt pleased with himself that in one brief phrase he had managed to remind everyone in the room—including the Queen—of who she was, to whom she belonged and to whom loyalties must lie. He closed the door behind him.

Alyssa leapt straight in. ‘Gyl will be finding this extraordinarily difficult. I hope you will all forgive his gruff manner. Saxon, perhaps you should…’

Saxon nodded. ‘I’ll speak with him,’ he said. Saxon walked over to Tor and hugged him hard. ‘Send us word,’ he said. ‘Use Cloot if necessary, and his wretched question-and-answer system.’

Tor grinned. ‘Look after everyone, Sax.’

The Kloek nodded formally. ‘You have my word. The Light guide you safely, Tor.’ He followed Gyl’s footsteps out of the Queen’s chambers.

Alyssa caught Sallementro’s eye. ‘Sal, my son and daughter would probably appreciate a bath, fresh clothes, a look around the palace. The King will be back soon and I will want to present them later in the day. Would you help?’

‘Of course,’ the musician replied, a brief bow to his Sovereign. ‘It would be a pleasure to take you two under my wing.’ He smiled kindly at Gidyon and Lauryn. ‘Let’s make a start by heading down to the castle baths.’

Tor did not wait for his son to cross the room. He beat him to it, pulling the boy close. ‘I shall be back soon, I promise, with your brother.’
Stay close to Lauryn; she’ll need your strength. Get to know Gyl.

‘Figgis?’ Gidyon said quietly.

‘He’ll journey straight here, I’m sure. He won’t wish to be separated from you now or ever,’ Tor replied. ‘Look out for him.’ He looked towards Lauryn who appeared remarkably composed.

She stepped up and he held her close, whispering, ‘Back soon, I give you my word. I need you to be brave now. Get to know your mother a little more,’ he said smiling.
She’s very nervous about you both,
he pressed into her mind. That won him a short grin from Lauryn.

Stay close to Gidyon; he’ll need your strength,
he added as he pulled apart from her.

She mentioned what had been niggling at the edges of her mind. ‘Father, how will you know who Rubyn is? I mean, are you counting on him bearing a strong likeness to us?’

‘I hadn’t thought beyond finding a young man in the Heartwood, to be honest.’

‘How about the stones?’ Gidyon suggested.

Tor frowned. ‘How do we know he would have one?’

Gidyon could only just remember a conversation with Sorrel. ‘I think it was when we were preparing to leave with Sorrel—this is all a bit hazy I have to admit—we demanded she prove we were sister and brother. She achieved this through the stones which we both had on us and had both cherished since childhood. She told us how you’d given her the three stones when she fled with us from the Heartwood.’

Tor nodded and Lauryn picked up the story, frowning as she strained to recall that conversation.

‘You’re right, Gidyon…I can remember that too, and I think I’m right in saying that when you asked Sorrel where the third was, she said not to worry, it was in a very safe place.’

They both looked back at their father. He was beaming. ‘Clever old girl she was. She must have left the third stone with Rubyn. She wouldn’t have known what they’re for—as I don’t—but perhaps she thought it might protect him. This is excellent news. You must both keep them very safe…we are yet to find out their purpose.’

Gidyon suddenly looked sheepish. ‘Um…I have to admit something.’

Eyes turned to him and lingered on his discomfort.

He cleared his throat, his eyes searching his father’s face for understanding. ‘When I left Yseul we had both just survived a traumatic experience.’ As he paused Tor looked towards Alyssa’s puzzled face and shook his head just enough to tell her this was not the time to go into it.

The look was not lost on Lauryn. She enlightened her mother. ‘Yseul is Gidyon’s friend.’ She loaded the word ‘friend’ with all sorts of meanings.

He squirmed a little more, glaring at Lauryn. ‘Er…yes she is. Anyway, it was a difficult time for us and…’ Awkwardly, he looked again at his father before taking another deep breath. ‘Well, I wanted to give her something from me…of me…and I gave her my stone.’ He did his best to ignore the audible gasp from his father. ‘I told her I was lending her my stone and that I would find her and collect it one day.’

Tor was shocked. ‘What was in your head, son?’ he asked quietly as he tried to assess the loss of one of the Stones of Ordolt— what it might mean to their success or failure.

His softly spoken rebuke was enough to crumple Gidyon’s already fragile confidence. Gidyon ran his hand through his hair, totally crestfallen as he searched for a suitable answer. It was his mother who came swiftly to his rescue.

‘Tor, don’t you dare use that accusatory tone. Gidyon has been ripped out of everything familiar and deposited back here with a group of strange people he has to trust —even accept as family. A meaningless, harmless looking stone, supposedly left with him by his parents, has no significance to him other than the sentimental value it represented in his life.’

Tor was about to say something but the Queen refused him any opportunity.

‘No! He is not to blame in this. I can’t imagine what the traumatic incident is that Gidyon’s referring to but I expect to learn it soon. This Yseul will presumably keep it safe will she not, Gidyon?’ Her son nodded, eyes turned to the floor. ‘Then there’s nothing lost, Tor. To her it’s a harmless stone as well, with sentimental value, given to her by someone I am assuming means something to her.’

Now she saw her son’s colour rise. So Gidyon had wasted no time finding a young woman upon whom to work his charm. My, my, she thought, I wonder who he takes after. She looked back at Tor, her expression forbidding him to take this matter any further. ‘The stone is safe, Tor. Where does she live?’

‘A place called Brittelbury,’ Gidyon replied, grateful for his mother’s support. Watching her now take command he appreciated her for the Queen she was. He liked her like this; had hated seeing her so filled with despair and grief the previous night. His father had told him she was a formidable person. He could believe it now.

‘Well, that’s several days’ ride west of here.
If you don’t say something nice right now, Torkyn Gynt, I shall spend the rest of my time in your absence telling the children every embarrassing tale I can think of about you including that time you—

Alyssa was not permitted to finish outlining which of the humiliating tales she would start with.

‘It’s all right, Gidyon. Really. Your mother is right and I’m sorry to have doubted you. You were not to know about the Stones of Ordolt and I’m as much in the dark about them as you, so let’s think about getting the stone back.’ He turned his blue gaze towards Alyssa.
Thank you. I’d forgotten how very beautiful and desirable you are when you’re cross.

She felt a little lightheaded when he turned that look on her. ‘Well,’ the Queen said brightly, trying to lighten the pang of separation she was trying to convince herself was being felt only by the children. ‘Why don’t you two go on with Sallementro and I’ll see your father on his way?’
Please let me have just another minute on my own with him,
she begged silently. ‘I’ll find you both afterwards and we can spend some time together.’
Please…oh please. Just once more in his arms and then I shall give him up,
she promised herself.

Sallementro and the younger Gynts departed with one final searching look at their father. Tor felt a searing
grief at leaving them, recalling his own father’s anxiety when he had finally ridden away from Flat Meadows so full of the desire for adventure. Tor wondered how he would find the reserves of courage required for what was ahead of them all. He put that aside as the door closed and he felt Alyssa’s eyes turn towards him.

‘I must go,’ he said, reflexively, but made no move.

‘I know.’

‘Will you be all right?’

‘With Gidyon and Lauryn?’

He nodded.

‘Of course. I intend to spend every spare minute catching up on all that I’ve been denied with them. They are wary of me. That’s hard.’ She said the final words wistfully.

‘They will fall hopelessly in love with you as I did…as I still am.’ He did not mean to say it but the words had a life of their own, rushing out and serving no other purpose than to foil the Queen’s resolve.

‘Oh, Tor, why does this happen to us?’ Alyssa could not wait another moment.

She stepped into his embrace. He kissed her hair and stroked her cheek as she hugged him harder, loving the familiar feel of his tall, broad body.

‘We must not risk this, Alyssa. I…I must stop touching you like this. It’s dangerous…and embarrassing,’ he said looking down at himself, trying to lighten her despair. He was pleased to see the ghost of a smile come to her face at the mention of his discomfort. ‘I can sense Gyl’s fury when I merely look at you—and if he could see this!’ he said and tilted her face so he could kiss her lips.

She pulled away finally. ‘Gyl will not know how it feels until he experiences his first love,’ she said.

‘Well, if I’m not mistaken it was happening in front of our noses!’

She loved to see that broad smile which touched his eyes; made the blue spark brighter, if that was possible.

‘No…not Lauryn. Surely not?’ she said, enjoying the intrigue.

‘Mark my words,’ Tor said. ‘I’d bet on it being confirmed with a kiss or more by the time I return,’ he added, eyebrows arching theatrically.

Alyssa laughed. ‘Ten sovereigns that you’re wrong.’

‘I don’t have ten sovereigns,’ he replied, ‘but I’d be happy to take that bet.’

Their laughter was short-lived.

‘Let’s not prolong this pain,’ Tor suggested. ‘I love you, Alyssa but you are no longer mine to love. We must remember who you are now.’

‘Can you forgive him, Tor?’

‘You may recall I already did…years ago.’

‘No, I mean for this…for loving me?’

I already did…years ago,
he whispered into her mind.

She felt the sting of tears. So Tor knew as much as she had suspected—even as he went to his death—that Lorys had had designs on her.

‘He loves me so much, Tor. I’m good for him too. I can change the way he looks at things. I can help him to be a better King. But I’m so torn.’

He kissed her mouth to stop her talking. ‘Don’t be. You have responsibilities now. I understand why he loves you because I do too. I forgive him and I forgive you for
loving him. It is our children who matter now, Alyssa. Help him to grasp their importance. I believe the time has come for our King to learn everything. Tell him all you know. Make him understand the need to help us achieve our ends…or Tallinor will die and so will its people. That’s your task now.’

Tor took from his pocket the disk of archalyt he hated and with her pained nod of authority he pressed it back against her forehead where it adhered. She hated the sudden absence of his magic and spirit surrounding her. Alyssa felt the loss keenly.

Then he bent and kissed her hand very tenderly. ‘I take my leave, your highness.’

As he did so, she sadly touched his soft, beautiful hair in reply, permitting his departure.

Despite the sickening feeling of having to leave Alyssa once more, Tor was relieved to be gone from the palace again—and from all of its reminders. He could still taste her on his lips, smell her perfume on himself, and he realised with deep regret that he may never do so again. With the King back at Tal, he would not have such intimate access to the Queen again. And, he decided with a sigh, that was as it should be. His children were safe; she would now protect them with her own life if necessary. He must journey back to the Heartwood and find the boy, Rubyn. It lifted his spirits to think of the other son and he felt happy when Cloot finally showed himself at the tops of the trees.

How is she?

Unnervingly beautiful.

Well, she was always that, Tor. Will she be all right with Gidyon and Lauryn?

She’s already in love with them, though it will take longer for them to accept the Queen of Tallinor as their long lost mother than it did for them to accept me as their father.

Possibly,
the bird conceded.
I presume Saxon remains?

Yes, he will stick close to Alyssa now.

Tor’s exceptionally fine hearing picked up the sound of a horse galloping towards them.
Alone?
he asked, knowing Cloot could hear just as well and see far more easily from his treetop perch than he himself could from the ground.

Solitary rider travelling at breakneck speed. Must be urgent news for the palace.