Dragons and Destiny (20 page)

“Not sure yet,”
she answered, tucking in with good appetite to the main course.

“Don’t you want
to get married, have children?” asked a perplexed Derek.

“Yes,” she
answered, “but that wouldn’t stop me reaching senior rank if that’s
what I wanted. Never heard of maternity leave?”

None had.
Maternity leave was not in the dictionaries at home.

“Time off to
have children,” butted in Jen. “Everyone’s entitled. The Garda
allows for two children. I might think of it myself if I meet
someone I’d like to marry.”

“Some female
officers
do
leave when they marry,” said Sandra, “or least
when the children arrive. The point is that we don’t
need
to.”

“You from a
military background too?” asked Elliot of Hilla.

“No I’m not,”
Hilla answered, “but I’ve always wanted to be a soldier. My father
is an innkeeper. I’m not the only one either.”

“You have a
brother in the Garda?”

“Only got the
one brother and he’s at the inn with my parents and younger sister.
It’s us daughters,” she giggled, “who have given father so much
trouble.”

“Would you tell
me why?”

Hilla shook her
head and caught Robain’s eye.

“Tell him,” he
encouraged, “it’s a good story.”

“If you’re sure
I won’t bore you?”

“I’m sure,”
said Elliot, “no one else is listening.” Indeed, Jen was deep in
discussion with Derek about something and Sandra and James were
laughing at a joke.

Hilla told him
about the twins Zak and Zala, of how Zak was at the inn, learning
the trade and would inherit and of Zala’s marriage and long
family.

“The first big
shock for Father was Tala’s decision to take an apprenticeship. He
didn’t think it ‘quite the thing’ especially in the Technicians
Guild but Tala’s clever; she used to help us with our lessons when
we were little. He’s proud of her now. She’s a journeywoman and
works for the Guildmaster himself.”

“Is she
married?”

“She says she
never will, says she likes her work too much to take time off to
have children.”

“Are you the
next oldest?”

“Yes. We three
come next.”

“We three?”

“We’re
triplets, Rilla, Zilla and me, I’m the eldest, then Rilla then
Zilla. I was my Father’s second big shock. He got plenty of
warning; I must have been around eight when I said I wanted to be a
soldier. He insisted that I try for officer training so I dug in at
my lessons and here I am.”

“How does your
father feel about it now?” asked Elliot who was surprised at these
signs and actions of independence in northern womankind.

“He was proud
when I got into the Academie.”

“Any shocks
from your triplet sisters, from Rilla and Zilla?”

“Rilla’s the
one who nearly gave him a heart attack, at least that’s what Zilla
said when she wrote.”

“Quite recent
then?”

“Yep. I mean,
five daughters; one married to a rich husband with screeds of kids;
the next a journeywoman in the most prestigious guild in the
country; the middle one a future officer, he was riding high.”

“So Rilla
brought him down with a bump?”

“Well put, yes,
he’d decided Rilla should marry well too, she never wanted an
apprenticeship or anything like that. He even found that he called
‘the perfect match’ and then …”

“And then …”
prompted Elliot.

Hilla giggled,
“then Zawlei came along and she left the Inn then and there, didn’t
even tell Mother or Father she was going. She said goodbye to Zilla
and went.”

“So she
eloped?” grinned Elliot, “with a man not to your Father’s
liking.”

Wide-eyed Hilla
looked at him before bursting into chortle after chortle of
laughter.

“Eloped. You
are
funny.”

“Why?” he
asked, at a complete loss. “Is Zawlei not her husband?”

Hilla began to
hiccup and had to take a long drink of water before she replied,
“Zawlei, he isn’t a
man
, he’s a
Lind
. Rilla ran off
to be a soldier with the
Vada
.”

“The Vada,”
breathed Elliot. “I would like to see the Vada.”

“There’s not
many about here,” said Hilla. “This is Settlement, the Garda look
after this area. You’ll see plenty as you go west. There are Ryzcks
stationed all along the coasts.”

“I am looking
forward to it,” he replied, “so your sister is a what do they call
it?”

“Vadeln, a Vada
Cadet if you want to be precise. She’s not long started and I don’t
think the vadeln are allocated to a Ryzck until they’re eighteen or
thereabouts. We’ll probably finish about the same time.”

“Your Father
did not like her choice?”

“Choice doesn’t
come into it,” said Hilla, “you either become vadeln or you don’t.
Anyway he’s not happy because her desertion left him looking stupid
in front of the father of the man he had chosen for her. He’s
important, might well be Head Councillor after the election is
called in a few months.”

“Your father is
a politician as well an inn-keeper?”

“He’d like to
be. He’s on the town council and there are ward elections coming
up.”

Elliot was on
firmer ground here, he had studied how Argyll was governed, perhaps
political in-play wasn’t so different in Argyll and Murdoch - less
powerful men trying to get power and trying to marry their
daughters into powerful families to get it.

“I’m sure he’ll
forgive her eventually. Give him time. So where is your father’s
inn? Is it in Stewarton? We’re going there; at least we will be
later on.”

“No, it’s along
the Southern Trade Route. Robain said you’d be going that way.
That’s why I said you’d see plenty of Lind. The inn is at
Dunetown.”

“We could
perhaps stay there, I’d like to meet your sister. I’ve never met
triplets before. Are you all alike?”

“Everyone says
that. No, we’re not alike. Zilla is very pretty, got masses of
blonde hair and a gorgeous complexion, not like Rilla and me at
all. You should take rooms; it’s the best inn in the district, very
comfortable. Ask your tutor if you can. Perhaps you could take a
letter to her from me and a few trinkets I’ve picked up for her, if
it’s not too much bother?”

“No bother at
all,” replied a gallant Elliot, his manners well to the fore and
Hilla smiled her thanks.

“And if you get
to Vada itself find Rilla and introduce yourself. Give her the news
that you’ve seen me and Zilla. She feels isolated.”

“I will,”
Elliot promised, intending to ask Philip Ross if they could go to
Vada. He rather thought Philip and the other two would want to go
too.

By this time
the meal was over and the eight were lingering over cups of
sweetened kala. Robain was throwing meaning looks in Hilla’s
direction.

“Looks like its
time we were going,” she informed Elliot. “We’re under a
bell-curfew and daren’t be late, even if Leftenant Hallam is with
us.”

“I think it’s
the same at the Regimental Officer School back home,” said Philip
looking up, “fact is, I
know
it is.”

“I’ll send the
letter and parcel for Zilla during the next day or so,” smiled
Hilla.

“That will be
fine,” Elliot replied and executed a quick bow.

She
acknowledged it with a smile as Robain put her cape over her slim
shoulders and the two of them left with cordial waves and goodbyes.
Shona and Jen followed behind at a discreet distance.

“Bit of an
eye-opener what?” breathed a tipsy James. “What a girl that was, a
real stunner.”

“And you a
happily married man,” teased Elliot.

* * * * *

Elliot

They spent
longer than they had intended at Settlement. Derek Merriman was not
unhappy about the delay - he had taken a shine to his dinner
partner, Hilla’s friend Jen. He saw Jen as often as he could and
they were becoming genuinely ford of each other.

The reason for
the delay was the late delivery of the harnesses and saddles for
the horses. The stablemaster was insisting they should fit with an
exactitude bordering on fanaticism.

Philip agreed
with his sentiments but it didn’t stop him growing impatient to be
off. James and Elliot were also eager to leave.

At last the
stablemaster pronounced himself satisfied with the saddlery and
Philip informed his three charges that they would be leaving the
next day. He went downstairs to inform the patron and to demand the
initial tally.

Derek decided
that he would go to the guardroom of the Garda to leave a message
for Jen asking her to meet him that evening.

James and
Elliot decided to start packing.

“Don’t forget
that package Hilla gave you for her sister,” James reminded
Elliot.

“I won’t. Hand
it over will you? It’s on that shelf over there and I’ll put it
into this saddlebag.”

“It’s not
heavy,” James said as he picked it up.

“Yes thank the
gods, Philip keeps on reminding me to keep the weight down to an
absolute minimum.”

“He does go on
a bit sometimes, doesn’t he?”

There was a
knock at the door.

“Wonder who
that is?” queried Elliot.

“Come in,” said
the less careful James.

It was one of
the maids. She bobbed a curtsey as she turned to James. “There’s a
gentleman downstairs to see you sir.”

“Me?” asked a
surprised James. “Who could it be? Did he give you his name?”

“No sir, he
just said it was important.”

“Better go,”
said Elliot, forgetting Philip’s orders that he mustn’t be left on
his own. “Go on, it’ll just be for a moment or two, I’ll be
okay.”

“I’m not sure I
should,” James prevaricated.

“Tell the
gentleman that Kellen Cocteau will be right down,” Elliot ordered
the maid.

“Yes sir,” she
bobbed another curtsey and disappeared.

James busied
himself with the saddlebags.

“You not
going?” asked Elliot after a long moment.

“If it’s that
important he’ll wait,” answered James. “I’m not leaving you. Philip
would have the skin off me if something happened while I was
away.”

All of a sudden
the door opened and three black clothed men rushed in. Their faces
were masked and they were holding long knives.

“Which one is
it?” one called out.

“Don’t matter,
kill them both,” the tall one said. His underlings lunged at James
and Elliot who backed towards the window. James had his knife in
his hand but Elliot was unarmed.

“What do you
want?” shouted Elliot at the top of his voice, hoping to gain some
time and to warn passers by that there was trouble.

“Help,” James
yelled at the top of
his
lungs pulling Elliot behind him.
“Elliot, get away. Out of the window.”

Elliot didn’t
do any such thing. Instead, he picked up his half full saddlebags
and threw them as hard as he could at the advancing underlings. He
was lucky, the shorter and thinner one fell groaning to the
floor.

James was
wrestling with the short fat one. He managed to lift up his leg and
kneed the man in the crotch. The assassin dropped his knife. Elliot
reached over and picked it up not a moment too soon. The tall
attacker leapt at him.

Elliot could
see the man’s eyes through the mask.

James saw what
was happening and tried to extricate himself from the short fat man
but the assassin was holding tight to his legs and he could not get
away. In desperation James stabbed at him, slashing at his neck. It
was a lucky swipe, bright blood spurted out and the man, shuddered,
gurgled and went limp.

Elliot was
struggling with the tall assassin. The door burst open again and
Derek Merriman lunged in. He had met a confused maid on the stairs
when he had returned after leaving his message for Jen.

“Please sir,”
she had said, “the gentlemen that were asking. They’ve gone. Could
you tell Mr Cocteau for me sir?”

“I will,” Derek
had told her, “no, go get Baron Ross for me, now, I think he’s with
your master.”

Derek had taken
the stairs three at a time, pulling his sword from its scabbard as
he went. He heard the shouting and burst in, ready for trouble. He
leapt over James who was struggling to his feet and made straight
for Elliot.

The tall man
turned, saw him and threw his knife. Derek tried to duck but it
happened too quick. The knife embedded itself in Derek’s chest.

The assassin
punched Elliot in the face then threw himself out of the open
window. When James managed to get to the window and look out, he
had vanished.

The small, thin
assassin was still groaning on the floor. James kicked him in his
face and had the satisfaction of seeing his eyes bulge out before
he passed out.

Elliot stood in
the corner, blood pouring from his nose. James thumped down on his
knees beside Derek and felt for a pulse.

He had just
ascertained that Derek was still alive when Philip burst into the
room.

Philip took
charge, ordering Elliot to get a towel to stem the blood and
sending James for a doctor. He bent over Derek, applying pressure
to the wound.

The Hotelier
arrived and sent one of the staff for the Watch. Within the bell
Derek had been removed to the Infirmary where he had to undergo an
operation to repair the damage. Luckily the knife hadn’t reached
any of his vital organs but as the doctor later reported to Philip,
Derek wouldn’t be travelling anywhere for at least six tendays.

Philip, James
and Philip were questioned by the Watch. These worthies came to the
conclusion that the three were thieves who had thought to divest
the four of their riches. They went away insisting Philip, Elliot
and James wait until the Assizes so that they could be called as
witnesses. Philip argued that statements should suffice and that
they need not stay. He wanted Elliot out of Settlement as fast as
he could manage it.