The Broken Kingdom (3 page)

‘Recha, I have not seen you lately. I have
had many visitors lately, but not you.’

‘No, I have not had the honour.’

‘I am glad to see you are safe.’ And she
seemed to relax slightly.

‘What troubles you, honoured one? We are all
worried.’

‘The mountain,’ her voice broke, there was
such pain in her eyes that Recha blinked and looked away, ‘the
mountain
, it aches! It is far, but I feel it, so… so
unnatural, it was not time for the mountain to move!’

‘Which mountain, mistress?’

‘A mountain.’ She turned and pointed in a
south-easterly direction. Recha did not know what was out there.
‘The mountain, it was hurt, what could do such a thing?’

‘I… I do not know.’ For a moment he wondered
if the Astarians recent actions could be related to Vearla’s
distress. He translated for Skachi, Speaker for the Master of the
House of Corchanus, and any others who required him. He knew of a
plan to deal with a traitor from Astar, a woman in possession of
military secrets. Cavachi considered it an internal matter of the
Astarians, and none of their concern. The Astarians had notified
them because a valkar was in the company of the traitor, and they
had wanted to assure Cavachi that all measures had been taken to
ensure the valkar’s safety, and that the plan had been executed
successfully.
I think the traitor was in a mountain, perhaps
that is what Vearla felt?
He felt a moment of unhappiness, that
they might have known of something that now caused her such pain.
But how could we know? And we did not tell the Astarians, they
had no way of knowing.
Recha sighed. It seemed it was simply an
unfortunate mistake. The valkar accompanying the traitor had not
been harmed, which had been their only concern. He remembered the
pleasure of his people, and himself, at the concern of the
Astarians for the valkar. Everyone was excited about the alliance,
and to have it start so auspiciously, with respect for their mutual
friends…

‘I am sorry, honoured one. Will… will the
mountain be alright?’

‘The mountain… mountains recover from worse…
but it is so… so unnatural… so sudden…’

‘I will speak to the Speaker of the House of
Corchanus. Perhaps we can prevent future…’ a thought suddenly
occurred to him, ‘honoured one, do you dislike our tunnels through
the mountain?’

‘It is nice to live in a mountain.’ Vearla
said, surprised, her eyes on him. ‘No… I do not mind, the mountain
does not mind…’ Vearla shook her head. ‘No… many… many died in the
mountain, I… I try to ignore… but it was a mountain, it called my
attention and I felt…’

‘I am sorry, Mistress.’ Recha replied
sincerely.

‘It is worse…’ Vearla suddenly sobbed, ‘the
ehlkrid come closer now, they must have… the creatures within the
mountain must have been… must have been mixed… all gone at once,
and now there are too few left for the ehlkrid to… to eat… and so
they come closer, Recha…’

‘I… I’m not sure I understand.’

Vearla looked up at him, her eyes wide with
fright. ‘I fear for the future too, Recha, my poor mountain, all
those within, but it is worse, because now… now the ehlkrid will
turn to humans, to you and your friends, and I do not want to see…
I do not want you all to die again…’

‘Mistress, we have been able to defend
ourselves in the past, and surely our shields will be enough!’

Vearla looked away, her head bowed. She gave
Recha no answer.

Chapter 3

W
hen Lillia finally found
Vann she almost didn’t recognize him. It was the first time in she
didn’t know how long she’d seen him in something other than a
submariner’s uniform.

‘Vann,’ she breathed, she knew he had
resigned but to actually
see
it. ‘Vann, where have you
been?’ she said more firmly.

They were down by the docks. Vann smelt
rather strongly of fish, mainly because of the fish he had slung
over his shoulder. He was dressed in coarse fisherman’s
clothes.

He looked surprised to see her. ‘Around.’ he
shrugged. His voice was hoarse.

‘Where have you been sleeping? I’ve been
looking all over for you! You didn’t come to the Square to organize
your leave!’

‘I’ve been around. And it’s not leave,
Lillia, I quit.’

‘The Commander put it through as extended
leave. You have wages to collect, a job, a place to stay are
supposed to be organized for you!’ The Coastside submariners were
not just abandoned to drift when they left the submariners after
all.

‘It’s not leave. I quit.’ he repeated. ‘I
don’t want their help.’

‘Why are you fishing?’ she huffed, angry and
worried.

‘I need to eat, Lillia, and I don’t have any
money. I’m the Hero of Coastside,’ he smiled bitterly, his grey
eyes bleak, ‘the fishers took me on as an apprentice.’

‘You’ll
get
money. Oh, I told you to
save up!’

‘I never thought I’d quit.’ His expression
changed. For a moment he looked as though he might cry. But then it
was gone. ‘Excuse me, Lillia, I have work to do.’

Vann began walking again, Lillia kept
pace.

‘Where have you been staying?’ Lillia
insisted.

‘Around.’ Vann shrugged.

‘Vann, if I get eaten by leapers because I
go out to the side beach looking for you, it’s going to be your
fault!’ she nearly screamed at him.

Vann stopped, startled. ‘Why would you go to
the side beach, it’s dangerous there, Lillia!’ and he frowned
darkly at her, a hint of the old Vann coming back.

‘Because no one knows where you are and I’m
worried about you!’

He seemed surprised at the thought, his eyes
wide. Then his frown returned. ‘I told you Lillia, I’ve been
staying around.’ he almost looked embarrassed. ‘I don’t like
staying with the fishers, anyone. All they do is talk about Riley.’
his voice hardened and became very cold.

Lillia sighed. Then she grabbed his sleeve.
‘Vann, you can stay on my couch.’

‘I don’t want to stay on your couch!’ he
said, indignant.

’Then find somewhere else to stay that isn’t
‘around’! Do you want me to get eaten?!’

‘Just stay away from the side beach,
Lillia!’

‘No!’

They glared at each for long moments.

‘Please, Vann.’ Lillia said in a softer
tone. ‘I’m worried about you. You may not believe it, but you are
my friend.’

He looked away for a moment.

‘Fine.’ he finally muttered. ‘But excuse me,
I still have work to do.’

‘Alright. Make sure you shower before you
come in.’

He shot her an injured look over his
shoulder as he walked away.

Vann pulled the same routine with Lillia as
he had in the Blocks. He came in late (but at least not smelling of
fish), and left early.

Lillia wasn’t sure what he did in the time
he wasn’t working, but she was at least relieved he’d found himself
a job.

Lillia found she just couldn’t get up early
enough to make sure he ate. Vann was starting to look a little
thin. So she made him breakfast late at night and left it by her
couch where he couldn’t possibly miss it.

At first he rather bluntly ignored the
food.

She kept trying. He kept such odd hours that
it was really the only interaction she had with him.

Then one night he returned much earlier than
usual, while she was in the kitchen.

‘Lillia!’ he called at her angrily. She
nearly jumped.

‘Vann?’ she looked over her shoulder at him.
‘You’re home.’

‘This isn’t my home. I don’t
have
a
home.’

Lillia frowned but said nothing.

He stalked into the kitchen. ‘Stop doing
this, I don’t want your help!’

‘You can ignore the food I make you if you
want, Vann. But I can’t stop. You look terrible.’

‘Good.’

Lillia shot him an exasperated look. Then
she tried to calm down. ‘Vann, I can be relieved a threat to
Coastside is gone and be sorry a young woman is dead at the same
time.’

He glowered at her, a dangerous coolness to
his gaze.

‘You need to eat more.’

‘It’s not your business.’

‘Pretend all you like. Now get out of my
way, please. I’m trying to cook.’

When they started painting the mural it was
hard not to notice. Weeks had passed but the talk didn’t die down.
The defeat of the nefarious gemeng Riley was the first real blow
struck in the perpetual war against the gemengs. It was going to be
the talk of Coastside and Astar for a very long time. For the rest
of his life.

He stared at the mural being painted on the
side of a prominent building in Coastside. The posters posted
around the city were only temporary. This mural, based on the
photos, was to last years, and if properly maintained, as it was
intended to be, perhaps as long as Coastside existed.

Vann had never felt more alone. Each day he
felt even more isolated. He didn’t know how he could continue this.
But as always… there was no alternative.

He headed back to Lillia’s place early that
day.

She looked up when he entered, that familiar
mix of surprise, worry and relief on her face.

‘Vann,’ she greeted him.

‘You were asked to help paint the mural.’ he
stated.

She nodded. ‘Mm,’ she turned back to the
painting she was currently working on. It was too early to say what
it was. ‘I was. I turned it down.’

‘I know. Why?’

‘I don’t want to help, Vann. I know how it
would upset you.’

‘Is that all?’ he pushed. It hurt more than
he could say that Lillia was no different to anyone else.

‘As I’ve said before, I do regret the death
of the young woman I met. I would not feel right painting a
celebration of that. I told them I’m too busy at the moment to
help.’

But she did not regret it enough to think
the attack had been wrong, he knew. She didn’t feel
enough.

He didn’t feel like being here anymore. So
he left, to do what he mostly did during his time off.

He ran through the back-alleys of the city,
he helped the dockhands unload crates, he did any sort of physical
work he could find. It helped him keep his mind off things, if he
pushed himself hard enough.