The Eyes of a King (42 page)

W
hen I came back to Citadel Street, a carriage was passing, flanked by soldiers. The horses struggled and labored in the streaming mud. I stopped in full view of the soldiers and folded my arms and watched it pass. I did not care anymore.

Someone was struggling in the carriage. I stepped closer to
it and saw who was inside it—Ahira himself, and two other military men. One of them, I thought I recognized—a man high up in the government who they called Darius. And a prisoner. A girl, bound and gagged. She struggled closer to the window and met my eyes for a second. And in that second, I recognized her.

I had thrown away the book; I had tried to drive the dreams out of my mind. And no sooner had I given up on the story than I had come back home to find Anna in the real world, a living girl—a prisoner of Lucien on her way to the castle. I stepped toward the carriage as it stopped at the point in Citadel Street where carriages could go no further. Then soldiers were in front of me, pushing me back so that I could no longer see. “What are you doing?” one was saying. “You should be in your home.” I struggled, but it was no good. Ahira and the other two were mounting horses—the girl too, still tied hand and foot, was bundled onto Ahira’s horse—and in another moment they had vanished.

“Where do you live?” the soldier was demanding, pushing me roughly. I pointed to our building and he let me go. “We will keep an eye on you,” he said. “And make sure you get there safely.”

Grandmother was alone in the apartment, but the fire was lit. “Come in and take off that wet coat,” she told me cheerily, though there were new tears still lying on her face. I moved as if I was dreaming. I went to the window and leaned far out. I could see the horses moving slowly up the castle rock. Was it because Stirling was gone that I had lost hold of my mind? I had not seen that girl; it was impossible.

But in another few minutes, I had stopped caring about it. I was thinking of Stirling again, and Grandmother was crying with her face in her hands, and someone needed to get the
dinner but neither of us had the strength. And whether she was real or not, that girl was a hundred miles away from anything that mattered to me now.

“I
f you ask me, we should have shot Aldebaran,” said Darius as they marched Anna through the castle. “The boy is nothing without him.”

“No one asked you,” said Ahira shortly.

“You cannot shoot a great one,” said the young man.

“Why not?” said Darius.

“You just can’t. It’s like shooting a priest.”

“I’d kill a priest if he stood in my way,” said Darius with a laugh.

“And account for it in hell,” said Ahira darkly. “Now shut your mouth.”

They walked on in silence, along the torch-lit corridors underneath the castle. The youngest man lit his cigarette from one of the torches as they passed, and Ahira frowned at him but did not say anything. He marched ahead, and the younger soldiers glanced at each other. “Over there are the dungeons,” said Darius to Anna, tightening his grip on her arm. The shadows leapt and wavered. There was a sudden wailing noise, and Anna started. “See?” said Darius. “That is a traitor to the king. He is a dangerous maniac, of the Unacceptable Class. He is to be executed as a public example tomorrow.” He pushed her up to the door. Inside the cell was an old man, crying.

“Do you want to know how they execute them?” said Darius, pulling her on along the corridor.

“No,” said Anna.

“I’m going to tell you. Ten bullets—just like that—and not one of
them misses. They stand you out in the yard, and they count down to when they shoot. From thirty—very slow. You should see them. They go whiter with every count. Piss themselves, some of them. Some of them throw up. It’s strange, what it does to the mind.” His hushed laugh echoed around the corridor. “Some of the women pass out. We shoot them anyway. I have executed countless traitors.”

“Stop telling her,” said the young man. “She is not your girl, that you have to boast to her. And she does not want to hear.”

“It may interest her,” said Darius. “It may yet be what happens to her.”

The young man laughed uneasily. “Darius—”

“I’m serious. She is part of the prophecy. If Ahira believes in it, then it makes as much sense to shoot her as to bring back the silver eagle. Sir?” He raised his voice and Ahira turned.

“What is it?”

“I was just remarking that perhaps it would be wise to kill the girl.”

“I think that the king and Talitha know better what is wise and what is not,” said Ahira. “Stop trailing behind. I’m not a bloody schoolteacher. Darius, come here and tell me what Talitha told you in the square.”

“Aye, where were you?” said Darius, leaving Anna with the younger man and jogging to catch Ahira up. “Ten minutes we were waiting in the carriage before you appeared back in the real world.”

“It is nothing to concern you,” said Ahira, raising his hand to his head. “Tell me what Talitha said.”

“Aldebaran has been stirring up trouble. Revolution is imminent.” Then he lowered his voice so that Anna and the young man could not hear.

“ We have cleared half the city and taken Talitha away from
the battlefields for a day or more,” said the young man, as if to himself. “ We should have been certain that we were bringing the silver eagle back at least.” Ahira glanced at him and he fell silent.

They started up a dark staircase, in the heart of the castle now. After another few minutes the young man spoke again. “Sir, you should not have hurt the boy.”

Ahira did not ignore him this time. “Will you shut your mouth?” he shouted, making Anna start.

“I’m sorry,” the young man said. “I’m sorry.” His hand on Anna’s arm was shaking.

“The boy will be all right,” said Ahira very quietly. As she struggled up the stairs, her hands tied behind her, Anna began to pray that it was true.

They came up in a wide hall lined with carved panels. Guards opened a door for them, and Ahira pushed the younger soldiers through, then hesitated for a moment. “Listen,” he told Anna, lowering his voice. “Do not be afraid.” He was looking at her so strangely that she stopped still. “Go on,” he said then, in a different tone. “Hurry. The king cannot wait forever.”

Unsteady light was jumping over the walls of the low room. The firelight and the candles dazzled Anna’s eyes, and she looked up and saw that they were reflecting off a golden throne. A tall man sat there, leaning back casually with his arms behind his head. He was wearing a crown. But he had two guns in his belt. He sat up and looked at Anna in silence, and she stared back at him.

She was staring because this man looked like Ryan. His features were almost the same, except for his eyes; even from here, she could see that they were a clear blue. But he had a kingly air about him that Ryan did not have at all. He stood up now, and the
three soldiers bowed. “Curtsy to the king,” whispered Darius. Anna hesitated, and he hit her across the head. She bent into an automatic curtsy.

Lucien now walked toward them, his eyes fixed on Anna. “This is the one Aldebaran wrote about,” he muttered, then raised his eyebrows in the same way Ryan did, but with none of the humor. “Where is the silver eagle?” Lucien asked, turning to Ahira.

“She does not have it,” said Ahira. “We have already—”

“She does,” interrupted Darius.

“Quiet!” said Lucien, and he turned again to Ahira. “You are certain?”

“Yes.” Anna wondered why he was saying this. He was not certain. He had barely spoken to her.

“ We should search her,” said Darius. “ We cannot be certain else.” Lucien nodded. Darius smirked and proceeded to search her, putting his hands into the back pockets of her trousers and running them down her legs. She stepped away from him.

“She does not have it,” said the youngest soldier. “Get away from her. She’s only young and she’s scared of you.” He was only a couple of years older than her himself.

“He’s right,” said Lucien. “Darius, I sometimes wonder about you. Have you no sense of pride?”

“Calm yourselves,” said Darius, laughing and raising his hands.

“Are you talking to me?” demanded Lucien. “That is no way to talk to me.”

“Forgive me, Your Majesty … I did not …”

“You are forgiven.”

“I thought, Sire,” ventured Darius, “that it might be wise to kill the girl. She is a part of the prophecy too, is she not?”

“I don’t think that killing the girl would give any clear message to the people,” said Ahira.

“He is right,” said Lucien. “The silver eagle is real and solid. If we had it, Aldebaran’s prophecy would mean nothing.”

“Sire …,” murmured Darius. “Under torture, the girl might tell us where it is.”

“ We have no time for that,” Lucien said, his voice rising. “Have you failed to understand the situation? The president of Titanica has sent half his army to the Alcyrian border. The common people are growing rebellious. We must fight two enemies, and Talitha has not the time to hunt for the silver eagle because of a prophecy that may or may not be valid.”

“But, Sire …,” said Darius. “If you try to do too many things, you may end up doing nothing at all. That is something Ahira often tells you.”

“Don’t tell me what to do. If we suppress the people, the Alcyrians will break through the lines. If we beat back the Alcyrians, the people will rise up against us.”

“Then perhaps killing the girl is the only choice left to us,” Darius persisted.

“No!” Lucien said. “What will that solve? Nothing! We don’t want the girl; we want the silver eagle.”

“But has she given it to him yet?”

There was a pause. Then Lucien spoke again. “I will not take any action until I have spoken with Talitha.” He seemed to be thinking for a moment. “Lock the girl in a cell; use an empty room if the dungeons are full. Do not give her food or water; we will need all the stores if we are besieged. I will ask Talitha what she sees fit to do next.”

Ahira stepped forward. “Shall I take her?”

“I will,” said Darius.

Lucien shook his head. “Ahira will do it. But go quickly; I need you back here.” Ahira nodded, took hold of Anna’s arm, and steered her out the door.

Thunder had begun outside, and lightning flashed, illuminating Ahira’s face as they passed a window. The scar and his empty eye socket stood out starkly in the colorless light. Ahira led her through the castle, then into a dim room. He bolted the door, lit an oil lamp on the table, and said abruptly, “Sit down.”

Anna went to the corner of the room. Ahira watched her in silence and the lightning flashed again. “Listen,” she said suddenly, hearing her voice shaking. “Tell me, was Ryan all right? You didn’t kill him after we went down through the trees? Please tell me …”

He stared at her as though he was surprised. “He is not harmed. He was waking when I left; I made sure of that.”

Anna sat down and could not get up again. Ahira looked at her for a moment, then sat down himself, opposite her at the table. They stared at each other. “Your name is Anna,” said Ahira then. “Am I right?” He laughed shortly at her expression, then stopped and frowned. “And shall I tell you how I know? Because the prince opened his eyes and said your name.”

“Ryan did?” she said. “Ryan said my name?”

“Is that what you call him?” said Ahira.

There was a silence. “Why are you here?” said Anna. “I thought you were going back to them straightaway.”

“I need to speak to you first.” He got up heavily and untied her hands. Then he went to the window. Outside, somewhere beyond their sight, horses were moving through mud and men were
shouting to each other. “I had never been to England before,” said Ahira. “Seeing the prince there—it was strange. I had not seen him for ten years. Since the day I shot his parents. Listen to me.”

“I’m listening,” said Anna quickly.

She did not dare to look away. “You know that there is a prophecy concerning that boy?” he said. “Aldebaran wrote that whoever harmed the prince would receive the same harm. Do you know it?”

“Ryan has told me about it.”

Ahira nodded. “I used to believe in that prophecy. The day we took the castle, I was the one who stopped the others from harming the prince. And then I began to forget it. In any case, I thought only of physical harm. But what harm more could I have done to that boy than shoot his family in front of his face? I realize it now. And they are talking of shooting you as well.”