Finnikin of the Rock

She knew how to be strong as well as polite. It was an order, and with a sniff and a last glare at Finnikin, the woman was gone.

'I have said this before, Finnikin. You cannot complete this journey without me by your side. Seranonna prophesied it. You will hold the two hands of the one you pledged to save. My hands,' she said.

He recalled their conversation that night in the rock village in Yutlind Sud. When she had questioned the possibility of Balthazar surviving the reentry into Lumatere. All this time she had been frightened of dying at the main gate, yet nothing had stopped her. Her courage and fear tore up his insides.

It seemed a lifetime before he found his voice again. 'Who is the dark and who is the light?' he asked.

'Perhaps we are both one and the other.'

'And the pain that 'shall never cease'?'

Tears welled in her eyes. 'That you should experience any pain because of me is an ache I can't bear.'

'But what is the pain the curse speaks of?' he repeated gently.

For a moment she didn't respond. 'Mine, Finnikin. And that of the whole of Lumatere.'

'Then I'll share that burden with you. Now. This very moment.'

She shuddered as if she had held her breath for far too long. It was there on her face. The acceptance of her fate.

'Do you need to speak to the Guard?' he asked. 'To give them any instructions before I take you to the main gate?'

She nodded.

'We do this now, Evanjalin.'

'Isaboe. My name is Isaboe.'

Just before dawn they gathered in her tent. The queen, the queen's First Man, the priest-king, the captain of the Guard, the ambassador, five dukes and duchesses, Saro of the Monts, and Finnikin of the Rock.

There was no room for ceremony in such a small space, and the queen sat on the hard ground with the rest of them. Sir Topher nodded for her to begin, but it took a while before she spoke.

'This is my bequest,' she said finally, 'witnessed by the court of Lumatere in exile in the presence of the goddess complete.'

There was a muttering from Lord Freychinat at the mention of the goddess complete. The same Lord who had left his people behind in Lumatere without a second thought all these years, Finnikin thought bitterly.

'If the goddess wills that I am to enter the kingdom of the gods and not Lumatere this day, I appoint Sir Kristopher of the Flatlands as my successor to lead my people. In turn, Sir Topher, you are to appoint a leader for each province. My uncle is to govern the Mont people, and Lord August, the Flatlands. But those who are to govern the Rock and the Forest and the River will be chosen with the consideration of our people who have lived within the walls of Lumatere these past ten years.'

More muttering and this time Finnikin glared at the perpetrators.

'Sir Ambassador, upon our taking back Lumatere, you will send word to the king and queen of every kingdom of Skuldenore. Tell them that the impostor rules no more and that any nation who chooses not to recognize Lumatere as a sovereignty led by either myself or my successor will be our enemy.

'You are to ensure Sarnak is notified that no access will be given to our river if they do not bring to justice those responsible for the slaughter of our people on their southern border two years ago. Advise them that I am witness to the massacre that took place. Also ensure it is made clear to the rest of the land that the kingdom of Lumatere recognizes the original inhabitants of Yutlind Sud, and honors the southern king's right to the throne in the south and the current king's right to the throne in the north.' She turned to the priest-king. 'Blessed Barakah, in time, and with the collaboration of both the worshippers of Lagrami and Sagrami, the goddess is to be worshipped complete.'

There was silence when she finished speaking, and Finnikin saw her look to Sir Topher for approval. The queen's First Man stood and held out his hand to help her to her feet.

'May the blessing of the one goddess be with you all,' she said quietly, before turning to Finnikin. 'I am ready.'

'Should the queen not be dressed... more appropriately?' Lady Milla sniffed.

Isaboe looked down at the shift given to her by her yata.

'At her coronation, the queen will be dressed appropriately,' Finnikin bit out. 'Today, we might approach things from a more practical point of view, Lady Milla. Unless you would like to take her place at the gate and the queen can dress in silks and relax in her tent?'

There were more mutterings between the dukes and duchesses about 'impudence.' Lady Abian gave them a withering look, but Lord Artor spoke up.

'If the queen enters Lumatere dressed —'

'The queen enters Lumatere dressed as she is!' Sir Topher said firmly. 'There will be no more discussion about the queen's dress.'

Isaboe gripped Finnikin's hand as they left the tent. 'Do I not look like a queen?' she asked in a distressed whisper. 'Is that what people are saying?'

He leaned forward to whisper in her ear. 'They are saying you look like a goddess.'

'It's time,' Trevanion said.

Moss and Perri waited outside. 'We've only got as far as the moat. A fierce force holds us back. As it always has,' Moss informed them.

'All the way around?' Trevanion asked.

'At every border,' Perri said.

Trevanion looked toward the tempest and then at Finnikin. 'I will see you on the other side of the main gate,' he said. 'Do what you have to do, and I will see you within the walls where you will fight by my side. Do you hear me?'

Finnikin nodded, still gripping the queen's hand. Her face was pale, and her fear so potent that he felt nausea rise up in his throat.

'Perri will accompany you as far as he can,' Trevanion said, gently cupping Isaboe's chin. There was a tsking sound from one of the duchesses, and Finnikin bit his tongue to not lash out at her.

'Tell them to move away, Sir Topher,' Finnikin said. 'They're upsetting the queen.'

Accompanied by the Guard, Finnikin and the queen walked toward the tempest, where Lucian and Froi stood waiting. The queen quickly hugged her cousin and then stared at Froi. Finnikin could see the tears of anger in the boy's eyes.

'He had the better plan,' Froi said, pointing at Finnikin. 'Second Lumatere. No blood curses or spells or not knowing whever you live or die. We can stay here. People like it in the Valley. I heard them say. They just want you here wif them.'

'Half her people are inside, Froi,' Lucian said quietly. 'And this is not a way to live.'

Froi turned to Trevanion and Perri. 'I'll never do anover evil fing if we stay here. Never. I will do anyfing you want. How can you let them do this, Captain? It's Finnikin and Evanjalin. I fort you loved him more than anyfing.'

Trevanion did not respond. His face was pinched and unreadable.

The queen took Froi's hand and slipped something into it. He stared down before slowly opening his fingers. The ruby ring.

'It's worth everything, Froi. Priceless. Whether I return or not, it belongs to you for the rest of your life. Not because you deserve it, for I do not know how to measure the worth of one so young and I will never forget what you tried to do to me in that loft in Sorel. But when I look at it, I think of how loved I was by the owner of this ring, and by my mother and my precious sisters and my beloved brother. You asked me once what my magic was. That is my magic.'

Froi held the ring miserably in his hand, clutching his body as if in pain.

Finnikin looked at his father one last time. Then he took the queen's hand and walked up to the main gate accompanied by Perri, until the guard was stopped by a force that pushed him back. He watched the queen turn around. The Guard sat on their horses, swords ready. Behind them an army of exiles held bows trained toward the kingdom walls. In the distance he saw Sir Topher and the queen's yata.

They took a step together, and suddenly Finnikin felt the path to the main gate beneath his feet.