Vio didn’t know what to say; she knew he was right, ghastly as the thought was, especially while holding such an innocent and vulnerable being. It was hard to believe that either could ever be a danger to anyone.
“Perhaps there is another way,” she whispered back at him.
“What way?” He asked, but to that she had no answer.
?
Gwaynn remained in Manse for nearly two weeks trying to avoid the need to return to the King’s Island even though nasty rumors were already reaching him, confirming his fears and reinforcing the dreadful decision he knew he had to make. Tar Kostek reported from Noble that Antioc was demanding the Tars reinstate the Mastoc line. He was Arsinol’s eldest son and the rightful ruler of Deutzani and if they felt Aiden was too young to rule the Inland Sea, well then he, as uncle, would take up the mantel and preside over the land as guardian to the throne until Aiden came of age.
Trouble was beginning already, much sooner than Gwaynn would have predicted and it would have to be resolved. But as the days past, Gwaynn continued to delay his return and might have done so indefinitely had not Tar Nev contacted Monde one morning.
“I’m a patient man,” Nev said, his voice resonating through the Speaker bubble. “I’m ready to leave…but first I’d like to see the twins, that is, if you don’t mind.”
Gwaynn could not help but smile; his former master never was much for people and was undoubtedly anxious to get back to the forests of Noble. Why he didn’t just Travel to Manse to see the twins himself before moving on was something of a puzzle, but Gwaynn had long since given up trying to understand the eccentric Solitary.
“Give us an hour,” Gwaynn responded lightly and grinned at Samantha who was feeding Avigail while Arnot fussed in Vio’s arms. “They’re eating breakfast at the moment.”
“Alright…I’ll wait,” Nev answered begrudgingly. “I’d like to be gone before noon,” he countered and then the bubble disappeared.
Sam smiled. “We need to be going in any case…if we are to go,” she said.
Gwaynn nodded. “We’re going,” he replied and shot a grim look at Vio but said nothing more.
An hour later as promised, Monde opened a bridge and Gwaynn stepped through and back onto the King’s Island, but this time he came with his Queen and heirs. He came to stay. Tar Nev stood in the palace’s courtyard waiting for him and surprisingly alongside was the deposed queen Audra Deutzani, heavy with child, holding the hand of her son Aiden, who fidgeted at her side.
Gwaynn frowned but said nothing. He glanced at the young woman once and could not help but notice her beauty even though he refrained from making eye contact, then he eyed the young boy holding his mother’s hand. Aiden had his mother’s dark hair and features and studied Gwaynn with an open, frank curiosity. The young boy had the curiosity and courage of a child who was confident his mother could keep him from coming to any real harm. Nev watched the play between Gwaynn, Audra and the boy with interest and then chuckled.
“Yes, I thought that might be weighing on your mind,” the old master said simply, addressing Gwaynn, and placed a protective hand on Audra’s small shoulder. “I’ll help ease both of your fears,” Nev continued. “Audra has agreed to come with me.”
Gwaynn’s frown turned to shock as he tried to image the former queen and her brood taking up residence in the small cabin at the foot of Mount Erato. He failed and he did not truly understand how this would help the situation, even though he desperately wanted a reason to avoid the killing of innocents…his sister had been an innocent.
“They’ll still be a threat on Noble,” Samantha said and Audra glared at her with pure malice. Nev laughed again and moved forward. Sam was holding Arnot and clutched him just a little tighter to her bosom as the Tar approached. Suddenly she found she did not trust this enigmatic man quite as readily as her husband did.
But Nev smiled at her and she could see no wickedness in his eyes. He moved very close and looked down at the baby in her hands. He reached out slowly and touched one rough finger to the chin of Arnot before looking back up into Samantha’s eyes.
“We’ll not be going to Noble,” he admitted. “You’re correct my Queen; going to Noble would solve nothing.”
“So where will you go?” Gwaynn asked as Nev walked past him and over to Vio, who held Avigail. Again Nev reached out one finger and stroked the cheek of the sleeping babe.
“Avigail,” he whispered softly, mostly to himself and Gwaynn wondered how he knew her name, but then Nev looked up and into Gwaynn’s eyes.
“Elsewhere,” he answered mysteriously. “We’ll be going elsewhere, and we’ll leave from Northpoint in about an hour.”
Samantha turned her eyes toward Audra, and for the first time recognized the fear and anxiety in the young woman.
Northpoint however was well known. It was a small fishing village on the extreme northern end of the island whose inhabitants were a bit taken aback by the arrival of the new High King and his large party of retainers and warriors.
Aside from Gwaynn, Samantha and Vio, the Solitary N’dori, who had just returned from Tar Endid’s funeral on Noble, was also present. She brought with her Tar Kostek and the Tarina’s Nystrom and Grace and surprisingly Jon Baal, Nev’s brother. Captain Gaston, now the leader of the island’s defenses, stood beside his second, Captain Hothgaard. They waited at the head of nearly a hundred mounted Knights. Around two hundred townsfolk also walked out to witness the happenings. Everyone stared expectantly as Nev led the young woman and her son out across a rocky field. The three of them walked about fifty yards away then Nev bent and said something to Audra. He left her and ran back to Gwaynn.
“You’ll have to decide who’s to rule Deutzani…chose well and you will have peace for a very long time. I’d steer clear of Antioc,” Nev advised and then surprisingly moved forward and lifted Gwaynn in a huge hug. “Take care of him Jon,” he added, “and yourself.” The two brothers embraced before Nev hurried back to Audra.
He clasped her hand and they turned their backs on the group and faced the empty field. For a long time nothing appeared to be happening. Nev gave no indication he was doing anything. He made no hand gestures, uttered no spoken words; he did nothing at all, just stood motionless, his back to the crowd. Murmurs of impatience rippled through the crowd of commoners from Northpoint, and for a brief moment there were even those in the main group who began to question whether anything was actually going to happen, but not Gwaynn and not N’dori.
Their convictions were finally confirmed when the sharp smell of ozone filled the air. Like a nearby lightning strike, the odor suddenly permeated the area as the atmosphere around them became charged with some unknown power.
“Look at your hair,” Samantha said to Vio, unaware that stray strands of her own hair were also beginning to rise up into the sky. She glanced down at Arnot and his soft, black baby hair was standing completely on end. She tried to smooth it with the scarred, rounded tip of her bad arm, but it refused to cooperate and instantly popped back up.
“What’s happening?” she asked Gwaynn, whose hair was also lifting toward the heavens. Gwaynn shook his head, his own eyes never leaving Nev.
“I’m not sure,” he answered and began to move forward.
“Gwaynn…” Samantha said suddenly worried.
He turned back to her with a reassuring smile before continuing to move farther out into the field. She was about to call again when abruptly a massive bridge opened before them all, filling the sky, higher than the tallest trees and nearly two hundred feet wide. Almost immediately on opening, a great rush of wind hit the watching group, driving most back a few feet and even knocking some to the ground.
Samantha screamed and went down, clutching Arnot as tightly as she could with her good hand. Vio soon dropped next to her and struggled to move closer to Samantha. Avigail was crying loudly but the sound was lost against the raging dry tempest.
“Sam…” came a faint cry and she looked up to see Gwaynn gazing back with concern, but despite the noise and the strong wind she found she was alright…the babies were alright. And then Kostek, Gaston and N’dori
