To Saviar's surprise, Subikahn stepped forward to speak. Usually, he left the orations to his brother. "Saviar and Subikahn Ra-khirsson. Our companion is called Chymmerlee. We come in defense of Bearn."
Subikahn Ra-khirsson? Saviar kept the question to himself, for the moment. Subikahn never did anything without reason, though sometimes those reasons confounded his twin.
"Enter." The guards stepped aside, a token gesture. The three newcomers could just as easily have passed between them. The guards' need to cover the entire border left them thinly spread.
As they entered Erythane, Saviar was assailed by a sudden rush of unexpected pleasure. Home. He shook away the thought; and, with it, all comfort. Not home anymore. Bitterness tinged his memories, and he tried to let all of them go. On the journey, they had decided to enter Bearn proper, from due north. Saviar did not want to veer toward the Road of Kings and despised the thought of even glimpsing the Fields of Wrath and its new occupants.
As they passed beyond the guards' earshot, Subikahn said softly, "That was remarkably easy."
Thoughts still on the Renshai's home for his entire life, Saviar did not grasp his brother's meaning. "What?"
"Anyone could say they've come to Bearn's aid. How did they know I was telling the truth?"
"You weren't," Saviar reminded. "You're not Ra-khir's son; I am."
"You mind?"
"Of course not. It just… surprised me." Saviar realized it should not have. Tae Kahn might have already reached Bearn with his Eastern army; and, if they knew Subikahn was his son, word would quickly reach the Eastern king. "Surely a war takes precedence over a family feud."
Subikahn shrugged. "I don't think I want to take that chance."
Saviar thought it best to change the subject before Chymmerlee started asking questions. He suspected there were other reasons Subikahn had lied, not the least of which was his hatred of fawning and attention. If the guards had realized they faced the prince of the Eastlands, they would have abandoned their posts to tend to Subikahn. "At least we know why they let us through so easily. They probably know my father… forgive me, our father as a knight."
Subikahn brow furrowed. "Maybe." He did not sound convinced. Abruptly, he laughed. "I've got it. We speak Western. The enemy doesn't. Not at all. It's as simple as that."
The three passed through city streets packed with strange tents in a gloom that seemed to smother Erythane. The houses had already gone quiet, shutters and doors tightly bolted. Though packed full, the taverns no longer echoed with raucous laughter; Saviar could hear signs creaking in the wind. The entire city appeared to be holding its breath, waiting for the moment the whole world exploded into violence. A shiver racked Saviar. It all seemed too controlled, too eerie. He took a solid hold on Chymmerlee's arm, and she leaned against him as they walked. She could know little or nothing of cities; yet she also, apparently, sensed the wrongness of it.
A full day and night of walking through Erythane brought them to the outskirts of Bearn, where a larger contingent of enormous warriors met them. Chymmerlee pressed more tightly against Saviar, clearly intimidated by the sheer size and number of Bearn's men. Saviar was a large man by most standards: a full head taller than the average and powerfully built. Yet, all of the massive Bearnides stood at least as tall as he did and outweighed him. Compared to them, Subikahn looked like a woman and Chymmerlee like a dainty child.
The guard who met them scarcely glanced in their direction. "Which unit are you with?"
Saviar turned to Subikahn, certain his quick-witted brother already had an answer. But Subikahn said nothing, only stared in fascination at the granite city beyond the guards.
"Uh…" Saviar started stupidly, not expecting the onus to fall on him. His mind started racing. He could hardly ask for the Renshai, and no Northern tribe would accept them. "Uh, how about…" Erythane's infantry? He stopped himself from speaking the words aloud. They were exiled from Erythane, from all of the West, actually. "How about… the Eastern one?"
Finally Subikahn's attention snapped back to Saviar, and the look he turned his brother virtually defined murder. The guard studied him quizzically. "You don't look Eastern." His gaze flicked to Subikahn. "Now, your friend there-"
"Brother," Saviar interrupted. "He's my brother. My twin brother."
The guard looked between them dubiously. Another voice punctuated the silence, the nearest guardsman chiming in. "Ruther, don't you recognize them? That's Knight-Captain Kedrin's grandson, there." He inclined his head toward Saviar. "And the brother, that's Prince Subikahn Taesson."
Chymmerlee stiffened against Saviar.
The first guard's jaw sagged. "It is?" He continued to study the trio in front of him. "They are?" He next turned his full attention upon his companion, as if worried to be made to look a fool.
The second guard beat him to it, bowing and gesturing. "Thank you for coming,Your Majesty. We're honored by your presence."
"Stop it, please." Subikahn's tone held a combination of graciousness and impatience. "I don't want anyone to know I'm here unless I tell them, all right?"
Seeing his friend making gestures of respect, the first guard joined him. "I'm sorry I didn't recognize you, Prince Subikahn."
Subikahn ignored him, directly addressing the guard who had recognized him. "Where's the Eastern army?"
"Last I heard, Sire, they were guarding the shores of the Western Plains."
"The Western Plains." Subikahn relaxed visibly. "So they're not here."
"No, Sire. Though it's rumored they're on their way."
"King Tae was here," the first guard piped in. "He arrived quite a while ago. I'm not sure if he's still here. There are rumors-"
"Ruther," the second guard said sharply. "We don't need to be bothering the prince with rumors."
"But-"
The look the second guard gave his companion was nearly as sharp as the one Subikahn had given Saviar when he had suggested joining the Eastern forces. Then, he looked directly at Saviar. "You're Sir Ra-khir's son, right?"
"Yes."
"Brave man, your father."
Saviar did not know what to say. "Th-thank you."
"He's commanding one of the smaller units, a band of outcasts he brought back from the East."
Saviar did not know which question to ask first. He had not known his father had traveled to the East, would not have believed Ra-khir capable of it given his own last encounter with the knight, overwhelmed by grief. Only an odd set of circumstances would put Ra-khir in charge of a unit, rather than guiding Erythane's cavalry, with the rest of the knights.
Subikahn broke in, unconcerned with his brother's considerations. "We'd like to join that unit, the one commanded by Sir Ra-khir." He did not wait for confirmation. "Where is it?"
"Front line, beach. Central east quadrant."The first guard seemed more at ease in his element, directing stragglers to their units. "East of the Santagithans and the Northern contingent from Erd. West of the Pudarians."
"Thank you." Subikahn dipped his head, which sent both guards scurrying into bows. The trio headed into Bearn, with more questions raised than answered.
Valr Magnus rode through the massed archers on the ridge, pleased to see them attentive and ready. Each had several arrows with rag-wrapped tips, saturated with oil.The nearby fire pots burned steadily through the twilight, like round and regular campfires. When the command came, they would follow orders, as always, with the fine precision Captain Sivaird had trained into them.
The captain walked over to greet his general, laying a hand on the saddle's pommel. "They're all ready, sir. One command."