"I did it for Subikahn."
"Yes." For a long time, the Renshai's selflessness had defied Tae's understanding. "You did it to protect Subikahn, to save him from execution."
Talamir nodded. "I was dead either way, whether for rape or for consensual sodomy. But, in the latter case, you would have had to execute Prince Subikahn with me."
"I would never have done that."
Talamir looked directly at the floor now. "I couldn't take that chance."
Imorelda purred beneath Tae's touch.
"But that's not why I came to see you, Sire." Talamir continued to avoid Tae's gaze, clearly uncomfortable and needing to change the subject. "As your general, I came to inform you of the officers' meeting taking place in the Strategy Room. It's my job to either accompany you or represent you."
Tae considered. Matrinka had kept him apprised of the war as it progressed, and he knew this phase had all but ended. "With help, I think I can make it. Someone needs to tell them not to celebrate too quickly, that the next round we'll face more men and many more giants."
Talamir stiffened and finally looked toward Tae again. "Next round? You mean… it's not over?"
"Not nearly." Tae remembered the jumble of information he had taken from the pirates' minds. "They underestimated us once, but they will not do so again. They made a lot of assumptions and fatal mistakes, expecting us to have no magic, for example. Thinking they would find us as consistent as their alsona. They did not expect the Northmen, believing their lands uninhabitable. Though they had a bit of experience with Renshai, they did not anticipate them organized and in such numbers. Our enemy came at us cocky and overconfident, but the loss of one of their Kjempemagiska has taught them otherwise. Next time, they will attack in true force; and, without the elves and their magic, we will be overcome."
"Overcome? In battle? Never!" It was the only response a Renshai could give, yet it demonstrated the worst vice of the tribe.
Tae knew he had to attend the meeting. Talamir might be incapable of delivering the proper message. In addition to believing whole heartedly in their own skill, Renshai had a tendency to blurt news that should be handled with subtlety and caution.
Talamir turned. "I'll see you in the Strategy Room, Sire."
Tae could not let him go, not yet. "Talamir?"
The Renshai looked back, hat still clutched in his hand. "Yes, Sire?"
"I'm sorry, Talamir. I made a huge mistake."
"Mistake, Sire?" Talamir turned around, and this time he met Tae's gaze. "Your reaction was completely understandable."
It was? Tae found himself incapable of blinking. Imorelda's purring died, and she went utterly still.
"And your strategy was brilliant. I could have saved myself a lot of pain and worry had I seen through it sooner."
Bewildered, Tae let Talamir speak.
"You had to test us. I mean, you had to make absolutely certain I loved Subikahn for himself, not for his wealth or power."
So far, Talamir spoke with eminent intelligence.
"Ye-es?" Tae encouraged.
"And you had to make sure I hadn't beguiled Subikahn, that he had entered the relationship of his own accord."
Tae saw where Talamir was going. And, though they both knew it was a game, he played along. "And that Subikahn had the fortitude to take my place someday."
"So," Talamir said, "you concocted this whole terrible scheme but made sure your father would give me the means to survive it." A slight smile played over Talamir's lips as he looked askance at Tae. *You're making this up!* Imorelda looked from man to man.*You're making this all up!*
"And," Tae added thoughtfully. "Had I directly asked you to lead my army, you would have refused, given your need to return to the Renshai. This way, I got you."
"How very clever," Talamir exclaimed a bit too eagerly. "I would have missed that part." He winked. "And when I'm finished explaining all of this to Prince Subikahn, I'm certain he will forgive you."
Tae grinned. He could think of nothing more important than reclaiming the love and respect of his son. "And after I've explained it all to Weile Kahn, I may disappear under mysterious circumstances." Despite his words, Tae reveled in the chance to actually appear as if he had conned his inhumanly clever father. He just had to be careful not to harm Weile's reputation while rescuing his relationship with his only son.
"Oh, I think you'll find he's proud of you. I suspect it's been many decades since anyone manipulated Weile Kahn. To have one's son finally surpass him, I'm told, is the secret dream of every father."
Tae looked over the Renshai in a new light and bestowed the greatest compliment he could think of at the moment. "Talamir, I never thought I'd say this to anyone, ever, given that I have no daughters. But, I'm proud to call you son-in-law."
Talamir fairly beamed. "I'll wait outside, Sire. Knock when you're ready, and we'll go to the strategy meeting together."
EPILOGUE
Hard-won friendships often have an intensity that regular relationships never match.
The clang of weaponry lasted through the night and continued in small, scattered pockets into the morning. As the fresh troops from the distant beaches faded, the soldiers who had managed to sleep through the night took over. Acrid smoke floated over Bearn, and Ra-khir could see flames blazing from the anchored ships, the water glowing red as wine. Apparently, the continental allied archers had performed the job they had failed at earlier, or scouts had braved the sharks to torch the pirates' ships directly.
Ra-khir had no trouble leaving Thialnir to handle the Renshai. The knight's job had technically ended the moment he won them legitimacy for the course of the war, and the Renshai would fight without strategy or pattern anyway. They seemed ideally suited for cleaning up the chaotic remnants of the once-mighty pirates. Ra-khir had a more pressing matter, one that he had arranged at the short officers' meeting the previous evening.
When the last of the enemies fell, Bearn had promised a massive feast: in the banquet hall for the commanders, civilian and military leaders, and royalty; outside on the beach for the regular and volunteer soldiers. Then, the Knights of Erythane would serve another purpose, maintaining suitable decorum and tradition.Tedious rituals and long-winded speeches would rule the hours before and after the food got served, interrupted at proper intervals by entertainers, animals, and bards. Though he had learned to respect the procedures, Ra-khir had never learned to love them. He did not look forward to the ceremony, other than the fact that its start would mean that he had finished the business that faced him now.
Ra-khir found Saviar crumpled in the sand beyond the dunes, where the battles had long finished, his clothing tattered and his skin striped with nicks and blood. The knight's heart rate quickened, a startled pounding in his ears. Then, he noticed Subikahn sitting calmly nearby, sword meticulously balanced across his knees. "Relax, Papa. He's only sleeping."
A cold rush of relief washed through Ra-khir, nearly as uncomfortable as the fear that had clutched him a moment earlier. "I've never seen anyone sleep like that." He gestured at Saviar.
"Apparently, you've never seen anyone fall asleep standing up."
"No," Ra-khir admitted. "What are you doing here?"
"Making sure no one uses his lifeless-looking body as a battle dummy." Subikahn yawned, his own exhaustion clear and understandable. "I can't believe you're still running around."
"I slept," Ra-khir admitted. "After the officers' meeting I couldn't keep my eyes open." He thought it better not to mention that he had caught himself slipping away twice at the meeting. Only Tae Kahn's grave pronouncement regarding the future war had finally shocked him enough to finish. "Your father was there, at the meeting. Out of bed."
"I know." Subikahn yawned again. "I talked to Talamir last night."