Sovereign

'She will not go to Chandra,' Galen said shortly.

Magmed looked at Galen with an expression that said 'Take care of it', but it was not as easy as that. Despite what Charion had said, he did understand why she would go no further, and knew enough about politics to see how winning back her Kingdom with Tomar's help could be disastrous in the long term for her and her people. He opened his mouth to try and explain to Magmed, then snapped his jaw shut as he realised he did not have to remain with the knights. Magmed could lead them until he was sure Charion was safe and rejoined the unit either at Sparro or further south if necessary.

'I must take the queen back to her land,' Galen said, 'You are in command of the knights until I can return.'

'I think this is foolishness,' Magmed said bluntly.

'You always thought you could command the knights. I saw it in your face the first day we rode out of Kendra.'

'I was wrong,' Magmed admitted. 'I was wrong about you and Sendarus. But I'm not wrong now. The knights need you to lead them.'

Galen shook his head. 'No. They need someone who has learned enough to take responsibility for decisions. That's you. I have a responsibility to Charion as well as the knights. Imagine what Areava would say if she learned we abandoned a fellow monarch to her fate after bringing her so far, or forced her to do something against her will?'

He watched Magmed struggle to come up with some refutation, but in the end the young duke could only growl in frustration. 'Take a dozen knights with you.'

'No. All the knights will be needed. Anyway, if we are attacked by the Chetts, a dozen knights will only give them more targets.' He held out his hand.

Magmed took it hesitantly, but gripped it firmly. 'I will command in your absence only,' he said.

'I understand.' He took the reins of Charion's horse and slowly eased it away from the column still riding around them. 'We will meet again!' he cried out to Magmed, and started back west.

A few hours later a large body of Chandran cavalry met up with the knights. Their commander was a tall, thin man with long grey hair who rode a black horse that was one of the most formidable looking stallions Magmed had ever seen. Magmed halted the column and waited for the leader to pull up alongside him.

'You are not Galen Amptra,' the man said, the voice not unfriendly. His eyes seemed as dark as jet. Magmed also noticed his short coat of mail was dented and scraped in good service, and the grip on the sword strapped to his back was well-worn.

'You know Galen?' Magmed inquired.

'I met him once,' the man said, but did not elaborate further. He just waited.

Magmed cleared his throat. 'I am Duke Magmed. I am in command of this column.'

'You weren't earlier today.'

'Galen has returned to Hume.'

The man looked up and down the column. 'Taking your guest with him, I see.'

'My guest?'

The man scratched his chin with one gloved hand. 'Are we going to run around like this all day?'

'Who are you?'

'My name is Barys Malayka.'

Magmed could not hide his surprise. 'The Barys Malayka?'

'If there is another I know nothing about him.'

'You are Tomar's champion! I listened to stories about you when I was only a small—'

Barys's hand shot out and gripped Magmed's arm. 'Please, do not tell me you were only a small boy. I do not want to think about myself being so old that you heard stories about me when you were a small boy."

'But—'

Barys's grip tightened. 'I really, really don't.'

'Ah.'

'Charion was with you.' He made it a statement, not a question.

'She returned to her province in the company of Galen.'

'She was hurt, I believe.'

'Yes, but not seriously. She should fully recover.'

If Barys was disappointed by this he gave no sign of it, 'As long as she and Galen Amptra are not captured or killed by the Chetts.' He released his grip and sat back in his saddle. 'Well, I had best accompany you back to Sparro.'

'Thank you.' Magmed surveyed Barys's force. He estimated it numbered around five hundred riders, about twice the number of knights. 'You certainly brought a large escort with you.'

'Better safe than sorry in these troublesome days. By the way, I see none of you is wearing armour.'

'We had to bury it,' Magmed said, shamefully.

Barys scratched his chin again. 'Well, maybe someday you can go back and get it.'

Despite Charion's protestations, Galen did not head straight for a village or town. He found a deeply wooded area near one of the Barda River's smaller tributaries where they and their horses could easily hide from any casual search. He refused to hear the queen's objections, letting her tire herself out. When she was asleep he risked exploring the immediate area for nuts and berries, and used their helmets to bring fresh water from the stream. She slept for twelve hours, and when she woke just before dawn the next day she did not abuse him as he half expected.

'You should be with your knights,' she sniffed.

'Yes, I should be.'

'Do you think Areava will be angry with you?'

'Probably. If you were in her shoes, would you be angry with me?'

'Absolutely furious.' She sat up with some effort, refusing help. 'I would probably chop off your head.'

'Well, she'll get her chance later.'

She sniffed again. 'I might intercede for you.'

Galen nodded, accepting the compliment, but not sure what to do with it. He handed her a handful of red berries. 'These are very nice.'

'Second baby berries,' she said.

'I'm sorry?'

'Second babies are always early. Most berries ripen in autumn. These ripen in late summer.'

'We don't have them in the south.'

'Too cold there,' she told him.

'It's not cold at all in Kendra,' he said. 'We haven't had snow for over ten years.'

'It is cold,' she said. 'I visited Kendra when I was a child. Some formal gathering of all the provincial rulers during Usharna's reign.'

'I was there. Perhaps we met.'

'Oh, I don't think so. The Twenty Houses weren't keen on us provincials.'

Galen blushed. 'True.'

'Anyway, I can tell you that Kendra is cold. Not only does it almost never snow in Hume, we don't even get frosts.'

They fell silent for a while, then Charion said: 'I think the Twenty Houses will look more kindly on those of us on the borders now.'

'One of their members already does.'

She smiled at him. 'Yes, I know.'

'In fact, I think you and your people have impressed every member of the knights; the Twenty Houses will never look down on Hume again.'

Charion sighed. 'If there is a Hume,' she reminded him.

'You will free your land,' he said matter-of-factly. She smiled at him a second time. He thought that was something of a record. 'Yes,' she said, 'I will.'

'Only a single rider?' King Tomar asked.

The soldier nodded.

'And all he did was give you this?' He held up the letter.

'Yes, your Majesty,' the soldier said.

'Alright, thank you. Make sure you are fed in the kitchen and given a bed for the night. You can return to your garrison tomorrow.'

The soldier bowed and departed, leaving Tomar alone in his chamber. He looked at the letter, a folded piece of paper with his name written on it. He did not recognise the hand writing. Still, he was sure he knew from whom the letter came.

A single rider approaching unarmed, in the dark, one of his border posts with Hume. Oh yes, he knew who this came from.

He put the letter down on a table next to the room's single lit lamp.

I do not want to read this, he thought. It could be counted treasonous.

He went to the west window, looked out over the dark lands between Sparro and Daavis. Somewhere out there lay the future.

Can a king truly commit treason? he asked himself. If a king is devoted to his people and his nation, can that be possible?