Origin (47 page)

The second was Kahril, Minister of Companion Welfare, otherwise known as the Companionkeeper. “Even though Kahril is fairly young, he was still a member of the council during that time. My father, Lord Elwin appointed him to the position, and Azavon felt led to keep him as Companionkeeper when he became the ruler. Kahril dedicates his every waking moment to the companions and their wellbeing. Even though we cannot eliminate him as a suspect, I have to say that I both like and trust him. I would have a difficult time imagining him hating any race the companions were willing to life-bond with. In fact,” Ayron told her, “Kahril was both amazed and delighted when Gemma selected Rhianna as a companion.”

“I would tend to agree with you, uncle. Kierra said that both the morden and the drakenhawks can sense when people are bigoted, even if they are trying to hide it, and will refuse to trust or life-bond with them. That doesn’t appear to be the case with Kahril. I do hope that he is really flexible and open-minded though. He is soon to find out that his understanding of companions, how they communicate, and what they are capable of is a wee bit wrong.”

Ayron laughed as they continued riding.

T
ime passed quickly as Ayron and Elwyn finished up their discussions and focused on watching for signs of the village. Night came, and dark clouds from the approaching storm kept the light of the night skies from illuminating the path. The drakenhawks, flying overhead, checked in with her from time to time, but as yet, there had been no sign of a threat or a village. Elwyn felt a certain level of comfort knowing that if they strayed from the trail or got close to the village, Toruk would alert her. Now that Ayron had finished speaking, Elwyn realized how tired she was. She yawned and hoped that her discussions with Kierra and Ayron would not run too late in the evening. Ayron seemed to be talked out and rode along beside her lost in his own thoughts.

Elwyn came awake suddenly, sensing Toruk in her mind. He informed her that the village was just up ahead. When she encouraged him to go hunt during the night, he let her know that he and the other the drakenhawks would be flying patterns around the village during the night, checking to see that nothing threatened her safety. She thanked him and passed the information along to Ayron, who had fallen asleep as well. Within minutes of her communication with Toruk, they began to see flickering lights up ahead. Ayron knew the layout of the village well and led them both directly to the stable and the inn, located just off the village square. They dropped the morden off with the stablemaster who promised to treat them especially well. Ayron then procured them two of the most comfortable rooms in the inn. He warned Elwyn to memorize the location of their rooms so that she would not have to wander the halls for any reason. Ayron was still nervous that someone might question her presence, and didn’t want her to have to answer any awkward questions from local villagers.

Both she and Ayron got settled in and then met in the common room for a quick evening meal. He also asked the innkeeper for a small basket of food to take upstairs with him to his room. The innkeeper graciously provided them each with a basket of food and let them know that he had ordered their tubs be filled with hot water while they ate. After the meal, they both retreated to their rooms, and for the next hour enjoyed the luxury of soaking in the hot water. Elwyn washed and tightly braided her hair again so that it wouldn’t be noticeable under her cap. She then dressed in clean clothes and waited for her uncle to arrive.

Ayron rapped on her door a short time later. As she let him into the room, she noticed that he looked freshly groomed and was dressed in a shirt and trousers, rather than his military garb. She sat cross-legged on the floor while he sat in a small chair a few feet away. Even though they both felt refreshed from their dinner and bath, neither of them seemed to feel much like talking. In a short while, they both felt Kierra’s presence in their minds.

“Good evening to you both,” Kierra said gently. “I have had a very busy and somewhat tiring day today. With so much going on, it has been difficult to manage what information I am shielding and what I should pass along. Because the drakenhawks and the morden are all fairly open about sharing information with one another, I have had to block much of the information that we’ve discussed about the events that have taken place, Elwyn’s existence, and our suspicions about a traitor in Findara.”

“I’m so sorry, Kierra,” Ayron said out loud so that Elwyn could hear. We’ve both been so worried about everything that has occurred during the past few weeks that we never thought about what a nightmare it must be for you to have to communicate with us, and yet shield that information from the other companions.”

“Well I have had some help in that,” said Kierra. “Gemma, as head mare of the morden, has been helping me block the information to and from the morden about our discussions. The morden in Silvendil are aware that she is on the journey home, but they do not know she is life-bonded, or even of Elwyn’s existence. The herd was aware that Rhianna fled Findara on Gemma, but they know that she died and that the life-bond was broken. Because it is extremely rare for a morden to bond a second time, it has not been too difficult for her to keep these things from them. Gemma has been fulfilling a promise she made to Rhianna to protect Elwyn. She has never revealed Elwyn’s existence to any of her herd. She, Gerrack, and Raffe are of one accord in believing that sharing the information of Elwyn’s existence now might well put her in danger, and are committed to keeping the events of the past few weeks to themselves. Gemma has also had to consider that one or more of the morden are involved in the conspiracy.”

“I never realized just how complicated this whole situation is,” said Elwyn shaking her head at Ayron. “No wonder your nation tries to live in openness and frowns on secrecy. It is just too difficult and complicated to keep secrets from each other.”

“We have always tried to be very transparent with each other. This is the first time that I can remember ever having to keep information from the other drakenhawks or the morden. But we must keep in mind that whoever conspired against Rhianna may have one or more companions. If they do, those companions became a part of the conspiracy by not warning me, or Gemma and then shielding what happened from us. We may very possibly be looking for a companion or two that are guilty of treason as well.”

“And here I brag everywhere I go just how open and accepting Silvendil is. How crime is minimal and how everyone tries to be open and honest with each other. I thought I lived in the land of truth and that the only enemies were those outside our borders. This puts a whole different slant on things,” said Ayron, his face drawn tight with stress and worry.

“Well, why don’t we focus on figuring out who the enemy is? Then we can determine what to do about it and who needs to know. But before we start, I have a message for Elwyn from Rhys. He has become quite friendly and interactive with Krill, Kormir’s companion. Krill says that Rhys wants Elwyn to know that he and Clayre are safe and that he is healing as fast as he can so, that they can come to Findara to be with her.”

Elwyn almost jumped for joy at hearing those words spoken by Kierra in her mind. She was extremely homesick for Rhys and Clayre. While she liked Ayron very much, she had known Rhys and Clayre her whole life and there was a comfort level with them that wasn’t part of her relationship with Ayron yet.

“Would you please send a message back for me? Let him know that I love him very much, I’m so glad that his wound is healing and I’m so happy that he is making friends with a drakenhawk. Tell him to give Clayre a hug for me and that I’m be counting the days until I see him again.”

“I will be happy to pass the message along to Krill. Hopefully we will be able to figure out what is going on in Findara before Rhys and Clayre are ready to make the journey. I would hate to see them in any more danger.”

Ayron and Elwyn both nodded their heads in agreement and recognized that the threat to her could easily extend to the rest of her family. They all felt the need to identify the threat as quickly as possible.

“Elwyn, please continue reading from the diary. If you would, start from the wedding and go forward.”

“
We are spending our honeymoon at a hunting lodge that belongs to Azavon’s family. It is really beautiful here. There are flowers everywhere and a small waterfall with a pond. The water is so clear that we can see the ridges on the rocks that lie on the bottom. We can swim and bathe at its base. It is just heavenly to be alone with no interruptions. We are enjoying learning more about each other and making plans for our future. Azavon says that his father is still young, by elven terms, and will continue to rule for many more seasons. We both find this exciting because Azavon and I both love studying the other nations in the Unknown Lands and want to try to visit all of them, except for Avrelan over the next few seasons. But first it will be wonderful to just spend some time here in this beautiful place relaxing, with no schedule or agenda.

A terrible thing happened today. A column of the royal guard came to the lodge and told us that Lord Elwin is dead and that Azavon is now the ruler of Silvendil. He and a few of the men had to leave for Findara immediately. I am packing our things and will follow as soon as I can. I know that Azavon is broken in grief. He loved his father very much. He was also not really looking forward to ruling Silvendil and hoped that he would develop a desire to do so over the next several seasons. I know that he will do his duty though, by his family, his people and his nation. And I, as his wife, will do everything that I can to stand by him, support him, and encourage him.

I have to admit to being a bit lonely since we returned to Findara and Azavon has become ruler of Silvendil. Ayron has also been required to serve. He has been given command of all military operations in the nation. I feel a bit left out that the two closest people to me are now in full time service to Silvendil and hope that I can also find a role to play now that it is my land as well. I have made several attempts to learn the duties of the ruler’s wife, but my mother-in-law is still playing a very active role in the government and shows no sign of wanting to retire any time soon, or teach me what I would need to know. I hesitate to push, knowing the loss that she has so recently suffered. I do hope that, over time, I can become a little more active in playing a meaningful role in my adopted land.

“Gemma has already indicated to me that, while things didn’t exactly go the way that Azavon and Rhianna expected, she wasn’t depressed or unhappy. I think the entries in her diary confirm that, Elwyn. Please continue reading.”

“
I was thrilled to discover today that I am expecting a child. I can’t wait until Azavon returns to our suite tonight so that I can share the good news with him. Even if I can’t busy myself by taking over some of the duties as the ruler’s wife, I can spend my time making the best layette I can for our precious little one.

Azavon was thrilled at my news. Of course he worries far too much. Each evening, after we eat, we spend time making plans for the little one. Sometimes we both put a hand on my tummy and tell stories to “little El”. I was so happy that Azavon agreed with my plan to name the baby after his father; Elwin, if we have a boy and Elwyn if it is a girl.”

Elwyn then skipped down to the pages where Rhianna described how upset she and Azavon were when they learned he had to leave Findara and travel to Grimsfyne so close to the end of her pregnancy. Elwyn then shared the entry with them that described their last evening together and Rhianna’s sorrow as Azavon rode away with Ayron the next morning. Rhianna ended that entry by saying that the only people in the castle that she trusted were Azavon, Ayron, and Lilith.

“Who is Lilith?” Ayron said with a puzzled look on his face. “I don’t seem to remember her.”

“She was the personal assistant assigned to my mother after her marriage. It sounds as if the two women became very close friends. She played a huge roll in all of this and, at the same time, is actually a large piece of the mystery.”

“Please continue,” Kierra said in her mind and Ayron said out loud simultaneously.

“
I was so excited when Lilith offered to stay in my suite with me during the night while Azavon is away so that I won’t feel so alone. I have felt so strange here in Findara. Most of the people that I see in the manor seem very distant. No one, except Alysan, is ever openly rude to me, but often I feel as if people are looking right through me; almost as if I wasn’t there.

I have begun to notice that each time I eat, I get ill. At first I thought that I had some sort of stomach illness that would soon pass, but it keeps getting worse. I don’t feel too ill if I don’t eat, but then I become weak and tired. I know that this isn’t good for me or “little El” so late in my pregnancy.

The illness has become so severe that I have had to keep to my rooms. I have lost quite a bit of weight and feel very weak most of the time. Lilith has been going to the kitchen in the evenings hoping to make me something to eat that I will be able to keep down.

Lady Azriel stopped by today and was so shocked at my appearance that she brought Malac, the healer, to look me over. I was shocked and insulted when I heard Malac tell her that I was just struggling with depression because my husband was away. I am not made of such delicate stuff. He refused to listen to what I had to say and left me some herbs that he said would help me to sleep. Unfortunately my mother-in-law puts way too much stock in Malac’s opinions and bade me follow his instructions before she left.

“A part of me is a bit surprised to hear that my mother was so uncaring toward Rhianna. But, if truth be told, Rhianna was her rival to some extent. My mother has never been long on compassion, even for her own children. My father and political power have always been her priorities. Please read on. I, for one, am finding Rhianna’s comments very interesting.”