Servants and Followers (The Legends of Arria, Volume 2) (42 page)

“
At least something
here still does.” She sighed, looking around. “Coe Aela.” She
murmured, seeing it for the first time ever. “It looks good for its
age.” She remarked. “I thought it would be a veritable ruin,
considering your descriptions.”

“
It almost is. I’m
sorry for your loss.” Fobata murmured, wrapping his arm about
her.

“
Think nothing of
it.” Kala said, waving him away and pushing away his arm. “You
didn’t even know him. It’s been awhile, and I’ve learned to deal
with it.” She sighed. “He was a nice man. A very nice man. Perhaps
too nice.” She remarked. “I’m sorry for your loss as well.” She
added to Fobata. “Your father was--a strong man, a good man,
courageous and--”

“
Think nothing of
it.” Fobata muttered, walking away from her. Kala had a way of
twisting words around sometimes to bite you back. “My father was
not a strong man. He was not a particularly good man either.” He
turned towards her. “He was evil in his own way, but not evil
enough for a Follower of Doomba. You know, I think he was--never
mind that,” Fobata said, shaking his head. He would not trouble her
with his own worries when she had her own.

“
Still, at least
something of your husband remains.” Fobata said, looking down at
Kala’s belly. It made him feel jealous, even though the man was
gone.

Kala patted her belly. “Something of
him still does remain inside of me, yes, and I hope it’s enough to
carry me through.” She said, looking up at Fobata. “Now, show me
around Coe Aela, your Grace.” She bobbed a little curtsy.

“
With pleasure, I
suppose.” Fobata shuddered slightly. “I’m still not used to it,” He
said, grasping her hand and leading her off towards the east
bailey. The gardens and the orchards in that direction would be
pleasant enough for her to look at after taking such a long,
arduous journey through the Popo Hills. He had found a prommenade
could always clear the mind of trouble and woe, and it was just
what she needed right now. “I’m still not used to being Duke of Coe
Aela,” He said.

“
You will be. Your
brother will help.” Kala said, looking around as they approached
the first orchard. “Where is Goga by the way, your Grace?” She
asked.

“
Out on the
battlefield still. I came home as quick as I could, once I heard
the news that my father was dying.” Fobata said, before pointing
out the fine apples ready to be plucked. “But Goga stayed out on
the battlefield.” He said, picking out an apple to give to Kala.
“He did not want to come home.” Fobata sighed as they walked on.
“You know, I think he is jealous of me. I think he wanted all of
this more than I did,” Fobata said, waving an arm about their
surroundings.

Kala, eating the apple, paused to say,
“Then perhaps you should have just given him what he wanted, and be
satisfied with whatever position you could get elsewhere.” She
said. “It is what a brother would do.”

“
What? All of this?”
Fobata laughed. “That is ridiculous, Kala. I couldn’t have just
given him all of this without some serious problems.”

“
Why not?” Kala
asked, chomping on the apple again.

“
Why not? Then where
would I be?” Fobata asked, wondering if she was being serious. “My
father gave me Coe Aela because it is my birthright as first-born,
it belongs to me. It always has been this way since time began.
Besides, what matters to man in this world is power, and if I
didn’t have Coe Aela, then where would I be? I would be nowhere, I
would have nothing!” Fobata cried. “My power protects me, and it
will protect Goga as well. I will take good care of him, and
provide him with what he needs as my heir.”

Kala frowned, chewing. “If Goga wants
this more than you, then he would take it from you.” She said. “It
is better to give him what you have, and live in peace with him,
than it is to suffer his wrath and hold on to something close to
you that you don’t even want.” Kala said.

“
You have learned too
much humility.” Fobata remarked as they crossed into the
garden.

“
I have learned
enough humility.” Kala said, frowning as she turned to him and took
another bite of her apple. “Years of it.” She said.

“
Goga would not take
this from me, not while I am still living, and he is too afraid to
interfere in any other way.” Fobata said. “He may be a soldier, and
he may fight me occasionally, as brothers do, but he knows his
boundaries. He will not overstep them.”

“
Are you sure?” Kala
asked, spitting out a seed. “Goga might not be a kind man, but that
is because he is not a forgiving man. He is worse to those he sees
as his betrayers than to those who treat him kindly and with
respect.”

“
I respect him, I
treat him kindly. He is my brother, after all, and a good man to
have on my side,” Fobata said. “I do not betray him, and he will
not betray me.”

“
That is good to
know.” Kala said, walking on and chewing. “Trust is what protects
when it comes to love. And if he does not trust you, then he will
not love you, and he will betray you. I know this because I have
been betrayed before.” She said, turning to Fobata. “And I have
betrayed as well.” She said.

“
What do you mean?”
Fobata asked, frowning. “Who has betrayed you and who have you
betrayed?”

“
No one important.”
Kala said. “Love hurts. Betrayal hurts even more. Love is what you
can show to him before it is too late,” She said, turning
away.

Fobata shook his head, and followed
after her. “You bewilder me, and yet I can honestly say I enjoy
your company. All of these years we have been apart, and yet we can
still talk to each other companionably. Will you be staying long,
Kala?”

“
Only a night,” She
said, turning to him again. “I must continue north before it is too
late,” She said, patting her stomach. “I have already taken too
long.”

“
When is the baby
due?” Fobata asked.

“
In another month.”
She said, chewing on the last bit of the apple.

“
Perhaps you should
stop here and rest,” Fobata said, “It can’t be healthy for you or
the baby to be traveling like this so soon before it is born, and I
would like to talk to someone here on my level. All I have here are
the servants and guards, with Goga away. Marlo, my steward, is
nice, but he is not exactly my peer.” He said.

“
I must not stop and
rest, another delay would cost me,” She said. “I have to get to
where I am going before the baby is born.”

“
You could have the
baby here.” Fobata said.

“
It isn’t safe here.”
She said. “It isn’t safe enough for him.”

“
I can provide you
and him with the best care!” Fobata said.

“
That isn’t good
enough for him.” Kala said, turning away and tossing the apple core
into the bushes. “I have to think of him now, and what is best for
him. Coe Aela is not the best place to raise a baby, no
offense.”

“
None taken.” Fobata
muttered. “What do you mean him?” He asked a moment later, his mind
catching up with him. “Is it a boy? Are you sure?” He
asked.

“
I am sure it is a
boy, and I am not staying here, whatever you say.” Kala said,
turning to him again. “Coe Aela is not my home, and it is not my
baby’s home. You cannot force me to stay, whatever you may do or
say. I will go, whether you like it or not.”

Fobata frowned. “You are sorely trying
my patience.”

“
I know. And that is
the way it should be.” She smiled. She had the sweetest smile, full
of warmth and humor. It suited her well.

Part Three: Coe
Wina

Chapter 14: Together Until the End

Whatever happens, I will be with you.
Whatever happens,

You can count on me to be your friend.
Whatever happens,

I won’t desert you my friend. Whatever
happens, you can

Count on me to be your friend until the
bitter end.

Friendship song, Arria

Basha and his group continued traveling
south and west, their packs slightly lighter after breakfast, with
a purpose now as Fato flew ahead of them. They zigged and zagged
across the landscape, never going completely straight for very long
before they changed direction, as they knew they might be tracked
by Captain Goga and his men along the way.

After Fato had returned from hunting
and everyone had stopped laughing, they had explained to him all
that he had missed, or at least Basha and Oaka had explained to him
everything when they had understood the most.

“
Knights of Arria?”
Fato asked halfway through the story, staring at them to be certain
that they were serious and not joking. “But you are just children.
You can’t be Knights of Arria. Knights of Arria
are
…
were
…
” He shook his head and sighed as
he said, “This must be a joke.”

“
I know it sounds
ridiculous,” Basha said, “I don’t blame you, but at this point we
are seriously considering the possibility that there is something
going on here beyond the norm,” and then he explained how the Old
Man fit into all of this. Gnat’s mind started to wander off
at this point as she plucked at the
grass.

Fato listened to him then, staring off
into the green distance of the forest in the north as he sat upon
his tree branch, towards the rising sun, and then he gasped. “So
that was what the first message was about.” He said.

“
What are
you
…
no, I thought you only had one message.” Basha said, getting
uneasy again. “The one Janus gave you, the one you neglected to
tell us about Coe Aela.” He said.

“
Not him, no.” Fato
said, shaking his head as he paced back and forth on the branch. “I
have two messages in my head as a matter of fact. The second
message is the one you all know about, which Janus gave me when I
stopped by Coe Aela on my way north, to be sent down to Coe Kiki on
my return trip.” Fato paused to explain, “Technically it was my
third message, as the second one was an order for me from Coe Kiki
telling me to seek out Janus when I arrived at Coe Aela, and
receive any messages he had to give me.”

“
What was the first
message?” Monika asked sharply.

“
The first message,
the one that started me off on this trip north where I met all of
you,” Fato said, turning to face them, “was a message from a Major
Lupo in Old Fort Ca to a Sir Nickleby in Coe Baba.” Fato ducked his
head, expecting something to be thrown at him.

Basha, Oaka, Monika and Gnat stared at
each other for a long moment before Basha and Oaka turned towards
him. “Is this why you wanted to travel with us?” Basha asked.

Fato slowly nodded,
lifting his head. “It was the reason. When I heard Sir Nickleby was
dead, and that you two were traveling alone without anyone to help
you
…
and then I heard your name, Basha, and I thought of what the
message said. Some of the words were ‘Keep Basha safe’ and I
intended to.” Fato said formally, holding his head high. “The
problem was the message was intended for Sir Nickleby, but since he
was dead, I had no one to give the message to. I’ve never had this
problem before and I didn’t know how to deal with it.” Fato
said.

“
What was the
message?” Oaka asked, throwing his hands up in the air. “Malakel
it, do we have to keep asking?” He asked, frustrated.

“
Be patient. I have
to think about it.” Fato sighed, and tilted his head back and
towards the side before he looked straight ahead. “These are the
words of Major Lupo, Old Fort Ca.” The falcon said, his voice
sounding deeper and more aged as he continued: “‘Dear Sir Nickleby:
I’m sorry to hear of Berevus’s betrayal. I know that must have been
upsetting to you. As to the Black Wolf in the forest, I fear that
you have reason to worry. Signs indicate that Doomba has been
stirring, perhaps for the last three decades or more. But his
Servants and Followers have been even more active in the past
decade than ever before. This may be the result of the Tigora’l’s
presence in that they are searching for him. In which case, I feel
that you should follow the Old Man’s orders in staying away from
this affair, if you do not want to get involved in another fiasco.
But that does not mean that you should not keep your eye out in
case of danger. Keep Basha safe, and maybe you will learn the truth
of the matter. Good luck to you, Sir Nickleby, I remain your ever
obedient servant and guide, Major Lupo.’ End message.” Fato said,
bowing his head.

Basha, Monika, Oaka and Gnat stared at
the falcon and then at each other. “I had no idea you could
remember that much.” Monika remarked.

Fato lifted his head, and blinked. “Of
course I can, I’m a royal messenger bird!” Fato remarked, back to
his usual self.

“
Old Fort Ca is near
Coe Kiki, right?” Oaka asked. “It was one of those forts built to
defend Arria from the Wastelands, back at the start of the Dark
Age,” He said.

Basha nodded. “I
think so. And Berevus
,
he was a member of the town militia before he
died in that forest fire a few months ago. And Berevus betrayed Sir
Nickleby?” Basha asked, disturbed. “With a Black Wolf
involved?”

“
So you’re implying
that Berevus was a Follower of Doomba?” Oaka asked. “You mean to
say that there was a Follower of Doomba in Coe Baba?
Why
,
scratch that, you would say it was because of us, but why
wouldn’t it be that Sir Nickleby was a Follower instead of
Berevus?”