“Mama!”
“—to die a horrible—”
“Mama!”I grabbed her by the shoulders and dragged her away.She immediately began to sob and pulled me into her embrace.Her body felt small and frail suddenly.I was used to her being the strong one, the one who never allowed what anyone said or did to trouble her.Now she was clinging to me as I had clung to her when I was a small child, and she’d had to depart for a few weeks of patrol.“I’m fine,” I said.“I feel better than I look.”That was mostly true.
“I hate him.”
“Plainly.”I pulled back and looked down at her.“But cursing him to a horrible death might not be the best plan as our fates are entwined now.”
“I refuse to accept that.You will come back to me.”She whispered the last, her eyes hopeful.
“I will.”One day.I felt tears prick my eyes.That wouldn’t do.I did not want to walk through the streets of Highcastle for what might be the last time weeping like a baby.“Let us say farewell now.Go home to Theud and let him take care of you.”
Her grip on my arms tightened then she nodded.I kissed both of her cheeks.“Until that tomorrow,” I said.This was a common saying in Earsleh.Often the speaker would see the person on the morrow, but just as often the tomorrow spoken of might be a month away.
“Until that tomorrow,” my mother said, her voice catching.Tears ran down her cheeks, and I had to clench my jaw to summon the strength to step away from her.I glanced at Finnrey, who was looking down at the stone floor, pretending to be very interested in the worn stones.Taio gave us no such courtesy.He stood, arms still crossed, and watched our leave-taking.
“Let’s go,” I said, linking my arm with Finnrey’s.“Before I start weeping,” I said under my breath.
“Until that tomorrow, Lady Aine,” she said as we moved away.Taio fell in step behind us.
“Protect her, Finnrey,” my mother called.
“On my honor, I will, my lady.”
We descended a staircase, and my mother’s cries faded.“Do you hate me for volunteering you for this?”I asked my sister.
“I was afraid last night,” she said.“I’m not afraid this morning.I want to see the western border.Imagine the adventure.Well, I don’t have to tellyouthat.”Her voice sounded bright and cheery.I would have believed she anticipated the journey, but I knew she was not one for taking chances.She was careful and always followed protocol.There would be no protocol for much of what we might face on this journey.I was always the adventurous one, but I felt torn.Part of me relished the coming adventure, dangerous as it was, and part of me wanted to cling to Mama and everything familiar and never leave.
As we entered the gallery, I spotted the people gathered in the grand hall below.My father stood in the crowd, as did most of my siblings, Gaz, Nize, and the other Zulenii.I had hoped that at this early hour our leave-taking might be more private.But my father did enjoy an audience.Arms still locked together, Finnrey and I passed by the portraits of our ancestors.The regal kings and queens looked down at us and gave me courage.I needed that courage for the journey and also to get through the gauntlet of farewells without falling apart.Already Riah was sobbing loudly.
My father greeted us at the base of the stairs.“My daughters.”He placed a hand on my head.“You fought well, Mara.I am proud of you.Represent us with honor in Zulen.These are letters of introduction for the head of the First House.”He held out folded pieces of parchment bound with velvet ribbon and embossed with his signet—a wolf.I heard him take a quick breath and looked into his dark eyes.I saw the sorrow in his eyes and the resignation.
Then the king removed his hand from me and spoke to Finnrey.He spoke low and close to her ear, and I couldn’t hear what he said.She nodded and said something to him in return.I took a breath as we moved forward.The line of my half-siblings stretched almost the length of the hall as it seemed every one of them, even the youngest princess, who was barely three, had come to see us off.Cameed stepped forward first and began to speak.
“There’s no time for this,” Taio interrupted.“I see first light.We must be away.”He put a hand on my back and ushered me forward.Cameed’s mouth dropped open at this rudeness.I knew I should have been appalled as well, but saying another fifty farewells would have taken all morning and drained both Finnrey and me.Besides, I’d said the only farewells I truly cared about.I didn’t resist Taio’s push and waved to my siblings as I moved past them.Hopefully, the image of me departing with my head held high would be the one they remembered when I returned and one day took the throne.
The Zuleniis closed around us as we left the castle, and I saw Gaz and Nize take up the rear position.A few of the villagers had come to see us off.They waved and called our names.I’d rarely been out in the streets so early, and everything looked beautiful in the pale golden light of morning.At the base of the hill, we waited for the guards to open the first gates and then the second.On the outside, Finnrey and I turned back and watched as the gates closed again.
Then I faced forward and stared ahead at the vast expanse of dry grass that lay before us.I could hear the crash of the waves behind us and knew the mountains were to the north.Almost every patrol I’d been on had traveled south.Now Taio moved to the front of the group and set off to the west.
We followed, taking our first steps into the unknown.
