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    Journey to Winter
    Journey to Winter
    Journey to Winter
    Ebook348 pages4 hours

    Journey to Winter

    By Lazette Gifford

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    About this ebook

    Prince Nishanan is taken against his will from the golden sands of the south to live with relatives in the dark, bleak castle of Maxillia. Mistrusting everyone, he soon finds that he has the interest of Thrulan, a dark and dangerous mage who has brought him to this winter land -- but for what purpose?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherA Conspiracy of Authors
    Release dateDec 23, 2013
    ISBN9781936507450
    Journey to Winter
    Author

    Lazette Gifford

    Lazette is an avid writer as well as the owner of Forward Motion for Writers and the owner/editor of Vision: A Resource for Writers.It's possible she spends too much time with writers.And cats.

    Read more from Lazette Gifford

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      Book preview

      Journey to Winter - Lazette Gifford

      The horses knew the game.

      Nishanan's mount pranced in place, nickering to his neighbor and challenging the horse in the way the riders had already challenged each other with their own boasts. Nishanan laughed and patted the stallion's white neck. He grinned at Captain Fair and gave a regal little bow of his head.

      Captain Fair smirked at the show, while the guard standing to the side lifted his hand in a signal to get ready.

      One, two, three!

      The horses darted forward, their leaps raising a cloud of golden dust around the clapping and shouting onlookers.

      Nishanan leaned over the horse's neck, his head nearly to the animal's ears. Go, Beauty. Go!

      And they flew. Sand danced like bits of gold in the air, and people shouted encouragement all along the edge of the desert trail was it climbed the slight embankment and curved towards El Aria. Nishanan could see the tall walls and city gate ahead, well aware of Captain Fair's horse keeping pace with his own mount. He wanted to win, but he could feel Beauty begin to flag. The horse would have tried harder, but Beauty meant far more to him than winning this game.

      Which was the reason he always lost to Captain Fair. Fair didn't mistreat his own horse, but Nishanan never asked more than Beauty willingly gave in the race.

      This time, Fair reached the gate by barely the width of a single hand ahead of Nishanan; close enough for Fair to give him an appreciative bow of his head. People had gathered by the gate, where they placed bets, the race being such a common occurrence. Next week, when the guards returned from patrol, the race might go differently. Beauty had become accustomed to his place with Nishanan in the last few months and his rider didn't have to urge the horse as much.

      I owe you another dinner. Nishanan laughed as he dropped off the horse and swatted sand and trail dust from his blue edged robes. Tonight at the Tale?

      Fair slipped from his horse, signaling guards nearby to come forward. The Captain grinned. Sounds good to me. A bit high class for my pay, though.

      Which is why I'm buying, Nishanan replied.

      Sira skipped through the crowd, half an apple in the boy's hand. He swallowed as he neared, and gave a quick bow. Sorry, Prince Nisha. You've returned a little early.

      You're fine, Nisha tossed the reins to the boy, who in turn gave half of his apple to Beauty. The boy loved the horse almost as much as Nisha did.

      Your father asks to see you, Sira added, patting the horse on the nose. And I'm to warn you there is a band of Northern Swords in the city on business.

      And he would rather I didn't annoy them, Nisha said, with a pretend sigh of regret. Fair shook his head. I'll be good.

      You'll be too good if they provoke you into another fight, Fair replied, handing the reins of his horse over to a guard. I'll walk with you through town, shall I?

      Nishanan began to protest. As a prince -- a prince twice over, in fact -- he could order the man to go about his own business. However, Fair was right to keep an eye on him. Nisha had come to despise the northern soldiers who often came to check on his father's post, always insinuating the king's younger brother was not as loyal to the northern court as he should be.

      Prince Kelin had married Issi, the younger half-sister of Safir, the king of Kati to the south. He had done so with the permission of his brother the king, of course. However, the older man repented the decision and wanted 'the woman' put away. Kelin would not do so and now the good King Johnard mistrusted him. The Kati king found himself so annoyed by the behavior that he wouldn't have any northerners, including his half-sister's husband, to the southern capital.

      So Nishanan grew up in the sprawling border city of El Aria, coming of age with a select group of border guards and learning his weapons too well for a prince who should depend on guards to protect him. Black Coats, the Northern Guards, sometimes complained after encounters with Prince Nishanan, but he hadn't killed any of them. Yet. Every time a new band came to replace the old, they had the same bad manners, the same haughty attitude, and the same drunken brawls, though. Nisha found no reason to show them any respect.

      There had been fewer replacements the last couple years. The ones who took posts here appeared to be relieved to be out of the capital and away from the rebellion plaguing the far north. Nishanan heard very little about the war and life in the capital of Miro, where the king and queen lived behind a wall of security, and the rest of the people lived in dread. A sorcerer had taken up residence at the court and no one spoke well of him, either.

      Nishanan praised the gods on both sides of the border that he lived in the south, well away from the trouble and madness. And the cold. He'd heard about snow, and he didn't much like the sound of it. He was desert-born and he loved the heat and the dust.

      Nishanan saw hand signals passed between Fair and his men: Quick warnings about the northerners and a few more orders. Nisha had spent most of his nineteen years in the company of the border guards. He knew their signals, their rules and they're weapons as well as any of them. Nisha didn't wear the black coat of a soldier, though, for which he was profoundly glad. Away from the city even the border guards took to robes, but here they had to dress like proper Miro soldiers. You never knew who might be spying.

      Fair gave Nishanan a quick clap on the shoulder and they headed past the fountain and into the teaming city. Tomorrow would be the first of the market days, and the town was already filled to overflowing with merchants, their merchandise and their often ill-mannered animals. Most had camped at the fountain nearest the gate where chaos ruled.

      You know, as much as I love market days, I hope we'll have the new area built outside the town soon, Nisha said, pulling up the edge of his robe as they passed a couple gate-edge taverns. They were already filled with loud men, and foreigners all of them. One staggered out, red eyed and stinking of cheap drink. He wore a dingy gray robe, the pattern showing an eastern tribe. He tottered and reached towards Nisha --

      Fair stepped between them. A shame, because Nisha would have liked to handle the man himself.

      Step aside, tribesman, Fair ordered, his voice loud. And bow before Prince Nishanan sa des Kelin.

      Nisha somehow managed not to grin at the full title, which had always sounded pretentious for someone not welcome at either court. However, the tribesman realized he didn't want this sort of trouble. He slid back into the tavern and watched from a dark corner as the two went past.

      You had far too much fun, Fair, Nisha said. He dusted the pommel of his saber as Fair grinned. And I don't need a body guard.

      I was saving the fool's life, Fair replied. You would have gone for blood.

      I would not! he replied and grimaced. He sounded ten rather than nineteen. There's more going on, isn't there?

      While you were handing your fine horse off to the boy, the gateman gave me a message from the barracks. These aren't just another set of northern soldiers. They came straight from the king's guard, and they've been sniffing around town for two days already. They've asked about your father, your mother, your sisters and, very specifically, about you.

      Me? The knowledge brought an icy chill to his skin. I thought the northerners denied I exist, a son and heir.

      So they did when I was last there. Fair frowned, his grey eyes moving constantly as they continued through the crowd. And I can't believe King Johnard has changed his mind about his brother's marriage, either. I don't like the feel of this one, Nisha. I really don't.

      Do you miss it? Nisha asked.

      Miss? What?

      Your home. The north.

      Fair stared at him for several steps before he went back to studying the crowd with perhaps more intensity than they needed. People moved out of their way, mostly because Fair wore the Black Coat of a northern soldier. He brushed his finger over the cuff of the jacket, frowning. I grew up in the shadow of the palace. I didn't know a place existed where you could walk without fear of the nobility or the soldiers. And the place will be under three feet of snow soon. No, I don't miss the north, Nisha. I'm never going back.

      Nisha glanced at the man: Twenty-seven, about two years from serving out his time as a border guard. He could go back to Miro with a pension, a free meal each day from the palace, and a guarantee of living quarters. Fair planned, instead, to throw his future away. More than throw it away since it would be considered desertion.

      If the summons comes for you to return -- Nisha began softly, too aware of those spies they so often worried about.

      I'll move across the border into Kati lands. I already have my land bought and a woman waiting there. I've surprised you? I thought you'd have figured this all out by now. I'm not the first one to make such a choice.

      Not many officers choose to stay, though, he said softly.

      No, not many, he agreed and smiled brightly. However, not many officers have had the pleasure of meeting my Kara.

      Kara? Ranin the Healer's daughter?

      Yes. He blushed this time and snagged Nisha's arm as a couple children ran in front of them. Her mother approves. Ranin likes me, for some reason and she's already given me an amulet of protection, to help keep me safe. He pulled the stone out from the chain around his neck. The thing fairly glowed with magic, which was unusual in the south. Only Healers used magic and the stone was a sure sign Fair had found his place. The land is part of Kara's inheritance; a little wine growing estate. We'll make enough to live on, and I'll never have to return to the damned snow.

      Good. I'm glad you aren't going. I'd miss you, Nisha admitted and felt a weight disappear he had tried to ignore for most of a year. And you can expect me to come and visit if my sisters and their children show up.

      Fair laughed as they headed into a wider street with shops on each side. People saw the Black Coat uniform from the north and the blue-trimmed robe of royalty and swiftly moved out of the way, which bothered Nisha today. He didn't want people to treat them like they would the northern guards.

      A few steps later, someone whistled and Nisha looked up, startled by the piercing sound. Taris, who usually worked at odd jobs in the castle, was obviously home visiting his grandmother the weaver.

      "I can get you some good blue cloth, oh mighty and rich prince."

      Nisha laughed and waved, and the mood changed on the street. Good. He'd return and buy something later. Fair glanced at him, shaking his head. Despite all the time they spent together, his companion still had odd ideas about proper behavior. Nisha gave a little -- and very un-royal -- shrug.

      I'm not a northerner or even a real prince, you know. Neither house will have me, Fair.

      Their loss, Fair replied with a snarl obviously aimed at both royal houses. And you don’t need them anyway. You wouldn't be happy living as a royal. At least not a northern royal, and I get the feeling the southern king's palace has as many rules of protocol.

      Nisha grimaced and nodded, thinking about all the rules his mother had taught him, just in case he should ever be called south. She feared he would make a fool of himself, which would reflect on her. You're right. I'm happy here.

      And you're wise, Fair added. Nisha almost laughed, but Fair shook his head, entirely too serious. You are wise, Nisha. You know power isn't going to make you happy. Most young men at your age think power is the road to happiness. But power takes away more than it gives.

      And you can't do horse races, Nisha added with a solemn nod.

      Fair laughed, broken out of his momentary seriousness. They hurried on, seeing the tip of the tower through the lines of buildings made of mud plastered over stone and sticks, built upwards, level over level and indented against the hillside. Nisha had never been into the lower depths of the city, buried below the current street level. He heard rumors about people who lived down there and never saw the light of day. Other things lived there as well, and some of them far from human, if you believed the myths. Sometimes Nisha did.

      However, the two headed upwards, not down, taking the stairs that lead from one level of the city to the next. The higher they went, the fewer buildings, the fresher the air and the richer the surroundings. Above everything stood the Tower of El Aria, the inner most keep and fortress.

      Nishanan had been born in the tower, which made him one of the highest ranking people in the city. In some ways, by local lore, he outranked his parents, neither of whom had been born here. There had been no noble in El Aria for over a generation, since the war had played along the border and the northerners had massacred the last family to rule here before they took over and Prince Kelin, the king's young brother, had been sent to hold what had been a strategic spot between the desert and the mountains.

      The war, while not forgotten, had ended over two decades ago. The border town lived in an uneasy alliance between the two worlds. Nishanan knew trouble lurked beyond the gates where incursions from either side might come. He rode with the border guard to help keep the trails clear of trouble.

      The final set of stairs led to another set of gates, more closely guarded than those into the city. Nobles had always lived in fear and today the guards were more alert than usual, and double in number.

      Nisha glanced back as they reached the gate and saw, for a brief moment, a black uniform on the stairs a level down. The man slipped away into the shadows.

      Well, they can't get much more obvious, can they? Nisha asked, nudging Fair.

      Damn bastard, Fair mumbled and gave a salute to the man at the gate as he herded Nisha inside the barbican. Archers sat behind the loop holes in there today, arrows in place. They did not always keep that spot.

      Nisha shrugged his robes into place and tried to keep his hand from his saber as he walked through the dark tunnel and out into the bright light beyond. Three carriages sat off to the side, along the road they might have ridden up rather than walking through town. Nisha winced at the sight, wondering what brought all three of his older sisters to rush home tonight. Fair frowned as well.

      I fear this might be serious, Fair said. Maybe we won't be having dinner after all.

      Well, if not tonight, then as soon as I can, Nisha agreed. Servants had gathered at the lower door to the tower. He would have liked to stop and gossip, but he had the feeling he might get the better news from his father.

      Fair went with him taking the last dozen steps leading to a door held open by yet another guard. The man he said nothing as he bowed to Nisha and saluted Fair.

      Worse and worse, Fair mumbled.

      People filled the lower level of the tower; servants carried blankets and clothing and shouted orders to one another. Nisha made his way to the inner stairs and watched in consternation as people rushed up past him and down again.

      What in the name of all the hells is going on? he demanded.

      People stopped and stared as though he had stepped out of the stone walls. Nisha was not used to going unnoticed.

      Your father is waiting in his office, Old Marter said, waving him ahead of her. Tell him I'll be along with the tea as soon as I can. Go, go. Out of the way, Nisha.

      No one had talked to him that way since he'd been five. Fair, seeing his reaction, wisely caught his arm and propelled him up the steps before he spoke. Servants on the stairs at least made way for them.

      He took the first set of curving stairs two at a time, but slowed by the next set. They were going past the woman's quarters where the majority of activity had gathered. The familiar well-worn walls of baked brick closed in around him and he felt himself calm again. Maybe he shouldn't be so surprised, finding his three sisters in residence rather than at their countryside estates. Someone could have warned him, though. He would have stayed out on patrol a while longer, rather than sit through the interminable dinners with the Terrible Triad.

      In fact, when he caught the slightest glimpse of one sister, Nishanan rushed the next few steps past the landing with Fair sticking close to him and grinning with understanding.

      I saw you take on a full grown firebird, Fair said, shaking his head. You can't be afraid of your sister.

      "You're afraid of my sister," Nishanan pointed out with a glance over his shoulder for fear she had spotted them.

      I've never taken on a firebird, either.

      Well, neither was my idea, Nisha replied, glad when they'd taken another turn on the stairs. Come on. We want to get to my father's office. We might be safe there.

      Fair didn't argue as they started taking the stairs two at a time again. No servants lingered on this set and they came, finally, to the very highest level of the tower, where the stairs opened to Prince Kelin's private work rooms.

      No one came here without invitation, and Prince Kelin left a servant on the steps to be certain no one tried to reach him unannounced. However, the steps were cleared today and Prince Kelin didn't sit at the desk where he spent so much of his time.

      Nisha's father stood by one of the wide windows, the tapestry pulled back, and a full view of the city stretched out below them. From here he could see all the way to the Paratin Oasis at the far side of the city, and the edge of irrigated fields stretching out from there. The crops stood green, going to yellow at the tops as harvest neared, and they moved like a glitter of gold sprinkled over the green.

      The city drew most of Nisha's attention. He loved the square buildings, shadowed paths and occasional splashes of green where plants grew atop the highest buildings. You could hear the hum of voices, like the whisper of contented honey bees.

      A good place. A happy place.

      Father?

      Prince Kelin turned away from the view and gave his son a weary smile which didn't relieve Nisha of the growing worries starting to plague him. The older man stood much taller than his son, though years of working at his desk had started to show in the slight bulge of his stomach and the lines around his eyes. Twenty-seven years at the border had given Prince Kelin's skin a dark tan and brightened his hair where the strands had not already turned gray. He still had a young face, though, and smiling grey eyes. Even now, when something bothered him, Nisha thought his father appeared boyish and impetuous. Although a man of strong rules, everyone praised his fairness. The people liked him.

      Nisha hoped to do as well someday.

      I see you ran the gauntlet of servants and sisters to get up here. Braver than I thought, Prince Kelin said with a little grin.

      I brought a guard to keep me safe, though he admits fearing my sisters. Nisha waved a hand towards Fair. Both men laughed. What's going on?

      Nothing good, I fear. There are two bands of Black Coats in the area. One is in the city as usual. The other is somewhere out in the country. They visited all three of your sisters, made various threats about taking their estates for their stay, and pretty much annoyed the hell out of them. I ordered you sisters to the city and put guards at their estates. I don't like the feel of this. And Meria went into labor last night, so your other two sisters and your mother are in a state of anxiety.

      Is this too early for the baby? he asked, feeling a little dread.

      The healers say all is fine. She shouldn't have traveled, but I don't think staying at the estate would have been much better. Captain Fair, we may need to get your men together and ride out in the morning to track the men down and find out what their real intentions are.

      Yes sir, Fair replied. He frowned as well. What about the ones in the city?

      They are staying in the Garden Quarter, making nuisances of themselves, but not much more than they usually do. They presented me with their usual nebulous orders to examine the area. We haven't had a visit from the king's guards in a few years, so I suppose we were due for them to show up.

      I'm beginning to think this has become a favorite winter holiday spot, Fair replied, his mouth almost quirking into a smile. Watch out, sir, or we'll be getting the damned nobility next.

      The Gods save us from such a horror! his father exclaimed. They laughed again.

      Is there anything you want me to do? Nisha asked.

      Stay clear of them if you can. The fact they sought out your sisters has made me uneasy and more so when they've asked questions about you. I've had word from the Gardens that they've bought trail supplies already, and I suspect they're going to leave within a day or two. They're not going to risk snow closing the passes and it's already perilously close to winter in the north. The Gods alone know what they came for, but I'll be happy enough to see them leave.

      I'm taking the good Captain to dinner at The Tale tonight, Nisha said with a wave towards his guard who had almost started to protest. Unless you see a reason for me not to?

      We can wait. Fair gave the city a nervous glance. This sudden notice of the prince and princesses worries me.

      They're preparing to leave so I don't expect them to be much trouble. I would suggest you wait a day, but as soon as the new babe is born, we'll be ten days ass deep in rites and rituals. Your sister, Nisha, is far too Eastern.

      I hadn’t thought of the rituals, though I suppose mother is ecstatic.

      That's a nice, tame term for her reaction. She's already begun ordering roses and she sent for a High Priest. I suggest you both slip out tonight. Nisha, at the risk of sounding like a doting, and too strict father, don't stay out too late and don't get drunk.

      You have my word, Nisha said.

      "You are

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