Flight of the Renshai

CHAPTER 14

Saviar perched on a familiar rocky outcropping south of the Fields of Wrath, watching the sun crawl toward the western horizon, trailing streaks of silver. Gradually, the sky diffused into its sunset hues: bands of pink blossoming into orange and saffron, then melting into greens and exploding, farther out, into a vast spectrum of blues and purples. Saviar managed a smile at the display, his first in at least a week.

Focused fully on nature's artistry, Saviar allowed the annoyances of the last six months, since the Northmen's arrival, to disappear into the recesses of his memory. Nothing existed except this grand tableau; everything human seemed insignificant in comparison.

"I thought I'd find you here."

The voice startled Saviar, and he found himself on his feet with sword drawn in an instant. The darkness gathered around a small man: swarthy, black-haired, and familiar. "Subikahn?" he whispered, barely daring to hope.

"Do you always greet your long-gone brother with bared steel?"

Saviar sheathed his sword and caught his twin into an exuberant embrace. "Subikahn! You're back." He laughed loudly, his troubles fully forgotten. "I missed you."

"And I you," Subikahn replied in a muffled voice. "But I'd still rather you didn't suffocate me."

Saviar released his twin, subsumed by excitement. "Sorry. Sorry."

Subikahn smoothed his tattered tunic, speckled with mold and bits of leaf. He looked thinner than Saviar remembered. Twigs tangled into his long, soft locks. Darkness bagged beneath his eyes, and scratches marred his cheeks. He reeked of sweat and filth.

Finally, Saviar responded to his brother's greeting words. "How'd you know you'd find me here?"

Subikahn studied the horizon, dropping into a crouch on the rocks. "Because we used to come here when we felt troubled and needed a distraction or some time alone."

Saviar looked back at the parade of colors radiating from the horizon as the last edge of sun sank beneath it. "What made you so sure I'd feel troubled?" It was an apt description, but Saviar doubted word of Erythane's unrest would have reached all the way to the Eastlands.

"Well." Subikahn did not bother to look at his brother. "First, testing day is approaching. If you want to become a man half as much as I do, you're brooding about that. And second, I'm distressed; and you're my twin. So you have to suffer whenever I do."

"I do?" Saviar had heard people claim that twins had an unholy, emotional bond but had never believed it.

"Sure." Subikahn made a gesture but still kept his gaze on the sunset. "We match in every other way, don't we? Why not in mood?"

Saviar laughed, and it felt good. No two brothers, let alone twins, had ever seemed more different. "Whatever's bothering you will seem less significant over a good meal with family."

"No."

The response caught Saviar off his guard. "No, what?"

"I can't go with you. I was given explicit instructions. I'm not allowed to 'run to Mother.' "

"Explicit instructions? Run to…?" The words made little sense to Saviar. He seized Subikahn's shoulders and forced the smaller man to face him. "All right, Brother. Start explaining."

Finally, Subikahn met Saviar's gaze. Then, he lowered his head and stared at his shoes instead. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't. I don't ever want to talk about it. With anyone."

"Subikahn, we shared a womb."

"Yes."

"And nearly everything else."

"Yes."

"So why not this?"

Subikahn remained silent for several moments, then finally managed. "I don't know."

"Oh."Torn between hurt and rage, Saviar debated his next course of action. "Did you come to… to test?"

"To test… yes." Subikahn struggled to raise his head again. "And to see you. I wanted to talk to you. I did. I really thought I could, but I can't. Not yet."

"Oh," Saviar said again, not certain where to go with the conversation. Pressing too hard seemed counterproductive. If Subikahn gave up his secrets under pressure, he might resent doing so, which could lead to permanent discomfort between them. Better to wait and give Subikahn the time he needed.

Subikahn steered the discussion in another direction. "What's bothering you, Savi?"

"Bothering?" Saviar tried to hide his own anxieties, not wishing to further burden Subikahn. "It's just… just the testing. I'm just worried about the testing. Don't know what I'll do if I fail again."

"Yes, you do."

Saviar had expected commiseration, not bravado. "I do?"

"Same thing you did last year. Practice harder, and try again next time."

Saviar rolled his eyes. "Well, yes. I suppose so. But isn't there a point where one just… when it's time to realize you're just not… ever going to be competent enough… to…"

Subikahn nodded. "Yes, but it's not at eighteen, Savi. That's just the average age of passing. Many don't succeed until well into their twenties."

"Well, yes, but Mama-"

"Mama is aberrant."

Taken aback by Subikahn's word choice, Saviar could not help laughing again. "And Calistin?"

"Weirder still. Need you ask?"

That reminded Saviar of the only fun news he had to share. "You're not going to believe this. Calistin…" He could not keep himself from chortling, unable to finish. "Calistin…"

"Yes?"

Saviar forced out the news, "… has a… a… a…"

"Yes?" A touch of impatience entered Subikahn's tone.

"… a bodyguard." Saviar collapsed into a frenzy of mirth.

Though surely utterly confused, Subikahn could not help laughing along with his brother. "What?" he finally managed.

"This Erythanian kid latched on to Calistin. Calls him Hero and tries to protect him from everything. And I do mean everything."

"Erythanian? Is he competent?"

"He's a competent pain in Calistin's rear end. He's like all of ten years old, skinny as a stick, and probably never saw a sword before he met Calistin. Constantly under his feet, fetching him things, cheering him on. It's hilarious." Saviar could not help laughing again.

Subikahn snorted, still smiling. The dirt on his cheekbones cracked, as if he had not worn any kind of happy expression for a very long time. "I'm surprised he hasn't killed the little bug."

"I think Calistin sees him as one more challenge." Saviar ran with the insect analogy. "If he can remain the best swordsmen in the world with this blackfly buzzing and biting him, that makes him even better."

"What else is new since I left?" Subikahn seemed genuinely interested for the first time since his arrival.

Saviar saw that as a positive step, a way to drag Subikahn from his funk, perhaps far enough to share his own troubles. "Thialnir has chosen a successor."

"Really? Who?"

"Me."

Subikahn laughed harder. "Funny."

"Extremely," Saviar admitted. "But nonetheless true."

"You? Representing the Renshai?" Subikahn shook his head, teasing. "What a terrible thought."

Saviar winced, his heart suddenly as heavy as the growing darkness. He knew his brother meant the words as a joke, but he could not see the humor in it. "I wish I'd said 'no.' "

Subikahn caught Saviar's hand. "I was only kidding, Savi. You'll do great. I can't think of anyone I'd rather have representing us at Bearn's council." He nodded suddenly. "No wonder you're so worried about the testing."

"Yes, that's why mostly," Saviar admitted, giving Subikahn's hand a brotherly squeeze. "Subikahn, don't tell anyone this: I might deliberately fail."

"What! You can't do that! No one-" Subikahn sputtered wordlessly.

Saviar shrugged. "I already made my first leaderly decision, and it was a bad one. A very bad one."

Subikahn freed his hand to loop the arm across Saviar's shoulders and pull him down to a sitting position. The gesture was more suggestion than purposeful. A head shorter than his brother, Subikahn had to stand on the tips of his toes just to reach, and he did not have nearly the strength to force Saviar anywhere.

Saviar willingly dropped to a crouch with his brother. "I talked Thialnir into pulling us out of the Pirate Wars so that Bearn could use Northmen."

"Northmen? Why?"

"At the time, it seemed like the right thing to do. For many reasons, all of which are still valid. But I didn't figure on what happened next."

Subikahn nodded encouragingly.

Saviar waffled. He did not want to talk about the thing that troubled him, dreaded the details that haunted him; yet, he knew he could hardly expect Subikahn to talk about his problems if he would not return the favor. "Renshai prejudice is growing."

Subikahn shrugged. "We've always had enemies. We always will."

Saviar could not deny it. "But this is different. It's grown from insidious to blatant. All the old cliches come back to life: we murder children and drink their blood for immortality, we descend from real demons, we slaughter humans of every age and gender for fun and sport, then carve up their bodies for our stews."

Subikahn screwed up his features, looking even more Eastern than usual. No stranger would see a trace of his Renshai origins, and Saviar only could because of great familiarity. "Those myths were debunked in Colbey's time.We seemed immortal to enemies because looking young is in our bloodline, and we name newborns after fallen warriors."

"You don't have to tell me that."

Subikahn flushed. "Sorry. Of course not."

"King Griff refused a demand from the North that we be driven from the Westlands as monsters by deflecting the decision to Erythane."

"What?"

Saviar had to defend the king of Bearn. "He's right, you know. The Fields of Wrath are part of Erythane."

Subikahn glanced at the moon. Nothing but it, and the stars, interrupted the skyward stretch of darkness any longer. "Griff should have told them to cram it up their-"

"He did," Saviar interrupted. "In his polite fashion."

"My papa would have…"

This time, Saviar would have let Subikahn finish; but, to his surprise, Subikahn did not. Instead, his hands balled to fists, and he lowered his face again. "King Tae would have done that, I know. And there would be a war."

"Probably."

"Which, for Bearn, would mean fighting two wars on two fronts. Made worse by the fact that the North would have far superior weapons, given the iron ore crisis."

"Iron ore cri…" Subikahn started, then waved off his own question. "Now I see why Thialnir picked you."

"So now," Saviar continued, "much of Bearn is grumbling about the king's decision. Renshai hatred has become rampant.There's talk of replacing him; and I think Griff would agree to it, except none of his heirs could pass the stone test yet. Failing that is known to drive most men to insanity. And-"

Subikahn's dark eyes widened. "There's more?"

"Can you handle it?"

Subikahn nodded vigorously.

"A group of Erythanians claims to hold original title to the Fields of Wrath. They now call it 'Paradise Plains' and are demanding money and/or right of return from King Humfreet."

Subikahn continued to stare.

Saviar added, "The king refused. According to documented history, the Fields of Wrath were barren until the Renshai settled them."

"Good." Subikahn emphasized his word with a strong gesture.

"Driving the Paradisian movement underground, where it has swelled into prejudice and assassination."

"Assassination?" Still at a crouch, Subikahn withdrew. "The king's?"

"No. But several Renshai have disappeared under suspicious circumstances."

"Which explains why you're out here by yourself."

Saviar nodded. "Upsetting, isn't it?"

Subikahn put his face practically into Saviar's. "I was being sarcastic. I meant, with so many Renshai murders, you should not go pining alone in secluded places after sundown."

Saviar's fists balled. "I should become a coward instead?"

"Of course not." Subikahn sounded suitably offended by the suggestion. "But that doesn't mean you should commit suicide either." He nudged Saviar to his feet. "No Renshai would shrink from a real battle, but getting slaughtered by a stealthy assassin or stoned by a riled mob won't get you to Valhalla."

Saviar stood at Subikahn's urging. "All right, then. We'd best be getting home then."

"Not 'we.' You, Brother."

Saviar sighed. "Oh, so I have to avoid garroting and stoning, but those are perfectly all right for you."

"I've already told you. I'm barred from 'running to Mama.' "

"Barred by whom?"

"By King Tae Kahn of Stalmize."

Saviar could not imagine Tae doing anything that might discomfort Subikahn, or even Saviar. "Why?"

Subikahn turned away. "I've already told you. I'm not ready to talk about it."

Frustration gripped Saviar, and he winched his hand onto his hilt. Usually, a Renshai vented irritation or anger in a wild volley of swordplay.

The gesture was not lost on Subikahn. "You're not going to batter it out of me, if that's what you're thinking."

Saviar let go of his hilt. "A spar would be nice."

"Tomorrow," Subikahn promised. "In the light of day."

Unsatisfied, Saviar remained in position. "At least give me enough information to understand what you can and cannot do."

"Well…" Subikahn stroked his chin, though nothing had yet started growing on it. "If I tell you, do you promise to go home for the night?"

Saviar wanted to qualify the amount of information that would satisfy him. Weighing that need against the concern that Subikahn might just go completely silent on the subject again, he reluctantly agreed. "Yes."

"Do you remember that my granpapa sent my papa away to survive on his own?"

Saviar studied his twin. "You mean that horrible gap in Tae's life story that he refuses to talk about and swore he would never inflict on anyone?"

"That's the one."

"Yes."

"He inflicted it on me."

Saviar could only stare. His mind went utterly blank. He knew Tae, knew how much he adored his son, knew the lingering bitterness toward his own father for the exile. "No." He shook his head. "I don't believe it. Tae would never-"

"He would, and he did."

Saviar still could not grasp what Subikahn had told him. He opened his mouth, then closed it. He tried again but still managed nothing.

"It's no help you doing a fish imitation. It's true. And what's more, I deserved it."

Saviar finally forced out words. "Who did you brutally murder?"

Subikahn loosed an amused snort. "I didn't kill anyone, Saviar."

"Did you raze Stalmize Castle stone by stone?"

"Of course not."

Saviar continued guessing, "Act like such an incredibly spoiled little prince that Tae thought you needed-?"

"That would be closest," Subikahn admitted. "But I'm done with this game. I already told you I'm not ready to talk about it."

Taken aback again, Saviar fell silent. He had only been kidding with his last guess, but could not think of anything suitably catastrophic to make Tae banish his son. "So what are you supposed to do?"

"Travel all over. Not run to Mama. Return 'worldly.' "

"That doesn't seem so bad."

"You didn't hear Papa. He made it sound like a death sentence."

Though Subikahn had closed the topic, Saviar could not help saying, "You must have done something awful."

"Yeah."

"You did?"

"Yeah."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

Clearly Subikahn would not continue, so Saviar came at it from another angle, "What does Talamir think of all this?"

Subikahn stiffened.

Clued, Saviar persisted. "Where is your torke?"

"Still in Stalmize," Subikahn said, a little too casually. "I have to do this alone. If we both headed for the Fields of Wrath at the same time, I would have strong company. That would defeat the purpose of the exile."

Still believing he had found a clue, but not knowing what it meant, Saviar continued along the same lines. "So Talamir is coming home soon."

"That's my understanding."

A dead end. Saviar knew Subikahn would not put up with much more questioning and hoped the night might bring the situation into better perspective. "So, has your journey been the hardship your papa said it would be?"

Subikahn lifted one shoulder, then dropped it. "That's the thing, Savi. I've just gone from inn to inn, getting treated like a prince. It's the easiest thing I've ever done, and I'm not exactly sure what the point of the whole thing is. It's not like the criminal underground is intent on slaughtering me like they were my papa."

It did seem odd. "Well, you haven't stayed in any inns recently." Saviar gestured toward the distant Southern Mountain range. Once beyond the boundaries of the Eastlands, Subikahn had had to slog across the harsh and desolate desert known as the Western Plains, plow through one of the few mountain passes, and negotiate the maze of Westland forests east of Erythane. There, at least, he could have bought some supplies in one of several tiny Western towns and villages.

"I'm used to that route." Subikahn dismissed any suggestion of hardship, though Saviar knew better. The stretch between the Eastland border and the Westland forests was brutal, even in the best of times and accompanied by family and torke. "The Eastern innkeepers practically forced food on me, and I spent my money on more rations along the way. I stocked up plenty for the desert and mountains. Thieves only approached me once, and I dispatched them quickly enough." He grinned. "The day I can't handle a few brigands is the day I commit taphreselmordat."

Saviar glanced at the stars, finding familiar patterns in their twinkling sameness. It brought back happy memories of sparring with his brother on the rocks, talking quietly about things no one but a twin could understand. "For now, perhaps, you could commit to a bath. I'll bring you food and fresh clothes."

Subikahn opened his mouth, but Saviar talked over him.

"If you can take those things from innkeepers, you can take them from your brother."

"I shouldn't-" Subikahn started. "I won't-"

Saviar assisted, "The words you're looking for are 'thank' and 'you.' And it wouldn't hurt to add, 'best brother of all time.' "

"Thank you, best brother of all time."

"You're welcome. See how easy that was?"

"Very easy," Subikahn admitted. "This whole thing has been too easy." His voice held a twinge of pain, one only Saviar could notice. Though Saviar did not believe his brother was lying, Subikahn was definitely hiding something excruciating.

"Well, you're out of the Eastlands now. No one will treat you like a prince. And the North…" Saviar examined his brother's small form, from his black mop of snarled hair, past the sword at his belt, to the battered Eastern-crafted sandals on his swarthy feet. "They'll notice you don't belong there, but, at least, they'd never guess you're Renshai."

"Yes," Subikahn said. "And you're stalling. You promised to go home."

"And you promised me a spar tomorrow."

"Yes."

"You'll be here, right?"

"Would I forget to wish you a happy birthday?" Subikahn shuffled backward, his dark form disappearing into the shadows. Some of the early Renshai maneuvers came from time spent with wild barbarians during their travels. Subikahn excelled at those moves, enhanced by his father's agility and training. "Now go."

Happy Birthday. As hard as he tried, Saviar could not forget. Nineteen tomorrow and not yet a man. Grudgingly, he went.

The morning dawned clear and crisp, warm for autumn yet with a breeze that kept Saviar's sweaty muscles comfortable. He faced off with his torke, Nirvina, who had already twice knocked him on his buttocks. Most days, he found her a close match. Now, distracted by concern for Subikahn, he launched into his third attack. His sword glittered in a deadly arc that she met and parried. Saviar bore in, attempting to use his strength against her. Nirvina dodged easily, ducked beneath his sword arm and came up behind him.

Saviar whirled to face her, but not quickly enough. She slammed the flat of her blade against his chest. For the third time, he found himself sitting in the grass.

Nirvina glared, her features sharper than usual. Her thick, sandy hair lay stick straight nearly to her shoulders. Bangs dangled over her broad forehead, shadowing harsh blue-green eyes and a pinched nose. "Saviar, what in darkest, coldest Hel is wrong with you?"

"I'm sorry, torke." Saviar sprang to his feet. "My mind is elsewhere."

"Your mind is elsewhere than battle? What good is worrying about the future when you're dead?" Nirvina rushed him with drawn sword.

Saviar ducked under the strike, then spun and cut with proper dexterity. His sword wove over hers, and the tip found her hilt. He prepared to flick it from her hand, but she withdrew too swiftly. Her blade drove under his with lethal speed. He batted it down, recovered in a loop, then swept for her head. Nirvina ducked, opening her defenses for a split second that Saviar seized. He slammed his blade across her shoulders with enough force to send her staggering. This time, she toppled.

"That's better!" Nirvina rolled to her feet in an instant and clapped her hands. "Fight like that during your testing tomorrow, and you're a certainty. Fight like you did a moment ago, and you'll be nineteen before you reach manhood."

Saviar flinched. "I am nineteen. Today."

"Today?" Nirvina raised her brows. "Well, happy birthday, boy. Now that we've got your mind back, let's see what you can do."

She squared for another assault just as Erlse rode up, his brown mare frothy, her nostrils dilated. "We're gathering on the testing grounds," he announced, then pointed directly at Saviar. "Thialnir's asked for you especially." He spurred his mount into a gallop.

"What's this about?" Saviar wondered aloud.

"I don't know," Nirvina said, tone full of question and caution, "but I suggest we get there quickly."

They both hurried toward the enormous open field that served as the main square for celebrations and rare pronouncements, mock battles, and testing. They raced through stubble-strewn practice areas, around a cluster of cottages, and through a scraggly field of prairie grass. A mixed hubbub of voices, speaking at least two different languages wafted to them long before the main square hove into view. Ahead, Saviar noticed, a crowd of Renshai were already gathering. He also saw the black and orange banner of King Humfreet and several white chargers. Knights. The run itself scarcely winded Saviar, but his heart pounded as if he had raced for miles. He scarcely noticed he had lost Nirvina in his headlong rush.

Saviar slowed to a walk, weaving between the waiting Renshai. What he could pick out of their conversations seemed expectant and surmising; they did not yet know why the King of Erythane had come to call. Though he would have preferred to join his mother, who stood with Calistin in the midst of the crowd, Saviar dutifully headed toward the mounted king and his entourage. He would surely find Thialnir there.

As he drew closer, Saviar sorted out the visitors. About a dozen Northmen milled amidst the mounted king, his bodyguards, and six Knights of Erythane, including Ra-khir and Kedrin. Only one Renshai had joined them, the massive Thialnir, who scanned the crowd expectantly. As his gaze found Saviar, he called out, "There he is," and gestured broadly for the youngster to join them.

Saviar came, trying not to slouch. His every adolescent instinct pleaded for him to run and hide, yet he knew better than to delay, or even display poor posture, in the presence of the knights. Instead, he approached warily, his gaze scanning the most likely threat: the Northmen. All adult males, but one, they watched his every movement with clear suspicion. Saviar could not help meeting the familiar gaze of the last Northman, Verdondi Eriksson, the one he had sparred with in Bearn's practice room. The boy stared back at him, pale eyes wide and jaw gaping.

Ra-khir frowned, shook his head, and rolled his gaze to King Humfreet.

Catching the gist of his father's discomfort, Saviar swiftly performed a deep and gracious bow.

Thialnir chose that moment to thrust a scroll into Saviar's hands. "What do you think of this?" The political leader of the Renshai had always seemed so massive, solid and competent; yet his clammy fingers betrayed a nervousness his demeanor otherwise hid. His look seemed almost pleading. In the past, Thialnir had always seemed unflappable, terrifying, and rock-stable. Saviar wondered if the Renshai leader had softened in the past few months or only seemed to have because Saviar had seen his vulnerable side and learned the inner workings of the leader's job.

Attempting to appear nonchalant, Saviar rose, unrolled the top portion of the scroll, and silently read. The cause for Thialnir's discomfort became instantly clear. Written in a flowery hand, gratuitously verbose, it betrayed its author as a royal advocate. The entire first paragraph spoke of a binding agreement between the Northmen and the Renshai, discussing who represented each of these at the signing, how they would be referred to throughout the document, and the presence of the king of Erythane. Like most Renshai, Thialnir was a simple, proud man who cared little for anything other than swordwork, and the sheer mass of the contract might drive him to distraction.

Saviar looked up to find every eye upon him. He wished he could melt into the weeds like liquid, yet he also knew that Thialnir needed him. Desperately. He had little choice but to appear in charge. He bowed to King Humfreet again. "Your Majesty, if it pleases you, this is a long document. May I have some time to read it?"

The king smiled, his lips nearly disappearing into the thick, jowly creases of his moon face. "Of course, Saviar Ra-khir's son. Take all the time you need."

Relief flooded Saviar. His weeks in Bearn had given him courage when it came to addressing royalty, yet he had never spoken to the king of Erythane before. While formality ill-suited the commonly named Griff of Bearn, King Humfreet seemed to wear it as a mantle.

Saviar took a deep breath before continuing. He did not want to stretch his luck too far. "If it also pleases His Majesty, I would like to borrow one of your knights."

The grin broadened, revealing pearly teeth. "You may use the services of even my captain, if you need him, Saviar."

"Most generous, Your Majesty." Saviar would have settled for his father, but he dared not belittle such a charitable gift. He turned his attention to Knight-Captain Kedrin and bowed again. His mouth formed the words, "Come along, Grandpapa," but his mind knew better than to speak them as such. Instead, he kept up the necessary ritual, "If you would be willing, Sir Captain?"

Kedrin saluted Saviar, bowed to his king, then dismounted. Leaving the charger to his own devices, Kedrin came to Saviar's side, then followed him past the gathering, through a small field, and into the shade of the first row of cottages. There, Saviar loosed a pent-up breath but dared not drop all pretenses. Kedrin was on duty.

Upending an empty rain barrel, Saviar sat.

Kedrin settled onto a low wall of rock surrounding a small garden. "Would you like some help making sense of that document?"

"I would," Saviar said. "I'll get the gist of it, I think. I'd just like to be sure I don't lock us into something I don't understand." There was more to Saviar's concern. He wanted the chance to read the words in a hush that allowed him to absorb and make sense of them, but he also worried about misunderstanding. He could never forgive himself if he comprehended every word and still advised a course of action that endangered the tribe. Unable to continue in this manner, he finally dropped pretenses. "What's this all about?"

Kedrin studied Saviar without a hint of emotion. "Are you asking me as a representative of the Renshai? Or as my grandson?"

Saviar attempted to consider the question, but found himself too inexperienced to know which one he wanted. "Which will give me the most direct answers?"

"Grandson."

Saviar made a straight line gesture. "Speak frankly, Grandpapa."

Kedrin attempted a smile, though it came out tired and lopsided. "I've read the whole thing, Saviar, even helped draft portions of it to keep it fair."

Saviar unrolled the next paragraph, bobbing his head. It made sense that the king would employ the Knights of Erythane to keep the matter impartial and the contract binding. He read the next several paragraphs in silence. "The Northmen want to battle us? In single combat."

"One to one," Kedrin confirmed.

Saviar continued reading. Despite the excessive verbiage, he believed he teased out all the salient points. "If the Renshai win, we get back our ancient homeland in the North: Renshi." For once, the words on the document seemed too simplistic for what they described. Hundreds of years ago, Renshi had become divvied up among the neighboring tribes, and Saviar wondered how anyone could still recall the ancient borders. At the time of the Great Banishment, the North had consisted of seventeen tribes. Now, there were only nine. Even if they could redefine Renshi, it meant displacing the Gjar, Blathe, and Shamirins who currently resided there.

Kedrin anticipated the question, "Historians and mapmakers spent a long time defining the proper location. The Northern captain, Erik Leifsson, does have the dispensation of the high king in Nordmir to endorse the agreement."

Verdondi's father. Saviar could not help smiling. It had to have caught the young man by surprise to find his sparring partner, the son of a knight, was also a budding leader of Renshai.

Kedrin folded his arms across his chest. "Assuming they won, the Renshai would also keep the Fields of Wrath in Erythane. The Paradisians have agreed to fully surrender their claim to the land in that circumstance."

Saviar bobbed his head thoughtfully. Thialnir might see the gestures as immeasurably small.The Paradisians had no legitimate claim to the Fields of Wrath anyway, and the Renshai could take back Renshi by force if necessary. Still, Saviar could see the significance of these places to the Northmen. Sacrificing the land up North meant acknowledging the Renshai as one of them, a real tribe with an actual right to existence. Giving up the battle of the so-called Paradisians would force them to stop fueling the prejudice growing rampant in the Western world.

Saviar went back to the scroll to discover the penalty for a Renshai loss. Not surprisingly, it called for the Renshai to give up the Fields of Wrath and become exiles not only from the Northlands, but from the West as well. The rest involved assuring the compulsory nature of the contract, the conditions necessary to render it, and the proper signatories, with their endorsers described.

"Do you need me to explain anything more?" Kedrin prompted.

Only then, Saviar realized he had sat in silence for quite a long time. "No." He met the sea-foam eyes. "Grandpapa, what should I do?"

"You should discuss the details with Thialnir." Though true, the answer gave Saviar nothing. He tried to read the emotions hidden behind his grandfather's blank expression, without success.

Saviar sighed. "I mean, what should I do about the contract? Should we accept it? Decline it? Burn it at their feet?"

"That," Kedrin said, "is entirely up to the leaders of the Renshai."

Leaders? Plural? "Of which I am one?"

"Yes.You and Thialnir."

Suddenly, Saviar understood Ra-khir's lament about Kedrin and his riddles. "What would you do in my place?"

Kedrin rose and put an arm across his grandson's shoulders. "Saviar, I can't make this decision for you."

"Of course not." Saviar shook off Kedrin's touch, growing irritated. "But you can advise me. What would you do in my place?"

Now Kedrin sighed. He lowered his arm awkwardly, as if uncertain where to place it. "If I were you, Saviar, I'd be Renshai. I'm not. I can't take any responsibility for a group of people I can't possibly fully understand."

"You understand the politics. Things Thialnir can't… won't…"

"Give Thialnir some credit for experience," Kedrin said softly. "Do not underestimate his knowledge or his intelligence."

Thialnir was known for neither, rather for abruptness in everything, including decisions. "But-"

"And, I believe you understand the politics every bit as much as I do, Saviar. Perhaps more."

No longer confused, Saviar trembled with building anger. "Let me speak with Papa, instead."

"Sir Ra-khir will not make this decision for you, either."

Saviar spoke through gritted teeth. "Perhaps Sir Ra-khir would like to speak for himself."

"Not necessary." Kedrin tipped his head. "Sir Ra-khir is a Knight of Erythane, and I am his superior. In situations such as this, we're both sworn to objectivity."

Rage warmed Saviar's blood momentarily, then disappeared. He no longer wanted to punch his grandfather, only to cry and beg for his help. He did none of those things, though tears stung his eyes. "Please. I don't know what to do, what to say. Thialnir takes my suggestions very seriously."

"As he should." Kedrin remained maddeningly unhelpful. "I will send him over." He headed back toward the gathering.

As his grandfather walked away, Saviar found himself trembling, assaulted by uncertainty, by fear, by loathing at once. A tear slipped from his eye, and he wiped it away fiercely. He dared not let Thialnir catch him weeping. He concentrated on the details of the contract, rewording it as clearly as possible in his head, blocking out the emotions the issues raised. By the time Thialnir arrived, he knew exactly what he wished to say.

Saviar launched into the short version of the venture: the proposed one-on-one combat so like the one that had allowed the Renshai to claim Devil's Island in the North long after their initial banishment; the rewards in plain language without the attendant baggage; and the consequences of failure. He had only just taken a breath to explain the underlying politics when Thialnir raised his giant hand.

"The Renshai have been challenged, and we will fight."

To the great leader of the Renshai, it was all that obvious, that simple.

Saviar opened his mouth, even as he realized there was no sense in arguing the point. Thialnir saw the whole thing in black and white: fight equals courage, refusing meant cowardice. No long-winded explanation would change Thialnir's mind, so Saviar salvaged the situation the only way he could. "At least, sir, let's add some safeguards to the contract. Define the end point of the battle, for example. Death or first blood?"

"Death. One less scheming Northman."

"When and where should it occur? What constitutes a fair battle? How should we handle noncombatant interference?"

Thialnir approached each question, only to have Saviar cut him off with the next one. To the youth, they were merely examples for future discussion.

As Saviar paused for breath, Thialnir addressed the final question first, "The last one-on-one Northman Renshai battle I know of suffered from exactly that interference."

Saviar knew his Renshai history. "Colbey versus the Slayer."

"Valr Kirin," Thialnir filled in the name. "Valr" meant Slayer, a nickname for the North's greatest warrior at the time. "Kirin's son leaped to his father's defense and wound up getting him killed instead."

Saviar stuck with the salient point, "And some Northmen used that as an excuse not to honor the contract."

"Good point." Thialnir patted Saviar's shoulder, a touch he accepted as he had not his grandfather's. "We will have it entered that any interference in the battle voids the contract."

It sounded wise, until Saviar considered further. The clause, used wrongly, could just as easily become a means for the Northmen to cheat. "Except, let's say the Northman is losing-"

"A certainty." Thialnir bobbed his enormous, graying head. "If some cowardly Northman shot our Renshai in the back, the end result would not count."

Saviar did not allow himself to get distracted from his new point. "-so a noncombatant deliberately kills the Northman for the sole purpose of voiding the contract. That would give them leave to enter a fresh, new contestant against our tired one. They could keep doing that until they got the upper hand."

Thialnir snorted. "Except, they would never get the upper hand. The worst of our men could slaughter the best of theirs three times over."

"True." Saviar would not argue things that did not matter. "But four times over? Five? At some point, even a Renshai gets overwhelmed."

Thialnir grunted something incoherent but finally conceded. "What if we say it's only enemy interference that voids the contract? That way, if the Northmen shoot down our warrior, it's a disqualification. If they kill their own warrior, they simply lose."

Saviar could not see any flaws in Thialnir's new argument. He nodded. At least now they had an answer to the challenge. All that remained was hashing out the final details. Though glad to have the decision out of his hands, Saviar worried about the situation. Win or lose, the lives of the Renshai would change spectacularly. He only hoped it would prove for the better.