Bishop (The Pawn Series Book 2) Page 19

  They had placed Larien on the altar. I ached to hurry to them, but I circled the room twice, as we always had, before I approached. Vérundia saw me and nodded to me, holding out her hand. I stepped up. "Juleena gave permission, but she wishes to be close enough to watch. Is that allowed?"

  "If no light from the dome touches her."

  "I'll go tell her that."

  She squeezed my hand and said, "For this, the circles are not required."

  "It felt right."

  "Then do what you feel is right."

  And so I backed away, circled the other direction, and then found Juleena closer than Vérundia would have preferred. I moved to her and pushed her back. I told her what Vérundia had said, and she nodded. "All right." She stepped back a few more paces. "Here. I will go no further, or you remain with me."

  "Here," I agreed. "Thank you, Juleena." I leaned up and kissed her cheek. "We have much to talk about."

  "We do. Later." But she looked into my eyes. "I will have a petition, and you will accept no others."

  "I will accept your petition, Juleena." And with that, a portion of my heart soared. I caressed her cheek and then returned to the Heart of the Heart.

  They were already praying over her, but Vérundia held out her hand, and so after I circled, I joined her. We stood at the word labeled Life.

  "I thought we didn't cover the words." Larien's body obscured the word for the Goddess and her feet more words.

  "For this, the Goddess understands. Let us hold hands."

  And so all of us gathered our hands, but then we leaned forward and set our clasped hands on Larien. Then we adjusted, so instead of clasping hands, we clasped Larien, but with fingers partly entwined with the woman beside us.

  They began a chant, Ullaméistra leading it, not Vérundia. I remained quiet. I could not help, but I would not have left.

  I'm not sure how long they chanted, but then Ullaméistra turned to face me. She spoke in Altearan. "You are the one closest to her. She is distant. She hears our song, but she stands midway between us and the Goddess. You must decide. Is she to walk to the Goddess, or is she to return to us?"

  "Her mission here is not over," I said.

  "Then call her back to us. Lean down and kiss her and call her back to us."

  The women returned to their chanting, but I leaned forward. I kissed her cheek, then the other. I was at her head, her body turned away from me, and I would have had to crawl onto the altar for much more, but I awkwardly brushed her lips with mine, then began to whisper into her ear.

  "Come back to us, Larien. You are needed here. The Goddess needs you here. Come to us." I spoke like that, over and over, coaxing, cajoling, begging.

  "Yes," Ullaméistra said. "Like that." And then she was chanting again.

  And so I continued my words, and they continued theirs.

  And then Larien moaned, and lifted her hand. "Oh, my head hurts," she said.

  "Larien," I said. I began to cry again. I was doing that a lot lately. The priestesses continued to chant, although the tone changed, and I heard thanks to the Goddess weaved into the words.

  "What's going on?" she asked. "What am I doing here?"

  She rolled onto her side. "I'm on the altar!" she squeaked.

  "And lucky for it," Vérundia said. "What were you thinking, lying to Princess Juleena. You knew how she felt about Yallameenara."

  "Get me down from here," she said. "Oh no, did I bleed on the altar?"

  "If you did, the Goddess will cleanse it," Ullaméistra said as everyone grew quiet. "But if you are going to be sick, can you hold it until we leave the Heart of the Heart?"

  "Oh, that hurts," Larien said again.

  She lay there a moment longer, then she began to struggle from her place. We helped her, and then she turned to me, throwing weak arms around me. "We won?"

  "We won, in that you're not dead," I said, holding her carefully. "You should have told me who was here, Larien. I've been worried sick this entire time. I could have ended this, and you know it."

  "They want to take you."

  I pushed her away, into the arms of the other priestesses, now all hovering around her. But I turned back to the altar. I found the words I needed. "Love," I said. I brushed fingers across the words. "Joy." Another brushing. "Trust." And then I came at last to "Change".

  I turned to Larien. "I'm sorry, but I must be free. I must be free to race with my horses, much further than I can race here."

  "You could promise to stay."

  "I love you, and I love others here. But I am not meant for a place like this. And my true heart lies elsewhere."

  "You are our high priestess."

  "Would you have them destroy this place, Larien?" I gestured. "Do you know what would happen to my joy to know people I love destroyed this place?"

  "Send them away. Stay with us. We need you, Yalla."

  "If you had brought me here honestly, we could have shared, somehow."

  "You wouldn't have listened," Vérundia said. "You still don't fully believe, but at least you're starting to. You wouldn't have believed."

  "Perhaps you're right. But now we have a mess to clean up, and we're going to go do it." I stepped up to Larien. I bent over and brushed her lips. "I do love you, and others here. But I will be returning to Framara. I'm sorry that I cannot be who you need me to be."

  And then I turned away and walked straight into Juleena's anxious arms.

  Negotiation

  They didn't violate their parole. All of us returned to the dining hall. I declared myself as hungry and pointed out Larien probably needed food as well. Juleena took over from there, but she sent most of the priestesses back to their places, their hands and legs tied again. But Vérundia, Juleena, and I took seats at a table. I had to say everything twice, once in each language.

  "What is the status?"

  "We hold the caverns," Juleena said. "There is an Altearan force holding the exit. They have made forays down here, but we have a standstill."

  I turned to Vérundia. "We are leaving. You will guarantee safe passage for us. We will promise to hurt no one and leave the country by a direct route. I don't know what that is."

  "We'll go the way we arrived," Juleena said.

  "We will do no damage to this place. Is the library secure?"

  "We didn't touch it," Juleena said. "We didn't come here to hurt anyone. We came here for you, Yalla."

  "Those are our terms."

  "Not quite," Juleena said. "We will take ten hostages with us. We will release five at the border and the other five when you are safely in Marport."

  "Juleena-"

  "No. They have behaved in a highly deceitful manner, and I will never trust the Altearans again. Do you blame me?"

  "No," I said. "I suppose I do not."

  So I repeated everything to Vérundia.

  "The hostages are unnecessary."

  "You cannot speak for the king and queen," I replied. "Juleena believes they are necessary. The hostages will be returned to Alteara entirely unharmed, assuming Alteara honors our agreement."

  "We need you here, Yallameenara." I said nothing. She paused then said, "They will all vow on anything they hold sacred to never speak a word of what they have found in this place. Never, to anyone."

  I repeated that to Juleena. She shook her head. "I will give a full report to Queen Ralalta."

  I considered that. "She'll promise to hold the secrets," I said. "Nothing will be written. Nothing. Ever. No word gets out. Juleena, if anyone said anything, they'll be looters from now until the end of days."

  "Agreed," she said. "Everyone I brought can be trusted."

  So I translated that back to Vérundia. And she nodded agreement.

  "We need an agreement with the forces outside," Juleena said. When I translated, Vérundia nodded. "I'll go."

  "No," Juleena said, understanding that much.

  "Send Féla," I said. I turned to Juleena, and I didn't quite lie. "My maid."

  "A maid ca
n't negotiate."

  "She knows the route. I will point out that I do not. And she can carry messages."

  Juleena nodded. "The maid then."

  I asked for her knife, and she grumbled. "Rope doesn't grow on trees. Untie her."

  I smiled.

  * * * *

  We ate. We put Vérundia with the others. We waited.

  "How did you find me?"

  "We knew a few things. We knew you were in the mountains, and that it was deeply isolated. They tried to make us think you were at the abbey near our border, but we thought that was exceedingly unlikely. It was too close -- a nighttime raid only. Far too close."

  "So?"

  "So. We didn't think we could possibly find you. But we sent in agents ahead of Zana and Hamper, and then we followed them. Your horses are quite distinctive."

  "Clever," I said. "I can't believe you didn't get lost in these chambers."

  "We had no idea it was such a maze. But as soon as we realized they were trying to lure us away to get lost, that made it easy. We paid attention to where they were trying to lead us from, and then we did the opposite of what they wanted."

  "Also clever. Did you lose anyone?"

  "The minute I realized how easily we could be lost, we stayed together. We marked walls, but they followed behind and tried to remove our marks. So we made the marks deeper."

  "Of course."

  Then she leaned closer. "We didn't start that early enough. We don't know how to find the surface."

  "Did you have Féla followed?"

  "I considered it, but she could lead astray whomever I sent."

  "Well, I'm no help. They've been very careful. I can find my way to some of the places down here, but I don't have a clue how to get out."

  "There's food. Supplies for a long time. Water to last forever. Our position could be better, but we hold the high ground, so to speak. They can keep us bottled up, but I don't think they'd invade. The priestesses would be the first to die. They seem to value the library. And that temple."

  "Juleena, we're not going to let it come to that. If in the end, they won't let me go, and it's leave without me, or destroy everything here, you will leave without me."

  "No."

  "Yes. This much is my choice. You will not destroy what is here, and you will not kill these people. They have become my friends, in spite of how I first arrived."

  "It may not be in my hands. It's not just you we're talking about who needs to be free to leave."

  "They'd let you go, Juleena. You know they'd let you leave."

  "We don't know who is up there. If it's some hothead..."

  * * * *

  We waited, but we didn't wait as long as I feared. There was noise from one of the corridors, and then Féla appeared, two of Juleena's guards flanking her. At a gesture from Juleena, they held back, and Féla hurried to us. But I moved to Vérundia, released her legs, and helped her to the table.

  We sat, Vérundia and Féla on one side, Juleena and me on the other. Again I translated back and forth.

  "Will you accept negotiators under a white flag of truce?" Féla asked.

  "How many?"

  "Two."

  "Yes. Do they have the power to make a binding agreement?"

  She paused. "It's the king and queen. They come with an honor guard."

  Juleena hissed and leaned back. "How large an honor guard?"

  "Twelve."

  "Four."

  Féla hesitated. "Ten. You have twice that number."

  "As I recall, the king was a soldier, and the queen knows how to hold a sword. So that's twelve, isn't it? Both of them and four others. I imagine they'll be the best they have."

  "Ten," Féla offered.

  "You're a maid. Give us the real offer."

  "Juleena," I said. "She may be a little more than a maid."

  "Excuse me?"

  "She's the queen's best spy."

  "And that's who you had me send?" Juleena spat.

  "We needed to send someone who could negotiate. You wouldn't have sent Vérundia. Féla is the best envoy available. She knows the route. The queen trusts her. Who better?"

  "She probably gave a detailed report."

  "Anyone we sent would have given a detailed report."

  "Not that detailed." She huffed. "What's done is done. Tell her what I said. What's the best offer?"

  So I turned to Féla and asked, "Do you speak Framara?"

  She smiled. "What does she offer?"

  "She said you're only a maid and she wants to know the best offer."

  "And then you told her enough that now she's upset with you."

  "And yet, she wants to know the best offer."

  "Eight, all armed."

  "Four," Juleena said. "What was that last part?"

  "All armed," I said. And so Juleena nodded.

  "Four, all armed, plus the king and queen is six."

  "Eight," said Féla.

  "Four," said Juleena in Altearan, not needing my help when it was just numbers.

  "Eight."

  "Four!"

  "Six?" I suggested.

  Juleena paused and then nodded and spoke in fractured Altearan. "Six plus king and queen. Armed."

  Féla nodded. "You will withdraw in this direction." She gestured. "They will approach from that direction. Change the tables." She gestured, suggesting a wall. "The Framaran forces will all remain on this side. Altearan forces will remain on that side."

  "We keep the hostages on our side," Juleena said after hearing the translation.

  "Yes," Féla agreed. "But you will first release half of them as a gesture of good faith."

  I stared at her for a minute until Juleena nudged me.

  "Féla."

  "Tell her," Féla replied.

  "Tell me what?" Juleena asked.

  "She wants a gesture of good faith. Half the hostages freed."

  Juleena slammed the table with her fist. "No!" she screamed. "No gesture!" She grew even louder. "Your king and queen kidnapped a member of the royal family. We are here to bring her home. All Alteara should weep in shame for what has been done. You put our countries on the brink of war in your treachery, where before we were the best of friends." Then she slammed the table again. "Be thankful there is no war. Be thankful we are willing to leave without revenge. No gesture!" She slammed the table once more.

  It was hard, but I didn't watch Juleena through this. I watched Féla. And while Vérundia flinched every time Juleena slammed the table, Féla watched dispassionately.

  I put my hand on Juleena's arm and said in Arrlottan, "I think she speaks your words. And I think she is playing with you."

  Juleena looked carefully at me and then even more carefully at Féla. "Maybe so," she said in Framara. "Translate anyway."

  I didn't translate exactly, but I offered enough. Féla said calmly, "There must be a gesture."

  "I'll get a gesture from her," I said. "But don't try something like that again. Am I clear?"

  "I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

  "We're trying to calm the situation down, not stir it up. Do you hear me? Did I pick the wrong envoy after all? And she's right. Your king and queen did kidnap a member of the Framaran royal family."

  "You are first our high priestess."

  "I am Lady Yallameenara!" I said firmly. "Devoted foster daughter of Queen Ralalta. I am a member of the royal family. It is possible I am also the high priestess here, but deceit and treachery was not the right way to do this. It has brought us to this situation. Now, you will apologize to Juleena for intentionally angering her, and then, and only then, will I extract a concession from her. And whatever I negotiate, you will accept, or you know this is going to turn ugly."

  She paused and then nodded. "Princess Juleena, I am sorry to have angered you. I seek a peaceful solution."

  I translated, and it was Juleena's turn to nod. "Accepted. We also wish a peaceful solution. There is no need for bloodshed or harsh words." She turned to me. "You told her
off."

  "I did," I said.

  She turned back to Féla. "I will not stir the pot, but I would ask you to promise the same."

  "Agreed." But she looked at me. "The gesture must be significant."

  I turned to Juleena. "Give them the children?"

  "No."

  "Juleena, give them the children. There are only four. They're scared, and they had nothing to do with any of this. It is the honorable thing to do."

  She looked at me then over at the hostages. Her eyes found the four youngest acolytes. "Fine. No more."

  "Féla," I said. "We'll give you the four acolytes."

  "It should be all the children," she said. "Anyone under ten and six years."

  I looked at Vérundia. "Who does she mean?"

  "Henstlías is not yet ten and six," Vérundia said.

  "Juleena, there are five, not four. One is age ten and five."

  "That one stays."

  I turned to Féla. "If we give you the five, is that sufficient?"

  "She said 'no', didn't she?"

  "Answer my question."

  "Yes, it would be sufficient."

  "Juleena, they only asked for one more. You aren't going to use a child. I know you better than that."

  "You think you do, Yalla, but I am the one who poisoned the wells on the Garneer. And I would have gone back and poisoned every single one if the Arrlotta had continued to raid."

  "Let them take the children, Juleena. It is a good gesture, and we don't need them."

  She leaned forward and faced Féla. "Do you vow your king and queen will negotiate in good faith? We are leaving with Yallameenara. We are taking hostages to ensure our safe departure. We will free the hostages once Yallameenara is safe."

  "The king and queen will negotiate in good faith," Féla said. "They do not yet concede any of your demands. They would let you leave now, unharmed, if you leave the high priestess here."

  "Yalla is leaving with me."

  "They will negotiate in good faith," Féla promised.

  "And there will be no further requests for gestures."

  She paused and then finally nodded.

  "They may have the five children," Juleena said. "But I will start killing people if there is any further treachery. Am I clear?"