《The Barbarian's Tale》


 Chapter 1

    Nestled between two medium-sized mountains was a rugged little valley. There was no land to farm, so the people there lived off mountain herbs, wild eggs, and goat¡¯s milk. To the people of the towns that dotted the plains to the southeast, these were the lands of barbarians. If not barbarians, then creatures far worse.


    There was a place, high on one mountain, where the trees thinned and a vast, grey outcrop overlooked the foothills. Two thin men dressed all in grey, were perched on this outcropping.


    ¡°They¡¯ve harvested,¡± Rae said. He couldn¡¯t make out any of the figures of the plains-people, but the patchwork landscape which had been a verdant green only a week ago, was now a dead dark brown.


    ¡°Hmm, you ever wonder what it is they¡¯re growing down there?¡± Gaori asked.


    Rae might have shared that the fields grew cabbages, which sometimes brave traders pickled, and brought up the mountain road to sell, but was interrupted by the sound of footsteps.


    A boy, no older than ten, had followed them into the deep forest. He had proudly proclaimed he would be assisting them in their scouting. His mother was a woman who worked in the kitchens. She had sent him out to gather berries and herbs for dinner. Despite clambering across the rocks like a goat, the boy was afraid of meeting a forest witch, or some other demon, so he never strayed too far from the young masters.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too close to the edge,¡± Rae said, stepping away himself. It was clear the Emperor¡¯s men had not made any significant moves on the mountain. The civilian plains-people, fearful of the mountain¡¯s savage inhabitants, had kept to their own business also.


    ¡°All is well here, so we¡¯ll be heading back soon. Do you have what you need?¡±


    The boy hid his canvas sack from view, telling Rae all he needed to know. When the boy said nothing, Gaori spoke up:


    ¡°We have much to talk about on the way down, and we¡¯re slower than you, so hop to it and catch up to us soon,¡±


    ¡°Yes sir¡± the boy stammered, and dove back into the undergrowth, scouring the earth for useful plants.


    Rae and Gaori were young and fit and could descend the mountain with ease. But since they knew the child was scared, and dark would soon be falling, they lingered longer than necessary. Goari stopped to pick some berries of his own and offered some to Rae.


    ¡°It must be very hectic in the Shak¡¯s camp, what with the little shali due any day now,¡± Gaori said, wiping his fingers on his tunic.


    ¡°That¡¯s very presumptuous of you,¡± Rae said, ¡°who are you to say it won¡¯t be a shakje this time?¡±


    ¡°Everyone knows an evil spirit cursed the Shana to never bear a son, and even if she did-¡° Gaori stopped at the sound of snapping branches. There was an odd, rumbling screech, and a frightened cry.


    ¡°A bear,¡± Rae said, but Gaori had already taken off in the direction they had left the boy. Goari had always been a lumbering oaf, but when he wanted speed he got it.


    Rae crept after him, his bow drawn, making no more noise than the wind in the grass.


    The boy might have been young, but he knew that the worst thing one could do when faced with a bear was to back down. He stood in a clearing, cowering behind his arms, knees shaking.


    The bear was a brown mass a dozen or so feet away. It was a female and didn¡¯t have the look of a witch¡¯s familiar. Its eyes were dull, not sharpened by the will of malevolent spirits. It was plump with a good hide, but still had some growing to do.


    Rae cursed as he watched Gaori launch himself at the creature, letting out a growl twice as wild as the one they¡¯d heard earlier. In his hand was his short sword. Rae sighed. He readied an arrow and prayed his cousin wouldn¡¯t advance any further.


    The bear let out a miserable little grunt, before fleeing into the undergrowth. As soon as it was gone, what was left of the boy dissolved into a puddle of tears.


    ¡°Y-young master¡­ thank you¡­ saved me¡­¡± he wailed.


    Goari, who had met the bear with such valour, was at a loss at what to do with the child. He went to clap the boy on the back, and at the last moment, had second thoughts and only tapped him.


    ¡°There, there. It¡¯s gone now,¡± he said.


    Rae, after confirming the beast was truly gone, put his bow away and joined them.


    ¡°Was that the first time you¡¯ve seen one?¡± he asked the boy, who nodded through his sobs.


    ¡°You did just the right thing, your mama will be proud when you tell her,¡± Rae said, before noticing something odd.


    The boy¡¯s trousers were soaked through, and a puddle was at his feet. Rae couldn¡¯t help but recoil at the realisation and the boy¡¯s cries hit a new octave. He pinched the bridge of his nose.


    ¡°You¡¯ve¡­ you¡¯ve¡­ you¡¯ve had a¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone!¡±


    About a minute too late, Gaori realised what was wrong.


    ¡°Oh! Oh no. There, there, we can sort this out,¡±


    The boy wailed all the way down the mountain, till they found a creek for him to bathe in. He jumped in fully clothed and came out sniffling.


    ¡°Young masters, if anyone asked how I got so wet¡­¡±


    ¡°You scared off the bear and fell in the creek, unrelated incidents, say no more,¡± Gaori said.


    Despite his shivering, the boy was in good spirits for the final leg of the journey. Soon the path leveled off and grew less littered with rocks and tree roots. The first huts and tree-houses of the camp came into view.


    The sun had long since set, but the lanterns still sat unlit. No one was around, not collecting water from the river, nor sitting around fresh fires.


    ¡°Father must be hosting everyone for dinner at the house,¡± Gaori said.


    However, the deck outside the Duke¡¯s residence was just as abandoned as anywhere else. Gaori and Rae were at a loss for words until they caught sight of a man who had been on sentry duty that day.


    ¡°Big bro!¡± Gaori called, and the man startled.


    ¡°Young master, you¡¯re finally back,¡± he said, and his expression did a strange twist when his gaze fell on Rae, ¡°you should both hurry inside, grave news just came from the capital,¡±


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.The man was the child¡¯s uncle, so he agreed to make sure he got back to his mother safe and warm. This left Rae free to catastrophize.


    <hr>


    ¡°Oh heavens help me,¡± he muttered under his breath. It seemed like the deck beneath his feet could give way at any moment. Sending him hurtling to the uneven ground below, tumbling over jagged rocks and splintered wood down towards the river.


    ¡°There, there,¡± Gaori said and tapped him in the same dithering way he had tried to comfort the frightened boy.


    ¡°The child¡¯s been born. They¡¯ll be coming after me next,¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that,¡± Gaori grabbed his arm and started guiding him towards the main house. Rae didn¡¯t have the strength to argue, but he didn¡¯t see any point in rushing to hear the news that would spell his end.


    ¡°And even if the hag has had her son, she has no power here. She can¡¯t kill you just like that,¡±


    Oh, no she couldn¡¯t. She¡¯d have her assassins infiltrate the camp and wait for Rae¡¯s guard to falter. They might slip a little poison into his drink, or sneak up on him in the bathtub and stab him in his heart till his blood was drained.


    If they decided to garrote him in his sleep, they¡¯d need to kill Gaori too. Otherwise, they¡¯d be discovered and it would be war. But maybe the Shana would prefer it that way. An excuse to wipe the whole Kaolin clan off the map. His home. His mother¡¯s home. Gaori, Auntie and Uncle.


    ¡°Come on Rae, I¡¯m not going to carry you,¡± Gaori said.


    Rae found the strength to ascend the steps, and Gaori dragged him inside.


    Rae¡¯s Aunt and uncle were sat at the table, feeding an eagle nuts. It must have been the bird that had carried the heaven-forsaken letter from the Shak¡¯s camp.


    ¡°Darlings,¡± the Duchess Kaolin said, glancing at Rae.


    Don¡¯t worry Auntie, I won¡¯t let anything terrible happen to you because of me. Rae was already planning how he was going to fake his death, sneak past the imperial barracks and start a new life among the plains-people. If not that, he could brave the evil spirits and venture so deep into the forest that no assassins would ever find him.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got some sad news, come sit down,¡± Duke Kaolin, Goari¡¯s father, said. The cough he had that morning had subsided, but his cheeks looked more ashen and sunken than Rae had ever seen them.


    ¡°Has the Shana had her son?¡± Rae asked, his voice quiet.


    ¡°What? No,¡± the Duke said, then paused and studied Rae. When he found whatever he was searching for, he sighed, and continued, ¡°It¡¯s not the Shana. It¡¯s the Shak,¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happened to father?¡±


    The Shana having a son was something that had been a foundation of Rae¡¯s nightmares for more than ten years. It made his blood freeze, unleashed a swarm of bees in his brain, felt like an arrow through his stomach. But it was something he had spent many a sleepless night planning and preparing for.


    Whatever misfortune might befall his father, Rae was ashamed to admit had never crossed his mind. It was even more shameful that the news came almost as a relief.


    ¡°Sit down, my child,¡± the Duke said.


    It wasn¡¯t the news he was hoping for. His father would not want him to return to his side. Even if he did, Rae would be a fool to go. Not while the Shana was there, possibly carrying a future shakje.


    ¡°His majesty passed away in his sleep last night,¡±


    ¡°Passed¡­¡± Rae wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d heard right. His father wasn¡¯t young, he was older than uncle. But he had never been frail or sickly like Rae was, like uncle was, like mother had been. He was big, broad, and blustering. Not the sort of man who would so¡­


    ¡°Could it be-¡°


    ¡°She had nothing to do with it, ¡° the Duke cut Rae off, ¡°It wouldn¡¯t make sense for the Shana and her clan to make any unsavoury moves until after the baby is born,¡±


    He was trying to comfort his panicked nephew, reassure him that his father wasn¡¯t murdered. But was the alternative any more reassuring? That his father had just dropped dead with no forewarning? Or perhaps his father had been sick for years now, but had never cared to write to his only son, ask to see him just one more time.


    ¡°What do the healers think?¡± Rae asked.


    ¡°Duke Bejuk had personally been attending to him. He was the one who wrote. He suspects his majesty¡¯s heart gave out,¡± Duke Kaolin explained.


    So that was it.


    His heart, what heart? No heart for his son. He used his final days to call the best healers from Camp Bejuk but never sent so much as a word to his flesh and blood.


    Rae stamped those thoughts down like they were coals still smouldering.


    ¡°Uncle, what happens now?¡± Rae said in his this-isn¡¯t-affecting-me voice. In his periphery, he could see the tears in his auntie¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°You will need to prepare to return to the Shak¡¯s camp, your camp now,¡±


    Rae didn¡¯t know which protest to voice first. He couldn¡¯t go to the Shak¡¯s camp. Not while the Shana was there! Waiting, like a spider in a web, to deliver the machine of his destruction.


    ¡°Son, you must go, and protect your cousin. Our clan will need to be represented, when he becomes the Shak, and Rae will need an ally by his side,¡±


    ¡°Baba, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re not coming! You¡¯re the Duke!¡± Goari said.


    Caught out, Duke Kaolin started his first coughing fit of the evening. When he was finished, his voice came out weaker than before.


    ¡°You know my health is fragile, and you must be prepared to take on my duties whenever needed. An old, fragile soul like me can do little to protect Rae, and there are our people here who depend on our leadership¡­¡±


    By the time he finished, he had paled considerably, and his gaze was hazy. Duchess Kaolin stroked his hair with one hand, and wiped her tears with the other, as if this wasn¡¯t an act he put on every other day.


    Seeing his uncle play his usual games to get out of performing his duties shouldn¡¯t have been comforting. But to Rae, it was a mundane cure to his overwhelmed mind, and to a simple man like Gaori, being told he was depended on was the greatest motivator he knew.


    ¡°Baba, Mama, I¡¯ll protect our Rae with everything I have!¡±


    <hr>


    Rae had little insight to offer to the planning of their journey to the Shak¡¯s camp. While his uncle, auntie and Gaori talked in circles about the safest routes, the coming weather, and essential supplies, Rae munched on a goat¡¯s cheese and blackberry flatbread. Rather than allow him to stay up all night sulking, Duchess Kaolin gently encouraged him to get an early night.


    ¡°Would you like some wine, to help you sleep?¡± Duchess Kaolin asked. Rae shook his head. Wine had once helped him relax when his memories of home had become overwhelming, but he had built up a tolerance strong enough that his fears still niggled at him when he drank himself silly. His stomach was already hurting enough.


    ¡°Don¡¯t wake me up when you stumble in later,¡± he said to Gaori, smiling as casually as he could. Annoyingly, his cousin didn¡¯t argue that he was as light on his feet. He smiled so gently that it turned Rae¡¯s stomach.


    ¡°I won¡¯t. Go get some rest,¡±


    Rae had no recourse other than to stomp off to his room, seething. Gaori had to choose this of all times to act the big brother figure he often professed to be. The nerve!


    Being angry at Gaori was a balm. It kept Rae calm as he left the main house, and crossed the bridge to the little adjoined tree-houses the Duke had built for them when Rae came of age.


    Rae¡¯s annoyance was still simmering, as he threw off his hunting tunic and boots, splashed some water from the basin over his torso, and clambered up to his loft and under a dozen blankets.


    Rae had lived with his aunt and uncle for twelve years, and in the early years, he took ill several times a year. Whenever he lay delirious with fever in the nursery in the main house, his auntie would crochet him a new blanket, or his uncle would come back from the hunt with new furs to throw over him. By the time he was an adult, Rae had grown out of his frailness but still liked to sleep all bundled up.


    It was in his cocoon, that Rae¡¯s frustration with Gaori finally gave way to grief.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go,¡± he muttered to himself.


    To leave this little loft, leave auntie and uncle, never hunt pheasants in these mountains again¡­


    If his father had called him back, things would have been different. There wasn¡¯t much in the Shak¡¯s camp he yearned for but his father had once been something.


    Now...


    Well, there was nothing of him left to hope for, and Rae couldn¡¯t spare a thought to grieve him.

 Chapter 2

    Two weeks.


    Two weeks traversing the mountains on foot. Fourteen nights, sleeping on damp earth, or hard rocks, with only a few furs to stave off the cold. With only Gaori for company.


    The only reprieve was every couple of days, they would come across a small camp with a guest house. They would be offered warm milk and honey and sleep under a roof for a night or two.


    They fell into a steady rhythm. Upon leaving the guest house early in the morning, they would be in good spirits, climbing the mountains with the speed of beasts. They would reminisce about their childhood games, and startle the birds with old songs. When night fell, they would find a suitable place to settle down and start a fire. They would carefully ration the supplies they had picked up at the camp, and stay up late talking and laughing.


    The next morning, they would have rediscovered just how cold the wilderness could get. From then on, jokes and songs came less naturally, and they would trudge along in increasing silence until they saw the smoke of the next camp rising above the trees.


    This was the last camp before they met their destination. It was at the base of Saoshak, the Shak¡¯s mountain. The next day, they would climb about three-quarters of the way up and arrive at their final destination.


    In some of the camps they visited, the ¡°guest house¡± was more like a dilapidated storage shed. Holes in the roof, missing doors, a pile of unwashed blankets in a corner.


    The base of the Shak¡¯s mountain received foot traffic from all sorts: the Shak¡¯s people hunting in the surrounding forest, visitors from other clans paying tribute, and even the occasional caravan of plains or desert peoples. For this reason, it had facilities more befitting of its position.


    ¡°Woah,¡± Gaori said, when the lacquered wooden building came into view, ¡°they have enough room to host our whole clan,¡±


    It was built on stilts, not as tall as the ones in Camp Kaolin, but nearly twice as thick and numerous. This was because they supported a vast building, towering four storeys high. The bottom consisted of common areas and a kitchen. There was a sloping bridge that led down to bathing pools adjacent to the river and the upper floors were set aside for guests to sleep in.


    They weren¡¯t the only ones passing through to the Shak¡¯s camp. Word travelled fast, even to the most isolated camps, of the Shak¡¯s sudden passing. Any camp that could spare someone, would send an individual, carrying two tributes, one to the late Shak, and one to his successor.


    Rae and Gaori¡¯s efforts to maintain a low profile had been successful. Rae had never let his guard down whether in a camp or deep in the forest and had yet to find any evidence of assassins tailing them.


    To maintain their unassuming facade, Gaori asked for a small room in a quiet corner of the guest house. It had a bed, big enough for two, a dresser, and a veranda overseeing the river that served the camp.


    ¡°We¡¯d better go get some food,¡± Rae said, with hopes of roasted pheasant or rabbit, ¡°it looked like it was getting busy down there,¡±


    <hr>


    Busy was an understatement. A dance troupe was spending the night at the inn and had agreed to perform in lieu of payment. Crammed into the guest house were all the excess guests that were passing through at that time, as well as a couple hundred residents of the camp. A stage had been set up in the main courtyard, and the kitchens were turning out large quantities of grilled meats, sweet buns, and fine wine.


    Gaori and Rae got some food and sat to watch the performance. Dance troupes sometimes stopped at camp Kaolin, and there were even some local girls who could put on a decent performance, but the Shak¡¯s mountain boasted more polished talents.


    The performance was rowdier than most Rae had seen before, and Gaori¡¯s attention was solely on a buxom girl in a coral dress. She twirled her skirts and kicked her legs in a way that almost defied modesty, but held back just enough to remain enticing to any hot-blooded young man watching.


    During this display, Rae realised that now would likely be the best opportunity to go take a bath in relative privacy. It had been four days of trekking since he last bathed, and he didn¡¯t feel like sharing the bath with the section of the crowd who were hooting and hollering at the girls with the most low-cut dresses.


    He tried to tell Gaori this, and his cousin smiled and seemed to encourage the idea. The crowd was too loud to hear exactly what might have been said.


    When Gaori made no moves to stop him, Rae went back upstairs to fetch his spare change of clothes. Unassuming things, brown trousers, an undershirt, and and a green tunic.


    When he reached the main staircase, Rae was stopped in his tracks by a man standing on the steps.


    At first, it seemed he had stood there to get a better vantage to view the show. But as Rae drew closer, it became clear the man had noticed him, but he showed no interest in moving. He shifted his weight so he was no longer leaning against the bannister, blocking even more of the walkway.


    He was towering, dressed in fine violet silk, with a brocade overcoat. His expression wasn¡¯t quite as arrogant as Gaori¡¯s but there had to be a proper word to describe it¡­ Smug?


    ¡°Wonderful time to be in town, eh?¡± he said with a smirk. Rae settled on a word. Punchable.


    His hair was sleek and shiny, and tied in a neat topknot. He didn¡¯t look like someone who had been on the road for days, perhaps a young master from the camp.


    ¡°You¡¯re blocking the way,¡± Rae said, shoving his way through the gap between the man and the wall. The man didn¡¯t move at all, but his torso wasn¡¯t so broad as to block the entire walkway, and Rae was lithe and nimble.


    Rae made it past, but the stubborn bastard had grabbed his cloak. When Rae tugged at it, he soon let go.


    ¡°Is that the crest of Kaolin?¡± he asked.


    Rae¡¯s mind was blank for a moment before he realised the man must have seen the clasp on his cloak. Dread pooled in his stomach, before he reassured himself that the Kaolin was a large clan and any member from the lowest servant to the Duke himself, had the right to wear the same crest.


    ¡°Yes, it is. Excuse me,¡±


    Rae hurried up the stairs, he could hear footsteps behind him. Best to end this while they were still in a public space.


    ¡°Young master, I¡¯m not free to talk right now,¡± he said.


    ¡°Young master? Are you a servant?¡± the man asked, expression open and trusting.


    Being a servant was safe. Unassuming.


    ¡°Yes, my master is watching the show,¡±


    ¡°And what are you doing?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t too strange for an errant young master to take an interest in a servant. If the comfort and luxury of a good background ever got boring, they were a form of entertainment that was never far away.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Rae wasn¡¯t sure he wanted to visit the bathing pools anymore, for fear of anyone else getting too chatty.


    ¡°We¡¯re setting out tomorrow morning, so I¡¯m going to get some rest,¡±


    ¡°Ah, best let you go then. Rest well,¡± After all that strife, the man had backed down quite easily. Rae looked over his silk robes a second time, scanning them for any clues as to his origin. As if he noticed Rae scrutinising him, he tucked a stray hair behind his ear.


    ¡°Are you from this camp, young master?¡± Rae asked.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m passing through, just like you. I might leave tomorrow too, if you¡¯re also ascending the mountain, I could join you and your master,¡±


    That wouldn¡¯t do.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid my master isn¡¯t so friendly,¡± Rae replied, coaxing a chuckle from the man, ¡°where have you travelled from?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Ven Ashem, from the Ashem camp. Have you heard of it?¡±


    Heard of it? Rae¡¯s veins were full of ice. Ashem. That name was¡­ The very sound of it turned Rae¡¯s stomach.


    ¡°Now, now. I know the Kaolin don¡¯t care for my kind, but I mean no trouble,¡±


    Like hell he did. A young master Ashem had the means, the motive, and free access to Rae with no more than a lovelorn Gaori to protect him.


    Ven Ashem smiled like a wolf. Worse. Wolves killed to survive. Ven smiled like something possessed by a witch. Something that only knew evil.


    Rae was about to turn on his heels and run when a friendly face appeared at the foot of the stairs. Gaori had opened his mouth to ask a question when Rae cried out.


    ¡°Young master!¡±


    Gaori was stunned to silence, but upon a pleading look from Rae, cleared his throat and spoke.


    ¡°I thought I told you to go back to the room,¡± he said, casting a disdainful look at Rae and then at Ven. He was playing his role so well, that Rae didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry.


    Ven muttered some apology, before retreating into the crowd.


    ¡°You okay? I thought you were going to the bath?¡± Gaori said once he was sure Ven was gone.


    ¡°I was until he started harassing me,¡± Rae said, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall.


    ¡°What was his problem?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s from camp Ashem,¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Gaori said. He opened his mouth to say something, probably some optimistic platitude, but seeing Rae¡¯s face, he didn¡¯t.


    ¡°The drinks might be cheap here, but since we¡¯re amongst enemies, I¡¯ll show some restraint tonight. Let¡¯s stick close together from now on,¡±


    <hr>


    Staying close to Gaori was difficult when he seemed so much more interested in getting close to the busty dancer who had captured his attention earlier. She was chilly in her costume now the performance was other, so Gaori gave her his cloak and she responded with a bright grin. It was then Rae knew this girl would be hanging off his arm for the rest of the night. Gaori was an oaf, but he was tall and sincere, and his face suited a smile. He had won many hearts back at Camp Kaolin as well.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be at the bar,¡± Rae said, and Gaori didn¡¯t protest.


    He wouldn¡¯t be drinking that night, but with his back leaning against the wall, he could keep an eye on what the other revellers were up to.


    Immediately, his eyes fell on Ven Ashem, who was charming a few dancers of his own. A woman in red who didn¡¯t seem to know how to greet someone without looking down her nose was his main target. He had a different style to Gaori, who used his puppy-like sincerity to his advantage. Rae recognised the wolfish intensity Ven had shown him earlier in his interactions with the ladies. They had no idea they were playing with fire.


    Watching him fool around with the girls should have reassured Rae, but instead, an unpleasant feeling settled in his stomach, like a stone sinking and settling on the riverbed.


    Ven planted a kiss on the lady in red¡¯s cheek before he led her upstairs. The sight had Rae grinding his teeth.


    He was no assassin. It seemed that just like Camp Kaolin, camp Ashem had its own foppish young master.


    His curiosity piqued, and Rae found a quiet moment to ask a barmaid about him.


    ¡°Young master Ashem? He passes through this way a lot, he has business in the Shak¡¯s camp,¡±


    ¡°With the Ashem Shana?¡± Rae asked calcified dread in his gut at the reminder he would be meeting her again soon.


    ¡°I suppose?¡± the barmaid said with a shrug. She was an ordinary girl, in a no-name camp. Unless she was particularly close with the local chief, she had no reason to know anything of the relations between great clans.


    ¡°What do you make of him?¡±


    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s very charming. And quite handsome too,¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rae said. He could see what the girl saw in him. Even if his body was hidden under layers of fine silk, Rae had felt the strength of his grip. A young master like Ven might well have spent his whole life spared from hard work, but a body can grow just as strong and hard from hunting beasts and exploring the wilds for pleasure, rather than necessity.


    Yet, his appearance wasn¡¯t brutal, his intense eyes, the elegant curve of his nose, the pristine sheen of his hair. If there was anyone more perfectly built to bewitch unfortunate maidens, Rae had never met them.


    ¡°Of course, he¡¯s not the only handsome young master to pass through recently, you and your friend attract plenty of attention yourselves,¡±


    Rae couldn¡¯t suppress a laugh at the compliment. It wasn¡¯t that he was embarrassed. It was just the reminder that these poor girls saw something in Gaori of all people, and himself as well, that had him reeling.


    Rae supposed that their youths of roaming the forests, hunting pheasants, swimming in the river, and performing scouting duties, had blessed the both of them with decent physiques. Gaori ate and drank like a bear, but he only ever seemed to put on muscle.


    Rae had once been a pitiful little thing. Often so unwell that he didn¡¯t even have the strength to sit up. He so rarely saw the sun that his skin had a sickly green tint. But whenever he was well he would follow his big cousin around the forest and partake in all his favourite games. Rae never matched Gaori in height or build, but a girl had once told him that his fair skin and jet-black hair made quite the alluring contrast.


    Unlike his cousin, Rae had never pursued any of the girls at Camp Kaolin. Ever since he had arrived as a scared and heartbroken little boy, they had all doted on him like a baby brother.


    The barmaid, though quite pretty, also had something big-sisterly about her. And besides Rae would be moving on in a few days, unlikely to ever see her again. So while he appreciated the compliment, he ordered a drink and went to find another corner to lurk in.


    <hr>


    Not long after, Gaori approached Rae with a conundrum. His dancing girl, who was called Vili, was willing to be taken to bed tonight. The problem was that she was sharing a room with five other dancers so the fabled encounter would have to be conducted in Goari and Rae¡¯s shared room.


    ¡°I know you were spooked earlier¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I misjudged the danger, just be quick,¡± Rae said, earning a scowl from Gaori.


    ¡°Nah, we¡¯ll be at it for hours,¡± Gaori said, pumping his hips for emphasis, ¡°take my coin-pouch, buy yourself something good to eat,¡±


    Once Gaori and Vili had gone upstairs, Rae went and bought himself a bottle of wine, scanned the crowd one more time for any suspicious characters, and went to find a quiet corner to relax in.


    He could hear laughter and splashing from the bathing pools, so that was out of the question. To wander the streets alone, even as drunk as he was, he knew to be dangerous.


    On the first floor of the guest house, there was a walkway, overlooking the ground floor bar on one side, and open to the outside on the other. There was an elegant view of the path up from the valley Gaori and Rae had climbed earlier that day. Taken with the sight, and with a fresh burst of energy - thanks to the wine - Rae decided to climb up to the roof.


    Among these mountain people, risks such as falling from a great height, are often overlooked by such vigorous young men. The men of Kaolin were no exception. Rae had, for many years now, slept each night in a tree house at least twenty feet off the ground. If he wanted to visit his cousin in the little house next to his, two rope bridges connected them to the main house. But being young boys, they sometimes took to scaling the walls and climbing into the other¡¯s window.


    This was how Rae gained the confidence to clamber his way up the side of the guest house, past windows and balconies, and onto the red-tiled roof.


    Ahead of Rae was that lovely view, which was quickly being bathed in an orange evening glow. Behind him, Saoshak¡¯s slope loomed.


    Rae rolled his cloak into a makeshift pillow, the drink doing much more to warm him than it ever could. The cool breeze was more comforting than bracing anyway.


    Laying on the roof, watching the evening star peak into view, Rae lingered on the edge of sleep for some time.

 Chapter 3

    Rae¡¯s hands and nose were numb with cold but the stars were out, and he didn¡¯t want to get down yet.


    He rarely had time for stargazing, but when his thoughts were keeping him awake, their twinkling light was a comforting companion. Rae was no mystic, he only knew the names of a few constellations, but the familiar shapes still reassured him. No matter where he was, nor how old he got, those shapes would cycle through their positions as they always did.


    Rae¡¯s eyes fell on a star he knew very well, the silver wing star. This was his mother¡¯s death star, and its position meant it would soon be another year gone. The white wing star didn¡¯t have any ominous associations, and any mystic wouldn¡¯t hesitate to conduct a marriage ceremony, fertility rites, or thanksgiving ceremony under its light. Hardly a harbinger of doom, but Rae shivered at the thought that it would be at its highest point by the time he arrived at the Shak¡¯s camp.


    Or perhaps it was just the cold. It was long past time to go inside and find a warm fire to sit by. After so long sitting, his legs were a little shaky and upon standing up, he had a nasty case of pins and needles.


    For a plains-person, this kind of condition in such a precarious place would be very dangerous, but Rae knew how to maintain his balance on the roof while he waited for his legs to return to normal. As he stretched, he heard a tile nearby shift against the rest, making a quiet scraping sound.


    Rae froze.


    Had someone else been on the roof this whole time? And Rae had failed to notice them in the dark? How embarrassing.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    Rae looked around. On the edge of the roof on the opposite side, there was a silent shadow in the gloom. The shape was certainly person-shaped, but it didn¡¯t speak back. It might have been a monkey.


    ¡°Peace, friend,¡± Rae said squinting at the shadow, ¡°You¡¯re rather close to the edge, do be careful,¡±


    The shadow let out a soft breath, before speaking.


    ¡°Rae je Kaolin,¡± the voice was low, like a threat. It was a threat. There was only one reason for someone lurking in the darkness to know that name, and say it now.


    Rae didn¡¯t respond, holding the short sword at his waist as subtly as possible. Rae¡¯s eyes were well-adjusted to the darkness, and he still couldn¡¯t see the assassin. To his enemy, he was likely just a shadow himself.


    As Rae was thinking this, the shadow moved closer, running along the apex with the speed of a beast. The steel of a blade glinted in the starlight, and fabric rustled.


    Rae blocked the blade with his sheathed sword and pushed back hard. His assailant grunted and stumbled down the opposite roof edge. Rae saw the shadow right itself a few feet away.


    In the second they made contact, Rae got a closer look at his opponent. Lithe, pale limbs clothed in black, dark hair like a whip, fierce eyes gleaming in the starlight.


    Rae might have been small and young, but he wasn¡¯t defenceless. Preparing for a drawn-out fight, Rae unsheathed his weapon and moved his feet into a sword stance.


    Forgetting where he was standing...


    His foot slipped off the roof¡¯s edge, and before he could do anything he was tumbling backwards. He twisted in the air, hoping to grab at the gutter, a veranda, anything. As he fell, he saw the shadow, standing where Rae once did, looming over him.


    <hr>


    <div>


    Rae got lucky.


    His fall was broken by the decorative boxwood that lined the courtyard. It took a few seconds for the pain to hit Rae. He might have cried out during the free-fall, but the impact knocked any sounds out of him.


    Trying to find which part of his body the pain was emanating from, getting scratched and poked in the eyes by the very branches that had just saved his life, Rae thrashed on the ground. He didn¡¯t know where he was, all knowledge of the guest house he¡¯d had before was replaced with the need to get away.


    Gaori! Gaori, where are you? Rae thought, but couldn¡¯t form words beyond pained groans.


    No more than a few feet away, Rae heard boots hit the ground, and his fear grew even more bone-deep than before.


    He hadn¡¯t been able to push himself up with his arms. No matter how hard he tried, there was no strength left in them. At the sound of steps on the cobblestones, he threw himself into an upright position and scrambled onto his knees. His legs didn¡¯t protest as severely as his arms had but were still too shaky to run away.


    ¡°No-!¡±


    Illuminated by the light of the guest house, Rae finally had a clear view of the assassin¡¯s face. This was what the demons that stalked the forests at night looked like. This was worse than the most terrible of the desert savages. Pale, sharp, with amber eyes so empty. So uncaring. The one thing crueller than cruelty. The sight shocked Rae back into silence.


    The assassin¡¯s blade twinkled like stars and moved just as inevitably.


    ¡°Don¡¯t run,¡± the beast said.


    Rae couldn¡¯t so much as stand.


    ¡°Fuck you-¡±


    Pathetic last words were made even worse by the way his voice cracked under the effort. It was shame, more than fear, that Rae would feel in his last moments. He hid his head in his hands.


    ¡°Get lost, beast,¡± a commanding voice cut through the scene.


    Rae looked up, and his mind seemed to clear in an instant. Those horrifying, apathetic eyes were no longer fixed on him. With the clarity, the pain in his left wrist increased tenfold, and the first tears welled in his eyes.


    ¡°Do you know who I¡¯m doing this for?¡± the assassin asked.


    ¡°Do you know who you¡¯re talking to? Scram or I¡¯ll cut you down,¡±


    Rae¡¯s vision, which painted the perfect portrait of evil when focused on the assassin, couldn¡¯t quite make out the details of his saviour. His legs were even weaker than before and the throbbing in his arm echoed to his temples. The figure blurred and swayed before him.


    ¡°Who?¡±


    Tall. Dark hair. Golden skin. White hot rage in his voice. He planted himself between Rae and the assassin. Rae wanted to tell him, ¡°Kind sir, please run while you can! Don¡¯t put your life on the line on my account.¡±


    ¡°Fool,¡± the assassin muttered. Rae¡¯s view of him was blocked by his saviour, but he heard a swift burst of footfall and braced himself for an attack.


    No impact came. No piercing pain in his heart. His saviour turned around, revealing the space where the assassin once was. He knelt and cupped Rae¡¯s face in his hands. Soft hands. Warm hands.


    ¡°There, there. He¡¯s gone now,¡±


    Rae¡¯s breath came fast. He wasn¡¯t gone. He couldn¡¯t be. No killer-for-hire would give up so easily.


    Even so, those gentle hands brought Rae back from the precipice. His vision cleared, and met the dark eyes staring into his.


    ¡°Ven Ashem?¡± Rae asked, not believing his eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Can you tell me what hurts?¡± Ven asked.


    ¡°My arm,¡± Rae said. At some point, Rae had started cradling his left arm to his chest.


    ¡°Can you stand?¡±


    Rae thought so. Now the world wasn¡¯t spinning, nor filled with knives aimed at his heart. He could stand.


    Ven helped him up.


    ¡°Come with me. I have some healing ointments. The very best, save by those made by Duke Bejuk himself,¡±


    Rae could barely follow a sentence, but he allowed himself to be led into the guest house and then carried up to Ven Ashem¡¯s rooms.


    What was Rae thinking? He was lying on Ven Ashem¡¯s bed, so frazzled and sore he could barely lift a finger to defend himself. Heavens knew if Gaori had even noticed he was missing and here he was, completely at the enemy¡¯s mercy.


    What was Ven Ashem thinking? Was the second most pressing question. He had frightened off the assassin somehow and was now tending to Rae¡¯s injuries with the carefulness of a wife caring for a husband fresh from the battlefield.


    He pressed and prodded at Rae¡¯s worst injury, the left arm. Rae wasn¡¯t willing to show such weakness in front of another man, much less an Ashem, so bit his tongue rather than cry out. Ven saw right through him.


    ¡°It¡¯s not broken, I¡¯ll have a servant bring some ice,¡±


    Rae¡¯s arm was not the only thing in need of ice. The adrenaline had long worn off, but the humiliation of being so vulnerable had painted Rae beetroot from his ears to his chest. It grew ever more unbearable when Ven started rubbing his healing ointment over any part of his body that had been marred by the fall. He silently pleaded with the heavens, don¡¯t let him see.


    ¡°You look a little feverish, you can spend the night here if you wish. I¡¯ll go find your young master and explain everything,¡±


    Somehow, Rae knew his flush had just gone a shade darker. Thank goodness his confusion had kept him quiet until now, he hadn¡¯t yet revealed his true identity.


    ¡°Your name is Ashem, he won¡¯t trust you. But I need to go warn my master of the danger,¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no danger. I saw him off. And you¡¯re master and the shakje are safe and sound in their room,¡±


    Shakje. Rae hadn¡¯t been called that in¡­ He didn¡¯t know how long it had been.


    ¡°The shakje¡­¡±


    ¡°I know he¡¯s with you. I mean him no harm, and the beast won¡¯t come back again. He¡¯s too stupid to kill the Shakje anyway, couldn¡¯t even find the right target,¡±


    Rae let out a harsh laugh, which he disguised as a cough.


    ¡°Stay a while, rest,¡±


    Rae refused to fall asleep, no matter how much Ven reassured him that he didn¡¯t mind him staying the night. He may be too shell-shocked to leave, but he needed to be ready to go find Gaori as soon as he could. As his condition improved, Ven¡¯s conversation grew gutsier and gutsier.


    ¡°It¡¯s because your masters are young master Kaolin and the Shakje. It¡¯s dangerous serving someone so significant, why not follow me instead,¡± He asked, after the ice had been brought up, and was numbing the pain in Rae¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Young master Ashem can¡¯t be serious,¡±


    ¡°Young master Kaolin was so harsh with you. He seems quite the brute, you really want to stay with him?¡±


    Rae laughed. Gaori, a brute! If only he were listening.


    ¡°He was a brute because you were being rude. And I had my duties to attend to,¡± Rae said. He was getting stronger, the lies were coming easier.


    ¡°The Shakje to attend to, you mean? Does he treat you well? Is that why you¡¯re so loyal?¡± Ven asked, his voice had a little tension in it. It was long past midnight, he must have been regretting giving up his bed.


    He had offered Rae an excuse to get away.


    ¡°If he¡¯s noticed I¡¯m missing, he¡¯ll be very worried. This is a difficult enough time for him. I should go to him,¡±


    Rae stood. To his surprise, his legs held him well. His vision stayed still and clear, and while his arm was sore, his head didn¡¯t throb.


    ¡°A very trying time for him. It makes me worried he won¡¯t ensure your injuries are taken care of. I¡¯ll be in the Shak¡¯s camp for the foreseeable future. If you need anything, come to me,¡±


    Thank goodness, Ven wasn¡¯t going to try to convince him to stay. Thank goodness.


    ¡°Can I trouble you one more time?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡±


    Ven accompanied Rae to the the corridor outside of Rae and Gaori¡¯s room and didn¡¯t comment nor complain when Rae refused to knock on the door until he was gone.


    ¡°I almost forgot, one more thing,¡± Ven said, just as they had said their farewells.


    ¡°This landed on my veranda, just when you were attacked, is it yours?¡± he asked and presented Rae¡¯s short sword, hand-carved by his mother with the Kaolin crest.


    Guilt and relief overtook Rae. He had dropped and forgotten a precious and irreplaceable thing. And it had been returned to his lap before he had even noticed it was gone.


    ¡°Thank the heavens!¡± in his excitement, Rae spoke a little too loudly for the hour. There was a thud, followed by thundering footsteps from Gaori and Rae¡¯s room. Before Rae could tell Ven to make himself scarce, his cousin burst out of the door onto the landing.


    ¡°There you-¡° he froze when he saw Ven. Then he got a proper look at Rae, and he went pale.


    ¡°What happened?¡± he asked Rae, ¡°what have you done to him?¡± he then asked Ven.


    Gaori hurried over and would have grabbed at Rae¡¯s injured arm, had he not shoved him away.


    ¡°Young master,¡± Rae said, looking at Gaori as sternly as he could, ¡°apologies for my absence,¡±


    For a few seconds, Gaori was unable to give an intelligent response. He looked Rae over, face growing redder as he took in each injury. Then he turned the full force of his anger on Ven.


    ¡°You!-¡°


    If it weren¡¯t for Rae holding him back, Gaori might have thrown Ven off the landing.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not make a scene, his Highness must be very tired,¡± Rae said, and finally, Gaori seemed to understand what he wanted.


    ¡°Make a scene? I¡¯m not the one making a scene. Go see to your duties at once!¡±


    Rae breathed a sigh of relief and hurried into the room. Gaori followed him, not without spitting a few expletives over his shoulder at Ven.


    When the door was shut and they were sure Ven had gone back to his rooms, Gaori began prodding at Rae.


    ¡°What is all this?¡± he whispered and Rae batted his hands away.


    ¡°There was an assassin. He nearly killed me but that Ashem young master helped me out,¡±


    Gaori¡¯s crestfallen face made Rae feel a little guilty. Which was stupid, because what did Gaori have to be jealous of? He got all the girls, and Rae got all the murderers.


    ¡°And you were able to keep our cover intact?¡± Gaori asked and Rae nodded.


    ¡°He thinks you and I are accompanying the Shakje to the Shak¡¯s camp. That¡¯s why I was attacked. He doesn¡¯t seem dangerous,¡±


    ¡°Still, we should leave quietly tomorrow. And keep our wits about us. We¡¯ve come so far, it would be a shame to fall now,¡±


    Normally, seeing Gaori so serious would be off-putting, but Rae was thankful he didn¡¯t have to muscle through his bone-deep exhaustion to make their plans.


    He went to bed immediately, not caring to ask where the girl had gone. Gaori promised to stay awake, packing their things, and standing guard all night.

 Chapter 4

    These mountain people didn¡¯t live in towns like the plains-people did. They had no space for fields, paddies, vineyards, or orchards. They didn¡¯t need to build high walls to protect against the elements like desert-peoples. When camps grew big enough and wealthy enough to be permanent fixtures, they were always situated in special places. The Shak¡¯s camp was the biggest of all, so it stands to reason that the Saoshak was the specialist mountain of all. Towering above the rest of the range, with its peak, visible only on fine days, always releasing smoke up to the heavens, like an eternal prayer candle.


    To Rae, what set the Shak¡¯s camp apart was the buildings. Every other camp had only one or two permanent structures. A main house, a meeting hall, a guest house, very rare were camps that built more than these. In Kaolin, most people slept in small houses strung up in the trees, supported by stilts.


    In the Shak¡¯s camp, even servants lived in houses built from wood and stone. The nicest houses were crammed into any flat land that could be found, and the rest were perched tentatively on cliff tops.


    This camp didn¡¯t just have a meeting square, it had streets! Streets wide enough to pull a cart! And some did pull carts there as if they were plains-people collecting the harvest.


    Rae tried to focus on these novel sights as he and Gaori made the final leg of their journey. His arm, treated with ice all night, still throbbed and felt weak. The pain of it did serve a helpful purpose: it stopped Rae from thinking too hard about what else might be in store for him when they arrived.


    The Shak¡¯s palace, a main house to end all main houses, was built mostly on a large, rocky plateau, extending into the forest on one side, and accessed by stone steps from the rest of the camp.


    The meeting hall was a building of red lacquer and gold leaf, looted from desert-people in some conflict centuries passed. When Rae and Gaori reached it, a sentry rushed inside, and a man came out to greet them. He was in his fifties dressed in a pale blue wool cloak, with white fur trim.


    The sight of that thin, white face and long, greying beard gave Rae pause.


    ¡°Duke Bejuk?¡±


    ¡°It is you. Young master Rae-¡± he said before stuttering to a stop. His forehead furrowed, as he looked Rae up and down.


    ¡°What on earth has happened to you?¡± he asked first. Duke Bejuk talked fast, and Rae was often struck dumb by difficult questions.


    ¡°Is this all you¡¯ve brought with you? Where is Duke Kaolin?¡±


    All Rae could do was look at Gaori.


    ¡°Duke Bejuk, my father sent me in his place to accompany the new Shak,¡±


    Bejuk¡¯s face was red with disgust, ¡°does he not know the dangers? We¡¯re lucky he made it here at all¡­¡± he muttered to himself.


    ¡°Well, enough of that. You must be tired but we can¡¯t delay. The Shak-¡° Duke Bejuk paused, his face scrunched up as he spoke ¡°the late Shak. You must bear witness, and pay your respects. I¡¯ve set aside a room, and prepared his¡­ prepared him¡­


    Of course, you should have something to eat and drink first. A little time to prepare yourself, and talk about what happens next. Duke Ashem and the Shana are waiting inside,¡±


    Rae¡¯s stomach turned, and he didn¡¯t know if it was the thought of meeting with his stepmother, or his father¡¯s corpse.


    Never mind. He did know.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather see him first,¡±


    <hr>


    He couldn¡¯t avoid seeing her as they passed through the meeting hall. The Ashem Shana, who had been small and sharp as an acupuncture needle the last time Rae had seen her, was massive. Rae didn¡¯t know if it was the weight of the overdue child or the weight of the grief, but the woman looked crushed. Paler even than Bejuk, the skin around her eyes stained purplish black. When Rae entered the room, she hid her eyes in a bow.


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    ¡°Your majesty,¡± the man beside her sneered.


    Rae might have hated the Ashem Shana, but her father was the worst of two evils. Rae¡¯s bruised and battered body felt even smaller under his gaze.


    ¡°It appears your journey was eventful?¡± he said, the closest anyone in the Ashem clan ever got to humour was thinly veiled threats.


    ¡°His majesty will see to the late Shak, before any other matters,¡± Duke Bejuk said, using his gentle but decisive strength to guide Rae along. Rae didn¡¯t tell him he remembered the way, thankful for the firm hand on his shoulder.


    They left Gaori to deal with the Ashems and proceeded to the Shak¡¯s temporary tomb.


    <hr>


    Rae had seen dead people before. These mountain people didn¡¯t live coddled lives. Illness and injury struck people from camp Kaolin no less commonly than anywhere else, and the scattered tree-houses offered little privacy.


    The Shak was lying in the chamber, as if asleep if not for being dressed in his full regalia. The leather armour he wore to see invaders from the plains or desert off. Swords, ceremonial and practical, at his waist. His thinning hair was neatly braided and crowned with a thin gold band.


    Duke Bejuk guided him into a kneeling position by his father¡¯s side.


    ¡°Myself, Duke Ashem, and young master Kaolin will stand vigil outside. I¡¯ve been burning herbs to bind his spirit to the earth. When you¡¯ve seen him off, extinguish the burners and come join us outside. I¡¯ll have the kitchens prepare something for you, and we¡¯ll discuss the state you¡¯re in,¡±


    Then, Duke Bejuk left.


    The burning herbs let off a strange, sickly smell. Rae got a mouthful of the stench when he breathed a sigh of relief. To be left alone, in this room that the dead couldn¡¯t leave and the living wouldn¡¯t enter.


    Seeing his father again.


    ¡°Baba,¡± Rae said softly, touching his cold cheek with a finger. He really did look to be asleep.


    He had never seen his father sleep, and the look didn¡¯t suit him. Even armed and clad as he was, he looked far too vulnerable.


    The body had no stench, despite the fact that his father had been dead for just over a week. Rae wondered what Duke Bejuk had done to the body to keep it fresh. Maybe a spirit couldn¡¯t linger in a rotting vessel.


    ¡°Baba, will you go see Mama?¡± Rae said, not daring to speak his next thought aloud. Mama¡¯s been wanting to see you all this time.


    Rae knew the funeral rites. The body would soon be burned, and the ashes buried on the quiet mountainside behind the palace. With fresh horror, Rae realised he would likely be expected to conduct the ceremony, to choose a suitable place. He might even have to compose an epithet. But all he knew of his father were hazy memories of being hoisted up onto his shoulders as a toddler. A booming voice, often jovial, but always with an undertone of judgement. The dark, terrible state he fell into following Rae¡¯s mother¡¯s death. Rae, leaving the capital with no goodbye, and never being asked to return.


    ¡°If you still have room in your heart for me as your son¡­ I¡¯ll be needing guidance and protection in the coming days. Please watch over me,¡±


    ¡°If you can pass on a message to Mama¡­ t-tell her I¡¯m sorry for not visiting her for so many years-¡° Rae¡¯s sentence was broken with a sob.


    ¡°And I¡¯m sorry to Nukaim too-¡°


    Rae was too repulsed to rest his head against his father¡¯s chest or arm as he longed to. Instead, he pressed his forehead against the cold floorboards, next to his father¡¯s head, and looped the loosest section of his silk sleeve through his fingers.


    ¡°Baba, I¡¯m sorry for being a bad son,¡±


    If his father had called him back, Rae wouldn¡¯t have gone, he now realised. The guilt ate at him, almost as much as the bitterness. Seeing him here, Rae wanted to kick and scream. To hurl taunts and insults at him. To beg for his forgiveness. But he was painfully aware of the thin walls between him and the Dukes and Shana waiting outside.


    I might have been born weak. A disappointment. Something replaceable. But you died weak, pathetic, a failure. And now I replace you.


    What wicked child would think such things, Rae wondered as he sobbed into his hands.


    Rae sat in the room for a long time after his tears dried up. By the time he began extinguishing all the candles and oil burners, the smell had started to sting his eyes. He rubbed them, then gave up. After all the crying, there was no way they wouldn¡¯t be bloodshot. Duke Bejuk wouldn¡¯t mind it, so long as Rae was still in a state to converse. And Duke Ashem could go to hell.

 Chapter 5

    Ven had met quite the beauty. The youth from Camp Kaolin had been enthralling from the first moment. So small and slight, with adorable features. All soft skin and fierce eyes. The sight of him on the stairs had something nostalgic about it. It made Ven want to tease him.


    Ms. Gidun, the Scarlet Vixen, the prima donna of the Fragrant Valley Troupe, should have been quite the conquest in her own right. But his heart wasn¡¯t in it. She was not happy to serve as a sub-par distraction from his Kaolin beauty.


    The vixen saved Ven¡¯s reputation by rejecting him quietly and out of view. Once he had seen his father, he would have baskets of flowers and fruits sent to the troupe, to repair any wounded hearts.


    The night certainly would have been lonely in the guest house, had the exact person he had been dreaming of not fallen into his lap. Ven had been woken by the clatter of something bouncing off his window and landing on the balcony.


    The beast hadn¡¯t shown his face since. He was probably hiding somewhere in the forest, licking his wounds until Duke Ashem summoned him. He might have thanked the bastard, for giving him a little more time with the one who had caught his interest, if he hadn¡¯t given the beauty such a nasty fright.


    Ven wasn¡¯t a healer, wasn¡¯t used to sitting by a bedside, tending to wounds, talking through fears. He was a flirt. And the next time he saw the Kaolin beauty he intended to set the record straight.


    The youth would need to be treated gently, that much was clear. He hid his weaknesses any way he could, even when Ven had already carried him into bed and tended to his wounds. Like a cat, if you approached him too aggressively, he would hiss, spit and claw his way free. Once he had been calmed and coaxed out of his shell, only then could Ven go further¡­


    <hr>


    He waited outside the meeting hall, as the custom dictated, to be invited in. The palace was certainly more sombre than Ven had last seen it. The five Shali, his nieces, were confined to the Shana¡¯s courtyard. Other than a few sentries, there were no servants around. The only sound was that of a cuckoo in the trees which clung to the hillside.


    Ven¡¯s father emerged from the meeting hall.


    ¡°You¡¯re looking well,¡± he said, in the cold and uninterested tone that reassured Ven that all was well, ¡°how was the journey?¡±


    ¡°That rabid dog of yours caused some trouble in the valley, and I haven¡¯t seen any sign of him since,¡± Ven said, eager to discuss what punishment might befall the beast.


    ¡°So that¡¯s who did it,¡± was all his father said.


    So his beauty had already arrived, and the Shakje had given Duke Ashem a piece of his mind. Good to know the Kaolin beauty had someone dependable on his side after all.


    ¡°How is sister?¡±


    ¡°Come see for yourself,¡±


    Ven¡¯s sister was not well. She barely had the will to greet her little brother. Eyes down-turned, tear-stained cheeks, dressed in a way more befitting of the camp crones than a noble lady in her prime. And finally free of a husband who was good for nothing other than impregnating her.


    Perhaps she was grieving the father her next child would never meet, but that didn¡¯t seem like much to cry over either.


    Duke Bejuk was there, brewing some tonic to help the Shana with her nerves. Beside him, lounging on a plush seat was the moronic Kaolin young master.


    ¡°You!¡± he said upon seeing him, and Ven couldn¡¯t help but smirk. Of course, the dolt hadn¡¯t deduced who he was. For the sake of the people, he hoped the Shakje wasn¡¯t as stupid as he was.


    ¡°So the Shakje is already here?¡± Ven asked, a little disappointed that his beauty was nowhere to be found. He hoped he had been sent to see a healer.


    The Kaolin Oaf was either so baffled or enraged by the question that he was stunned silent.


    ¡°He¡¯s seeing the Shak¡¯s spirit off. Take a seat, it could be a long while,¡± Duke Bejuk said. He had finished the concoction for the Shana, and she was struggling to drink it without gagging.


    When Ven had first come to the Shak¡¯s camp, to attend his sister¡¯s wedding ceremony, he had never come across the Shakje. Less than a year later, the Shak¡¯s only child would be relocated to Camp Kaolin. Even as young as he was, the reasoning behind this move was never hidden from him.


    With no one left to protect the defenceless child in the Shak¡¯s camp and a new stepmother from an ambitious family already pregnant, the Shakje¡¯s only hope was to get as far away as possible. Raised in the southern mountains by his maternal uncle, rumours about the Shak¡¯s only son echoed around the mountain-people for many years.


    Ven had heard some of them but was smart enough not to repeat any to his sister or father. Until the Shak¡¯s health took a sudden, and irreparable turn for the worst, it was best to pretend the Kaolin Shakje had never even existed.


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    Ven sat with his sister while waiting for the Shakje to emerge from the death chamber.


    What a vile thing, he thought. To spend so long communing with a corpse. If he were in the Shakje¡¯s shoes, he¡¯d do a quick lap of the chamber, blow out the candles and be at Bejuk¡¯s heels on the way out.


    Ven wondered what sort of person the Shakje might be. After many years spent in exile, finally being called back to assume a position so many wished to usurp¡­ if he was as stupid as the Kaolin young master, he surely wouldn¡¯t last long.


    Speaking of the Kaolin young master, he had been glaring death at Ven ever since he¡¯d arrived.


    ¡°So you¡¯re not just any young master Ashem. You¡¯re the young master Ashem,¡±


    Ven could feel his father watching them. He wondered just what orders his father had given the beast. To send an assassin, no matter how incompetent, after the Shak-in-waiting was a crime even Duke Ashem wouldn¡¯t get away with easily.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right,¡± Ven smiled and bowed, ¡°I apologise for not making my identity known sooner. I was nervous speaking to strangers while travelling,¡±


    ¡°Oh we know the dangers all too well,¡± the Kaolin Oaf was trying to be clever ¡°Why after the trouble we came across, we would do well to follow young master Ashem¡¯s example,¡±


    Ven was about to point out that neither young master Kaolin nor the Shakje had met any harm. That the only one to suffer any trouble was a defenceless but steadfast servant with a slim waist and gorgeous lips. He bit back those words, however, and would soon be glad he did.


    <hr>


    ¡°I¡¯ve finished now,¡±


    Ven¡¯s beauty appeared in the doorway, looking as sheepish as ever. His hair was ever more mussed than before, and his face was in the same tear-stained state as Ven¡¯s sister. At the sight of him, Ven¡¯s face instinctively relaxed into a smile, before confusion began to set in.


    ¡°You extinguished the candles?¡± Duke Bejuk was oblivious to the torment that Ven was suffering. His father and sister would be no help, all Ven had to look to was the beauty, who refused to meet his eyes once the initial shock had subsided.


    ¡°Yes, I extinguished them,¡±


    Ven¡¯s beauty was the Shakje. Was the new Shak. Was stubbornly refusing to look at him.


    ¡°Then he is at peace at last,¡± Bejuk said. Before the Shak could so much as sit down, the Duke thrust a plate of steamed buns which had long gotten cold into his hands.


    ¡°Eat, we have much more to discuss,¡±


    Ven wished for someone to speak up. To say that the Shak was clearly tired and injured. That he needed a hot bath a soft bed and a healer. His father and sister wouldn¡¯t speak up. The Kaolin idiot didn¡¯t say a word. The Shak did nothing to stand up for himself, taking a tentative bite of the food.


    ¡°Do you feel unwell? I can make a tonic to settle your stomach,¡± Duke Bejuk said, and thankfully, the Shak did push back against that.


    He told him he was fine, and took a few more bites to prove his point. The way his pale throat bobbed did things to Ven.


    ¡°Firstly, since myself and Duke Ashem are here, and Duke Kaolin has sent a representative,¡± Bejuk shot a withering look at young master Kaolin, ¡°now is as good a time as any to officially pledge our loyalty to the new the Shak,¡±


    Duke Bejuk knelt before the Shak, took his hand in his - how Ven wished he was acting in his father¡¯s place - and said his piece.


    ¡°I, the Duke of Bejuk, swear to follow the orders of my late master, to ensure the proper rites are carried out, the health of his family is well defended, and the desert savages never set foot on our lands,¡±


    When he was done, the Kaolin oaf and Ven¡¯s father took their turns.


    ¡°On behalf of my father, the Duke of Kaolin¡­¡±


    ¡°I, the Duke of Ashem, swear to offer my support to the new Shak, to bring wealth to our people and defend against attacks from the wicked people of the southern plains. May his reign be long and prosperous,¡±


    Duke Ashem was smiling at the Shak, gripping his hand and speaking in the gentle and certain way one might use to reassure a scared child. The sight sickened Ven. He saw the Shak breathe a sigh of relief when his father finally released his hand. Poor thing.


    Next, Bejuk went about discussing the matter of funeral rites, and Ven saw his beauty¡¯s face grow deathly pallid.


    ¡°Perhaps it would be better for the Shana to handle these matters. She knew my father well, she likely knows his wishes better than I do,¡±


    At this the Ashem Shana erupted into tears, saying something incomprehensible through the sobs. Ven couldn¡¯t help but feel disdain for his sister. The new Shak was as cute and vulnerable as a kitten, and only barely more than a child. After driving an infant out of his home the least she could do is take responsibility for the corpse.


    ¡°It¡¯s the son¡¯s duty to ensure his father¡¯s peaceful rest,¡± Duke Ashem said, ¡°or have you forgotten that?¡±


    All the loyalty and devotion of his vow was now gone, this was the father Ven recognised.


    Duke Bejuk likely would have stood up for the Shak. If not, even the Kaolin oaf might have done a passable job. But Ven felt like his manhood would be on the line if he didn¡¯t step up to defend his kitten against a wolf.


    ¡°His Majesty must be tired from the journey. It¡¯s unfair to force him to make a decision so soon. His duty can wait until he has had a good night¡¯s sleep,¡±


    Two people turned to stare at Ven when he said that. One, the round, awed eyes of the Shak. Finally, looking at him. The same grateful look as when Ven had seen the beast off.


    Two, his father. Glaring at him with a whole different kind of shock. A son refusing his duties to his father was one thing after death, talking against the father while he was still alive might as well be a capital offence.


    ¡°Young master Ven is right. The vows are complete, and the late Shak¡¯s spirit has departed. All other matters can wait until the morning,¡± Duke Bejuk broke the tension between father and son.


    Ven had no chance of talking with the Shak alone. Bejuk was relentless in his attention, and the Kaolin oaf was guarding him like a dog. That was not troublesome enough, his father and sister were eager to drag him away and question him.

 Chapter 6

    Duke Ashem¡¯s son! Rae hoped the ground would open and swallow him up when he saw that cocky face of his. What kind of joke was this? So tormented by questions and still forced to act natural in the presence of the Dukes, Rae wished he could go back and spend a little more time with the corpse.


    If seeing Ven again so soon hadn¡¯t been shocking enough, immediately after, Duke Bejuk showed Rae his sleeping arrangements. Gaori was led away by a servant to his rooms, while Rae was taken to a section of the palace he knew all too well.


    Rae was the new Shak. And the Shak¡¯s rooms were the grandest and most comfortable one could find perched on any mountainside. A bed bigger than the entire floorplan of Rae¡¯s treehouse in Camp Kaolin piled high with silks and furs and partially obscured by crimson curtains. Chaise lounges and plush seats scattered around a smouldering fireplace. Along one wall were fine dressers, one with a stone basin and silver mirror placed on top. A side room with a lacquer writing desk overlooked the private tea garden. Truly, they were magnificent rooms.


    But only a week ago they had been his father¡¯s.


    Unchanged since the last time Rae had seen them. And that bed! Rae didn¡¯t ask if it was the bed his father had died in. He knew it had to be.


    ¡°I had hoped to return to my old rooms¡­¡± Rae said, imagining how much nicer it would be to return to his childhood bedroom. To walk the gardens he and his mother had played in, feed the ducks in the pond...


    Duke Bejuk shook his head.


    ¡°They are in the Shana¡¯s palace. It¡¯s not appropriate. Not even for one night,¡±


    Right. His and his mother¡¯s rooms had been given over to the Ashem Shana long ago. And weighed-down with maternity as she was, Rae couldn¡¯t very well force her out. No matter how much he¡¯d love to see the look on her face.


    Before Rae could begin to think of any more excuses to not sleep in this room, Duke Bejuk had started talking again.


    ¡°Well, out with it. How did you end up looking like this?¡± he asked, gesturing at Rae from head to toe.


    ¡°I was attacked at a guest house not far from here,¡± Rae said.


    ¡°Duke Ashem? I didn¡¯t expect him to make a move so soon,¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I thought so at first, but Ven Ashem was the one who stepped in to save me, so now I¡¯m not sure¡­¡±


    What had seemed simple on that terrible night, Rae was now unsure of. Could Duke Ashem have sent that assassin? Who else might have? Why had Ven helped him escape?


    Duke Bejuk frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯m not too familiar with young master Ven, keep your wits about you. There¡¯s no telling what his intentions might be,¡±


    He didn¡¯t need to tell Rae twice. Rae felt like he might well have been hog-tied and frown into a river, these last few days. If he had, he would have come out with just as many bruises and only half as confused. Every day, he was jumping from pure terror to being comforted so gently, so sincerely, to teetering on the edge of terror again. If Ven Ashem¡¯s intentions were truly good, Rae didn¡¯t know how he could ascertain that. Not least with enough certainty to put his restless heart at ease.


    Alas, Duke Bejuk might have been a master of the healing arts, but he specialised only in physical injuries. Any mental anguish would be Rae¡¯s to cope with on his own.


    ¡°Your arm looks sore, let me take a look,¡±


    It was sore. And Duke Bejuk¡¯s examination did little to help that.


    ¡°It¡¯s not broken, But I can tell it¡¯s causing you quite a bit of pain. I would offer to treat it myself, but I think there¡¯s someone else more suitable,¡± he said, hurrying off to find a servant before Rae could offer his agreement.


    Duke Bejuk found a girl who was just sneaking out after changing the linens and sent her to work at once.


    ¡°Go to my residence and fetch Sebi, tell him it¡¯s urgent,¡±


    The poor girl was quite startled by being shouted at, but she knew not to keep Duke Bejuk waiting. She dropped the linens at her feet and ran off to the Bejuk house.


    While she was gone, Rae told Bejuk that he was worried he¡¯d have trouble sleeping that night, after all that had happened, and the duke was kept busy mixing a tonic for him. While the duke was at work at the desk, Rae settled down on a chaise lounge - anything but the bed - and took pleasure in the silence.


    <hr>


    Rae was close to dozing off when the person who had been called arrived.


    He was stunning like a water nymph or a star maiden. Snow white hair reached down to his waist, accentuated by porcelain skin and the pale grey robes of a healer. In the evening gloom, and Rae¡¯s drowsy state, he seemed to glow with otherworldly light.


    ¡°You¡¯re here at last,¡± Duke Bejuk said, startling Rae out of his half-dream.


    ¡°How shall I be of service?¡± The man, who Rae deduced was little more than a youth, asked. His voice was low and stern, laced with even more stubborn certainty than Duke Bejuk¡¯s often was.


    The Duke must have seen Rae¡¯s incredulous expression, or at least have known that this individual was one of note, because he then explained to Rae who this was.


    ¡°Meet Sebi Bejuk. He has no parents so I took him in as my own, and he has apprenticed under all the masters at Camp Bejuk. Among our people, he¡¯s unmatched,¡±


    Rae suppressed a groan. Duke Bejuk might be relentless and single-minded, but at least he had some humanity. A little magnetism. This prodigy of his stood still as a rock while his praises were sung, and didn¡¯t so much as smile.


    ¡°Sebi, his majesty has an injury that¡¯s causing him some discomfort. I¡¯ve already prepared him something to help him sleep, but can you see to his pain,¡±


    Sebi¡¯s eyes flitted across Rae, before landing on the injured arm.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°I can,¡± he said as if he¡¯d been asked if he could go draw water from the river.


    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s all that¡¯s needed of me, I¡¯ll retire for the night,¡± Duke Bejuk said, pausing for half a second to allow Rae a chance to stop him, before leaving with a flap of his sleeves.


    A moment of silence passed between Rae and Sebi. Rae was too tired and in too forlorn a mood to try and make friends.


    ¡°I¡¯ll need you to lie down on the bed,¡± Sebi said. Rae followed his gaze to the sleeping tonic the Duke had mixed for him, sitting on a dresser.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather sleep here,¡± Rae said.


    ¡°It will be bad for your back, get on the bed,¡±


    Of all the terrible things Rae had imagined might happen when he arrived at the Shak¡¯s camp, being ordered around by a girly-faced healer with no social skills was the last thing he¡¯d been worried about. All Rae could do was stare at that impassive face, framed by wisps of white curls.


    ¡°You¡¯ll need to strip down to your underclothes too,¡± Sebi said when Rae sheepishly got up.


    ¡°What kind of treatment is this?¡± Rae asked.


    It was cold even in the valleys, so Rae¡¯s people, even stripped down to their underclothes, were not a particularly erotic sight. A long linen undershirt covered Rae¡¯s modesty, but the healer¡¯s forceful nature still made him want to hide.


    ¡°It¡¯s a kind of acupressure, and I use an oil with numbing properties. Get on the bed,¡±


    Rae did, reassuring himself that the linens were fresh, and his father¡¯s spirit had already long departed.


    Sebi took Rae¡¯s arm in his hands. It was red and swollen, and there were a few places where the skin was broken and raw. Just looking at it made Rae wince, remembering how it had been scraped and bashed about in the initial fall and the crawl out of the boxwood. Sebi cradled it like no one had until now, and Rae was shocked that it didn¡¯t throb like it had when Bejuk had examined him earlier.


    Out of a pouch on Sebi¡¯s waist, he pulled a jar, filled with a translucent green substance.


    ¡°Tell me if you feel any discomfort,¡± Sebi said and gently rubbed the oil onto Rae¡¯s arm. He worked in circular motions, starting at the elbow, all the way down until he was caressing his fingertips -Treating his fingertips! Poor Rae. So lacking in experience and starved of affection that even a medical treatment felt like a lover¡¯s touch.


    ¡°How did the injury occur?¡± Sebi asked. Rae didn¡¯t expect that Bejuk¡¯s prodigy would have the ability nor inclination to make small talk. It was his shock at this fact and definitely not the cooling, soothing effect of the oil, paired with the firmness and warmth of Sebi¡¯s hands, that made Rae too muddled to give a proper reply.


    ¡°F-fell,¡± he gasped.


    Sebi didn¡¯t ask him for more details, or to explain, just continued his work diligently.


    ¡°You must be getting tired,¡± he said, and Rae couldn¡¯t even find the strength to agree.


    For a few moments, that pleasant pressure left Rae before Sebi returned with Bejuk¡¯s sleeping tonic, a pale, odourless liquid in a small soup bowl.


    Sebi placed his hand behind Rae¡¯s head and helped him sit up and take a few small sips of the tonic. Bejuk¡¯s creations were always very strong in taste, and there was still more than half left when Rae started coughing.


    ¡°T-tastes bad,¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave the rest here,¡± Sebi put the bowl on the bedside table, ¡°is there pain anywhere else?¡±


    Rae thought that Sebi¡¯s treatment would also feel very nice on his sore knees and ankles, or his aching back. Maybe it could even soothe the headaches that often plagued him. In this sleepy state, the thought of the healer caressing his temples and stroking his hair as he drifted off to sleep¡­ Rae couldn¡¯t help but see the appeal.


    Even so, his sense of propriety hadn¡¯t quite left him.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough for tonight, thank you,¡± he forced the words out while wrestling to keep his eyes open.


    <hr>


    Warmth. Warmth from every direction. Something soft to press his cheek against. No matter the circumstances, it was nice to sleep in a bed again.


    When Rae¡¯s eyes opened, light was streaming through the study windows. The gentle sound of flowing water. A warm, hearty smell.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Rae was startled into a sitting position when he heard the sound of a boot hitting his floors.


    Across the room, having just filled a basin with warm water, and left a steaming bowl on the table, was the servant who had been accosted by Duke Bejuk the previous night.


    ¡°Your majesty, I apologise,¡± she said.


    The previous night! The last thing Rae remembered, was he had been lying on the bed, in nothing more than an undershirt, waiting for Sebi Bejuk to leave. He had hoped that once he was gone, he could take the nicest of the furs and go to sleep on the chaise lounge. That hadn¡¯t gone to plan. But somehow he had still ended up buried under a dozen blankets. Rae started to feel a little feverish as a mortifying possibility dawned on him.


    ¡°Your majesty?¡±


    The servant was so little that she might have been a child, but upon closer inspection she was about the same age as Rae, with a ruddy, freckled complexion and thick dark hair.


    Rae covered his discomfort with a cough.


    ¡°Is that for me?¡± he asked of the bowl on the table.


    ¡°Yes! It¡¯s good you woke up, it¡¯s still nice and hot,¡±


    Before Rae could protest she had brought the food to him on a tray. Rae must have spent too long in the backwater Kaolin camp, here it seemed even the servants were taking the lead. Some Shak he was.


    In the bowl was hot chicken soup, with a selection of herbs that could have only been requested by Duke Bejuk. The taste was so strong he needed to take breaks between each mouthful, he took that chance to get to know the servant.


    She was called Laela and had lived in the Shak¡¯s camp since birth. Unmarried and not promised to anyone, the second girl in her family. She had served in the palace for four years, Rae thought about asking her how his father¡¯s health had declined but decided against it.


    ¡°Were you around last night? Do you know what time young master Bejuk left?¡±


    ¡°Sebi? Yes, I waited outside for him to finish, I was hoping to get another look at him. But I waited long past midnight and there was still no sign of him, so I went home,¡± she said, and Rae started to doubt all the servants in the palace were quite so gutsy as this girl.


    ¡°A look at him? Why?¡±


    ¡°Because he¡¯s so handsome. Don¡¯t you think? He¡¯s number one for a reason,¡±


    ¡°Number one?¡±


    ¡°Oops, please don¡¯t tell him I said that,¡± she asked, and Rae shot her a look that said, explain or I¡¯ll expose your depraved ways to the handsome healer.


    ¡°Well, there are a lot of handsome young masters who visit the palace¡­ and us serving girls¡­ we almost all agree that Sebi is the best of the best,¡±


    The best of the best, eh? So good looks trump conversation skills among the serving girls in this palace, Rae thought.


    ¡°Almost?¡±


    ¡°Well there¡¯s no accounting for taste is there? And in their defence, Sebi does have some stiff competition,¡±


    ¡°Alright, then who¡¯s second place?¡± Rae had to gather as much info as he could, so he could have a good laugh watching Gaori attempt to climb the rankings.


    ¡°Your Majesty is embarrassing me! I¡¯ve already said far too much,¡± Laela laughed, before taking the empty bowl and hurrying away.


    After washing and dressing, Rae stepped out into the tea garden to get some air. He had slept almost till noon. Someone, probably Bejuk, must have taken mercy on him and convinced Duke Ashem to let him rest. Taking a deep breath, he went to find where the Dukes would be meeting with him today.

 Chapter 7

    ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± Duke Bejuk found a quiet moment to ask Rae after Duke Ashem had finished complaining about how late in the day it was, and how little had been done. He was distracted by tending to the Shana, suffering from mild chest pain, which afforded Rae and Bejuk a moment of privacy.


    ¡°Very well, thank you for your help,¡± Rae said.


    They were being received in the Shana¡¯s palace, which aside from being overrun with five little girls, was just as Rae remembered it. The drawing room was laid out to take tea with guests, just as his mother had done it. Translucent curtains drifting gently in the wind, with the gardens just beyond. The light reflected off the duck pond, painting a kaleidoscopic mural on the ceiling above the tea table.


    Rae barely knew anything of his sisters other than their names. Nuna, Jiwat, Viseka, Komao, and Lim, born in that order. That was the day he first caught glimpses of them, playing in the water and sneaking sweets from their mother, just as Rae had once done. The littlest ones didn¡¯t seem to understand what had transpired to bring Rae here, nor who Rae was but he caught the eldest sneaking furtive glances at him. Nuna, born only a few months after Rae left the Shak¡¯s camp.


    ¡°Sebi told me you seemed very tense. I have an idea for a better treatment, but we¡¯ll have to finish today¡¯s business first,¡± Duke Bejuk said.


    Today¡¯s business was:


    1. Choosing a suitable location for the late Shak¡¯s final resting place.


    2. Preparing the body for burial.


    3. Organising the construction of the memorial.


    Duke Ashem had most graciously taken responsibility for number three and Rae was all too happy to hand the body off to Duke Bejuk. That left Rae to find the proper place, a task he dreaded doing alone.


    Rae had almost resigned himself to that fate when Gaori finally made his appearance.


    Duke Ashem, who had been forced to show at least a little restraint in expressing his disapproval to Rae, spared no mercy on Gaori.


    ¡°Go easy on me, I¡¯ve never travelled so far, nor been so exhausted in my whole life. It¡¯s downright cruel to not let a person get a proper rest,¡± Gaori said, so shamelessly that even Duke Ashem was dumbstruck. Rae struggled to suppress his grin.


    ¡°Duke Ashem, where is young master Ven today?¡± Rae asked the question he had been wondering all morning.


    ¡°He¡¯s gone down the mountain to make trouble,¡± Duke Ashem said, with a venom that Rae had previously suspected was only ever directed at him.


    ¡°Make trouble?¡±


    ¡°All the pretty ladies on the mountain like to host uncle for tea, so he goes down a lot,¡± Viseka, one of the little Shali, who had been clinging to her mother¡¯s sleeve, explained. If it wasn¡¯t already clear to Rae, the way Duke Ashem¡¯s and the Shana¡¯s faces twitched at the mention of ¡°tea¡± was all Rae needed to confirm his suspicion.


    ¡°Lucky bugger! I could do with something to eat, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be putting me to work right away, given how late it is,¡±


    Duke Ashem and Duke Bejuk were not going to offer Gaori any sympathy, but Rae was able to convince them that he would be most useful, or the least trouble, accompanying him to the back mountain.


    <hr>


    Once they had said their goodbyes to the Dukes and left the Shana¡¯s palace, Rae finally had the chance to catch Gaori up on what had happened the night before.


    ¡°Bejuk has an adopted son? Was it recent? I¡¯ve never heard anything about that,¡±


    In Camp Kaolin, news of the affairs of other camps trickled with the comings and goings of merchants, trappers, musicians, and dancers. They had heard that Bejuk¡¯s eldest heir, Rok, had slain a stag in the previous year¡¯s great hunt. They heard that the minor camps had begun sending proposals for the hand of Etti Bejuk and the Duke was not tolerating it well. Sebi must have been camp Bejuk¡¯s best-kept secret, so striking in appearance and advanced in skill.


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    They gossiped about Sebi for a little while. Rae left out how after his treatment, he had fallen asleep more peacefully than any time since his mother¡¯s passing. Then Rae started telling Gaori about what the serving girl had told him.


    ¡°Wait! A girl? Was the girl pretty?¡±


    Rae didn¡¯t know how to answer that. He hadn¡¯t been particularly taken with her, but Gaori was able to find beauty much more readily than he was. When he thought back over their conversation, her toothy grin and pink cheeks, he thought she was someone Gaori would take to.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯d say so,¡±


    ¡°Our age?¡±


    ¡°I think so,¡±


    Gaori let out a groan, ¡°You¡¯re so much luckier than me. I was woken up by some old crone,¡±


    Rae didn¡¯t grace that with a response. They were walking out into the forest. This area was still part of the Shak¡¯s palace and if you walked far enough, you would eventually find a boundary wall patrolled by sentries. However, unlike the landscaped gardens and courtyards, this vast area had mostly been left wild, with little paths snaking across the terrain to places of interest. Most of these were grave sites. Eight Shak¡¯s had been interred here, along with a number of Shana, Shakje, and Shali.


    Until now, Rae had never thought of the back-mountain forest as a particularly sombre place. As a child, he had played here. Even when his mother¡¯s headstone had been raised, he hadn¡¯t thought of the forest as a place of death. It was a happy place, the closest thing to being free Rae had experienced in his most innocent days.


    Now it could hardly compare to the true wilderness he and Gaori had wasted their boyhoods in, the undergrowth cut back to create trails, or to frame stunning vistas. There were great beasts, no bears or wolves that dared get so close to the palace, but on spring mornings one might spot deer grazing.


    ¡°The crone asked me about you,¡± Gaori said, once it was clear Rae wasn¡¯t going to say anything else.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°She asked me how you were, and when I told her you fell and hurt your arm, she was quite upset. I was wondering if she was someone you knew,¡±


    ¡°Did you ask her name?¡± Rae asked. It had been so long. He didn¡¯t know what had happened to his mother¡¯s servants, perhaps some of them still worked within the palace.


    ¡°No. I¡¯ll ask her next time. She was old and had a mole right here,¡± Gaori poked himself just above the lip, on the left-hand side, ¡°she really seemed very-,¡±


    Before Gaori could finish, Rae had realised who the woman was.


    ¡°Nana! How dare you call my Nana a ¡®crone¡¯?¡±


    Nana had been a maid to Rae¡¯s mother and had taken care of Rae whenever his mother was unwell, or with the Shak. For both Rae and his mother, she had helped them dress in the mornings, combed their hair before bed, she had spoon-fed them when they were so sick they could barely move.


    When Nukaim was born, Rae¡¯s Nana had held his little body to her breast when his mother was too weak to. She never left her side until her spirit had departed. For the few weeks Nukaim lived, she had cared for him as if he were her own.


    She had stood by Rae as they watched his mother¡¯s grave be erected, and shed tears with him.


    ¡°My Nana, did she look well?¡± Rae asked once he had calmed down.


    Gaori was rubbing his arm where Rae had hit him, ¡°She seemed healthy enough. I didn¡¯t realise anyone loyal to Auntie Shana was left around here,¡±


    Rae hadn¡¯t either. But just the prospect of seeing her friendly face after all these years lightened the load he was bearing a little.


    As they walked, Rae caught sight of a copse of maple trees, lined up along a gentle slope. One could hear the rushing creak, drowning out any sounds of the palace that might have carried this far. If one cleared the brambles and levelled the ground¡­


    ¡°How about here?¡± Gaori asked.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ this looks good,¡± Rae said. He could see a royal tomb in this spot. When the sun set in autumn, the glow reflecting off the maple would make a moving sight. There was a slight chill in the air, but Rae thought it would be a pleasant place to visit in fine weather.


    ¡°So¡­ we¡¯re done? We¡¯re done for the day?¡±Gaori asked, already turning back down the slope back to the palace. Looking forward to a good meal, and seeking out that pretty maid, no doubt.


    ¡°Do you think you could go tell Bejuk about this place for me?¡± Rae said, fixing his eyes on those maple trees.


    ¡°You alright?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I just want to go see my mother. I don¡¯t want to talk about the funeral anymore until I¡¯ve been to the grave,¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be okay going alone?¡± Gaori used that quiet, gentle voice that always made Rae¡­ frustrated.


    ¡°Of course¡±


    Of course. He had been alone there much more often than he had been there with Nana. Or his father. Or anyone else. It was his place, all alone.

 Chapter 8

    His mother¡¯s grave was closer to the palace, only a ten-minute walk from Rae¡¯s old rooms in the Shana¡¯s palace. When Rae had chosen this spot, he hadn¡¯t known he would soon be ousted and had chosen with convenience in mind. It was close enough that no matter what his duties might be, he could visit every day.


    The land there was relatively flat, overrun with wild grasses and flowers. The exact spot where Rae¡¯s mother was laid to rest was at the edge of the clearing, shaded by a willow tree. Her stone had a thin layer of moss growing over it, and at its feet sprouted an abundance of little red flowers.


    ¡°Here lies the Kaolin Shana, dearest mother, who died in childbirth aged 30. Nukaim, the second Shakje, a treasured son and brother. Always missed, never forgotten,¡±


    Rae had long run out of tears to shed in this place, but it was nice to see the grave, with those words that he had once agonised over, gently embraced by pretty flowers. Mother would have found it beautiful. If Nukaim had lived, Rae would have played ball games with him in clearings like this.


    He stayed sitting in the grass next to the grave for some time. Listening to the rustle of the leaves, the flaps of wings. He only realised how long he had been daydreaming of the past when a quiet ringing sound broke him out of thoughts.


    A small grey cat had padded over to the grave on silent paws. It looked at Rae with wide blue eyes, as if he was somewhere he didn¡¯t belong.


    ¡°Greetings, kitty,¡± Rae said, in a voice low enough that even if someone was spying on him, they wouldn¡¯t have heard. The cat made an indignant sound, that was neither a growl nor a mew, but soon enough came ambling over to press its head against Rae¡¯s palm.


    ¡°Hello gorgeous, where have you come from?¡±


    It was normal for cats to be kept at the camp. They kept vermin and evil spirits from taking hold, which kept the disease under control, which was the line between a camp¡¯s success or ruin.


    This one had shiny smooth fur and a full moon stomach, clearly a doted-on pet. And it was quite happy for Rae to dote on it, twisting its way around his legs and nuzzling his hands. How sweet, Rae thought, his mother would have liked this kitty.


    Just as Rae was thinking of sneaking some food from the kitchen to feed his little buddy, he heard footsteps traversing the gravel path up from the palace.


    ¡°Bell! Belly! Bell, come here!¡± a voice called.


    Rae flinched at the sound of it and the cat grumpily mewed. That voice was familiar. If the cat knew it too, it didn¡¯t react. Didn¡¯t even glance toward the path until a gentle tapping sound rang out. Then the cat scampered off without so much as a farewell glance at Rae.


    The grass was damp, and the afternoon breeze was turning into an evening chill. It was well past time Rae returned to the palace.


    <hr>


    ¡°Peace, friend,¡±


    Rae didn¡¯t want to alarm the one on the path when he emerged from under the willow, so he said this on the way out. Behind the veil of leaves, holding the cat in his arms, was Ven Ashem.


    ¡°You-!¡± Rae startled at the sight of him, considering running off into the forest before gathering himself.


    Ven had startled too, earning a hiss from the cat as it tried to escape his grip.


    ¡°Hey, hey,¡± he whispered to the creature, wincing in pain at the claws in his arm, ¡°come now, don¡¯t run off again,¡±


    After a few moments, the creature settled, earning a scratch behind its ear. The sight reminded Rae of something unpleasant, of helpless terror and being laid bare, but he wasn¡¯t going to lose his cool again.


    ¡°So it¡¯s your cat?¡± Rae asked. The creature clearly trusted him, and he seemed quite familiar with its temperament.


    ¡°No. My father gave my nieces some kittens a few years ago. Out of the litter, this one is the escape artist, so I¡¯m often sent out to retrieve him,¡± Ven said, he eyed Rae for a moment, as if in thought, before putting the cat down and taking a cloth package out of a pocket.


    It was full of scraps and bones from the kitchen, which the cat was quite grateful for. It would remain there for some time, cracking bones and licking up the juices.


    When Ven¡¯s eyes met Rae¡¯s again, he felt an unfamiliar twisting in his stomach and indistinctly glanced around the clearing. His hand edged infinitesimally closer to the blade at his waist.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯m an assassin, do you? After everything that I¡¯ve done to help you out?¡± Ven spoke jovially like Rae had made a jest, but there was a tension behind it. As if he was secretly nursing a wound.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should thank you. My nerves just got the better of me,¡±


    Ven had saved him at the guest house and defended him against Duke Ashem. Rae owed him two debts, it would be wrong to continue to distrust him after that.


    But¡­ if his intentions weren¡¯t to kill Rae, what game could he possibly be playing? Was he a rebellious young master, just doing anything he could to enrage his father? Or was this all part of Duke Ashem¡¯s plan, to have someone close to Rae, trusted, ready when the time to strike comes?


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Ven said with a glowing smile, ¡°What are you doing out here anyway? Did the palace become too much for you?¡±


    Rae glanced back, ¡°I was visiting my mother¡¯s grave,¡±


    Ven stepped forward and brushed the willow leaves aside with an astonished expression.


    ¡°I had never known there was a grave here,¡± he said, confirming a suspicion Rae had been nursing since he arrived, ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s been tended in¡­ Would you like help clearing the weeds?¡±


    Rae was shocked speechless at first. The knowledge that no one had visited Mother in¡­ not even the Shak. Then the thought of an Ashem, on his knees, diligently tending to his mother¡¯s resting place. His mouth moved, but it took some time for the words to come.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. The red flowers¡­ they¡¯re fitting, mother would like them,¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re an odd one aren¡¯t you?¡± Ven said, before walking closer to the grave.


    A sense of protectiveness came over Rae, and he stalked after him.


    ¡°What are you-?¡±


    Ven knelt by the headstone, squinted at the moss-covered text, bowed his head and muttered a prayer.


    ¡°My respects to the late Shana,¡± he said, after he had finished, ¡°are- are you alright?¡±


    Rae¡¯s eyes had filled with tears before he could stop them and were close to overflowing.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Rae said, but his throat closed up before he could explain. Before he could think of an explanation.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m sorry if I overstepped. Don¡¯t cry,¡±


    All Rae could do was scowl at Ven, but that made his embarrassing state even more obvious. When he saw Ven¡¯s face twist in sympathy, he covered his eyes with his sleeve.


    ¡°These last few days have been overwhelming,¡± he said when he finally regained his voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure they have,¡±


    ¡°Speaking of such matters, are you going to explain why you saved me at the guesthouse? That ¡®beast¡¯ of yours¡­ Even if you didn¡¯t know my identity, he was there on the orders of Duke Ashem, why not let him finish his job?¡±


    Having slept twice since the incident, Rae¡¯s mind had cleared and he was ready to hear answers.


    ¡°The beast was acting in my father¡¯s interests, but not on his orders. He is little more than a poorly trained dog,¡± Ven said, his expression dark, ¡°he won¡¯t act on his own again,¡±


    So the unruly beast had been punished? Rae almost felt pity, wondering just how enraged Duke Ashem had been.


    ¡°My father doesn¡¯t intend to harm you. I can¡¯t guarantee that will last, especially if the baby¡­ Once the baby is born, it might change things.


    It might only buy Rae a few days, but that sentiment was a relief all the same.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question. Why did you step in?¡±


    At that, a glistening smile appeared on Ven¡¯s face. Once, Rae had thought it was the look of a wolf baring its fangs, and it still made him queasy. But he¡¯d been at the wolf¡¯s mercy before and it had never taken a bite out of him.


    ¡°I thought you were nothing but a beautiful youth, about to be cut down by a vicious beast. The man in me couldn¡¯t help but intervene,¡±


    At that moment, Rae realised the wolfish look was certainly the same one he used on the women he took ¡®tea¡¯ with. It was more intense than any he had been faced with before, so he couldn¡¯t help but blush. Ven stepped in because he thought he had found a nameless beauty in distress, and if he became their saviour, they¡¯d offer him something trivial in return.


    ¡°Ah¡­ were you upset when the truth came out?¡± It took all Rae¡¯s effort to keep his voice steady. Ven was shameless and loose but clearly wasn¡¯t a bad person. Plus, Rae was Shak, it wouldn¡¯t do to be driven over the edge by a little teasing.


    ¡°What truth? Everything I said was true, and still is,¡±


    Rae spluttered, which he tried to play off as a laugh, ¡°Young master Ven is shameless. Don¡¯t tease me any more,¡±


    Rae couldn¡¯t allow the AShem young master to see how red his face had gotten, so he turned on his heels and stalked back towards the palace.


    The cat let out a squeak and Ven was soon next to him, with the creature in his arms.


    ¡°Your majesty, even if I didn¡¯t know the weight of my words back then, what I said before still holds true. If you ever need anything¡­ you can come to me,¡±


    Fuck off! Rae wanted to say. The alternation between shameless teasing and sincerity was giving Rae a headache. Heartburn, chills, A fever. Rae¡¯s body wasn¡¯t used to enduring such nonsense. If he didn¡¯t speak to someone normal soon, he might end up bedridden.


    Ven followed him until they reached the gates of the Shana¡¯s palace, where someone had been waiting for him to return with the cat.


    ¡°So you found him,¡± the Shana said, eyeing Rae but thankfully not commenting on his bloodshot eyes, and sour expression, ¡°you took so long, the girls have been inconsolable with worry,¡±


    She had recovered somewhat since their first meeting, perhaps reassured that Rae hadn¡¯t yet banished her from the palace. Even so, there was a pervasive weakness in her stance, a tiredness in her breath.


    Ven stroked the cat, which had relaxed bonelessly sleepy in his arms and was purring, ¡°they better learn not to let him out, if it makes them so worried,¡± Ven said, before glancing to Rae, ¡°I thank Your Majesty, for taking good care of him. Would you like to come in? Your sisters will want to thank the one who found him,¡±


    A frown fell across the Shana¡¯s face. She glared at Rae, who considered it for a moment. Rae had expected he might live out his whole life without so much as meeting his half-sisters and hadn¡¯t felt much grief over it. Innocent as they were, their existence was evidence of his father¡¯s and the Ashems¡¯ desperate wish to replace him. Each new daughter was another step in the countdown to Rae¡¯s doom.


    ¡°I need to go see Duke Bejuk. It¡¯s already quite late, so I won¡¯t keep him waiting any longer. I don¡¯t require any thanks,¡± As he spoke, disappointment flitted across Ven¡¯s eyes. The sight made something in Rae¡¯s heart seize again, and he hurried off before the Ashem young master could drive him unwell.


    <hr>


    <div>


    Duke Bejuk was taking tea in a secluded courtyard with his son when Rae finally found him.


    ¡°Your majesty,¡± Sebi greeted him, ¡°did you sleep well?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ um¡­ quite well!¡± Rae said, still a little unsettled from his meeting with Ven. And Sebi had witnessed him acting quite pitifully the previous night also.


    ¡°You looked feverish,¡± Duke Bejuk said. He reached out to check Rae¡¯s temperature, but Rae stepped away.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m not as frail as I used to be and I feel perfectly fine,¡±


    Duke Bejuk frowned but didn¡¯t argue anymore.


    ¡°Myself and Sebi were discussing your health, and I¡¯d like to make an unusual recommendation,¡±


    Rae glanced at Sebi. The night before, had he really been in so bad a state that he had decided to seek out a second opinion? He was just a little tired! A little touch starved. It wasn¡¯t like he was an invalid.


    ¡°It¡¯s actually a treatment I considered for your father, but the facility was barely finished a week ago, so he never got to try it. Sebi has conducted some research and concluded that stress relief has a big impact on health, so I started work to build a personal spa for the Shak¡¯s use only.


    It¡¯s a volcanic thermal bath, built into a secret cave a little way up the mountain. I think it would be a shame for all the work to go to waste, so I think you should give it a try,¡±


    The palace was not lacking in baths, and Rae didn¡¯t see how they could be improved by being half a mile up a steep uphill trail, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel curious. A cave? It must be more than the steel drum baths the servants would bring to his room and fill with hot water with buckets. A volcanic bath could likely chase the cold out of Rae¡¯s bones better than any other.


    ¡°Tell me where it is exactly,¡±

 Chapter 9

    It was a few days before Rae found time to test out the bathing caves. The baby had still yet to be born and Duke Ashem and the rest of the family were too busy tending to the Shana to oversee Rae¡¯s work too closely. Bejuk was quite excited by the whole idea and was happy to take on Rae¡¯s duties in exchange for feedback on his hard work.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like much,¡± Gaori said when they reached the mouth of the cave.


    They had walked up a winding little mountain path, unassuming. The entrance to the bathing caves was marked with a plain red banner and an unlit lantern. The ground around the cave had been artificially levelled, and more lanterns were mounted on the walls inside the cavern.


    They lit the lanterns as they walked, revealing the gleaming moisture clinging to the cave walls. The entrance was cool and damp, not exactly an inviting combination.


    But as Rae and Gaori walked deeper into the cave, the air went from crisp, to lukewarm, to steamy. Eventually, the passage opened into a vast chamber, in which water flowed.


    The water wasn¡¯t murky but smelt quite different from the fresh river water that fed the Shak¡¯s camp. Like something cooking, something stewing.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s safe?¡± Rae asked, before turning to see Gaori crouched down, dipping his fingers in the water.


    ¡°It¡¯s hot! That¡¯s all that matters to me,¡± he said and threw aside his belt and sword.


    After only a second, his leather breastplate was gone too, followed by his boots, tunic and trousers.


    ¡°Hey! You came here to watch out for intruders, not to bathe,¡± Rae said.


    His cousin was standing in the water up to his waist and looked like he wanted to melt into it.


    ¡°There¡¯s sand on the bottom, feels very soft underfoot! Rae, you must get in, come help me find a good spot to sit,¡±


    Gaori waded further into the pool, but the water didn¡¯t seem to get much higher than his belly button. The light from the lanterns flickered across the water and danced off the rising steam.


    ¡°It looks like it goes deeper,¡± Rae said, squinting into the darkness that enveloped both the walkway and the far end of the pool, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a look,¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Gaori had found a stone to sit on, and let out a sigh as he submerged himself deeper, ¡°I¡¯ll keep watch here,¡±


    Rae scoffed and strolled deeper into the darkness. It was comforting, being in this deep, hidden place, gradually illuminating it with flickering light. The sound of rushing water got louder, and Rae found the main pool was fed by a small waterfall at the end of the cavern. There, the passage twisted to the left and grew narrower. And the air grew moister. Rae wondered if this passage was simply here to vent the steam from the spring, but there were still regular lanterns mounted on the wall, and the floor had been carefully levelled and cleared of wreckage, so he suspected there might be one more thing to discover.


    Once the lanterns were lit, the passage didn¡¯t seem quite so long anymore, and soon Rae emerged into another vast chamber and saw the glare of daylight again.


    The chamber was almost perfectly round, large enough to fit about ten people comfortably. In the centre of the ceiling, there was an opening to the sky, drenching the chamber in light and fresh air.


    Rae took a deep breath, the warmth of the thermal pool was surely very soothing after a long walk, but paired with the peace of this chamber, with its natural window, Duke¡¯s Bejuk¡¯s secret baths were really something else.


    He stood beneath the opening, trying to catch a glimpse of the forest above. Other than a few stray tree roots, all he could see was sky. Steam from the baths twirled up to the surface, illuminated by elegant sunbeams.


    ¡°Gaori, come out for a second! Come see this!¡± Rae shouted into the passage behind him.


    If he could get a seat brought up the mountain, he would find this a pleasant, private place to meditate or sunbathe. His secret hideaway¡­ with a bath attached!


    ¡°Gaori!¡±


    The waterfall must have been drowning him out. Worrying the chamber might just be a fleeting dream, and would be gone, or less magical when he returned, Rae went back to the bathing pool.


    <hr>


    Rae had since he took his first steps, known how to move without making unnecessary sounds. He stepped lightly, with most of the weight on his toes. He wore minimal, unadorned clothing, that didn¡¯t restrict his movement. He took slow, measured breaths.


    Rae was so talented in this regard that he hardly noticed he was doing it. He had often appeared at his cousin¡¯s side without warning and caused him to startle. If this time, things hadn¡¯t gone so awry, that is likely what would have happened in the bathing caves, and they would have had a good laugh about it.


    As it goes, however, when Rae rounded the corner back into the main chamber, he was met by the sight of a black shadow, holding his cousin¡¯s head under the water.


    ¡°Goari!¡±Rae cried, and the shadow looked up. A white, sharp face with framed with black hair. Piercing amber eyes.


    ¡°You-!¡± Rae gasped, his hand fumbling for his sword. The water around the beast churned but Gaori was firmly held under.


    There wasn¡¯t a moment to wait! Rae¡¯s legs -which a moment ago had been reduced to jelly- moved on their own. He surged towards the assassin and aimed his sword at the shadow¡¯s throat. A guttural sound Rae had only heard from beasts escaped his lips.


    The shadow leapt away, silent, his eyes gleaming in the lantern light. He was as slender as a willow vine, and his water-logged clothes didn¡¯t seem to hinder his movement at all.


    When Gaori came up spluttering, the bestial part of Rae relaxed a little. He took on a defensive stance.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.¡°Where is your sword?¡± he asked, without breaking the glare he had fixed on the shadow.


    After less than a second, the amber eyes flitted to the ground, and Rae knew the sword was lying at the beast¡¯s feet.


    ¡°Dammit,¡± Gaori said after he had coughed up all the water, ¡°he came out of nowhere!¡±


    He was up and talking, but he didn¡¯t look like he could manage much more than that, even if he had his sword.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Rae asked the beast, all his effort going to keep his sword arm from shaking, ¡°Your master has scolded you once, did he not punish you properly?¡±


    Rae puffed out his chest and tried to channel Ven Ashem. Before, this fiend had backed off as soon as the Ashem young master haughtily told him off, but something had changed in the beast since then.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act ignorant,¡± the beast said, unsheathing his blade and rushing Rae.


    Rae was prepared for the beast¡¯s strength and was able to counter his attack without being knocked prone. The clang of the blades meeting rang in his ears for only a second, before Rae returned with a slash at the beast¡¯s waist.


    It never connected, and the force of the next attack forced Rae back a step. At least he wasn¡¯t standing on a roof this time.


    ¡°They call me a beast, but you¡¯re something-¡°


    Rae felt smug when his next blow shut the bastard up but he was soon pushed back again.


    Rae might have been well-trained and fitter than average, but his small size could only contain so much strength. With the ground slippery and the edge of the pool not far off, he had almost been backed into a corner, next he would be pressed up against the wall.


    Gaori, naked and winded as he was, was still in no state to help out. Rae gave his cousin one last glance before he darted into the passage to the windowed chamber.


    Rae was able to sprint through the forest undergrowth faster than anyone else in Camp Kaolin, but the shadow was faster.


    Just as Rae pivoted to greet the beast with a fresh wave of attacks in the open chamber, a fist hit him in the face.


    Rae stumbled back, assuming the defensive stance that had worked in the past. Instead of trying to knock him off his balance, the shadow focused all its ferocity on the arm which held his sword.


    Disoriented from the punch and his wrist being painfully twisted Rae¡¯s sword clattered to the cave floor.


    ¡°Rae!¡±


    Gaori had finally gathered himself. He would be running down the passage, sword drawn. All Rae needed was a little time.


    ¡°Your master doesn¡¯t want me dead,¡± Rae said, half to convince himself, as much as the beast.


    ¡°Neither do I, unless you refuse to cooperate,¡± the beast said, his amber eyes boring into Rae.


    He used his free hand to pull what looked like a kind of acupuncture needle out of who-knows-where. There was a sharp pain in the side of Rae¡¯s neck, and the cave began to swim.


    If the punch had dazzled him, whatever the beast had given him burnt him to a crisp. He couldn¡¯t tell which way was up. The opening in the cave shifted, grew and shrank, then all his vision was white.


    He could feel the beast, his grip firm and his body close, and tried to kick his way to freedom. The beast continued to manhandle him but didn¡¯t harm him any more.


    Rae was dragged under.


    <hr>


    When Rae¡¯s mind returned to him, they were in the forest. He had been swung over the beast¡¯s back, held by his legs. Looking up, he could see the undergrowth the beast was tearing through. Looking down, aside from his own limp body and the beast¡¯s shoulder, was that familiar blue sky peaking through the foliage.


    As he was taking this all in, Rae let out a groan. He felt sick. He couldn¡¯t tell if his limbs were in agony or completely numb. And the swinging motion of his upper body as he was carried upside down¡­ He was going to throw up.


    He couldn¡¯t open his mouth to speak, so he tapped on the beast''s back. It was a weak tap that said, ¡®Please have mercy, just for a moment!¡¯ but it sapped Rae of the last of his strength.


    ¡°Bear with it,¡± the beast said simply.


    Rae didn¡¯t even have the energy to kick his attacker, so focused everything he had on not throwing up. His head throbbed and the trees and rocks swam before his eyes.


    After who-knows-how-long, the beast came upon a dilapidated building. Maybe a hunting shack? It was built of wood and stone, with a dirt floor covered with a straw mat, and a hearth set on one wall. The beast threw Rae onto the mat, and it took a few more minutes for his mind to finally stop spinning.


    While Rae was incapacitated, the beast bound his hands and feet with a thin black rope. When his work was done, he sat back and waited for Rae to gather himself.


    ¡°Are you going to kill me?¡± Rae croaked. He couldn¡¯t understand, there was no benefit to ending his life, but there was even less to taking him captive. Especially for Duke Ashem, if Rae wanted, he might be able to convince Bejuk to help him build an army and raze camp Ashem to the ground in retaliation for this humiliation.


    ¡°It depends on today¡¯s outcome,¡± the beast said, ¡°you are to tell me what you had slipped into Miss Jiwat¡¯s food. Who you had do it. And how? If after all that, the Shali lives, I¡¯ll let you go,¡±


    Rae felt like he must still be sluggish from the drug.


    ¡°The Shali? I don¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t know what you mean,¡±


    The beast grabbed his collar, hauled him a foot off the ground and shook him.


    ¡°The Shali! You¡¯ve sent an assassin to poison Jiwat li Ashem! And you¡¯ll be after the rest of them next,¡±


    Ah, so the beast was mad. There was likely no saving Rae at this point but he couldn¡¯t help but try to defend against the terrible accusation.


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong-¡° Rae had the breath knocked out of him when the beast released his collar, and his skull impacted the floor. Even so, he couldn¡¯t let this crime be ascribed to him.


    ¡°I have no one except the one you almost drowned in the cave! Do you really think he could have done such a thing?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true! You have someone else, working in the shadows,¡± the beast¡¯s tone was ruthless, but Rae caught a glimpse of despair in his amber eyes. For the Shali? He was a loyal beast, Rae realised.


    ¡°Think it through! I have no reason to harm my sisters. The ones I have a grudge against are the Shana and Duke Ashem. And you-¡° Rae paused, before deciding to take a leap, ¡°-you must have been watching me, after that night at the guesthouse? Someone of your skills-¡° Rae spoke as meekly as possible, ¡°-would have noticed if I had a secret assassin to order around, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    The beast was frozen, just staring a Rae. Then, the ice was thawed into horror.


    ¡°But¡­ If it wasn¡¯t you, then Miss Jiwat¡­¡± the beast¡¯s eyes were wide, his voice with more rasp than before. He was spiralling and Rae had to act fast.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me, which means the true culprit is still at large. If you let me go, I¡¯ll find who did this,¡±


    ¡°Miss Jiwat¡­¡± There were tears in the beast¡¯s eyes, he couldn¡¯t have been much older than Rae was.


    ¡°There, there¡­ Just untie me. I¡¯ll help you fix this,¡±


    Rae wasn¡¯t sure if he was lying or not. This beast didn¡¯t know what he was, a one-man force of nature one moment, overcome with hopeless sentiment the next. Regardless, the beast must have seen something trustworthy in Rae¡¯s eyes, because after wiping at his eyes and taking a deep breath, he released Rae¡¯s wrists.

 Chapter 10

    Zott had been watching over the Shali, lurking just at the edge of the courtyard; his back against the wall, when it happened. Miss Nuna and Viseka were trying to teach Miss Komao a dance they had made up. Miss Lim was asleep on her mother¡¯s lap, just out of the sun¡¯s glare.


    Miss Jiwat skipped onto the porch, a steamed bun in her hand. Something she had pilfered from the kitchen? It was almost lunch. Troublesome child.


    Zott¡¯s focus was on the dance practice. The Shali were not far from the duck pond. If they fell in, he was primed to jump and save them. It was the least he could do after he had failed so badly at the guest house. Humiliated Duke Ashem so terribly¡­


    Zott could feel his critical eye, but the Duke was hidden in the gloom of the tearoom. With young master Ven having descended the mountain again, Zott was less on edge than usual but still couldn¡¯t relax. Not while his previous infraction was so fresh.


    ¡°Darling! What¡¯s wrong?¡± the voice of the Shana rang out.


    Miss Jiwat had barely made a sound, her face blue, grasping at her jaw. Miss Lim was crying, woken by her mother leaping up to see to her other child.


    He was at their side in less than a second. She had eaten something. The steamed bun must have been-


    ¡°Get away, you idiot!¡± Duke Ashem shoved Zott aside and frantically looked over his grandchild.


    A servant had appeared in the doorway, attracted by the screams.


    ¡°Go fetch Bejuk at once! Or any healer you can find!¡±


    That other Duke, who so often caused Zott¡¯s master a headache, and his queer, ghostly protege were soon seeing to the ailing Shali. They had managed to keep her throat from closing up, but she was still pale and weak, slipping in and out of consciousness.


    Zott¡¯s stomach turned as he stood there, watching the healers, his Duke, and his Shana, tending to an innocent child he had sworn to protect. He had reached a new low. The guesthouse was a foolish mistake, but one the Duke could forgive with time. But this¡­


    Something had to be done.


    <hr>


    Zott¡¯s mind was whirring. When he thought of who must be responsible, he could only think of one name. Rae je Kaolin. That hateful shakje. Now, the Shak.


    He might look meek and harmless, enough to have young master Ven fooled, but Zott knew that the Koalin Shakje was the beginning and end of his master¡¯s troubles.


    The Shak had ample motive to target the Duke¡¯s family, to punish the Duke for his arrogance, the Shana for her marriage, and the Shali for their existence. For the Shak, those little girls were not innocent flowers, but weeds that needed to be culled.


    The sight of Miss Jiwat¡¯s twisted up face, the Shana¡¯s tears, the sound of little Miss Lim¡¯s wailing¡­ Zott couldn¡¯t wait around for his Duke to give the order. He didn¡¯t know if answers would be enough to save Miss Jiwat, nor what questions to ask, but he was going to bleed all the information he could out of the one responsible. The other Shali would not suffer the same fate. This, he swore.


    Whatever servants conducted the Shak¡¯s wicked whims¡­ he would skin them alive. Make them suffer ten times what Miss Jiwat was enduring.


    <hr>


    The Shak was easily caught. High up the mountain, with no one but a single fool to guard him. Smug in his victory. Perhaps always intending to be far from the palace when his trap was sprung. Clever.


    Zott would make him regret it.


    He let the Kaolin young master live for now. Once he had pried all the details from the Shak¡¯s lips; then, he could punish the underling.


    The poison he had crafted long ago worked wonderfully, leaving the Shak pliant, defenceless, wide-eyed, and drenched with sweat. It kept his mind just sharp enough to answer questions. Soon, justice would be had.


    You¡¯re wrong-


    It wasn¡¯t me, which means the true culprit is still at large.


    There, there.


    Zott knew he was unintelligent. Young master Ven had told him so often enough.


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    The problem with you, beast, is your blades are sharper than your wits.


    That moment, when doubt dawned on him, was easily the dumbest he had ever felt. He had arrogantly acted alone once again, deluded that he knew what his master would want of him.


    He had acted recklessly, and now his mind had been cleared of adrenaline, he realised just how much more of a headache he might have caused. How angry his Duke would be. How young master Ven would sneer.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me from the start, what has happened?¡± the Shak said after Zott had let him sit up. He was pale and shaking, the drug not entirely gone from his system yet, but he spoke very earnestly. His forehead glistened with a thin layer of sweat as he frowned at Zott. This weak thing thought he could help, wanted to.


    Zott had trained himself to be observant, to notice any inconsistencies before him. Anything that might help him serve his Duke well. But at that moment his skills worked against him. He noticed the depth of the Shak¡¯s eyes, the soft sheen of his mussed hair, the pale smoothness of his damp skin¡­ The way his voice was quiet, gentle, and a little afraid.


    Zott swallowed and explained how Miss Jiwat had collapsed, and how he had left just as Duke Bejuk was treating her.


    ¡°Bejuk and Sebi will take good care of her. Let¡¯s go back down the mountain and see what we can do to help,¡±


    Zott didn¡¯t want to go. If the Shak didn¡¯t order his death, Duke Ashem would. If the Duke spared him, there was young master Ven to consider.


    ¡°They¡¯ll probably all be busy taking care of her. We can help by asking around, finding out where the steamed bun came from,¡±


    Ah. Miss Jiwat was counting on him to find out who did this. It shouldn¡¯t matter if he was walking to his execution or not, he had to do what he could to protect his master¡¯s precious family.


    It would take them far too long to walk back down to the palace, what with the treacherous terrain and how shaken the Shak still was. Zott had learnt his lesson about acting on his own for the time being, so resisted the urge to throw the Shak back over his shoulder and start sprinting.


    He was as light as a maiden, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult¡­


    Instead he walked painfully slow, offering his arm when the Shak seemed unsteady on his feet. His didn¡¯t speak until the Shak broke the silence.


    ¡°So¡­ will you tell me your name?¡±


    ¡°Zott Wolavu,¡±


    ¡°Wolavu¡­ So you¡¯re not from camp Ashem?¡± The Shak spoke in a light and quiet voice that felt like a play at friendliness but couldn¡¯t fully mask his nerves.


    Zott had his own nerves, not just at the death that was likely awaiting him, but at the difficult direction the conversation was going.


    ¡°Not by birth,¡±


    ¡°How did you end up serving Duke Ashem?¡±


    Zott bristled at the question.


    ¡°My loyalty won¡¯t be bought,¡± he said simply, saving the Shak the details of their arrangement.


    ¡°Oh, I believe you,¡± the Shak laughed. Quietly, but a genuine laugh!


    Zott didn¡¯t know if he should laugh back. It didn¡¯t seem like he was the butt of the joke, but the situation was hardly amusing.


    ¡°I never properly introduced myself, I¡¯m Rae. Is there anything you want to ask me?¡±


    So friendly. Pathetically transparent. But a clever tactic. To try and humanise himself to the attacker who had overpowered him twice. To make himself harder to kill. Little did the Shak -or Rae, as he so wished to be called- know that Zott would never let sentiment get in the way of one of his master¡¯s orders. Still, it couldn¡¯t hurt to play along. It might just save his life.


    ¡°That useless guard, why do you keep him around?¡±


    ¡°Gaori? He¡¯s my cousin, and my oldest friend. And he¡¯s not useless,¡± Rae said. He didn¡¯t offer any explanation for that last point, which made Zott think it was perfunctory.


    ¡°If not you, who else might have tried to kill the Shali?¡± Zott asked, hoping brainstorming potential targets might settle his nerves.


    Rae was quiet for a moment before saying, ¡°I can¡¯t say. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gone on in this camp in the last twelve years. Do Duke Ashem or the Shana have any enemies, other than myself, of course?¡±


    It was now Zott¡¯s turn to go quiet. His Duke was¡­ Excellent. Just. Magnificent. But he wasn¡¯t nice. Zott knew the leader¡¯s of many other camps had quarrelled with him, and swiftly been brought under heel. His daughter too, had many rivals for the position of Shana when it first opened up¡­


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been too involved in the affairs here. The Duke usually leaves me at home to keep an eye on young master Ven for him¡­¡± Zott said at last.


    Rae laughed again. Louder. More freely. Zott couldn¡¯t guess why, but the sound made him feel warm.


    ¡°Keep an eye on him? Does he get into that much trouble?¡± Rae asked.


    ¡°Hmm¡± Zott nodded.


    He debated about telling Rae about all the pretty young things he¡¯d had to chase out of his young master¡¯s rooms. Or the many times he had gone out on impromptu hunts, or shared a bottle of wine with friends, when he was supposed to be performing duties. The way his young master had always known how to charm exactly what he wanted out of anyone, and didn¡¯t care an inch for how his actions damaged the Duke¡¯s reputation.


    But if Zott told Rae all that, wouldn¡¯t he be just as bad?


    No. It might have been amusing to the Shak, but Zott had no place telling those stories.


    At last, the rugged mountain levelled out to the stone path that led to the Shana¡¯s palace. Upon confirming that Rae was well enough to keep up, Zott broke into a sprint, terrified about what he might find.

 Chapter 11

    Rae had expected to find the palace in a state of chaos. Instead, the courtyards were deserted, and there was hardly a sound, even from the servant¡¯s quarters.


    It took all Rae had to keep up with Zott, and he gave up when his attacker-turned-ally decided to scale the wall of the Shana¡¯s courtyard. As the Shak, he would be entering through the door.


    There was a servant keeping watch outside, who let Rae in without a word. The privileges of being Shak were still unfamiliar to Rae, so he hurried inside without fanfare. He dared not ask about the state the Shali was in. Zott soon appeared by his side again, having taken the shortcut through the garden without being spotted.


    The main tearoom was deserted, with evidence of the emergency strewn across the tables and floor.


    Jiwat was sleeping in her mother¡¯s bedchamber. Bejuk had been able to reduce the swelling in her throat enough that she could still breathe, and while uncomfortable, she wasn¡¯t thought to be in any more danger.Sebi watched over the Shali, while Bejuk made up medicines. Something to soothe Jiwat¡¯s discomfort, and more to calm the Shana¡¯s nerves.


    When Bejuk saw the state Rae had descended the mountain in, he raised his eyebrows but was too overworked to ask any questions.


    Duke Ashem had ordered that none of the servants be allowed to leave before he could question them but no investigation had started yet. In the kitchen, Rae and Zott found four servants. There were three women and a man; sitting quietly in the pantry, waiting for Duke Ashem to pass judgment on them.


    The head cook showed Rae and Zott the area where the food had been prepared, with the remaining steamed buns still set aside.


    ¡°Do you know much about poison?¡± Rae asked Zott, as if he didn¡¯t already have his suspicions about the matter.


    ¡°I know some,¡± Zott said, tearing a bun in two and sniffing the filling. He frowned. He scooped up the tiniest slither of ground veal and onion filling and licked it off his finger.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    Zott truly was terrifying. After waiting a few seconds, he shovelled the rest of the meat bun remnants into his mouth.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s fine,¡± he said, wiping the corner of his mouth.


    Rae could only stare at Zott. Waiting for¡­ something. His throat to seize, his eyes to bulge, his face to turn blue. Whatever happened when people ate poison, Rae didn¡¯t know.


    Nothing happened.


    ¡°How did Her Highness get her hands on the tainted bun?¡± Zott asked the cook.


    ¡°I really can¡¯t say¡­¡± she said, not meeting Zott¡¯s eyes. Rae realised she could also see the beastly fury in his amber glare, and that it petrified her.


    ¡°You better not be lying to me. If you are, I¡¯ll make you-¡°


    ¡°Young master Zott! You know just as well as I do what the little Shali are like. How they run wild and are spoilt rotten, even by us servants. But I have five hungry children at home. If Miss Jiwat came to my kitchen to sneak a snack, I¡¯d have caught her and made her wait till lunch.


    I¡¯ve served Her Majesty for more than ten years! I don¡¯t know what happened but wherever Miss Jiwat got that cursed bun, it wasn¡¯t from my kitchen!¡±


    The cook¡¯s eyes were frantic as Zott glared at her. He opened his mouth to press her further when Rae chose the moment to step in.


    ¡°It does seem like the poison didn¡¯t come from the kitchen if the other buns weren¡¯t tainted. If Jiwat remembers something different, she¡¯ll be able to tell us soon enough, so let¡¯s leave it for now,¡±


    Zott might have hoped to terrorise the rest of the kitchen staff until he found a hole in their story, but Rae didn¡¯t think they¡¯d find anything there. He tugged on the beast¡¯s arm and was begrudgingly followed back to the main tea room, still eerily quiet.


    <hr>


    Quiet. But not empty.


    Rae was so busy wrestling Zott away from the kitchen that he didn¡¯t notice him at first, silently sifting through the mess on the floor.


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.¡°Your excellency-¡° Zott said, dropping to his knees the moment he saw him.


    Duke Ashem startled, before his expression turned sour, looking at Rae as if he thought he should be on his knees too. Or not daring to show his face at all. He glared at the two of them with dark eyes.


    ¡°Duke Ashem, is the Shali alright?¡± Rae didn¡¯t know what to call the child. Given his position and their relationship, he owed her no propriety nor title, but simply calling her Jiwat seemed somehow¡­ presumptuous. She was his sister, but he had never even spoken to her. If they had met outside the palace, he would have never known who she was. So he called her all that she was to him, a Shali.


    ¡°She is well, so you can get out,¡± Duke Asem snapped, before turning to Zott, ¡°you too, scram. I don¡¯t want to look at you,¡±


    Zott didn¡¯t say anything nor did he raise his head. A beast brought to heel.


    ¡°Duke Ashem, I¡¯ve come to offer my assistance in finding who¡¯s responsible for this,¡± Rae said. His throat was dry, he¡¯d never dared speak back when Duke Ashem dismissed him before.


    ¡°Who¡¯s responsible? What can you do that I can¡¯t? Sneaking in here looking like you¡¯ve just rolled out of bed! You¡¯re worse than- you¡¯ll be no help¡­ Just get out,¡±


    Duke Ashem¡¯s voice cracked when he shouted. Louder than Rae was used to. Although he had promised to help Zott, he had only done so out of self preservation and didn¡¯t have any personal affection for the victim. He had tried standing up for himself once, and after receiving a good shouting at, he was ready to go lick his wounds in private.


    But Zott¡­ He looked so crestfallen. He might be a fierce opponent, but when Duke Ashem berated him, he was nothing but pitiful.


    He is little more than a poorly trained dog.


    Rae could now see how Ven could speak so dismissively but felt his words were a little too harsh.


    ¡°Young master Zott, would you like to come with me?¡± Rae asked, smiling and attempting to meet the kneeling youth¡¯s eyes. Zott didn¡¯t reciprocate.


    ¡°Your Maj-¡° Zott never got to finish his dismissal, and Rae could see in his eyes that it was a dismissal because Duke Ashem had a much more vicious one to hand.


    ¡°Young master? Taking my servant from me too? After the day I¡¯ve had? Get out of my sight before I commit a grave crime,¡±


    Rae didn¡¯t have to be told twice.


    <hr>


    Rae had never expected any grace from Duke Ashem, so the outburst didn¡¯t cause him too much grief. He ambled out of the Shana¡¯s palace, keeping an eye out for any clues he might have missed on the way in. Soon, he reached the sentry guarding the gate, who was busy being accosted.


    Soaked through, only half dressed, his dark curls even messier than usual, was Gaori.


    ¡°Let me through at once! It¡¯s an emergency!¡± he cried, and a wave of guilt hit Rae.


    Being knocked around and dragged all over the mountain had been an ordeal, but what had Gaori gone through? Almost drowned, naked and exposed, his dearest friend was dragged off by some strange assailant¡­ And he had only now made it back to the palace? Could he be more injured than Rae had realised?


    Gaori was new to the palace, and even in a more presentable state, not all the servants knew his face yet. Plus there was a suspected assassination attempt earlier that day. The sentry stood firm.


    ¡°You¡¯re not to enter here. Leave or be cut down,¡±


    Gaori might have been overcome with despair or rage, if he hadn¡¯t caught sight of Rae, behind the gates. He let out a guttural cry, almost a sob, despite the gleaming smile that followed.


    ¡°Rae!¡±


    He tried to rush forward to grasp Rae in his hands, but the sentry was still oblivious to the touching scene. He only barely stopped short of running Gaori through with his sabre.


    ¡°Woah!¡±


    ¡°Peace, friend!¡± Rae cried before a tragedy could occur, ¡°Young master Kaolin is permitted wherever this one goes,¡±


    If the sentry offered any apology, Rae didn¡¯t hear it. All his senses were overwhelmed by Gaori¡¯s crushing embrace.


    ¡°Rae. Rae, you¡¯re really safe?¡±


    Gaori had been ten years old when Rae came to live with him, and from the very start, he¡¯d known his cousin was delicate. Sensitive. In need of protection. Until this week, he¡¯d always thought he was up to the task.


    ¡°There, there,¡± Rae said, and when he felt a dampness on his shoulder, he added, ¡°Let¡¯s go back to my rooms, Duke Ashem is near, and he¡¯s not in a good mood,¡±


    ¡°When is he ever?¡± Gaori laughed through the tears and allowed Rae to lead him back to the Shak¡¯s chambers.


    Neither Rae nor Gaori were badly hurt. Bruised and shaken, but otherwise unscathed. It didn¡¯t take much more than a warm seat by the fire and a hot pot of tea to bring them back to their usual selves. Still, the spectre of the day¡¯s events, both what happened at the baths, and in the Shana¡¯s Palace, still loomed.


    ¡°What motive might one have to harm the Shali?¡± Goari wondered, once Rae had told him all he had learned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I intend to ask around the camp and see if I can find out who might have a grudge against Duke Ashem,¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to help him, after how he¡¯s treated you?¡±


    Rae didn¡¯t need long to consider it, ¡°I will. If the attacker is willing to target an innocent child, they can¡¯t be allowed to exist in the camp. Duke Ashem be damned,¡±


    Jiwat wasn¡¯t the only one Rae was acting for, however. And neither were the other innocents of the Ashem clan¡­ At the back of his mind, Rae couldn¡¯t shake the image of the frantic terror reflected in amber eyes. Rae had never seen a beast so loyal, and even though that loyalty had frightened him, it was surely something worth preserving.

 Chapter 12

    A few days later, Rae heard that Duke Ashem had left the palace to check in on a hunting lodge he owned in the valley and took the chance to continue his investigation.


    He only had to linger on the outskirts of the Shana¡¯s palace for a few minutes before Zott appeared before him.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± He said, his eyes like cold metal. Rae breathed a sigh of relief. The beast was before him, whole if not happy, and displaying his usual dumb loyalty. However angry Duke Ashem might have been, he hadn¡¯t done anything terrible to punish his dog.


    ¡°I came to see if you¡¯ve found anything else out. I haven¡¯t been able to do much¡­ I¡¯ve been mulling over the issue ever since I left,¡± he said and saw the dog¡¯s expression soften.


    ¡°I actually do have something¡­¡± Zott began.


    It seems the source of the tainted bun had come to light, and the true motive of the poisoner was thus revealed. Duke Bejuk, had ordered a course of medicinal herbs to help the Shana with her pregnancy. Worried that the Ashem kitchen staff wouldn¡¯t know how best to prepare the herbs, he had his own people make a meat bun and bring it over in time for lunch.


    ¡°So the Shana was the true target? And Jiwat was only poisoned by accident?¡± Rae asked.


    ¡°Miss Jiwat was able to identify the one who brought the bun over from the Bejuk¡¯s residence, but they don¡¯t appear to know anything. That place is not quite as secure as the Shana¡¯s palace, it seems possible that someone could sneak in and tamper with the food before it left the kitchens,¡±


    Rae found that likely. Moreover, Duke Bejuk¡¯s concoctions could sometimes smell so foul that they could easily be mixed up with something poisonous¡­


    ¡°Could someone really have sneaked in? Wouldn¡¯t Bejuk¡¯s servants be the more likely culprits?¡±At that question, Zott smiled, his teeth slightly pointed.


    ¡°If I can enter undetected, surely there are others who have. I investigated the servants last night. None of them were suspicious, there is another possibility¡­¡±


    ¡°Duke Bejuk, or another of his inner circle,¡± Rae finished.


    While not a comfortable possibility, it was one Rae couldn¡¯t ignore. Bejuk¡¯s loyalties were clear and had placed him in opposition to Duke Ashem. Furthermore, while the birth of another Shakje would be problematic for Rae, the Bejuk had the most to lose in the conflict that would inevitability erupt. With the Kaolin and Ashem camps locked in mortal warfare, and the Shak¡¯s camp in shambles, there would be none to help Bejuk stave off the advances of the desert peoples. Rae shook his head.


    ¡°Duke Bejuk wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. He might be loyal to me now, but his true allegiance will always be to my late father. He wouldn¡¯t harm the Shana, nor the unborn child, regardless of the political implications,¡±


    ¡°If the Duke did want to harm the Shana, he¡¯s had dozens of opportunities during the time I¡¯ve been here alone. It seems every day he brews a new concoction. The healers he¡¯s brought with him are much the same,¡± Zott said.


    ¡°Also¡­ could it be?¡± Rae thought aloud, ¡°Jiwat has already mostly recovered¡­ and she¡¯s only small. If the poison was intended for the Shana¡­ Could the culprit have mistaken the dosage?¡±


    He was now confident that there was no need to suspect Bejuk. No one trained in the healing arts would make such a mistake.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible, but¡­ I don¡¯t know all that much about poisons-¡° Zott said, and Rae couldn¡¯t help but scoff, ¡°really! Not enough to identify what was used here anyway¡­ but maybe the bun wasn¡¯t intended to harm the Shana too much, but instead to harm her baby?¡±


    ¡°That could be the case but it doesn¡¯t bring us any closer to finding the culprit. If that truly was the motive, the killer must be acting on my behalf¡­ and I truly can¡¯t imagine who on my side would commit such an act¡­¡±


    An awkward silence. Zott opened his mouth, but whatever thought he had was never formed into words. He scratched the back of his neck.


    ¡°There are still some leads I need to investigate,¡± Zott said at last and turned to leave, ¡°you¡­ keep your eyes open for anyone acting strangely. Let me know if you think of anything else,¡±


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.Rae might have bristled at being ordered around by this servant -or whatever Zott was- but he took these words as what they were: a declaration of trust. Camaraderie, at least until the poisoner was caught, or Duke Ashem gave orders otherwise.


    Rae smiled and bid his farewells to Zott, and would have left had they not been interrupted.


    <hr>


    ¡°Hey! Didn¡¯t I tell you to leave him be?¡±


    The haughty voice startled Rae, who turned to see Ven Ashem glaring at Zott with hot fury.


    Ven closed the distance between them quickly, placing himself between Rae and Zott. Despite the rage that oozed from Ven¡¯s every movement, Zott¡¯s face remained blank, and his tone indifferent.


    ¡°Young master, it¡¯s not-¡°


    ¡°You scram! Go wait on my father if you want his attention so badly. Don¡¯t you dare lay a hand on him!¡± Ven said before turning to Rae, ¡°Did he hurt you?¡±


    ¡°¡­well¡­¡±


    In truth, Zott had hurt Rae only a few days ago, but Rae had downplayed the details as best he could to Gaori, and had decided against bothering Duke Bejuk with his only minor injuries.


    Before Rae could decide exactly how truthful he wanted to be, Ven had reached up and cupped his cheek in his hand.


    ¡°You have a bruise here¡­¡± he said, his voice suddenly turning so tender. His hand was soft, befitting a young master who had never worked a day in his life, save for the slight impression left by a bowstring. And so warm! It sent a shudder down Rae¡¯s spine. Whatever injury Ven was so engrossed by, Rae was sure that touch alone would be enough to heal it.


    ¡°We had an altercation a few days ago. I suspected he might have been behind the attempt on Miss Jiwat, but we¡¯ve already settled matters,¡± Zott said, as honest as he was foolish.


    Ven¡¯s hand was gone from Rae¡¯s cheek, and he spun to face Zott.


    ¡°You!-¡±


    Rae knew Ven was going to attack before it happened. The way his whole body tensed when he spat the word. His fists were clenched, but he didn¡¯t raise a hand.


    Instead, he kicked Zott in the shin. And then, when Zott stumbled, he kicked him again until he fell.


    This all happened in less than a second, so while Rae had seen the tell-tale signs of coming violence in his stance, there was nothing he could do to stop it. Only when Ven pulled back for a third kick, did Rae¡¯s hand close around his arm.


    ¡°Stop!-¡° Rae cried, ¡°-Stop! We were just talking!¡±


    Zott let out a grunt on the ground, and Rae was torn between checking him for injuries and holding on to Ven. After a few long seconds, Zott crawled into a sitting position and rubbed at the areas where Ven¡¯s foot had impacted.


    ¡°Your majesty needn¡¯t be so worried. You endured much worse twice now,¡±


    Rae didn¡¯t think so. The worst he¡¯d felt in his two encounters with Zott had been fear. The fear had numbed any pain he felt to a dull ache and it didn¡¯t hit him again until long after he was safe and among friends.


    Watching Ven¡¯s foot connect, the hollow sound of his boot hitting bone, that sounded so painful Rae was close to vomiting. Zott¡¯s expression had barely changed, which reminded Rae of his beastly nature. When Ven tensed again at Zott¡¯s words Rae gripped him even tighter.


    ¡°Don¡¯t-! Don¡¯t. That won¡¯t help anything!¡±


    At last, Ven exhaled and took a step back.


    ¡°Your majesty is certainly merciful,¡± he said in a voice still tight with rage.


    Now that Rae felt it was safe to loosen his grip, he felt a little foolish.


    ¡°Now, now, it¡¯s not like that. Zott has been helping me investigate the matter with the child, so he¡¯s still useful to me. Please don¡¯t hurt him anymore,¡±


    ¡°Investigate? You can hardly trust him with such a sensitive matter¡­ there are much better people you could depend upon¡­¡± Ven said, eyeing Rae.


    ¡°Oh! That¡¯s not¡­ Well¡­¡± Rae¡¯s brain was still whirring at the brutal scene he had just witnessed and was struggling to keep up with the conversation. He looked desperately at Zott but received no help.


    ¡°He¡¯s not the only one helping me¡­ Gaori will too. And- and I was thinking of asking you for help also,¡± Rae said.


    ¡°Me?¡±


    A smile lit up Ven¡¯s face.


    It wasn¡¯t something Rae had made up on the spot. The previous evening, he had asked Gaori for ideas for how to look into other people of note in the Shak¡¯s camp. Gaori had reminded him of Ven Ashem¡¯s proclivities. And his passion for tea. A gregarious man of the town, who had already demonstrated his fealty to Rae¡­ There was no one better suited.


    ¡°I was hoping you might introduce me to the people you have tea with,¡± Rae said, and seeing the smirk on Ven¡¯s face, ¡°And help me investigate them! I need to get to know the manner of all the important players in this area, to understand any possible motives¡­ would you help me?¡±


    When Rae had asked the final question, almost at his wit¡¯s end, that warm, weighty hand appeared on his head and stroked his hair.


    ¡°I¡¯m at your service, your majesty¡±

 Chapter 13

    While the Shak¡¯s chambers had a space set aside to take tea privately, it was never intended to accommodate a crowd of youths. The chaise lounges were designed as a spot for the Shak to sit while coaxing one of his women into bed, or discussing delicate matters with a treasured adviser. Five young men with no untoward ideas towards each other? It wasn¡¯t ideal.


    With a storm raging outside, the courtyard and tea garden were out of the question, so the interior of Rae¡¯s private rooms was pushed to the limits.


    Rae sat on his bed, with Gaori next to him. Of all the men in his chambers that day, Gaori was the least likely to be put out by such a position. Nor would he use the opportunity to tease Rae.


    Ven Ashem had taken the chaise lounge across from the fire, draping himself over it like he was at a brothel and not at the centre of the greatest of all the camps. He had offered to share the seat with a few of the others in the room, but they could sense his wicked intentions and neither agreed.


    The first was Rae, and the second had gone to retrieve the chair from the office. This was Sebi Bejuk.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one here, so Young Master Zott will have to share with young master Ven,¡± he said, placing the chair beside the bed and primly sat. Rae had invited Sebi after he had come to check on his injuries, and Rae had realised that someone who knew his way around medicinal herbs and toxic plants might be of use.


    ¡°Young master Zott-¡° Ven sneered, ¡°can stand,¡±


    Rae made a face. It was true that Ven had been nothing but gentle with him if not a little too playful, but the venomous way he spoke of Zott¡­ It was starting to unsettle him.


    Speaking of Zott, he cared little for whatever jabs were being sent his way and leaned against the mantle.


    ¡°Shall we begin?¡± he said, setting his golden eyes on Rae.


    Rae cleared his throat and reiterated his wish to receive their help in investigating the poisoning.


    ¡°You all have knowledge and skills which I lack and are more familiar with the Shak¡¯s camp than I. It is my hope that with your help, the matter will be swiftly put to rest and everyone¡¯s minds can be at ease,¡±


    With that said, the discussion soon turned serious.


    ¡°You say it¡¯s likely the true target was my sister¡¯s unborn child?¡± Ven said.


    Rae looked at Sebi, who said, ¡°I¡¯ve studied the tainted food, the poison is a plant native to this area, known to be harmful if taken by pregnant women. Since the Shana is already so far along, I don¡¯t think it is likely to have killed the child, but I suspect that¡¯s what the culprit intended,¡±


    ¡°Why do you think that?¡± Ven asked.


    ¡°The bun had enough of the poison to cause a miscarriage if ingested, but the taste was so foul, and the poison so irritating to the throat¡­ Even if the bun made its way to its intended target, it¡¯s unlikely that the Shana would have eaten more than one mouthful. Such a small dose would be enough to make an adult unwell for a day, a child a bit more, but otherwise wouldn¡¯t cause any harm,¡±


    ¡°What are you suggesting?¡±


    At this moment, Rae chimed in.


    ¡°The culprit intended to harm the Shana¡¯s baby. And they chose now to act, which suggests they were waiting for me to return to the camp. Either they think they are acting on my behalf, or they are trying to frame me,


    ¡°The culprit was able to enter the Bejuk residence and tamper with the food undetected. Either it is someone of supreme skill or someone who had ample reason to be in a Duke¡¯s residence-¡±


    ¡°-I¡¯d say the former. If they were such a skilled assassin, they wouldn¡¯t have gotten the dosage so wrong,¡± Zott interrupted, earning a glare from Ven.


    ¡°So the former. Someone who often has business in the ducal residence, but isn¡¯t from camp Bejuk¡­ So, one of the servants from within the camp¡­


    ¡°That might be the one who did the deed, but there might be another who gave the order. That¡¯s where all of you come in: Sebi, you will be my eyes inside the Bejuk residence. Investigate the events of the last few days, and search for any evidence of strange comings and goings.


    ¡°Zott, please keep watch over the Shana and Shali, in case such an attempt happens again.


    ¡°Gaori, I know you¡¯ve been wanting to get close to a certain serving girl. You and she will gather information on the servants within the palace, and see if any have strange connections to Duke Ashem¡¯s enemies.


    ¡°Young master Ven and I-¡° Rae¡¯s voice stumbled upon the intense look he received from the man in question, ¡°-Ven and I. We¡¯ll do the same thing from the other side. We¡¯ll become ingratiated with the local powerful families, and investigate any that have quarrels with the Ashem,¡±


    After his four companions had agreed, Rae could only spare a few minutes to discuss their plans any further. He had been in and out of meetings with the Dukes all week. Ashem wanted permission to bring more of his men inside the camp, to ensure his family¡¯s safety. While Duke Bejuk had taken on much of the funeral arrangements, he still required Rae¡¯s input on vital matters. They had at last settled on a date for the final ceremony, a thought that made Rae¡¯s stomach churn.


    This was the first day since the incident that Rae had some free time set aside, and now Rae had discussed his plans with his trusted people, he was ready to go to a long-awaited meeting.


    Gaori had helped him arrange the meeting, so he assisted in batting off Ven Ashem¡¯s insistence he stay and have tea.


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    Then, Rae left the Shak¡¯s chambers and headed for the meeting place.


    <hr>


    His mother¡¯s grave. In the days Rae had been at the Shak¡¯s camp, he had cleared the moss from the headstone and trimmed back the flowers where they had grown particularly aggressively. The altar for offerings had been cleared of debris. Each day, prayers and flowers had been offered.


    When Rae arrived, the rain was just letting up and the stone path to the backwoods glistened. The person he had been hoping to meet was already there.


    ¡°My child!¡± Nana cried when she saw him, ¡°I¡¯ve caught glimpses of you a few times, but you were with the Dukes and I feared my greetings would be seen as presumptuous,¡±


    Her appearance had changed greatly over the years. Her hair, which had once been a dark, ruddy brown, had all turned grey. If not for that voice, which had soothed him to sleep on the worst nights of his life, Rae might not have recognised her.


    ¡°Who would dare call my Nana presumptuous?¡± Rae smiled and embraced her. Even with his mother gone, and his father uninterested, Rae had never been starved of affection. Since he left for Camp Kaolin, he had often been hugged and kissed by his auntie. But something about being pressed tightly to his Nana¡¯s chest, having his hair stroked at the perfect balance between firmly and gently¡­ It took him right back to his innocent days, when all was well with his parents and the future looked ever brighter with each new dawn.


    ¡°My child¡­ my child¡­ have you been keeping well?¡± Nana asked.


    ¡°Quite well, very well! But what of you? I had never expected to still find you here after all these years,¡± Rae asked. By this time, the hug had gotten a little stifling, and they parted.


    When they did, Nana wiped a tear from her eye.


    ¡°I could hardly leave! Even if you weren¡¯t here anymore, I knew you would eventually return. If I couldn¡¯t follow you to camp Kaolin, I would wait here and watch over your mother until you came back,¡±


    ¡°You always knew I would come back? What if another Shakje had been born?¡±


    ¡°Fate has a way of working out right from wrong. Your Highness has suffered some misfortune, but in heaven¡¯s eyes, you were always meant to be Shak,¡± she said, which Rae thought was a surprisingly whimsical thought.


    He was about to comment on this when his eyes fell on his mother¡¯s grave.


    ¡°You said you¡¯ve been watching over her and Nukaim, all this time?¡±


    ¡°Forgive me, highness. You must have been heartbroken to find it in such a state. I¡¯ve been worked very hard in recent months and I¡¯m sorry to say I¡¯ve neglected tending to her as a result,¡±


    Ah, with the Shana¡¯s pregnancy, the Shak¡¯s decline, and death, how chaotic the palace must have been!


    ¡°Of course, of course! Mother would understand. But you won¡¯t be worked to the bone any longer. I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯ll be taken care of from now on,¡±


    Nana protested for some time until Rae relented that she could continue to serve in the palace. He made a mental note to speak to the palace steward and ensure she wouldn¡¯t be working too hard. After returning to his rooms, they took tea together in the garden. The air was damp and cool, so despite them being warmed by the tea, Rae had the fire lit so Nana could warm herself before returning home.


    ¡°There are chambers set aside for my aides and vassals, but I have none but Gaori. I could set you up in some rooms- the very finest of all!¡± Rae said, but Nana refused.


    ¡°Your mother gifted me the place I live now. I can¡¯t bear to leave it, for as long as I live,¡±


    Rae nodded. He too, had little left to remember his mother by. While they had lived in finery, all their possessions were truly the property of the Shak, and little was saved for Rae to keep. Nana was only a servant of the soon-forgotten Shana, how could she ask to be allowed to keep any trinkets?


    Rae wished he was generous enough to offer her one of the things he had kept, but couldn¡¯t bear to part with a single thing. Guilt gnawing at him, he offered to walk Nana back to her home.


    ¡°A good idea. If you ever need your Nana, you¡¯ll know just where to look,¡± Nana said. In the time they had talked, the heavy creases on her forehead had softened, and her complexion was peach with warmth.


    Nana lived outside the palace. Her rooms were modest, located above the tea rooms across from the guesthouse. When Rae heard this, Rae worried that it might be a rowdy area but seeing the home Nana had built, his heart was softened.


    She had a well-maintained hearth, and plenty of fresh wood, with a quaint, warm living space. Thick, hand-sewn drapes obscured a good-sized window. The only other room was a bedchamber, which from the furtive glance caught by Rae as he dropped her off, was equally pleasant.


    ¡°Nana, between us, there is no need for formalities. If you need anything at all, you only need to ask. Your little one is now the Shak, and there¡¯s nothing I won¡¯t do for you,¡±


    Rae thought he might have glimpsed tears in Nana¡¯s eyes as she bid him farewell.


    ¡°I¡¯m very fortunate to have entered the late Shana¡¯s service, to have met such a kindhearted young man,¡±


    It is because of your kindness that I was able to turn out how I am, Rae thought. He had been struck dumb by the praise and never managed to return it.


    Nana pressed some candied almonds into his palm as he was leaving.


    ¡°To tide you over on the way home,¡± she said.


    <hr>


    Rae didn¡¯t return to the palace right away. He had managed to evade the attention of both Dukes and had already achieved his goal of meeting with the people he wanted to see. Now, all there was left to do was satisfy his curiosity and explore the Shak¡¯s camp for the first time.


    The people who lived in these mountains did not have photographs or a long artistic tradition. While those who worked in the palace knew what the Shak looked like, even they would not recognise him without regalia or retinue. Rae was free for a few hours to wander as he liked.


    In the Shak¡¯s camp, there were more restaurants and teahouses than Rae had ever seen before, but to anyone not from the mountains, the offerings would seem very provincial. A group of weaver girls had come together to sell their wares in the central square: rough outer tunics embroidered with flowers and songbirds. Rae sifted through them for some time, reminded of his auntie.


    Rae found a green silk ribbon, decorated with those red wildflowers he felt such affection for. He stroked his thumb across the stitching. It was a little messy, but it was the only one quite like it in the whole pile.


    ¡°It would suit you,¡± a deep, luxurious voice said.


    Rae startled and locked his eyes on Ven Ashem. His hair was silky and pristinely styled, dressed in a violet silk overcoat¡­ Rae felt the urge to shrink away from him.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Rae asked, suddenly feeling eyes on him. Did this fool not consider how much attention he drew? How weak the weaver girls would be to the temptation.


    ¡°Looking for a way to pass the time, for someone to have tea with. Would you care to join me?¡±


    There was no need to talk of tea so flirtatiously. Just when did this man decide he was free to tease Rae however he pleased?


    ¡°Alright, where did you have in mind?¡±

 Chapter 14

    After Rae had paid for the silk ribbon that had taken his fancy, Ven led him to the upper floor of a small tea shop overlooking the river.


    The host was very excitable when he saw young master Ven, ushering them up to the usual room. It was a small, secluded room at the corner of the building with views overlooking the water and the forest valley. The air was crisp, but once they had settled among plush cushions and the waiter had brought a hot pot of tea it became quite cosy.


    ¡°The usual room?¡± Rae asked, trying to sound casual.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Ven hummed as he took a sip, ¡°this is a personal favourite of mine,¡±


    Rae wanted to ask whom he normally brought here, but the question caught in his throat. Rae didn¡¯t know why he was so nervous. He tried to distract himself by taking a big gulp of tea.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help but wonder what Your Majesty might be doing, wandering the camp all alone,¡± Ven said, still using that shamelessly salacious tone. He was lounging forward, leaning his elbows on the table. His half-ponytail cascaded down his shoulders.


    ¡°The same as you. Just hoping to pass some time,¡± Rae said, twirling his ribbon between his fingers.


    ¡°Ah, then we are lucky to have found one another,¡± Ven said, earning a chuckle from Rae.


    ¡°By the way, you needn¡¯t call me ¡®Your Majesty¡¯ when it¡¯s just the two of us,¡± Rae said.


    ¡°Well then, what should I call you? Young master Kaolin?¡±


    Rae blushed, ¡°just Rae is fine.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s also no need for you to keep calling me ¡®young master¡¯¡± Ven said.


    ¡°As you wish,¡± Rae said.


    Ven made a wounded face, ¡°As you wish?¡±


    ¡°Ven,¡± Rae said, looking away.


    ¡°That ribbon really does suit you, will you use it to tie your hair?¡± Ven said.


    ¡°I think so,¡± Truthfully, Rae had bought the ribbon on a whim and hadn¡¯t thought of what he might use it for.


    ¡°May I?¡±


    Ven had placed his hand gently on Rae¡¯s, causing his heart to stutter until he realised he meant the ribbon. He allowed Ven to take it.


    Ven admired the ribbon for a moment before getting up from the table.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Rae asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to try it out?¡± Ven said. Rae turned to glare at him but all his protests died at the sight of Ven¡¯s sincere expression.


    Ven paused for a heartbeat, before touching Rae¡¯s hair. He had never been the most careful with his hair, and after roaming around all day, he was sure it must be in a shameful state.


    Ven eased his hair out of its ponytail and combed it smooth with his fingers. As he tamed Rae¡¯s hair, his fingers occasionally brushed his temples and the nape of his neck.


    Rae sat, back straight, struggling with where to look, and what to do with his hands. The tea was getting cold, and Ven was really taking his time!


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Be patient, I¡¯m almost done,¡±


    ¡°Are you actually tying it? Or are you just playing?¡±


    Electricity was pooling in the small of Rae¡¯s back, and he didn¡¯t think he could stand it much longer.


    ¡°All done!¡± Ven said, giving Rae one last pat on the head and sitting back down.


    Without a mirror, Rae couldn¡¯t fully inspect Ven¡¯s handiwork but found his hair fell over his shoulder, looser than it had before. Ven had braided the first few inches, then tied it off with the ribbon. Tied very neatly to show off the embroidery, the ribbon cascaded over his shoulders with the rest of his hair.


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    Rae favoured practicality over fashion, he wondered if such a style might be¡­


    ¡°Beautiful, just as expected,¡± Ven said, taking a swig of his tea.


    Rae didn¡¯t know how to respond. The electricity was still buzzing like glee in his stomach.


    ¡°Ven,¡± he said, staring at his hands in his lap, ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡±


    He never finished the thought. Ven sat there waiting.


    Just what am I trying to ask?


    ¡°Are you worried about my intentions?¡±


    Rae¡¯s first instinct was to deny it, but the lie stopped in his throat just as the truth had.


    ¡°Mn,¡± was all Rae could respond.


    ¡°I hope it¡¯s been obvious, but I¡¯m attempting to seduce you,¡± Ven¡¯s voice was low, but not quiet enough that someone in the next room wouldn¡¯t overhear. He leaned closer to Rae and spoke in an almost whisper.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I fancy you,¡± Ven answered with a soft smile. It was so gentle Rae couldn¡¯t bear to look at it.


    ¡°I-¡° he choked on his words, before steeling himself. Ven was being courageous. It was the least he could do to match him in sincerity.


    ¡°I¡¯m flattered. But it can¡¯t go any further than this,¡± he said, relieved when Ven¡¯s expression didn¡¯t sour.


    Ven didn¡¯t ask, but Rae was all too eager to explain, ¡°our clans are not on good terms, and my father¡¯s body is barely cold. My position here is precarious, so I mustn¡¯t be overly trusting,¡±


    Rae had never had to lay himself so bare before, but once he started, the words kept tumbling out.


    ¡°Furthermore, your father already hates me. If I stole you away from him, that might be the final infraction that costs me my life,¡±


    He had meant it lightheartedly, but Ven didn¡¯t smile.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put you in danger,¡± he said.


    Rae felt too guilty to argue that point.


    ¡°I¡¯m going home now. Thank you for the tea,¡±


    Rae made a break for the door and almost collided with a waiter. The boy startled, the wooden box he¡¯d been carrying clattered to the floor.


    ¡°Please forgive me, young master,¡± the boy dropped to his knees.


    Rae glanced at Ven, who shrugged.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Rae asked, picking the box up off the floor.


    ¡°A gift! Something sweet to go with your tea, it¡¯s on the house!¡±


    Rae¡¯s attempt at storming out had been a disaster, so after reassuring and thanking the frightened servant, he returned to the table. He opened the box to find an assortment of fruit pastries.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care for sweets, you¡¯re welcome to it all,¡± Ven said, standing up. Rae was taken aback. So you¡¯re storming off now?


    ¡°You¡¯re going?¡± Rae asked.


    ¡°You said you wanted to return to the palace? I¡¯ll join you, I need to pay my sister a visit,¡±


    <hr>


    On the walk back to the palace, Ven acted as if his mortifying confession had never happened. This enraged Rae, whose stomach wouldn¡¯t stop doing somersaults. If not for the grounding grip he kept on his box of treats, he might not have made it without slapping him.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want one?¡± Rae asked when he couldn¡¯t think of anything else to break the tension.


    From the box drifted a subtly syrupy, rich aroma. Clearly, these were high-quality goods. Rather than fret over an impossible infatuation, wouldn¡¯t indulging in sweets be much better? Rae couldn¡¯t hold back any more and picked out a dark red pastry and took a bite.


    A dense, chewy casing gave way to juicy sweetness.


    Rae let out a sigh, ¡°It¡¯s good, very good!¡±


    Ven chuckled, ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought you would have a sweet tooth,¡±


    Rae really wished Ven would take one if only to silence that mouth of his. He took another, a beige cake with a nutty scent, immediately after finishing his first.


    ¡°There¡¯s plenty of fine foods in the palace, but I haven¡¯t had sweets this good in a long time,¡± Rae said.


    The last cake was so rich and creamy, that as soon as it was gone Rae reached for another. Of all his memories of his childhood in the palace, being spoilt with cakes and pastries was one of the few uncomplicated ones. While his auntie¡¯s fruit pies were nice, nothing compared to the food he was treated to in the Shak¡¯s camp.


    As Rae ate, the nervousness that had pooled in his stomach had been eased. He now felt much better prepared to make conversation with Ven, yet he also felt strangely sluggish, and a little nauseated.


    ¡°They certainly look well made. I wonder if-¡° Ven had been musing, when Rae first stumbled over his own feet, ¡°-hey! What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    I feel a little funny. Rae couldn¡¯t get the words out. He had caught himself as he fell, but his limbs wouldn¡¯t cooperate enough to stand back up. His legs felt like jelly.


    ¡°You-!¡± Rae¡¯s head was too fuzzy to hang onto anger for long, even when his bone-deep fear of betrayal had come true. Poison. It was his own fault for trusting an Ashem.


    ¡°¡­!¡± was Rae dying? He¡¯d never felt so weak and confused before.


    Ven was crouching beside him.


    ¡°Bejuk shouldn¡¯t be far¡­¡± he said, and an even worse terror gripped Rae. He couldn¡¯t speak at all now, so could only grasp at Ven¡¯s sleeve.


    Don¡¯t you dare leave me.


    Clinging to Ven sapped the last of Rae¡¯s strength, and he soon lost consciousness.

 Chapter 15

    Five petals freshly plucked from a lunar orchid.


    Half a cup of mountain moss, dried.


    A spoonful of honey sugar.


    Pounded to a pulp, and mixed with a little water. Best served slightly warmed.


    Sebi spoon-fed the mixture to the Shak, who was barely hanging onto consciousness. His black hair was mussed from fretful sleep, and his skin flushed by a mild fever.


    Sebi sighed. It was one bad thing after another.


    It had been two months since he had been dragged, kicking and screaming, from his quiet life of study into the Shak¡¯s camp. He was used to running errands for Duke Bejuk and the other senior healers, but never had he been worked so hard as he was here.


    The late Shak, the Shana, Jiwat li Ashem, and now the new Shak too.


    ¡°Am I in heaven?¡± the Shak asked, peering at Sebi, ¡°you look like a heavenly maiden,¡±


    Sebi sighed again. His otherworldly appearance caused no end of trouble.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m Sebi. Do you remember how you got here?¡±


    ¡°¡­was I¡­ was I sick?¡± he asked, in a voice as fragile as glass.


    ¡°You were very sick. And you also fainted. Someone has drugged you,¡±


    ¡°I feel sick¡­¡± the Shak moaned, struggling to keep his eyes focused on Sebi. There was something so innocent, so childlike about the Shak¡¯s vulnerable expression¡­ It was a good thing Sebi was used to remaining impassive.


    ¡°This will help settle your stomach-¡° Sebi said, pressing a spoon of the warmed tonic to the Shak¡¯s lips, ¡°- your majesty will feel better soon,¡±


    It had been one of the rare afternoons Sebi had all to himself when Ven Ashem had burst into the courtyard of the Bejuk residence, calling for someone, anyone to come help the Shak.


    The patient was already past the point of delirium when Sebi got to him, and spent the following day and night slipping in and out of a muddled, half-conscious state. The vomiting hadn¡¯t cleared the drug from his system, but his periods of wakefulness were gradually growing longer.


    ¡°Ven¡­ Ven Ashem was with me,¡± the Shak said.


    ¡°I sent him away, he said you had been eating some sweets. Did he give them to you?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ but the tea house. They were given to me at the tea house,¡±


    Sebi frowned. This was the most coherent his majesty had been since the incident, and he knew his Duke was running himself ragged with worry over the Shak¡¯s condition.


    Ven had dragged him over to where the Shak had collapsed, face pale and eyes red-rimmed. He had never seen Ven Ashem so out of sorts, and he had seen that man embarrass himself in many creative ways over the years. Despite their history, Sebi didn¡¯t think him capable of harming the Shak. But given the Duke Ashem¡¯s ambitions¡­ He had to be sure.


    ¡°The tea house? Which tea house?¡±


    ¡°¡­ don¡¯t know¡­ not far¡­¡± The Shak¡¯s forehead was tense with effort as he mumbled an incoherent description.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯ll ask again later,¡± Sebi said. The honeyed moss tonic was getting cold, so he returned to spooning it into the Shak¡¯s mouth. His majesty pressed his eyes tightly shut as he ate.


    ¡°Does it taste bad?¡± Sebi asked. If it would make the Shak more comfortable, he could stir in more sugar.


    ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s sweet¡­ very nice¡­¡± the Shak murmured. He had a few more spoonfuls, before slipping back into sleep.


    Sebi had gone to great lengths to perfect all the treatments listed in the Bejuk clan¡¯s records and earned much acclaim for his thoroughness. Effectiveness, the cost and availability of ingredients, and preparation time: all of these were concerns when practising the healing arts. But no matter how effective a treatment was, the pungent aroma and strong flavour of most conventional healing herbs were hurdles Sebi had struggled to overcome. Hearing his work praised so sincerely, by someone in such a meek and delicate condition¡­


    Sebi made a note to use this formulation again in the future.


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    <hr>


    ¡°Young master Sebi, do you need anything?¡± Laela, a serving girl in the inner palace, asked.


    He had rarely seen her so serious, but he supposed the dire state the Shak had been in would dampen anyone¡¯s spirits.


    ¡°Nothing else. All he needs now is rest,¡± he said.


    Laela hovered by his side for a little longer than necessary.


    ¡°He looks so small. So helpless. Poor thing,¡± she said.


    ¡°You should watch your words. His majesty might remember this,¡±


    ¡°No no. His Majesty and I get along well. I¡¯ve said much more embarrassing things to him before. I¡¯ve even told him about-¡° Laela crept closer to Sebi and whispered, ¡°-the list,¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t-¡± Sebi gasped.


    This girl¡­


    ¡°Yes, yes! I¡¯ve told him everything,¡± she grinned.


    Sebi was speechless. This serving girl and her friends- had they no limits?


    And now the Shak knew how those girls talked about him. Like he was some¡­ some mythical beast. Hair as white as snow, some mountain spectre. So pale and gaunt and so ill-mannered. He could see them now, laughing as they discussed this strange new creature, ranking and assessing him.


    ¡°Hey hey, I didn¡¯t say anything bad. He thought I was silly too, don¡¯t worry,¡± Laela said, breaking Sebi out of his imaginings.


    It was silly to be so sensitive. Not manly. Sebi hardened his heart.


    ¡°His majesty won¡¯t want to hear any more jokes,¡± he scolded.


    It was time for Sebi to return to his room and rest. He tidied his equipment and slung his fur coat over his shoulders.


    ¡°There¡¯s one more thing, young master Sebi,¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Sebi paused.


    ¡°The Dukes have returned to their residences, but young master Ven has been waiting in the courtyard since yesterday. Should I send him away?¡± she asked.


    Sebi pondered it for a moment.


    ¡°No, you watch over the Shak. I¡¯ll see to him,¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Go back to your residence,¡± Sebi said when he saw Ven.


    There was a chill in the air, and Sebi didn¡¯t want to drag this conversation out any longer than necessary. The lanterns had been lit, and the moon was out, but the oppressive gloom still made one want to hurry home.


    ¡°How is-¡°


    ¡°His majesty is improving, he just needs rest,¡±


    Ven hadn¡¯t changed clothes since Sebi had last seen him. It seemed he really had been waiting in the courtyard for news for the entire night. His hair was greasy and his forehead creased.


    ¡°You must be frozen,¡± Sebi said, undoing the clasps on his cloak.


    ¡°No, no. I can¡¯t accept that,¡± Ven said, ever uncooperative.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish,¡± Sebi said.


    ¡°Keep it. I know you¡¯re sensitive to the cold,¡± Ven said and when Sebi shot him his most stubborn glare, he added ¡°I¡¯ll go home now if you say he¡¯s doing well,¡±


    Despite everything, Sebi felt secretly grateful. He could bear the cold for a few minutes if he had to, but he truly didn¡¯t want to part with his furs.


    The Bejuk residence and Ashem residence were next to each other, so the two of them walked together. Over the last day, Sebi had been turning over a dozen questions in his mind, inspired by the confused mumbling of the unconscious Shak. Was Ven really pursuing the Shak? Was the Shak allowing this? How could something like this come about?


    Now that someone with answers was before him, he didn¡¯t know where to start. He didn¡¯t want to appear judgemental, or a gossip, no the worst thing of all, jealous. Best not to pry too much, but he couldn¡¯t just drop the matter completely.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you go so far for someone you fancy,¡± Sebi gathered his courage as they drew close to the gatehouse, and levelled his accusation.


    He¡¯d asked Laela to ask the other serving girls what they knew of the relationship, and their information had been enlightening.


    Ven Ashem was a flighty flirt. He met his success via his fine looks, his powerful father, and his complete lack of self-consciousness. Of all the beauties who¡¯d known him, his sincerity was never what they praised.


    ¡°What do you mean? you know better than most what a hopeless romantic I am,¡± Ven smiled. But it wasn¡¯t his usual smile. Not teasing. Not hungry. It was a smile to mask his exhaustion. Sebi eyed him carefully. He¡¯d never seen him so genuine.


    ¡°I see¡­ You have every reason to be suspicious. I owe you an apology. Two years ago, I said you were the most beautiful man in the land. More fitting to be a courtesan in the imperial court than a flower blooming on these windswept peaks. I even swore that-¡°


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention that!-¡± Sebi snapped. Far too shameless! ¡°-What if someone heard you?!¡±


    Ven chuckled, and Sebi wanted to storm off and hide away somewhere no one would see his beet-red face. But that would only make Ven more self-satisfied and would do little to soothe Sebi¡¯s worries. He quelled his anger and spoke seriously.


    ¡°I do not doubt that your intentions are impure, but I know you don¡¯t mean any harm. If you intend to go on with this, tread carefully. And keep your guard up, at least until we find who is behind these poisonings,¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t cause you any more trouble. Nor the Shak. His Majesty put his trust in me to help settle this matter, so I¡¯ll earnestly try my best,¡±


    Now that it was time to part ways, Ven¡¯s mood had improved significantly, and Sebi¡¯s exhaustion had seeped into his bones. He hurried through the gloom alone to the warmth and comfort of his room.


    Ven Ashem, you¡¯ve never done anything earnestly¡­

 Chapter 16

    ¡°My dear child¡­¡±


    When Rae first heard that voice and first felt that hand stroking his hair smooth, he thought he really was in heaven. First, the heavenly maiden had fed him some divine potion, and felt that hand stroking his hair smooth, he thought his own mother was by his side¡­


    Rae leaned into the fantasy for some time, keeping his eyes tightly squeezed shut as Nana sat beside him.


    ¡°My child¡­¡±


    She told him all the old stories he used to love. Stories of witches and curses, heroes and beasts. Stories that bridged the gap between the mountains and the heavens.


    But no dream could last forever, and Rae knew he had to return to the mortal realm sooner or later. When Nana had gotten up to add another log to the fire, Rae sat up.


    ¡°My dear, don¡¯t get up so quickly, your health is still fragile!¡± Nana startled at the sudden sight of him awake.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Rae said, rubbing his eyes, ¡°I must have caused a lot of worry, how is everything?¡±


    He dreaded hearing about all the work Duke Bejuk had lined up for him over the last couple of days. And all the criticisms Duke Ashem would have prepared.


    ¡°There will be no talk of that!¡± Nana scolded, ¡°You¡¯ve been through quite enough. The Dukes have handled all matters regarding the burial on your behalf,¡±


    ¡°The burial?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t say exactly how long had passed, but he knew he must have been bedridden for at least a day. Did that mean the auspicious day had-


    ¡°This morning. They decided to conduct the ceremony while the weather was still fair. You wouldn¡¯t wake, and Master Sebi said it was best to let you recuperate,¡±


    Rae felt a wave of relief, swiftly followed by disgust. What a pathetic excuse for a son he was. Nana must have seen his face. She squeezed his palm.


    ¡°Dear child, you must have something to eat. When you¡¯re feeling strong enough, I¡¯ll take you to pay your respects at the grave,¡±


    Nana called for a servant and Laela appeared at the door. She brought Rae hot porridge with berries and a light herbal tea.


    Nana chatted away as he ate. Rae learnt that Sebi had been the one tending to him, and silently cringed at the memory of his heavenly maiden. Gaori had visited several times, but Rae had always been asleep. Rae hoped in their time apart, Gaori hadn¡¯t gotten into too much trouble.


    ¡°What of Ven Ashem?¡± Rae asked and saw a shadow descend on Nana¡¯s face.


    ¡°Darling, he¡­ He was the one who gave you the poisoned food, wasn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°No, no! I was given them at a tea shop in the camp. It was stupid, I should have been more careful-¡°


    ¡°But he was the one who took you to that tea shop. He probably convinced you to eat them, and he didn¡¯t have a single bite for himself¡­¡±


    Rae had only just woken up, and his head was already hurting.


    ¡°Nana, how do you know all this?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the story he¡¯s been telling, but the tea house has been searched, and no one is quite sure where the tainted goods came from¡­ Duke Ashem is protecting his son, and Duke Bejuk withholds judgment until he can speak with you¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Rae didn¡¯t know what to say.


    <hr>


    Before Rae could sort through the tempest of emotions, Laela appeared at the doorway again.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± she said, ¡°the Shana just dropped off some gifts, would you like me to bring them in?¡±


    Before Rae could say a word, Nana had stood up.


    ¡°Bring them in? Gifts from that woman? Get them out of his majesty¡¯s sight,¡± she said with a venom Rae had never heard before.


    Laela startled and muttered an ¡°excuse me,¡± before hurrying out of the room, shutting the door behind her.


    Rae swallowed.


    ¡°Nana¡­¡±


    They had spent many years apart, and those years had clearly been much harder on Nana than Rae had realised. With everything that had happened, they would both be justified in holding a grudge against the Ashem for the rest of their lives.


    Even so, since Rae had returned to the camp¡­ He was more and more realising that Ashem weren¡¯t the monsters he had thought them.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think-¡°


    ¡°-I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I know I overreacted. But when I first came in, you were having a nightmare and you were calling for your mother¡­


    ¡°I felt so sorry, that she isn¡¯t here when you still need her¡­ And being reminded of that woman and all the disrespect she¡¯s shown you both¡­ This servant was presumptuous. I¡¯ll watch my words in the future,¡±


    ¡°Now now, don¡¯t talk like that. Let¡¯s forget all about it,¡±


    Rae was feeling well enough to get out of bed, so after a few more minutes of fussing, Nana went to report his condition to Duke Bejuk. Once she was gone, and Rae was dressed, he went and found Laela to take a look at his gifts.


    They were as he expected; elegant but impersonal: fine silks, furs, trinkets bought from the desert peoples or imperial traders. No foodstuffs, which made sense given the circumstances.


    The last gift he opened was a lacquer box containing a few crystal goblets nestled in pale crepe wrapping. Rae might have set them down in a cupboard and forever forgotten about them, if not for something unusual.


    Hidden in the corner of the box was a flash of crimson. A silk handkerchief, folded into a tiny square. Rae thought it might have been left there by mistake, and absentmindedly unfolded it. It had been embroidered with a simple flower pattern, and hidden inside the folds was a scrap of parchment. Written in elegant black ink was a short poem:


    As the flowers wilt


    and the trees weep


    day after day


    my heart yearns for thee


    Rae didn¡¯t recognise the hand, but something about the poem, and the secretive way it had been delivered¡­ As he read it, he heard a certain voice. A low, sultry, teasing voice.


    <hr>


    Weeping trees. Forlorn flowers. A meeting place. Rae didn¡¯t stop to think.


    He was able to sneak out of his private courtyard out to the backwoods without seeing a soul. The area around his mother¡¯s grave was as quiet and neglected as ever, hidden beneath the shroud of willow vines.


    Rae¡¯s heart was pounding as he pushed the leaves aside.


    ¡°!¡±


    He was greeted by Ven Ashem, in a most pitiful state. He had been sat beside the grave, eyes shut, as if napping. At the sound of Rae¡¯s footfalls, he startled awake. He rubbed his puffy eyes, as if he couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing.


    ¡°Why did you come here?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I thought¡­ If I came here, I might find you,¡± Rae said.


    The subtle widening of Ven¡¯s eyes, his quiet gasp¡­ it made Rae¡¯s heart stutter. The realisation was a heady one.


    Rae was now used to all logic flying out the window whenever he laid eyes on Ven. Was used to all his pent-up anxiety being blasted away by his easy smile and effortless charm.


    For once, he wanted to be the one to set Ven¡¯s heart at ease.


    ¡°I read your poem and¡­ and I¡¯m feeling much better, so I came to look for you,¡±


    ¡°Forgive me, I was feeling lonely, so I wrote a self-indulgent little verse, hoping to get your attention,¡± he said with a wry smile.


    Rae didn¡¯t know what to say. I¡¯m glad you did. At that moment, all he could think of was what he wanted to do.


    He stepped closer to Ven. They¡¯d been this close before. Hell, that first night, Rae had sought comfort in his warm, broad chest.


    This close, the difference in height was all the more noticeable. For their eyes to meet, Rae would have to stand on his toes.


    ¡°Ven,¡± Rae took a deep breath, ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know how to say this,¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± he said. But he still had this resigned look in his eyes. A distance that wasn¡¯t there before.


    ¡°No, No! I just need time to say it right. I didn¡¯t think it through before I started,¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been through an ordeal. And after I burdened you with all my feelings¡­ It¡¯s alright, you don¡¯t need to say anymore,¡±


    Their was a misty sadness in Ven¡¯s eyes, despite his efforts to force a smile. It seemed like at any moment, he might turn back towards the palace. Without thinking, Rae grabbed his sleeve and held on tight.


    ¡°I¡¯ve not been burdened, and I do need to say more¡­¡± But no matter what, he couldn¡¯t find the words. He had never even thought of expressing such feelings before. He would have to rely on actions instead.


    He leaned closer until their breaths were intermingling, relishing the awed look Ven gave him. It gave him a burst of courage for the next step.


    Just as Rae was ready to brush his lips against Ven¡¯s, there was a shout from behind them.


    Rae, ever prepared for an ambush, spun on his heels as a projectile narrowly missed his head. He heard the oof of something hitting Ven but was too stunned by the sight before him to turn around.


    ¡°Leave his majesty alone, you- you ruffian!¡± Sebi¡¯s voice was several octaves higher than usual. His face, normally as pale as snow, was as red as mountain berry wine.


    ¡°¡­¡± Rae didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°Who are you calling a ruffian? You¡¯re the one throwing heavy bags at people,¡± Ven said, in a mirthless tone.


    Rae speechless as he was, could only turn to stare at Ven. There was a red mark across his cheek and forehead where the projectile had hit him, and in his hand was a worn leather satchel. Rae recognised it as the one Sebi always had hung at his waist, which clinked with bottles and jars whenever he moved.


    Before either of them could respond further Sebi had surged forward to snatch his satchel back.


    ¡°Be careful! That¡¯s got my precious supplies in it!¡± he said, and before Ven could retort that he hadn¡¯t been the one throwing it around, Sebi grabbed Rae¡¯s arm and pulled him a few paces away.


    ¡°Your majesty, are you feeling alright? Did he frighten you?¡±


    Rae cleared his throat, fretting over how red his face must be. The only solace was Sebi¡¯s face was surely even worse, and his hands very clammy.


    ¡°I¡­¡± he glanced at Ven, who was fighting off a smirk, ¡°I¡­ I need to get back to work, where is Duke Bejuk?¡±


    Rae strode off without another look at Sebi or Ven, directing the question at no one in particular. If either one answered he didn¡¯t hear over the blood rushing in his ears.


    What madness had taken over him? These last few weeks, it felt like he had been under a witch¡¯s spell. Kissing? Ven Ashem?  He should never have spoken to him in the first place, and now he wanted¡­ what? To settle down with him in their own tree house. To build themselves a little love nest. There were reasons Rae had never dared dally with anyone before and he¡¯d be wise not to forget them.


    But¡­ Rae couldn¡¯t help but notice he didn¡¯t


    ¡°My dear child¡­¡±


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    When Rae first heard that voice and first felt that hand stroking his hair smooth, he thought he really was in heaven. First, the heavenly maiden had fed him some divine potion, and felt that hand stroking his hair smooth, he thought his own mother was by his side¡­


    Rae leaned into the fantasy for some time, keeping his eyes tightly squeezed shut as Nana sat beside him.


    ¡°My child¡­¡±


    She told him all the old stories he used to love. Stories of witches and curses, heroes and beasts. Stories that bridged the gap between the mountains and the heavens.


    But no dream could last forever, and Rae knew he had to return to the mortal realm sooner or later. When Nana had gotten up to add another log to the fire, Rae sat up.


    ¡°My dear, don¡¯t get up so quickly, your health is still fragile!¡± Nana startled at the sudden sight of him awake.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Rae said, rubbing his eyes, ¡°I must have caused a lot of worry, how is everything?¡±


    He dreaded hearing about all the work Duke Bejuk had lined up for him over the last couple of days. And all the criticisms Duke Ashem would have prepared.


    ¡°There will be no talk of that!¡± Nana scolded, ¡°You¡¯ve been through quite enough. The Dukes have handled all matters regarding the burial on your behalf,¡±


    ¡°The burial?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t say exactly how long had passed, but he knew he must have been bedridden for at least a day. Did that mean the auspicious day had-


    ¡°This morning. They decided to conduct the ceremony while the weather was still fair. You wouldn¡¯t wake, and Master Sebi said it was best to let you recuperate,¡±


    Rae felt a wave of relief, swiftly followed by disgust. What a pathetic excuse for a son he was. Nana must have seen his face. She squeezed his palm.


    ¡°Dear child, you must have something to eat. When you¡¯re feeling strong enough, I¡¯ll take you to pay your respects at the grave,¡±


    Nana called for a servant and Laela appeared at the door. She brought Rae hot porridge with berries and a light herbal tea.


    Nana chatted away as he ate. Rae learnt that Sebi had been the one tending to him, and silently cringed at the memory of his heavenly maiden. Gaori had visited several times, but Rae had always been asleep. Rae hoped in their time apart, Gaori hadn¡¯t gotten into too much trouble.


    ¡°What of Ven Ashem?¡± Rae asked and saw a shadow descend on Nana¡¯s face.


    ¡°Darling, he¡­ He was the one who gave you the poisoned food, wasn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°No, no! I was given them at a tea shop in the camp. It was stupid, I should have been more careful-¡°


    ¡°But he was the one who took you to that tea shop. He probably convinced you to eat them, and he didn¡¯t have a single bite for himself¡­¡±


    Rae had only just woken up, and his head was already hurting.


    ¡°Nana, how do you know all this?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the story he¡¯s been telling, but the tea house has been searched, and no one is quite sure where the tainted goods came from¡­ Duke Ashem is protecting his son, and Duke Bejuk withholds judgment until he can speak with you¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Rae didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Before Rae could sort through the tempest of emotions, Laela appeared at the doorway again.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± she said, ¡°the Shana just dropped off some gifts, would you like me to bring them in?¡±


    Before Rae could say a word, Nana had stood up.


    ¡°Bring them in? Gifts from that woman? Get them out of his majesty¡¯s sight,¡± she said with a venom Rae had never heard before.


    Laela startled and muttered an ¡°excuse me,¡± before hurrying out of the room, shutting the door behind her.


    Rae swallowed.


    ¡°Nana¡­¡±


    They had spent many years apart, and those years had clearly been much harder on Nana than Rae had realised. With everything that had happened, they would both be justified in holding a grudge against the Ashem for the rest of their lives.


    Even so, since Rae had returned to the camp¡­ He was more and more realising that Ashem weren¡¯t the monsters he had thought them.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think-¡°


    ¡°-I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I know I overreacted. But when I first came in, you were having a nightmare and you were calling for your mother¡­


    ¡°I felt so sorry, that she isn¡¯t here when you still need her¡­ And being reminded of that woman and all the disrespect she¡¯s shown you both¡­ This servant was presumptuous. I¡¯ll watch my words in the future,¡±


    ¡°Now now, don¡¯t talk like that. Let¡¯s forget all about it,¡±


    Rae was feeling well enough to get out of bed, so after a few more minutes of fussing, Nana went to report his condition to Duke Bejuk. Once she was gone, and Rae was dressed, he went and found Laela to take a look at his gifts.


    They were as he expected; elegant but impersonal: fine silks, furs, trinkets bought from the desert peoples or imperial traders. No foodstuffs, which made sense given the circumstances.


    The last gift he opened was a lacquer box containing a few crystal goblets nestled in pale crepe wrapping. Rae might have set them down in a cupboard and forever forgotten about them, if not for something unusual.


    Hidden in the corner of the box was a flash of crimson. A silk handkerchief, folded into a tiny square. Rae thought it might have been left there by mistake, and absentmindedly unfolded it. It had been embroidered with a simple flower pattern, and hidden inside the folds was a scrap of parchment. Written in elegant black ink was a short poem:


    As the flowers wilt


    and the trees weep


    day after day


    my heart yearns for thee


    Rae didn¡¯t recognise the hand, but something about the poem, and the secretive way it had been delivered¡­ As he read it, he heard a certain voice. A low, sultry, teasing voice.


    <hr>


    Weeping trees. Forlorn flowers. A meeting place. Rae didn¡¯t stop to think.


    He was able to sneak out of his private courtyard out to the backwoods without seeing a soul. The area around his mother¡¯s grave was as quiet and neglected as ever, hidden beneath the shroud of willow vines.


    Rae¡¯s heart was pounding as he pushed the leaves aside.


    ¡°!¡±


    He was greeted by Ven Ashem, in a most pitiful state. He had been sat beside the grave, eyes shut, as if napping. At the sound of Rae¡¯s footfalls, he startled awake. He rubbed his puffy eyes, as if he couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing.


    ¡°Why did you come here?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I thought¡­ If I came here, I might find you,¡± Rae said.


    The subtle widening of Ven¡¯s eyes, his quiet gasp¡­ it made Rae¡¯s heart stutter. The realisation was a heady one.


    Rae was now used to all logic flying out the window whenever he laid eyes on Ven. Was used to all his pent-up anxiety being blasted away by his easy smile and effortless charm.


    For once, he wanted to be the one to set Ven¡¯s heart at ease.


    ¡°I read your poem and¡­ and I¡¯m feeling much better, so I came to look for you,¡±


    ¡°Forgive me, I was feeling lonely, so I wrote a self-indulgent little verse, hoping to get your attention,¡± he said with a wry smile.


    Rae didn¡¯t know what to say. I¡¯m glad you did. At that moment, all he could think of was what he wanted to do.


    He stepped closer to Ven. They¡¯d been this close before. Hell, that first night, Rae had sought comfort in his warm, broad chest.


    This close, the difference in height was all the more noticeable. For their eyes to meet, Rae would have to stand on his toes.


    ¡°Ven,¡± Rae took a deep breath, ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know how to say this,¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± he said. But he still had this resigned look in his eyes. A distance that wasn¡¯t there before.


    ¡°No, No! I just need time to say it right. I didn¡¯t think it through before I started,¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been through an ordeal. And after I burdened you with all my feelings¡­ It¡¯s alright, you don¡¯t need to say anymore,¡±


    Their was a misty sadness in Ven¡¯s eyes, despite his efforts to force a smile. It seemed like at any moment, he might turn back towards the palace. Without thinking, Rae grabbed his sleeve and held on tight.


    ¡°I¡¯ve not been burdened, and I do need to say more¡­¡± But no matter what, he couldn¡¯t find the words. He had never even thought of expressing such feelings before. He would have to rely on actions instead.


    He leaned closer until their breaths were intermingling, relishing the awed look Ven gave him. It gave him a burst of courage for the next step.


    <hr>


    Just as Rae was ready to brush his lips against Ven¡¯s, there was a shout from behind them.


    Rae, ever prepared for an ambush, spun on his heels as a projectile narrowly missed his head. He heard the oof of something hitting Ven but was too stunned by the sight before him to turn around.


    ¡°Leave his majesty alone, you- you ruffian!¡± Sebi¡¯s voice was several octaves higher than usual. His face, normally as pale as snow, was as red as mountain berry wine.


    ¡°¡­¡± Rae didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°Who are you calling a ruffian? You¡¯re the one throwing heavy bags at people,¡± Ven said, in a mirthless tone.


    Rae speechless as he was, could only turn to stare at Ven. There was a red mark across his cheek and forehead where the projectile had hit him, and in his hand was a worn leather satchel. Rae recognised it as the one Sebi always had hung at his waist, which clinked with bottles and jars whenever he moved.


    Before either of them could respond further Sebi had surged forward to snatch his satchel back.


    ¡°Be careful! That¡¯s got my precious supplies in it!¡± he said, and before Ven could retort that he hadn¡¯t been the one throwing it around, Sebi grabbed Rae¡¯s arm and pulled him a few paces away.


    ¡°Your majesty, are you feeling alright? Did he frighten you?¡±


    Rae cleared his throat, fretting over how red his face must be. The only solace was Sebi¡¯s face was surely even worse, and his hands very clammy.


    ¡°I¡­¡± he glanced at Ven, who was fighting off a smirk, ¡°I¡­ I need to get back to work, where is Duke Bejuk?¡±


    Rae strode off without another look at Sebi or Ven, directing the question at no one in particular. If either one answered he didn¡¯t hear over the blood rushing in his ears.


    What madness had taken over him? These last few weeks, it felt like he had been under a witch¡¯s spell. Kissing? Ven Ashem?  He should never have spoken to him in the first place, and now he wanted¡­ what? To settle down with him in their own tree house. To build themselves a little love nest. There were reasons Rae had never dared dally with anyone before and he¡¯d be wise not to forget them.


    But¡­ Rae couldn¡¯t help but notice he didn¡¯t feel relief that Sebi had stopped him. There was an itching feeling he couldn¡¯t shake. A  churning in his gut, a tingling on his lips, an aching in his heart.


    Rae longed to look back and see what face Ven might be making, but his pride prevailed. He stormed away from the clearing, taking random turns down passageways and into courtyards. Only when he was sure that neither man had followed him, and that there was no one else around, did he pause.


    Rae covered his treacherous lips with a shaking hand and tried to steady his breathing.


    feel relief that Sebi had stopped him. There was an itching feeling he couldn¡¯t shake. A  churning in his gut, a tingling on his lips, an aching in his heart.


    Rae longed to look back and see what face Ven might be making, but his pride prevailed. He stormed away from the clearing, taking random turns down passageways and into courtyards. Only when he was sure that neither man had followed him, and that there was no one else around, did he pause.


    Rae covered his treacherous lips with a shaking hand and tried to steady his breathing.

 Chapter 17

    The courtship rituals of the people of the mountains would have seemed simple to the imperial subjects of the plains. Each man took a single wife, and while affairs were not unheard of, there was no way for the products of such unions to receive recognition under the law.


    For this reason, the marriages of noble children were agonised over by their parents. There was no divorce, and no taking of concubines. So the pros and cons of a potential match had to be weighed very carefully.


    Of course, this only applied when the parents were physically present. This wasn¡¯t the case for Gaori.


    Less than a month since they¡¯d arrived in the Shak¡¯s camp, and Rae¡¯s cousin had already found himself a paramour. To Rae, this was a bitter fact.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking Laela to visit the clans in the southwest, while we¡¯re there, we can search for clues on the poisoner,¡± Gaori said.


    They were in Rae¡¯s rooms, halfway through a bottle of wine.


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to doubt we¡¯ll ever find anything,¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a defeatist. Yourself being made a target definitely complicates matters, but if we keep looking, we¡¯ll surely find something!¡±


    Since recovering, Rae hadn¡¯t had many chances to investigate himself, so Gaori had been handling the matter of the poisoner in his stead. He had first gotten close to Laela by having her run secret messages between himself and Rae, but by now he had taken her as a confidant. If it weren¡¯t for the Shak allowing her certain privileges, the head housekeeper would have surely banished her from the palace for allowing such indecency.


    ¡°Have the others found anything?¡± Rae asked.


    ¡°Nothing new,¡± Gaori said.


    Rae sighed. He wished the thing weighing on him was the existential threat of the poisoner¡­ But the real problem was Ven hadn¡¯t spoken a word to him since the aborted kiss.


    Rae had shirked his duties for too long, and the Dukes were sticking to him like glue, so perhaps Ven didn¡¯t want to intrude¡­ but Ven had never worried about such things before!


    ¡°What will you do when I¡¯m away?¡± Gaori asked, painfully oblivious.


    ¡°Whatever Bejuk asks, and Ashem demands of me,¡± Rae said.


    A silence passed between them. Rae had been following Gaori around like a duckling since the day he came to Camp Kaolin, so things were rarely awkward between them. Oblivious as he was, Gaori must have at least noticed something was off with his cousin.


    ¡°Hey¡­ I don¡¯t have to go if you¡¯re worried. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be safe here, so long as you don¡¯t go eating strange-¡°


    ¡°-I¡¯m fine,¡± Rae said.


    ¡°And!- If Ashem gives you a hard time, tell him to fuck off. And Bejuk too for that matter! You¡¯ve been unwell, and recently bereaved, and you''re not yet familiar with the ways of this camp¡­¡± Gaori might have thought up a dozen more excuses, but Rae had long stopped listening.


    He was being fretted over like he was a frail child again. Normally Rae wasn¡¯t opposed to being doted on. Being hugged warm, and wrapped in furs, and fed sweet treats, and hot wine¡­ But there was an itching frustration to having Gaori of all people worrying over him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. And don¡¯t even think about not going, I know Laela¡¯s been looking forward to it,¡±


    With that, Gaori¡¯s worries were set aside. And after the wine was depleted, he retired to his own rooms.


    <hr>


    Rae was not a lightweight, but he happily surrendered himself to the fuzzy feelings lingering at the edge of his consciousness. After the last few days, a little tender intoxication was what he needed.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Ven.


    Ven was surely angered -or disturbed- by Rae¡¯s conduct. Hands pressed over his eyes, Rae agonised over his memory of the incident.


    Perhaps, the subtle widening of eyes, the gentle blush, the intake of breath¡­ Maybe Rae had misread them all. Rae didn¡¯t know how to kiss, so maybe he¡¯d gone about it all wrong. Maybe his wanting face was a sight so repulsive that even Ven¡¯s easy affections had shrivelled up and died.


    And he couldn¡¯t ask Gaori about it! If Gaori found out, Rae would surely die. It was bad enough considering what Sebi must think of him now.


    And Sebi had hit Ven! Guilt gnawed at Rae¡¯s guts. If he had stayed to defend Ven, instead of storming off without a word, maybe things would be salvageable.


    Rae had spent many nights since that incident tossing and turning, worrying over every little action. But worry was an old friend to Rae. Far more disturbing, was the impatience he felt to see Ven again. To have another chance at a kiss. To have something more.


    He couldn¡¯t tell exactly when Ven¡¯s attention changed from something that bemused and annoyed him, to something he craved. And he craved him, body and soul. The mere thought of him sent his stomach reeling and his heart pounding. So loud he could hear it, pounding in his ears as he tried to sleep.


    It was frustrating, enough to make him grit his teeth, how comforting it was to imagine Ven was there with him. His soft smile, his deep voice, his warmth¡­


    Rae had never taken much of an interest in the erotic novels that traders brought over the border into the mountains, but he had glimpsed the illustrations on occasion. Gaori had given him some unwanted insight, so he knew just enough to fantasise. Detailed ink drawings of the imperial nobles enjoying their vast harems flooded his imagination.


    He would not touch himself. Even if it was a matter between only himself and the heavens, the humiliation would be too great. But how he wished he was as shameless as Gaori.


    There is only so long a person can agonise, trying to find a balance between lust and pride, before exhaustion takes over. During the day, Rae had been worked hard by the Dukes, and the duties of the Shak were weighing heavily on him, so he eventually fell asleep.


    <hr>


    Rae had thought he would never touch sweets again after being poisoned, but the morning Gaori left on his trip, Nana surprised him with homemade berry tarts.


    He ate three in one sitting alone before Nana told him to save some for later. The sweet blend of mountain fruits was Nana¡¯s special recipe, one that Rae knew his mother had adored.


    ¡°Thank you, Nana. That¡¯s just what I needed,¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re most welcome. I¡¯m just happy to finally be able to make them for you again,¡± She said, smiling softly.


    ¡°Nana, I wonder if you can help me,¡± Rae said, ¡°do you have any ideas as to who might be behind the poisonings? I¡¯ve been wracking my brain but I just can¡¯t guess what their motive might be,¡±


    ¡°I assumed Duke Ashem would be the one looking into that? Is he failing in his duties?¡± Nana asked.


    It was true that Duke Ashem had decided he would be in charge of bringing his granddaughter¡¯s attacker to justice -Rae had heard as such from Zott- but he was no closer than Rae and his circle had been. Only vague guesses at a motive, and no leads.


    ¡°The Ashem really have some nerve, if they had caught the one responsible sooner you would never have gotten sick,¡± Nana muttered, while Rae turned the possibilities over and over in his mind, ¡°it would be better if they hurried back to their own camp, maybe the poisoner will follow them. Then, your majesty wouldn¡¯t need to worry anymore,¡±


    ¡°Nana, Nana. We can¡¯t have that, one of the victims was a child¡­¡± Rae said. The child of an evil temptress, but a child nonetheless.


    ¡°Both victims were children,¡± Nana said.


    Rae stared at her for a moment, ¡°Nana¡­ I¡¯m not-¡°


    ¡°-I know, I know,¡± she cried, ¡°but you¡¯re still a child to me!¡± Her emotions had gotten the better of her, and tears twinkled in her eyes for a second but she soon blinked them away. Rae smiled fondly at her and didn¡¯t argue any further.


    ¡°Nana tell me one of the stories, like the old days,¡± he asked. He didn¡¯t remember Nana being so sentimental in the past, but if that was so, he knew what would calm her spirit.


    ¡°Alright, what sort of story?¡±


    ¡°A true one, one about witches,¡±


    To the mountain people, witches were creatures of the wilds. If, to the people of the empire, the mountain dwellers were savages, witches were more barbaric still. Human in form, but quite different in spirit. They lived in strange places, dark, water-filled caverns, and burnt-out clearings lined with rings of mushrooms.


    Some young ones thought the witches were a thing of the past, but every camp had an elder who knew someone who had crossed one and paid for it dearly.


    ¡°Witches? You never liked those stories when you were little¡­ maybe you really have grown up,¡± Nana said.


    ¡°Well, do you have one?¡±


    ¡°I do, and it¡¯s definitely true because it¡¯s one your mother told me,¡±

 Chapter 18

    ¡°There was once a man, whose clan lived on a beautiful mountain. It was covered in a lush pine forest. On a summer¡¯s day, the point where the peak met the sky shone a brilliant blue, and glistening clouds circled in admiration.


    The forest held many great beasts: bears, wolves, deer, and dozens more. The people of his clan ate well every day, for the man was a mighty hunter. Every day, the people of the clan threw a great feast, and he supplied the meats of the forest. This was a time before clans had chiefs, before Dukes and before the Shak, but this man was the closest thing they had to a chief. All the men admired him, the women yearned for him, his elders doted on him, and the children respected him.


    This was until, one long dark winter, the supply of beasts started to dwindle. It happened slowly at first, and the man put it down to poor luck. His traps lay empty, and there were no animal tracks no matter where he looked. When he finally found his prey, the beasts were so small and emaciated, they could hardly feed a single household.


    The clan persevered, feasting on wines and jams made from berries foraged by a beautiful young woman. Soon, she was beloved by the people, and the man was forgotten.


    For a while, the man tried to grow his own berries, but this didn¡¯t suit him. He was a hunter, so he left his camp to search for new prey. He walked for many days, finding nothing. Soon, he was deep in the valley that lay at the base of the mountain.


    The forest around the camp had been so bountiful that no hunters had travelled deep into the valley for several generations. But some elders said that a witch lived there.


    The man feared nothing, no matter how vicious the beast was, he could kill it. Spending cold, moonless nights in the wilderness didn¡¯t scare him at all. If the witch¡¯s valley was where he would find food, so be it.


    He descended into the valley and noticed the subtle changes in the flora around him. The forest grew darker, denser, and overrun with spines and brambles. Still, the man went on.


    Eventually, he reached a river, fed by a tiny spring near his home, it was now a vast and impassable stretch of water. The hunter sat on the bank, for the first time feeling completely hopeless. If he couldn¡¯t cross the river, he would have to return to his camp empty-handed.


    It was as he was thinking that, when he saw a dark mass, shifting and twisting under the surface of the water. He stared at it for some time before he realised what it was.


    A fish! The biggest fish he¡¯d ever seen!


    And as he looked, he saw more and more of them. He counted at least a dozen as he was making his plan.


    He may not be a fisherman, but if he brought a fish feast back to his people, they would surely shower him in glory. After weeks of eating nothing but foraged plants, this would be the event of the year!


    The man spent all day making himself a spear, and catching as many fish as he could stuff into his bag.


    What the hunter didn¡¯t know was that hiding in the shadow of the trees, someone was watching him.


    The fish in the pond were the beloved familiars of the witch, and she shook with rage at the sight of the hunter slaughtering them. She hadn¡¯t set eyes on a mortal in decades, but she hadn¡¯t forgotten the ways of punishing the ones that overstepped.


    She muttered a dark spell to herself, drawing on all the dark magic of the wilderness. Drawing on the storms, the shadows, the beasts, and the cold. The river, in which her magic was most concentrated, seemed to glow with otherworldly light.


    The hunter, too happy with his catch to notice anything amiss, started his walk back up the mountain. Silently, the witch followed him, excited to see his terrible fate.


    The journey up was harder than the way down; the terrain was harsh, and storms rolled in but the hunter didn¡¯t let this lessen his good spirits.


    When he arrived at the camp, the only person there to greet him was the fruit forager woman. Her beautiful face and gentle smile were much more welcome, now that he had a good catch the show her. When everyone heard what he had brought with him, everyone came out of their huts, and a feast was held. The elders praised him, the children listened attentively to the story of his journey, and the beautiful forager sat at his side. After the feast, he stayed up late, salting, pickling, and smoking all the fish that were still left over.


    He went to sleep content for the first night in months and slept long into the afternoon of the following day. When he rolled out of bed and went to find something to eat, he was greeted by the forager woman.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you caught all that fish yesterday,¡± she said, her eyes downcast.


    The man asked her what was wrong, and she said, ¡°When I went to check my berry patch this morning, there was nothing left. All pulled up by the roots overnight! I¡¯ve never seen anything like it!¡±


    The hunter tried to reassure her that he would soon catch whatever beast might be responsible, but she continued, ¡°-and that¡¯s not all! Some pests found their way into my storehouse and they made a real mess. Almost all the jams and wine is ruined beyond repair¡­¡±


    Of course, the hunter was no monster. He felt sorry for the forager and offered whatever help he could in helping her rebuild. But no matter what they did, her luck seemed to get worse and worse.


    And that wasn¡¯t all.


    One night, a fire wasn¡¯t properly extinguished, and a spark ignited the canvas of a storage tent. The fire spread and soon almost a dozen tents were ablaze. The men of the camp hauled bucket after bucket of water from the river, but despite their efforts, several people were killed and many more injured.


    Once they had cleared the area, and the victims¡¯ spirits were set free, another tragedy befell the camp. One that unfolded very slowly.


    The children of the camp started to fall ill, one after another. The symptoms were mild at first, so although it was unlike any illness the elders had seen before, nobody was very worried. But soon the children became trapped in unending sleep. They could be kept alive by their parents carefully feeding them soup, but they couldn¡¯t play, or even move at all. The camp, which was once a raucous and lively place, suddenly fell silent.


    The elders were puzzled by the illness and wracked their old brains for any knowledge their own elders had left them. The oldest one of all, let out a cry of anguish when he remembered something his grandfather had once told him. The hunter, who had no children of his own to care for, heard the elder¡¯s cry and went to tend to him. He was the first to hear the discovery.


    ¡°I fear we might have wrought the wrath of the witch,¡± the elder said, ¡°I don¡¯t know how, but our misfortune started when the little miss¡¯ berry crops all failed. So many have died since then¡­ I think a curse is the only explanation,¡±


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    The young forager was kindhearted and good. The hunter knew this, but he couldn¡¯t defend her without fear of someone remembering that the misfortune also coincided with him returning with the fish. So he didn¡¯t discourage the elder from bringing this matter up with the others, nor did he speak up during the meeting when they brought the issue to the rest of the camp.


    The woman was out in the forest, searching for herbs that might help the sick, so her name was poisoned without her ever knowing a thing.


    But the hunter wasn¡¯t reassured.


    When she returned, she wouldn¡¯t just stand by and allow herself to be driven out of the camp. She¡¯d argue, and she might even accuse him.


    The hunter offered to go out into the forest and find the woman, ask her what she had done to offend the witch and maybe even help her break the curse.


    It did not take long, the forager was much easier to track than beasts.


    He found her weighed down by a satchel full of herbs, which he gladly offered to carry for her.


    ¡°Good sir, what brought you all the way out here?¡±


    He told her that an elder had remembered an old rumour, of a miracle herb that grew nearby. He took her to a cave he had often used as shelter on long hunting trips. He led her inside, and before he could second guess himself, he killed her.


    When her blood was drained, he began his walk back to the camp. He had planned out what he was going to say when he returned, but he never arrived.


    The witch had watched all the misfortune that befell the camp with glee. She had sent her familiars to infiltrate the camp and observe the hunter¡¯s life collapsing up close.


    The witch might have been a creature of the wilderness, completely lacking in humanity, but even such creatures have souls. And all of heaven¡¯s creatures know right from wrong.


    When she saw him kill the woman, she was repulsed. She had almost exhausted the limits of her magic in torturing the camp, but there was still a little left¡­


    That night, she crept into the minds of all the people of the camp and showed them the truth. She showed them the hunter breaking the ancient taboo and taking what was hers. Showed them the hunter staying silent when he realised the mistake he had made. Showed them the forager¡¯s miserable fate.


    It was the following morning when the hunter returned to the camp, and everyone was there to greet him.


    The weakest threw rocks and shouted curses at him. The stronger beat him with clubs. He ran, and the best archer in the camp pierced his shoulder with an arrow.


    He crawled through the brambles and mud, and at last, it seemed he was alone.


    He bled. He cried. The beasts he once hunted found him and gnawed at his bones. At last, he died.


    With this death, the curse was lifted and eventually, the camp recovered. The man and woman were soon forgotten, but all the people of the camp knew never to offend the witch of the deep valley,¡±


    ¡°Woah,¡± Rae said, ¡°where did my mother hear such a story?¡±


    ¡°She never told me,¡± Nana said with a sad smile.


    ¡°But it must be a very old story¡­ if something like that had happened in living memory, I¡¯m sure people would still be talking about it¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmmm, you don¡¯t hear much about people getting cursed these days, but it does still happen,¡±


    Rae knew this, he had spent many a young night hiding under the covers after the elders had told old tales of when camp Kaolin had offended a witch.


    ¡°Is there anything he could have done to save himself?¡± Rae asked.


    ¡°Hmmm. It¡¯s possible to break some curses, but I think the hunter was doomed when he killed the forager. There was no chance of the witch letting him go after that,¡±


    ¡°So what curses can you break?¡±


    ¡°There are curses which aren¡¯t meant to kill, but only to subtly influence. They can control a person¡¯s actions or even their emotions-¡±


    ¡°-like a love spell?¡± Rae asked. In truth, Rae had been wondering about this topic for some time but didn¡¯t know how to broach it. Didn¡¯t know anyone other than Nana who would give him a serious answer.


    He had wracked his brain for an explanation for how he could feel the way he¡¯d been feeling, grasped at any straw he could manage. Rae had never been a romantic, for him to have changed so much over such a short time¡­ Some kind of witchcraft was his final hope for an explanation.


    ¡°Such things certainly exist in stories. But it¡¯s impossible even for witches to alter a person¡¯s heart. Spells have been used to confuse and befuddle many a man into making irreversible decisions though¡­¡± Nana said.


    ¡°How does one break such a spell?¡±


    ¡°The only way to overcome such a haze is to find a release for the built-up energy. Calm the frenzy without losing himself to depravity first,¡±


    That¡¯s what Rae was afraid of. He wasn¡¯t sure where the line between a healthy release of tension between friends and true depravity lay. But he couldn¡¯t very well ask Nana something like that.


    ¡°My child, why do you ask of this? Could it be you¡¯re thinking about your father?¡±


    Rae didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°My father?¡±


    ¡°I misspoke,¡±


    ¡°No, no. Please explain. What about my father?¡±


    ¡°I meant to ask, did you suspect that your father had been placed under a curse?¡±


    ¡°By the Shana?¡± Rae mused.


    In truth, he had thought this once, when the Ashem Shana had been nothing more than an evil temptress from an ancient tale. Now he was older, he knew that men didn¡¯t need to be cursed to betray the memory of their late wives. Nor to abandon their children.


    That said, the Ashem certainly did have¡­ their ways¡­ if the effect Ven Ashem was having on him meant anything¡­


    ¡°I should never have mentioned such a thing. Please forget it,¡±


    Rae was happy to do so. Nana left him alone with his thoughts soon after.


    The only way to overcome such a haze is to find a release for the built-up energy. Calm the frenzy without losing himself to depravity first.


    To Rae losing himself for the moment wasn¡¯t such a horrible prospect. Especially if it would calm the pattering of his heart whenever he laid eyes on Ven Ashem¡­


    <hr>


    It was getting late, and Rae was going to have one more glass of wine before going to bed when there was a thud on his roof.


    Rae sighed. The first time Zott had appeared in his chambers unannounced, Rae had thrown a lamp at him. From then on, Zott had made a concerted effort to loudly announce his arrival with a few clumsy stomps.


    ¡°Any news?¡± Rae asked.


    ¡°Nothing momentous,¡± Zott said, ¡°Young Master Ven sent me,¡±


    Rae scolded his frantic heart, ¡°What does he want?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s arranged a gathering at a nearby Ashem hunting lodge, tomorrow night. He wanted me to suggest you attend,¡±


    ¡°An opportunity to ingratiate myself with the local chieftains?¡±


    ¡°More like their daughters, local beauties, Dancers and cup-bearers. My lord, the young master is frivolous and foolish, please don¡¯t feel any obligation to indulge him,¡± Zott said.


    Rae pretended to consider the matter carefully, before saying.


    ¡°Even a humble cup-bearer knows more about the gossip in these parts than I do. I¡¯m sure I have much to learn from them,¡±


    Zott¡¯s expression was sour, but he didn¡¯t voice any criticisms. He climbed out the window he¡¯d entered through and vanished into the deep gloom.


    Rae sighed and poured his wine. He hoped it would help him relax before bed.

 Chapter 19

    Ordinary hunting lodges were little more than thatched huts. Space for a hearth, plus a few sleeping mats.


    Of course, the Ashem were an important family. Their hunting lodge on the Shak¡¯s mountain was as much a social venue as a practicality. The hearth-room opened into a courtyard, lit with lanterns and dotted with cushions. The centre was set aside for the hired musicians and dancers.


    Somewhere, hidden away, the kitchen staff were cooking up all the bounties of the valley: roasted quail, goat¡¯s cheese tarts, pickled greens, and berry wine¡­ Despite Rae¡¯s nasty experience not long ago, he still couldn¡¯t resist temptation. He carefully watched the other guests eating each item and after a few minutes, piled his plate high.


    Other than Ven and his servants, the young ladies and gentlemen at the party were not often permitted at the Shak¡¯s palace, and wouldn¡¯t know Rae¡¯s face. He was dressed well, in a red brocade coat, pristine riding boots, and gold studs in his ears. To those not in the know, he appeared to be a young master from out of town. So it goes without saying, he attracted a lot of attention.


    The only person there he couldn¡¯t compare to was young master Ven. Rae hadn¡¯t got a chance to talk with him since he¡¯d arrived, since Ven was always flanked by at least a half dozen stunning beauties.


    ¡°Young master, are you jealous of Master Ven?¡± the girl Rae had sat down with asked. Her voice was high and lilting, but there was the slightest furrow between her brows, which betrays annoyance at Rae¡¯s wandering gaze.


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Rae said, scrambling for an explanation, ¡°does he hold gatherings like this often? He seems rather popular?¡±


    The girl was the daughter of small camp¡¯s store-master. Young, buxom, sun-bleached and easygoing, she was the first girl Rae had managed to start a conversation with that evening.


    ¡°No, no. Master Ven is quite a rare sight in these parts. He usually spends most of the year at camp Ashem. Whenever he does come to visit the Shana, he will throw a few dinner parties, but rarely are they as extravagant as this,¡±


    ¡°Is that so,¡± Rae said, his narrowed gaze falling back on Ven. His companion sighed, and sunk back in her seat.


    ¡°I suppose this might be the last time we see him, if the Shana and Shali will be moving back to Camp Ashem soon¡­¡± she sighed.


    Rae didn¡¯t reply. He knew he was wasting a good opportunity to pry for intel. Knew he was being rude.


    But Ven¡¯s hair, normally coiled into a neat topknot, was tumbling down his shoulders like the freshest of mountain springs. Rae was parched just looking at it.


    ¡°Um,¡± Rae babbled, ¡°What do the elders at your camp think of the Ashem?¡± he asked.


    The girl¡¯s frown deepened, ¡°how would I know about something like that?¡±


    ¡°Have you ever heard them discussing Duke Ashem? What do they say about him? Or the Shana?¡±


    ¡°Or young master Ven, right? If he¡¯s all you can think about you can entertain someone else,¡±


    Rae stuttered the beginnings of an excuse, before giving up. She stalked off, and Rae noticed several other guests glaring and shaking their heads at him.


    It¡¯s a good thing no one¡¯s recognised me yet¡­


    Ven was lounging on some cushions across the courtyard, one beauty draped on his lap and another at his shoulder.


    Coming here was a waste of time, Rae realised. Without Gaori to grease the wheels of social interaction, he didn¡¯t stand a chance with anyone here.


    Rae was searching for a servant to fetch his cloak, when he was approached.


    ¡°Poor dear, have you been left all alone?¡±


    A voluptuous woman, dressed in deep indigo, took a puff from her pipe as she regarded Rae, ¡°Don¡¯t go so soon, the night is still young,¡±


    Her rich, sultry voice was perfectly complimented by a flawless complexion, lips painted a deep red and a single beauty mark under her left eye. She might have seemed like an innocent doe, no different from Ven¡¯s other beauties, but her dark eyes betrayed an intelligent, scheming nature.


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    ¡°Might I ask the lady¡¯s name?¡± Rae asked.


    ¡°You might. My lord, I heard from the other girls that you¡¯re interested in gossiping about young master Ashem. I¡¯m willing to entertain you if you wish,¡±


    Rae hesitated. The woman had the aura of a courtesan, and while she spoke plainly enough, he truly didn¡¯t know how to converse with such a woman.


    ¡°Your name?¡±


    ¡°Edomi. I¡¯m the lead performer of Azalea Hall,¡± she said, studying Rae¡¯s expression for a moment, before adding, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure house, darling,¡±


    Against his better judgment, Rae acquiesced. First Edomi fetched them each a cup of wine, and then they settled down on some cushions nestled under a willow tree.


    ¡°Duke Ashem is of course well respected, but his ill manners have made him a few enemies,¡± Edomi revealed before Rae could even form a question, ¡°but he¡¯s so powerful, no one would dare act against him. Even the previous Shak owed him a level of respect,¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t the Duke¡¯s sworn in service to the Shak?¡± Rae asked.


    ¡°Why of course, but the Shak is only a mortal man, after all. His power only goes as far as his name can carry him. And he depends on his Dukes to defend the frontier.¡±


    She was evidently more than the average courtier. Knowledgeable, beautiful and cunning. A rare jewel indeed.


    Edomi was right about the Ashem, even if one took issue with them, they would have to be a fool with a death wish to openly make a move against them.


    ¡°Of course, you would know that very well, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    <hr>


    Rae should have left the party then, but he still had his drink to finish and strange as she was, Edomi was right. The wine tasted delightful.


    It would be rude to leave without speaking a word to Ven. Rae didn¡¯t know what they were to each other, but it couldn¡¯t have been too far away from friends, could it?


    He¡¯d need a lot more to drink if he was going to elbow his way into the man of the hour¡¯s inner circle¡ªfirst haskap wine. Then plum. Then the bitter liquor that had been carried up the mountains by imperial traders. Then more plum wine.


    Rae could hold his drink well, but he was starting to sway slightly on his feet after all that. The warmth and fuzzy anticipation in his stomach conquered his sense of embarrassment.


    To overcome the haze, he must first surrender to it. To calm the frenzy, he must seek release.


    The crowd parted as he approached Ven, and he was met by the most dazzling smile he¡¯d seen yet.


    ¡°Ah! Everyone- this is the one I told you all about. It¡¯s his first time in the Shak¡¯s camp so do make him feel welcome,¡±


    Immediately, a few other guests said some pleasantries to them, but Rae didn¡¯t have any way of splitting his attention from Ven.


    ¡°Ven, I want to talk,¡±


    Ven blinked at him, so obviously it was comical. He cleared his throat, the bobbing of it made Rae shiver.


    ¡°Friend, are you feeling alright?¡± Ven said, drawing closer, a light sheen of sweat on his furrowed forehead. Rae wanted to reach out and smooth it back to perfect porcelain.


    He spoke in a low voice, one that only Rae would hear, ¡°You¡¯ve had a little too much, I think,¡±


    ¡°No, no¡­¡± Rae shook his head, ¡°I just want to talk to you!¡±


    ¡°Master Ven, I can have my people take this drunk home,¡± someone sneered, and Rae worried he might cry.


    ¡°I just want you,¡± he said, grabbing onto Ven¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Young master,¡± a servant suddenly appeared at Rae¡¯s side, ¡°shall I take him back?¡±


    Before Rae could protest, Ven had already waved him away.


    ¡°No need. There¡¯s room for him to rest here, I¡¯ll take care of it. Everyone, please continue to enjoy the festivities,¡±


    He gently unhooked Rae¡¯s grip from his sleeve and led him into the house, some powerful aura preventing any of the other guests from following.


    ¡°Ven, I regret what I said at the tea-house. I shouldn¡¯t have turned you down,¡±

 Chapter 20

    Oh, sweet heavens!


    The Shak was simply too cute! Ven¡¯s head was throbbing as he led his little drunkard away.


    ¡°Ven, Ven. I¡¯ve wanted to talk to you all day- no, longer!- ever since I got sick. I really-¡°


    ¡°Don¡¯t say any more,¡± Ven said. He couldn¡¯t hear it right now. His sweet voice was too tempting as it rambled on about whatever mistakes Rae thought he¡¯d made. It took all of Ven¡¯s self-control not to throw him over his shoulder, carry him off and have his way with him.


    Ven took him to the kitchens, gripping his hand tightly. In Rae¡¯s state, Ven could imagine him wandering off and hurting himself, or gorging on sweets.


    ¡°Ven,¡± Rae wined after the silence had dragged on for too long.


    Ven thrust a cup of water into his hand.


    ¡°Sober up, then we¡¯ll talk,¡±


    Honestly, Ven thought about having a drink himself. But both of them being beyond reason was a disaster waiting to happen.


    Rae, as quiet as a lamb, obediently sipped his water.


    After a few minutes, Ven spoke.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°I feel fine,¡±


    ¡°What were you thinking, getting so drunk?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not drunk,¡± Rae said, and Ven wanted to squeeze his rosy cheeks.


    ¡°You¡¯re the drunkest person I¡¯ve ever met. Is this your first time tasting wine?¡±


    Rae¡¯s face flushed even redder.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to talk to you¡­¡± Rae said and Ven shook his head.


    What kind of an explanation was that? A laugh was half-formed on his lips when he saw the sincere desperation in Rae¡¯s eyes.


    Before now, Rae had never been so needy with him. His eyes had always been down-turned, or darting about like dragonflies. Now those dark, sparkling spheres were fixed only on him, boring into him.


    It was all Ven had hoped for since they had met. Many a night, he had lay in bed imagining what it might be like, to have the Shak¡¯s undivided attention.


    ¡°W-well-¡° Ven stuttered, ¡°you have my attention, so out with it,¡±


    A perfect smile flashed across Rae¡¯s face.


    ¡°Ven! The last time we met¡­ I truly wanted to kiss you!¡±


    Heavens help me.


    That last few weeks had been one disaster after another, and now fate was mocking him. It was like he¡¯d been squeezed into a barrel and thrown over the Saoshak Falls.


    That day, after the Shak had left, Sebi had scolded Ven. His eyes were cold and piercing in a way Ven had found seductive a few seasons ago, but now he found only bothersome. They quarrelled for some time, which ended with Ven being punched in the jaw.


    Just who do you think you are, laying your hands on the Shak?


    Hmph! Since when are you his chaperone? I remember you saying you wanted no involvement in my depraved affairs¡­ perhaps it¡¯s because you too are harbouring some untoward feelings?


    Shut your mouth!


    Being reminded of that now, Ven rubbed the place where he¡¯d been struck.


    ¡°Rae,¡± Ven said, noting the way the Shak melted at the address, ¡°they¡¯ll be no more talk of that until you¡¯re sober,¡±


    Suddenly Rae was pressed against him, pleading.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ven. I¡¯m sorry, Sebi blamed you. I¡¯m sorry for not defending you,¡±


    There were glistening teardrops forming in his eyes.


    Ven wouldn¡¯t be able to cope if the Shak started crying. The painfully hot press of their bodies side by side was already too much.


    ¡°Now, now. No need to get upset. We¡¯ll talk in the morning. You get some rest,¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk in the morning?¡± Rae asks, finally releasing the tension in his body.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Ven said, and, against his better judgement, added ¡°you can stay the night here, and we¡¯ll talk over breakfast,¡±


    Rae¡¯s face bloomed like a sunflower. Open and trusting. Bright and innocent.


    ¡°I can sleep with you?¡±


    <hr>


    Rae clung to Ven¡¯s arm as he led him through the back halls of the hunting lodge.


    The Ashem hunting lodge might have been a fine one, perhaps the finest in the whole valley. But it still was no palace. Ven had arranged a bedroom to be prepared for himself alone, the rest of the sleeping chambers laying bare until the next summer hunting expedition.


    Ven¡¯s party arrangements had already stretched the staff thin, and Ven dared not ask them to make up another bed.


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    Ven had every intention to conduct himself properly, despite how gleefully Rae smiled when he found out he would be sleeping in Ven¡¯s bed. When they arrived in his chambers, Rae was almost vibrating with joy.


    ¡°Can I kiss you now?¡± he asked, swaying on his feet when Ven moved out of reach.


    ¡°If you still want to in the morning, I¡¯ll kiss you then,¡± Ven said, fetching a few spare blankets from the cupboard, and laying them on the floor.


    Rae threw off his outerwear and crawled into Ven¡¯s bed. He sat cross-legged on the bed, staring down at Ven blearily.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Sleeping,¡± Ven replied.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? You can¡¯t sleep down there,¡± Rae said.


    Ven sighed. He shut his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to restrain myself,¡±


    ¡°From what?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Ven, Ven. Come up here. Don¡¯t be silly. I¡¯m not afraid of anything you might do¡­¡±


    So sweet¡­ so tempting¡­


    ¡°Hush now, I¡¯m going to sleep,¡± Ven rolled onto his side and pretended to sleep.


    Rae complained for a few minutes, whispering arguments under his breath. A soft, frustrated lullaby¡­ All for Ven alone.


    Rae fell quiet, and Ven started to relax until he felt a warm weight press against his back.


    An almost imperceptible murmur, ¡°Sleep well, Ven¡­¡±


    Ven lay in exasperated silence, feeling a warm breath on his neck and listening to quiet snores, for up to an hour.


    At last, he rolled over and looked upon Rae¡¯s sleeping form. Soft moonlight on pale skin, long eyelashes quivering with each exhale, hands curled neatly under his cheek.


    How had Ven ever had eyes for any others?


    The floor was hard and cold. After a minute deliberation, Ven gently lifted the sleeping Shak into his arms and returned him to the bed. He didn¡¯t stir, sinking into the pillows. Ven, noticing the porcelain coolness of his skin, wrapped him in a wool blanket. In his sleep, Rae murmured something incomprehensible and Ven smiled down at him.


    He would not cross any lines tonight, he was content to enjoy his precious lamb just as he was. But, Rae had insisted so much that he wanted a kiss¡­ Unable to sleep until he had set things right, he brushed his lips against Rae¡¯s cool forehead.


    ¡°Sleep well, my beauty,¡±


    <hr>


    Ven didn¡¯t often dream, but the night¡¯s excitement wasn¡¯t limited to the waking world. He saw himself, showering affection and hot passion on his willing beauty. Tasting every inch of him¡­ wringing out sounds he had never made before¡­


    When Ven woke, drenched in sweat, his beauty was still nuzzled against his side. Ven pressed a kiss to his temple, and he didn¡¯t stir. Ven sighed, shutting his eyes and relaxing back into the covers.


    Just as he was starting to drift into another dream, there was a quiet knock at his door.


    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked, praying his beauty wouldn¡¯t be woken. He wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°Young master, forgive my rudeness, but I thought it best to notify you as soon as possible¡­¡± the steward stammered, rattling a few apologies and excuses.


    What could possibly be so urgent as to risk interrupting me in the arms of a lover? Ven internally grumbled, pulling the covers over Rae¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Just tell me what the matter is,¡± he ordered and the steward finally relented.


    ¡°Young master, I¡¯ve just received word from the palace, his excellency and the Shana have decided to pay the hunting lodge a visit. They could be here any moment!¡± he said, and Ven hugged the body beside him even tighter.


    Rae still in a dream, murmured something undecipherable, and pressed himself closer still.


    ¡°Understood. Do not let them find out about my guest. I¡¯ll find a way for him to leave discreetly,¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡±


    Ven listened to the servant¡¯s retreating footsteps, as he leaned into Rae¡¯s hair. So soft, and smelling slightly of flowers¡­ He pressed a kiss to his head.


    At last, his beauty began to stir.


    <hr>


    When he returned to consciousness, Rae¡¯s whole body tensed.


    ¡°Oh! Sorry,¡± Ven said. He hadn¡¯t realised how tightly he¡¯d been holding him.


    ¡°Ven¡­¡± Rae rubbed his forehead, wincing as he glanced around the room, ¡°Where are we?


    ¡±


    ¡°Still at the hunting lodge, do you remember last night?¡±


    Ven had hoped the reminder would set Rae off where they last were, begging him for kisses. Instead, his heart fell as horror dawned on Rae¡¯s face.


    ¡°Last night- did I?- did you?- did you do something strange?¡±


    Ven looked at his beauty, sleep in his eyes, hair mussed, pink in his cheeks.


    He had been given a choice: reassure his beauty, or rile him up even more¡­


    ¡°Something strange? Rae¡­ you¡¯re hurting my feelings¡­¡±


    Ven chose the wicked option. He couldn¡¯t help himself. Plus, he felt a little aggrieved that Rae didn¡¯t remember anything.


    ¡°You-!¡± Rae said through gritted teeth.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who dragged me away from my own party, begging me to take you to bed,¡±


    Ven allowed Rae to yank him closer by the collar of his shirt, ¡°what in the hell are you talking about?¡±


    Sweet, sweet Rae. His brows pressed into thin black lines, his forehead mired by tension lines. His white-knuckled grip, so close to Ven¡¯s throat¡­ the rich brown of his eyes¡­


    Rae believed him, Ven realised with a strangled laugh¡ªpoor, sweet thing.


    ¡°There, there. I lied to you¡­ truly, nothing happened at all,¡±


    Rae flushed red, ¡°you- you lied?¡±


    Ven eyed him carefully.


    ¡°I was the utmost gentleman,¡±


    ¡°Then why am I here?¡±


    ¡°You were quite unwell last night, almost hysterical. I offered you my bed, but you refused to go to sleep if I didn¡¯t join you,¡±


    Rae brought his hands up to his face.


    ¡°You mean¡­ I really said that?¡±


    Ven didn¡¯t have the heart for teasing anymore. He took Rae¡¯s hands in his, gently lowering them.


    ¡°Do you remember anything?¡± he asked.


    Rae worried his lower lip but didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t remember what you said, don¡¯t worry. You were drunk and confused, I won¡¯t dwell on it. But for the record, it made me very happy,¡±


    He watched Rae¡¯s intake of breath, and felt his grip on his hands as he searched for words.


    ¡°It made you happy?¡± at last, Rae whispered.


    Ven leaned closer until their breaths were intermingling, his heart pounding like an innocent maiden¡¯s.


    Rae¡¯s hands were on his chest again, fingers tangled in his shirt.


    ¡°Ven, I-¡°


    Ven was distracted from Rae¡¯s pink lips by the sound of heavy boots. Thud. Thud, thud. A familiar rhythm¡­


    Ven pulled Rae flush against his chest, covering his with the blankets. Half a second later, Ven¡¯s father opened the door.

 Chapter 21

    The Ashem hunting lodge did not have the manicured gardens and courtyards of the palace. The vegetation around the perimeter of the building had been hacked back, but beyond that was nothing but forest.


    Rae stared at Zott¡¯s back as they pushed through the foliage. The muscles of his shoulders were so tense that it showed through the fabric.


    ¡°I suppose¡­ you must be tired¡­ it¡¯s still very early¡­¡± Rae said.


    Zott said nothing.


    ¡°If it¡¯s too much trouble, I can find my own way back,¡±


    Mountain folk were masters of navigating the peaks and valleys. Rae hadn¡¯t explored these mountains at all before but from the incline of the earth, the direction of the wind, and the way light filtered through the trees, he could guess the direction back to Saoshak.


    Still, Zott said nothing.


    ¡°Zott,¡±


    Zott used a knife to cut them a route through undergrowth. His steps were light, considered, and gentle.


    ¡°The Shana¡­ when she told you to be silent, she only meant not to let Duke Ashem hear. Not that it¡¯s just us, you can talk,¡±


    At last, Zott made a sound. He grunted, and his stance relaxed, ever so slightly.


    ¡°You¡­ I know your loyalties lie first with Duke Ashem¡­ if he asks, you¡¯ll always tell him the truth¡­ But if he never asks, can you not mention that I stayed the night?¡±


    In the shade of the forest, the cold was deep. Rae held his borrowed cloak with numb fingers.


    The forest was silent, Zott had paused mid-step.


    ¡°You and Master Ven¡­¡±


    ¡°Y-yes?¡±


    ¡°Were you able to find any useful information?¡± Zott asked.


    For a moment, Rae was dumbstruck. Then guilt washed over him.


    The party! I was meant to be gathering information, and instead, I spent the whole time fawning over Ven!


    Of course, Zott was angry. He had trusted Rae to get to the bottom of the poisoning incident. He loved the Shali so dearly, that he would risk his own life, or kill, to protect them.


    Stupid. Selfish.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to find much out¡­ and later I took ill, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Took ill? You should have called for Duke Bejuk,¡±


    Why did everyone keep saying that?


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that serious. After a night¡¯s rest, I¡¯m already feeling much better,¡±


    ¡°A night¡¯s rest,¡± Zott repeated, his amber eyes gleaming.


    ¡°Ugh-!¡± Distracted by the sight, Rae had caught his foot on a root and pitched forward.


    A hand on his forearm. Zott hauled him up from the ground, and they kept walking.


    ¡°Young master Ven is very hospitable,¡±


    Rae¡¯s cheeks were hot; trembling tension in his hands.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got the wrong idea¡­¡± he trailed off.


    ¡°I want to warn you-¡±


    Rae braced himself for a threat. If you cause problems for my master, I¡¯ll slit your throat and throw you down a ravine. Something like that would explain why Zott wouldn¡¯t look directly at him.


    ¡°-He can be flighty and impulsive. It¡¯s not my place to tell you who to consort with¡­ but he¡¯s not someone you should give your heart to,¡±


    His heart. His heart? Was that what was on the line? Rae¡¯s heart was the least of his worries. His life, his dignity¡­ those were what mattered. His heart being shattered, being trampled, was something it had never occurred to him to be worried about.


    ¡°Are you¡­ are you saying this out of concern for me? Or concern for Ven?¡±


    ¡°Young master Ven has broken enough hearts in his lifetime. He¡¯d be a fool not to know what¡¯s coming by now. The one I¡¯m worried about is you,¡±


    Rae didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°Also my master¡­ he¡¯s irritable enough. If he found out you two were ¡®involved¡¯, the damage might be catastrophic,¡±


    You have no idea how close we were to disaster, Rae thought.


    <hr>


    Ven left the room to make arrangements, while Rae tried to make himself presentable.


    His clothes were dishevelled and sweaty, but the main problem was his hair. He borrowed a comb and fought tears as he tried to untangle it.


    Stupid¡­ stupid¡­ stupid¡­


    He¡¯d never been so drunk in his life. Why didn¡¯t he just go home when he had the chance? Slurring and red-faced, he had thrown himself at Ven, clung to him, pleaded for...


    The ribbon! He found it draped across dark wood floorboards beside the bed. For once, his fingers cooperated as he tied the bow.


    The room was simple, lacking in personal effects, but Rae supposed Ven only came here a few nights a season. He spent much of his time at his ancestral home, and when he did visit this area, he also had a room at Duke Ashem¡¯s mansion near the palace.


    But he used this place for¡­ rendezvous¡­ Rae wondered how many.


    There was a chill in the air, and the warmth of liquor was long gone. Rae was fingering the velvet cloaks in the closet when Ven returned.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Are you cold? Take one,¡± he said, ¡°and follow me, quickly,¡±


    Rae didn¡¯t speak as he was led down winding corridors. His fingers twisted the soft fabric of the cloak, the scent of Ven¡¯s perfumes subtly cloying to it. Ven¡¯s strides were long, his head swivelling in constant surveillance.


    Without warning, Ven stopped.


    Before he could react, Rae was shoved through a door, which slammed shut behind him.


    ¡°-Greetings father!¡± Ven¡¯s voice was cheerful, and a little too loud. Rae heard Duke Ashem¡¯s gruff voice murmur a response, as he backed away from the door.


    He glanced around the room, hoping to find an escape route. Rae had abysmal luck. What he found was the worst thing he could have imagined.


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡± he gasped.


    The lady of the mountains, the Ashem Shana, was sat at a table under a window. Before her, sat a plate of sweets, steaming tea, and an open book. She was staring at Rae, her mouth hanging open.


    Silence hung between them, like the condemned. She looked Rae up and down, then glanced at the door.


    Rae looked there too. In his shock, his senses were heightened: he heard Ven attempting to lure his father to another part of the mansion.


    Once again, his gaze met with the Shana¡¯s, her face framed by mahogany curls. He brought a finger to his lips. She frowned and gestured for him to come closer. Rae tiptoed over, wincing whenever the floor creaked underfoot.


    The Shana glanced at a chair, but Rae dared not move it, lest he make more noise. Once he was standing beside the table, the Shana whispered:


    ¡°Your Majesty, are you my brother¡¯s guest?¡±


    Rae grimaced. This was too strange.  She was his stepmother. He was her ruler. He had seldom ever spoken to her. All his pain and torment were bound to her.


    And she knew! She might not know the specifics of his relationship with Ven, but whatever she was imagining was probably much worse.


    ¡°I¡­ I felt unwell last night. So young master Ven suggested I stay the night,¡±


    She studied him. He stared back. Ignoring her round belly, he noticed she was smaller and younger than he¡¯d ever noticed before.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you needn¡¯t sneak around. We can call for Duke Bejuk to come check on you,¡± she said.


    Rae raised his hands ¡°I¡¯m fine. Fine,¡± he said.


    Thank the heavens, she relented.


    ¡°I had noticed Ven seemed to favour you, but I didn¡¯t realise you had become such good friends,¡± she said, and Rae almost wished Duke Ashem would enter and put him out of his misery.


    ¡°How about Your Majesty? Are you feeling well?¡± Rae asked.


    How awkward it was; to have two ¡®Your Majesties¡¯ in the same room, especially given their history.


    The Shana touched her belly, ¡°yes, not too bad,¡± she spoke softly, ¡°many thanks to your majesty for your benevolence,¡±


    ¡°Benevolence?¡±


    ¡°For letting me and my daughters remain in the palace,¡±


    ¡°I-¡° Rae stuttered, ¡°I- I couldn¡¯t very well send you away. Not with- the children are so young¡­ and your health is fragile-¡±


    In his shock, Rae¡¯s voice rose above a whisper and the Shana pressed her palm over his mouth. They stood in silence for a moment, until it was clear that Duke Ashem was none the wiser.


    ¡°Father can be so stubborn, rather than waiting for him to leave, it would be better to escape now,¡± she said.


    She took Rae¡¯s forearm and led him to the window. She made a small hand gesture, half wave half grasping motion.


    Zott appeared outside the window with a thud.


    ¡°Zott, please don¡¯t make any noise, his majesty needs to return to the palace without being noticed,¡±


    Zott nodded, stepping aside. Rae climbed through the window.


    ¡°Please,¡± he turned back to the Shana, ¡°forgive the trouble,¡±


    ¡°Worry not. I¡¯ll tell Ven you said goodbye,¡±


    <hr>


    The Ashem hunting lodge did not have the manicured gardens and courtyards of the palace. The vegetation around the perimeter of the building had been hacked back, but beyond that was nothing but forest.


    Rae stared at Zott¡¯s back as they pushed through the foliage. The muscles of his shoulders were so tense that it showed through the fabric.


    ¡°I suppose¡­ you must be tired¡­ it¡¯s still very early¡­¡± Rae said.


    Zott said nothing.


    ¡°If it¡¯s too much trouble, I can find my own way back,¡±


    Mountain folk were masters of navigating the peaks and valleys. Rae hadn¡¯t explored these mountains at all before but from the incline of the earth, the direction of the wind, and the way light filtered through the trees, he could guess the direction back to Saoshak.


    Still, Zott said nothing.


    ¡°Zott,¡±


    Zott used a knife to cut them a route through undergrowth. His steps were light, considered, and gentle.


    ¡°The Shana¡­ when she told you to be silent, she only meant not to let Duke Ashem hear. Not that it¡¯s just us, you can talk,¡±


    At last, Zott made a sound. He grunted, and his stance relaxed, ever so slightly.


    ¡°You¡­ I know your loyalties lie first with Duke Ashem¡­ if he asks, you¡¯ll always tell him the truth¡­ But if he never asks, can you not mention that I stayed the night?¡±


    In the shade of the forest, the cold was deep. Rae held his borrowed cloak with numb fingers.


    The forest was silent, Zott had paused mid-step.


    ¡°You and Master Ven¡­¡±


    ¡°Y-yes?¡±


    ¡°Were you able to find any useful information?¡± Zott asked.


    For a moment, Rae was dumbstruck. Then guilt washed over him.


    The party! I was meant to be gathering information, and instead, I spent the whole time fawning over Ven!


    Of course, Zott was angry. He had trusted Rae to get to the bottom of the poisoning incident. He loved the Shali so dearly, that he would risk his own life, or kill, to protect them.


    Stupid. Selfish.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to find much out¡­ and later I took ill, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Took ill? You should have called for Duke Bejuk,¡±


    Why did everyone keep saying that?


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that serious. After a night¡¯s rest, I¡¯m already feeling much better,¡±


    ¡°A night¡¯s rest,¡± Zott repeated, his amber eyes gleaming.


    ¡°Ugh-!¡± Distracted by the sight, Rae had caught his foot on a root and pitched forward.


    A hand on his forearm. Zott hauled him up from the ground, and they kept walking.


    ¡°Young master Ven is very hospitable,¡±


    Rae¡¯s cheeks were hot; trembling tension in his hands.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got the wrong idea¡­¡± he trailed off.


    ¡°I want to warn you-¡±


    Rae braced himself for a threat. If you cause problems for my master, I¡¯ll slit your throat and throw you down a ravine. Something like that would explain why Zott wouldn¡¯t look directly at him.


    ¡°-He can be flighty and impulsive. It¡¯s not my place to tell you who to consort with¡­ but he¡¯s not someone you should give your heart to,¡±


    His heart. His heart? Was that what was on the line? Rae¡¯s heart was the least of his worries. His life, his dignity¡­ those were what mattered. His heart being shattered, being trampled, was something it had never occurred to him to be worried about.


    ¡°Are you¡­ are you saying this out of concern for me? Or concern for Ven?¡±


    ¡°Young master Ven has broken enough hearts in his lifetime. He¡¯d be a fool not to know what¡¯s coming by now. The one I¡¯m worried about is you,¡±


    Rae didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°Also my master¡­ he¡¯s irritable enough. If he found out you two were ¡®involved¡¯, the damage might be catastrophic,¡±


    You have no idea how close we were to disaster, Rae thought.

 Chapter 22

    Once he was safe in his chambers again, Rae could finally process everything. Surprisingly, his horrific attempt at a confession was the least of his worries.


    No.


    What weighed on Rae¡¯s mind was his talk with the Shana.


    At first, he tried to push it out of his mind. Shove it into the same distant corner where the memories of his mother¡¯s final days were, where Nukaim¡¯s tiny body was, where those first lonely days in Camp Kaolin were, where the long nights he spent feverish and crying were¡­


    It should have been easy. Those old memories had been much harder to suppress, surfacing in nightmares and at the bottom of a wine cup. But he¡¯d been doing it for so long now, it almost seemed easy.


    Except this wasn¡¯t something terrible he was trying to hide from himself.


    The Ashem Shana had shown him courtesy. Kindness, gentleness, concern for his well-being, gratitude¡­


    Rae searched his cupboards for wine, before deciding against it.


    He should have known that the Shana wasn¡¯t a demoness, but being faced with evidence of her humanity still turned his stomach.


    Mama, what should I do?


    If she wasn¡¯t a monster, what did that mean to Rae? Was he safe here, after all? She was just an ordinary woman, no wicked intentions, no unholy powers¡­


    Baba, did you abandon me and Mama¡­ for no good reason, other than lust?


    When his daily duties could no longer distract him, Rae paced around his courtyard while the rest of the palace was sleeping. The cloak borrowed from Ven lay in a heap beside his bed. The cold was blistering on his skin, but it calmed his thoughts.


    It was past midnight when a servant from camp Ashem arrived. Rae was resting on the veranda, hoping the stars would lull him to sleep, when he heard his maids quarrelling with the messenger.


    ¡°Who do you think you are, coming at this time? His Majesty is sleeping, and we won¡¯t wake him for this!¡±


    It took Rae a few seconds to reach the outer courtyard, and when he did his maids had almost succeeded in chasing the Ashem footman off.


    ¡°Peace, what is it you need?¡±


    The footman apologised for the late hour and presented Rae with a letter.


    He dared not read it out in the open. If this was Ven¡¯s way of responding to his confession¡­


    Rae ordered the maids to get some rest and hurried back to his chambers.


    Inside the cream envelope, was a letter written in red ink and decorated with gold leaf. Only the highest of royals would own something so exquisite¡­


    Your Majesty,


    I spoke to my brother and he told me of all you¡¯ve been doing to bring the man who harmed my daughter to justice. I must express my gratitude, yet again.


    Speaking with you, and learning this has led me to reconsider many things. I know you¡¯re very busy but I¡¯d like to speak with you, apologise, and settle the matters of the past. My daughters are your sisters, and even if you never consider me your family, I think you would be glad to get to know them.


    It goes without saying, I intend to assist you in any way I can from now on. My health is frail for now, but once the baby is born I intend to make myself a useful ally to you.


    If you have the time, meet me in the backwoods behind the Shana¡¯s palace, tomorrow afternoon.


    Yours,


    Laovin Ashem


    Though she was never called it, Laovin was the Ashem Shana¡¯s given name. Before she married his father, Rae had known her as the Young Lady Laovin Ashem.


    The backwoods behind the Shana¡¯s palace¡­ a fitting place. Did she know the significance? That they would be reconciling while standing over the ashes of his mother and Nukaim?


    <hr>


    Rae wasn¡¯t a fool. He¡¯d stumbled into enough near-death experiences to trust so easily. The following day, he asked Gaori to accompany him to meet with the Shana.


    They arrived early, and Rae used the time to say a few prayers for his mother. Gaori stalked the area looking for anything amiss.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯m proud of you,¡± Gaori said when he ambled over to the grave.


    Rae was stunned.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve always been so meek and shy. But since we¡¯ve come here you¡¯ve been making all sorts of new friends, even the Ashems... Other than Laela, I¡¯ve hardly gotten close to anyone,¡±


    ¡°Yes, but you and Laela have gotten very close,¡± Rae laughed.


    ¡°I¡¯m not joking around,¡± Gaori said, ¡°I¡¯m sincerely proud of you,¡±


    Rae shoved him, ¡°Shut up! I haven¡¯t been meek or shy for years. Are you looking for a fight?¡±


    ¡°Even a few weeks ago, it was hard to imagine you coming back here one day¡­ Honestly, I was scared of that day coming¡­¡±


    I was scared too. Rae didn¡¯t need to say it. Gaori was the one who had woken him from nightmares and talked him back to sleep for over a decade.


    ¡°And now you¡¯ve even gone so far as to confess to the person you fancy¡­ I¡¯m truly so happy,¡±


    Rae didn¡¯t know how Gaori had found out about his crush on Ven. Had Laela shared some of the palace lady¡¯s gossip? Or was it so obvious it showed on his face?


    ¡°All the girls at home would be happy for you too. I have half a mind to write and let them know,¡±


    Rae was genuinely going to knock him to the ground when the Shana finally arrived.


    <hr>


    She eyed Gaori as she approached, a slight frown on her face.


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    ¡°I asked him to join us. Since there have been a few incidents, I was nervous wandering the backwoods alone,¡±


    She nodded, ¡°Of course. You¡¯re more than entitled to protection. I would have brought my own if I had known it was acceptable,¡±


    A shadow had fallen over her face.


    ¡°Of course, it would be acceptable,¡± Rae said, ¡°your health is the utmost priority right now, after all,¡±


    They exchanged a few more pleasantries before Rae asked about her letter.


    ¡°I appreciate your kind sentiment, but why ask to meet me here? Wouldn¡¯t the palace be more comfortable?¡±


    The Shana tilted her head, ¡°Whatever do you mean? You were the one to suggest we meet here,¡±


    Rae glanced at Gaori. He had seen the letter too, there was no way he¡¯d mistaken it.


    ¡°I apologise, but I don¡¯t understand. You sent me a letter late last night, that¡¯s why I came here¡­¡±


    ¡°That letter was merely a response to your own,¡± the Shana said, her brows knitted and her shoulders tensed.


    ¡°Do you still have this letter? I truly know nothing about it,¡±


    The Shana pulled a thin envelope from the folds of her robes. Before she had unfolded it, Rae had already noted the subtle cream of the thick parchment. For this reason, he wasn¡¯t surprised to be greeted by the Shak¡¯s letterhead and seal when the Shana showed him the contents.


    Forgive this sudden and crude note, I am writing in haste.


    I wish to share something I¡¯ve uncovered about the recent incident involving your daughter. However, its nature is very sensitive and I fear the repercussions if we act rashly.


    I understand your health is delicate, but I need to meet with you discretely. Therefore, I ask that you choose a location that suits you. Please do not speak of this to anyone, I fear the perpetrator is someone within the palace, but I need your council to be sure. If the one I suspect discovers my suspicions, it will likely place all of us in greater danger.


    Sincerely,


    Rae je Kaolin


    ¡°But¡­ how?¡± the paper must have been taken from the desk in his own chambers, and the seal had been used too. Rae knew his seal was safe in his room. He had used it to write to the Kaolin¡¯s just a few hours ago.


    The writing was messy as if written in haste, but it reasonably resembled Rae¡¯s hand.


    ¡°You really didn¡¯t write this?¡± a desolate look of horror was dawning on the Shana¡¯s face, ¡°then¡­ is this¡­?¡±


    The three of them froze, eyeing the gloomy treeline with growing suspicion. Aside from the occasional flapping of a bird¡¯s wing, the backwoods were silent.


    At last, Gaori spoke, ¡°Your majesties, I fear this may be a trap,¡±


    If it had been just the two of them, Rae might have laughed. When he saw the Shana''s face, he had to disguise this urge in a cough. Twisted in apprehension and frustration, she looked like she might strike his foolhardy companion.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not panic,¡± Rae said, and the ire was turned on him, ¡°whoever did this, it seems attacking us wasn¡¯t their goal,¡±


    The peaceful silence of the woods stood testament to this.


    ¡°That letter must have been written by someone with access to my chambers¡­ and they¡¯re likely involved with the poisoning...¡± Rae said.


    ¡°Not just the Shali, the attempt on your life as well,¡± Gaori added.


    Rae¡¯s fists were clenched, his alternative to gripping his cloak like a frightened child.


    Think. Think.


    He felt like the answer was on the tip of his tongue, echoing in the back of his head, but he couldn¡¯t quite turn this intuition into a conscious thought.


    While Rae and Gaori had been talking and thinking, the Shana had watched them, head whipping around as she searched for any sign of danger, her amber hairpiece catching the light.


    ¡°Your majesty-¡°


    Rae was going to ask her something else when the Shana let out a short, high-pitched cry. She curled in on herself, her eyes squeezed shut as she stifled her cries with a hissing breath.


    ¡°Your majesty?¡± Rae could only stare as she trembled, her knees close to buckling.


    ¡°Somethings wrong¡­¡± she gasped, her hands on her stomach, ¡°I think- I think it¡¯s the baby!¡±


    <hr>


    Time froze.


    The shrill terror echoed in Rae¡¯s ears. The Shana¡¯s voice morphed into one he never expected to hear again, and there was bile in his throat.


    Gaori was saying something, high-pitched like the buzzing of a house fly.


    Terrified eyes darted from Rae to Gaori, to the heavens, back to Rae.


    ¡°Can you walk?¡± Rae asked, his voice steady.


    ¡°No,¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll stay here with you and Gaori will fetch Duke Bejuk. It will only take a few seconds. He¡¯ll take care of everything,¡±


    Don¡¯t worry, my child. Duke Bejuk is with her. He¡¯ll take care of everything.


    ¡°I can¡¯t-! -Not here!¡±


    It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t be afraid. All will be well soon.


    Gaori had already left, sprinting off into the palace.


    ¡°I can try to take you back to your palace?¡±


    The Shana nodded, tears streaming down her face. Rae circled her, unsure of how to approach it. He took her arm and tried to guide her to a standing position. For a moment it worked, and they took a few steps. Then, a terrible wave possessed the Shana, and she screamed and thrashed into a heap on the floor.


    ¡°It¡¯s too fast! It¡¯s too fast!¡±


    ¡°Fast?¡±


    Rae didn¡¯t know much about birthing, what was dangerous and what was not, where the line between risky and deadly lay. His mother had been far too fast, and then agonisingly slow¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s alright. Duke Bejuk is almost here. Just try to breathe, in and out, in and out,¡±


    In and out, in and out.


    Gaori had said that to him once. A simple spell to chase away nightmares. It didn¡¯t seem good enough here.


    Secretly, Rae was cursing the heavens. What had he done to deserve this? And what was keeping Bejuk?


    The Shana was letting out rasping, wheezing breaths, but she managed to speak again after a few minutes.


    ¡°¡­Almost time¡­ Bejuk! Where-¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be time yet. Just wait a little longer, he¡¯s almost here,¡± Rae snapped.


    ¡°Can¡¯t wait!¡± the Shana said.


    Rae¡¯s horror deepened when he noticed the wet patch staining the Shana¡¯s skirts.


    Don¡¯t worry darling, don¡¯t worry. Mama will be all better soon. Be a good boy, you¡¯ll be a big brother soon.


    His rabbiting heart reached a fever pitch, and all he could think to do was cry and scream. Before he could manage, there was a hand on his shoulder.


    The child may survive but there¡¯s nothing I can do for her.


    It wasn¡¯t Bejuk. It was Sebi.


    ¡°Please step aside,¡± he said and Rae moved, watching Sebi examine the Shana as if in a daze, ¡°your Majesty,¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too fast! Where is Bejuk?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s on his way. Do not worry. I¡¯ll take care of you until he arrives,¡±


    That cool voice, that steady gaze, it reassured Rae. The Shana was less convinced.


    ¡°Where. Is. Bejuk?! He¡¯s supposed to be here! He promised he¡¯d-¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s important right now is delivering your baby. I need-¡° he paused, not so much as a blush on his cheeks, ¡°Your Majesty, please forgive this impudence,¡±


    ¡°Just get on with it,¡±


    Rae had been hovering on the sidelines, feeling more like a ghost than a person, when Sebi started to lift up the Shana¡¯s skirts. He kept himself from fainting, moving to the Shana¡¯s side.


    ¡°Would you like me to go find your father?¡±


    To Rae¡¯s horror, the Shana shook her head but didn¡¯t speak any more.

 Chapter 23

    When Rae¡¯s mother had given birth to Nukaim, it had been in a special chamber; sectioned off from the rest of the Shana¡¯s Palace. The doors were sealed shut and painted with protective spells, the smell of healing balms choking the entire east wing.


    Only the closest of attendants were allowed to enter, and the only male permitted was Duke Bejuk. Normally Nana, the Kaolin Shana¡¯s maid and confidant, would be the best person to stay by her side through the ordeal.


    But the Shakje needed to be attended to and no one could soothe him like Nana.


    When the chamber was finally unsealed, Rae¡¯s mother was gone. The scent of death filled the air. Rae and the Shak were allowed inside to see her spirit off. Nukaim¡¯s tiny body, alive but too frail to last, was offered to the Shak first. When he left, he handed him off to Rae.


    The maids were whispering of things like burials and wet nurses. Rae could only hold that tiny, quivering body, more fragile than any treasure he¡¯d ever been permitted before.


    ¡°He¡¯s your little brother,¡± Nana said, gently squeezing his shoulder. On her face was an expression Rae had never seen before. His Nana wasn¡¯t an inevitable force of the heavens. For the first time, he looked at her and saw himself reflected.


    Rae looked down at the baby, ¡°what¡¯s my brother¡¯s name?¡±


    He heard a heaving breath. Nana stroked his hand, still holding the infant.


    ¡°H-her majesty didn¡¯t¡­ he doesn¡¯t have one yet,¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Nana,¡±


    ¡°How¡­ My lady¡­ my dear child¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Nana. If Mama can¡¯t, I¡¯ll give him a good name and take care of him. I¡¯ll take care of him for my whole life!¡±


    <hr>


    Duke Bejuk did eventually arrive, but the baby was too quick for him.


    Rae had witnessed the birth from the Shana¡¯s side, feeling utterly helpless. All he could think of to do was fold his cloak into a pillow and ease it under the Shana¡¯s head.


    Thank the heavens, it was quick. Or at least, it wasn¡¯t as slow as he remembered Nukaim¡¯s had been.


    The baby was pink, plump, and loud. Only seconds after it came out, Sebi handed it over to Rae, along with his fur-lined cloak.


    ¡°Keep her warm,¡±


    Her.


    A flash of relief.


    ¡°Her?¡± the Shana asked.


    ¡°Yes. You¡¯ve given birth to a healthy baby girl,¡±


    If she was disappointed, she didn¡¯t show it. The birth might have taken too much of her energy.


    Just as Bejuk, Gaori, and Duke Ashem burst onto the scene, Sebi was busy tying off the umbilical cord.


    ¡°Laovin! Bejuk, you bastard, can¡¯t you move faster!¡± Duke Ashem cried at the sight of his daughter on the ground, skirts hiked up and looking worse for wear. Seeing the newborn in Rae¡¯s arms, he froze.


    ¡°Baba, it¡¯s alright,¡±


    ¡°Is- is that?¡±


    ¡°Another granddaughter, Baba. Forgive me for worrying you,¡±


    A pause. Then, he was snapping at Bejuk again.


    ¡°What are you waiting for? Are they both alright?¡±


    Bejuk took the baby from Rae and studied her briefly before handing her off to Duke Ashem. He knelt beside the Shana, taking her wrist.


    ¡°The afterbirth?¡± he asked Sebi.


    ¡°Not yet complete, but progressing steadily,¡±


    The Shana¡¯s maids soon heard what had happened, and hurried to the clearing behind the palace to tend to their lady. When she felt well enough to move, they took her and the child back to the Shana¡¯s palace.


    They crowded into what was meant to be the birthing chamber, tearing down the now useless seals and spells. An area of the floor was piled with cushions, furs, and blankets, and the Shana was placed on top of them. Someone fetched a silk veil, to shield them against the view of the baby having its first feed.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Everyone else sat around a low table, talking of celebrations and blessings, birth weights and tea parties. On the table, there was a centrepiece of yellow chrysanthemums.


    Rae joined this crowd, feeling more and more like he didn¡¯t belong, but knowing the Dukes would want to speak to him when the excitement wore off. Sebi was sending furtive looks his way, between checking on the Shana and the baby. He distracted himself by studying the flowers. They were a lot like the infant, he thought, round, and sunny, and joyful, and heavy.


    ¡°Have you decided on a name yet?¡± Gaori asked.


    Rae thought of Nukaim.


    ¡°Not yet,¡± The Shana said, ¡°His late majesty chose all the other girls¡¯ names, but he never told me what to call the next one¡­¡±


    For these mountain people, naming a child could be left for several months, maybe as long as a year after the birth. Until then the baby might be known as Goo-goo, or Stinky, or Little-darling, or Infernal-screacher¡­ or any other affectionate nickname.


    However, the children of the Shak were normally named within a night or two. There were vassals living in distant camps, who were anxiously awaiting missives revealing the name of the newborn child. The name was the first gift the father gave them, spoken to him in the voice of the heavens themselves.


    ¡°It¡¯s a terrible shame, for his majesty not to have seen his child. Even worse to have never received a name¡­ a terrible shame,¡± Bejuk said.


    ¡°Truly a tragedy,¡± Rae said, not intending to lace his words with so much poison.


    If anyone understood where his malice was coming from, they didn¡¯t show it. Gaori was the exception.


    ¡°R-right¡­ I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m going to return to my chambers. I should write to my parents to let them know the wonderful news!¡± he said, glancing at Rae in a way that said, you¡¯re coming back with me?


    Rae ignored him, addressing Bejuk.


    ¡°I¡¯ll remain here. There are a few things I need to clarify with your Grace,¡±


    Duke Ashem narrowed his eyes. Gaori glanced between him and Rae for a moment, before escaping, ¡°congratulations on the safe delivery!¡±


    <hr>


    While silence solidified between the men, the maids hurried about, attending to the Shana¡¯s needs. They fetched her tea, water, porridge, and blankets. They combed her hair and tidied her robes, whispering behind the modesty screen.


    Sebi was studying Rae like a rare animal, his pale eyebrows furrowed.


    Just as Duke Bejuk was clearing his throat, the Shana spoke:


    ¡°I¡¯ve just realised: where is Baorin? Shouldn¡¯t someone have fetched her by now?¡±


    The maids all froze in place, eyes turning to Bejuk.


    ¡°Baorin?¡± Rae asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s the one who¡¯s going to be the wet nurse. Today was supposed to be her day off¡­ has anyone gone to let her know the good news?¡±


    ¡°I was attending to Lady Baorin when I heard that Your Majesty had gone into labour¡­¡± Bejuk said.


    The Shana pushed the gauze screen aside.


    ¡°Whatever can you mean? What has happened to her?¡± her face was pallid with fear.


    ¡°It seems our poisoner has struck again,¡± Duke Ashem sneered, looking at Rae, ¡°which begs the question, why exactly were you luring my daughter away from the palace at such a precarious time?¡±


    Rae sighed. He should have felt afraid. Duke Ashem bearing down on him with terrible accusations was the stuff of nightmares. But after the numb terror and the aged bitterness that came with the birth¡­ he couldn¡¯t muster those emotions anymore.


    The letter the Shana had handed him so long ago, had been crumpled into a ball and hidden in Rae¡¯s sleeve. He tried to smooth it, before presenting it to Bejuk.


    ¡°The Shana received this letter, a convincing forgery containing my seal, suggesting we meet privately. I received the Shana¡¯s reply, asking me to meet her in the backwoods, and thought little of it.¡±


    ¡°For someone to have forged a letter using the Shak¡¯s seal¡­ who could it have been?¡± Bejuk studied the letter line-by-line.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it much more likely he wrote it himself? This story has too many holes. For one thing, why would you trust a letter sent by my daughter? You¡¯ve barely ever spoken to her. And she had no reason to lure you out except to harm you,¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Rae glanced at the Shana, ¡°Young Master Ven and Young Master Zott have been assisting me in investigating the poisonings, and Her Majesty knew about that. We had spoken rather recently. So when I received a letter stating she wished to meet¡­ I believed it to be genuine,¡±


    ¡°Well, that just goes to show how utterly stupid you are,¡±


    A maid gasped and was shushed by the others.


    Rae should have bit his tongue. He might have, if not for Ashem¡¯s next words.


    ¡°It¡¯s such a shame¡­ It¡¯s a good thing your father isn¡¯t here to-¡±


    Rae slammed his hand on the table.


    ¡°-To what? To acquiesce to all of your demands? To give you a grandson? An excuse to usurp my position? Not that you need one,¡±


    ¡°How dare-¡°


    ¡°-How dare I? How dare you?¡± Rae stood up, jabbing his finger at Ashem, ¡°You dare bring my father up now?¡±


    Duke Bejuk tried to place himself between them, facing Rae, ¡°Your Majesty, please calm down,¡±


    Over Bejuk¡¯s shoulder, Ashem¡¯s sneer was still visible, ¡°You are nothing more than-¡°


    ¡°-Baba, that¡¯s enough!¡± The Shana had passed the baby off to a maid. Her hand was raised, as if she was about to strike her father. She lowered it, her brow furrowed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say any more. I¡¯m worried about the girls. Won¡¯t you go check on them for me?¡±


    Ashem was quiet for a moment. As was everyone else. Rae dared not look anyone in the face so his eyes fell on his shaking fists. He could hear his pulse.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take my leave,¡± Duke Ashem said and strode away.


    With him gone, the silence grew even more deafening.


    ¡°¡­¡±

 Chapter 24

    Rae couldn¡¯t storm out then and there, not while Duke Ashem could still be nearby. The Shana told the maids to brew some chamomile tea, and Bejuk tried his best to change the atmosphere.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t the Shali here?¡±


    ¡°I was worried about them staying here, after what happened to Jiwat. So they¡¯ve been staying at my father¡¯s residence,¡± the Shana said.


    ¡°And how about your brother? Should I have someone go notify him?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need. He¡¯s returned from the hunting lodge, so father will probably tell him soon enough,¡±


    At the mention of Ven, Rae¡¯s spirits sunk even lower. Ashem was probably long gone by now¡­ Probably telling Ven to never speak to Rae again¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll be going now,¡± Rae said, ¡°I apologise for my outburst,¡±


    The Shana didn¡¯t say anything but nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to meet with you later,¡± Bejuk said.


    Rae gathered his courage and looked each person in the eyes as he bid farewell. Most of them were looking at him with a mix of wary exhaustion and pity. When he glanced at Sebi, Rae paused.


    The look on Sebi¡¯s face was like a shaman studying the oracle stones. Brows knitted, pale eyes gleaming, hair like mist¡­ He looked even more bizarrely beautiful than ever before.


    Rae ducked out of the Shana¡¯s palace, slipping down the passage to the backwoods. If he saw anyone who knew him, he would blow up all over again.


    The backwoods had been cleared of all evidence of the day¡¯s previous excitement. His mother¡¯s grave, bathed in waning light, was as lonely as Rae had ever seen it. He stood before it for a few minutes, the evening breeze on his back as he considered the numb agony in his chest. The red wildflowers were at their peak and bending under the weight of their blooms.


    Tears pricked in his eyes and he rubbed them away.


    Sounds carried of the servants rushing around the Shana¡¯s palace. After paying his respects to his mother, Rae wandered further into the woods.


    At first, he wandered without aim, his head down; careful not to turn his ankle on the rough terrain. Thorns stung his forearms, and Rae allowed the tears to fall.


    Thirteen years ago, he had tried to run away from the palace. At that time, it wasn¡¯t yet clear what his future would hold. But it was becoming clear that the Ashem¡¯s star was rising, and Rae¡¯s presence was an inconvenience.


    Seven-year-old Rae ran through these woods, like a doe that had sensed the bowstring being pulled taut.


    He ran deeper than he had ever gone before, with the shadows growing long like talons and the air getting sharp with cold. Rae¡¯s tears had long run dry, and a coiling, poisonous sensation was spreading; from his stomach, to his chest, to his fingertips, to his temples.


    I hate them.


    I hate them.


    He climbed over a low stone wall, collapsing under the weight of centuries. The trees were at their thickest here. His foot was bleeding.


    Limping a few feet further, Rae came upon a precipice. More than a hundred feet down was the thin white line of a river. He lingered there for a while, imagining falling for endless seconds, his skull cracking on the rocks, before hastily stepping back. Since he had seen the blood-soaked sheets, seen Nukaim¡¯s tiny body turn blue, his thoughts had grown more and more queer and grotesque. But just barely, he¡¯d maintained the innocence of terror.


    Rae sat on a boulder, satisfied that he had travelled deep enough that no one would ever find him, and studied the throbbing wound on his foot.


    He had stood on a briar thorn and later stubbed his toe. The news that his father was courting Young Lady Laovin had angered him so greatly, that he had stormed out of his chambers without stopping to put on his boots.


    He cradled the injury, staring up at the sky. It was cold. But in a satisfying way. The goosebumps on his forearms, the stinging chill, felt vindictive. Even if he froze, it would be better than going back.


    After a few minutes, the blood had dried. The stone underneath was cold, but it was flat and clear of thorns and bugs. Rae lay on his back and wondered if anyone had noticed he was gone. After a few minutes, he shut his eyes.


    As they always did back then, his dreams carried warping shifting images of his mother and his baby brother. He saw Nukaim take his first steps, and his mother sang them both to sleep. They lived in an ill-defined place, made of the shapes and structures of the palace, but with none of the pomp. It was just the three of them, dancing and running through empty courtyards, playing in the ponds, and lounging uninterrupted on verandas.


    My child, my sweet child.


    Mama¡¯s voice was like a balm. The cold stone beneath his cheek became soft furs. The smell of blood and damp earth was replaced by a gentle incense.


    My child, my poor child.


    Warmth. Then Rae was being lifted. He shook with each breath.


    ¡°Mama?¡±


    ¡°Shh¡­ my child¡­¡±


    Suddenly, the cold hit Rae and he started thrashing in the person¡¯s arms.


    ¡°-No!¡±


    ¡°Shh. Shh. It¡¯s only me, don¡¯t be afraid,¡± Nana said.


    Rae fought like a demon against the scolding warmth of arms encircling him.


    ¡°I won¡¯t go, I won¡¯t go!¡± he cried, and Nana misunderstood.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let them send you away,¡± she lied, and Rae started to sob.


    <hr>


    Rae was so overcome by the memories he didn¡¯t notice where he was going. His legs seemed to move on their own through those same terrifying shadows he remembered from his youth.


    Soon, he came to a copse of maple trees. His father¡¯s grave stood there, smooth as his mother¡¯s was weather-worn. Set in gold, some thoughtless epitaph was inscribed. Crows wailed overheard, and Rae wanted to scream.


    He moved to kick the stone, then decided better of it. He didn¡¯t have the courage to desecrate a grave, but he couldn¡¯t go back to the palace yet either. His cheeks were smeared with tears and his breaths were weak and shuddering.  He slumped onto the floor, leaning against the stone. The coolness on his back did little to soothe him.


    ¡°Baba, how could you¡­?¡± Rae knew the Shak¡¯s spirit had long departed, and he didn¡¯t care to wonder if he would choose to watch over Rae from wherever he had gone, but the question forced itself out of him.


    He imagined his father¡¯s answer. Taunting jabs at his mother. Agonising disapproval at the frail, pathetic child grown into a lovesick, cowardly, fool. Before Rae knew it, he was overcome. Great, heaving sobs wracked his body.


    I hate him. He hates me. I hate you. You hate me. You hated me. He hated me.


    He rocked his body as he cried, once so hard he slammed his head on the stone. He was choking on snot of tears. When he thought of how contemptible he must look, he cried harder.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Love me. Please. Will somebody ever-


    ¡°Your majesty?¡±


    Rae startled. Peaking through the maple leaves was a silver-crowned face. Despite Rae¡¯s pitiful position, Sebi looked at him as impassively as ever.


    With nothing else to do, Rae tried to hide his face in his hands. He would have said ¡°Go away!¡± if the words weren¡¯t catching in his throat whenever he tried.


    Sebi didn¡¯t leave, nor did he speak for some time. There was a light thud. Rae looked up to see Sebi sitting in the dirt next to him, knees also drawn up to his chest. He was silently watching Rae, worrying his lip swollen. The sight was so strange, it shocked Rae out of his weeping.


    ¡°Did you follow me here?¡± Rae asked, once his breathing was mostly under control.


    ¡°Hmm. I wanted to leave with you, but my Duke still needed my assistance,¡±


    ¡°You wanted to leave with me?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡±


    Rae looked up at the white sky, framed by pale green maple leaves.


    ¡°Why would you want to leave with me?¡±


    ¡°You are upset,¡±


    Rae grunted his agreement. He tried to wipe away the tears on his sleeve, but it was hopeless.


    ¡°Here,¡± Sebi had pulled a snow-white handkerchief from his medicine satchel. The soft cotton was a lot more soothing than his brocaded sleeves.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Rae said, taking a shuddering breath, and folding the handkerchief into a tiny square, ¡°You¡¯re probably wondering why I¡¯m acting so foolishly,¡±


    ¡°I am wondering, but you don¡¯t have to tell me if you don¡¯t want to,¡±


    Rae¡¯s laugh threatened to turn into a sob, but he choked it down.


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ Of course, I¡¯m glad that the Shana and the baby are unharmed¡­ But witnessing all that¡­ It brought back a lot of memories¡­¡±


    Sebi¡¯s eyes were like diamonds. He didn¡¯t speak, so Rae continued.


    ¡°And Ashem bringing up my father¡­ when he was the one who¡­ I shouldn¡¯t be saying this,¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s improper. A son shouldn¡¯t¡­ shouldn¡¯t¡­¡±


    The guilt that had been gnawing at Rae¡¯s stomach finally reached his throat. He choked on the terrible confession. To hate his own father. To hate the former Shak. And to say so while leaning against the man¡¯s grave. He was bent over by the force of his shame.


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t know all the details, but I know your relationship with His Majesty was complicated. It¡¯s not my place to judge,¡±


    ¡°My mother died, and he barely even looked at my little brother after. He didn¡¯t give him a name. It was as if he¡¯d already given up on him. And then, when Nukaim died, he sent me away, and we never spoke again,


    ¡°He married that woman. And never thought of me, mama, or Nukaim ever again. Yet, I have to respect him, and honour him, and pretend not to mind that the woman who drove me out is still living in my home,¡±


    At this point, Rae was sobbing again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be wicked¡­ I don¡¯t want to curse them¡­ I wish I could¡­ but when I think of Nukaim¡­ when I think¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not bad. You¡¯re not evil for being righteously angry. Of course, a dutiful son should try his best to honour his father, but there are extenuating circumstances. You¡¯ve done more than enough,¡±


    Heavens! Rae¡¯s face must have looked hideous. Yet, Sebi was watching him with such a gentle expression. He even laid his cool, delicate fingers over Rae¡¯s own, and squeezed his hand.


    Rae steadied his breathing. Guilt was still tearing him apart, but he didn¡¯t want to see such a worried expression any more.


    ¡°My first impression of you was very wrong,¡± he said, wiping his eyes, ¡°I saw your serious expression and thought you were cold-hearted¡­ But you¡¯re actually very kind,¡±


    Sebi flushed scarlet, his eyes flashed with anger, but he stopped himself. He stared at the ground and hid his face as he mumbled something.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡±


    ¡°No no, come on! Tell me,¡± Rae smiled before adding, ¡°sorry if I hurt your feelings. I was trying to pay you a compliment,¡±


    ¡°Something like this¡­ is expected of a master healer,¡± Sebi said, dusting off his clothes.


    Rae didn¡¯t think that was true. He had seen Duke Bejuk treat broken bones, mix tonics and potions, scold and admonish¡­ but he¡¯d never seen him comfort someone who was crying. Even the thought of him trying¡­ It was absurd.


    ¡°You seem like you¡¯ve cheered up,¡± Sebi said, his face blank.


    Rae smiled and was going to thank him properly when a shout echoed through the forest.


    <hr>


    ¡°Komao! Ko-Ko!¡± Someone shouted.


    Rae turned to Sebi, ¡°Komao? Isn¡¯t that-?¡±


    That name was familiar. But he¡¯d met dozens of people since he came to the Shak¡¯s camp. She wasn¡¯t a maid¡­ She was¡­


    ¡°One of the Shali. Yes,¡± Sebi said.


    One of my sisters¡­


    Before they could say anything else, someone burst through the undergrowth and almost fell on top of them.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Ven asked, with a face that asked ¡®Why are two adult men sitting on the ground in the middle of a forest?¡¯


    Sebi lips formed a thin line, and his face turned even redder than before.


    ¡°What about you? Was it you calling for Komao?¡± Rae asked. He had once seen Sebi get so worked up he threw his satchel at Ven, so he didn¡¯t want to put any more undue stress on his companion.


    When Ven had first stumbled upon Sebi and Rae, it had been such a shock that any other emotion was momentarily forgotten. At this question, Ven¡¯s face went a shade paler, his body tenser.


    ¡°Komao has vanished,¡±


    Sebi must have seen Rae¡¯s frown because he soon added, ¡°She¡¯s the fourth Shali. Only six years old,¡±


    Ven told them of how his father had come to tell him of the happy news, and they had gone to check on the shali together, only to find the maids all in an uproar.


    ¡°They say she just vanished. One minute she was there and the next she was gone,¡±


    ¡°Do you think she sneaked off?¡± Rae asked, dread pooling in his stomach.


    ¡°It¡¯s not unheard of¡­ but with all that¡¯s happened recently¡­¡± Ven¡¯s voice was tight with worry, he struggled for a moment, before exclaiming, ¡°You better go back, Bejuk was worried something had happened to you as well,¡±


    Sebi must have agreed because he took Rae¡¯s arm and started guiding him towards the palace. Rae let it happen, leaving Ven¡¯s desolate self behind after asking one last thing.


    ¡°What of Zott? He must be beside himself,¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s out here somewhere, he¡¯ll tear the whole forest down if we don¡¯t find her soon,¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll come join you after I¡¯ve seen Bejuk,¡±


    <hr>


    A strange atmosphere had fallen over the palace. It wasn¡¯t deserted, Rae and Sebi saw dozens of servants and guards dashing about, but everyone moved like magnets drawn to poles. No hesitation, no discussion, only movement.


    As they passed the gate to the Shak¡¯s courtyard, Rae paused.


    ¡°You go ahead without me, I want to fetch the letter I received from the fake Shana,¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not safe to go alone, I¡¯ll accompany you,¡±


    ¡°No. Bejuk is probably tearing his hair out. Please go and set his mind at ease. I won¡¯t be long,¡±


    Sebi hovered for a moment, before obeying. Rae took a moment to consider this stillness that came with solitude.


    The courtyard was as peaceful as a tomb, unsettling in its normalcy. The sliding door to his rooms lay half open, and his tea set sat undisturbed. His maids must have forgotten to clear after all the day¡¯s chaos.


    His writing desk was locked when not in use, with a key Rae hid among his hair ribbons. He found the key where he normally left it, weighty in his hand and causing a satisfying clunk as the drawer unlocked.


    Under new light, everything could be suspicious. But no matter how hard Rae looked, he could see no sign of anything in the desk being out of place. Whoever had broken in had been very meticulous not to disturb anything. The seal was safely in its case.


    He took out the false letter and studied it one more time, searching for anything telling in the hand. Once again, his eyes fell on his seal.


    Who would dare¡­


    Rae was used to seeing enemies looming in all directions. But at least he had been certain of the allegiances. If not the Ashem, who else would be manipulating things behind the scenes? Who was so unassuming, that they could enter here undetected? Who would dare?


    To access this room, one would need to be a trusted servant or a personal friend of the Shak.


    To know of the power the Shak¡¯s seal holds, one would need to be a person of consequence. A close associate of the Shak, or one of the Dukes.


    To dare to search through Rae¡¯s personal effects, digging right to the bottom of all his draws, one would need absolutely no fear of getting caught.


    To neatly tidy his desk once they were finished, so as to be indistinguishable from how Rae normally left it¡­

 Chapter 25

    Rae turned the key over in his hands. He was completely at a loss.


    However, he had a sinking feeling that he knew where he might find the lost shali¡­


    He passed a few servants on his walk, but if any thought his appearance strange, they didn¡¯t say so, their faces ashen as they searched ditches and river banks.


    Rae was sure his own face must look like a hollow corpse as he pushed thoughts of his father out of his mind, and strode back into the woods. Seasons had changed the scenery but his body still remembered his route. The sheer cliffs that took all his strength to scale back then, he could now tackle in a few strides. He reached a point where the trees grew as densely as prison bars.


    He trod over hundreds of briar thorns and wondered if the one stained with his blood might still be waiting among them. It was here, that he noticed the mud and undergrowth here had been recently disturbed, and quickened his pace.


    That scent of damp earth¡­


    Rae slapped the side of his head to ground himself. He was here to find the shali, not feel sorry for himself.


    He was so caught up in his thoughts, that he almost rolled his ankle on a protruding root. He was clinging to a tree branch to steady himself when a small cry rang out in front of him.


    He looked up to see a tiny figure dash behind a tree, dark eyes watching him.


    ¡°Miss Komao?¡± he asked, and her eyes widened but she didn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°Everyone is turning the palace upside down looking for you. Did you get lost?¡±


    Like Rae had once done, she had wandered here without shoes, nor a cloak. But, looking her up and down, Rae thought she seemed to be in quite good shape. Her bare arms and feet were unmarred. She was even smaller than Rae had been, was even a little girl tougher than he was back then?


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ his¡­ his¡­ his mad- his maj-¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m Rae. Just Rae is fine,¡± he said and wondered how much she had been told about him, ¡°Why did you come all the way out here?¡±


    Rae held out his hand, and Komao eyed it before taking a step forward.


    ¡°There was-!¡± Komao¡¯s words were cut off when a arm reached from behind the tree and snatched her back. Rae burst through the undergrowth after them.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡±


    Blinded by the angle of the sun at first Rae could only hear a familiar voice.


    ¡°My child, go back to the palace,¡±


    <hr>


    <div>


    ¡°Nana? What are you doing here?¡± the words came out, irrespective of how his blood was frozen, and his skin was on fire.


    ¡°I said, go back to the palace,¡± Nana said, her voice cool. If Rae¡¯s appearance rattled her, she didn¡¯t show it.


    She had picked Komao up and held the struggling child under an arm.


    ¡°Did you bring her here?¡± Rae didn¡¯t know how he got the word out, his throat was so dry and tight. It was like he¡¯d been poisoned again.


    Nana sighed, ¡°I did. But that has nothing to do with you,¡±


    ¡°What exactly were you thinking? Everyone¡¯s been losing their minds looking for her,¡±


    He tried to close the distance between them but stopped when Nana¡¯s gaze changed from icy to volcanic, all her muscles tensed, and the girl in her arms let out a frightened shriek.


    ¡°Nana, were you the one who wrote to the Shana? Did you use my official seal?¡±


    When Rae asked this and saw the look on her face, the last spark of hope in his heart died.


    ¡°You did, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Nana¡¯s expression softened, ¡°I never meant for you to be troubled. Everything I do, I do for you,¡±


    Rae wouldn¡¯t allow his heart to be moved.


    ¡°If that¡¯s true¡­ no, it¡¯s a ridiculous notion.


    ¡°You not only wasted my time by forging that letter¡­ You raised my hopes about a reconciliation¡­ and you did it all to distract the Shana and make it easier for you to snatch one of her children away, right? What good does that do me?


    ¡°If you truly wish to end my troubles, come back to the palace with me, right now,¡±


    ¡°Surely you realise I can¡¯t do that. When all I¡¯ve done comes to light¡­¡±


    ¡°So you were behind everything? You poisoned Miss Jiwat¡­ No, that¡¯s not it¡­ the poison was meant for the Shana¡¯s unborn baby¡­¡±


    ¡°My lord is so kindhearted, to worry for such a wretch,¡± Nana smiled at him. ¡°Surely you¡¯ve realised I did you harm, too?¡±


    Rae nodded¡ªthe poisoned box of sweets. Of course, Nana knew I could never resist¡­ But why?


    ¡°I never meant to harm you, but the Dukes would naturally suspect you in an attack on the Shana¡­¡± she said, ¡°if you were taken ill under similar circumstances, they wouldn¡¯t burden you with accusations,¡±


    Rae still had many questions, but only one mattered right now.


    ¡°What do you plan to do with Miss Komao?¡±


    Rae¡¯s gaze fell on the rocks behind the Shana. Just a few feet back, Rae knew they gave way to a deadly precipice- and he knew how deep his Nana¡¯s hatred ran.


    ¡°I would kill each and every one of them if I had the chance, but I never imagined you would be the witness¡­¡±


    Rae was trembling. He noticed it when he reached for the short sword at his waist.


    He helplessly watched as she moved closer to the edge. Rae couldn¡¯t see the bottom from where he was standing, but he didn¡¯t need to. If someone were to fall from that height, they would surely perish.


    ¡°Nana, please just put the child down. I don¡¯t want to witness anything,¡±


    Komao, trapped in the vice of Nana¡¯s grip, had been mostly silent throughout this exchange. She kicked and squirmed as much as she could manage, and peered up at Rae wordlessly.


    At this point, she said the words, ¡°want to go home¡­ want mama¡­¡±


    Nana stiffened, and Rae tried to placate her.


    ¡°Come back with me. I¡¯ll settle things. I¡¯ll defend you. I¡¯ll take on some of the blame. I haven¡¯t forgotten all you¡¯ve done for me-¡±


    ¡°-No, no no! It¡¯s the Ashem¡¯s fault! They should be the ones paying!-¡±


    ¡°-You won¡¯t be able to stay in the Shak¡¯s camp after this, but I¡¯ll write to my aunt and uncle and they¡¯ll give you a place in Camp Kaolin,¡±


    Nana¡¯s shoulders slumped, and Rae felt a surge of hope. Had he gotten through to her?


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand¡­ You¡¯re too soft, far too soft and gentle. Have you really forgiven those beasts?¡± She looked at Rae with tears in her eyes, ¡°I can¡¯t. I won¡¯t allow them to get away with it. If I do¡­ then there¡¯s been no point to any of it. I should have died that day, I should have left this world with her!¡±


    ¡°Nana, that¡¯s not true. If you weren¡¯t there, what would¡¯ve become of me?¡±


    At that moment, little Komao took advantage of a minute slackening in Nana¡¯s grip. Craning her neck at an awkward angle, she took a fierce bite out of Nana¡¯s forearm.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Nana made a guttural sound and dropped Komao on the ground. The sound of soft, child bones hitting rock made Rae¡¯s heart stutter. But the shali immediately scrambled to her feet.


    Within seconds, she was clinging to Rae¡¯s leg.


    ¡°Let¡¯s run! Let¡¯s run! She¡¯s a witch!¡±


    At that moment, Rae thought Nana truly did look like a witch. Face contorted in pain and rage, slate-grey hair bedraggled and damp. Her eyes gleamed with otherworldly, unholy light.


    She lunged forward, as if she was going to pounce on the child, but stopped when she saw Rae¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°We¡¯re going back,¡± he said. He took the child¡¯s hand, still terrified she would somehow go plummeting over the edge.


    ¡°If you join us, I will keep my promises, but I can¡¯t allow you to remain in my camp. You can run. If you leave now, I doubt my men will be able to find you in this forest,¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t go back,¡±


    ¡°Then this is farewell,¡±


    Rae¡¯s heart was threatening to burst. The tiny child resting her head against his knee, slightly shivering, kept him from breaking down. He took a few steps back, eyes never leaving Nana. When his boots hit briar thorns, he picked the girl up.


    Nana watched them, not making a move to follow. There was tension marring her features, sinking her cheeks, as if she was forcing her expression to be as flat as possible. Rae suddenly remembered how it was thirteen years ago and tears pricked in his eyes.


    His vision blurred before he remembered the danger, and blinked the tears away.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡±


    Nana was the one who said it. Their eyes met and she was crying too. She was crying much more than Rae was, a face more wretched than he had ever seen before.


    A plea was forming on Rae¡¯s tongue when Nana turned away from him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said again, her chest heaving, ¡°I won¡¯t go back to that place. I won¡¯t let them them sneer at me, won¡¯t let them blame you¡­¡±


    The girl in his arms tugged on his hair, ¡°Let¡¯s run,¡±


    Rae couldn¡¯t move. The animal part of his mind was screaming: something terrible is going to happen. It wasn¡¯t just that his body was locked in place. His mind, too, was repeating that thought on a loop. His throat was blocked, but he didn¡¯t need to breathe.


    His eyes followed Nana, as she swayed once, as if caught by a strong wind. Then, she vanished from sight.


    Rae¡¯s throat was raw as if he¡¯d been screaming. There was a painful sensation in his stomach, coming in waves.


    After a few moments, he heard Komao¡¯s voice. He had been holding her to his chest with a grip tight enough to constrict blood flow. She was kicking him in the stomach.


    Rae relaxed his grip, and Komao stopped, ¡°What happened?¡±


    Rae didn¡¯t say anything. He was torn between going to the edge to see what had become of Nana. Or running home as fast as his legs would carry him.


    Rae wished it was out of concern for the child that he left without looking, but for decades following, he would know it was to protect his feeble heart.


    <div>

 Chapter 26

    Zott found Rae while he was carrying Komao back to the palace. He was still in such a state of shock, that Zott plummeting down from a tree branch didn''t startle him at all.


    With a thud, he was standing a foot away from Rae, and Komao was reaching out for him.


    ¡°Zotty!¡± she cried.


    ¡°You found her?¡± Zott said, his face blank as ever.


    ¡°Yes,¡± was all Rae could say.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Zott asked. He glanced between them.


    How to explain? Rae was struck dumb.


    Think. Think.


    ¡°There was¡­¡±


    Rae wasn¡¯t thinking in words. The same terrible image was all he could conjure.


    ¡°Zotty, I¡¯m tired,¡± Komao said, ending Rae¡¯s torture.


    They walked back to the palace. Zot eventually noticed that Rae was getting increasingly unsteady on his feet, and took Komao from him. As they walked, the child chatted away at a speed Rae couldn¡¯t process.


    The trees thinned out, until the world felt a little less oppressive, and Rae¡¯s breathes mostly came easily again.


    ¡°I need to find Bejuk,¡± he said.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be with the Shana, I imagine,¡± Zott said, before adding, ¡°Are you feeling alright?¡±


    Rae truly thought the words he needed would come this time, but they were still caught in his throat. He cursed Zott, it was that concerned expression of his that was throwing him off. Before he could force the truth out, Komao spoke.


    ¡°There was a witch!¡±


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°-She snatched me, like a witch from a story. but then his¡­ his mad¡­ maj¡­¡±


    ¡°His majesty,¡± Zott said.


    ¡°He gave her a good telling off, and just as we were about to get away, the witch vanished!¡±


    Rae looked between the branches to the west directly into the setting sun. His eyes pricked with tears. They were close now, and a few servants shouted at the sight of them.


    ¡°Miss Komao!¡±


    ¡°The Shali has been found!¡±


    ¡°Notify the Shana, and someone, go fetch Young Master Ven!¡±


    Soon they were being fussed over by dozens of servants. Rae drifted into a dream for most of it, half-consciously smiling whenever Komao said something childlike, nodding solemnly when asked if he was the one who found her, shaking his head when offered tea or a warm cloak.


    He only broke out of the daze a little after Duke Ashem, Duke Bejuk, Sebi, and the Shana arrived.


    ¡°You look very pale,¡± Bejuk greeted him, after he had checked on the child, ¡°are you feeling unwell?¡±


    Rae nodded.


    ¡°I was worried about you, Sebi said you were on your way to meet with me, but you never showed up. And the servants said you¡¯d wandered into the forest¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry¡­ I was planning to come see you, but I had an idea of where the Shali might be, so I went to check,¡±


    Terror was gnawing at his gut. Stop talking¡­ if you keep going, you¡¯ll¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you did. Where was she?¡±


    ¡°In the forest to the northeast, well off the path,¡±


    ¡°By the heavens! That part of the forest is quite treacherous, it¡¯s not a place for a child to play,¡±


    With that statement, Bejuk looked like he might start scolding the Shali. Rae grabbed his sleeve, steering the duke back to face him. Bejuk was stunned silent.


    ¡°The Shali wasn¡¯t alone¡­ She was taken there by someone from the palace¡­ They¡­ they fell from a cliff. I didn¡¯t dare look¡­ I don¡¯t know what became of them,¡±


    Rae could feel eyes on him. His breathes came laboured but he fixed his eyes on Bejuk and gripped his sleeve tighter.


    ¡°I need you to send someone to check on them,¡±


    Rae¡¯s vision blurred.


    That was fine. He¡¯d got the words out. He could depend on Bejuk. Whatever was waiting in the forest would be dealt with.


    The voices around him warped and pressed against his throbbing head. Bejuk¡¯s silhouette swayed, and a dull pain engulfed Rae¡¯s body.


    <hr>


    <div>


    He had fainted.


    A few minutes later, his awareness returned. Sebi cool hand was on his forehead. Rae fluttered his eyes shut, hoping the crowd that had gathered around him would assume him dead if he kept still enough.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with him?¡± Duke Ashem said.


    That cool hand felt Rae¡¯s wrist.


    ¡°He¡¯s not ill, or injured. It seems the stress has become too much for him,¡± Sebi said, quiet but sure.


    ¡°We had better move him somewhere more suitable. Sebi, can you lift him?¡±


    Despite his still pounding headache, Rae couldn¡¯t keep up his facade any longer.


    Sebi?! Lifting him? With his willowy limbs and fair face contorted in effort as he carried Rae off like a new bride? He almost shuddered at the humiliating image.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Rae said, forcing himself into a sitting position, ¡°I¡¯m going to rest in my rooms,¡±


    He caught sight of a dozen faces as he dragged himself up. He reeled at the way their eyebrows were knitted in pity. Even the child seemed to know just how much he had disgraced himself. The only saving grace was Duke Ashem, glaring at him with less disdain than usual, but still without an ounce of sentimentality.


    Thank the heavens, Some people never change!


    Sebi hovered at his back, shadowing him on the entire route back to his rooms, barking orders to anyone else who tried to follow to leave Rae alone. Rae could have hugged him, if not for his dogged focus on closing the distance between himself and his bed.


    Rae was left to himself for the rest of that day and night until the following afternoon. Not completely alone, servants still came and went, but nothing was asked of him. He lived like a ghost: lying in bed, pacing the gardens, replaying the horrors over and over in his mind.


    Then Bejuk came to fuss over him and force him to drink some concoction. A gloopy mixture of inconceivable origin, smelling strongly of basil. He didn¡¯t mention what they¡¯d found at the cliff, and Rae didn¡¯t ask.


    ¡°Sebi has been fretting over you,¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Rae asked. Of all the pleasantries Bejuk had tried to distract him with, this was the only one which caught his interest.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never known him to be so worried. Even as a child, he was never fazed by anything¡­¡±


    ¡°I suppose I behaved a little dramatically¡­¡± Rae cringed.


    Bejuk didn¡¯t try to argue with him. He went over some boring matters, relaying the duties he and Duke Ashem had taken on Rae¡¯s behalf. It wasn¡¯t long before Rae was drifting into a daydream again.


    ¡°Ashem is making plans to return home soon. I will stay with you for a little longer, but once I know your health is well taken care of I must return to my camp,¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Rae said, not relieved to be free of prying eyes, nor disheartened at being abandoned.


    ¡°Your cousin says he hopes your Aunt and Uncle will be coming to visit soon, so you won¡¯t be completely without company,¡± Bejuk said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Rae said, for the thousandth time that day.


    ¡°There¡¯s one more thing. The Shana wishes to meet with you,¡±


    ¡°With me? Why?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing bad. I think she wants to thank you for saving her daughter. But I know your feelings towards her¡­ If you don¡¯t want to see her, I¡¯ll find a way to placate her,¡±


    Bejuk was being so gentle, so delicate with his feelings. Rae cursed himself. He must truly look a state for everyone to be acting so attentively¡­


    ¡°I told you, I¡¯m fine. Tell her she¡¯s welcome to come,¡±


    A few hours later, after Rae had bathed, combed his hair, and brewed tea, the Shana was admitted into his rooms. Rae fixed his expression into a noncommittal smile, as he watched her look around.


    ¡°It¡¯s so strange¡­¡± she mused, and Rae knew how that thought ended.


    It¡¯s so strange that he¡¯s gone. And you¡¯re here in his place.


    ¡°Bejuk told me you¡¯re preparing to leave,¡± he said.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, shaking off whatever memories had a hold on her, ¡°I¡¯m excited. I haven¡¯t seen my home since I came here, thirteen years ago. There are many things I¡¯m looking forward to showing the girls,¡±


    The Ashem ruled the lower lying valleys to the east, their land straddling the beginnings of the black river. Little more than a stream when it passed through Camp Ashem, this river flowed all the way the plains peoples¡¯ imperial city. Traders from both the the plains and the northern desert travelled up and down the Ashem pass daily, bringing exotic luxuries and wealth to the Ashem clan. They were the Shak¡¯s window to the outside world.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the peaks there are beautiful, and the climate mild. I¡¯d love to see it myself, one day,¡±


    In truth, Rae hadn¡¯t heard much about Camp Ashem, and had committed to memory even less. His grasping at straws was an attempt to distract himself from how awkward he felt.


    ¡°We¡¯d be happy to host you. Ven especially,¡±


    Oh heavens! Could it get any worse?


    Rae disguised his mortification with a cough.


    ¡°Was there anything in particular you wanted to talk about?¡±


    The Shana smiled, ¡°oh! Yes, of course. There¡¯s a matter I want to request your blessing regarding,¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    As the former Shak¡¯s Shana, there was little Rae could deny her without seeming impolite.


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided to name the baby Raefu,¡±


    Raefu: ¡®glory to nobility¡¯. Or ¡®glory to Rae¡¯.


    If the Shana had said this a few months ago, Rae might have been sickened. Was it mockery? Was is sycophantic? Now, looking at the Shana¡¯s slight smile, he dared to hope. He hoped it to be sincerity.


    ¡°Are you not worried it will be a difficult name to bear? Something more cute, to match Lim or Komao, might fit better,¡±


    I truth, it didn¡¯t sound to bad. It had a pretty, feminine sound. But Rae couldn¡¯t let himself sound too eager, lest this be a trick.


    ¡°I know its a little unusual, but I think the sound is quite pleasant,¡±


    ¡°Then you should name her what you like,¡±


    ¡°As you wish,¡± the Shana said.


    Her business over, she didn¡¯t leave right away. She lingered, as if there was something she longed to investigate, but dare not touch anything out of turn.


    ¡°Is there anything here¡­ something of my father¡¯s¡­ that you¡¯d like, as a memento?¡±


    She shook her head, ¡°no, no. I have six little girls to remember him by,¡±


    It was this moment, when Rae realised that baby Raefu was the last sibling he was ever going to get. The six closest relatives he had would soon be out of his reach, possibly forever.


    ¡°That time in the forest, Komao called me ¡®your majesty¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, she must have heard a servant call you that, I¡¯ve barely-¡° The Shana cut herself off but Rae knew what she was thinking. I¡¯ve barely mentioned you to them.


    ¡°Not out of¡­ not out of disrespect¡­ I just didn¡¯t want to get their hopes up, in case you didn¡¯t want anything to do with them¡­¡±


    The Shana was red-faced as she finished.


    In his heart, Rae had many more questions, and knew this might be his last chance to ask them.


    Did father ever mention me? Mention my mother? Mention Nukaim? Did he miss me?


    Did you tell him to send me away? Did you cast a spell on him?


    Did you ever feel guilty for what you did to me? What you did to my family?


    Some of these questions were unfair. Some were idiotic. Some were just embarrassing.


    ¡°Will you¡­ tell them about me?¡± Rae asked, scratching the back of his head.


    ¡°Yes, of course. But you should also tell them yourself,¡±

 Book 1: Epilogue

    Just as everything came together, it also came apart.


    Rae soon got the better of his nerves. And Duke Bejuk packed his bags to return to his beloved snowy peak, dragging Sebi along with him.


    Within the week, Rae was mostly back to his old self. He penned letters to minor clan chiefs to announce the birth of his final sister. He wrote to his aunt, praying his uncles health would be well enough for them to make the trip to see him.


    His people had found nothing of note below the cliff, and Rae was eventually convinced to call the search off. If Nana had fallen into the river, her body would be carried for many fathoms, possibly as far as the southern plains. There was little benefit, and great risk, to sending his men so far.


    At the same time, the Ashems had built up their caravan and were ready to go. Much of the contents of the Shana¡¯s palace were actually the possessions of the Shak. Save for her silk robes, jewellery, and a few other treasures, the Shana wasn¡¯t taking much.


    ¡°It¡¯s all far too fine, I fear it will look out of place in Camp Ashem,¡± she had said, when Rae had gone to have tea with her, and suggested she take a jade statuette or two.


    When the tea and cakes were done with, she allowed him to look in on the snoozing Raefu. So rosy faced and healthy! The babe slept as peacefully as a summer afternoon.


    ¡°Really, you needn¡¯t leave so soon. You must be exhausted,¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite alright! I¡¯m excited to see my home again. And I know my father is anxious to check on Camp Ashem,¡±


    Rae sighed. He really couldn¡¯t keep them any longer. Camp Ashem was his peoples frontier to the south, if the Emperor¡¯s dogs got too comfortable with Duke Ashem¡¯s absence and started taking liberties¡­ It wouldn¡¯t be good.


    But, he still hadn¡¯t settled things with Ven, and time was running short. They had ran into each other, and exchanged pleasantries, but there were always eyes watching them. For the first few nights after seeing Nana fall, Rae hadn¡¯t slept and he barely had the energy to perform his duties, let alone the whims of his heart.


    He bid the Shana goodbye, after gifting her with some trinkets, intended for the shali. They were a selection of silk ribbons, pearl hair pins, and cypress combs; carved with charms for good fortune. Such things were commonplace within a powerful clan, but Rae still knew little of his sisters, and they seemed like reasonable gifts.


    The gardens were growing heavy with fresh blossoms, and Rae stopped for moment to admire them. Apple and peach blossoms framed the ornamental lake that was the centrepiece of the Shana¡¯s gardens.


    Rae was reliving memories of running around that lake, being chased by his maids, tossing morsels to the fish¡­ when:


    ¡°I was wondering when fate would bring us together again,¡±


    Ven was watching Rae, having just passed the gate of the Shana¡¯s palace. Compared to the dishevelled and distressed state he had been in the last time Rae had seen him, he looked as serene as a heavenly messenger. His sleek hair pulled into a flawless topknot, his smile gleaming in the afternoon light.


    ¡°What¡¯s all this talk of fate? You know where to find me,¡± Rae said. That face, which he¡¯d been longing to see for days now, was suddenly blinding; he tried to focus on his view of the lake.


    ¡°Yes, but I felt I couldn¡¯t seek you out until I thought of a good way to repay you,¡±


    ¡°Repay me?¡±


    ¡°For saving Ko-ko,¡±


    Rae frowned, ¡°there¡¯s no need to worry about that. Of course, I¡¯m happy to help. And anyway¡­¡±


    ¡°Anyway?¡±


    ¡°Just after the baby was born¡­ I was in a bad mood, and me and Duke Ashem had an argument¡­ Did he tell you about it?¡±


    There was a huffing sound, and Rae looked up to see Ven stifling laughter.


    ¡°I knew he was angry about something! But he didn¡¯t tell me what. What did you say?¡±


    To acquiesce to all of your demands? To give you a grandson? An excuse to usurp my position? Not that you need one. How dare I? How dare you? You dare bring my father up now?


    ¡°Some things I¡¯ve thought for some time¡­ but probably shouldn¡¯t have said,¡±


    No matter what the Shana said, if Duke Ashem hated him, he could never drop by Camp Ashem for a visit. The shak¡¯s camp would be Rae¡¯s island, with access to Ven and the shali cut off by a vast ocean¡­


    ¡°You look worried¡­¡±


    Ven was standing so close. He was watching the lake too, now. Mere inches apart. If Rae shifted his weight a little, their shoulders would be touching.


    When they made contact, Ven wrapped an arm around him. Rae dared not look at him.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t think Duke Ashem will like it, if we continue¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let him worry you, he doesn¡¯t like anything or anyone,¡± Ven said.


    The more you try to reassure me, the more worried I feel.


    Rae was going to say something, then he met Ven¡¯s eyes. Ven didn¡¯t look away, even with Rae staring back at him. Questions and hopes ran riot in Rae¡¯s mind. He cleared his throat.


    ¡°Do you still¡­¡±


    Then, Ven kissed him. Rae had been hoping he might, but that didn¡¯t make it any less of a shock. Warm lips pressed gently against his own, and Rae was shaking with joy.


    He knew, from reading about it, that you¡¯re not meant to remain completely still when being kissed. But gnawing too hard on someone¡¯s lips was also a big no-no. Rae leaned closer, hyper-analysing every movement Ven made.


    If it¡¯s the last thing I do, I¡¯m going to be good at this.


    Ven, Rae trembled when he felt it, was using his tongue! He wanted to scream from excitement, but couldn¡¯t do that directly into Ven¡¯s mouth. To ground himself, he focused on the electrifying joy that was coursing through his whole body. Before Rae could gather his wits enough to put his own tongue to use, Ven pulled back.


    Rae scoured his face for any signs of dissatisfaction, and found none. His eyes were twinkling.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about a thing. I¡¯m still determined to win your heart,¡± Ven said, before pressing another kiss to his cheek.


    Rae was too overcome to speak, so Ven continued.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go back to Camp Ashem for now. But I¡¯ll take the first chance I can to come back here. You are my Lord after all, and I¡¯m desperate to serve,¡±


    If it were possible for words to deal a killing blow, Ven was master of this method. Rae licked his lips, still tingling with ghostly sensations.


    ¡°Hmmm, come back soon,¡± he said.

 The Palace Rankings: Explained By Laela Shakam

    This month saw an earth-shattering shift in the balance of power in the Shak¡¯s Palace. The arrival of the new Shak (among other events) led to many in our number reconsidering their loyalties, and that is reflected in this month¡¯s rankings.


    Without further ado, let¡¯s discuss the current winner!


    #1 Rae je Kaolin (NEW)


    Wow! ¡®The palace ladies really love a man with a title¡¯ is what I might have said if I hadn¡¯t already made the new Shak¡¯s acquaintance. He may not be my type, but there¡¯s no denying he¡¯s as cute as a button and as sincere as a man can be! It¡¯s his first time in the palace since rankings began, and he¡¯s already taken the top spot! As expected of the Shak.


    #2 Sebi Bejuk (-1)


    My baby! My sweet snow fox! My silver-haired angel! Don¡¯t let the ranking drop get you down. I¡¯ll never stop voting for you. In all seriousness, Sebi needs to show himself in public more. If he weren¡¯t so shy that some of the more fickle palace ladies often forget about him, I swear he¡¯d be #1 every month.


    #3 Ven Ashem (-1)


    Oh, how the mighty have fallen! Regular readers will know I¡¯ve had my criticisms for everyone¡¯s favourite Ashem young master, but even I can¡¯t deny that the philanderer has a pretty face. Still, it seems like pure sex appeal isn¡¯t enough to top the rankings anymore. If Ven wants to be #1 again, he better get to work on his personality.


    #4 Kitchen Staff A (+4)


    The way to a girl¡¯s heart truly is through her stomach. A cute smile with dimples doesn¡¯t hurt either! You¡¯ve earned these votes, A. Keep up the good work!


    #5 Mystery Man (New)


    No confirmed name for this entry, but he has been spotted lurking around the Shana¡¯s palace. Tall, dark, with an intense stare. He¡¯s rumoured to be the same mysterious figure who topped the rankings two years ago when he was spotted at the eldest Shali¡¯s tenth birthday party¡­ Just who is this mysterious gentleman?


    #6 Gaori Kaolin (NEW)


    Huh, there¡¯s no accounting for taste is there? He¡¯s fine looking and has a decent body but of all the new arrivals, he¡¯s lacking punch. Perhaps the palace ladies appreciate a bit of ¡°camp Kaolin charm¡±?


    #7 Page B (+2)


    Isn¡¯t he a little young for this ranking? And yet his votes keep going up and up¡­ A cute face really goes a long way. Perhaps we¡¯ve got a future star on our hands?


    #8 Duke Ashem (-2)


    It seems that there¡¯s still a vocal minority of palace ladies with masochistic tendencies¡­ Ladies, you know I would never kink-shame, but please¡­ You can do better.


    #9 Footman C (-4)


    Oof, the scandal last month has really hit him hard. I wonder if he can come back from this?


    #10 Duke Bejuk (-)


    Ah, so Duke Bejuk¡¯s sole fan is still going strong? As is the theory that the Duke himself reads this newsletter and participates in the monthly voting¡­ Better luck next month, Your Excellency!


    With that, voting for next month¡¯s champion begins! Please deliver your votes to room 104 in the maid¡¯s dormitory. Be sure to choose carefully.

 Interview with an esteemed gentleman: Rae je Kaolin

    Rae Je Kaolin is the current Shak. Due to a tumultuous childhood, little is known about him to the people of the Shak¡¯s camp. This interview will reveal the answers to their most pressing questions:


    How do you style your hair?


    If I¡¯ve got a lot to do that day, It¡¯ll get in the way if I don¡¯t tie it back. Every night, I¡¯ll oil, comb and braid it before bed, so as to have less to worry about in the morning. I¡¯ve done this since I was seven. Before then, my mother or Nana did it for me.


    What kind of clothing do you like to wear?


    Long sleeves are nice. Loose fitting, but not so baggy they become a hindrance. Lightweight, simple fabrics in dark colours suit me best.


    Tell me about your parents.


    My father was the previous Shak. When he passed, I hadn¡¯t seen him for many years, but he wrote to me monthly. He was very tall and strong, and a keen huntsman. He doted on me when I was small, but rarely had much time to spare. His marriage to my mother was only political, so while he was sad when she passed, he moved on quickly.


    My mother passed away when I was seven. She was giving birth to my younger brother, but he died too. Before that, her health had always been delicate, and she was often bedridden. Despite this, she always had time to comfort and play with me.


    What is your greatest achievement?


    When I was sixteen, I out-shot my cousin in a hunt for the first time. I brought home three pheasants that day.


    What is your biggest secret?


    I pretend not to know a lot of things in front of my uncle and aunt. For example, I pretend I don¡¯t know why my father sent me to live with them. They would think it upset me. If they knew that I know, that would make them worry and want to baby me.


    Do you have any bad habits?


    Staying up all night without intending to.


    What is the greatest extravagance you allow yourself?


    Honey-glazed pheasant, a long bath and a lie-in.


    What is your greatest fear? What keeps you up at night?


    Death? Or grievous bodily harm? There are a few people who have a lot to gain in the case of my death. I¡¯m not totally defenceless, but I worry that I¡¯ll let my guard down and they¡¯ll strike before I can react. Therefore, I never let my guard down.


    What are your biggest pet peeves?


    When Gaori brings a girl back to our rooms without warning me first.


    What does perfect happiness look like to you?


    A midwinter party with everyone in the kaolin clan. There¡¯s roasted pheasant, fruitcake, wild greens, chestnuts, and berry wine. Uncle is in good health, and full of energy. Auntie is relaxed and happy. Gaori holds his alcohol well, and we celebrate into the early hours of the morning, then sleep for the whole day after.

 Interview with an esteemed gentleman: Gaori Kaolin

    Upon his arrival in the Shak¡¯s camp, Gaori Kaolin, only son of the Duke of Kaolin and cousin of the Shak, met with the author to answer some of the readers¡¯ most pressing questions. His answers were as follows:


    Describe your home.


    The Kaolin camp is in the southern mountains. From the tallest peak, you can see the movements of the imperial army to the east, west, and south for hundreds of miles. For this reason, our camp is one of the most strategically important for our people.


    We live deep in the forest, next to the Kaolin falls. Our houses are built on stilts among the trees, with rope bridges running between them. I live in the biggest house, with my mother, father, and little cousin. We regularly host the rest of the community for get-togethers.


    What are your family like?


    Mother is very kind. She¡¯s always making food for us, cheese flatbreads, roasted game, and honeyed fruit etc., and encouraging us to take it easy. She came here from another camp, and father was immediately smitten with her. I was born not long after, and she¡¯s stayed in camp Kaolin ever since.


    My father is the Duke of Kaolin, and therefore top dog around here. He¡¯s always feigned illness to get me to take on more duties, since I was a young boy, to the point where I can¡¯t tell if he¡¯s playing or not anymore. Now he¡¯s getting on a bit, he doesn¡¯t need to employ such schemes anymore, but sometimes still does.


    Both my parents dote on me a lot, but the true baby of our family is Rae, my little cousin. He had a complicated start in life. His mother (my auntie) died and his father remarried. Since then, my parents took him in. He¡¯s smaller than me, and his health is more delicate, so I¡¯ve always watched out for him. Now he¡¯s grown, he can mostly fend for himself, but I still watch out for him out of habit.


    What¡¯s the most embarrassing thing that¡¯s happened to you?


    When I was thirteen, I ate some berries I had picked out in the forest. They didn¡¯t taste bad so I thought it was fine and scarfed them all down. Next thing I knew I had fallen from my loft, and¡­ made quite a mess of my bed¡­ The only person who knows about it is Rae, who took me to the baths, took care of me, and cleaned up the mess.


    Now a lot of time has passed, and I can tell the story with a laugh, but for a long time, I was mortified at the thought of anyone finding out.


    When was the first time you fell in love?


    I was thirteen. She was a dancer in a travelling troupe. Silky black hair and that outfit she wore¡­ it was something else. She spent ten nights at our camp and no one could tear me away from any of her performances. I was too shy to speak to her, and she was quite a bit older than me. If I ever met her again though, I¡¯d shoot my shot. What¡¯s there to lose?


    What¡¯s your favourite colour?


    Green! Mother says I look quite dashing in green.


    What do you think others think of you?


    Everyone knows how strong and dashing I am. But I wish they also knew my sensitive side. I can offer a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear, words of support or guidance. I¡¯m not only good for making jokes, I can be serious too!


    Who do you trust the most? And why?


    My cousin Rae. He¡¯s not only good and honest to the bone, he also has severe trust issues and would never let a secret of mine slip by accident. I¡¯m also his only friend, so there aren¡¯t many he could betray me for anyway.


    What is your most treasured possession?


    My father¡¯s short sword. He carved the sheaf himself when he was my age, and gave it to me as a bribe to get me to start doing his scouting missions for him.


    If you could only take five things to a desert island, what would you take?


    A girl with a bangin¡¯ body, cute laugh, and naughty disposition.


    The short sword I received from my father.


    Something to gather water with.


    A hen.


    A rooster.


    What does perfect happiness look like to you?


    I¡¯ve married my dream girl, and we¡¯ve built our own tree-house right next to my parents¡¯. We have four little ones, two boys, two girls. Rae still lives close by too. Everyday, Rae and I go out hunting, and I perform my father''s duties well. In the evenings the whole family gets together for food and wine.

 Interview with an esteemed gentleman: Ven Ashem

    Everyone already knows of the infamous son of Duke Ashem, young master Ven. But is there more to him? This writer met with the handsome nobleman, and despite his best attempts to distract me with sweet words and a sultry gaze, I was able to uncover some useful information!


    Describe your family.


    My father is the Duke of Ashem, but for more than a decade his duties have been carried out by a deputy, and later by myself. He lives for most of the year in the Shak¡¯s camp, leaving me with the run of the Ashem camp. He is strict, but as long as my exploits don¡¯t reach his ears, I can get away with anything. My mother died when I was small, so I don¡¯t remember her.


    I have an elder sister, who is married to the Shak, with five children and counting. All of them girls, which is why they keep trying for more. My nieces are all good kids, but not good enough for them. Father and sister both want a son, so he can be the next Shak. For a lot of reasons, this seems less and less likely by the year.


    What¡¯s your most attractive physical feature?


    I take good care of myself, and it shows in my body. I¡¯ve been told I have a devilish smile too.


    What do you wish more people knew about you?


    I¡¯m more serious when people think. And I¡¯m no flatterer. If I say you¡¯re cute, then it¡¯s a fact you¡¯re adorable. I¡¯ve no shortage of decent people interested in me, I¡¯ve no need to trick anyone into my bed.


    What¡¯s your special skill?


    I¡¯m good at haggling. My home is a place a lot of traders pass through, and I have an eye for fine things, so I¡¯ve got a lot of experience.


    What¡¯s your ideal pet?


    I wouldn¡¯t make a good pet owner, too flighty and irresponsible. I quite like cats, but would rather borrow someone else¡¯s than have one of my own.


    How do you spend the average day?


    I sleep in late and have breakfast brought to my rooms. If I have company, we might take a bath together. Then I¡¯ll send them on their way. I can relax during the morning, but after lunch, I perform duties on my father¡¯s behalf. Went I¡¯m done, I¡¯ll go somewhere for dinner. I like places with lots of people, and good food and wine. If I find someone nice, I¡¯ll take them home with me.


    Is your bedroom tidy or messy?


    It¡¯s tidy but through no effort of my own. Servants take care of the mess for me. That said, I take good care of my possessions, so it rarely looks cluttered. My messiest habit is I often leave the bed unmade.


    When was the first time you fell in love?


    Despite my current reputation, I was a very innocent child. The first time I fell in love was a very pure moment. I was only thirteen, and I came across a little girl, bawling her eyes out. It was an ugly sight. I was the only one around, and she was completely inconsolable. When my sister got like this, my father would always buy her something pretty to cheer her up. But I had nothing of value with me. The girl¡¯s despair really got to me, so I was willing to try anything  to make her stop crying. I frantically pulled up a handful of little red flowers, weeds really, and gave them to her. The way her face relaxed, and she blinked through the tears at me¡­ Suddenly, she looked like a little flower-weed herself.


    She ran off without a word and I never saw her again. Again, this was a purely innocent interaction, but I thought of her often as I got older. I wished to be able to give her a proper gift, jewels and gold, and see what face she¡¯d make when she received them. She might have been pitiful, but she was very cute. Wanting to give to someone, with nothing to gain for yourself, is what I think true love is and that was the first time I felt it.


    Describe your ideal partner.


    Gender doesn¡¯t concern me. It has to be someone sexy, with an elegant waist and a soft belly. Nice thighs too. They should have a fiery personality, but melt when I kiss them. They need to have a high sex drive. Social status doesn¡¯t concern me, but they¡¯ll have to prepare themselves for all the highs and lows of being with a Duke-in-waiting.


    If you only had one day to live, what would you do?


    The person described above.

 Interview with an esteemed gentleman: Zott Wolavu

    I¡¯ve finally done it! The shadowy figure who occasionally lingers around the Shana¡¯s palace has at last agreed to an interview. I¡¯ve even learnt his name: Zott Wolavu!


    Tell me about your background.


    That¡¯s none of your business.


    Okay, how about your family?


    No.


    I hear you¡¯ve been living in Camp Ashem, how are you finding it?


    I have a nice room at the main house and eat three square meals daily. The food is rich and varied. Many people pass by the camp every day. Some cause trouble, and it¡¯s my job to keep an eye on them.


    Is there anyone at Camp Ashem whom you¡¯re close to?


    No.


    Then do you have a favourite food?


    It¡¯s all very good. It¡¯s hard to pick a favourite. Anything warm and plentiful is good enough for me.


    Do you have any special skills?


    I have many skills. I can move silently, no matter the terrain, without leaving any trail behind. I fight best with a sword, but know other methods too. I know how to strike quickly and decisively, without making a sound.


    Those are my best traits, but if the Duke needs something else from me, I can acquire new skills efficiently.


    When you¡¯re free, how do you pass the time?


    I train my body. Too much time without activity, and my skills would be depleted, so I practice every day. I¡¯ll also observe any potential threats and generally keep an eye on what goes on within the camp.


    How would you describe your personal style?


    Practical and deadly efficient.


    What traits annoy you in a person?


    People who are lazy and waste food. Greedy people, who deny food to people who are hungry. Noisy people. People who bother Duke Ashem. Women who bother me.


    Most of all, young master Ven annoys me.


    Are you good with children?


    They might be noisy, which is annoying. If they¡¯re not, then they¡¯re just like anyone else. I don¡¯t feel anything strong about them either way. If I was tasked with protecting a child, I¡¯d be able to do it just fine.


    Have you ever been in love with someone?


    This interview is over.


    Before I could stop him, the subject of this interview climbed a tree and escaped my questioning...

 Interview with an esteemed gentleman: Sebi Bejuk

    Have you seen the gorgeous beauty that¡¯s descended upon this desolate mountain of ours? Of course, I¡¯m talking about Sebi Bejuk. The heavenly healing beauty. The serene snow fox. The blossom of Bejuk. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re desperate to get to know the real Sebi, just as I was when he kindly agreed to an interview.


    Describe yourself.


    I¡¯m trained in all the healing arts, specialising in massage and aromatherapy. My best traits are I¡¯m detail-oriented and a hard worker. It¡¯s been ten years since I began my training and I have been a fully fledged healer for three. In that time I¡¯ve been working as an assistant to my adoptive father, Duke Bejuk.


    Where do you come from?


    I don¡¯t know where I was born, or who my parents are. Duke Bejuk found me wandering the forest near the camp when I was around ten years old, with no sign of where I came from nor any memory. The Duke took my appearance as a good omen and brought me into his house and raised me alongside his own children.


    What do you think people notice about you first?


    I¡¯m unfortunate to be cursed with quite a unique appearance: I have naturally white hair. Because of this, I get a lot of stares in public.


    What¡¯s your relationship with your family?


    Duke Bejuk treats me very well. Since I accompany him when he travels to other camps to treat illness, I spend more time with him than his actual children.


    Speaking of his children, they have both been good friends to me. Rok is older, and a very good healer. His bedside manner and leadership skills are unmatched, and he has a wide knowledge of herbs and healing techniques.


    Etti is a different matter entirely. She¡¯s lazy, brash, and foolhardy. Her greatest joy is slacking off and teasing people, most of all me. She tries to hide her good heart and nurturing soul, but I¡¯ve seen her true self.


    What¡¯s your go-to meal?


    Steamed mountain greens and mushrooms. Stewed with high-quality medicinal herbs chosen to suit the eater¡¯s current condition. Served with hot tea and a little honey.


    In your opinion, what is the cutest animal?


    Snow foxes. I¡¯ve seen them when out gathering mountain herbs in the early mornings. They might seem like elegant creatures, but if you watch them for a long time, you see they have a cute, and silly side too.


    What is an item you¡¯re never seen without?


    I always carry a small leather pack full of basic medical supplies: All the major herbs and crystals, blessing candles, a few good blades, dressings, a needle and thread etc.


    What is the worst fate a person can suffer?


    There are many terrible injuries and illnesses I¡¯ve witnessed as a healer. Many drawn-out painful deaths. I think the worst fate of all are when people have to die alone, or with just me to comfort them. Being with family, whether or not they are related by blood, brings such comfort. When I think about what fate scares me the most, its living a full life but having no one by my side at the end.


    Does the thought of death frighten you?


    I wouldn¡¯t say ¡°frighten¡± but I am unsettled by it. I¡¯m certainly quite accustomed to death but unless forced to face it, I prefer to keep it at the back of my mind.


    What kind of person is your ideal girl?


    Is there such a thing as an ideal girl? If the girl is kind, with good morals, she¡¯s good. If she¡¯s not, she¡¯s troublesome. Is there anything more to it than that?


    Sebi, you¡¯re breaking my readers¡¯ hearts here!

 Naming Conventions of the Shaks People

    <hr>


    Greetings, I¡¯m the author of The Barbarian¡¯s Tale, here to teach you how the characters in this story are named.


    You need: a 20-sided dice, and an 8-sided dice.


    STEP ONE: Roll the 20-sided dice to choose a consonant.


    STEP TWO: And roll the 8-sided dice to choose a vowel


    STEP THREE: Keep doing this until you have a string of letters that sound nice. Feel free to cheat if you have to, but keep it secret.


    STEP FOUR: Assign a meaning for the name you created. There are no rules here. Do whatever you want.


    STEP FIVE: Comment with the name you created and its meaning.

 Chapter 27

    Zott was perched in a tree, watching over the Shak¡¯s chamber. Summer had come, and his preferred hiding place was now choked with yellow-green leaves.


    The Shak was lounging in his courtyard. Despite the setting sun, the summer warmth was still beating down on them. Rae had spent the last few days visiting the minor clans around Saoshak, checking on the yields of their summer hunts, and the growth of their crops. Now, he was free to relax in private, stripped of his formal robes, reading his letters, sipping tea¡­


    And Zott was free too. Rather than following the Shak like a shade, constantly surveying their surroundings for threats, he could relax in his favourite tree.


    ¡°Are you comfortable up there?¡± Rae said.


    He had long stopped startling when he noticed Zott¡¯s presence. He looked up with a beaming smile before returning to his papers. That should have soothed Zott¡¯s worries¡­ but it only made them worse.


    Little fool, don¡¯t let your guard drop so much¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m quite alright, my lord,¡± Zott called.


    ¡°Why not come sit here?¡± Rae got up, and cleared the second seat of the books and knickknacks which had been piled atop it.


    Zott hesitated but he could hardly reject the offer, now that the Shak had gone to such efforts. Zott shifted the chair, to have a better view of the surrounding courtyard, earning a chuckle from Rae.


    ¡°Even now, you can¡¯t relax,¡± he stated.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to perform a duty, after all,¡± Zott said.


    Rae smiled and returned his attention to his letters.


    Soon afternoon gave way to dusk, and Rae lit a few candles. A little later, the strain on his eyes became too great, and he started tidying.


    ¡°Will the maids not handle that?¡± Zott asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not be disturbed while I sleep,¡± Rae explained, and Zott scoffed.


    Did you not even consider ordering me to clean up after you?


    Silence passed between them.


    ¡°Have the Ashems written to you recently?¡± Rae asked.


    Zott knew who he was specifically asking about, but for some reason, he didn¡¯t want to mention that person.


    ¡°My Duke wrote. It came four days ago,¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Rae said, not hiding his disappointment well, ¡°is everyone doing well?¡±


    ¡°My Duke keeps personal matters to a minimum in his letters. But he didn¡¯t mention any problems, so I¡¯m sure all is well,¡±


    It was a half truth. And Rae believed it. Zott had never felt the need to lie before. The truth was the truth. If he wanted to say it, he would. If he didn¡¯t, he would stay silent.


    But ever since he had noticed the Shak¡¯s¡­ interest¡­ in Young Master Ven, Zott had been unsettled. He was more disturbed still, by how his nerves hitched, when Rae accepted the half-truth, sighed, and returned to tidying.


    ¡°Go to sleep. I¡¯ll handle the mess,¡±


    Rae raised his eyebrows, ¡°there¡¯s no need. I¡¯m not so tired that-¡°


    ¡°Yes. You are. And you know I like to be kept busy. I¡¯ll be quiet. Go get some rest,¡± Zott said, watching frustration, logic, gratitude and submission warring within Rae.


    This was the only strategy that worked. Don¡¯t listen to his excuses, ease his guilt, and make it clear what you expect of him. Go take care of yourself.


    In a way, it was like talking with his Duke. Of course, Zott would never dare order his Duke around. His Duke knew best. Almost always. But sometimes even he benefited from some careful nudging.


    My lord, please allow me.


    My lord has given me so much. Let me ease your worries, just this once.


    Rest well, my lord. Leave everything to me.


    Zott may be a foolish beast, but he at least understood this.


    Zott¡¯s strategy might have worked a little too well.


    The next day, Rae had few duties. By the afternoon, he had nothing left to do.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of going to the spa,¡± Rae said.


    Zott cringed. The spa was the caves where Bejuk had built his thermal baths. Commissioned for the previous Shak, they now belonged to Rae.


    But it had been a few months since they had been last used. That was the second time Zott had made an attempt on Rae¡¯s life.


    ¡°Why not wait till that useless cousin of yours returns?¡±


    ¡°Because I fancy going there now, why? Are you worried?¡±


    Zott was worried. The palace was guarded, but not impregnable. And wandering the forest? That was an unnecessary risk. Foolish.


    ¡°Do you want to join me?¡±


    The trail to the spa had grown cool and dry in the summer months, with a gentle, green-hued shade. Zott followed the Shak at a leisurely pace.


    Rae lit a torch and handed it to him, ¡° it¡¯s dark, and a little slippery inside. Be careful,¡±


    It was such a queer place. So warm, tinged yellow with flickering torch light. A rich, earthy mist clung to every surface.


    Illuminated by his own light, Rae was grinning at him.


    ¡°What do you think? Are you getting in?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stand guard,¡±


    ¡°No need to be so rigid, there¡¯s nothing to fear,¡± Rae said, undoing clasps, and dropping his outerwear in a heap at his feet. He was now dressed in nothing but a cream undershirt.


    ¡°Are you feeling alright? You¡¯re making a funny face,¡±


    Zott turned away. He hesitated for a moment, before stripping off his own outerwear. His skin was already damp from the mist which permeated the cavern. Where Zott was standing, a current of air flowed between the cave entrance and the hole in the roof of the furthest chamber.


    There was a splash and a gasp.


    ¡°It¡¯s so warm!¡± Rae cried, submerged up to his waist, ¡°Get in!¡±


    Zott¡¯s eyes fell on the Shak¡¯s bare chest, his wiry muscles, his pink¡­


    Zott leapt into the water, sitting on the smooth bottom. So deep the water reached his ears. He let out a hiss when the tingling heat hit him.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice, right?¡± Rae said, lowering himself to a sitting position. The tips of his hair, tied in a messy topknot, grazed the water¡¯s surface and clung to his neck.


    ¡°Your hair,¡± Zott said.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Rae touched it, a troubled expression on his face, ¡°it doesn¡¯t matter if it gets wet, it¡¯s not like I¡¯ll be meeting with anyone later,¡±


    Once he had noticed, the thought wouldn¡¯t leave Zott¡¯s head. The two of them, walking the long way down the mountain in the setting sun, Rae shivering, refusing to ask for help...


    ¡°If it¡¯s wet, you¡¯ll catch cold later. Allow me,¡±


    Once again, Rae acquiesced. Zott was getting good at this.


    Trying not to be distracted by Rae¡¯s pale skin, the curve of his neck and shoulders, or their proximity, Zott pulled the pin from Rae¡¯s hair. He caught the hair before it hit the water, smoothing it between his fingers. Then, he teased it into a much neater, much tighter, topknot.


    Rae made a humming sound and Zott paused, ¡°too tight?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Rae said, his ears burning red, ¡°I was just thinking, I really need to learn how to do it neatly myself. The both of you are so much better at it than me,¡±


    The both of you? Myself. And master Ven.


    Zott was well trained in self-discipline, so whatever emotion was stirring in his guts, he strangled it to death. He finished fixing the Shak¡¯s hair and then moved to the edge of the cavern. The cool, smooth stone against his back provided a pleasing contrast to the warmth elsewhere.


    If the Shak noticed his discomfort, he didn¡¯t put words to it. They sat for over an hour, heads leaned back, watching the steam rise from their bodies to the cave¡¯s uneven ceiling.


    When Zott wasn¡¯t shadowing the Shak, fussing over his hair and keeping him company, he had a small, bare room in the Ashem residence adjacent to the palace. Being the only Ashem clansman present, the residence took on a ghostly, melancholy atmosphere that suited Zott well.


    He didn¡¯t need for servants. Often, he ate with the Shak, and if he didn¡¯t, he could provide for himself. On this particular day, he was picking at some smoked fish, while looking over a letter.


    Zott Wolavu,


    The family are all well, but the symptoms are growing in severity, and more and more in the outlying settlements are growing infected. It¡¯s unclear whether it originated from the plains or the sands. And the symptoms are unlike anything we¡¯ve ever seen before.


    Duke Bejuk has agreed to send his best healers to investigate.


    Don¡¯t do anything foolish, my father is already losing enough sleep. Whatever is happening on our borders, it¡¯s a matter for the healers. You might be a loyal beast, but you¡¯ll be useless here.


    Focus on your assigned duties. Protect the Shak. If any harm comes to him, I¡¯ll blame you.


    Don¡¯t fail,


    Ven Ashem


    Until earlier this year, Zott had never received a letter from young master Ven. They were seldom far apart, Zott being tasked with watching over the young master when Duke Ashem was absent. If they weren¡¯t together, the other faded to a non-entity. They were rarely at odds, more due to Zott¡¯s endurance than Ven¡¯s lenience. But they could hardly be called friends.


    Suddenly, a message was being carried across the mountains on an almost weekly basis. Sometimes, Ven would send a second letter before Zott had finished responding to the first.


    This was just what had happened this time. Zott had made a promise to secretly send regular, detailed reports on the goings on in the Shak¡¯s camp. And the well-being of the Shak. In exchange, Ven would update him on the state of affairs in Camp Ashem.


    Zott was already falling behind, so he took out a pen and ink and started writing.


    Young Master,


    I appreciate your insights on the matters in Camp Ashem. As for my own report:


    The target has just returned from surveying the minor clans. By the end of the week, the Kaolin are expected to arrive. He is healthy and in good spirits. When young master Kaolin returns, he wishes to go hunting for game in the deep valley. Of course. I will ensure the Shak doesn¡¯t meet with any danger.


    Outside of this, there is nothing else to share. I will write again when there is more.


    Zott,


    Once it was committed to ink, Zott could relax. Coming up with things to write was difficult, since his lovelorn young master was insatiable.


    At first, he tried to note the things he knew the young master would observe in the Shak. His smile, the gentle curve of his lips. The creased corners of his eyes when his smiled. The careful, graceful quality each of his movements held¡­


    This line of thought was too dangerous. Instead of the apathy of a stalking predator, if temporarily neutralised, there was delight in noticing these things. And once he realised this, it was a rare emotion Zott couldn¡¯t kill.


    Worse, he was sure, with throat squeezing guilt, that Ven would somehow discovery this. Somehow, he would see it in the ink of the short, clinical reports he sent. Then, he would call Zott back to Camp Ashem. Or worse! Come to the Shak¡¯s camp, and steal all the Shak¡¯s attention once again.


    As things were, Rae would call Zott down from his hiding places for tea, or invite Zott to take a bath with him, but that would all end if Ven were here. This Zott knew.


    It was the most selfish, disloyal thought Zott had ever had. But no matter how he tried, he couldn¡¯t stop thinking it.

 Chapter 28

    Rae was woken by the gentle warmth of summer filtering through his curtains. He stretched by the window and watched the butterflies enjoying his courtyard.


    His courtyard. Months had passed, and that phrasing had settled into normalcy.


    Despite everything that had once happened here, the Shak¡¯s camp still had its beauty.


    A basin of warm water was already prepared for him. The palace maids were already going about their work as he was dozing. He stripped off his cotton sleep shirt and cleaned himself of the night¡¯s sweats.


    His sleep¡ªonce plagued by dreams of tiny bodies, of his father¡¯s grey face, of the cliff¡ªhad mostly returned to normal. His days were mostly busy, he was well-fed. And while he was still plagued by the occasional pang of loneliness, he was rarely far from good company.


    The greatest balm to those occasional heartaches was reminding himself that he had kissed someone. He was someone who had been kissed!


    He received missives from Camp Ashem often: sweet notes of affection, snippets copied from poetry books, little sketches. It almost surprised him on the days when the messengers brought the dry provincial reports penned by Duke Ashem.


    Yes.


    Things were good.


    Better than he had ever dared hope things would go when he first returned to this place.


    Rae combed and tied his hair with his favourite silk ribbon. Then, he heard familiar footsteps outside.


    ¡°The cook told me what they have planned for dinner today,¡± Laela sang, as she balanced a tray of steaming food, ¡°you¡¯ll be happy when you find out,¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Rae asked.


    The fruits of the forest were at their finish at this time of year, and the Shak received the very finest of all.


    Laela was beaming, and Rae couldn¡¯t help but smile back.


    ¡°Pheasant! Pheasant soup! It¡¯s your favourite, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Pheasant was Rae¡¯s meat of choice, so of course he was happy.


    ¡°But¡­¡± he wondered, ¡°I had asked for them to save any pheasant for when the Kaolins arrive, will we have enough?¡±


    ¡°Worry not, our fortunes have been good this year, and pheasant is plentiful. Did you not see so yourself, when you toured the valleys?¡±


    Rae had seen so. His worries were alleviated, and he took a spoonful of soup.


    The facade of formality had long since fallen between Rae and Laela, so Rae didn¡¯t think it odd that she lingered after delivering the meal. What was odd was how quiet she was, how her expression had turned so solemn.


    ¡°Have you heard anything from Gaori? The last letter was more than a week ago,¡± she asked.


    Ah! Rae thought. I understand that feeling.


    ¡°Mine was a little longer ago than that, but he said they were preparing to leave in the next few days. My uncle can be so fussy sometimes, and my aunt can¡¯t help but indulge him; Gaori¡¯s probably stressed out of his mind trying to get everything in order,¡± Rae smiled, simply from thinking of his aunt and uncle.


    ¡°What are they like? As people, I mean,¡± Laela asked.


    ¡°My aunt is gentle and kind. The kindest woman you¡¯ve ever met,¡±


    ¡°And your uncle?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s also kind and good-natured. He never has a bad thing to say about anyone. But he has a few flaws: he¡¯ll do anything to get out of hard work. And he makes terrible jokes. Other than that, you have nothing to worry about,¡±


    Rae watched the tension built up inside Laela finally release.


    ¡°They¡¯re not strict at all?


    Rae scoffed, ¡°They¡¯re nothing like Duke Ashem. Or Duke Bejuk, for that matter. I promise,¡±


    The absurd notion of the Kaolins being strict, had put Rae in a jovial mood. Being reassured, Laela tended towards silliness too. So, they shared the food and chatted until a more senior maid came to drag her away.


    <hr>


    <div>


    That morning, Rae met with the store-master who assured him that they had enough pheasant to enjoy the greatest banquet the camp had ever seen.


    ¡°How is that so?¡± Rae asked, ¡°I didn¡¯t issue any orders to hunt more than our usual amount,¡±


    ¡°Did you not send a servant a few weeks ago?¡±


    The store-master was a stocky, red-faced fellow who had made the Shak¡¯s camp his home for more than fifty years. Rae hadn¡¯t known him when he was young, but he had spoken generously of the late Kaolin Shana.


    When Rae didn¡¯t respond immediately to his question, his face fell.


    ¡°Have I been misinformed, your majesty?¡±


    Rae smiled, ¡°do not fret. I was merely annoyed at myself for forgetting. Pheasant is truly my favourite, so it''s good you''ve ordered more be brought in,¡±


    Before more of his inner thoughts showed on his face, Rae bid the store-master farewell.


    That Ashem spy¡­ He¡¯s really going above and beyond¡­


    The spy, or the beast; as Ven had once called him, made for decent company. Especially when Goari was away. The Shak¡¯s camp was no longer lacking in friendly faces but few were as readily available for conversation as Zott. He often spent whole days lurking somewhere in Rae¡¯s sight-line, as if stalking some prized game.


    Rae would tease and converse, but he wouldn¡¯t be fooled. Zott was more adept than Rae had expected at pretending to be a tamed beast. But Rae knew where his loyalty lay. Should the moment come that Rae¡¯s truce with Duke Ashem be overturned, Zott would be the blade at his throat.


    Rae wandered the palace, hoping he would spot the man crouched in a dark corner or hiding in a tree, but there was no sign of him. Rae sighed. It was so easy to find him when he was after some company, but whenever there was anything important¡­


    Rae searched the gardens, then the reception halls, then the storerooms. He even checked the vacated Shana¡¯s palace, all its finery packed safely away, before heading into the forest.


    It wasn¡¯t long before he came across the faint outlines of boot-prints. Those boots that Zott always wore. Some nights ago, when Rae had asked about them, he had said they were a gift from a Duke Ashem, who had bought them from an imperial scouting mission that wandered close to their home.


    Since the incident in the spring, Rae had ventured into the forest a few times. But always while occupied with something enjoyable. Hunting small game, entertaining Gaori¡­


    Walking between the long shadows, breathing dry, earthy air, catching flickers of movement amongst the leaves¡­ it all brought back unwelcome thoughts.


    Damn it, Zott. What are you doing out here?


    He never dared to wonder as to whether Nana survived. Even if she had, they would never meet again. And he was certain she hadn¡¯t¡­


    There was a thud, and Rae startled. He drew his sword before the black mass before him focused into a familiar shape.


    ¡°So jumpy. But if I wanted you dead, it would already be too late,¡± Zott said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t sneak up on me like that,¡± Rae scowled.


    Zott smirked, his amber eyes glistening, ¡°did I frighten you?¡±


    Rae didn¡¯t dignify that with an answer.


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to wander about like a lost lamb. Don¡¯t blame me when a wolf finds you. You have the survival instincts of an earth-tiller from the empire,¡±


    An earth-tiller?! Those thoughtless drones that like clockwork tore up the southern plains, growing who knows what? Those who rejected the gifts of the wilds and mountains. Those who dwelled in the lands furthest from the heavens?


    Rae quelled his anger, stamping it out like a smouldering fire.


    ¡°Forget that, I¡¯ve something to ask you. Why are you sneaking around acting like my servant?¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d prefer I tell people that¡­ Rather than the truth¡­¡±


    The truth: I¡¯m a spy sent by the Ashem¡¯s to watch over the young and inexperienced Shak.


    Wasn¡¯t this meant to be a foolish beast. Why was he suddenly running circles around Rae? Rae, who could feel embarrassment rising in his cheeks, who couldn¡¯t but raise his voice in protest.


    ¡°I want to know what my preference for pheasant meat has to do with you and your mission?¡±


    ¡°You like it don¡¯t you?¡± Zott shrugged, before turning his back, ¡°What does it matter if I help you out once in a while?¡±


    He wasn¡¯t going to get away before Rae gave him an earful! It was the perfect time for it too, deep in the forest where no one could hear them.


    He grabbed Zott¡¯s coat and tugged him back.


    ¡°Who says-!¡±-Before Rae could finish his complaint, he was thrown off balance.


    Oof! His back was slammed into a tree.


    Golden eyes. Like a snake¡¯s. Rae¡¯s legs felt as weak as willow vines.


    ¡°Have you forgotten who you¡¯re dealing with?¡±


    Rae squirmed, but the hands on him were like a vice. A bruising grip, weight baring down on him, the glint of teeth¡­


    ¡°No,¡± Rae gasped. He was staring up at the beast, ¡°No, I remember,¡±


    ¡°I might be tolerating you for now. But don¡¯t forget. You¡¯re not my ally. You¡¯re not my Lord. And you¡¯re not a child. So I have no reason not to go easy on you,¡± Zott¡¯s voice was even, and his eyes relentless.


    ¡°Get your hands off me,¡± Rae said, glaring, filled with indignant fury.


    For a moment, Zott¡¯s grip on him tightened, and the tension in his jaw intensified.


    Then, he released Rae. He moved away as if he¡¯d been leering over a venomous snake.


    ¡°Go back to the palace, it¡¯s almost sunset,¡±


    Before Rae could regain his bearings, the beast had already darted off into the trees.


    <div>


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

 Chapter 29

    Rae returned to his rooms in a daze and took tea on his own that night. The maids saw his troubled expression and brought him a plate of sweet tarts.


    He poured over his letters from Goari and Ven, the ones from Ven especially, and flipped through the tomes on his shelves. Some were his inheritance from his father: Meticulous diaries kept by previous Shaks, going back eight generations. They were meticulous, with records of foraging and hunting yields, trades and skirmishes with the peoples of the plains and the deserts.


    There were stories of witches too.  Real witches!


    A younger Rae might have devoured those passages one after enough, filled with innocent and arrogant fervour. Now the word left a bad taste in his mouth.


    Nana wasn¡¯t a witch.


    People said it was so, and Rae didn''t blame them. It was the word of a child, versus a barely grown man¡¯s baseless denials.


    But she wasn¡¯t. Because Rae¡¯s mother chose Nana.


    She might not have been able to foresee how terribly things would end, but she would never put her trust in a creature damned by heaven.


    Eventually, Rae went to sleep. Dark craggy cliffs with Jagged rocks haunted his dreams and he startled awake a few times before dawn. That morning passed quietly, Laela must have been occupied, and the maid who delivered his food left him to his thoughts.


    And Zott... Zott was who knows where...


    The breakfast that morning was porridge with fresh summer fruits. Ray let it go cold as he wondered what to do about that Troublesome spy.


    When he could lounge around no longer, he went to check on the preparations for the banquet.


    All mountain camps had a meeting hall of some kind. A large, covered structure that could be open air in summer, and sealed tight and warmed by the hearth in winter.


    The meeting hall at Camp Kaolin was built on stilts; a vast wooden deck overlooking the churning river, lined with green-glass lanterns, with a smouldering red pit at the centre. It was under this wide thatched roof, feeling the chill of night and the heat of the fire, surrounded by hundreds of his clansmen, where Rae had felt the least lonely. Not an outsider. Not a shakje. A Kaolin, down to his bones.


    Elders patted Rae and Gaori on their heads as they passed, pressing sugared nuts and cups of warm milk into their hands. The flush of cool night illuminated their cheeks as they laughed together.


    The Shak¡¯s camp had an unrivalled meeting hall. The perimeter of a courtyard vast enough to house an army was lined with exotic plants. They were strange, aromatic herbs sourced from all over the mountains. And beyond.


    There was a roof of scarlet tiles, with periodic gaps to allow the moonlight in. On the eastern side was a raised platform, with a fire pit in front of it. This is where the Shak would gather his people on auspicious days.


    ¡°Your majesty!¡± a chorus of voices rang out as Rae crossed the threshold.


    ¡°Greetings, everyone,¡± Rae smiled, ¡°I¡¯ve just come to check on the preparations, don¡¯t mind me,¡±


    They did mind him. They doted on him like the older sisters back at Camp Kaolin.


    ¡°Your majesty, do sit down. Is it comfortable?¡±


    ¡°Your majesty, are these tarts to your liking? Do try one!¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, will the duke and duchess-¡°


    The afternoon slipped away. A whole day of tasting, directing, approving, and gossiping.


    ¡°It¡¯s wonderful! You¡¯ve really outdone yourselves this time,¡± Rae said, after sampling the wine. The servants fawned and melted at his words.


    ¡°It¡¯s been far too long since we had reason to celebrate. Of course, everyone is doing their best,¡± A round, portly man, one of the cooks, said.


    ¡°Did my late father not hold celebrations?¡± Rae asked and tried to ignore the tension his words sent through the crowd.


    The cook answered carefully, ¡°Not often, Your Majesty. It has been some years¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Rae said, ¡°I had assumed he must have, now I understand the excitement. Please make sure to enjoy yourselves,¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just that! We¡¯re all excited to host the Kaolins,¡± a maid exclaimed.


    ¡°Is that so? Why¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Because ever since it was decided they would be coming, Your Majesty has seemed much more cheerful. So, of course, we want to meet them,¡±


    Several others nodded their agreement.


    Hearing this caused a queer kind of pain in Rae¡¯s chest, tugging at the corners of his mouth.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± he struggled for a moment, ¡°yes, I think it will be a wonderful day when they arrive. Thanks to all the work you¡¯ve all done,¡±


    He let everyone share their praises and jubilation until the group naturally dissolved. When things were quieter, he slipped way, agonising joy still gnawing at him.


    <hr>


    <div>


    He went to his mother¡¯s grave, a place even more desolate and intimate now the Shana¡¯s palace lay empty.


    The wildflowers around the base had turned a crispy brown under the unrelenting sun, but a few crimson petals barely remained. Rae gazed at them thinking about how the place had looked all those years ago.


    His mother had died in early spring, and he didn¡¯t remember these scarlet blooms being here when he selected the spot. What a fitting coincidence, that they would choose here of all places to make their home.


    ¡°Mama, Uncle will be coming to see you soon. It¡¯s been more than a decade. I¡¯m sure you were worried about him,¡±


    There was a rustle in the trees, and Rae paused to watch the birds.


    ¡°Even though you and Auntie never met, she¡¯ll come to visit you too, I¡¯m sure. She¡¯s the one who took care of me when I left this place¡­¡±


    He rambled on about Camp Kaolin, about his peaceful and carefree childhood in that place. About his cousin by blood and his dozens of brothers and sisters by association.


    His mother was the Duke¡¯s younger sister. When she was a child, she had bathed in the same river water, hid and played in the same glens, eaten from the same trees and bushes¡­


    If I were in her shoes, I never would have left¡­


    Rae had dodged all the disasters that his father¡¯s death had wrought upon him. This palace didn¡¯t seem as poisonous as it once did. But even so¡­


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    Rae was startled out of his pondering.


    ¡°What is wrong?¡±


    ¡°A message, Your Majesty. It¡¯s best you come read it at once. People have been tearing the palace apart looking for you,¡±


    Rae sighed, ¡°Who from, Bejuk of Ashem?¡±


    ¡°Kaolin, sire,¡±


    Rae was led back to the palace, which was filled with hushed voices and anxious looks. Rae didn¡¯t spare any of them a glance.


    He found the chief footman, tending to the eagle kept by his uncle.


    ¡°The letter?¡± Rae snapped, his heart in his throat.


    The servant startled and handed the folded parchment to him.


    Dear Rae,


    Forgive the lack of messages as of late. There have been many calamities at the camp as of late. I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t be able to join you for some time. Father and mother have both taken ill, as have many other elders within the camp. The symptoms aren¡¯t severe, but it is unlike anything the healers have seen before, and terribly contagious. Until they have recovered, it is best we don¡¯t travel.


    That¡¯s not all, the plains folk are acting strangely. More soldiers patrol the borderlands than I¡¯ve ever seen before. They show no signs of aggression yet, but with the elders all unwell, I can¡¯t leave the camp unguarded.


    Sincerest apologies for telling you so late, the chaos seemed to descend on us overnight. But worry not, I will handle things here and we¡¯ll all be together soon.


    Yours,


    Gaori Kaolin


    There were eyes on Rae, boring into him. He crisply folded the parchment, furrowed his brows and addressed his gathered servants.


    ¡°The Kaolin have been delayed in their departure. The banquet will not be going ahead,¡±


    He turned to leave. His words were meant to be final. Unfortunately, he was pursued.


    ¡°My Lord, all the preparations-¡°


    ¡°Divide the food amongst the servants. Give it to anyone who will take it. I don¡¯t care,¡±


    The childishness of those final words must have struck the footman speechless because he didn¡¯t ask anything else.


    Word passed through the palace faster than Rae could walk, and he found his chambers deserted of maids.


    Good.


    He could think things through. A moment to gather himself.


    Gaori wasn¡¯t coming. And suddenly the time was stretched, and distance too, an infinity. Two months since he had seen his cousin, his dearest friend. Three, since Ven had left. Time and time and time, spent surrounded by well-meaning strangers. By gentle sycophants.


    And that was the best of it. There were also times when he was deeply, agonisingly alone.


    This room, which he had conjured into a home¡­ The wall hangings, the bed, the writing desk with the official seal. Rae remembered what they were. Harsh. Unreachable. Alien to him.


    He thought of his little tree house, connected to Gaori¡¯s, where he had spent his most carefree years. His aunt and uncle, the elders who doted on him.


    The tears came in hideous, heaving floods. Rae cursed his aching chest, his throbbing temples. On the bed, curling in on himself, burrowed in ancient furs.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± A familiar voice said.


    ¡°Go away,¡± Rae tried to say, but it came out completely unintelligible.


    Zott lurked, lingering on the threshold between the Shak¡¯s chambers and the courtyard. Rae buried his face in his pillow. If he could get control over his tears, he could finally tell the beast to fuck off.


    ¡°I saw the servants in a commotion. So, I came to check on you,¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡± Silence passed. Rae was starting to get his breathing under control.


    ¡°My family aren¡¯t coming,¡± at last, Rae wheezed an explanation.


    ¡°Is that all?¡± Zott asked.


    His voice was too close. Rae¡¯s vision was blurred as he tried to knock Zott away, and his hands were caught.


    ¡°Let go!¡± Rae cried.


    When Zott didn¡¯t, Rae slammed against him, sending him toppling to the ground.


    Aside from a single syllable of shock, Zott didn¡¯t say another word. Rae¡¯s were on his temples.


    ¡°Leave me alone. I¡¯m just trying to calm down. I didn¡¯t think¡­ I¡¯ve missed them so terribly¡­¡±


    ¡°You were looking forward to seeing them,¡± Zott said, still eyeing him carefully from the floor.


    Rae had venom inside. It was on his tongue, ready to stab at Zott¡¯s stupid comment. But at the last moment, Rae couldn¡¯t strike.


    ¡°¡­Until I saw that letter, I hadn¡¯t realised just how lonely I¡¯ve been,¡±


    Zott¡¯s eyebrows were scrunched.


    ¡°But¡­¡± he gingerly stood up, ¡°You won¡¯t be lonely for much longer. They¡¯ll still come¡­¡±


    Rae breathed. The hair framing his face was damp.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    ¡°And¡­ and my young master. He¡¯ll write to you soon, no doubt,¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Rae agreed.


    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right. And there are much worse things that happen in this world. I shouldn¡¯t cry over something so little¡­¡±


    Zott shrugged, ¡°cry if you like, it¡¯s your house,¡±


    Rae smiled, even if it didn¡¯t feel so.


    ¡°Sorry for pushing you,¡± He said, and Zott tilted his head on its side.


    ¡°Do you not remember the time I pushed you off a roof?¡±

 Chapter 30

<hr>


    <div>


    <hr>


    <div>

 Chapter 31

    ¡°How much are you planning to take?¡± Zott said as he watched Rae try to stuff a few furs into his pack.


    His eyes flashed as the sunset was caught in them.


    ¡°Are you saying it will be too heavy for you?¡±


    ¡°Are you saying you expect me to carry that?¡±


    Since they quarrelled in the forest, and Rae had a breakdown in his chambers, they had settled into normalcy again. Rae joked and teased, Zott huffed and scolded, and neither burdened the other with memories of the previous incidents.


    ¡°Seriously, though. It¡¯s the middle of summer, why are you taking all those furs?¡±


    ¡°It will be colder than you¡¯re expecting. Especially if we¡¯ll be sleeping rough for a few days. And I like to be cosy,¡±


    Rae spoke lightly. But no matter how Rae pushed, he couldn¡¯t get the furs to fit. They bulged at the edges, and when Rae tried to squeeze them smaller, he was met with rock-hard resistance.


    Zott scoffed.


    ¡°Put it in mine, you already have too much,¡±


    ¡°What about your things?¡±


    Even though they were leaving tomorrow, Zott had spent the whole day keeping Rae company as he arranged for the running of the camp in his absence. He had joined him for tea and cakes in the courtyard.


    Zott shrugged, ¡°don¡¯t need anything, except a cloak, a blade, and some good boots. Everything else I might need is at Camp Ashem,¡±


    ¡°Well, if you end up catching cold, don¡¯t come crying to me,¡±


    Zott didn¡¯t laugh, but they didn¡¯t quarral any more either.


    Satisfied, Rae set the pack, overflowing with the furs and other knickknacks, beside his bed and began tidying his desk. Letters had been pouring in over the last few days. The Kaolins had been delayed again: until they could be certain the empire wasn¡¯t planning an invasion. Duke Bejuk had written a dry status report on matters in the northwest. And Duke Ashem¡­


    Imperial troops encroaching on our lands¡­ hitherto unseen symptoms¡­ an imperial noble captured¡­


    Duke Ashem hadn¡¯t asked for help explicitly, but as the Shak, Rae had a duty to investigate. The fact he would soon be seeing Ven again was merely a bonus.


    They wouldn¡¯t kiss right away, not while other people were around. But they would kiss. And soon! And Ven would say all the wonderful things he¡¯d written in his letters out loud. And Rae would melt.


    Before he knew it, Rae was smiling so widely it made his jaw ache.


    ¡°I had no idea you would be the adventurous sort,¡± Zott said in a voice like a dull blade.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You look so excited. I thought you would be nervous about going to Camp Ashem,¡±


    Rae thought about it. A lot really had changed in a few short months. He had turned into someone who would walk into the lion¡¯s den with a bright smile, so long as the one he fancied was there.


    ¡°Camp Ashem or not, it¡¯s my duty as the Shak. If the plains-folk are causing trouble, I¡¯ll be there to see them off,¡±


    Zott said nothing.


    ¡°Are you happy to be going home?¡± Rae asked.


    ¡°Hmmm,¡± he said, ¡°somewhat,¡±


    They had dinner together. A large portion of roasted pheasant which Rae so wished he could have shared with his aunt, uncle, and cousin. But with a savoury-sweet glaze, cooked to a slight crisp, and with company whom he wasn''t currently squabbling with¡­ It wasn¡¯t too bad.


    <hr>


    <div>


    They left the Shak¡¯s camp on a sunny morning, after a night of which the mystics had said ¡°the stars foretell no terrible calamities.¡±


    It was only Rae and Zott. These mountains were too rough to traverse by horse or donkey, and the danger without the camp were of a sort that an army could defend against. It was best to move quickly, bringing only what and who you couldn¡¯t do without.


    There were many things Rae liked about it: the scent of the trees and the earth, shooting game for them to eat, never needing to sit still.


    But leading every conversation was starting to get tiresome.


    ¡°What do you miss the most about home?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Was that a jackfinch?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You always carry blades, do you not shoot as well?¡±


    Zott hummed his no hum.


    ¡°You don¡¯t shoot? Why not?¡±


    ¡°Blades are better,¡± Zott said.


    ¡°But you must have tried archery? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s fun?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± the no hum, again.


    Rae let the matter drop. It¡¯s probably that he has no aim, he thought.


    Night came, and they settled on a dry patch of land, shielded from the wind by a steep ridge on one side, and dense trees on two more. Zott built a fire, while Rae went to find and shoot a jackfinch.


    They roasted it and ate it with flat-breads they had carried from the camp. Even in the shade of the deep forest, the sunset was welcome reprieve. Rae made his bed, rolling his pack into a pillow. He took his treasured furs from Zott¡¯s pack, and hung them across his shoulders as he watched Zott.


    Zott had taken his cloak off, to use as a blanket. He lay on the bare earth, his head resting on a tree root. He stared wordlessly up at the sky.


    Where they were resting the foliage wasn¡¯t so dense and it was a moonless night. The fates were weaved, glimmering in the sky. Zott looked up at them, still, but not with sleep.


    ¡°The third star of the southern ploughman, that¡¯s my mother¡¯s death star,¡± Rae said, mostly to himself. He hadn¡¯t expected Zott to reply.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°And my birth star, is the first of his sickle. She died just as I¡¯d turned seven,¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your birth star?¡± Rae asked.


    Zott¡¯s hand shot up, pointing slightly to the north, towards the tree of the heavens.


    ¡°Somewhere in this area, I don¡¯t know the exact one,¡±


    ¡°You could ask Camp Ashem¡¯s mystic when we get there if you don¡¯t remember?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the forgetful one. My surname isn¡¯t Ashem,¡±


    ¡°Ah right¡­ I don¡¯t know where Camp Wolavu might be, is it far?¡±


    Zott¡¯s pale eyes met his. Reflecting the firelight, his pupils were tiny: like the eyes of a snake.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, it probably is far,¡±


    After that, whatever leak that had allowed Zott to engage in conversation for so long was firmly plugged. Rae joined him in silently studying the stars. In his mind¡¯s eye, he drew the arc his mother¡¯s death star took across the sky. Then, he drew his father¡¯s arc and pondered over what the mystics would make of them. What deep truths were hidden in the points those paths intersected?


    Soon, Rae was struggling to focus on the pinpricks he was following, his eyelids grew heavy.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep now, good night,¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± That was Zott¡¯s good night hum.


    <div>


    Rae woke to a loud yelp and a scurrying rustle of leaves. A man of the mountains is always quick to wake, but even Rae wasn¡¯t fast enough to see what had stormed through their clearing.


    Other than the eerie stillness of nature interrupted there was nothing left behind.


    ¡°Did you see?¡±


    ¡°I felt it,¡± Zott said. He was sitting upright, clutching his head.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°A monkey. It ran right past me and it was carrying something heavy,¡±


    ¡°And it hit you?¡±


    Rae crouched beside him. There was a red patch on Zott¡¯s temple, partially hidden by his hair. Rae used his waterskin to wet some cloth and held it to the injury.


    Zott¡¯s entire skull blossomed scarlet and he batted Rae¡¯s hand away.


    ¡°Stop that. It was just a little tap,¡±


    Sure, Rae thought.


    Zott gave him a look like dog ready to bite, so Rae busied himself folding and stuffing his furs back into Zott¡¯s pack. His back was turned. Before either could say another word, Rae heard another yelp followed by several blows.


    He found Zott wrestling another figure to the ground. They fought like cats, grappling and swatting each other without mercy. The only sounds were the blow and short sharp breaths.


    The stranger, who had descended on Zott like a hawk to a mouse, fought valiantly. He was a slender, willowy man dressed in pale grey robes. When his struggling failed, he didn¡¯t hesitate to take a vicious bite out of Zott¡¯s wrist. In turn, Zott punched him across the jaw. His hood was knocked aside.


    A thin pale face framed by wisps of silver hair. For a moment, it looked like an old man, until Rae¡¯s eyes focused, and revealed a visage more pristine than cut diamonds.


    Finally, Rae, who had been watching the men squabble for dominance with bemused interest, was shocked into action. Zott had pulled back his fist for a second blow.


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    Rae grabbed at Zott¡¯s sleeve and the punch glanced past the man¡¯s face.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Sebi! That¡¯s young master Sebi Bejuk!¡±


    Rae¡¯s angle was bad, and his grasp shaky. If Zott wanted, he could have knocked him away and continued the assault. For a moment, the tension in Zott¡¯s muscles betrayed a desire to do just that. But, as Rae readied himself for a battle of will, adjusting his grip on the arm, Zott relented. He shifted off Sebi¡¯s prone body, with a face made of stone.


    The stone and the icecap. Sebi¡¯s face also didn¡¯t betray any emotion.


    He sat up, and adjusted his hair and robes before primly saying:


    ¡°You have my thanks, your Majesty,¡±


    He stood and looked like he would stride off into the forest without another word. He paused in his escape, glancing this way and that. After studying every inch of their little clearing, he spoke.


    ¡°Your Majesty, have you seen a monkey recently?¡± Sebi asked as if it was the most normal question in the world. Rae wrestled to keep himself from smiling.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t. But he has,¡± Rae said when the absurdity had worn off.


    Then, Sebi asked Zott with a face as serene as fresh snowfall:


    ¡°Might I trouble you to tell me the direction it went?¡±


    Zott pointed.


    ¡°Ah, I see,¡±


    Rae glanced from Zott, arms crossed, back against a tree, glaring daggers; and Sebi, strolling into the trees, carrying nothing except the robes on his person, looking as ghostly as ever.


    ¡°Sebi, Zott hit you rather hard. Are you feeling alright?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no time to worry about that. I need to find that monkey,¡±

 Chapter 32

<hr>


    <div>


    <hr>


    <div>

 Chapter 33

    ¡°Aiya~! Ai~~~ Yo!~¡±


    A strange cry echoed through the forest.


    At first, Sebi, Zott, and Rae didn¡¯t even register it. It blended into the whooping of the monkeys, the whistling of birds, and the gentle creak of old wood. The sound came a few more times before something about it disturbed Rae.


    ¡°What bird is making that call?¡± He asked.


    They thought for a minute.


    ¡°Nothing makes sounds like that near Camp Bejuk,¡± Sebi said.


    It was the same for Camp Ashem and Camp Kaolin.


    While it was strange, they were all lying next to dying embers, on beds of moss and leaves. Nobody fancied investigating.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite a fanciful song,¡± Rae said.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not a bird at all¡± Zott said. Rae could make out the outline of his jaw in the gloom. He was watching the stars, as he had done on every other night.


    ¡°What are you suggesting? Some manner of spirit?¡± Sebi asked.


    ¡°Probably your monkey,¡± Zott replied.


    Sebi let out a huff.


    Before anyone else could speak, the sound rang out again. Lilting, like a love song.


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely not a monkey,¡± Rae said.


    The three of them chatted for a while longer before they tired. The strange song continued intermittently, drifting close, then further away, like a gentle tide. What had first seemed alien to Rae, soon became something like a sweet lullaby, and he soon fell asleep.


    Rei¡¯s dreams, for the first time in months, were of dark twisting branches. Throttling branches. A thud. Rocks and water and rushing wind. A child was crying.


    Aiya~! Ai~~~ Yo!~


    The camp was quiet when he startled awake. There was a gentle breeze, cool but not cold. The sun had not yet risen, but the moon was bright, casting a blueish light on the surrounding foliage.


    Rae¡¯s eyes were dry and his skin clammy. He crawled out of his cocoon of furs and crept past the sleeping forms of Sebi and Zott.


    Not far from the camp was a clear, narrow brook with a bank polished smooth by the winter rains.


    Rae splashed his face. Other than the sound of the water, there were no squawks, to scurrying of tiny feet. Rae sat beside the river and listened.


    Rae, of course, was a child of the mountains. He had been on hunting expeditions. He had spent nights in the wilderness. His people had trained their ears to discern hundreds of different animal calls. To hear the the direction of their movement, to sense their own position in the forested mountains, just from the feel of the wind and angle of the sun.


    And yet, something about the forest that morning had Rae at a loss.


    ¡°Am I still dreaming?¡± he wondered.


    Something caught his eye. Flitting movement, weaving between the trees. A few hundred yards from where Rae was sitting.


    As quiet as snow, Rae crept towards the sight. And it took shape into a figure. It was a girl in white, with black hair and pearlescent skin.


    Her body was twisting and flailing, as if to music. The simple white slip, torn at the hem, swirling behind her as she went. Face in a state of rapture, her eyes were glassy, as if she saw nothing before her.


    ¡°Aiya~! Ai~~~ Yo!~¡± she sang, in a voice as beautiful as it was wild.


    Rae crouched in the bush, his heart in his throat.


    This is the stuff of stories. A real-life witch!


    Watching her more closely, he saw she was youthful. A noble countenance, accentuated by careful makeup. Her bare arms were coated with a sheen of sweat, like dew on a spring blossom.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    So even immortal witches sweat? Do they tire also?


    Rae leaned forward, craned his neck, took in every minuscule movement he could perceive. His wonderings grew more and more fanciful as he looked.


    Suddenly, the dance ended. The girl whipped her head around, and he eyes met Rae¡¯s.


    ¡°¡­You,¡± she said.


    <hr>


    Her eyes shone like an owl¡¯s reflecting moonshine. Her movements stilled, and time stretched. For an eternity they stared at each other and Rae was stunned silent.


    ¡°¡­You¡­¡± she repeated, and tension entered her muscles. Like something that recoils before it strikes.


    But before the strike, someone burst onto the scene.


    ¡°Ruli! Ruli! There you are! Everyone has been worried sick!¡± Another girl, warm where the first seemed cold, flung her arms around her friend.


    The witch-girl startled, blinking.


    ¡°Are you still feeling unwell?¡± her friend asked, ¡°come, come. Let¡¯s go back to the others. You¡¯ll feel better soon,¡±


    At that moment, the friend noticed something. She wasn¡¯t perturbed by her companion¡¯s glassy stare, nor her strange movements, nor her silence. What bothered her was the way the dead gaze was fixed on a single spot.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± she asked.


    Rae released the breath he¡¯d been holding.


    ¡°Forgive me, miss. I meant no trouble,¡± he said, in a light, quiet voice. Trying to exude the air of youth and harmlessness, he rose from his hiding place.


    ¡°What were you doing, hiding there?¡± the mortal-seeming one said.


    She held her dead-eyed companion by the shoulders, as if she was scared she might bolt. Or pounce.


    ¡°I was washing in the stream,¡± Rae said, ¡°I heard someone approach and took it to be an animal. By the time I realised I was wrong, I was quite embarrassed, and tried to remain hidden,¡±


    The girl scowled at him, but before she could voice any complaints, her friend distracted her.


    The witch-like girl, who had been staring at Rae like a corpse, blinked twice, and a shudder ran down her body.


    ¡°Where¡­?¡± she asked, her voice shaking.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared,¡± her friend said, loosening the grip on her shoulders, ¡°you went strange again. We¡¯re not far from the others,¡±  with the final statement, she shot another dirty look at Rae.


    He stepped back, ¡°I¡¯ll be returning to my companions, too. Safe travels!¡±


    Rae slinked back to where he had left Sebi and Zott, feeling like a weasel, or some other manner of vermin. And foolish. No matter how strange and haunted that girl appeared, she was an ordinary girl. Clearly troubled by something, but it was none of Rae¡¯s business.


    Still, at least he had maintained his anonymity. If word got out that the Shak was crouching in bushes, spying on his poor, deranged subjects¡­ Rae¡¯s father, if his ghost still persisted somewhere, would deny his paternity till the end of time.


    However, peacefully putting the ordeal out of his mind wasn;t what fate had in store for Rae.


    When he returned to his companions, he found them entertaining a great number of peculiar characters.


    About a dozen women. Jewel-toned silks peaking out from under wool cloaks. Hair and teeth that glistened like compacted snow.


    Rae didn¡¯t see Zott at first, until he followed the gaze of one of the women. She was waving up at his occasional murderer / occasional bodyguard, as he was perched in a tree.


    Rae sighed. The woman¡¯s dark eyes turned on him.


    ¡°So it¡¯s you. What a pleasure,¡± she hummed.


    She was Edomi, the lead performer of the Azalea Hall, who Rae had met a few months ago. Azalea was a place men went to enjoy wine, dancing, and beautiful girls. Specifically, Edomi was the one who had talked Rae into drinking himself into a stupor and confessing his feelings to Ven. If he hadn¡¯t spared any mind to this troublesome vixen¡¯s words, he would have been saved a lot of embarrassment. That¡¯s how Rae saw it.


    In other words, he owed her a great debt.


    ¡°What a coincidence!¡± Rae said, ¡°This is hardly the place I expected we would meet again,¡±


    She smiled a perfect smile, ¡°I could say the same to you, sir,¡±


    The other girls were also from Azalea Hall, she soon explained. They had travelled east to serve as attendants at a banquet. When the girls asked her who Rae was, Edomi prudently didn¡¯t say the whole truth.


    ¡°The short young master with the flawless skin is a relative of Duke Kaolin. The one hiding in the tree runs errands for the Ashems, named Zott Wolavu. And I assume you all recognise the beautiful prodigy of Camp Bejuk?¡±


    They all nodded their agreement.


    Sebi¡¯s face was always hard like granite, but it only grew more pale and severe at the mention of this fitting nickname.


    Zott, who had been hiding in the tree, climbed down from his perch. Only Rae, who had seen him clamber up and down countless trees in their time together, could perceive how he was moving with greater care than usual.


    ¡°Enough with the pleasantries. We should move on,¡±


    Immediately, Sebi spoke up too. ¡°Yes, yes. I agree,¡±


    ¡°Forgive my insolence, but I must ask something of the young masters,¡± Edomi¡¯s words were deferential, but her eyes sparkled in a way that made Rae¡¯s jaw clench.


    ¡°What can we do for you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not what you can do, young master Kaolin. It¡¯s what the beauty beside you can do for me,¡±

 Chapter 34

    It was just as Edomi was explaining the problem when the girls Rae had stumbled upon in the forest appeared.


    ¡°There you are!¡± Edomi threw her arms around the two of them. The more ordinary of the two walked at the sight of Rae.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    But before Rae could think of an answer, Edomi had taken the reins.


    ¡°Thank the heavens you found her. And I''ve found just the person who can help us,¡±


    The witch girl blinked and mumbled a response, barely more lucid than she had been when Rae first caught sight of her. Edomi grabbed her by the shoulders and made her stand in front of Sebi.


    ¡°This is the one. She¡¯s been strange and lost for three days now. Sometimes she¡¯ll wander off as if possessed. Whatever can we do for her?¡±


    Sebi coldly regarded the girl. Rae knew this icy demeanour was just his way, but the girl shivered under the scrutiny.


    ¡°Are you aware of what¡¯s happening when you wander off?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ Not really,¡±


    ¡°Not really?¡±


    ¡°I sometimes remember, after¡­¡± she glanced at Rae.


    ¡°Do you notice it coming before it starts?


    Sebi asked her countless questions. And Rae drifted to the sidelines. The strange girl¡¯s gaze followed him for a time. Sebi¡¯s investigation and her sisters crowding around her created an impenetrable barrier.


    Rae¡¯s limbs ached from the tension.


    He went to Zott. He was leaning against the tree he had previously been hiding in. He didn¡¯t so much as glance at Rae as he approached, his scowl fixed on the girls crowding around Sebi.


    ¡°We should ditch this healer,¡± he said, with no regard for volume.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly,¡± Rae hissed.


    ¡°I¡¯m not kidding. He¡¯s holding us up with this nonsense,¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s only trying to help the sick girl,¡±


    ¡°And we¡¯ll be of no help. We should move on,¡±


    ¡°What about your injury? He can help if it gets worse. And since we¡¯re all going the same way,  it¡¯s safest if we travel together. Never mind about a few delays,¡±


    Zott only scowled.


    ¡°In addition, Lady Edomi is a friend of mine. I¡¯d worry if we left without making sure¡­¡±


    ¡°Making sure the possessed girl isn¡¯t dangerous?¡±


    Possessed? So Zott had noticed it too.


    Despite his grumbling, Zott was a servant, and Rae was the Shak. So, they settled down to spend one more night at the camp, with the ladies of Azalea House for company.


    Rae and Zott settled down to sleep next to each other, and soon Sebi joined them.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± Rae asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say,¡±


    Zott groaned. Rae elbowed him. Sebi monotonously continued.


    ¡°They say the symptoms started after she stepped onto witch¡¯s ground,¡±


    Witch¡¯s ground: areas of the forest which inexplicably reek of death. Burnt out clearings where no grass will grow, rings of ghost-white fungi, caves littered with bones.


    ¡°It¡¯s well known that trespassing can incur a cost. Whatever the curse is, it¡¯s made worse by all the time spent out in the wilds. Once she¡¯s returned to a camp, she should start to settle down. If not, some grounding herbs from a healer should help,¡±


    ¡°Did they say where the witch¡¯s ground was? We should be careful to avoid it,¡± Rae said.


    ¡°Yes, yes. We should. It¡¯s not far from Camp Ashem. I can show you on my map,¡±


    By this point, Sebi¡¯s eyelids were drooping.


    ¡°You better be ready to make some progress east tomorrow,¡± Zott said.


    In the tension in Sebi¡¯s stature, the clench of his jaw, Rae saw the camel¡¯s back was about to break.


    ¡°Ignore him and get some rest. You¡¯ve earned it,¡±


    There wasn¡¯t much chatter that night, and soon the camp fell silent, save for gentle snores.


    Rae lay between Sebi and Zott, less than a foot from each of them. He could feel the warmth of soft breaths on his back. He turned to glance at a sleeping Sebi. He was more angelic than ever before, his palms pressed together under his cheek, hair spread out like moonbeams.


    Zott, despite being less striking, was not bad to look at either. Even when seemingly unconscious, all his muscles were tense and hard. He lay flat on his back, with hands resting on his stomach. Upon his face was still the slight shadow of a frown.


    Between too handsome and dependable men, Rae thought, and I¡¯m still struggling to sleep peacefully¡­


    There was something off about that girl, something inhuman in her eyes. Rae had never met someone truly cursed by a witch before, so he lacked experience. But he was certain Sebi and Zott were being too flippant about her. There was something very wrong¡­


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    <hr>


    Rae eventually slipped into sleep. And he slipped out of it just as easily.


    The sun wasn¡¯t up yet, and a gentle, rustling calm had settled over the forest. Despite the long night, Rae, bundled in his furs as he was, was starting to get clammy. He peeled himself free, the cool air refreshing against his skin, and looked about the camp.


    The ladies of Azalea hall were all sleeping huddled together, wrapped in more furs and silks than Rae was.


    The previous night, the two groups had pooled their food rations. Rae grabbed a handful of dried berries. After he¡¯d eaten them, he started fixing his hair.


    He combed it as neatly as he could manage and tied it in a ponytail. He tied it with the red ribbon he had bought on the day Ven had confessed to him. He shuddered. Even all these months later, his skin tingled where Ven had touched.


    He was getting better at fixing his own hair, but the ribbon was made of slippery silk, and he couldn¡¯t tie it so the bow sat symmetrically.


    He untied it and sighed. Soon¡­


    Before he could try again, the ribbon slipped from his grip.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    That girl. The one who had been acting so strangely had sneaked over and snatched the ribbon right out of his hands.


    ¡°Give that back!¡±


    She glanced back at him, her eyes sparkling. She let out a high-pitched giggle before sprinting away.


    Rae hesitated for a breath, then took off after her.


    Rae was an energetic young man. Despite his small frame, he could move with precision and power. These had served him on many a hunting trip. Despite having the element of surprise on her side, and being propelled by the power of lunacy, the girl was no match for him.


    He kept pace as she took a twisting, debris-laden route through the undergrowth. She was only wearing a white dress, torn in places from her previous escapades. Rae winced as he watched her sprint across a bramble patch.


    If she was in any pain, it was hysterical to her. Her high, bubbling laughter echoes through the trees.


    Rae spared a thought for those back at the camp.


    Did they wake? Will they follow me?


    He had taken off without thinking and was now wondering exactly what sort of fight she would put up if he tried to drag her back to the others.


    It was just as Rae was thinking this, that the girl slowed her flight. The terrain was rocky here, but that hadn¡¯t slowed her down at first. Instead of running, she wandered around a clearing, glancing at Rae gleefully.


    ¡°Are you finished?¡± Rae asked. He stopped at the edge of the clearing, and hid his exhaustion with a smile, ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    She shook her head, and wandered back and forth, in a senseless rhythm which echoed the dance Rae had witnessed the previous morning. She twirled the stolen ribbon between her fingers, dragging it behind her like the tail of a kite.


    Rae chuckled and echoed her movements. He didn¡¯t try to grab the ribbon just yet.


    Smiling at her kindly, he said ¡°Your dress is ripped, and your feet are bleeding. Why don¡¯t we go back to the camp?¡±


    She looked at him dreamily.


    ¡°You¡¯re the Shak,¡± she said.


    Rae¡¯s heart was in his chest, he schooled his expression.


    ¡°Why do you-?¡±


    Before he could finish, she held out the ribbon and said, ¡°Is this yours?¡±


    As Rae reached for the ribbon, the girl surged forward. The ground beneath Rae was uneven, and his foot slipped and he tumbled. The girl was on top of him, grasping at his waist.


    For a moment, Rae didn¡¯t realise how dangerous her intentions could be. He thought this was her pitiful attempt at sexual harassment.


    ¡°What-?¡±


    But, no. What she was groping to find was the dagger he kept concealed in his belt. He felt her shaking hands settle on something, and the press of metal against his stomach.


    Before she could do any damage, he grabbed her wrist and wrestled the blade away from his body.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    She smiled with crescent eyes.


    She shook off Rae¡¯s grip. Lifted above her head, Rae got his first flashing glimpse of the blade.


    As she brought the blade down, the girl spoke in a changed voice ¡ªwhispering, hissing, cursing ¡ªa voice of multitudes.


    ¡°Son of the son of the son of five sons, the covenant ends with you,¡±


    Rae caught the hand, but the knife caught his wrist too. A flash of pain gave way to the ache of defending against the crazed girl. He couldn''t feel blood flowing, nor was the pain unbearable, so he put it out of his mind. She was bearing down on him with the weight of a bear. Any second, Rae was sure his bones would shatter.


    Isn¡¯t this a dancing girl? A courtesan? How is she so¡­


    An animal growl. Like a miasma, her murderous intent choked Rae. He let out a grunt. She spit on him, and he couldn¡¯t spare a hand to wipe it. They were locked in a battle of strength. To an onlooker, it would look as if they were barely moving, only holding each other and trembling. But if Rae made one small slip up, he would be mince meat at her disposal!


    There was a thud, and the pressure suddenly subsided.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just lie there,¡± said a cold voice. A tight, sneering, welcome voice.


    Zott had kicked the girl with enough force to send her flying. Rae scrambled to his feet.


    The girl was up just as quickly.


    ¡°Stay out of this, you welp!¡± she growled.


    ¡°Be careful, she has a-¡°


    Zott didn¡¯t give the girl a chance to pounce again. He wrestled her to the ground.


    ¡°-a knife,¡± Rae finished, and seeing as the threat was neutralised, he plucked the blade from the prone girl¡¯s hands, slipping it back into the sheath on his belt.


    Behind him, he heard footsteps. He flinched, before looking back to Edomi, Sebi, and the rest of the Azalea house descending on the scene.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hurt her!¡± Edomi shouted.


    Sebi sprinted ahead of her and whizzed past Rae. In the blink of an eye, he was crouched beside Zott and the girl, who were battling for dominance. He took a needle from his medicine bag and viciously jabbed the girl on the neck. Within seconds, she¡¯d slumped to the ground.


    ¡°Is- is she-?¡± Edomi asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s unconscious. Whatever curse has overtaken her, my sedatives are more potent,¡±


    Now that the threat was neutralised, it was evident the two groups must go their separate ways. Sebi gave Edomi a large supply of sedatives, to keep the girl from running off until they could return to civilisation and cleanse her of the curse. Then he patched up the wound on Rae¡¯s palm, they returned to the camp, packed up their things, and parted ways.


    When they had been walking for about an hour, Zott spoke up ¡°Haven¡¯t you forgotten something?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Rae said. He had been dazedly going along with whatever would get them back on track, since the attack, and shuddered at the thought of turning back to look for something.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this yours?¡± Zott asked.


    Rae looked back. Zott was holding the red ribbon.


    ¡°Your hair¡¯s a mess. Do you want me to tie it for you?¡±


    ¡°Hm. Okay,¡±