Lynn Flewelling - The Oracle's Queen

He held her gaze a moment, then pursed his lips and looked away, knowing better than to say more in front of the other nobles.

The wizards joined her by the watch fire and they stood in silence a moment, marveling at their success.

“What do you think they’ll do now?” asked Arkoniel. “They still outnumber us, and it’s too soon to expect our reinforcements.”

Tamír shrugged. “If they come in again, we’ll fight them again. They’ve lost the element of surprise and they know it. I think they’ll ask to parley.”

As the misty dawn broke over the water, she was proven right. The Plenimaran flagship raised a long white banner. She gave orders for her standard-bearer to answer in kind, then summoned her entire force to mass along the beach in plain sight.

A longboat bearing a smaller version of the parley banner was lowered and rowed ashore. The Plenimaran commander was a black-bearded giant of a man, dressed in ornate black leather and mail. His surcoat bore the device of a noble house. Half a dozen grim-looking men accompanied him, all unarmed.

They splashed from the boat, but the commander left the others at the water’s edge and strode without escort up the beach. When he saw Tamír standing there in her crowned helm he hesitated, perhaps surprised not to meet a more formidable foe.

“I am Duke Odonis, General of Plenimar and Admiral of the Overlord’s fleet,” he announced gruffly in thickly accented Skalan. “With whom do I speak?”

“I am Tamír Ariani Agnalain, Queen of Skala,” she replied, removing her helm so that he could see her face better. “You parley with me.”

His bushy eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Queen?” he scoffed. “Skala has no queen now. Who are you, little girl?”

Little girl! She was still enough Tobin in her own mind to be doubly offended by the jibe. She drew herself up sternly. “I am Tamír, daughter of the Princess Ariani, daughter of Agnalain. My uncle, the usurper king, cursed of Illior, fell to your first assault on the capital. I stand in his place now, the chosen of Illior Lightbearer. The priests of Afra will bear witness to this.”

Odonis was still regarding her with some skepticism. “You lead this—” He took in the small size of her force and arched an eyebrow at her again. “This raiding party?”

“I do. Do you mean to carry on with your assault? My army and my wizards stand ready to fight you.”

“Wizards? Ah, Orëska. Toothless wanderers.”

“They are not so toothless,” Tamír replied calmly, pointing out at the burning ships. “That’s their work. Allow me to convince you.”

Arkoniel cast the spell once again and she shot a flaming shaft neatly through it. Across the water, the mainsail of Odonis’ ship caught fire.

Odonis no longer looked so smug. “What is this?”

“This is the work of my Orëska, and they will do so to your entire fleet if you do not leave our shores at once.”

“You do not fight us in an honorable way!”

“Was it honorable for the commander who came before you to sail out of the teeth of a gale with no challenge and fall on a sleeping city? It was a cowardly attack and he was defeated with all his force, at Illior’s will, by Skalan warriors and Skalan wizards. Their ships lie at the bottom of Ero harbor now. The rest of your ships will suffer the same fate if you do not withdraw and go home. Go back to your Overlord and tell him that a daughter of. Thelátimos rules again, and Skala is once more under the Lightbearer’s protection.”

Odonis considered this, then gave her a stiff bow. “I will carry your words.”

“I’m not done,” Tamír snapped. “I demand reparation for Ero. I will keep ten of your ships. You will surrender them at once and leave them here at anchor.”

“Ten!”

“You may take the crew away with you. I have no time to deal with them. Leave the vessels with their stores and take the rest of your ships. Otherwise, I will burn them all out from under you and kill every Plenimaran who makes it to shore.”

She had no idea if the exhausted wizards could carry out her threat, but then, neither did Odonis, and he had little reason to doubt her.

She could see his jaw working through his beard as the man gritted his teeth in frustration. At last he bowed again. “As you say. Ten ships, with stores but no crew.”

“You will surrender your banner, as an acknowledgment of your defeat here today. Before these witnesses, I place you under my sacred protection if you will leave my shores now. Land again, and I will leave none of you alive. I suggest you go at once, before I change my mind.”

Odonis made her a last grudging bow and walked quickly back to his waiting boat. Tamír’s people jeered at his retreat.

Tamír stood watching until he was well away, then sank down wearily on a stone as the night’s work caught up with her. “Tharin, pass the word that everyone is to rest a little before we head back. All of you,” she added, giving the Companions a meaningful look. Grinning, they spread out around her, lying on their cloaks on the beach.

Ki stretched out beside her, leaning back on his elbows. He still had blood on his face, but a long stalk of wild oat hung from the corner of his mouth and he looked well content with the world.

“That was a nice bit of fighting, Your Majesty, except for you charging off without us,” he said, just loud enough for her ears.

“I thought you’d all keep up.”

The stalk bobbed against Ki’s lip as he sucked on it in silence for a moment. “Now that you’re my queen, can I still tell you that I’ll kick your ass from here to Alestun if you do that again?”

The last of the day’s tension dissolved as she let out a laugh and punched him roughly on the shoulder. “Yes, I think you still can.”

Ki grinned up at her. “Well, since you managed to survive it, I guess I’ll tell you that I’ve heard what some of the warriors are saying. They think you’re god-touched by Sakor and the Lightbearer, all at once.”

“I’m beginning to think so, too.” But she hadn’t forgotten that glimpse of Brother in the fray, either. It was the second time he’d aided her in battle, and she silently thanked him.

Arkoniel was grateful for the respite. He’d never cast so many spells in such a short space of time before. Even Saruel was pallid beneath her markings as they retired to get their breath.

Glancing back, Arkoniel saw Tamír and Ki sitting together down the beach. The way they were talking and smiling, they looked almost like the two young boys they’d been.

Seasoned by tragedy and battle, and not yet sixteen . But she was not the first queen to take the throne so young, and others had been married and bedded at her age.

And then there was Ki. He’d turn seventeen soon. As the wizard watched, he leaned over to Tamír and said something and they both laughed.

Arkoniel felt another bittersweet tug at his heart as he allowed himself to lightly brush Ki’s mind. He loved Tamír with his whole heart, but there was still great confusion there.

Still mindful of his promise, the wizard turned away without touching Tamír’s thoughts. Joining Saruel and Kiriar above the beach, he sprawled on the coarse grass there and closed his eyes. Every spell took its toll, but he’d never experienced a sense of depletion like this. What good would they be to Tamír in a real war if a single battle used up all their strength?

The sun was just peaking over the horizon when a horn call roused him from his doze. The wizards rose with a collective groan. Arkoniel gave Saruel his hand and helped her to her feet.

To his surprise, warriors and captains reached out and patted their backs and saluted them as they mounted and joined the others.