John Dalmas - The Lion of Farside

"No. I want no trial or hanging. Lock him up. Have a physician do something for his elbow. Keep him here for a week before you let him go. And while he's here, have him visited by the girls I rescued. His soul is scarred like my wife's body. Perhaps their stories will help him." He paused. "There's one named Hermiss that I met two days ago. A friend of the Cyncaidh's wife. Let her arrange it."

"Hermiss? I know her! Her father is principal of the common school."

Macurdy's eyes widened for a moment. "She'll be perfect. No doubt she knows this young man."

As he rode back to the manor, Macurdy told himself grimly that if this had had to happen, some good would come of it yet.

40: Squire Macurdy

Even with frequent healing attention by Omara, and by Macurdy as his skill improved, it was the fifth day after the attack before Melody was strong enough to travel safely and with reasonable comfort. (On the other hand, a physician from Farside would have disbelieved the rate of healing-been impressed that she'd even survived. Not only had blood loss been heavy; her right pleura had been punctured, and the lung collapsed.) By the time they left, the last cohorts were gone, except for their escort, the Kullvordi 2nd Cavalry.

Keeping an easy pace, they reached the Big River after the last infantry cohorts had been ferried across. And traveling more briskly, reached Teklapori eight days later, with Melody fully recovered.

Travel-stained, they were ushered into the palace. Inside it had changed conspicuously, the old hangings and furniture mostly replaced. Even Macurdy noticed. It was lighter and brighter, less ornate, less of a hodgepodge. Within minutes a servant came to tell them that King Pavo was waiting for them in the guest parlor. "Two men were with him on business of the crown," the servant added, "but he has sent them away for now." Then he bowed again and gestured them to follow.

They found Wollerda in uniform, one that Macurdy hadn't seen before. The design was the same-the elegantly simple Sisterhood guardsman design-but the material had a velvety sheen, while over one shoulder was a sash that looked to Macurdy like silk, with alternating stripes of Teklan red and Kullvordi blue. He wore a crown, though not the bejeweled ceremonial crown, and beneath it all, he'd gained weight.

Wollerda was grinning from ear to ear as he stepped quickly to meet them halfway to the throne: Queen Liiset remained in the background as the two ex-rebels gripped and shook hands. "It's good to have you back," Wollerda said, then looked at Melody. "And you, Colonel. Your husband reported your injuries, both in battle and later."

When he'd seated them, he fixed Macurdy with his gaze. "What did you do to her attacker? You didn't say."

Macurdy told him, the story bringing a gradient raising of the royal eyebrows. When it was done, Wollerda looked at Melody. "What do you think of that?"

She shrugged. "He's the commander. And when he explained it… The man acted in hatred, for a reason; I'd have done the same, except I wouldn't have botched it. And the story will have spread-he may even have taken it home himself-spread like the story of how Macurdy handled the rapes at Ternass. It'll give the Rude Lands, maybe even the empire, a different view of us here."

Wollerda's lips pursed, and he looked at Macurdy. "You reported some hangings earlier. What happened at Ternass?"

Macurdy told that one, too, leaving out only the ball of glowing plasma at the end of his saber, chuckling now at the memory of the Kormehri running bare-assed.

Wollerda's eyebrows had returned to the rest position. "Macurdy," he said, "I've seen wisdom from you before, but that was true genius." He turned to Liiset. "Show the colonel the changes you've made here. The marshal and I are going to talk about his negotiations with Cyncaidh. I'll send word when we're done."

"Of course, Your Majesty," Liiset answered, and smiling at Melody, led her from the room. Melody would rather have stayed, but didn't argue. When they were gone, Wollerda grinned again.

"Actually I want to talk about more personal matters: about your Varia and my Liiset. Since I married Liiset, I've looked differently at the Sisterhood. And I also understand why you were so determined to recover your Varia. Her twin is a wonderful wife, whether we're at the table discussing matters of state, or in bed." He grinned. "And she never demands." His grin skewed a bit. "But then, she hardly needs to. Her wishes are seldom far from my own, seldom far enough to refuse. I suspect she sometimes judges how far I can be moved, and sets her comments and suggestions accordingly." He chuckled drily. "I've learned a lot from her; there are things I look at quite differently now than I did."

He eyed Macurdy shrewdly. "You wonder if that's good, eh? All in all it is. Before, my opinions were too fixed, my ideals sometimes at odds with good sense; the Sisters have things to teach us. Not Sarkia's ready ruthlessness, but…"

He changed the subject. "Your reports said nothing about getting your Varia back, only that you'd married Melody. What happened?"

Macurdy looked at his palms as if something were written on them. "She was there: Varia, with Cyncaidh. She's his wife."

"Ah." Wollerda peered intently at Macurdy. "I'd like to know more about that. There may be insights there."

Macurdy shrugged, then summarized her odyssey from escaping the Cloister to arriving at Aaeroth Manor. "And when Cyncaidh got her home-he told me this-he and his wife, who was far gone in decline and died soon afterward, worked on her until she agreed to marry him. Told her she didn't have a chance of ever getting to me again. He said they lied to her to break her down. Exaggerated is the word he used."

Neither man said anything more for a minute, then Wollerda asked another question. "You wrote that Quaie was dead, that you killed him yourself. How did that happen?"

Macurdy told him. Wollerda stared. "A ball of fire? That's a magic I never heard of before." He shook his head. "But you've got something beyond magic, Macurdy: beyond it and more important. You've got a knack for doing and saying the right thing. Or maybe that's magic. Anyway, Liiset reported to the Dynast that you'd killed Quaie, and-" Wollerda got up and went to a side table-"she sent you a letter we're both curious about.

Wollerda gave a wax-sealed envelope to Macurdy, who opened it with his dagger and removed the letter. It was brief, and when he'd finished reading, he looked at Wollerda. "She wants me to visit the Cloister. She has an important position for me, if I'm interested."

"Are you?"

Macurdy shook his head. "Nope. I can't even imagine what she might offer."

"It could be better than I can offer," Wollerda pointed out. "In some respects, anyway. You'd have more influence from there than from here."

"There's only one Sister I ever wanted to be around, and that's over now. There are other Sisters I like, since I've gotten to know them. Liiset of course. And Omara, who was in charge of the sorcery unit with the army. She did a lot of good; among other things she saved Melody's life. And I got along with Sarkia all right, when we were negotiating. But…" He shrugged again. "Sarkia's too cold-blooded for me. And the things she had done to Varia-if I'd known about them earlier, I'd have killed her." He exhaled audibly. "I'll send her a message; tell her I plan to stay in Tekalos, to farm and have children."

"Maybe things will change in the Sisterhood," Wollerda said thoughtfully. "When someone else takes over."

Macurdy, seeing the aura as well as the man, looked sharply at him. "What haven't you told me?"

Wollerda shrugged. "Liiset doesn't often say what's in the messages she gets from the Cloister, but… Two weeks ago, when she read one, she got a strange look. And didn't put the letter away as she usually does-as if she intended to read it again first. Then I had a chance and read it myself. Sarkia asked who she'd recommend as the new Dynast, when the time came that one was needed. Asked for four names, and who she'd recommend not be considered.