Becca Fox - Asta and the Barbarians

Bryn cleared his throat. “From the sounds of it, Torvald intends on doing everything in his power to make things right. I have faith in him, and so should you.”

I nodded, wiping my eyes.

“You’re going with him,” Bryn said, glancing from one of us to the other. “Aren’t you?”

“He would have gone alone, but everyone who cares about him reminded him that he could still be a target,” I said. “Sending an army doesn’t exactly say, ‘We come in peace,’ and sending a small militia proved to be too much last time. A one-woman army and her faithful lover sounded just about right.”

Viggo snorted at that last part but said nothing.

“How long before you have to go?” Bryn asked.

I grinned. “We leave the moment you’re well enough to walk.”

Bryn perked up upon hearing this. “I’m to come with you?”

“Of course. The king is going to need a medicine man onboard the ship in case anyone gets hurt.”

“But I’m not a doctor yet. I still have three more years of studying before I can be certified. Wouldn’t Dr. Ichiro be a better choice?”

I settled back into my chair. “He was the king’s first choice, but he’s lived his whole life on this hill. Torvald highly doubts Ichiro will want to leave, and he’ll only bring someone he trusts. You’re his second choice. Besides, the more skilled warriors the king has at his side when he faces the leaders of our sister nations, the better.”

Bryn chuckled. “The three of us are a force to be reckoned with.” He frowned, suddenly grim. “What became of Gabor and Hemming?”

I sighed. “Hemming was killed by Lennart. Gabor is staying here on the hill to be the queen’s personal bodyguard. New Defenders are going to be chosen from Dotharr’s Academy ahead of schedule to help him. I’ve recommended Rainer, Asger, Frode, and Brandt. We’re still waiting on the king’s decision.”

Viggo made a face. “I hate to think what things will be like with Gabor in command.”

“He did turn out to be trustworthy in the end,” I murmured. “Maybe it was just me he was unpleasant to.”

“Lennart’s influence couldn’t have helped,” Bryn said. “Perhaps with the two of you gone, he’ll turn over a new leaf.”

I stood beside the king and watched Lady Helka approach. She wore a flamboyant dress of pink and gold, and had her red curls pinned up. It seemed she had adorned herself with every precious stone she owned. As if looking her best would make this day any better. She walked past the new counselors, the queen, and me with her nose in the air. She paused before Torvald to curl her lip.

“Bow before your king, you selfish ingrate!” Kalea snapped. “If it weren’t for his kindness, you would have been escorted off the royal hill and left to fend for yourself the moment he became of ruling age.”

Evie let go of Torvald’s hand and threw her arms around her mother’s knees, letting out a wail of sorrow.

Helka turned her haughty look on Kalea. “Thank you for that, Lady Queen. Now you’ve upset my daughter.”

“If you cared about us at all, you wouldn’t have done it!” Prince Haskell shouted, the first words he’d said all day. “This is your fault! I hate you!”

Torvald gripped his brother’s arm before the boy could bolt down the pier. Haskell twisted his arm this way and that in a desperate attempt to free himself before the tears could overwhelm him.

The king knelt before his brother. “This is the last time you’ll ever see your mother, Haskell. Control your temper and kiss her goodbye, or you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”

“No.” He hastily wiped his face with his forearm and sniffled, gaze averted. “No! I-I don’t want to.”

“For goodness sake, control yourself,” Helka said. “It was you who betrayed me. I wouldn’t be in this mess if you had kept quiet.”

I slapped her across the face, sending her ridiculous jewelry swinging. Her hair flapped to the side and she stumbled, mouth agape.

Evie let out a cry of concern and released her mother. Haskell stopped struggling against Torvald. No one else seemed surprised.

I leaned forward until my nose was a hair away from hers. “You don’t deserve to be a mother. You don’t deserve to be so loved.” I turned to scoop Haskell up in my arms and then marched away from the group. Once out of hearing range, I sat him down on a pier stump. “I’m sorry I struck your mother in front of you. You shouldn’t have seen that, but she’s wrong. You did the right thing by telling us the truth. It was painful and difficult for you, and I admire you so much for it.”

Haskell raised his gloomy eyes to my face. “You do?”

I nodded. “Torvald and the rest of the counselors are safe because of you. You’re right when you say it was your mother’s actions alone that condemned her. You’re right, Haskell. Has that ever happened before?”

A ghost of a smile played around the corners of his mouth. “No. She’s always right.”

“Not today,” I said. “Isn’t that something?”

He nodded, but the joy didn’t last. His chin started bobbing and the tears returned. He buried his face in his hands.

I crouched. “I’m sorry you have to go through this, Lord Prince. I can’t imagine how you must be feeling right now, but I need you to be strong for Evie.”

“I can’t believe sh-she’s leaving,” he hiccupped. “I’m so angry at her b-but I don’t want her to go.”

“I know,” I murmured, “but it’s important that you have a proper goodbye. It’s the only way to begin healing. Do you understand what I’m telling you?” I rose when I heard the unmistakable sound of movement over water.

Haskell peeked out from behind his fingers at the ship that would take his mother away. The ship that was casting off. The prince hopped down from the stump and sprinted along the pier. He flew past the group gathered around his sobbing sister and went right up to the retreating ship.

“Mother, I’m sorry,” he shouted, running beside the vessel. “Take care of yourself! Have many adventures. Write to us. Mother?” He came to a stop at the pier’s end, gripping a stump to keep himself from falling into the water. “Mother, I…” The ship continued gliding gracefully away from us.

I moved to stand beside the king.

“I didn’t think he was going to say goodbye,” Torvald said. “She just hugged Evie and left. I would’ve stopped her if I thought—”

“It’s all right,” I said. “She was standing on the poop deck beside the captain. She must have heard him. She chose not to reply.” My body was tight with anger but my heart ached at the sight of the young prince kneeling at the end of the pier, watching his mother sail away from him.

The king sighed and wilted as if suddenly tired. “Well, that’s that.”

“Don’t worry, princess,” Kalea said, lifting the still-sobbing Evie into her arms. “I’ll take care of you.”

“Careful with that!” Bryn fretted, hurrying alongside a seaman carrying a crate of medicinal herbs onto the ship. “They need to be stored somewhere dry and sunny.”

Viggo snorted from his place by the ratlines. “We’re going to be on a ship for weeks. Good luck finding a spot that meets your standards.”

Bryn gave his friend a disgruntled look and watched the other seamen hauling his equipment on board. He bolted forward when it appeared one of his precious crates was about to be dropped. “For Ishem’s sake, give me that!”

Viggo rolled his eyes but the smile remained.

“I’ll miss you terribly,” Kalea said, looking soulfully into her husband’s eyes. “Write to me daily, I beg of you.”

“I won’t make any promises I can’t keep, but I will write to you when I can.” Torvald kissed her. “Take care of the island while I’m gone.”