The Great Succession Crisis

  Chapter Three: Bevin’s Royal Challenge

  “Your highness. Your highness,” whirled RK6. “You must get up your highness.” RK6 hovered nervously around the modest bed provided to Princess Anlei in the student quarters in the monastery. Comfortable, but very modest, she was put in a two person dormitory with two beds, one each on opposite sides of the wall. In the other bed laid Lord Corann who was already dressed. With his vows made as protector to the princess, his belongings had been transferred to Anlei’s room. He was officially a royal servant now and Anlei’s aide in particular. RK6 might be the perfect political droid skilled at helping the princess with managing the court, of, course, serving as her constant lady in waiting, but as such, she was strictly civilian and incapable of keeping the princess out of danger like the young knight of Ten-ar. RK6’s programming, of course, saw Corann as both an asset and a political inconvenience. A man sleeping so close to her highness? This was scandalous. A female protector would have been far better. At least then the court would not gossip regarding the princess’s chastity.

  While RK6 hovered and fretted, Anlei did her best to ignore the droid. Why should she actually get up, even if the damn droid was making too much noise to keep sleeping? Half asleep Anlei decided to pretend she heard nothing.

  But Corann suspected the truth from across the room. Perhaps the beautiful Anlei needed an incentive to wake up. Perhaps, if she were attracted to him, a bit of flirtation might be enough to convince her. Motioning to RK6 to be quiet, he slowly crept to her side of the room. Slowly, deliberately, carefully, he moved just enough of his body over her to hover over her without touching her at all – until with a feather’s touch his lips lightly brushed hers softly, just barely at first, then more fully into a complete kiss. Still touching her lips to his, he kissed her again, fully and completely, and a third time before backing away, heart racing. Had he dared what he had just dared?

  Anlei opened her eyes with Corann simply sitting beside her as if just watching over her as a protector, “Corann. I had the strangest dream.”

  “Tell me your dream, dear friend,” smiled Corann softly, taking her fingers into his own tenderly.

  Anlei smiled, her eyes lighting up, and her voice laughing with delight at points, “We were dancing … some sort of ball or masquerade by my father. And instead of being my protector, you were like my prince charming. You were dressed just like royalty or something. Very handsome. We were in the grand ballroom and dancing so happily. And I felt your strong arms around me. Oh, how strong you are or must be after all those yen-ars of training. And somewhere as we are dancing this ancient dance of our people you sweep me up so close and I feel your soft lips on mine. Oh Corann, in my dreams your kiss was the sweetest touch in the entire world. And I knew in that instant that you were so much dearer to me than any friend. You were the only man I could bear to marry. And in my dream, you knelt down to me and told me that you love me. And I never heard such a sweet sound in all my life from anyone. And all I could think about in the dream is how much I wanted to receive the betrothal gift from you so I could – oh, I have never thought that or dreamed I would think that about anyone. It’s not logical, nor particularly realistic for me – but it was just a dream….”

  Just a dream. Oh how Anlei did not understand her own bloodline, thought Corann. The daughter of the daughter of one of Beinan’s most talented priestesses did not simply have dreams any more than Corann simply dreamed. How is it possible her grandmother never explained the Sight to her – or did she merely refuse to listen?

  How innocently Anlei related her dream vision to Corann? Corann’s training, between High Priestess Wehe and the knights of Ten-ar, made him rather adept at understanding prophesy and recognizing it. Corann’s heart raced at the prophesy, yet he maintained his composure, “What a beautiful dream, my friend, I wish you could see your face. I have never seen such joy or delight in you before. You light up the room this morning – and my heart with it. I can see everything you dreamed so well, you are so happy.” A smile escaped Corann’s face. He was overjoyed at the joy in her right now. Oh that life would let him bring back the joy on her face again.

  “Am I? Maybe it’s waking up feeling truly safe. I’ve never woken up with someone beside me before.”

  “I was near you, Anlei, not beside you. I slept across the room at a proper distance, remember? The only way I can truly sleep beside you is as your husband and only if you should wish it,” corrected Corann.

  “Would you wish it?” she asked.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Do you want to be my husband?”

  “Anlei, that’s a political decision. I’m not at liberty to make those for you. I haven’t even been a full knight for a full beinor yet. And even if I were an established knight of 100 yen-ars old and not just over sixty yen-ars old, it would still not be my place to verbalize an opinion on this matter. Who you marry will decide the fate of house Gurun in the Great Council. I’m no politician. I cannot say who would be good for your house—or for you personally. I find life confusing enough without adding the complications of the Great Council and the nuances of Beinarian politics.” Turning to RK6’s direction he added, “Besides, you have a political droid to help you in these matters. I’d rather you ask her regarding your options. You don’t rely on RK6 nearly as much as you should, Your Highness.” Corann started to shift his body to rise from his sitting position.

  Anlei stopped him with her fingers, “Corann. What do you want? Forget about my heritage and my name. What do you want?”

  “Are you asking me in a perfect world, if our choices did not affect the lives of billions, what would I want? What would I wish if you were truly free? If you were not King Ejen’s granddaughter?”

  “Yes. For one xiao-shir, forget I’m Princess Anlei. Let me just be Anlei, some ordinary girl, what would you choose? What does your heart say?”

  “Anlei if there were no houses, no politics, no games of flesh and blood, I promise you that every minute since I met you would have gone different. I have felt you in my mind since the xiao-shir I laid eyes on you. You are in my very heart and being. Oh Anlei if you were not princess I would dare to say what is in my heart I would dare to be true to myself.”

  Anlei sat up and stroked his cheek, “But you can’t can you?” A tear rolled from Corann’s eye into her hand as he shook his head. “If I were not a princess, I would dare to love you too. But I don’t dare fall in love, do I?”

  Corann shook his head painfully, “Not until you are married, no. If you were to fall in love with someone other than the man you must marry for political reasons, you might put yourself into grave danger, Your Highness. You would not wish your heirs conceived in violence which many husbands would be inclined to do, I think, especially if jealous of another man. And – I probably should tell you that there are legal limits to how much and far I may protect you from your own consort. “

  “What do I do?”

  “Do you love me, Anlei?”

  “No. Not so soon. I like you; you are already a good and loyal friend. And it was a good and beautiful dream. But in love with you right now, no, though I cannot say I would be unhappy if next beinor I learned that my father chose you for me. I think that would please me better than most other possibilities. But that is not the same as being in love.”

  “No, it is not. Believe me; I value your friendship, Your Highness. Always. No matter what the yen-ars bring us, you shall have it, no matter who is chosen for you…even me.”

  “But your feelings?”

  Corann smiled humbly, “I can handle them, if you can handle a protector who admires you and thinks you are especially beautiful.”

  “Your esteem honours me and elevates me, Lord Corann. Never leave my side. Since it is possible that perhaps one beinor you will wed me, I would like you to stay closer to my person than is traditional for a male protector. I do not doubt your i
ntegrity or your self-control, Corann, towards my person. If you are willing to deal with temptations that few men have ever faced, I am willing to have you closer and nearer than any man save a consort has ever been to a princess. Are you willing?”

  Corann smiled, “If you tempt me so, I may fail and offer you affections of my heart instead of merely my sword.”

  Anlei put his hand on her waist under the blankets. The thin fabric of her nightgown let him feel her soft skin very tangibly. Instinctively he explored a little, finding her belly button and noticing its contours. Oh what a handful she could be. “Well, what are friends for?”

  Corann laughed and shook his head, then, feeling daring from her bold move quietly moved towards her lips with his own. She moved forward to meet him. This time it would be no attempts to hide as he kissed her lips tenderly…and she gently returned his. Daring only a moment of kissing, Corann and Anlei embraced in friendship and almost fear of too much romantic contact with each other.

  For Corann, his fear was about losing control of himself and unleashing too much of his feelings, his needs for Anlei into the moment. For Anlei, she was very much afraid of stimulating Corann too much and pleasing him or teasing him to the point of cruelty. Cruel indeed would it be for her to give more of herself to him than her heart truly felt for him—or politics would truly allow. He deserved better, bastard or not. She had no desire to play him physically or emotionally. Yes, she wanted to experience that kiss, to know what it felt like, especially coming from Corann…could anyone be a finer choice for her first kiss?

  But she had to be careful about it too, balancing her curiosities about dating and sexuality with her very real situation and with his needs. This was a friend and someone who was becoming a very close friend at that. His feelings mattered very much to her already. And if she knew nothing else, it was that Corann wanted to kiss her too. That much she could give him from time to time. That much, at least until she was married, was a gift she could offer him…as well as that proximity. Perhaps it was not sleeping in the same bed…but moving his closer to hers would keep her very safe. Besides…for the moment, she was a very big target for assassination. Anwell was just a little TOO unready.

  Anlei stroked Corann’s hair softly, “So was there something in particular that we needed to do this morning, Lord Corann?”

  Corann gazed into her eyes, the temptation of her flashing through them as he spoke up, “RK6, the schedule, please.”

  “Thank goodness. I thought for sure you would never stop your politically unwise course of action. My lady, your father has been waiting for you for 0.0137 shir-ors in the temple where Lord Corann’s elevation was held the previous beinor. He said that there is something important he wanted to discuss with both of you,” announced RK6 formally.

  Taking his eyes off her, Corann addressed RK6 directly, “Thank you, RK6, please go on to see Lord Prince Bevin and inform him that I will personally ensure her highness gets there within seven xiao-shir and please extend our apologies for making him wait.”

  In compliance, RK6 turned and floated away, leaving their chamber and Corann and Anlei alone. Anlei turned to him, “You do realize that now you will have to help me dress in order to be ready that soon.”

  Corann embraced her from behind and put his very strong arms around her, clasping his hands around her tiny waist. He kissed her cheek softly and briefly, “That is what you had in mind when you asked me to be even closer to guard you. You knew full well I would have to help you with that as well…and you want me to. You rather enjoy the prospect of that flirtation with me, my young, beautiful princess. If that is your will, Your Highness, I will comply…now let’s get you dressed and quickly.” Corann put a pastel blue dress in her hands.

  Anlei’s particular night gown had very long laces from the waist to a high neck, allowing her, in theory, to begin pulling another gown over her head while she undid the night gown and simply pulled it off her body. The blue dress in front of her laced up in back with a modest scoop front and long bell sleeves. The dress body was lined for modesty from the very light fabric, keeping the sleeves sheer. Standing in front of her, Corann held the blue dress up, taut at the shoulders. Anlei stepped into it without putting her arms into the sleeves, and then worked on the laces of her nightgown, Corann looking straight into her eyes and both smiling at each other. The night gown fell and Anlei carefully stepped outside it while still without the boundaries of the blue dress. Navigating Corann’s hand, she found the left shoulder of the dress with her left hand and slid her hand into the sleeve completely. Her left hand caressed Corann’s right arm to tease him before she raised her left arm to the right shoulder to help Corann. No longer needed to protect her modesty per se, he helped her find the right sleeve and slip into it. The gown started to conform to Anlei’s body. Moving behind her, Corann worked at the lacing to fasten the gown and deftly secured it together. Why did it feel almost like an act of worship to dress her? Any other royal servant would consider this a chore. But to touch her, to see her like this…this was no chore, but a pleasure…that she wanted him to do it.

  As Anlei dressed her hair slightly, Corann sighed softly, and then belted on his sword…it was time to go see the prince consort of Beinan.

  Arriving in the temple of the monastery, Anlei and Corann found Lord Prince Bevin waiting for them with RK6 hovering quietly in the background. Bevin was reading an aged book that looked more than 500 yen-ars old and was probably more than two thousand. The physical archives of Ten-ar extended back to OW 40,000 with some books dating to as early as OW 10,000 in copied form. Bevin looked up from his book as his daughter and her new protector entered, “My daughter, I do not think you have mastered punctuality yet.”

  Corann bowed, “My liege, if you will kindly accept my insight, your daughter was experiencing her matrilineal heritage this morning…even if I think she is still in denial that her Miyoo blood has any impact on her life….”

  Bevin raised an eyebrow, “Was she? Intriguing, particularly when you realize how often Anlei scoffs at religion and spirituality. Getting Anlei to attend religious services is more difficult than mastering one of house Balister’s heritage bows.”

  “You find Balister heritage bows difficult, lord knight? I would think as someone whose mother is one of the finest archers on all Beinan that you personally would take to archery as readily as a new-born child takes to her mother’s breast….” implied Lord Corann.

  “How do you know anything about my mother, young knight?”

  “Her Grace, your mother-in-law, made a point to tell me when I first came to the palace to study mental control. I believe her remarks at the time were to the effect that she felt you should spend more time on the firing range practicing. You know…less swords, more bows?”

  Bevin rolled his eyes, “Beware of mothers-in-law, young knight, you never know where you will find disapproval from them. And just to think I thought I had her grace’s approval after I began devoting so much of my time on raising Anlei and Anwell….”

  Corann laughed, thinking about all his time studying with High Priestess Wehe, “Oh, I think you have her approval. She just wants you to be perfect, that’s all. No less than she demands of herself.”

  Bevin returned his laughter. For a young knight whose acquaintance he was just now making, this Corann seemed unusually familiar, understanding the subtle family dynamics Bevin lived in as a prince consort as if he were a member of the family, “You are a unique man, Corann. I will give you that. It is almost as if you know my family better than I do.”

  “Well, I am Lady Priestess Cordelia’s son and High Priestess Wehe’s protégé. Before her grace taught me how to control my Miyoo heritage I learned a lot about all of you – quite without intension of intruding. It took me ten yen-ars to learn how to shield myself to only sense the minds and hearts of others when I wanted to. Sometimes, my liege, you shout,” implied Corann, understanding that the subject
of the Sight and his own talent for empathy and telepathy was not socially acceptable outside of house Miyoo. This outward taboo towards sensory spiritual abilities took Corann a long time to understand. Even this beinor he found it illogical. How and why should an ability that all Beinarians possessed to some degree remain contentious among most of the populace simply made no sense to Corann. Were latents really that afraid of learning to control their natural senses?

  Sensing Lord Knight Bevin was beginning to get impatient, Corann changed the subject, refocusing to the present and shifting his body physically to a more formal posture, “My liege, you have called this meeting for a reason, I presume. Would you care to enlighten us?”

  “Yes, of course,” paced Bevin. “I want to know why you suddenly made that vow to my daughter.”

  “Sir?”

  “You heard me.”

  “Yes sir. And I’m puzzled by the question coming from another knight. You know full well as both consort and knight that any knight of Ten-ar may make such a pledge to any noble that he or she deems worthy. No explanation is ever required under the code. Not to the person receiving the pledge and certainly not outside the bond. Strictly speaking, Your Highness, your question is illegal,” asserted Lord Corann.

  “Corann?” exclaimed Anlei.

  “RK6, recite the law and Ten-Arian code regarding fealty oaths of protection,” commanded Lord Corann.

  RK6 floating prominently among them and raised herself up high, “Statute 57325. Enacted GM 97, beinor 5 by Great Council. Proposed by King Tristen the Just of house Balister: ‘Oaths of fealty shall be sacrosanct between master or mistress and she or he offering fealty in civil matters where both parties operate in full and complete consent of the arrangement and where neither party exploits nor injuries the person or reputation of the other.’ Historical note: King Tristen the Just is a direct ancestor of Lord Prince Bevin, formerly of house Balister and now of House Ten-ar. Ten-Arian Code of Honour. Article 5 subsection 35 paragraph 612: ‘A knight of Ten-ar shall, at her or his discretion, enter into fealty contracts with other knights or members of any house deemed personally worthy by that individual. The individual has the right of personal discretion in making decisions regarding with whom, under what terms, and for how long such contracts shall endure and may both enter and leave such contracts honourably without explanation towards any individual with whom she or he is not contracted. This rule applies to members of house Ten-ar, biological family members of the individual, family members of the liege lord or liege lady, and even towards members of the Great Council itself. No individual shall request or require a knight of Ten-ar to disclose any information regarding a fealty contract without challenging the legality of the contract and permitting that challenge to be answered by whatever method the knight deems suitable to protect her or his charge or her or his honour as appropriate. This article of the code was passed by unanimous consent of House Ten-ar on OW 7000, beinor 27.’”

  Lord Corann made the Ten-Arian gesture of respect towards RK6, “Thank you, RK6.” He turned towards Lord Bevin, “Your Highness, I think the law and the code speak for itself.”

  “I’m still her father, Corann. And I have a responsibility to ensure her safety.”

  “I understand. To that end, please allow me to assure you that I share your protectiveness. But more than this I cannot disclose without breaching the Ten-Arian code of honour. As a fellow knight, I would think you would respect that code and wish to uphold it.”

  “You really are not going to tell me what pledge the two of you have between each other, are you?”

  “It’s not about what is between us or not between us, my lord. It is about the Ten-Arian code and the laws of Beinan which all of us must obey. Has anything transpired between your daughter and I that a father could find fault with? Well, if you find fault with getting your daughter to a royal summons when you request it as opposed to following her own schedule, then perhaps. Is she contracted to wed me or even considering it? Far from it, if that is what you are worried about, Your Highness. Nothing of that nature is remotely in either of our minds, much less in fealty between each other. But we are friends. I think you will find my friendship with her a far more effective tool than anything you have tried before. As Lord Culain says so often, ‘a peer induces changes in our hearts that neither parent nor mentor may persuade.’”

  “Culain says that? Does he?”

  “Yes, of course. He is good mentor and a great friend. It will be strange transitioning from student to friend now. I am so used to thinking of myself as his squire.”

  “Culain is a good man, as is my friend, Lord Eisiq. You can count on either one of them to guide you on the right path, Corann.”

  “I know, Your Highness. Lord Eisiq was one of my sword masters. He is very formidable, as are you, from what I understand. I would be willing to give young Princess Anlei a demonstration of our melee tactics in the practice hall with you with as many weapons and of your choice as you desire…if you are up for a nice workout? I’m sure it has been a while,” challenged Corann playfully.

  “It has been a while, Lord Corann, but I am sure that even at 170.4467 yen-ars, I can still beat a young knight like you with a laser broad sword.”

  “Any time,” smiled Lord Corann, his eyes sparkling like grey chalcedony.

  The practice hall in the north wing of the monastery gleamed with more than two dozen floor to ceiling windows on the north and south sides of the huge gymnasium-like room. The opaque clouds of Beinan were all high elevation, leaving the mid and lower atmospheres that were within the range of normal-sighted Beinarians to shimmer green on a clear beinor like this beinor or a grey-red on a stormy beinor. This beinor, the sky was clear and beautiful, casting a field of green as far as the eye could see. In the air, some nearby traffic lanes filled with low-altitude shuttles moved steadily by 1.2 li from the grounds. Princess Anlei looked out the windows for a moment before gliding near her father and Lord Corann as they readied the numerous practice weapons and armour they would need for their training exercises.

  The first weapon drawn for their practice looked like a simple quarterstaff or long rod of rattan fitted with a couple metal grips on it that held buttons. Smiling at each other, Corann and Bevin held their staffs vertical to salute each other with the Ten-Arian salute between knights, then picked up their weapons horizontally and circled in the center of the well-defined fighting space. Pressing the center button, a small force field spanning 2 cun 寸 in each direction surrounded the weapon except at the hand holds.

  Bevin attacked first, raising his staff above his head to cut down towards Corann. Corann blocked it easily with a hiss from his force fields and redirected the energy back towards Bevin deftly with a short, slicing motion. Whirling in fluid motion from the blow, Corann let his staff follow through, hitting Bevin squarely in the back as he jumped to avoid Bevin’s staff. Bevin grunted from the impact, smiling. Regaining his footing, he counter-attacked, carefully working under Corann’s defences, almost landing a blow at Corann’s heart but missing as Corann brought his stave up at the last second to deflect. The dance of staffs continued for 200 xiao-shirs before switching weapons to heritage spears, both men barely breaking a sweat even though both attacked and blocked aggressively, sometimes even using unnecessary amounts of motion to show off with both laser quarterstaff and with spear. As the fighting lasted for .064 shir-ors, Corann noticed Anlei growing restless and pacing as she watched. Corann motioned Bevin to cease while he walked over to Anlei, “Your Highness, are you alright?”

  “I do not see the point of all of this, Lord Corann? Why are we here?”

  “To demonstrate to you that I can protect you from danger and to demonstrate to your father that I can handle whatever dangers may cross your path. This exercise also is intended to show you a little of what goes into becoming a knight of Ten-ar. From all accounts, I hear you have avoided watching such exercises, even when they are p
erformed in court for the review of your grandfather and your mother.”

  “True,” admitted Anlei. “I am a woman of science and peace; why should I care about these…martial activities? Don’t our people have more important things to do than fight one another?”

  “A people of peace must not forget how to defend themselves, Your Highness, nor should they lose the discipline of training. Our martial arts are far less about war than they are about self-discipline and mental-spiritual prowess. It takes a great deal of focus to sustain these exercises, particularly for more than 0.4 shir-ors. At that point, the body fatigues, even for those in optimal physical condition. Continuing these exercises means channelling the soul to strengthen the body. Such conditioning becomes important in times of crisis or stress. In such times, life or death often depends on such mastery of the flesh by the soul. We are not immune to the power of our own planet, after all. It takes only one storm or volcanic eruption to test that which we knights, no matter what house we came from, are trained to survive,” explained Corann.

  Looking up at Lord Prince Bevin and noticing some impatience on the prince’s part, he added, “Now, dear friend, I think your father wants to get in more practice. Please sit and forebear the next shir-or or two? Besides, you might even enjoy watching me demonstrate my full physical prowess once he truly puts it to the test…the staff and the spear you saw us battling with so far are only basic weapons…the others in this room are far more deadly, even in practice form.”

  Striding up to Bevin, Corann bowed respectfully. Bevin assumed the stance of royal consort, “Done flirting with my daughter are you?”

  “With all due respect, Sire, I was trying to educate her in the necessity of what we are doing here. She expressed…extreme boredom at the chore of watching our exercises. Is she always this impatient with marital arts?” asked Corann.

  Bevin tried and failed to avoid laughing, “Oh. You noticed that? Well, if you are finished chatting, are you up for more?”

  Corann picked up two laser pikes from the wall, throwing one to Bevin which he caught easily, “Always! EN GARDE!” Corann attacked. Bevin parried. The fight was on.

  For four solid shir-ors, Corann and Bevin fought relentlessly, energetically with first the laser pike, then a practice version of the Ten-Arian laser broad sword. Shifting protective gear from military to civilian, they duelled with first épées, then schlagers and rapiers. During one fierce moment in the many intense clashes, Bevin landed a solid blow on Corann’s chest over the left shoulder, cutting through his tunic and into Corann’s pectoral muscle. Blood gushed through the wound. Corann kept fighting. Finally, after another shir-or of intense duelling, the pain showed on his face.

  Bevin ceased his attack, “Are you okay?”

  “Nothing I cannot handle. Shall we continue?”

  “Is the target range still where it used to be?”

  “I don’t think the house elders have moved it in a thousand yen-ars, merely upgraded the targets used,” remarked Corann.

  “Well then, if you are certain you are truly unhurt, shall we test our skills on the firing line?” proposed Bevin.

  “Lead the way, my liege,” accepted Corann.

  Against Anlei’s will, Bevin and Corann lead her through the labyrinth of corridors connecting the Ten-Arian campus. Finally, they emerged into a court yard adjacent to the principle buildings used by the healers of Ten-ar. The location was carefully chosen; injuries during martial practices were to be expected, giving ample opportunities for student healers to practice their arts on live patients. At the range Lord Knight Eisiq fired a laser cross bow, its bolts discharging deadly plasma upon impact with flesh, its high energy “strings” making the crossbow easier to draw than with a heritage cross bow. Lord Eisiq aimed carefully at a laser cross bow target set up 5 zhang from the firing line, and then fired. The bolt sizzled as it hit near the bull’s eye. Putting down his cross bow, he greeted Bevin and Corann warmly, “Congratulations, Lord Knight Corann on your elevation yesterday. How does it feel to be a knight at last?”

  “I am already assigned as a protector, Master,” reported Corann.

  Lord Eisiq looked at Anlei, “Is this your charge, Corann?”

  “Yes, my lord, Princess Anlei, daughter of Lord Knight Bevin,” replied Corann.

  “Your daughter, my liege? It’s been too many yen-ars, Bevin. Last I saw Anlei was at Prince Alastair’s dedication ceremony in Bira Hecen; you’ve grown up, young lady,” remarked Lord Eisiq.

  Bevin hugged his friend affectionately, “Good to see you too, Eisiq. And yes, she’s grown a great deal since last you saw her – in most ways, anyway. She still does not respect her grace, High Priestess Wehe. Religion remains a fallacy to her.”

  “Are you sure she’s the queen’s daughter? She sounds like a star warrior of Xing-li: all science and no faith….”

  “The queen will allow Anlei to go exploring in a star craft about the day our sun turns green. Her sister Anyu perished out on the edge of known space, remember?” reminded Bevin.

  “I heard the rumour; it’s been confirmed?”

  “Yes – Princess Anyu’s remains were found on D425E25 Tertius,” reported Bevin.

  “I-I-I’m speechless,” stammered Eisiq. “Please send my condolences to her majesty.”

  Anlei, feeling bored once more, surveyed the equipment carefully hung on nearby racks. Curious, she picked up a target arrow and started to play with it. Eisiq noticed her, “Do you shoot, Your Highness?”

  “N-n-no – I have never seen an arrow up close before in my life. Weapons of war are not fit for a princess,” gibed Anlei.

  “There was a time, my lady, when bows were the preferred weapons of house leaders, especially female house leaders. Your own paternal grandmother is such a woman. Throughout much of your father’s childhood she represented house Balister on the Great Council, her leadership gained through her speed and accuracy with a bow just like this one. It is part of your heritage, Your Highness, even though the connection between your father and his mother are rarely recognized. Here, let me show you how it’s done.” Eisiq picked up a Balister heritage bow, it’s recurve making it stronger and more powerful than simple longbows. Notching an arrow into its string, he drew the string to his ear and fired at one of the heritage bow targets. It thumped five cun to the right of the bull’s eye, a good but imperfect shot.

  Bevin noticed Eisiq’s imperfect accuracy, inspiring him to walk up to them, select a bow and string it, “May I?”

  “Please,” welcomed Lord Eisiq.

  Bevin fired. The arrow effortlessly landed at the center of the bull’s eye. Corann picked up a bow and aimed, joining in the demonstration. As he pulled the string to his ear, he felt a stabbing agony in his shoulder. Trained to ignore pain, Corann calmed himself and took careful aim, releasing the arrow as gently as his first kiss with Anlei. The arrow plunged deep into the target, slicing against Bevin’s arrow and shaving off the side of it. Anlei’s eyes widened in disbelief, “How did you…?”

  “Practice,” exclaimed Corann, surprised at her interest.

  Anlei hugged Corann excitedly. Blood stained her dress. Stunned, she jumped back aghast, “Corann! You’re bleeding.”

  Lord Eisiq looked at the wound with the skilled practice of a warrior accustomed to such injuries. After a xiao-shir, he pressed a button on his belt. Two xiao-shirs later, a refined lady healer 105 yen-ars old stepped out onto the firing range holding a medical scanner in her hands. Eisiq looked at her with surprise, “Lady Healer Cara, what are you doing home? I thought you were assigned to the palace as chief healer?”

  Cara raised an eyebrow, “Nice to see you too, Lord Eisiq. I came for Lord Knight Corann’s elevation last beinor. Lord Knight Culain is my brother, after all. Besides, my instincts told me one of you knights would get into trouble somehow. These elevations seem to bring out your worst instincts, giving we healers way too much work to do.”

/>   Bevin smirked at Cara’s witty retort. She was right, of course, that much Bevin had learned in his many yen-ars of close friendship with her brother. Bevin was one of the few knights to observe the sibling relationship between Cara and Culain up close, a merry war of wit between the siblings who were as different in world outlook and politics as their professions were to one another. Cara was the consummate pacifist while Culain gloried in skilfully applied martial arts. Cara’s world view tended towards scientific atheism while Culain largely maintained a very spiritual outlook on the world. They were an odd pair bound together by mutual parentage and equal skills in witty debate that often put both of them in the same social sphere. Half against her will, Lady Healer Cara found herself cleaning up the physical messes made by her brother, Lord Eisiq, and Lord Bevin.

  Noticing Corann’s bloody tunic, Lady Cara scanned his wound, “How did you do this?”

  “Lord Knight Bevin landed a solid blow with his rapier,” answer Corann as Cara inspected the wound with her gloved fingers, wincing reflexively. Cara eyed him suspiciously. Recognizing her stern countenance, he added, “Then I fired a Balister heritage bow.”

  “That would do it,” scolded Cara.

  “How bad is it?” asked Bevin.

  “Bad enough – he needs surgery. I suggest something more primitive than your typical laser sutures. Filament sutures will work more effectively given the location so close to his heart, especially since I cannot imagine him actually following my instructions and not moving his shoulder for at least forty-five beinors. It’s deeper than it looks; I estimate an extended healing period,” assessed Lady Healer Cara. “I can do the sutures now – but he really should come to the palace healing center so I can watch him more carefully. Just a hunch, but I think you end up re-opening that wound before it’s healed. Bring him to my office here at our main healing center in ten xiao-shirs. I should have everything ready by then.”

  Bevin bowed to Lady Healer Cara, “Thank you, lady healer. We will comply with your instructions.”

  “That would be a change,” teased Cara, returning to the healing complex.

  As Eisiq and Bevin watched Cara leave, Anlei pulled Corann aside, “I – I am so sorry, Corann.”

  “You did nothing, Your Highness.”

  “But you did all this, this display of martial prowess to try to teach me a lesson. You only took me out here to the range because I was so bored with your…whatever you call that.”

  “You would not be the first princess or noble lady for that matter to fail to appreciate the material arts, my lady. But I do agree with your father that it’s only proper for you to educate yourself in martial arts. There may come a time when you need to know at least the basics.”

  “But isn’t that why you took your vows to me last night? Aren’t you here to protect me?”

  “There are … limits to what I may do, Your Highness, particularly once you are wed. In such a situation, your husband may not welcome my close proximity to you – especially given my attraction towards you.”

  “What are you saying, he would be worried that one beinor I might indulge myself with you at his expense?”

  “Yes, that is exactly what I am saying. I care deeply for you, Anlei. That is a powerful thing, especially to a rival for your favours,” implied Corann.

  “But we are just friends; friends love each other if they are close….”

  “Some men see women as trophies of the bedroom, Your Highness. Such men would do anything to have their property and their perceived carnal rights protected. Or have you forgotten the romantic songs of our antiquity?” Thinking hard, Corann began to sing a verse in an ancient tune,

  “Lady fair I am yours this morning.

  Lady fair I serve you.

  In your royal grace,

  Illuminate my face.

  And grace me with your love.

  I am yours my liege;

  Serving you to please.

  My lady fairest queen.

  Anlei smiled at the song. Blushing, she took his left hand, “Do you mean the words of the song, Corann?”

  Corann played with a lock of her hair, “I think you know the answer to that, Your Highness.”

  Anlei blushed, “I do; if only things were different. If only I dared believe that someone like me can have someone like you….”

  “Take heart, Your Highness. Your life is not over yet. This great succession crisis has only just begun. Not even the wisest knows for sure how this will end up.” Noticing a signal from Bevin and Eisiq to head indoors for medical treatment, Corann bowed, “Now if you will excuse me, my liege, Lady Healer Cara is waiting for me.” Anlei nodded her consent and watched him leave.

  The next morning the blue-white sun struggled to peak at all through the dense upper clouds, leaving the ground dark and gloomy. As Anlei and Bevin prepared to leave, the sky turned red-grey above them. Thunder rolled through the sky and huge swirling storms filled the sky. A large upper atmosphere hurricane raged above them, descending closer down with high li-per-shir-or winds and torrents of fierce rain. The air crackled as a lower atmosphere storm merged with the hurricane, a storm so large it was visible from space. In the massive Amba Mederi Ocean, the waves responded to the power of storm, increasing tidal waves into almost tsunami proportions. This beinor was not going to be nice – not at all.

  With Corann injured and resting in the healing center, it was up to RK6 to help Princess Anlei dress. Anlei felt sedated as she placed a necklace of Beinarian blue chalcedony around her neck to compliment her pale red-violet gown, a regal colour considering the expense of any red or reddish hue or tint. Concerned for Corann, she quietly walked behind RK6 as the droid led her to Corann’s room in the healing center and rang the chime. “Come,” called Corann’s voice from within and the door opened. Anlei entered to find Corann only half dressed with his trousers secured but his shirt off for the inability to figure out how to dress himself.

  In all her yen-ars, Anlei had never seen a man naked down to his waist before. For just an instant, she felt shocked, but resisted the urge to say something. Instead, her eyes quickly honed onto his wound. A bandage covered Corann’s sutures and most of his left shoulder, partially in an attempt to immobilize it. Her eyes drifted towards the rest of Corann’s body, well concealed before under his tunics, strong, athletic, and well-toned without excessive muscles. Pleasure at the sight crept up inside Anlei, catching her off guard. In all her cold academics, she had never looked at a man with any sort of attraction; if anything she always felt disdain towards the male physical form. But not with Corann who seemed someone helpless under all those bandages.

  Finally, Anlei found her voice, “I was worried about you. How are you feeling?”

  “I was offered help and I turned it down. Now look at me. I’m as helpless as a fabku,” he cried in frustration, sitting down once more.

  Anlei sat beside him and took his left hand, “You are no fabku. No fabku could have lasted 0.001 shir-ors with that wound and you lasted a full shir-or fighting as aggressively as before. I still cannot believe you did that.”

  “I had something to prove.”

  “What good did that do? How can you protect me like this?”

  “Nothing negates my vows to you. I spoke to Lady Cara; I will be coming with you in the royal low altitude shuttle when it leaves in 400 xiao-shirs. I’ll be under the supervision of Lady Healer Cara – but I will still serve you. I’ll just have to do it from my old bed chamber in the palace. Your father tells me that it’s still unoccupied. At least until this crisis is resolved, I will be living there, only seventy zhang from your apartment.”

  “That’s something at least. I was afraid this was going to be goodbye.”

  “You cannot get rid of me that easily, Anlei. Ten-Arian code of honour forbids it.” Corann put his right arm around Anlei’s shoulders and leaned in towards her, daring to kiss her with a feather touch of his lips. Anlei r
eturned the kiss.

  “Thank you, my Anlei.”

  Anlei shook her head playfully, “I am still up for grabs, you know.”

  “Yes, I know, the game of who gets to be king and will house Gurun keep control after all. But may I remind you, Crown Princess, that I have one of the best bloodlines of all the nobles,” he flirted. “And I have one thing to my advantage that no other nobleman has….”

  “And what is that, Lord Corann?” posed Anlei.

  “You love me,” announced Corann.

  “I DO NOT!”

  “We will see, my young princess, daughter of Queen Isabelle, daughter of High Priestess Wehe of House Miyoo. Or have you forgotten that not only I am I your grandmother’s protégé, but so is my mother? I know what it means to be house Miyoo. For the first fifteen yen-ars of my life I lived in that temple and was trained as a priest before assuming my place in house Ten-ar. Oh, my dear princess – we will see,” challenged the knight.

  Blushing, Anlei found the tunic the droids had left for Corann to wear for his trip to the capital city of Hejing and its palace, “I am sure we will, dear friend. However, right now, I think I owe you a favour. May I assist you?”

  Corann grinned as she offered him the tunic, “What is good for the fabku is good for the fafiku.” Slowly, gently, carefully to avoid reopening the wound, she helped him put first his left arm into the left sleeve then slid the right arm into the sleeve with minimal motion to the left shoulder. Cautiously she pulled the tunic over his head. Corann cringed momentary as the shoulder moved slightly, but his sutures stayed intact. With the tunic basically on, Anlei belted his Ten-Arian sword onto his waist. Corann was, at last, ready for travel. Carefully Anlei helped Corann take his trek to the low altitude shuttle which launched on schedule. Neither would ever be the same again.