Chapter 29

Raven stood on the balcony and stared out over the still sleeping kingdom. The early morning silence was so complete that it was difficult to picture how crowded the streets would be once the sun reached its zenith. She looked over the rooftops to the Elven Wall. From this distance, she could not see how many soldiers walked the parapet, but she was certain the number was fewer than a few days ago. She was also certain that no army gathered before the Main Gate awaiting the blare of a horn to set them racing to the battlefield. Today only four were scheduled to occupy the field, and only two of them would fight.

Above the wall, the stars began to fade from view and the black of night melted to violet. Her balcony faced the wrong direction for her to witness the sun’s rise, but she had seen it enough to picture it. As the pre-dawn violet gave way to pale morning blue, the silence was broken by scores of birds welcoming the new day with song. A part of her felt like singing with them, but she feared waking the sleepers in the room behind her.

It had been somewhat of a challenge to leave her bed undetected. She had awoken to find herself sandwiched between Balin, who had his arm draped over her waist, and Keisha nestled against her back. Raven had to slide herself down the length of the bed to escape her confinement. As she left the balcony, she noticed that Keisha was now occupying the space she had vacated. She was glad. It would take Balin that much longer to realize she had gone.

Raven walked to the bed without making a sound and brushed a lock of blond hair away from Keisha’s face. It was a risky gesture, she knew, but it was the next best thing to kissing her forehead.

Balin she did kiss on the corner of his mouth. She held her breath as his face twitched a bit, but he did not awaken.

As she bent to retrieve her scabbard, she paused to pick up one of the yellow roses that had been pushed to the floor during the night. It was one of the few that had not been crushed, and Raven briefly considered taking it with her. Instead, she laid it in Balin’s open palm, hoping he would know she was praying for him as well.

Raven took a final look at her sleeping family. If all went as she planned, they would never know she had left until she awoke them with news of her victory. Still, she felt guilty as she crept from the room.

She nodded a silent greeting to Orant as she joined him in the corridor and gestured for him to lead the way.

“The girl slept with you?” he whispered as they walked. “She didn’t see you leave?”

“She’s scared for me, Orant. Didn’t you ever sleep with your parents when you were scared?”

Orant smiled briefly at the childhood memory her question conjured, then asked, “Are you sure you want to do it this way?”

“It’s the only way,” she reminded him. “Besides, it’s too late to change my mind. I went through a lot of trouble to catch that eridan boy before he left and change the time.”

The steps of Timerdia’astav had repeatedly been swept clear of the yellow roses throughout the previous day and night. Raven and Orant descended between the two golden piles buzzing with a handful of bees that could not believe their good fortune. Each flower represented a prayer offered on her behalf. Raven knew that if she failed it would not be due to lack of support.

At the bottom, Serena and Letisha waited with the horse each of them had saddled. Serena reluctantly handed the reins she held to Raven.

“We’ve done this once before,” the human whispered, her voice betraying her emotion.

“I’ll survive this time, too, Serena. It’s one on one, just like old times.”

“Are you sure you don’t want us with you?” Letisha asked, handing her reins to Orant as she joined the other woman.

Raven shook her head. “If I wanted spectators, I’d have waited until noon. And it is going to take both of you to explain this to the others.

Orant had expected the argument to go on much longer. He was surprised when both humans hugged Raven in turn and went back to the palace without another word.

“You’re not going to argue with me, too, are you?” Raven asked as she climbed into the saddle.

“Nope. You outrank me,” he teased. “This is your show. I’m just along to keep it fair.” He patted the crossbow Letisha had tied to the pommel for him. The terms had given Raven permission to be accompanied by one armed escort. It had never specified which weapon he could carry. Raven had no qualms about fighting Krake, or any other eridan, one on one. Orant’s job was to see it remained that way.

The kingdom was beginning to show signs of life as the pair made their way to the Elven Wall. Doors to the businesses that lined the street were thrown open to welcome customers. The sweet smell of baking pastries floated through the morning air. Raven’s stomach loudly protested the fact that she had skipped breakfast.

Raven drew her cloak over her left shoulder to conceal the insignia of her rank when she caught sight of a few people venturing out of their homes. She didn’t want anyone to realize she had decided to end the war earlier then expected, and she doubted they would have a hard time figuring it out if they saw her uniform. There was only one woman currently serving in the queen’s Honor Guard.

Originally, she wasn’t going to wear the easily identifiable uniform this morning, but Orant persuaded her to. What she did now she did as a soldier for the benefit of an entire kingdom. Warrior’s revenge would come later. The citizens needed to know that she was a representative of the army they had put their faith in for the past ten years.

Once they reached their destination, Raven would display the embroidered sword and rose with pride. For now she covered her uniform with the plain woolen cloak Balin’s sister had given her. The cloak also concealed the sword once wielded in battle by her best friend and the leather scabbard made by her husband. After today, both would no longer be needed.

As they neared the massive doors of the Main Gate, Raven felt a familiar feeling wash over her. The nervousness she had been trying to ignore all morning dissolved, replaced by a strange calm. She could almost picture herself walking through the dimly lit corridors on her way to her next fight. After a time of solitude and prayer, she would face her next opponent, while her friends awaited her return. Everyone knew the final battle was against an eridan. Wren had defeated one; she could too.

Raven shook her head violently to push away those thoughts. Wren had been forced into a battle she had not wanted, and was denied the prize she had earned. Raven very much wanted this fight, and the real prize was to be awarded even before first blood was struck.

The plain cloak slid from her shoulders as she undid the clasp at her throat. It fell behind her, revealing the insignia of her rank to the small band of elves guarding the gate. None of them questioned her early arrival as they hurried to obey her command.

“Let no one else pass until ordered by myself or Battle Commander Verton,” she told them. In unison, the guards nodded in understanding and pushed open both of the immense doors.

Raven heard someone timidly call her name. She looked down from her horse to see a young soldier of low rank holding out a single yellow rose. Smiling her thanks, she slid the stem of the flower behind the strap of her mount’s halter. How could she lose with the prayers of an entire kingdom behind her?

The pair waited until the doors were opened before moving forward. Raven knew Krake was an impatient man and she enjoyed this subtle reminder that he was no longer in control of her. She may have come at his bidding, but she would make him wait for her. As an opponent, Krake was larger and stronger, but he became careless when angered. He believed himself undefeatable and Raven planned to use that against him.

Like Raven, Krake was accompanied by one escort; or rather, only one rode beside the eridan. Behind him stood the remainder of the eridan army, monstrous broadswords sheathed at their waists. Were they here only to witness the surrender of their Battle Commander to the elven forces? Or had Krake been afraid to face her alone?

Raven didn’t have to look back to know that there were soldiers lining the top of the wall now. She had seen several men race into the stairway towers as she waited for the gates to open. Each one had carried a crossbow. It would not be very hard for them to pick off any eridans who decided to protest the surrender. She only hoped Verton had relayed her order not to interfere.

Orant’s uneasiness at facing all those armed eridans became evident as he untied his crossbow and slid in a bolt. He drew back the bow onto the latch and held the weapon pointed upward. He made it obvious that he was aiming at no one, but could easily be persuaded to change his mind.

Raven’s weapon remained in her scabbard, as did Krake’s. The eridan’s escort appeared to be unarmed.

“So that’s the infamous Krake, master of the Arena?” Orant said softly as they made their way across the dew covered field. “Dezan told me a little about what it was like there. I can see why you want him dead.” He paused as he sized the large man with his expert eye. “Are you sure you can do this?”

“Yes, Orant,” she told him without anger. She knew his question was out of concern and not an insult. “He will not be the first eridan I have killed.” Her fingers lightly traced the three parallel scars on her left cheek.

They closed the remaining distance in silence, halting their mounts a few horse lengths away from the eridan pair.

“Interesting choice,” Krake said as a greeting. “Not exactly the man I expected to see by your side, Raven. Afraid to have another lover killed by the blade meant for you?”

Raven inhaled deeply, her knuckles turning white as they tightened around the reins. As she slowly released the breath, she forced her anger out with it and her grip relaxed. Jaret had given his life for her. She would not betray that gift by throwing it away to satisfy her rage.

“My husband is part y’liran, Krake. You know their beliefs,” she told him calmly. “I see you’ve gone from murdering children to being protected by them,” she added with a curt nod of recognition to the young eridan boy by his side. Raven felt a tinge of pity for the boy, who suddenly looked as though he wished he could disappear.

“Raenox here was quite taken by you. I thought that watching you die might cure him of his infatuation.” To the boy he said, “This is Raven, my dearest pet. I trained her from a whelp, you know, then she ran away from home. Now, give her that parchment, like a good lad, so we can end the formalities and get on with the real business at hand.”

With one eye watching the crossbow in Orant’s hand, Raenox urged his horse forward. The hand that offered the scroll shook only slightly. Raven was careful not to appear too eager as she accepted it and slowly read the words.

Inside she wanted to dance with elation, but her features remained stoic as she passed the scroll to Orant. He tucked it into his tunic, unwilling to lay down his weapon to open the scroll.

“You have what you came for,” she told him. “Take it to Verton and let him have the honor of presenting it to Queen Anora.”

Orant’s face became a mask of sadness and uncertainty. “Lady Raven, I can’t just leave you here.”

“You must.”

Krake laughed as he dismounted. He pointed to the reins he had dropped on the ground and stomped one foot. Orant arched his brows in confusion, but Raven knew he was commanding his steed to stay where he was.

“That’s right, Raven,” he teased. “Let’s send the children away so we can have some adult fun.”

Raven slid from her saddle and passed her reins to Orant. No matter how many times she stomped her feet, she knew her horse would not stay put. As he took the reins from her, she took hold of his wrist with her free hand. Orant leaned over in his saddle to hear her softly spoken words.

“If something should go wrong, I need you to kill Krake. I don’t care if you have to shoot him in the back, Orant, you have to kill him. Because if you don’t, Balin’s likely to come looking for revenge. I want it to end here.”

Orant’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Something better not go wrong, Lady Raven, or else your husband is likely to kill me.” Straightening himself, Orant quickly tied the reins of her horse to the pommel of his saddle. He lightly touched his lips with his fingertips then raised his hand skyward. “Warrior, soldier, princess — may Namari protect you all.”

As he returned to the Elven Wall, Orant raised the scroll high over his head in his clenched fist. Raven smiled as the cheers of victory reached her ears. Whatever happened now, this moment made it worthwhile.

Krake stepped forward, his chosen weapon in hand. “Did I hear him call you ‘princess’? Could it be my darling pet has a pedigree? I don’t believe you ever told me your true name.”

“Maybe I’ll tell you before you die,” she said calmly, her eyes fixed on his weapon as she reached over her shoulder for hers. Once her sword was in hand, she pulled the strap of her scabbard over her head and let the leather case fall to the ground. She raised one eyebrow questioningly. “A stick, Krake? They won’t let you play with sharp objects anymore?”

Krake gripped the three-foot long “stick” around its four-inch diameter. Despite her taunting, Raven knew the damage it could inflict. Broken bones sometimes took longer to recover from than blade wounds. And they usually caused more pain. Krake’s toothy grin told her that was precisely what he had in mind.

Balin knew without looking that the person curled into a ball against his back was not his wife. It took him a moment to remember that Keisha had come knocking on their door late last night. As much as he wanted the time alone with his wife, he could not send the girl away. It comforted him to know he was not the only one so concerned about Raven.

It took him another minute to realize that if Keisha was now nestled up against him then Raven was no longer between them. His heart sank as he sat up and scanned the room for the one woman he knew would not be there. Instead of his wife, he saw Letisha seated in the stuffed chair beside the bed.

Balin pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes to rub the sleep from them. When he lowered his hands, Letisha was still there. Her presence could only mean one thing. Grateful that he had been forced to dress when Keisha had decided to sleep in their bed, Balin threw back the coverlet and searched the rose strewn floor for his boots.

“When did she leave?” he asked calmly.

“Dawn,” Letisha answered softly, kicking one of his boots in his direction.

Balin dug his fingers into the side of the down-filled mattress before pushing himself to his feet. Behind him, Keisha stirred awake. She wasn’t surprised by Raven’s absence, or at seeing Letisha in the room. Wordlessly, the child went out on the balcony.

Fearing it may have fallen out during the night, Balin breathed a sigh of relief as he withdrew a gold ring from his pocket. Anger and fear warred inside him as he stared down at it in his palm. Sadness finally won.

“I thought we’d still have this morning,” he whispered. “There’s so much more I wanted to tell her.”

“That’s why she did it this way, Balin. Warriors don’t say good-bye, and they don’t worry about who’s worrying about them. It’s easier for her to fight if she thinks you’re home sleeping.

“Serena will be back in a minute, and the Queen will probably be with her. Why don’t you do like us and wait for her here? We’ll worry like crazy together and pretend we weren’t when she comes back.”

“Is that what you warriors did in the Arena?”

Letisha nodded.

“Well, guess what, Lettie — this isn’t the Arena. That’s my wife out there. I may not be much help to her, but I’ll be damned if I’ll let her face that beast alone!”

Jumping to her feet, Letisha grabbed his arm as he passed. “She’ll hate you if you interfere,” she warned.

Balin jerked his arm free. “I’d rather have her alive and hating me than loving me from the grave.”

“The big doors are opening!” Keisha called from the balcony.

Balin was gone before she completed the sentence.

Once in the stables, he learned that Serena had taken a detour on her way to speak with Anora. Anticipating his reaction to Raven’s change of plans, she had decided to saddle one of the two stolen eridan war-horses. Balin was relieved that she had unknowingly chosen Penda’kavin, his favorite of the pair.

“I would go, if I could,” she softly explained as she stepped away from the stallion.

Knowing there were no words to express his gratitude, Balin quickly kissed her cheek and climbed into the saddle.

Raven quickly learned that defending herself against a cudgel was much different than from a sword. Not having to concern himself with the possibility of breaking a blade, Krake was able to put more force behind his blows. Raven needed both hands on her weapon just to keep a hold of it when blocking. Her speed and dexterity were proving to be her greatest weapons. Much more lithe than her opponent, she was able to dodge most of his blows.

Krake was not accustomed to doing his own fighting and he had mistakenly believed that he could defeat Raven with brute strength alone. Now that he realized how wrong that assumption had been, there was nothing he could do but continue the fight alone. He could not command another eridan to finish this battle; none would obey. Once the official surrender had been handed over, he gave up the title of Battle Commander — a title he had taken by killing the well-respected eridan who had previously held it. There was enough in the group who wanted to see him lose that the ones who didn’t chose to remain silent.

Raven prepared herself for the jarring pain she knew she would feel in her wrists and raised her sword to intercept a blow aimed at her head. Then she spun completely around, ducking slightly to avoid Krake’s next maneuver, and sliced a long wound across his upper thigh.

Howling in anger, Krake managed to slip passed her defenses and slammed his cudgel down on her left shoulder. She cocked her shoulder back in an attempt to avoid the blow, and was partially successful. The muscle would be bruised and useless later in the day, but he did not smash her collarbone as he had wanted to. The inertia of the strike carried the cudgel down her arm towards the ground, with Krake’s upper body following it. Without hesitation, Raven slid her blade beneath his ribs. The tone of Krake’s howl changed dramatically.

Balin heard that howl as he forced his way through the crowd forming between the open doors of the Main Gate. A few people grumbled as they moved aside, but most decided they didn’t want to argue with the large horse or the eerie looking man riding it. For the majority, one look at the anger in Balin’s cat-like eyes was enough to silence their protest.

He halted Penda’kavin once he had cleared the crowd and the doors. His first impulse was to rush out there and whisk his wife away. Now that he saw what was happening, he paused. There appeared to be much more blood on Krake than on Raven. He didn’t need to be a warrior to know that the one with a sword handle sticking out of his side was probably losing. If Raven could win on her own, then it was best that she didn’t know he was here.

Releasing the cudgel, Krake grabbed Raven’s sword arm with his left hand and curled his right into a fist. Raven was too stunned to cry out as he struck her. His fist felt like a boulder against her temple. She heard a strange ringing in her ear and her vision blurred for a moment. Raven fought against the grip he had on her right arm and twisted the sword blade in his wound.

Krake let go of her arm and struck her once more in the forehead with the heel of his large hand. Nearly at the same time, they both fell to the ground. Ignoring the pain, Krake raised a hand and signaled to his steed.

Raven heard a voice shouting her name. It sounded familiar, but it was so distant that she couldn’t be sure. Only the urgency she detected made her look to see who it was. As she forced her eyes open, she was momentarily distracted by the view above her. She had never seen clouds spin in such a way. The voice screamed her name again and she rolled her head in that general direction.

It looked like Balin. But it couldn’t be. Balin was at the palace, sleeping peacefully. How could he be here and at the palace at the same time? She must be imagining this. Maybe if she closed her eyes for a moment the image would go away. Yes, that’s it. She would close her eyes. Just for a minute.

Balin dug his heels into his horse’s ribs, urging it on faster. He had recognized the hand signal Krake had used and prayed he could get there before the steed obeyed.

Raven watched Balin come closer but couldn’t move. The clouds stopped spinning and resumed their normal floating patterns. As the ringing in her ears quieted to a tolerable level, she became aware of hoof-beats in the opposite direction. Raven turned her head in time to see a dark shadow loom over her. She twisted her body in an effort to escape the hooves of Krake’s horse, but she was too slow. The steed raised his steel-shod hooves high above her.

Balin’s scream was louder than Raven’s as he helplessly watched the horse stomp on his small wife. He leapt from his mount’s back without waiting for him to halt.

Eager for a battle of his own, Penda’kavin chased the other steed away from his namesake, his teeth gnashing at its flank.

Kneeling beside her, Balin cradled Raven’s body against his with one arm. He fought back the tears as he tenderly brushed a few loose stands of hair away from her face. He forced a half smile as her eyes fluttered open.

“Balin?”

He winced at how surprised she sounded to see him. “I’m here, a’hava,” he assured her.

“The war is over,” she told him, her dark eyes sparkling with an odd happiness. It faded quickly as she asked, “Is he dead?”

Balin glanced in Krake’s direction. The eridan was on his hands and knees, one arm wrapped protectively around his midsection. He was crawling towards his cudgel.

“He will be soon,” he said, believing his own words.

Raven sighed with relief before closing her eyes once more. She became limp in his embrace and Balin’s heart sank as he pressed his ear to her chest. The rhythm of her heart was faster than he expected and erratic, but it was there. Gently he laid her back onto the grass and kissed her forehead.

“How touching,” Krake commented as he swung the cudgel at Balin’s bowed head.

Balin reached up and caught the weapon in his hand. As he stood, he yanked the cudgel out of Krake’s hands and tossed it out of his reach. The glint of steel caught his eyes and he retrieved Raven’s weapon from where it had fallen.

He had never held a sword with the intent to use it before. As he closed his fingers around the handle, he felt a sense of power flow into him. It felt right in his hand, as if it had always belonged there. Balin raised the crimson smeared blade between himself and Krake. Now he understood Raven’s need for revenge, and why all else had to wait until that need had been satisfied. For the first time in his life, Balin felt the insatiable desire to kill.

Not sure how to handle the sword, Balin raised it over one shoulder and prepared to swing. He figured it didn’t take much skill to decapitate an eridan. He heard Raven stir behind him, but kept his attention focused on the retreating eridan.

Balin gasped as he felt something buzz passed his ear. He looked back to see Raven propped up on one arm, struggling to remain alert. When he turned back to his intended target, it was no longer there. Krake was lying on his back in the grass with Raven’s dagger buried in his left eye.

“Now he’s dead,” she whispered as she let herself fall back down. “The war is over.”

Having chased the enemy away, Penda’kavin returned to the only master who had ever given him honey-coated oats. He obeyed Balin and remained still as he climbed into the saddle with his wife in his arms. Holding her tight against his chest, Balin buried his face in her tangled hair and let Penda’kavin take them home.

The crowd at the wall parted for him without protest. Orant fell in beside him as the now silent throng of spectators followed behind.

From her place on the balcony, Keisha watched the solemn procession make its way through the streets of the Annex.

“They’re coming,” she told the others waiting in the room. As she turned to face them, her tear-filled eyes told them all they needed to know.

Balin refused to pass Raven to any of the many hands that offered to take her from him. Swinging one leg over the pommel, he held her securely in both arms and slid down from the saddle. The group that had followed him from the Main Gate stopped at the bottom step of Timerdia’astav, instinctively knowing that they were welcome no further. Only Orant remained at Balin’s side, half guiding and half supporting him as they ascended the marble stairs.

Those who awaited his arrival at the top stood in stunned silence. Anora’s hands flew to her mouth as she saw the amount of blood splattered on Raven. Terrik quickly wrapped one arm around her waist to keep her on her feet. Monya buried her face in Kerwin’s shoulder, unable to face the sight of her lifeless friend.

“Is she …?” Kerwin whispered, unable to complete the question.

Dezan shot him an angry look that made Kerwin ashamed to have spoken. “Letisha’s waiting in your room,” he told Balin as he fell into place opposite Orant.

Balin said nothing to let them know he had heard, but he allowed himself to be led in that direction.

Once they reached the room, he stood in the doorway for a moment, not quite sure what to do. It frightened him to place his wife in the care of another, but Letisha knew more about treating wounds than he. She had obviously known what to expect and had prepared the room accordingly.

The roses that had covered their bed were now piled unceremoniously in the back corner of the room. The stuffed chair beside the bed was loaded with rolls of cloth bandages and a large basin of water waited on the bedside table. On the vanity was another basin, this one holding a few bottle’s worth of the kingdom’s most potent liquor that Letisha now soaked her hands in. Serena stood beside her with arms laden with clean towels, while Keisha sat on the floor threading sewing needles. Everyone seemed frozen in time for a moment, until Letisha took charge of the situation.

The healer had seen many warriors wear the same expression Balin now wore as he stood motionless in the doorway. She also knew that he would likely remain there for hours unless someone snapped him out of this trance. Until his mind decided it could face what was happening, it was sparring him the trauma of thinking at all. Someone else would have to think for him.

Letisha pulled her hands from the basin and spun to take a towel from Serena. Droplets of the crimson liquor fanned out from her fingertips and stained the pale carpet at Balin’s feet.

“Get her in the bath, Balin!” Letisha shouted, knowing she had to command his attention to make him obey. “I need to know how much of that blood is hers.”

His steps were halting and his muscular arms trembled as if the small body he held weighed much more than it did. Not knowing what else to do, Balin followed Letisha into the adjoining chamber. The large tub was full nearly to the top of the ridge and water rushed down the step like a miniature waterfall as Balin stepped into it. He sat with his legs outstretched and carefully positioned Raven so that she rested in his lap with her back against his chest. She moaned softly as Balin scooped up a handful of water and let it wash down the left side of her face. The blood he had just cleaned away was soon replaced by another thin stream coming from her ear.

“Undress her,” Letisha said, kneeling in the puddle beside the ledge. Balin gave her a look that said he intended to do no such thing, although the three of them were the only ones in the room. “I need to see her wounds,” she explained softly.

Nodding in understanding, Balin reached around Raven and began to untie the knot at the throat of her tunic. The laces were swollen with water and Raven had tied the knot twice to keep it from coming undone during the battle.

Letisha cursed under her breath and stepped down into the tub. “I don’t have time for this,” she snapped with more anger than she intended. Ignoring Balin’s expression, Lettie reached into the leather boot still on Raven’s foot and withdrew the dagger she knew would be tucked inside. Pulling the fabric away from the elf’s body, Letisha sliced open the front of the tunic. She pushed Balin’s hands away as she searched for tears in Raven’s flesh. All she found was a still growing bruise that covered Raven’s left side from breast to hip.

“This can’t be all Krake’s blood,” she said as she hurried to pull off Raven’s boots and leggings. The elf cried out softly as Lettie’s fingers brushed another large bruise forming on her thigh, but her eyes remained closed. “What happened?” she finally asked, having not found the wounds she had expected.

Balin let another scoop of water dribble down Raven’s cheek to wash away the blood. Gently pulling back her wet hair, he showed Letisha the smaller fist-sized mark near her temple. “He hit her and she fell down,” he whispered, kissing the bruise. “He hit her with his fist.”

“She’s survived that before.” Pointing to her left side, she asked, “What happened there? Did he kick her when she was down?”

Balin shook his head, his eyes looking off to the side. Anywhere but at those awful bluish-black wounds. “His horse did that. Krake ordered it to. I was too late to stop it.”

“An eridan war-horse? The size of yours?” She didn’t wait for an answer before stepping out of the tub. “Take her out,” she told him as she began stripping out of her wet clothing. She wrapped herself in one of the robes hanging on a peg and held the other out before her. As Balin stood with Raven cradled in his arms, Letisha draped the robe over her body. It was unnecessary, but she knew Balin would feel better if Raven was covered. “Put her in the bed. I need to get a better look at those bruises. If a war-horse made them, I’m sure there’s something broken underneath.”

As he crossed the threshold, the others in the room sprang into action. Serena dashed behind the chair, ready to pass Letisha bandages, and Keisha joined her with a fistful of threaded needles. Queen Anora stood out of the way with her back against the door, keeping the unwelcome out.

Orant and Dezan posted themselves as guards in the corridor. Although both wanted to be inside the room with the others, they knew they could help best by making sure Letisha was uninterrupted. Together they turned away sincere well-wishers and curiosity seekers alike; the former with words, the latter sometimes at sword point.

Balin paused at the bedside, unwilling to let Raven out of his arms. It was irrational, he knew, but he couldn’t help feeling that if her let go of her now he may never get to hold her again. If only she would open her eyes and tell him it would be all right. He looked down as Keisha stepped around the chair to stand beside him.

“Remember at Nedda’s?” she whispered gently. “You were afraid to let her go then, but you did and Nedda made her well. Letisha wants to do the same, Balin. We all love her and we’ll take good care of her for you.”

“How old are you?” he asked.

Keisha smiled, and he forced a weak smile for her.

Balin laid his unconscious wife on the bed, carefully arranging the robe that covered her. He swallowed his fear with his tears and kissed her forehead. The few steps he took away from the bed were the hardest he had ever taken.

“Get into dry clothes and go find her sword,” Letisha ordered, glancing around the room one more time to ensure herself that it was not here.

“What?” Balin’s confusion was mirrored in the eyes of the other three in the room. “She killed him. She doesn’t need it anymore.”

Letisha held up a hand to silence Keisha before she could agree with Balin. “Because it’s important to her. It belonged to Wren and she’ll want it when she wakes up. She’ll drive herself crazy thinking it’s lost on the field and she can’t heal if she can’t rest.”

Balin seemed unsure for a moment, then grabbed the clothes Serena handed him and quickly left the room. He remembered how important it had been to Raven to have her sword by her side when she first awoke at Nedda’s. It was more than just a weapon to her. It was a treasured memento from a friend. Although she had agreed to hang it up in the house he would build for her, he knew she would never let it out of her sight.

Serena waited until she heard his footsteps descend the staircase before speaking. “It could take all day to find that sword.”

“Good. I needed him out of the way,” Letisha confessed. “I can’t help her with him looming over me, ready to snap my neck if I do something he doesn’t like.” She pointed towards the door Anora had vacated when Balin had left. “Now, all of you go. Everybody out, except Serena.”

Anora opened her mouth to protest, but Letisha was faster.

“Don’t order me to let you stay, Anora, because I’m not an elf. Your staring is just as bad as Balin’s. Serena and I will take care of her.”

The queen sighed in defeat as she led the others from the room. “Send for us in the library,” she told Letisha before closing the door behind her.

Serena opened the door slightly and peered down the corridors to ensure they were alone. “Why did you want me to stay?” she asked Letisha. “What use to you am I?”

Letisha pulled the damp robe off Raven and showed Serena the growing bruises she had tried to hide from the others. Placing one hand on her own throat, she laid the other on Raven’s just below the jawbone. That one touch told her all she needed to know.

Raven’s skin was pale, even for an elf, and it was cold. The heartbeat Letisha felt was weak beneath her trained fingertips, with a rapid and irregular rhythm that matched her shallow breathing. The bruises were growing more quickly than she though possible. Beneath them, she would most likely find that Raven’s ribs and her upper leg had been broken by the weight of the horse. She silently prayed that there was no damage to her spine.

“I asked you to stay because I needed someone who knows that sometimes you have to hurt to help,” Letisha finally explained. “Her ribs need to be wrapped and any other broken bones I find will need to be set. I doubt the others could handle helping with that.”

Serena nodded in understanding, although she wished Lettie’s words were untrue. “There are splints over there,” she told her friend, knowing the elf hadn’t seen the thin wooden boards propped up in the corner of the room. “I had them brought with the bandages, just incase.”

Raven’s pain was evident through her tortured moans as both of her friends worked to wrap her broken ribs. She emitted one scream when Serena pulled her right leg straight and Letisha pressed the wooden splint on either side of her thigh, but she did not open her eyes.

When they had given her all the medical treatment they knew how to give, the two women left Raven undressed and covered her with the warmest quilt they could find. Dressing her would cause unnecessary pain and possibly do more damage. Both wished there was something else they could do while praying that what they had done was enough.

Knowing they could not stall the others forever, Serena eventually left the room to bring them news of Raven’s condition.

Taking Raven’s cold hand in hers, Letisha knelt beside the bed. She laid her head on Raven’s arm and cried.

It was a little past noon when Balin returned with Battle Commander Verton in tow. For the first time, Balin was actually glad to run into the elf, for he held the object Balin wanted. Verton handed the weapon and scabbard he had retrieved from the field to Balin and followed him back to the palace. Not only did he seek information about Raven’s condition, but he also needed to give his report of the events following the fight to his queen.

As the pair neared the room, Balin gestured for Verton to remain in the corridor for a moment. Orant opened the door for Balin and quickly stepped out of the way. Letisha had asked for privacy, but the soldier decided that it didn’t imply Balin. Orant had known Raven only a short time and was crazy with worry. He could only imagine how her husband felt.

Letisha did not acknowledge Balin’s presence until he laid a hand on her shoulder. Wordlessly, she stood to allow him to take her position beside the bed.

“Has she awakened at all?” he asked as he knelt. He took Raven’s hand in his own and kissed the palm, hoping for a reaction. Her long fingers twitched and he kissed them as well.

“No, not while you’ve been gone.” Letisha was glad he did not look back at her. She knew her face would betray her. “I sent Serena to tell the others I was finished examining her. I’ll go see what’s taking them so long.”

Balin nodded. “Walk slow, okay, Lettie,” he requested.

He waited until he heard the door close behind her before getting to his feet. With trembling hands, he lifted the coverlet, but did not look beneath it right away. He already knew what he would find. Did he really need to see what was hidden under the blanket? Which did he want etched in his memory — the sight of her horrific wounds or her beautiful face?

Finally, he decided he had to know what Letisha could not tell him. He lifted the coverlet higher until he could clearly see Raven’s left side, and dropped it immediately. What had begun as two separate bruises was now one massive wound that stretched from mid-thigh to breast and circled around to the middle of her chest. The dark purple-black splotches disappeared beneath the thick layers of wrapping she was bound in, but they peaked out on either side, refusing to be hidden.

Covering his face with his hands, Balin sank back to his knees and lowered his head. Slender fingers buried themselves in his dark hair and he looked up with tear-filled eyes. He tried to hide his anguish, but he knew he had failed as miserably as Letisha had.

“The old woman was right,” she whispered between labored breaths. “I thought I could win alone. Now we’ll both die.”

Balin shook his head to deny her words. “You’re going to be all right,” he said as if his words alone could heal her. “You’re just bruised.”

“Please, a’hava, we both know that’s not true. I don’t want to waste what time we have with lies.” Raven smiled. “It is funny, you know,” she tried to convince him. “I survived every beating Krake ever gave me just to be killed by his damn horse.”

“Don’t talk that way,” he begged. “No one has killed you. You won, Raven. The slaves are free, the war is over, and Krake is dead. The eridans didn’t even take his body with them when they left the field. You’ve set all the wrongs to right and have avenged all your friends. You’ve kept all your promises.”

Raven slid her fingers from his hair and cupped the side of his face in her palm. Her eyes were liquid obsidian as she spoke. “I’m sorry, a’hava. I haven’t kept the promises to you, and you’re the only one that really mattered. I wanted to fulfill these vows so I could give the rest of my life to you. I finally severed the last tie with the past, Balin, but I also lost my hold on the future.”

Balin took her hand and gently pressed it between both of his. The chill of her touch went straight to his heart. “You can’t give up, Raven. You have to keep fighting.”

“I’m tired of fighting,” she told him, her voice full of exhaustion.

“Just one more fight, Raven. Please, just this one more time,” Balin pleaded, struggling to keep the tears from his voice. “Just win this last time and you’ll never have to fight again, a’hava.”

“I’ll try,” she promised. Before Balin could express his relief, Raven’s eyes slid closed and her hand went limp in his.

She stood alone on the battlefield with no idea of how she had gotten here or where all the others had gone. There was not a single eridan in sight as far as she could see across the open field. Even the charred remnants of their encampment had disappeared. A glance behind her showed that no one stood atop the Elven Wall. She was alone in all the world.

Suddenly she realized that she was no longer wearing the uniform of the Paragon Royal Honor Guard. She had thrown away the leggings and tunic she had been forced to wear during her battles in the Arena, yet she was wearing them now. How?

A dream, she decided. It had to be all a dream. This realization did not comfort her, considering how horrible her dreams had been lately. Maybe it wasn’t a dream. Maybe she was dead and this was her afterlife. Would she be punished or rewarded? She looked down at the clothing she wore and knew she had her answer. She sighed in resignation. Whatever punishment awaited her, she knew she deserved it. Namari did not make mistakes in her judgment.

“It’s not as bad as you think,” a soft voice consoled. Raven recognized the voice as Wren’s. She looked up to see that she was no longer alone on the field. Every other dream she had with this group of people present involved them telling her all the ways she had failed them. They blamed her for killing them through her inability to stop the one who actually took their lives. Was her punishment to spend eternity listening to their accusations? Would she ever be able to atone for her failures?

Brenen, Jeslyn, Kemiko, Shenoah, Wren, Jeena, Mirna, Jaret, the human man and child she had come to realize were Pedar and Damara, and Princess Andromeda all stood before her in a line. Their posture reminded her of a firing squad. The only thing missing were the notched arrows held ready to let fly towards her. Raven braced herself for a never-ending repeat of her worst nightmares.

As always, Brenen stepped forward and spoke first.

“It was not your fault that I returned to the battle and met my death,” the prince consoled her. “I was the one who left you and sought glory on the field.”

Raven was stunned. This wasn’t the same nightmare. Was Brenen actually releasing her from the blame he had placed upon her for not begging him to stay away from the battle that claimed his life?

Before she could question him, Jeslyn spoke.

“I know you did all you could to protect me,” she told the elf. “You did not know what they intended to do when they pulled me from the ship”

“I was frightened,” Kemiko confessed. “I would not have had the courage to escape with you even if you had told me your intention. I’m not sure you knew yourself what your future held when I decided to take my life.”

Shenoah bowed to the woman she still thought of as her sovereign. “You did not kill me. I killed myself. I caused you to lose your balance. I am the only one here who actually died by your sword, and I hold you blameless.”

Raven felt the tears forming as Wren spoke. She wanted to say something to her friend, but her voice would cooperate. It seemed that she was only allowed to listen.

“I do not blame you, Raven,” Wren told her sincerely. “You could not have known their intentions for me. We all were fooled into believing the eridans would honor their bargain. You could not have made me stay.”

“I know you did not mean to kill me,” Jeena said. “You may have actually done me a service. What kind of life would I have had on the outside?”

“You led me to freedom and I chose to return to help Synn,” Mirna confessed. “It was my feelings for him that killed me, not anything you did.”

“I did love you, Raven.” Jaret’s whisper lacked the anguish it usually held in her dreams, and he smiled as he continued. “I don’t regret leading you out and I don’t regret that it was me who took Krake’s blade. Only you could have ended the war. Living is the greatest revenge; may you find peace in that knowledge.”

Living? Did that mean that this was not the weighing of her soul and confessing of her deeds before Namari either welcomed her or denied her? Was she not dead?

Next in line was Pedar, the human man she had never met. He held the hand of a small golden-haired girl who looked vaguely familiar. Raven knew now it was because Damara looked just like her mother at that age.

“No one could have known what awaited us on that road. It was my duty to protect my family, not yours. It was wrong of me to blame you.”

Last, as always, came her mirror-image, the one person whose death Raven knew she really was responsible for. She had no right to expect forgiveness from Andromeda. If any action taken during her life would condemn her soul, it would be causing the death and stealing the life of the princess. Raven closed her eyes and awaited judgment.

Raven’s eyes opened when she felt the weight of a hand on her shoulder. “It was never us who condemned you, Raven,” Andromeda assured her. “We never blamed you for our deaths, not even I. It was my decision that our battle be to the death. I could not have done the things you had to do to gain our freedom. You were created for a purpose, and you have fulfilled that purpose, Raven. It is the wish of all of us here, and that of many more you do not see before you, that you live in peace. You have fulfilled the promises you made to us, now go fulfill the ones you made to yourself.”

Balin held his breath as he watched the single tear make its way from the corner of Raven’s eye, across her bruised cheek, towards her ear. He stopped its progress with a gentle kiss before it could reach its destination. Never had a tear brought him such joy.

“Just this last fight, Raven,” he whispered, willing his strength to lend itself to hers. “Please win this last fight, a’hava, and I’ll fight the rest from now on.”

The limp hand Balin held in his twitched and Raven’s eyes fluttered several times before she found the strength to keep them open. She tried to speak, but her soft words were lost among the sounds of a room suddenly filling with people. While the others entered and stood respectfully behind Balin, Keisha dashed around the bed and carefully crawled across the mattress to be at Raven’s side. Staying atop the coverlet, the child laid down as close to the injured woman as she dared.

“Am I hurting you?” she asked, taking note of the pain in Raven’s eyes. “I’ll move if I’m hurting you.”

“No. Stay where you are. I’m glad you’re here.”

Keisha smiled as she nestled her head against Raven’s shoulder, but her smile quickly faded. “I’m going to miss you,” she confessed, nearly choked by her words. “Lettie says we should all say good-bye, but I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t say anything, Keisha. I’m not going anywhere. Who will take care of you two if I leave?”

“Leave?” Anora hoped she wasn’t referring to her death. Despite Letisha’s prognosis, she was still praying for a miracle. Serena had been beaten nearly to death and recovered with only a slight limp remaining of her injuries. Why couldn’t Raven do the same? Letisha stepped forward to peer over Balin’s shoulder. She handed him a mug full of warm water and bitter-smelling herbs. He knew better than to question the contents before helping Raven drink it a few small sips at a time.

“It’s up to you, Raven,” Letisha told her as she watched to make sure Raven drank every last drop. “I have seen warriors die from less and I’ve seen them survive worse. There’s an entire kingdom standing beneath your balcony and they’re all worrying about you. What should I tell them?”

“Tell them it’ll be alright, Lettie,” Raven answered with more confidence than those around her thought possible. “They forgave me. They told me I could live in peace.”

“Who told you?” Balin asked.

Before Raven could respond, Letisha’s draught took effect and the warrior was asleep. She did not even awaken at the thunderous cheer that arose when Anora signaled from the balcony to the people below that their savior still lived,

Chapter 30

Three weeks passed while Letisha kept Raven in a drug-induced coma. Each time Balin protested, the healer reminded him that Raven would not heal if she did not rest, and she would not rest while she was awake. After the first four days of argument, Balin conceded. Even after a three-week rest, it was another two weeks before Raven found the strength to leave her bed, and another two after that before she could walk across the room.

Thanks to Letisha’s knowledge and quick work, Raven’s broken bones healed nearly perfect. Despite fears to the contrary, she was able to stop using the cane after a few days of hard exercise. It was actually more difficult now to get Balin to stop doing everything for her than it was to get up and do things for herself. And there certainly was a lot to do now that Queen Anora had “seen fit to bestow upon her a great reward”. Those were Kerwin’s words. Raven still wasn’t sure if the result of all the scheming that took place while she was unconscious was a reward or a punishment.

While she slept, Queen Anora rewrote the laws that stated citizenship could only be obtained in Paragon at Lei’astav. A candidate could now be granted citizenship wherever the current monarch happened to be residing to the time. For Balin, that meant he would be the first to sign the new book created just for the ceremonies conducted at Timerdia’astav. Keisha had requested the honor of being the second person to sign, although her citizenship would be automatic by tomorrow evening.

While Raven slept, plans were made for the future, including hers. While Letisha fed her herbs to keep her asleep and healing, a wedding was planned. Hers. Despite her earlier insistence that she would only marry at Lei’astav, Raven awoke to learn she would be married at Timerdia’astav. After much debate, she agreed. It made sense now that Anora had bestowed her great reward. Or was it a punishment? Raven still hadn’t decided. Tomorrow morning, Balin and Keisha would sign the new book and become citizens. Tomorrow evening, Raven and Balin would be wed on the steps of Timerdia’astav. Raven preferred a small, private ceremony, but she was outvoted again. The people of the Annex needed to see that she really was alive and walking, and that the rumors of her death were false. What was important to the people was important to Raven, especially since Anora bestowed her great reward.

Raven used the balcony rail to support herself as she stared out over her great reward. She could walk without a discernable limp, but standing still for too long caused pain in her still-healing legs. Below her, on the steps of the Summer Palace, preparations were being made for tomorrow’s festivities. One worker noticed her presence and bowed as well as he could with his arms full of yellow roses. No matter how many times the people were assured of her health, they continued to pray for her and leave the tokens of their prayers on the palace steps.

Raven acknowledged the worker with a wave. She wanted to tell him not to bow to her, but it wouldn’t make any difference. Queen Anora had publicly announced her great reward while Raven slept, denying her the opportunity to refuse it. Balin had thought it made perfect sense. Where else were they going to live?

She heard his footsteps long before he reached her on the balcony, but she didn’t acknowledge him until he laid his hands on her shoulders. Why was it that thinking of him always brought him to her? Sometimes she worried that he could read her thoughts.

Balin wrapped his arms around the front of her shoulders and pressed her against his chest. This had become his favorite position since she had stopped wearing her sword. As promised, Wren’s blade now hung above the mantle in their chambers. Although Balin had promised he would build her a house with a mantle to hang it over, she supposed this house would have to do.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked as he rested his chin atop her head. She hated it when he did that. It always made her feel so small.

Raven sighed with relief. He couldn’t read her thoughts. “I was thinking about tomorrow and everything after that,” she told him truthfully. “I planned to do everything up until this point. I never planned any further. Everyone seems to know where they’re going and exactly what they’re going to do with the rest of their lives. I believed that Krake and I were going to kill each other and I would lose all my tomorrows.”

Balin pulled her a little tighter, almost as if he were afraid the slight breeze would blow her over the rail and carry her out of his grasp forever. “Let me take care of tomorrow,” he pleaded. “There were times I wondered how much time I was going to have with you. You seemed determined to kill yourself. When I held you on the way back here after the battle, I thought I would never get to hold you again. When I realized that you were going to heal, I started dreaming of our future. Back in Paragon, you promised me that once Krake was dead you would follow me for a change.”

“I did promise that,” she agreed without argument. “So, tell me all the plans for after tomorrow.”

“After tomorrow, Queen Regent Monya will be leaving for Truwa, escorted by Orant, Kerwin and Letisha. Monya has returned Orant’s position in Truwa’s Royal Honor Guard to him. Kerwin will act as her Advisor, and Letisha’s going to see someplace new and have someone to talk to.”

Raven laughed. “We should have known those two would end up together. I hope Monya isn’t sitting between them the entire journey. A few days in a barouche with them and she’ll be praying for deafness.”

“I’m just glad that Orant’s going with them,” Balin confessed.

“Why? Do you think Monya needs more than Lettie’s protection on the journey?” The war may be officially over, but Raven doubted that all the eridans had been notified and still worried for her friends.

“No, I’m sure they’ll be fine. I’m just glad that Orant’s not going to Paragon to get in Dezan’s way.”

Raven turned in her husband’s arms and rested her head against his chest. “You’re too big a man to be a hopeless romantic, you know. You can’t just pair everyone up and expect it to work out.”

A nervous laugh escaped Balin. He was glad she could not see his face, for he knew he must look like a child caught with the treats. “Everyone deserves to be happy,” he said as his defense. “Kerwin and Letisha, Orant and Monya, Dezan and Serena, maybe even Anora and Terrik in time.”

“You may be right,” she told him. “Terrik has been pining for Anora for many years. That’s what got him sent here in the first place. I knew he would jump at the chance to follow her back to Paragon, but I was hoping he would change his mind and stay.”

“But then Anora couldn’t have given it to you,” Balin reminded her. He knew exactly how grateful Raven was for Anora’s reward. He also knew that Raven needed something big to look over. No matter how many times she claimed to want a normal, boring life, she was born to lead. She had forfeited an empire in order to save it. In return, Queen Anora had rewarded Raven with the title of Lady Overseer of the Paragon Annex. The people of the Annex had been ecstatic upon hearing the news. With their queen so far away, it was important for them to feel they were being cared for. Raven would govern the Annex under the rule of Paragon until Prince Damek was old enough to take over. Then she would be granted her normal, boring life with her husband and adopted child.

“Now, tell be about tomorrow,” Raven asked, snuggling her cheek against his chest.

“Tomorrow morning I sign the book and officially become an elf, and tomorrow night I get to hear you sing again. And Raven will have a new song.”

Raven tilted her head back to look up at him, confused. “What does that mean?”

“First, I fell in love with Jaret’s tales about you. But I realized that I actually loved you, and not just the stories, when I first heard you sing for him in Chatasai. I couldn’t understand the song, but your voice and the emotion in the words claimed my heart that night. Keisha said you sang it for all who fell in the Arena. They called it ‘Raven’s Song’ because no one else could sing it. The Elven Funeral Song. I was so afraid that I would have to hear someone sing it for you.

“Tomorrow night, everyone on the steps of this palace will hear you sing a song just for me. I know it will be beautiful, no matter the words. I know it will bring tears to my eyes again, just for another reason. I know it will make me fall in love with you all over again. And once everyone hears that song, “Raven’s Song’ will mean something else. A song of new beginnings, instead of endings.”

Softly at first, then growing a bit louder as she progressed, Raven began to sing to Balin the song she wasn’t supposed to let him hear until tomorrow evening.