The Wizard's Curse (Book 2) (58 page)

“Trying to explain your behaviour to her, was he?”

Tarkyn chortled, quite unrepentant, “Something like that.”

They both knew the line was drawn there. Tarkyn would not move any closer towards equality and took it for granted that his status exempted him from performing any tasks that he chose to avoid.

Deciding to change the subject, Ancient Oak nodded at the group of younger woodfolk further along the stream. “I think we may have a few extra members when we leave. You seem to have won Blizzard over entirely, and a couple of woodwomen, Cavern and Melting Snow, would like to join us.” He gave a little smile, “I’ve always been rather keen on Melting Snow when I’ve come across her in the past. So I’m pleased she’s coming with us.”

“What about Cavern?”

Ancient Oak shrugged, “She’s nice enough too. Just not quite as special as Melting Snow, if you know what I mean.” He paused for a moment and then asked casually, closing in for the kill, “So what about you? Are you keen on anyone? Did you go red last night because Pipeless looked particularly at Lapping Water or because of the inference in general?”

Tarkyn coloured faintly. “I was embarrassed at having my potential love life discussed in front of everyone like that,” he answered, not meeting Ancient Oak’s eyes.

Ancient Oak smiled gently but persisted, “You haven’t answered my question.”

Tarkyn looked up resolutely and replied, “All right. Both. The inference in general and Lapping Water in particular.” He sighed, “But I spend my life looking green, or black and blue around her and throwing my weight around. At least I haven’t been throwing my weight around at her. So that’s something, I suppose. Thunder Storm thought it didn’t matter whether I was green or not, because I look so different anyway. I can’t say I found that very encouraging.” He shrugged and gave a wry smile, “And now, every time I look, Lapping Water is with Rainstorm. So I have more or less given up on the whole idea. Besides…”

“Besides, what?”

“Well, many things. First and foremost, you heard what Pipeless said. Maybe it is still too soon for a sorcerer to woo a woodwoman. I don’t know. What do you think?”

Ancient Oak didn’t rush in with reassurances. He thought carefully before replying, “I think a union between woodfolk and sorcerer is no longer beyond the realms of possibility. But I don’t think it is as simple as that. I could brush aside that objection by saying that you are a woodman. But it’s not just that you’re a sorcerer. The issues would be very different if this were Danton I was talking to. But you? You carry with you the weight of our nation and to some extent, the weight of the sorcerer nation.”

The prince sighed, “You’re right, of course. I guess I should stop pretending that I can fit in and just act like everyone else. I’m not everyone else.” He gave a sad smile, “So, basically, you are warning me off, aren’t you?”

Ancient Oak leaned forward and patted Tarkyn on the shoulder, “No, little brother. I’m not warning you off. I mention it because I know the affairs of sorcerers weigh heavily on you and you are not a man to turn your back on people in need. And I suspect that if you’re worried about what may happen, it may stop you from making any approaches to Lapping Water. So I thought you might like to talk about it.”

“Hmph. I suppose that’s a good idea.” Tarkyn smiled ruefully, “Thanks. I’m afraid I am not one of those people who could indulge a passing fancy. So, before I made any approach to Lapping Water, I would have to know that a future together was realistic.”

“And how would you feel about aligning yourself with someone below your social status?”

The prince’s eyes twinkled, “I don’t need to worry about that. I accept Waterstone’s premise that all woodfolk are equivalent to nobility. And every female in Eskuzor, noble or otherwise, is of a lower rank – even my mother, ever since she became the Dowager Queen. I could only marry a social equal if I were to wed someone of royal blood from another country. And I can’t see that happening. My stakes on the international marriage market will have dipped alarmingly after recent events.”

Ancient Oak gave a grunt of laughter, “Yes, I imagine they would have. But what about Lapping Water’s behaviour? I hear you were quite shocked by the way our woodwomen deport themselves.”

Tarkyn rolled over and sat up, linking his arms across his raised knees. He glanced sideways at his woodfolk brother and said tightly, “I suppose everyone knows about that now, do they? That will be the end of any chance I have with any of your women, won’t it?”

“I don’t think so. Everyone knows that you came into the forest with different expectations from those you hold now. But the question remains: Could you come to terms with a different style of behaviour in your partner? It’s one thing to overlook it in other people but quite another to overlook it in someone who is identified with you.”

Tarkyn frowned at him, “I feel as though I’m being interrogated by the father of the bride-to-be. Are you sure you’re not warning me off?”

When Ancient Oak shook his head smiling, the prince reverted to considering the question and tried to imagine himself in the position of feeling proprietal about Lapping Water. Eventually he replied, “In the context of the woodlands, there would be no issue. I may be taken aback from time to time but that doesn’t mean I disapprove. If ever I took her into the society of sorcerers which, for a plethora of reasons, is unlikely to happen, I would like to think that I could endure with equanimity the raised eyebrows and shocked expressions of my fellow sorcerers.” He smiled wryly, “In fact, I think I would be perversely proud of her greater physical prowess.”

Tarkyn drank down the rest of his tea and shook out the cup, “But the issue still remains: What if I had to leave the forest? If there’s any chance I might have to return to the world of sorcerers, I couldn’t even consider becoming involved with Lapping Water.”

“I’m afraid it’s too late to worry about that. You are already involved – with all of us,” said Ancient Oak dryly. “And what about your oath? Our fate is your fate. Our cause is your cause. How could you possibly justify turning your back on the forest and all of us?”

Tarkyn looked at the woodman and gave a gentle smile, “You’re right. I couldn’t. I couldn’t because of the oath and I couldn’t because I couldn’t bear to lose you all.” He sighed, “But my own feelings in the matter would be insufficient to keep me from following my conscience back into the world of sorcerers if that was where it led me.”

“Just as well we have the oath then, isn’t it?” said Ancient Oak flippantly. The woodman rolled over onto his side and propped himself on one elbow so he was facing Tarkyn. His voice developed a note of strain “So, otherwise, would your conscience place the affairs of sorcerers above the affairs of woodfolk?”

The prince stared at him, “No. No, that is not what I meant. After all, what I have heard of sorcerers’ plights has not deflected me from my mission to find Falling Rain and to redress the wrong done to him. But if sorcerers are suffering and I can help them at no risk or detriment to woodfolk, then I will. Even if my fate is bound to yours, I have neither forfeited my free will nor my right to care for other people.” He passed a hand over his face and sighed, “I cannot, and do not wish to, turn my back on all of you. But nevertheless, I think the day is coming when I must find a way to help the sorcerers of Eskuzor.”

Ancient Oak studied the prince’s drawn face for a moment and then reached over and grasped Tarkyn’s arm, “Don’t worry, little brother. We will find a way to stand by you, whatever you need to do.” He smiled, “Anyway, out of all of this, we have established one sure fact. Even if you must venture forth for your sorcerers one day, you cannot just leave us all behind you. So, if you would like to take your chances with Lapping Water, why don’t you explain it all to her and let her decide.” He gave a wry smile, “You do have a tendency to make people’s decision for them sometimes, you know. She too has the right to decide her  own fate.”

Not if she’s under oath to me, she doesn’
t
, was Tarkyn’s immediate but ignoble reaction, quelled at its inception. Then he smiled wryly to himself. Because of the way he had chosen to behave, most woodfolk had never really understood the total loss of freedom that the oath could impose on them, Waterstone being the notable exception.

Seeing Tarkyn’s smile, Ancient Oak asked, “So, will you approach her and see how you go?”

Tarkyn shook his head, “No. Because, after all that, there is still Rainstorm.”

Ancient Oak smiled, “Oh, did I forget to mention that? To start with, Rainstorm is Lapping Water’s cousin and they have grown up together. They’re just used to being in each other’s company but it’s very much a brother-sister type of friendship. Secondly, he’s two years younger than she is and she wouldn’t be interested anyway.”

“Oh.”

“Run out of excuses now, haven’t you?”

“Hm.” Tarkyn tried for one last-ditch stand, “Now might not be the best time, so soon after everyone finding out about Pipeless’ behaviour. She might be too nervous of me.”

“Tarkyn, you are nothing like Pipeless.” Ancient Oak squinted at him and then grinned in realisation, “It’s not Lapping Water who will be nervous of you. It’s you who are nervous of her.” He laughed, “I love it. Our fearsome, brave forest guardian scared of a lone woodwoman.”

“Stop it,” pleaded Tarkyn, his face reddening. He swept his hands across his face then turned to look at his tormenting brother. “You may not realise this, but before I came into the woods, I had never been left alone with a woman.”

“What, to sleep with?”

“No. Even to talk to. Women in my circles were always carefully chaperoned. I met them only in formal situations or as part of a larger group. I never had to issue them with an invitation or risk rejection. All arrangements were made by my retainers.”

Ancient Oak frowned, “What about your nanny or serving girls?”

Tarkyn looked embarrassed, “I wasn’t thinking about them. I didn’t, you see. They just fulfilled their roles. I fulfilled mine.”

“But I’m sure I have heard that some of your lords have offspring all over the country to various serving girls. And are there not houses where men pay to be with women?”

“I am neither those lords nor those men. I would never abuse my position even to consider serving women in that light and I would never demean myself by visiting a whorehouse.” The prince gave a rueful smile, “On reflection, I do not see it as a virtue in me that I didn’t consider servants in that light. It was more that I didn’t consider them at all, really.”

“So how can Danton say that you care about people if you didn’t even think about some of them?”

Tarkyn shrugged, “Best of a bad lot, I suppose. If any of my servants had been distressed, I would have helped them but while they performed their duties unremarkably, I did not usually notice them. If it’s any consolation, they too would have looked upon me as a duty more than a person.” He glanced at the woodman, waiting for his reaction.

For a long while Ancient Oak said nothing and Tarkyn began to worry that the woodman had withdrawn from him. Finally Ancient Oak looked up and, recognising the prince’s anxiety, smiled reassuringly, “Don’t look so worried, little brother. I know you care about people. You have proved it to us over and over again since you have been with us. I’m just trying to work out a parallel in our society so I can understand. Maybe it’s similar to when we’re all working together to hunt down a deer. We are business-like and our role in the hunt is more important than who we are, at those times. But unlike your previous situation, we revert to our camaraderie after the hunt is over whereas for you, the job was never done, was it? You lived it, all day and all night.”

Tarkyn let out a sigh of relief, “Yes. That’s probably as close as you’ll get. Once I had learned what was expected of me, I tried never to allow myself to step out of role before family, peers or servants.”

“So how did you know who you really were?”

The prince shrugged. “I don’t know. I suppose part of who I am is that role. And for the rest, sometimes I was alone.”

Chapter
48

While this torturous discussion was taking place, further along the stream, the second prong of the two-pronged attack was underway.

“So, did you notice Tarkyn’s reaction last night when Pipeless looked at you and said the prince might do better in the future?” asked Rainstorm casually.

“Don’t be silly, Rainstorm. Tarkyn was just embarrassed. That’s all. I would have been too.” Lapping Water trailed her hand in the icy water of the stream for a while before adding, “Anyway, he’s never shown any sign that he likes me.”

“Well, he doesn’t dislike you, does he?” persisted Rainstorm.

Lapping Water smiled, “No. I don’t mean that. I just mean that he doesn’t like me better than anyone else.”

“Do you wish he did?” asked North Wind.

Lapping Water gazed down at the water washing around her hand. After a moment she looked up and said, “I’m not sure that that’s any of your business.”

A general uproar greeted this remark.

“
Of cours
e
it’s our business,” said Rainstorm over the top of the noise. “We’re your friends. And Tarkyn’s friends. Anyway, if you think it mightn’t be our business, then that must mean yo
u
d
o
like him, mustn’t it?”