Valour and Victory (41 page)

The two sisters
were alone. Zilla’s lady-in-waiting, had gone to quell what could
only be described as a minor riot in the room where the bridesmaids
were getting ready. Rilla and Zilla could hear her scolding
voice.

“The white is
perfect,” added Rilla, “and these riverseed pearls. They must be
worth a small fortune.”

“They are. I’ve
been told that it’s the first time a royal bride had worn anything
other than purple but it’s what I wanted and Elliot backed me
up.”

The white silk
dress was an exquisite creation. The lace veil was also white, thin
and delicate, unadorned and fixed to Zilla’s blond curls with
pearl-studded pins. Zilla had refused the wear the traditional
(ugly) tiara. She had also insisted that instead of carrying to the
altar the jewel encrusted missal, also traditional, that she walk
down the aisle with a bouquet of winter flowers.

She had quite
decided ideas about how things should be and Elliot had backed her
up over each and every one of the changes she was promulgating with
barely concealed delight.

The younger
woman at Court had hailed each innovation with a similar joy. The
most obvious was in attire. The stiff, formal, constricting female
dresses were giving way to a simpler style, less confining and far
more comfortable.

The men were
coping with the changes, some better than others. There was very
little they could do to stop it except by expressing disapproval.
Women were beginning to be paid attention to. Four were holding
down seats on Conclave and they were proving to be just as
competent, more so in some cases, as their male counterparts.

As Duchess
Tamsin Cocteau had said on more than one occasion of late, “my good
man, don’t you see? A Kingdom is very much like running a home, it
is only bigger. Now stop meandering about things that don’t really
matter and do let us get on.”

“How are the
little darling bridesmaids?” asked Rilla. “Did they behave
themselves during the rehearsal?”

“Not really,”
grinned Zilla.

Rilla herself
was not numbered among them. She, Zawlei, their parents, their
surviving sister Zala, her husband Matt and every one of their
children had been given places in the chapel where the wedding
would take place, to the right of the altar and she was well
content with that.

Rilla was
attired in the dress uniform of the Vada, the deep maroon
contrasting vividly with the silver badges and piping. On the high
collar was affixed the bronze star that told everyone who knew that
she had fought in the battle at Duchesne.

As Zilla’s
ladies had been getting their mistress ready, Rilla had been
grooming Zawlei. He was waiting below with Rilla and Zilla’s nephew
Mathieu Urquhart.

“I wish Hilla
could have been here to see you,” said Rilla, “she would have been
so proud.”

“Who says she
isn’t? I feel her around me sometimes when I’m alone. We are
triplets. Death isn’t the end for
us
.”

Rilla agreed.
She had felt Hilla’s presence too.

“We’ll I’d
better be getting along,” said Rilla at last, “they’ll be coming
for you soon and the lai only knows what Zawlei is up to. He hates
the caprisson, says it makes him all hot and bothered.”

The Vada dress
uniform included provision for the Lind - a maroon, silver edged
blanket that covered their back and reached half way down the legs.
Zawlei hated it with a vengeance.

Zilla laughed
and shooed Rilla away.

“Go, go,” she
urged and Rilla went.

* * * * *

The Chapel
Royal was overflowing with spectators.

Rilla and
Zawlei, with Mathieu (dressed in his holiday best) followed their
escort through the great carved doors at the far end and up the
central aisle, the aisle along which Zilla would soon be making her
stately progress followed by the ten little bridesmaids selected by
the Dowager Crown-Princess Susan. The ten little girls were dressed
in white, plain white silk with blue lace trimmings and each would
be carrying a basket of the same winter flowers that made up
Zilla’s bridal bouquet.

Rilla hoped
that they would behave themselves; their shrill and excited voices
had followed her down the stairs that led from Zilla’s rooms.

Zawlei imaged a
scene of the ten scampering down the aisle playing shuttle and ball
and Rilla was hard pressed to keep her face straight.

: Stop it
:
she commanded Zawlei.

The
congregation was watching as she and Zawlei passed by, craning
their heads to get a better view.

Lind were still
somewhat of a rarity here at Fort. Zawlei was in fact, only one of
two non-humans present in the chapel, the other being Taraya, here
with 2IC Vadeln Niaill who was representing the Vada.

Rilla knew that
Niaill had been seated at the very edge of the front row of pews
and that Taraya would be seated on a carpet that had been placed on
the floor beside him, it having been proven impossible to fit her
into one of the pew seats. Uncharitably, Rilla hoped they were
feeling as uncomfortable as she and Zawlei were.

The three of
them reached the carpet below the altar and Zawlei’s paws ceased to
click on the stone tiled floor.

Seated at last,
Rilla could sink away from the eyes that stared and could look
around. On the seats opposite sat the royal family except for
Elliot and his youngest sister Janet who was one of the
bridesmaids. She smiled and they smiled back, especially the middle
sister Mary who bestowed on Rilla a huge grin. Mary was going
through a series of hero worshipping stages and Rilla was the
present incumbent of the position.

All the royal
ladies had shed their black mourning clothes for the occasion, the
adult woman wearing deep purple trimmed with gtran and the younger
in lilac editions of the bridesmaids’ dresses.

Rilla was
sitting beside her father. He sat stiff and uncomfortable in his
seat, conscious of every glance that came his way. The situation
made him feel uneasy and out of place. Rilla suspected that her
mother was secretly enjoying the experience. Talan’s face was
strained and nervous. Zanda’s was smiling and alive.

The procession
of prelates and altar boys began. The twelve cheeky-faced
white-surpliced boys took up their position in the choir stall.

Rilla watched
as Archbishop Tom Brentwood took his position and Father Romauld
took his at the top of the two stairs that separated the altar from
the rest of the chapel. The rood screen had been removed for the
occasion to ensure everyone watching had a decent view.

The boys began
to sing and the door at the side of the chapel opened. Elliot,
followed by Robain walked through it.

Like Zilla
Elliot was dressed in white, for this day marked for him the
beginning of a new age within his kingdom and Elliot had wanted his
wedding to be as different as could be.

His cloak was
made of the traditional purple trimmed with white fur but that was
his only concession. The candlelight shining on his doublet almost
dazzled Rilla as the jewels sparkled. It did make Zawlei close his
eyes for a moment and he complained to Rilla about the peculiar
vagaries of humankind who felt the need for decoration.

Elliot turned
and murmured something to Robain and the Duke nodded before bending
to unbuckle Elliot’s sword belt.

Robain took his
own place in the congregation in the middle of the front pew, as
befitted his new rank and status.

Elliot was
nervous and he looked at Father Romauld. Father Romauld smiled
understandingly back.

The doors at
the far end were thrown open.

A fanfare of
trumpets and horns sounded. Zawlei and Taraya laid their ears back.
Rilla and Niaill winced, both catching the backlash as the sound
hit their Linds’ minds.

Zilla appeared
in the archway, an almost ethereal white-clad figure.

The figure
began its long, unhurried walk down the aisle, followed by ten
solemn faced little girls who were concentrating very hard on
keeping in step. One or two of them were counting aloud.

Elliot glanced
round once, turned back and looked over to where Rilla was sitting.
Their eyes met and in that moment Rilla finally gave over the care
of her triplet sister to the man her sister loved.

Rilla looked
down to where Robain was sitting, the man who might have married
her other triplet. He wasn’t looking her way, nor was he looking at
Elliot, his eyes were fixed on the royal stalls where sat the royal
family. Rilla followed his gaze but couldn’t work out exactly whom
he was staring at. Princess Susan however, had a smile hovering
around her lips.

Rilla looked up
the aisle to where her sister was taking her last measured
steps.

Elliot’s eager
hand came out to be taken by her willing one and the two of them
gazed at each other for a long moment as Princess Janet came
forward to take the bouquet.

They knelt down
together and Father Romauld began to speak the words that would
make Elliot and Zilla husband and wife.

Rilla listened
to the words, one hand on Zawlei’s neck, stroking him and full of
joy for her sister. She felt again that indefinable presence she
was learning to recognise as Hilla’s spirit - imaginative or real,
it didn’t matter.

: They’ll be
happy together, won’t they? :
she asked Zawlei.

: Can you
doubt it my Rilla? Look at them, just look at their faces :
he
said and turned his huge blue eyes on her.

Caught in his
gaze, Rilla’s mind became merged with his. Zilla had her Elliot but
she and Zawlei had each other. That was all that mattered.

* * * * *

The Quorko

“It’s in there,
amongst the reeds,” whispered Brion to Susalai Hansei.

The Susalai
peered through the foliage in the direction Brion was pointing.

“Are you
sure?”

“I caught a
glint of sun on the metal.”

“So how do you
suggest we deal with this one?”

“Same way as
the others,” Brion answered. “We call in the Lai and they’ll
destroy it with their flame and we deal with any Dglai who attempt
an escape.”

“I think it so
inlindane.” Inlindane was the Lind rendition of the human word
inhumane.

“I don’t know
of any other way,” said Brion. “None of the other Dglai were
prepared to consider surrender.”

“They might be
already dead,” said the hopeful Hansei. Out of the eleven Quorko
they had destroyed to date, in two their occupants had
suicided.

The Quorko had
no power left in its batteries. With no mother ship, there was no
way to replenish them.

It had been a
long six months for the Fifty-first Ryzck and the Avuzdel. They had
hunted out and destroyed the escaped Quorko one by painful one.
Only during two of the destructions (the two where the crewmembers
had suicided) had they taken no casualties. The Dglai, despite
approaches always refused to surrender. Even the Lai had not
managed to persuade them.

It was as if
the Dglai
wanted
to die.

“I’ll go take a
look,” offered Hansei.

“No, me and
Quindya will go this time.”

“Be careful,”
warned Hansei as Brion and Quindya edged out of the reeds and
headed towards the silent Quorko.

Brion and
Quindya advanced with care. The swamp water was smelly and stagnant
and the squelchy mud at the bottom made walking difficult.

At last they
were within touching distance. Brion didn’t think they had been
heard, but of course, the Dglai were probably not still inside.

He reached the
hull at the rear end of the scout ship. He recognised the back of
the engine for what it was. He looked up the port side where the
door was. It was open. This meant that the occupants were gone or
that they were still inside, the open door an invitation to the
foolhardy.

: I am going to
look. Stay close to me Quindya. Be ready to run :

: Wilco :

The two of
them, step by silent step, edged up to the door where they stopped.
It was eerily silent inside.

: I don’t
think they are in there :
offered Quindya.

: Here goes
then :

Brion stuck his
head inside. There was just enough light for him to distinguish the
shapes of four inert Dglai, their bodies stiff in the rictus of
death, their green hides faded to an ash brown. Decomposition,
Brion realised, had begun some months ago.

: They are long
dead. Pass the word on to Hansei :

: Hansei asks
how many? :

: San :

: Where is the
other one? :

Each Quorko
carried five crewmembers.

: There are
definitely only four. No sign of the fifth :

: Perhaps there
were only four in this Quorko :

: I don’t think
so. The fifth must still be around. Tell Hansei to warn the others.
They are dangerous when cornered :

: Should we ask
him to call for the Lai? They could help us look :

Brion agreed
and Quindya passed this along to Hansei as well.

By nightfall
the entire area was being flown over by the Lai as they searched
for the missing Dglai crewmember, perhaps the only Dglai still
alive.

* * * * *

The Lai

Over twenty Lai
had been brought in to look for the missing Dglai. The immediate
area around the Quorko was where the hunt began, the Lai halving
and quartering at a low altitude, eyes fixed on the swamp below.
They were searching for signs that there was a Dglai hiding below
under the cover of the often gigantic rush leaves.