changes everything — from the way he views me to his believing he answers to no one any longer. And that’s dangerous. He’s happiest when there’s chaos, bloodshed, disruption.’
‘And people he can hurt,’ she remarked.
‘Indeed.’
‘From what I hear, you seemed pretty happy with yourself during the overthrow.’
His brow furrowed. ‘War is different, Elka. War is not polite or pretty. But there should always be a decency to it, for want of a better word. If people surrender, it should be accepted without further death. I only ever held the royals of each realm responsible. Their heads were all I was after. The Set kingdoms were so smug and impressed with themselves. We got word that they were laughing at the thought of a Steppes invasion. Not oneof the kings ever for a moment thought a horde of tribal warriors from the plains was a match for even one of their fighting units. So we had to desecrate the armies, completely crush their sense of superiority. That was the only way to force quick surrenders before the civilians began to suffer.’
‘Spoken like a true king,’ Elka said lightly.
‘I am Valisar,’ Loethar replied. ‘Even if my father refused to acknowledge me.’ He gave a harsh laugh. ‘You know, my mother was just a night of diversion. A warm and willing body to forget about the minute he mounted his horse the next morning. But she never forgot him; I suspect she loved him more than she cared to admit.’ At Elka’s look of wonder, he shrugged. ‘She was young, impressionable and no doubt vulnerable. An older, very important man wanted her. Why wouldn’t she fall for him?’
‘Forgive me, but can I ask how it comes about that a woman with a child, already married, is able to lie down with a stranger … a foreigner?’
Loethar sighed. ‘I know it seems hard to imagine in this day and age but nearly forty anni ago there were strange customs. The Steppes people were quite used to seeing trade caravans going into or out of the Set. I think my mother and Stracker’s father were having difficulties. I don’t really know what occurred — she refused to talk about it with me — but whether she spent that time with the Valisar royal simply to spite him or there were other circumstances, I’ll never know. The fact is Stracker’s father treated me as his own son. I will always respect and admire him for that. He was a good man.’
Elka shook her head in quiet disbelief. ‘Did your mother know her lover was the king at the time?’
‘I honestly don’t know. Perhaps.’
‘But his scorn hurt her,’ Elka mused.
‘That’s right. When he didn’t come back for her or show the slightest care about the child she was carrying she wanted to make him pay for using her. And by then she did know hisposition and I suspect it offended her to realise she was carrying a royal child in her belly that no one wanted to acknowledge.’
‘How was he supposed to know she was pregnant?’
‘I gather she sent word somehow.’
‘Did she really believe he would look after her?’
He nodded. ‘I think she did,’ he said softly. ‘She was a beautiful woman in her youth and she came from an old, very proud line. I imagine she convinced herself that a marriage between a Steppes woman and a Valisar king could work.’
Elka shook her head. ‘And you?’
‘Me?’
‘Do you think marriages between different cultures can work?’
‘I do. I’m proving it. We have mixed marriages all over the empire. It’s just a matter of breaking down old attitudes.’
‘So in your eyes, Gavriel and I aren’t such a ridiculous match?’
She said it lightly, but Loethar took her seriously. ‘You are a bad match, you two. He doesn’t love you romantically, Elka. He loves you as his best friend.’
He watched the amusement and the interest in their conversation in her eyes wilt and found a grin for her. ‘So, marry me instead, Elka. I think we’d make a fine couple and a great example to the rest of the empire.’
‘You’re married already, and a father.’
‘I despise my wife and we are estranged. My daughter is dead. Truly, what a ruin I am.’ He kept his tone dry, afraid of sounding self-pitying.
‘I’m really very sorry about your daughter,’ Elka said quietly.
Loethar was surprised to feel his throat close up. He swallowed hard and nodded, trying to keep his emotions in check.
‘Forgive me, I don’t mean to upset you.’
‘You’re not, Elka,’ he said softly. ‘You’re a comfort. I haven’t yet grieved for my daughter. I needed a son for political reasons and it was a disappointment that a daughter was born. And then to hear that she was sickly and likely to succumb … I walkedaway. I had just lost my mother and Freath; I couldn’t bear to look upon my daughter and love her if I was only going to lose her. But I regret that decision now.’ He shrugged. ‘Here, beneath the sky, away from all that and with a clearer view of life, I wish I could hold her, tell her that I love her and am proud to be her father.’ His throat felt tight again, and he cleared it. ‘My true father didn’t love me and I just gave the same hurt to my daughter.’
Elka looked shaken. ‘I’m so sorry.’
He gave her a searching glance then shook his head hopelessly. ‘Don’t be. I deserve to suffer.’
She smiled quizzically. ‘You’re a very complicated man, Loethar. Lucky for you life is a lot less complex in the mountains.’ She sighed. ‘Come on, let’s find somewhere safe but lower. You’ll feel better almost immediately once we descend but you’ll still need to rest.’
‘Excellent news. Now you’ll have to forgive me, Elka, because right now I have to —’
He didn’t finish what he was going to say. Instead, he turned quickly, and violently retched.
She sighed. ‘Men are so weak,’ she muttered, and won a growl from her companion.
Back at the camp the men had gathered around Leo. It had taken him a long time to assemble them, but he was determined to gauge their reaction as a group, hoping one would give away the truth if they knew what their leader was up to. And he had to be careful about it, for each of these men, he was sure, remained intensely loyal to the outlaw.
‘None of you have any idea where Kilt has gone?’ he asked, masking the disbelief in his voice, turning it into concern. ‘I was with him only a short time ago, just before he sent me to speak with Loethar. I need to know what he wants us to do. I have to report to him.’
‘We haven’t even seen Kilt or Jewd for hours,’ Tern replied.
Leo held his tongue with difficulty. Tern was doing a good job at disguising the stiffness in his tone but Leo had spent many anni learning how to see past the obvious. ‘Well, I’m sure they’ll let us know soon enough what they’re up to,’ he finally said, deciding it was better to appear confused in return for remaining close to the only family he’d known in a decade. ‘What now?’
‘We’re moving camp,’ Tern replied. ‘It’s no longer safe here.’
‘Really? We weren’t followed,’ Gavriel said.
Tern shook his head. ‘Kilt never takes chances. In fact, we’re splitting up.’
‘What?’ Leo, who had been sitting down, trying to remain casual, jumped to his feet. ‘Who ordered that?’
The men around him began to mutter between themselves.
‘No one did, majesty,’ Tern said and Leo noted with satisfaction Tern’s use of his title. ‘This is what we do if we feel in any way threatened. It’s a precaution. We will re-group.’
‘When?’