The Warden

Chapter 39

"Did they say what this was all about?" asked Mistress Charlan, moving as quickly as she could without leaving General Biligrim behind. At her current pace, he nearly jogged to stay by her side, as they twisted their way through the large passages leading to the throne room.

"All they told me," said the general, "was to collect you, along with your two companions, as soon as the sun set." His words cut off as he gasped, but still he kept at Charlan's side.

Lady Kyla must have made it to the capitol, mused Charlan. What else would they summon me like this for?

Intertwining lines of darker stone ran and looped back on themselves in the polished floor, infinitely twisting and knitting over and under each other, passing by swiftly with every step Charlan took. Servants and side tables laden with pretentious knick-knacks went by, each looking as immobile and polished as the other. At her heels, Lord Markham wearing the face of Erlulf strode along with some other she-wight wearing Captain Ansleth's usual disguise. No pang came to Charlan's heart at the loss of the captain, if she did indeed still have one floating about in her murky interior. With any luck, glancing back at the struggling general, the captain's vacant position would not remain so for long.

If he has even a hint of the intelligence that I credit him with, thought Charlan, nodding, he won't hesitate.

No sound came from her footsteps. A small smile bounced into being with each step. She glided down the hallway, as the potent, heady presence of sweat peeled off General Biligrim, tickling her nostrils.

Definitely, female, she thought. Sweet from the heat of passion. Apparently, the general had ties in need of cutting if he was to accept the gift she would offer him.

"General, you don't have any offspring, do you?" asked Charlan, her tones light and dulcet, as she slowed her pace.

"What inspired such a question at a time like this?" He returned her query, matching her stride.

"Idle curiosity." A coy smile softened her words. "You've never really told me about yourself. Over the past months we've built a rapport, but more in the martial sense. I can't imagine that a strong, handsome man, such as yourself, has escaped coupling."

"Truth be told, I am coupled," said the general, as his eyes verified her companions' positions to his right and Charlan's left.

Still not entirely comfortable around us, general? thought Charlan. Wise boy.

"Any children?" she asked, legs not lagging with the addition of her words.

"Three. Two girls and a boy." He hitched his air-bow up on his shoulder, adjusting the strap as the words brightened his face, memories dancing just behind his partially glazed eyes.

"You seem very proud of them," said Charlan, words light, mind weighing each of his.

Lips parted into a toothy grin as General Biligrim swiveled his head in her direction. "Werold blessed me with beautiful children and Wilo gave each bright minds."

His lifelight flared radiantly pure in Charlan's mindeye.

More bonds to sever, she thought, suppressing the urge to frown. Maybe he was not a good candidate considering his attachments. But what about his wife?

"Was it a love-match between you and your wife?" asked Charlan. "Or a birth-match?"

"A bit of both actually." He chuckled with the recollection. "Our parents had promised us to each other when we were infants, but never told us. At first, we were friends, then shield mates, and finally lovers. It all just sort of came about. Naturally, as it were. When we finally told our parents, and we were nervous they'd disapprove, they just laughed at us, and we found out we'd been bound to each other all that time anyway."