Chabra: Vows

Dhruv stared at the distant coastline blankly, seeing but not really noticing the tiny villages and fields as they swept past. He was still trying to figure out just how his life had changed.

He understood all the reasons why his twin sister Atisha married Prixadius, the brand new Lord of Adelma.

Adelma had been long squeezed between the old metropolis of Eudoxia and the rapidly growing power of Shiroora Shan, and with the ascension of Prixadius to Lord of Adelma following the sudden death of his father, the balance of power was ripe for change. A marriage between House Chabra and Prixadius would reduce the trade friction between them, providing more peaceful (and profitable) trade across the Night Ocean.

Shiroora Shan had already entered into a strong alliance with Lord Ukos of Astarma on the eastern shore, and controlled the Narrows through The Spine with the fort and sea chains at Cappadarnia. There was a large trade between the central regions of the Dreamlands and those to the east, with indigo, silk, cotton, paper, porcelain and more traveling westward toward Rinar, Celephaïs, and Dylath-Leen, while cargoes including wool, ivory, and jade traveled eastward toward the cities of the steppe and far Gondara.

The vast majority of that cargo had to pass through Adelma or Eudoxia, then to either Shiroora Shan or Cappadarnia. From Cappadarnia ships could unload at Astarma, but the road from there over the Agnid Mountains to Zeenar and east was dangerous and slow, so most ships proceeded on to Shiroora Shan, unloading cargo there for Karida and farther east. It was also possible to sail around the southern tip of the Low Isles from Eudoxia, risking the sand bars and deadly monsters of the southern reaches near the Boorsh Fens, but only small, shallow-draft boats with brave crews would take that chance.

Eudoxia was still the largest city on the Night Ocean and represented the greatest competitor to Adelma, as well as to Shiroora Shan’s rising mercantile power, but a blood alliance between Adelma and Shiroora Shan would reduce its strength.

It was never clear exactly who had suggested it first: Prixadius and Karadi both noticed the potential, and informal discussions started shortly thereafter. The betrothal was held by mutual consent in Cappadarnia, which constructed a new and ornate temple to Agdistis, the goddess of marriage (and sexuality) especially for the occasion.

The betrothal was a fairly private ceremony, in spite of being between two of the most powerful families on the Night Ocean. In addition to the two families—Lord Prixadius and entourage, and House Chabra with Karadi and Lajita at the head—Lord Ukos of Astarma was there, ostensibly ensuring the safety of the various ships involved, and curiously enough Lord Bikal of Ebnon at the invitation of Lord Prixadius.

The betrothal went smoothly, and after the two got to know each other over the period of about a year, the marriage followed without serious objection from anyone. Almost anyone, Dhruv thought. His mother, Lajita, had seemed quite cool to the idea at first, but warmed up after they’d met with Prixadius a couple times.

Karadi and Lajita were esteemed guests at the wedding, of course, along with Dhruv and the rest of their children, and, as one would expect from House Chabra, they brought along their own guards and maids and entourage, arriving on a small flotilla consisting of a massive merchanter and a half-dozen smaller boats and frigates. Lord Prixadius had welcomed them with full ceremony, both for the honor of his future in-laws and to vastly strengthen his city’s position in the relatively confined geopolitics of the Night Ocean. He also needed an heir, of course.

For three days, the city was buried in flower petals, drenched in liquor, and stuffed with sweets. Lord Prixadius of Adelma wed the beautiful Atisha Chabra—eldest daughter of the fabulously wealthy House Chabra—and the city’s entire population rejoiced. Most were more interested in the food and liquor, and the occasional coins tossed about by nobles and courtiers, than they were in the strategic marriage between two of the major powers in the Night Ocean, but they cheered and threw flower petals nonetheless.

After the three days of celebration were done the city returned to its usual bustle and clamor, with little change to the lives of the people.

The marriage, however, had an enormous impact on twenty-year old Dhruv, overturning his entire world.

He and his twin sister had always been close, far closer than most siblings. They played together, studied together, trained together, shared private thoughts and fears and laughter that others, even other siblings, were never a part of.

Atisha had come to respect and like, maybe even love, Prixadius and his city, and Dhruv wished her a long and happy marriage. He just wished it didn’t mean he had to be alone.

As future heir of House Chabra he knew he would also have to marry eventually, to carry on the bloodline, and he didn’t especially care one way or the other. He didn’t mind Atisha marrying, of course—Prixadius seemed a reasonable fellow, and the two of them certainly got along well.

No, there was no jealousy involved: he was merely lonely because he’d lost someone he’d always treated as a part of himself.

Who could he share his thoughts and fears with now?

His mother?

Seeress… that’s what everyone called her, unless formality demanded Lady. She was a wonderful mother, but also terrifying because she could prophesy the future. Some said she could shape the future, and it certainly seemed that way.

Had she known this marriage would happen, all along?

Had she arranged it even while he—and Atisha— were merely babies?

He was scared to ask, although as the future head of House Chabra he should know the truth, he thought.

Would she tell him if he did?

He wished once again that Atisha was here so he could share these doubts with her, seek her wisdom.

But she wasn’t. She was Lady Atisha of Ademla now.

They should reach Shiroora Shan late this afternoon, he thought, and he had no doubt his father—Karadi—would drag him off to one of the projects immediately.

Karadi was in constant motion, visiting a host of different projects and people every day. The Great Seawall of Shiroora Shan was complete, creating an almost impenetrable barrier between the east and west halves of the Night Ocean. The Seawall was fortified with battlements capable of raining death down on attacking ships, and the road on top was wide enough for two wagons abreast. The only way through was to use the Great Seagate through the Seawall, a network of massive chains and logs that could be raised to block passage, or lowered out of the way.

The shore leading up to the Seawall, both on the city side and along the northern edge of The Spine, had also been fortified with walls, observation towers, and several types of catapults and ballistae.

The road continued from there along the shore of The Spine until it reached the Narrows, where it ended in another fort overlooking that chokepoint. Karadi had suggested that they build a second seawall there to extend it to Cappadarnia, on the other side of the Narrows, but Lajita advised him that it had been tried multiple times over the centuries and ended in failure every time due to strong currents.

A number of small boats and ferries transported goods and people between there and Cappadarnia, but Cappadarnia obtained most of its necessities from the seaports on both sides of the Night Ocean.

He thought of the new temple to Agdistis that had been constructed there for the betrothal ceremony. House Chabra had donated a considerable amount to the construction, and more to support the temple, and as his father had explained, much of that money had flowed from the temple into Cappadarnia, which provided the temple with goods and services directly or indirectly. Cappadarnia was growing from a tiny fishing village into a city in its own right, collecting tolls from trade goods passing through the Narrows in one direction or the other.

As it became a richer city it would also have to be defended, and by providing defense, House Chabra would ensure that it remained firmly under their control.

He sighed.

Politics, politics, politics… wheels within wheels within wheels, grinding him into a fine powder.

“You look sad, Dhruv,” came Karadi’s voice as his arm wrapped around Dhruv’s shoulders. “Miss Atisha already?”

Dhruv was silent for a moment, watching the sunlight on the waves.

“Yes, I do,” he finally said quietly. “She understood me as no-one else has, even you. We talked all the time, about everything.

“I feel pretty alone right now.”

“I used to feel very alone, too,” replied Karadi. “It’s part of growing up, I guess… I was alone, and alone in a place where I knew nobody at all, until your mother came into my life.

“I’ve never felt alone since, even if we’re not together.”

“Do you share everything with her, and she with you?”

Karadi recalled his experience in the Agnid Mountains with Ukos. He’d never breathed a word of that to anyone.

“Of course,” he said. “She’s a seeress, so there’s not much point in hiding anything, right?”

“Right. I guess.”

The sunlight danced on the waves.

“When we get back we have to check the timbering in the silver mine,” said Karadi. “When I was up there last week I thought one of the beams looked a little askew.

“Might be late to dinner on the way back.”

He gave Dhruv another shoulder squeeze and left him to watch the scenery once again.

* * *

Much later that night, at the main house in Shiroora Shan, Dhruv couldn’t stand the pain in his heart any longer, and decided he had to talk to Karadi and Lajita about it. He didn’t know what he wanted, but he could think of nothing but her absence. He needed someone to share his feelings with, and with Atisha gone he really only had them to turn to.

Neither he nor Atisha had never been able to really open up to their siblings, but sometimes Lajita would understand. Their father—not so often.

He left his brothers sleeping, and walked along the corridor toward the master bedroom, overlooking the central courtyard of the house.

It was a cool evening, with a slight breeze, and on that breeze, barely audible over the night insects, he heard Karadi speak his name.

He slowed, and stood in the darkness, eavesdropping on their conversation.

“…ready to take over House Chabra, I think. He’s certainly as good as I am in keeping things running smoothly, but it’ll take time for him to learn how to handle people like Ukos and Prixadius,” continued Karadi. “Are you still sure about it?”

“No, of course not. But it seems to be happening no matter what I do,” said Lajita. “Goodness knows we tried to steer her in other directions but it just happened! It feels like fate took a hand, pushing its own story regardless… the inertia of future history, I suppose.”

“But you’ve already changed history, right? Cadman and Haarith, among other things.”

“Cadman still died!”

“But Haarith didn’t. You changed his fate,” countered Karadi. “I’m not convinced Cadman’s death has anything to do with you, you know… you saved them from drowning, and the fire was just that—a fire, nothing more.”

“Suppose, for some reason, Cadman had to die, but Haarith was irrelevant.”

“Cadman!? He was just a child! What God would want to kill a child such as he?”

“Maybe he grew up to offend some God, somewhere, in some reality.”

“That’s just silly… You had nothing to do with Cadman’s death, and you have saved countless people over the years with your knowledge. There’s no reason to think Atisha is fated to die.”

“Atisha!? Die!?”

Dhruv couldn’t help himself as he cried in disbelief.

Karadi was in the doorway in a second, Lajita close behind.

“Dhruv… you’ve been listening…”

Speechless, unable to talk or even move, Dhruv just looked up at his father, than at his mother’s face, seeking reassurance, praying he’d misheard.

“Come in, Dhruv,” said Karadi, holding out his hand. “I think we need to talk.”

The three of them sat down in Karadi’s bedroom, Dhruv and Karadi in the chairs and Lajita cross-legged on the bed.

“I’m afraid the tea’s cold and bitter,” apologized Karadi. He poured three cups.

Dhruv looked at them, flicking back and forth from one to the other.

“What do you mean, Atisha must die?”

Lajita sighed and shook her head.

“Karadi and I were talking about the future, Dhruv, and what I know of it.”

“What you think you know, you mean,” shot back Karadi. “Sometimes things happen differently.”

“Let me talk, Karadi, please,” she shushed, and turned back to Dhruv. “You know a little about my ‘prophecies’ but you’ve never heard the full story. I think it’s time.

“I know many things that will happen to House Chabra, in detail, and use that knowledge here, now, revealing the future. I know that’s hard to understand, but don’t think too deeply about it. I read a book that told me what happens next, that’s all.”

“A book… like the books you’re always writing in?”

“That’s right. And sometimes what was written in those books I read isn’t always the same as what happens, but it almost always is. That’s why House Chabra has been so successful in so many things over the years, because I read about what to do, and what will happen, and Karadi and I can plan for it.”

“And that book said Atisha dies?”

“Yes, it did. It said that Atisha married Prixadius, exactly as it happened. It also said that she will give birth to two children, a daughter next year, and a second daughter the year after. And Prixadius will be so furious with her for birthing another girl instead of a male heir, he will murder her in a fit of rage.”

“I… Murder?…. He wouldn’t…”

Dhruv caught his breath.

“I don’t believe it. We’ve spent months together over the last few years, and he doesn’t even like killing animals, let alone killing people.

“And he’s really in awe of the Seeress… I mean, you, mama.”

“It’s alright, Dhruv. I know what everyone calls me, and it doesn’t bother me.”

“Uh, yeah, um, sorry. Ah, he’s never talked about how papa should run things at all. In fact, he asked me if it was OK to marry Atisha because he thought she’d inherit House Chabra and run it all, and he was worried that by marrying her he’d force me to take over, and I wouldn’t like it!”

Karadi cleared his throat, obviously wanting to speak.

Lajita smiled, lifted an eyebrow and sat up straight again, giving him space.

“We know, Dhruv. We’ve been working on him since he was a little boy, exposing him to all sorts of new ideas. All those things you mention are wonderful, and maybe we helped make them happen. But we also took Atisha to Eudoxia in the hopes she’d marry someone there, and tried to find other ways to render the book incorrect.

“But somehow, in spite of our best efforts, the idea of a marriage between our two houses came up, and gained momentum, and there was no way of stopping it short of flat refusal, which might have ended up in a war.

“We tried, but we failed.”

“We don’t know that we failed, my bear,” said Lajita. “This conversation proves change is possible.”

“You never read about this talk, then?”

“Never,” she stated. “That doesn’t prove it didn’t happen, of course, but I will certainly note it in my book.”

Dhruv cocked his head.

“Note it in your book? What do you mean?”

“My diary, Dhruv. I keep a diary of everything important that happens, that’s all.”

Dhruv was unconvinced, but let it slide.

“So, what? You just let it be, and hope he doesn’t murder her?”

“We’ll visit her as oft—”

“I’m going back to Ademla,” said Dhruv, standing abruptly. “I’ll stay there and protect Atisha.”

“But you’re the heir to House Chabra!” protested Karadi. “You can’t!”

“I can. Let Varun run things; he’s better in math, and has read every book in the library at least twice.”

“And you can beat him in riding, or swordsmanship, or archery, with one hand tied behind your back,” countered Lajita. “Well, one-handed archery might be a bit difficult.”

Karadi cocked his head, looking at Dhruv. “Why do you suggest Varun?”

“Huh? Because he’s next in line, why else?” replied Dhruv in surprise. He glanced at Lajita. “Wait a minute… there’s something you’re not tell me.”

“I think he deserves the whole story, Lajita.”

She bit her lip, then nodded.

“I think so, yes,” she agreed. “Dhruv, there was more in that book. It says that you would raise an army, attack and siege Adelma, kill Prixadius, and become Lord of Ademla.”

“With Atisha at my side!?”

“No. Atisha would remain a widowed mother under your protection, and eventually a beloved aunt for your children. You would marry someone, of course, but not Atisha.”

“You want me to kill Prixadius…”

“No!” countered Karadi. “We do not want you to kill anyone. We have spent over a decade trying to make sure that never happens. We want Atisha to live a long and happy life with him.”

“And Varun?”

“Varun would become the head of House Chabra, exactly as you just suggested.”

Dhruv shook his head in exasperation.

“This is all far too complicated. What book? Why should I believe any of it? You already said it isn’t always the truth!”

“It is almost always true,” said Lajita quietly. “And those truths have guided the success of House Chabra since Karadi and I first met, here in Shiroora Shan.”

“In Rashahan, you mean.”

“Yes.”

“You two really believe it.”

“We do, yes. There is no doubt in our minds that it is true.”

“Even though it’s wrong sometimes.”

“It’s hard to explain, but yes,” said Lajita. “Sometimes we can… bend fate.”

He thought for a moment.

“Thank you for trusting me with this,” he finally said. “I will ride for Adelma nevertheless.”

“You can’t just traipse in the gate and demand to stay!”

“Hmm, maybe he can,” interjected Karadi. “Atisha already has two maids from Shiroora Shan with her, and it wouldn’t be unreasonable to ask that Dhruv be put in charge of her personal guard detail.

“Prixadius already knows you, right. Does he trust you?”

“Yes, I think so… we’ve been hunting alone, just the two of us, a number of times.”

Karadi and Lajita shared a glance.

“It’s decided, then,” said Karadi. “But there are two conditions I must insist on.”

“Condition?”

“You must swear not to murder Prixadius, or hire anyone to kill him. No matter what.”

“So I must let him kill Atisha!?”

“Your job will be to protect her. If that means fleeing, so be it, but it shall not mean killing Prixadius.”

Dhruv nodded slowly.

“And the second?”

“Do not ever be in a room with Atisha alone, ever.”

“I would never…!”

“You know that, and we know that, but Prixadius may not. Never give him reason to doubt you. Or her.”

“I accept your conditions, and do swear to abide by them.”

“I shall send the dragolet first thing in the morning, and you should plan on setting sail the following day.”

* * *

“It’s a girl, Lord Prixadius!”

The midwife proudly held up the newborn baby, already wiped clean and dry and bawling furiously in outrage at being shown to her father so unceremoniously.

He reached out tenderly and accepted the child, holding her in his left arm and he stroked her cheek with his finger.

She began to quiet, and her waving arm collided with his finger, hitting it, trying to grasp it with tiny fingers that didn’t know how to work yet.

“She’s beautiful…!”

“Yes, my Lord, she is,” said the midwife. “Come in, please, Lady Atisha is waiting.”

He shifted the baby to hold it more securely in two arms, and entered Atisha’s bedchamber with a silly grin still on his face.

She looked exhausted, sweaty, and proud.

He lay the baby down at her side and sat on the bed next to her.

He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead.

“Thank you, my love, for such a beautiful daughter.”

“What shall we name her? Our first.”

“What about Lelai, after the wondrous hanging flowers of Celephaïs?”

“I’ve never seen a lelai,” said Atisha. “Will you take us?”

“Of course, my love. As soon as Lelai can walk, to Celephaïs, the Cirque of the Moon, and the lelai trees in bloom.”

Prixadius turned toward the doorway.

“Sergeant Dhruv! Come in, man, see your new niece!”

Dhruv, who had been waiting outside, stepped in to see Atisha murmuring sweet nothings into the baby’s ear.

“We’ve named her Lelai,” said Prixadius proudly.

“A beautiful name, my Lord, and a beautiful daughter,” he said. “And an heir for Ademla.”

“My first-born child should have been a son,” said Prixadius, slight lines appearing on his forehead. “No matter, though… she’ll have a brother soon enough.”

“Of course, my Lord,” said Dhruv dutifully.

He’d accepted the duties of his position—officially a sergeant in the Lord’s guard, unofficially commander of Lady Atisha’s bodyguard—with full realization that he’d have to be a loyal retainer to Lord Prixadius. To be honest it wasn’t very hard, as Prixadius was not a difficult man to get along with. Over the last year they’d gotten to know each other even better, although their relationship was colored by their relative positions.

He’d actually gotten to like the guy even more, and had wondered if his mother’s prophecies were really true or not.

But she had just given birth to a daughter, as Lajita had predicted, and he had just been upset that his first-born hadn’t been a son.

Suppose the rest of her prophecy was correct, too? She gave birth to a second daughter, and he killed her for it?

No, he couldn’t believe that Prixadius could ever do such a thing.

He obviously loved his wife, and his newborn daughter. Didn’t he?

“Dhruv, come see!” called Atisha, beckoning him closer.

He glanced at Prixadius, who nodded and waved him over.

“Say hello to your Uncle Dhruv, Lelai!” laughed Atisha. “Oh, Dhruv, isn’t she beautiful?”

“She is, Atisha. And I promise to spoil her dreadfully.”

He gave the baby a peck on the cheek and quickly pulled back, away from Atisha, before Prixadius might even start to feel uneasy.

“I’ll be getting back to my post, my Lord.”

“Good man, Dhruv,” said Prixadius, already returning his attention to Lelai. “Let me know how many more troopers you need for Lelai, and I’ll set it up.”

“Yes sir,” replied Dhruv. That meant he’d be taking over bodyguard responsibilities for Lelai, too. That was fine with him, and it would be pretty simple as long as Atisha and Lelai were together, but once the baby started spending more time with the wetnurse or nannies things were going to get complicated.

Atisha looked so happy, he thought again, then turned his mind toward his work.

Two weeks later, Karadi and Lajita showed up to pay their respects and see their first grandchild. It was a much simpler affair this time, with only a handful of guards accompanying them on a single frigate.

While Lajita and Atisha—along with Atisha’s younger sister Lajita, now sixteen—gushed over the baby, Karadi, Dhruv was finally able to relax and act just like “one of the family” with Prixadius when Karadi was with them, although he made sure that the guards around Atisha were on the ball.

After a few ales and a few glasses of stronger drinks, Prixadius headed off to the toilet, and Karadi leaned over closer to Dhruv.

“You seem to be getting along nicely. No problems?”

“No problems,” said Dhruv. “But he did mention that he really wanted a male heir…”

“Hmm,” murmured Karadi, noncommittally. “He seems to dote on Lelai, though.”

“Yes, he does. But then again…”

Footsteps in the corridor.

“I think it’s time to go see what the womenfolk are up to, don’t you?” said Prixadius as he entered the room. “And maybe see if the kitchen can fix us up a little snack.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” laughed Karadi. “Drinking with friends is hard work!”

As they were walking back toward Atisha’s drawing room, Karadi spoke up again.

“You know, I was thinking… Perhaps next time Atisha could come stay with us, in Shiroora Shan. You too, of course.”

“In Shiroora Shan? It never occurred to me,” said Prixadius. “It would be a comfort to Atisha, I’m sure. Let me see what she thinks, later.”

“Just an idea. Certainly nothing we need to decide any time soon,” said Karadi, passing it off as an idle thought.

* * *

The hunting party wove between the trees, spreading out through the pine forest. Most of the underbrush was low, cut off from nourishing sunlight by the thick branches of the cedars high above, but was still more than enough to impede progress.

They directed their horses toward the thinnest sections, using game trails when they could, working their way slowly deeper into the Ifdawn Marest just north of Shiroora Shan.

Karadi was in the lead with one the local woodsmen who was guiding them. He’d been through this forest many times over the years, but the woodsmen who lived here year-long knew the trails even better.

Close behind him trailed Prixadius and Dhruv, with various guards and servants spread out to the flanks and behind. They were in Shiroora Shan territory, usually quite safe, and nobody was worried about brigands or monsters.

They were more concerned with finding deer and boar for dinner. Back home Lajita would be preparing the rest of the feast with heavily pregnant Atisha and the others.

Karadi held up his hand and everyone came to a silent halt as he slowly pulled an arrow from the quiver hanging from the saddle, and lifted his bow. He was using the composite bow that Salonitah had left him: his favorite.

Dhruv looked in the same direction, up ahead and off to the right, and could barely make out three deer—one buck and two does—on the other side of some underbrush. He had his bow in hand, too, and, just in case they ran into something unpleasant, a battleaxe hanging from the saddle.

Karadi pointed them out to Prixadius, who set an arrow to his own bow.

Dhruv himself didn’t have a clean shot and decided there was no point in wasting an arrow, but readied one just in case.

Karadi slowly drew, his aim slowly settling onto one of the deer, and the string snapped.

All three deer leapt in panic, one falling immediately to its knees with Karadi’s arrow in its side, two more deer suddenly appeared from where they’d been hidden. The herd tried to flee from Karadi, two of them heading straight for Dhruv and Prixadius.

Two more bowstrings snapped, one doe down and kicking, a second trying to walk with an arrow sunk deep in a rear haunch.

One of the guards dismounted to finish off the one of the ground as Prixadius shot a second arrow into the hobbling one, knocking it down.

Dhruv looked over to see Karadi already dismounted and walking toward his own deer.

“One for each of us,” he called. “A good start to the day’s hunt!”

“One buck and two does,” added Prixadius. “A good hunt, but I note that the two of you only needed one arrow. You really have to teach me how to shoot like that, Dhruv.”

“I just got lucky this time, my Lord. Yours was a good shot and would have brought the deer down shortly, I’ve no doubt.”

Prixadius and Dhruv dismounted, and walked toward their kills, which were quite close to each other. The rest of the party rode closer, some dismounting to begin setting up a rough camp to dress the deer.

Dropping his reins, Prixadius drew his knife and walked closer. The deer was dead now its eyes already beginning to glaze over, tongue hanging out.

He reached down and grasped the deer’s legs to flip it over, and as he did Dhruv saw something black and gold flash through the air, striking Prixadius in the back of his left hand.

A forest viper!

Before anyone even had a chance to scream, realization flashed through Dhruv’s head: This was his chance! Being bitten by a forest viper was sure death unless his hand was chopped off, toxin and all, within a few seconds. A bad blow that didn’t cut all the way through, or any delay longer than a second or two, would almost surely mean Prixadius would die.

If he merely pretended not to notice for another two or three seconds, Prixadius would die, and Atisha would be saved. Atisha, his beloved twin sister. Prixadius, his beloved companion.

Nobody else was close enough, even if they had seen the viper… Prixadius was his to save or let die.

He made his decision.

* * *

“You’re a lucky man, Lord Prixadius,” said Physician Jivin, wiping his hands. “If Master Dhruv hadn’t used that axe as swiftly and as surely as he did, you almost certainly would have died.

“You’ve lost a lot of blood, in spite of the torniquet, and it’ll take some time to recover, but I think you’ll be alright now.”

The drawing room, usually pristine and elegant, was a mess, with basins of hot water on the table and floor, bloody cloths and sheets scattered about, and Physician Jivin’s kit spread out.

Prixadius lay on the divan, pale, eyes closed. He was still dressed in his hunting clothes, his tunic sleeve rolled up roughly to reveal his well-muscled arm, now stained with blood.

Where his hand should have been was only a mass of bandages.

“Thank you, Physician,” he breathed. “Please… Where is Dhruv?”

Dhruv stepped forward from where he’d been waiting.

“I’m here, my Lord.”

Prixadius lifted his remaining hand hesitantly, and Dhruv clasped it.

“Thank you, Dhruv. You saved my life.”

“That’s my job, my Lord.”

“You are no longer Sergeant Dhruv of the Lady’s Guard. From this moment on you are Captain Dhruv, commander of my personal guard. And of hers.”

“Thank you, my Lor—”

“You are a friend, Dhruv, not a servant. No more ‘Lords,’ please.”

“Of course, my Lo… Master Prixadius.”

“Just Prixadius, please. Nobody’s watching.”

“Prixadius.”

“Thank you,” replied the wounded man. “Atisha?”

Dhruv coughed.

“Um… Atisha collapsed when she heard you’d been bitten, and I chopped your hand off… she’s, uh—”

The man’s eyes snapped open, and his hand gripped Dhruv’s arm.

“What happened? Is she alright?”

He began to struggle to sit up.

Dhruv pressed him back down gently.

“She’s fine, Lo… Prixadius. The midwife’s with her now.”

“The midwife!? Our baby is being born?”

“Just a few minutes more, Prixadius. Rest for now; she’ll be here soon to show you the babe.”

“My son,” mumbled Prixadius, relaxing and closing his eyes again.

I hope so, thought Dhruv to himself. I hope so.

He sat with Prixadius as the servants cleaned up the mess, wondering if he’d made the right decision. Prixadius was a friend, and he couldn’t just let him die, he thought.

But, Atisha…

A wail sounded from another room.

A baby!

And a healthy one at that, he thought as the infant’s screams echoed through the house before trailing off.

A few minutes later footsteps, and Atisha herself walked in, as flushed as Prixadius was pale, grinning like an idiot and with a newborn baby in her arms.

“Prixadius,” she called gently. “There’s a young man here to meet you.”

Dhruv felt the tension drain away as Prixadius reached out to greet his son.

END