The Bird and The Dragon

03-344 Giza

”The old Baron Greinwell used to be a highwayman, and nowadays he plans to overthrow the government. He is a complex man and my friend. His son, the current baron thrives for a peaceful life, but the youngest generation has taken after their grandfather. One even died in the war. And don’t step on the baroness’s toes, she tolerates her father-in-law’s friends only if they behave.” Kvenrei recalled Bladewater’s briefing while he followed her and the servant through the halls of the Kanden mansion. The walls displayed trophies from the past wars and hunts as they neared the dining hall.

The servant rapped the open door and announced: “Baron, you guests have arrived.”

“Bladewater! Welcome, the old man mentioned you were about to arrive.” The baron was of middle height, he had brown eyes and dark hair framed his wide face where a hearty smile was widening.

“I was expecting you earlier, but I see the visitor you promised is also here.” The man seated next to the baron grinned and went to hug Bladewater. His brown hair was streaked with grey, and he moved stiffly. Kvenrei guessed he was Greinwell.

“Baron, Grey, this is my friend Jonathan. The one I have mentioned earlier.” Bladewater introduced.

The old baron shook Kvenrei’s hand. Except for the grey in his hair, he didn’t look any older than his son, but his stiff walk, the scar on his temple, and the signs of lichen growing under his skin hinted at a long and violent life.

The servants set up the extra plates as Bladewater continued her introductions. The baroness Bethra was a woman with curly hair, a straight nose, and a pouty mouth. A little boy of maybe two years was sitting in her lap. 15-year-old Inghan resembled his grandfather down to the mischievous grin and his 10-year-old brother Ibram had inherited her mother’s looks.

On the other side of the table, a woman was sitting next to her father the baron and Kvenrei almost stumbled recognizing her. It was Indira, his lover from Giza. The woman had used another surname then and Kvenrei realized he possibly had not been the only one lying in that relationship.

“You didn’t strike me as a man who would escape from the regal forces,” Indira said with a teasing voice Kvenrei so well remembered. He had enjoyed her humor then, together with the curves of her body. The eyes of the Kanden family fixed on Kvenrei, but it was good to see Indira healthy, among her family and maybe not hating him from the bottom of her heart.

“My apologies for the hurried departure. Did you get into trouble?” Kvenrei said deciding the window was the best escape route. The servants didn’t seem like a threat, but the old baron looked like a man carrying a concealed pistol.

“I take it you two know each other?” the baroness said in carefully neutral tones. Indira stood, she was as beautiful as she had been, with the same hazel hair, and the same lively eyes. Kvenrei noticed a low chair he could use to break the window; the incident in Giza needed to stay a secret.

Indira seemed to sense Kvenrei’s plans and held his wrist. “Yes, Mom. This is Hadryn’s father. The man who murdered our prince.”

Kvenrei froze. Inghan jumped up and the baroness glared. Bladewater inhaled loudly. But the old baron clapped his hands and laughed, water in his eyes. “Welcome again, Jonathan, if that is your name. You have done an enormous service to my country and its ungrateful inhabitants. It is a joy and an honor to meet you and my granddaughter seems to agree. Or what is your wish, o heiress of mine, shall I set up the hanging tree or call for the whip?”

“I’ll let you know if such is needed. You are famous in this table, poet Lund. Or do you prefer Jonathan?” Indira looked at him with sparkling eyes, a knowing smile on her lips.

Kvenrei felt the weight of the navigator’s stare on his neck. He was certain she would reveal all the wrong things if he didn’t get his dry mouth open. “I have used both names, but according to my understanding, they nowadays entitle me to a one-way ticket to a heavily guarded prison cell. But yes, I am Jonathan Byrd.”

The old baron slammed the table joyfully. “Sit down kids, tell the whole story. Bethra, give Hadryn to his father. Look, the eyes come from his side.” Kvenrei got a place beside Indira and the little boy with blue-grey eyes looked at him shyly from her lap. Kvenrei took a napkin, rolled it, set it on his face as a mustache, and swung it to amuse the child. The little boy giggled.

“Barons, you know what your title requires you to do,” the baroness said in a neutral voice and with tired eyes.

“Yes, we know the title’s requirements very well,” Greinwell said. “I have used and will use it to our advantage in all the ways my imagination can produce.”

“Dad is right. That murder opened the route towards a better future for Khem and our family.” The younger baron patted his wife’s hand in apology.

“Istevio died because of him,” Ibram said gloomily.

“Istevio died for his sense of honor,” Greinwell answered calmly.

“And Indira was interrogated for a month,” the boy continued.

“That time forged the key contacts for the separatist movement,” Indira said sharply.

The siblings stared at each other, but Ibram was the one to turn his gaze away.

“Without my encounter with Jonathan I wouldn’t have Hadryn or my citizenship,” Indira continued touching Kvenrei’s neck. He looked at her questioningly. “You don’t know, don’t you! My aging halted when I stopped breastfeeding Hadryn. I will never carry more children, but he made me the legal first-born of my family and the heiress to the name Kanden.”

Kvenrei knew the legislation in Khem set producing a healthy child as a requirement for full citizenship. Many rights like inheriting, voting, and owning the land were all behind the citizenship and the child requirement was applied to everyone regardless of gender or social status. It was based on Khem’s paranoid caution towards ash curses and the ability to reproduce was considered evidence of a person’s acceptable genetics.

The processes that halted aging had activated in Indira at a very young age and in a seemingly perfect form. Usually stopping only meant minor changes and it didn’t come without cost.

“It is nice to hear,” Kvenrei said cautiously.

“It is wonderful, Jonathan, almost as great as your return.”

“Good, nice, and wonderful, kids. You are lovely and make a beautiful pair. Welcome to the family and all that,” the old baron said with a wide smile. “But who ordered the murder?”

Kvenrei looked at Hadryn, whose curly brown hair didn’t hide his familiar eye shape and color. The boy was probably only some months older than Meina and Kvenrei felt the old guilt cramping his stomach. “It was a paid job. I don’t know who was behind it.”

“You told me you were out of that business. I don’t want to bring treachery to your table, Greinwell. This man is the Bird, the pet assassin to Viper, Haven’s most famous crime lord.” Bladewater stared at Kvenrei pursing her lips into a thin line.

Kvenrei understood the navigator hadn’t known about his involvement in killing the prince. Kvenrei had hinted at his part in the murder in his letters asking the navigator to be cautious and avoid Giza, but of course, Bladewater had missed all the subtle hints and hidden meanings. Luckily the talk about Viper was the safe direction, for it pointed away from the north.

“The rumor on Haven’s involvement was not without proof,” Greinwell said deep in thought. “I have heard some stories about Viper and the Bird. I will of course test your skills boy, but eat first. The fish is particularly good.”

“Jumping the career from an unsuccessful poet to the man who killed the prince is an admirable feat. What are you doing now?” Indira asked but turned to Hadryn who was whispering something.

“Just enjoying the life. It was the final flourish to the Bird’s career, the offer I couldn’t refuse if you understand.”

“Births are bloody businesses, particularly when they involve political beginnings. On this table, you are a hero.” Greinwell stated.

“That sounds much better than the poetry. Hadryn dear, Jonathan is your dad. Would you say hello to Daddy?” Indira said. The boy waved shyly but kept his eyes on Kvenrei. The man took his napkin mustache and was awarded with more giggling.

The dinner proceeded with a relaxed atmosphere, but Kvenrei felt he was only one step away from a mistake leading him to be executed and the guilt had not disappeared. Luckily Kandens were the heart of the Khem separatist movement.

The separatists wanted to remove the end of the world beliefs from the legislation and government. These pursuits had been forwarded in the political turmoil caused by the recent war. Indira kept her eyes on Kvenrei and touched his hand a few times during the dinner. After a long political discussion, the visitors were shown to their rooms.

After washing himself Kvenrei sat on his bed. He wanted to run away. He wanted to find out if the old baron knew Jenet. He wanted to play with his son. He wanted to prove to Bladewater that the Giza incident had been Patrik’s fault and he had no plans to wake up the Bird. But Kvenrei didn’t know what he wanted with Indira. His conscience was heavy, for Indira had crossed his way in a dark, alcohol-induced part of his life and Kvenrei was not proud of the man he used to be then.

Kvenrei was not surprised when he heard a knock on his door and Indira stepped in wearing a rose-colored robe.

“I wanted to say good night,” Indira said and sat beside Kvenrei.

“Sorry Indira. I did everything wrong.”

“Yes, you did. There is a lot to apologize for. I understand the treason and the assassination, they are a part of your charisma. Besides I made it out of the interrogations with only a few minor bruises, so consider them forgiven. But let’s begin with the part where you passed out on the stairway.”

“…what?”

“I was in love with you, but you didn’t behave or give me the respect and love I needed. At least not while you were drunken.”

“Sorry, I was drunken. And sorry I passed out.”

Indira hold Kvenrei’s head. ”Kiss me and say it like you mean it.”

“Indira, I am not here to…” The woman didn’t listen but pressed herself closer and touched his lips. Kvenrei noticed his body answering to the touch and his hands found their way to hold her waist.

“…sorry Indira.”

Her robe had fallen open revealing the bare skin. Indira shifted to sit in Kvenrei’s lap and started to open his shirt. “I’ll forgive that one time. But you have a lot more to apologize.”

“Lady Kanden, let me express my regrets,” Kvenrei murmured, his hands finding their inside the robe, caressing Indira’s smooth skin, and kissing her neck. “But I must point out you were not completely honest with me.”

“We are even on that then,” Indira whispered, but Kvenrei didn’t listen anymore, he lifted Indira to the bed kissing her.