Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 14)

"Tomhas will be made aware; she'll be sent out of sight while they're there. Besides, Lyra would be the one to sit on diplomatic visits."

Derik sighed again. The man was a fool, then. Derik would need to get Zander to find a new home for the girl. God. Damn. It.

"We're well-versed in keeping loved ones safe, General," Sara added. "I promise she's in good hands, with us and Tomhas alike. We'll make sure she isn't hurt."

“I believe that you believe that,” Derik answered, trying to stay calm. Sugar worked better than vinegar. He’d leave that to Zander. “But, with all due respect, none of you have any idea what you’re up against. And that’s not a… value judgment, or however you want to call it. It’s not meant to be an insult… but it’s… unwise to disregard someone who has first hand experience with a threat. You might be able to keep her safe if they only sent their Ranger Corp after her. Maybe. There are things out there you know nothing of. This—?” He crooked his finger at a heavy-looking book sitting on Gaius’s desk and lifted it up in the air easily, over an arm’s length away from himself. He fanned through the pages with the R’hyk, never touching the book. “Child’s play. It gives me a significant advantage over a normal man.” He let the book fall with a thunk to punctuate his point. “I can slow if not completely stop a blade coming at me if I see it soon enough. I can turn it on opponents, too. You knew nothing about this ten minutes ago. You still wouldn’t know, if I hadn’t chosen to show you. And I’m just one Ranger. They’ve got hundreds, most of which are just as good as me. And any one of the Councilmen could snap me like a tooth pick and walk straight through me to get to them. They are not people you want in your home, period. You don’t want on their radar at all. If you invite them to the North — or go poking around yourself — they will find her. I don’t care how careful you think you can be. Swords can’t stop sorcerers.”

"Be that as it may," Gaius said evenly, "they don't know of her presence. And we intend to keep it that way. Frankly, if Zander has nothing more to say on the matter I think you ought to leave here as soon as possible--before people start to talk."

“Heh.” Derik rubbed his face. Fucking fool. It was like talking to a brick wall. He’d need to tell Zander immediately. The child clearly wasn’t safe here. “Oh, Zander is going to have things to say, I guarantee it. You’re going to get both of our families killed if you don’t listen.”

"Then we'll discuss it as soon as his letter returns."

“Yeah.” What was he going to do? D’Ara wasn’t going to drop everything to rush out the gates with him at daybreak. He’d come up here with the assumption he’d have security in numbers. A guide who had experienced the climate and dangers before. And now he was going to be on his own with his loved ones and a skeleton guard — a fraction of the size he usually traveled with. Wonderful. “At the very least, could you at least promise me you’ll approach the crown not the council if you manage to figure out the sole country in this world you should meddle in the least?”

He’d be sure to tell Mikhail not have anything to do with Ash or Loquitur. Maybe that would work. A crude bandaid, but better than nothing if he couldn’t stop Ash.

"I already know which country you come from," Gaius said with a shrug. "My ancestors established connection about a century ago but let the relationship fade. I'll do as you ask, though I assure you there's not as much to worry about just yet."

(The country is Lirtira if he’s not bluffing and the royal family are the Medeiroses and have been for ages)

“Mm.” Bullheaded ass. Whatever. He’d simply paint him as a villain before his brother. Not enough to entice his brother to engage, but enough to make him want to keep distance. “I—“

A letter materialized in mid-air, just in front of Derik’s chest. It was folded up tightly. He plucked it out of the air and, true to his word, handed it over to Ash immediately without looking at it.


Hello Gaius,

I apologize that this is how you had to meet my little brother. I thought I was keeping Ky safer by not sharing her location with anyone, but turns out I should have communicated a bit more with him so he’d have known not to come up there. I’m on my way back to the Keep now, I’ll be there in about two weeks, hopefully, pending weather and spiders and trolls and all the other nonsense you’ve got up here in the North. It’s best to discuss this matter in person, just to be sure there’s no chance of interception. But Derik is telling the truth. This is really me. We both really want to protect Ky. Derik is mostly in the dark about what’s happened in general regarding Ky, so if he can’t answer any questions it’ll be legitimate ignorance on his part. It’s imperative that you wait for me to give you answers — you’ll put yourself and Ky in indescribable danger if you go poking around on your own. I know you don’t trust me, and no doubt even less so now, but please trust that. I don’t want anything to happen to your family or my own and I know you don’t, either.

As for proof of my identity, which I’m assuming is what this is, we had roast mutton with mushrooms and potatoes, with a side of that odd green lichen bread — not that you or Ky ate much of any of it. Tasia spilled her juice on Ua’s plate near the end of the meal and caused some tears.

Zander

Gaius scanned the letter, nodding to himself, then passed it to Sara and started a new letter.
Your brother doesn't seem very confident in our abilities to protect your niece; I assured him neither I nor Tomhas would let her end up in harm's way--namely this Council--but he refuses to be convinced.
I'll leave off exploring the circumstances until Ky is safely back at Caracal Keep and no longer my concern, but that is all I can promise. I'm a careful explorer, worry not; I have my ways of finding things out with the utmost caution.

Lord Ash

Gaius folded it and handed the letter to Derik. "Please send this back."

Derik was still stewing, but decided he’d let Zander take a turn with this idiot. See if he could get through to him. Derik took the paper and sent it instantly, then leaned back in his chair.

"Do the others know they have sisters?" Gaius asked. It could be good for Ky to have more siblings, especially sisters. Lyra seemed content to keep to herself and Anneliese was a bit too young to relate to; Ky might benefit from having someone close in age she could be close with. Then again the complexity of this situation could send her running out into the woods to find Stone Mother. And gods knew she was less friendly than Rönn.

“No.” Derik shook his head with a sigh, rubbing his face. “Jer’s gonna lose her mind when this all comes to a head.”

"In a good way or in a bad way? What is she like?"