“No, Rowen’s going to bring the company back this way. That’s what he’s trying to tell us,” Tanalasta said. When her sister frowned, she knew she was making progress and pointed at the boot prints. “Rowen isn’t this careless. If he left a trail, he wanted us to see it.”
Alusair shook her head. “He couldn’t know we’d cross here.”
“He knew we’d be coming over Marshview pass, and we’re only two days south of there,” Tanalasta said. “We’re going south, while the trail runs west. We had to cross it somewhere.”
Several men dared to murmur their agreement.
Alusair shot them a warning scowl, then looked back to Tanalasta. “You’re reading an awful lot into one set of boot prints. If you’re mistaken-“
“I’m not,” Tanalasta insisted. “I know Rowen.”
It was the wrong thing to say. Alusair’s face hardened, then she uncorked her waterskin and turned to fill it from the stream. “I’ve made up my mind. I won’t take these men chasing across the Storm Horns just because you’ve got an itch to share someone’s bedroll.”
Tanalasta’s jaw fell, and not only because she was not accustomed to having the affairs of her heart discussed in such a manner. “Now we are cutting to the core of the matter, I think.” She followed her sister down to the stream bank. “Are you really so frightened of me finding a man that you would subject your company to another tenday of fever just to keep us apart?”
“If you’re talking about Rowen Cormaeril, I wouldn’t need to bother!” Alusair retorted. Her men quickly began to finish filling their waterskins and retreat onto the shore, where they stood staring at their feet or gazing into the woods. The princess ignored them and continued to address Tanalasta. “Vangerdahast won’t let that little dalliance go any further than it has already.”
“It is not a dalliance!” Tanalasta spat. A wave of cold anger rose up inside her, and she decided the time had come to let Alusair know there were two stubborn princesses in the Obarskyr line. “Vangerdahast can’t do a damn thing about it.”
Alusair’s lip rose. “Has the fever consumed your wits? If you keep pushing this, Vangerdahast will see to it that Rowen Cormaeril spends more time in Anauroch than a Bedine camel-milker.”
“Vangerdahast no longer has that authority,” said Tanalasta. “At least not over Rowen.”
“What are you talking about? Formal or not, Vangerdahast has that authority over everyone in Cormyr-except maybe the royal family.”
“Exactly.” Tanalasta took a deep breath, then said, “I suppose the time has come to tell you.”
“Tell me what?” Alusair narrowed her eyes. “What did you do?”
“Come now, Alusair. Aren’t you the worldly one?” Not quite able to keep a smug smile off her face, Tanalasta turned to Alusair’s men. “Let it be known that the princess has married. Rowen Cormaeril is now a Husband Royal.” Alusair stepped in front of Tanalasta. “You may disregard my sister-and I’m sure you’re all wise enough to know what will happen if her words are ever repeated.”
The men shut their gaping mouths and looked more uncomfortable than ever. Alusair eyed them a moment longer, then spun on her sister.
“And you!” she demanded. “Eloping? With a Cormaeril? That marriage will last until about thirty seconds after Father hears of it-and then it will be too bad for poor Rowen. He doesn’t deserve to be banished.”
“And he won’t,” said Tanalasta. “Not unless the king cares to inflict the same punishment on me-and that’s what it would take. I won’t renounce Rowen. I’m in love with him.”
“Love?” Alusair’s face reddened with fear. “You’re the crown princess, you selfish witch! Think of the kingdom!”
“Selfish?” An unexpected calm came over Tanalasta, and she spoke to her sister in a composed-even serene-voice. “Alusair, you really aren’t the one to be calling others selfish. The fear in your face is plain to see. Would you really sacrifice my happiness so you can keep gallivanting around the Stonelands and sleeping with any young noble who happens to catch your eye?”
The alarm drained quickly from Alusair’s face. She managed an unexpected smile, then spoke in a softer voice. “Of course not. People expect that from me. I wouldn’t have to stop.” She slammed the toe of her boot into a horse apple, kicking it into the stream. “What scares me is that I won’t be any good. You’d make a far better queen.”
“If that were true, why would you be trying to keep me away from Rowen? Wouldn’t you trust me to do what is right for myself-and Cormyr?”
“It’s not Rowen,”Alusair said, meeting her sister’s gaze. “I’ve had a go at him myself-“
“Alusair!”
Alusair raised a silencing hand. “I know-he’s spoken for. All I’m saying is, he’s a fine fellow-but, Tanalasta, the politics of the thing. His cousin tried to overthrow the king, for heaven’s sake.”
“Don’t you think I know the politics?”
“Sure, if they’re in a book somewhere, but…” Alusair shrugged and let the sentence trail off. “Look, all I’m saying is I’m not going to be queen. If you can work this out with Vangerdahast and the king, I’m happy.”
“But you won’t help me.”
Alusair spread her hands in a gesture of helplessness, then took Tanalasta’s waterskin and kneeled down to fill it from the stream.
“Fine.”
Tanalasta was about to remark that Alusair would have to live with the consequences when an image of Alaphondar Emmarask appeared in her head. The old sage was staring downward and huffing for breath, and Tanalasta had the distinct impression he was frightened silly. The words of a sending began to hiss through her mind.
Tanalasta, open no doors! Ghazneths are scourges. Devil making himself Vangerdahast and Owden inside, everyone else dead. Wait, or jump into marsh! Answer, please, please…
“Tanalasta?”
Now it was Alusair’s voice, and Tanalasta felt her sister holding her arm. She motioned Alusair to wait, then concentrated on Alaphondar’s voice and sent her reply.
Alaphondar, safe with Alusair in mountains, two days from marsh. Understand ghazneths are scourges. Know four names: Suzara, Boldovar, Merendil, Melineth. Xanthon Cormaeril released them.
“Tanalasta!”Alusair was not quite shaking her sister. “What is it?”
“I think we’d better risk a few curing spells,” said Tanalasta. “That was a sending from Alaphondar.”
“What?”
“He seems to be at the Farsea Marsh with Vangerdahast and Owden Foley.” Tanalasta quickly repeated the message, then said, “He seemed to think Alaundo’s prophecy is coming to pass. You know, ‘Seven scourges…’”
“‘Five long gone, one of the day, and one soon to come,’” Alusair finished. “Of course I know. I looked it up as soon as I heard we were looking for Emperel.”
“We should inform the king,” Tanalasta said, closing her weathercloak’s throat clasp. “You’d better ready the men. It sounded like all the ghazneths were busy with Vangerdahast, but we’d better not take a chance.”
Alusair nodded and turned to start barking out orders, then paused and looked back to Tanalasta. “See what he wants me to do. My company can probably follow Vangerdahast’s trail and reach the marsh in two days. That may be the best anyone can do.”
“I’ll ask.”
Tanalasta took a moment to compose as succinct and complete a message as she could in a few words, then closed her eyes and pictured her father’s face. When the image suddenly pulled off its crown and looked to one side, she sent her message.
Father, Alaphondar reports seven scourges here. Vangerdahast’s company destroyed at Farsea Marsh, Vangey and Owden alive. Alusair and I two days away, going to aid.
The king’s face betrayed first his relief at hearing his daughters were alive, then his shock at the unthinkable news. He shook his head urgently.
No, can’t risk crown princess. War wizards and dragoneers will find battlefield soon enough. Return to Arabel at once. Your mother safe but shaken.
The image faded, and Tanalasta found herself staring at her own feet.