“I don’t know what to say, Aunt,” Jelena replied, shaking her head.
“There is nothing you need to say.” Taya leaned in and kissed Jelena’s forehead. Jelena sputtered in surprise, for she never would have expected such a gesture from her imperious aunt. The queen smiled again and said, “Yes, child, I know. Now, go. Your husband is waiting.”
Jelena looked over her shoulder at Ashinji, who stood a stone’s toss away between their two horses, a hand on each bridle. Seeing the pride and love in his eyes made her want to drag him off to a private corner somewhere so she could show him how beautiful and worthy he made her feel.
The whitewashed walls of Sendai Castle shimmered with the growing heat of the day. The royal retainers fidgeted beneath the sun’s glare; they lacked the discipline that kept Lord Sen’s troops motionless atop their mounts. Jelena gazed at the imposing walls, soaring towers, and swooping blue-tiled roofs of the castle and thought of her father. Even though Keizo had nothing to do with its making, the heartland fortress of the elves seemed very much like him-strong, solid and rooted in the bedrock of Alasiri.
If only we’d had more time together, Father! Jelena thought. She still found it hard to believe only a little more than a year and a half had passed since she had ridden through the gates of this place, a hikui girl whose only social standing came from her marriage to the second son of an important man.
Now she departed Sendai as a full member of the royal family, a princess, and yet, as long as her fellow hikui were denied justice, she would consider her rank a sham and an affront to them. Had she not promised her friend Sateyuka that she would see to it things changed?
With one last, lingering look at the castle, Jelena turned on her heel and strode to where Ashinji waited, holding her dear Willow. He dropped his horse’s reins to give her a leg up into the saddle then helped to adjust her stirrups. Only when she was settled did he then mount his own horse.
“What are you thinking, love?” he asked, his head dropped to the side as he gazed at her face. “You look a bit sad.”
“I said goodbye to Sateyuka this morning. I never properly thanked her for taking care of Hatora while we were…away.” She glanced over to where the carriage stood, hitched behind two placid, shaggy-footed draft horses. “I promised her my uncle will see to it that the hikui receive justice. I hope my promise won’t prove to be an empty one.”
Ashinji looked away, his face troubled. After a few moments, he said, “Your uncle is an honorable man, just as your father was, but…it’s going to take a lot of convincing to get most okui to accept hikui as their equals. Old bigotry dies very, very hard, my love.”
“My uncle said something very much like that,” Jelena replied.
“I’m giving the estate your father deeded me to Misune’s son,” Ashinji stated.
Jelena glanced at Sadaiyo’s widow, who, though she sat her horse as straight and proud as ever, still could not hide the desolation that cast a pall over her spirit. She had spoken very little since their return to the city, and had spent most of her waking hours standing vigil over her husband’s corpse.
“It’s the least I can do for the boy,” Ashinji continued. “He’s been disinherited now that my brother’s dead and my father’s made me his Heir. At least he’ll have land and an income of his own.”
“Have you told Misune?” Jelena asked.
“Not yet. With everything that’s happened, I just haven’t found the right moment.”
“I hope she appreciates your generosity. It surprises me, but I feel very sorry for her.”
“It doesn’t surprise me. You have a generous and loving heart,” Ashinji replied. “Hmm, I think Father is ready to go.”
After checking on Amara and the children, Sen swung aboard his sturdy chestnut stallion and raised a gloved hand, signaling his troops. Amid the clatter of a large mounted force preparing to move, his voice rose above the noise. “I’ll be back for the spring council, Your Majesty!” he shouted.
Raidan inclined his head. “Safe journey, my friend!”
As the Kerala entourage wound its way down the castle hill and through the busy streets of the town, Jelena felt all of her senses engaged as never before. Every sight, smell, and sound she captured and collected like a precious gem, then stored them away in her vault of memory for safekeeping, for she had no idea when she would return.
She reflected on how different her life and circumstances had become. The uncertain, untried girl who’d entered the capital city of Alasiri with only a ring to guide her and hope to sustain her now departed as a strong woman, confident and sure of her place in the world.
She and Ashinji rode beside Lord Sen at the head of the party. As they passed beneath the massive outer gates of the city, a voice called out.
“May the One bless and keep you, Princess Jelena!”
Jelena stared at the swirl of people, expecting to see a hikui face, but to her amazement, a young okui woman waved back at her. Jelena smiled.
Perhaps hearts can be changed sooner than we think!
The road out of Sendai ran southward toward Meizi. The main east-west crossroads lay a day’s ride away. The sky glowed bright blue and cloudless overhead, but off to the northeast, thunderclouds rose in dark gray piles over the foothills of the Kesen Numai Mountains. From behind the wagons, a soldier raised his voice in song-a rough, cheerful sound-and soon, most of the troop had joined their voices with his.
“It’ll be good to get back home, children,” Sen said.
“Yes, Father,” Jelena agreed. “It will.”
Epilogue
Misune writes that she’ll bring our grandson for a visit at the end of the month,” Amara said. The letter from their daughter-in-law had come by post rider that morning.
“Hmmm, good news,” Sen replied. “We don’t get to see Sentashi nearly enough since Misune decided to move back to her father’s house. Perhaps you can persuade her to stay. She and our grandson belong here, with us.”
“You know I’ve tried, Husband. Misune is proud. She’s made up her mind.”
“Well, she can un-make it,” Sen grumbled.
“A runner has just come up from the main gates,” Ashinji announced as he entered the day room. “There’re two people in a cart waiting at the bridge.”
“Visitors!” exclaimed Sen. “This’ll give me a chance to break out that new cask of fancy Jagai red your uncle sent me, Jelena.”
Jelena smiled. She knew how much her father-in-law loved playing host to their neighbors. It had been a long cold winter, and company would be a welcome diversion.
The family had gathered, as they did every afternoon, in the large sitting room at the top of Kerala Castle to drink tea and chat. Jena and Mariso sprawled on the mats amidst their doll collection, engrossed in a private adventure. Eikko perched in a window seat, amusing Hatora with a game of peek-a-boo. Jelena shared the room’s only couch with Amara. Sen and Lani sat on stools beside a small table, a game of mikat in progress between them.
“Oh dear, it looks like we’ll have to quit our game, Lani my sweet,” Sen said.
Lani pushed out her lower lip in a mock frown. “Father, you only wish to quit because I’m winning, as usual.”
Sen’s eyebrows shot up. “What? You …beat me …at mikat?” he sputtered.
“Yes, Father. You know you haven’t won against me in ages.”
“You’d think an old soldier like me could beat an untried girl at a military strategy game,” he growled, but Jelena saw the twinkle of humor in his eyes. “I think you’re aiming to take my place some day as Commanding General!”