Misune’s regal nostrils flared. “Don’t use that tone with me, girl,” she replied. “You should be grateful for instruction from your betters. Just because you’ve somehow managed to gain a place in this family doesn’t mean you’re anywhere near the equal of the least one of us.” With a dismissive wave of her gloved hand, Misune turned the stallion’s head and rode off, leaving Jelena shaking with anger.
Is it always going to be this way? she raged. Will I have to take this abuse for the rest of my life, no matter where I go? Jelena wrestled with the near overwhelming urge to run after Misune, to scream into that haughty face that she was the daughter of the King of Alasiri and that no one, not even the future Lady of Kerala could speak to her so rudely ever again.
She took a deep breath to steady herself.
I don’t even know for sure that Keizo Onjara will even acknowledge me as his daughter. Besides, Misune would just laugh in my face and accuse me of lying. No, I can’t be the one to announce my father’s identity. It has to come from him.
“Ah, there’s my beautiful wife!” Ashinji strode up, looking a little harried. He patted Willow’s glossy neck, then asked, “What’s wrong? You look upset.”
“Nothing’s wrong, Ashi. I’m just…” Jelena forced herself to smile. “I’m just anxious to be off,” she lied.
“Hmm,” Ashinji replied, cocking his head and skewering her with his brilliant, green gaze. “I know when you’re not being honest with me, love. Tell me what’s bothering you.” Jelena sighed and told him about Misune’s rude words. “I’ll have to have a talk with my brother’s wife,” Ashinji responded through tight lips.
“No, Ashi, please don’t! You’ll only embarrass me more. If you interfere, it will only confirm her belief that I’m weak and helpless. I can handle Misune in my own way.”
Ashinji gathered her into his arms. “Whatever you wish, love. I’ll leave it to you. Ummm, c’mere,” he murmured, leaning in for a kiss.
“You two really shouldn’t engage in that kind of behavior in public. It’s unseemly. I’m sure Father agrees.”
“Sadaiyo, please. Not now!” Lord Sen growled.
Ashinji turned cold eyes toward his brother. Sadaiyo stood just behind their father’s right shoulder, coolly resplendent in green and black brocade, despite the warmth of the morning. He wore upon his brow a circlet of gold. Heavy gold rings adorned his fingers, which today were sheathed in the finest black kidskin. He looked every inch the Heir, as gaudy as a peacock in contrast to Ashinji, who wore the plain, serviceable brown and green leathers of a common soldier.
Sadaiyo’s expression blended equal parts mockery and amusement. “I’m only pointing out that they should demonstrate a little more restraint…a bit more decorum. Though perhaps it’s too much to expect from a girl with no breeding and a man who would marry such a girl.”
“ That’s enough!!” roared Sen. Jelena, shocked by his uncharacteristic outburst, took a step backward and fetched up against Ashinji, who stood as rigid and still as if he had been turned to stone. “You will apologize to your brother and to my daughter-in-law, and you will treat her with the respect she is due as a member of my House. Is that understood? ” Sen’s eyes blazed with fury.
An uncomfortable silence descended on the yard as everyone’s attention focused on the drama playing out in their midst.
Sadaiyo’s face blanched, and his hands dropped to his sides. His eyes, normally sardonic, had gone blank, like a pair of blue-grey glass spheres. He turned to face Ashinji and bowed stiffly. “My apologies, Brother. Please forgive my rudeness. My behavior was inexcusable. My apologies to your wife as well.” He refused to look at Jelena, which chilled her more than any threat that his eyes could make. Instinctively, she groped for Ashinji’s hand, and a quick glance at his profile sent a sick wave of fear churning through her gut. At that moment, she had no doubt that Ashinji and Sadaiyo were inexorably headed for a mortal showdown if someone or something didn’t intervene.
“I accept your apology, Brother,” Ashinji replied. His grip on Jelena’s hand tightened almost to the point of pain, then relaxed.
As quickly as Sen’s anger had erupted, it subsided and then seemed to dissipate altogether. He slapped each of his sons on the back in turn. “Come, now, boys. Let’s not ruin a perfectly good morning. Not very dignified, arguing in front of the staff, y’know. Sadaiyo, go collect that wife of yours. Then, mount up. You too, Youngest Son. The day’s a’wasting and we’ve a fair piece to ride before we reach our evening camp. Jelena, my dear, I shall require your services as messenger today. I want you to ride ahead to announce our arrival to Lord Nadaka. You know the way, of course.”
“Yes, Father,” Jelena replied crisply. Sadaiyo spun on his heel and stalked off. Sen watched him go, then shook his head and sighed. He glanced at Ashinji, then walked away toward the main entrance of the castle, where Lady Amara and the three Sakehera daughters awaited the carriage that would transport them to Sendai.
Jelena looked into Ashinji’s face, so cold and still that it seemed more like a carved mask than the face of a living man. “Ashinji,” she whispered, and like a split wineskin, his whole body appeared to deflate as he relaxed into her arms.
They clung to each other in silence, needing no words to communicate their feelings to one another. After awhile, Ashinji pulled away and said, “You’d better mount up and get going. Nadaka’s estate is a good four hour’s ride from here and they’ll want at least a couple of hours to prepare for us.”
“Ashi, please promise me you won’t argue with your brother. It worries me how much bad feeling there is between you. Promise!”
People and horses swirled around them like the waters of a river split by a boulder, but Jelena was deaf and blind to it all. At this moment, all that existed in her world were Ashinji and herself, and all that mattered to her was his safety.
Ashinji reached out and caressed her cheek, and a soft smile curved the corners of his mouth. He nodded. “I promise…for you, my love…that I will try. Now, you’d better go.” He held her stirrup as she mounted Willow, then stood at the mare’s head as she checked the security of her gear. When she finished her inspection, she gathered the reins. Ashinji stepped aside, out of the mare’s way. Jelena looked down at him and her heart melted in a warm, sweet rush.
“Be careful!” Ashinji called out as Jelena clapped her heels to Willow’s flanks and the mare started toward the main gate. “I’ll see you tonight!” He waved and turned to walk back toward the stables.
“Jelena! Jelena, wait!” a voice cried out. Jelena pulled Willow to a stop as Kami came trotting up, huffing and puffing. The young guard drew in a huge breath and let her words spill out in a rush. “I’m so glad I caught you before you left! I didn’t want you to leave before I had a chance to say goodbye.”
“Kami, you should not be running like that in your condition!” Jelena chastised.
Kami made a face. “Oh, stop! I’m pregnant, not sick! You’re as bad as Gendan. Besides, the doctor says that exercise is good for both me and the baby.”
Jelena smiled. “This is not ‘goodbye’, Kami, only ‘see you again soon’. When I return, we will share a bottle of wine and I will tell you all about Sendai.”
Kami sniffed and wiped at eyes brimming with tears. “I’ll miss you, Jelena,” she said.
“I will miss you, too.”
The last thing Jelena saw as she left Kerala that morning was Kami, standing in the middle of the lower gate, waving.
Chapter 3