Hey, Everyone. I don't know what to say about any delay with the previous chapter. I see it is not on pending status as I'm submitting this and I'm a little worried. I'm hoping it will post as usual. Here are three chapters. I didn't know if anyone saw the issue with the truce band in chapter 2. It's amazing what you see after you read something repeatedly. Sorry about that. -Harp
Chapter Five
Kane was walking fast down the passage just in front of her, a grin stretching his face, close to laughter, glancing behind himself. He'd only just escaped Aslin on the stairs from their rooms, one of her slippers striking him hard on the back. She was right behind him. But she wouldn't run, not inside a place, no, that wouldn't be proper, and he did laugh. He saw the safety of Tavishi Hall in front of him.
His clan still treated the Corsaire like she was fragile, rumors of her awful treatment with the savages of Alveria making them reluctant, and Helene guarded Aslin's feelings aggressively. His oath's Alverian manners hadn't help to dispel the impression that she was too tender to tease. It wasn't healthy, and he was determined to change it. Kane glanced back again.
Aslin was beautiful, furious at him, still in her nightdress, her dark hair all around her loose, fanning behind her with her speed, her fastest walk. He'd had more fun than he could remember, deliberately provoking her, waking her abruptly and rubbing her every wrong way he could think until she had grabbed her slippers for weapons and lunged at him as he ran out of the door.
She was in no mood that he would escape after all her efforts, her intentions entirely violent. He taunted her through the bond, goading her more in case she faltered at the threshold.
She made a deep, sharp noise behind him and he prudently increased his speed.
He barely made the hall. She was right behind him. He exploded into it laughing and ducking as the slipper meant for him flew over his head and hit Garit with a solid smack before falling to the floor, whose hand went up to to shield himself as he protested the sudden assault.
Kane darted, taking the seat next to Garit as if he'd always been there as Aslin swept like vengeance into the room, her face flushed, her eyes black and snapping with temper, her hair settling mussed and long down to her hips and all around her. Those scary eyes locked on him and he put one leg out in case he needed to retreat farther for his own safety as every eye in Tavishi Hall turned to her and silence descended.
Aslin stopped her advance abruptly, seeing them, her feet bare. Those eyes roamed the hall, everyone startled, frozen, some with utensils hovering near their mouths. She drew a breath, straightening her back, her hands going to her dress to smooth it. She looked down, realizing she was in her nightdress, and her eyes flew back to his, glaring.
"Are you so hungry, Corsaire?" Kane said lazily, taking up Garit's cup of cavash, sipping at it as the man gave him an indignant glance and retrieved it from him. "You might want to put your clothing on first."
"What is that you have on, Aslin?" Garit said tactlessly, looking her down and up. The man could be relied upon for this, he wasn't very bright. "Do you sleep in a dress? Isn't it itchy and hot? Doesn't it ride up and bother you when you move in your sleep?"
Aslin's face began to work. Kane felt her trying very hard not to laugh, glancing at him desperately. She abruptly turned back around and walked straight out, her own hand clapping over her mouth, the muffled brays of her laughter coming from down the hall, the giggles and breathless huffs receding. But they'd seen it, heard it.
Everyone relaxed, a few leaning and peering to the doorway to make sure she was not going to return. When Kane looked around, he saw interest, speculation. Kane smiled to himself, satisfied. Tavishi wouldn't fear to tease her now.
Kane turned and brought his hand to Garit's shoulder.
"I want to thank you for taking the blow that was meant for me. There aren't many who would stand strong in the face of that degree of wrath."
Laughter in the hall. Garit looked confused, which was not unusual.
"What did you do to Aslin?" Garit asked him, people hanging on every word, more laughter.
Kane shook his head sadly.
"It doesn't take much to bring a Corsaire to violence," he instructed the man solemnly to more general laughter.
The laughter doubled as a hand descended from nowhere and smacked him on the head, Kane failing to duck it. He shook his head to get his hair out of his eyes, looking up. Helene was glaring at him.
"Don't you try to blame this on Aslin. She is the gentlest, kindest, most—," Helene began, stopping as more laughter rose around them considering the evidence to the contrary that had just appearing in front of their faces as she continued, glaring around in general, "civilized person and you would tempt anyone's patience with your teasing and your smart mouth, Kane. I should know as your sister, nobody would believe the things I endured from you in our childhood..."
She went on some more as Kane got up, hunching his shoulders against the abuse, looking for food. She trailed after him, still bleating.
"...that time you sewed my pant legs together and shouted fire, waking me. Are you even listening to me?" she finally said as he brought his food back, sitting.
"Well, I can hardly help from hearing you, given you are shrieking and following me like a bad odor," he complained.
She gaped at him, entirely flushing.
"I didn't know fish was for breakfast," he said, mimicking her face, crossing his eyes.
Helene turned, grabbing and upending a tureen of cider on his head. It was luckily not too full but it was cold and wet and Kane leapt up, shaking his hands, cider flying around him as his neighbors protested.
"Look what you've done, Sister," Kane said in disgust, pushing his wet hair back. "You don't love me at all? Now I have to brave the Corsaire to change my shirt and she won't have calmed yet, it takes at least an hour of brooding and nasty glances."
"If you're done," his father spoke, humor under it, from the main table amid general laughter, "offending the women of Tavishi clan, Kane, you'll find a new shirt in my rooms. I wouldn't spare you from your oath's vengeance or your sister's, but I need you to take three men and ride out toward Minsk again, see if you can find the boy."
Brendel. Mina had come into the hall two nights ago to say the boy was gone. Tavishi had people out since then but they hadn't found him yet. Everyone knew his fascination with ships. Minsk always drew young curious Luterians. Kane sobered, nodding, grabbing a piece of bread on the way.
#
Aslin was sitting in Tavishi Hall speaking to Helene. Bache had already expressed his amusement at her expense and given her back her slipper. She gathered Helene had defended her. She was grateful, entirely embarrassed by her display.
They all looked up as Kane and three other men swept into the hall, coming straight to Bache.
"Corsaire found him," Kane said to his father.
Aslin stood, looking around as Tavishi warriors rushed grimly toward the stables. She went to Kane.
"What's happening?"
He pulled her to the side and out of the way.
"It's Brendel, the boy," Kane said. "He went alone to Minsk to see the ships. He was taken by Corsaire. They have him and will be at the gates soon."
"I don't understand. Isn't it good he was found?"
"If Tavishi had found him, yes."
Her stomach dropped.
"What will Corsaire do?"
"They will beat him to blood while we watch."
