8th Eirmont, 1013
21st Eirmont, 1013
23rd Eirmont, 1013
24th Eirmont, 1013
26th Kaldmont, 1013
27th Kaldmont, 1013 (Alexander Day)
28th Kaldmont, 1013 (Day without Magic)
1st Nuwmont, 1014 (New Year's Day)
It was approaching evening and Moskva was preparing to go home. Although the winter nights were drawing in and the sky outside was darkening, it was still much earlier than was usual for her. The case she had been working on came to a quick and satisfactory end earlier that morning when the person in question was found and reunited with the family they thought they had lost ten years ago when war ravaged the south of the country. There were no council meetings today while the mayor was out of town reinforcing diplomatic ties with Darokin. Suzanna had all the older children under her careful eye at the school where she taught most of the less privileged of the city's children at one time or another. There wasn't even any paperwork left to do. Caliban, Tania, and Markus all had their cases under control and each of them in turn told her the same thing. Take advantage of the free time and go home. She picked her granddaughter up from the floor. She was still too young to go to school with her mother so spent her day around the office under the constant watch of her father or grandmother. Moskva could watch her just as easily at the smithy and Gregori would be thrilled to see her.
"Come on little one. We'll go see your grandpa."
The toddler clung around her neck and spoke through a mouthful of her own blonde curls. "Sooly?"
Moskva took the hair out of her mouth and wiped her face with a handkerchief. "Yes, your aunt Sula too." She wrapped another shawl around the child in her arms, stood up, and took her own cloak from the door just as a single knock echoed on the wood. She stopped. It was one knock but she recognised it. It had been some time.
"Come in."
The door opened slowly and the tall dark figure of Boris Gorevitch-Woszlany stepped inside her office. "Good evening to you Moskva."
"Boris. A good evening to you."
"You are about to leave?"
She nodded. "Yes. I'm about to go home. What can I do for you, Boris? It has been some time."
He raised only one eyebrow in acknowledgement then looked at the child that was staring intently at him. "Your granddaughter I trust."
She smiled. "Moskva Petrov. Yes." The child looked around at mention of her name and hugged Moskva tighter, earning herself a kiss to the top of the head.
Boris watched with amusement, though it was amusement he kept well hidden. "Nice name."
"Gregori says it might even stick this time."
"And your husband? He is well? And all of his?"
"They're all fine." She shifted the weight of her granddaughter from one arm to another. "What is it, Boris?"
"Perhaps I could follow you upstairs to talk?"
She frowned for a moment before working out his error. She smiled. "It really has been a long time. I don't live upstairs anymore. Not for the last year two months and four days. I'm back at the smithy. Back with Gregori."
Boris was never one to act surprised but once or twice a century something would catch him off guard. This was in the running. Of course it was almost imperceptible to anyone watching him, but Moskva wasn't just anyone. She noticed, and in keeping with the way things had once been, she said nothing. Finally he nodded. "Did something happen to Marie?"
"It was... well, a very strange conversation. She came to see me last year. Her father had just died and she was going home to take care of her mother. She took the younger children with her. She hadn't even told Gregori when she came by here. She wanted to know first would I go back. Marie has always been a very practical person. With the children mostly raised she felt there was no good served by staying in Glantri when her mother needed someone and her sister couldn't go. She wanted me to go back to him and watch out for her children. How could I refuse?"
He smiled ever so slightly. "How could you indeed. In that case perhaps I could walk with you to Little Boldavia."
"Yes." She remembered something and went to her desk. She opened the drawer and took out a small black ring. Little Moskva tried to take it out of her hand but wasn't quite fast enough to grab it. She started to moan and was quickly shushed. Moskva held it out to Boris. "I thought perhaps I should return this. The case is long closed."
He shook his head and opened the door again. "You keep it. It might be useful to you again. Shall we?" He held the door wide for her as she pocketed the ring and went past. A small face peered over her shoulder and stuck her tongue out at Boris. Once sure no one else was looking, he made a face right back. Moskva turned around when the child laughed but everything was exactly the way it should be. She shrugged and left the building. Boris followed close behind.
"So what is it, Boris? Is something wrong?" They were walking out along the canals away from the Merchant Quarters.
"Perhaps I merely felt it was time for you and I to talk once more."
"Perhaps. But Boris, we haven't said a word beyond the occasional polite exchange at parties since you brought me to council after the tax strike. Which is fine. Our use for one another was finished. But there has to be something to bring you back to my door now after over ten years."
He frowned. Barely. "Ten years? It has really been that long? It seems that time is getting harder and harder to track. Alright. There is something. There have been... disturbances around, but not quite in Boldavia."
"What kind of disturbances?"
They came to a narrow bridge. He waited for her to cross then followed. "The kind we should no longer have in Glantri after the work you did to remove clerics."
"I couldn't have done it without a certain voice in the Council of Princes supporting everything I said in the City Council." She smiled knowingly.
He nodded. "I am sure it was nothing you did not expect."
"No. So what's the trouble? Is it out in the open?"
"No. We have only rumours to go on and always it is outside our jurisdiction. The incidents have only been minor, farm animals disappearing, water running where none should, snakes where once there were trees. But they are signs that forebode of trouble."
"I understand." Moskva checked on her granddaughter. She was too busy trying to see everything they passed to be concerned with what they were saying. "What can I do?"
"For the moment nothing. It warrants more investigation but not for you. Not yet. I wished only to... see you for now."
Moskva nodded, watching him closely. "You wish for an old arrangement to still stand."
His lip twisted up slightly. Not quite a smile, but approaching one. "Then you do understand me."
She answered with solemnity. "Boris, if anything you and I can be said to understand too well..." She turned around to him but he was gone.
"I hate it when he does that." She looked back at little Moskva who was trying desperately to see around her. Finally she looked up at her grandmother.
"Funny man all gone."
Moskva chuckled. Somehow she had difficulty equating 'funny' with Boris.
Eva skipped down the steps and eagerly opened the door. The smell of ale and the din of happy customers washed out at her in waves. She grinned. There was always something special about walking into the Underground Tavern that no other bar in Glantri had. Perhaps it was the sense of history, or the way everyone turned when the door opened waiting for the surprise visits from old friends that sometimes came, or maybe it was the feeling that if anything bad should ever happen to Glantri again then right here was where it would be fixed. She scanned around the room until she found the black ponytail and broad shoulders she knew belonged to the man she was looking for. Her grin broadened as she took off dodging around the tables and clientele to grab his shoulders and swing around on them.
"Vladimir! It's so good to see you! I missed you!"
He stood up and hugged her, looking frantically over her shoulder. "I missed you too Jenviev." He pulled back a little from her. "But you haven't been gone that long. How was Fenswick?"
She rolled her eyes. "It was alright. But I'm just so glad to be back!" She hugged him again.
He separated hurriedly as he watched the bar. "Eva please. This isn't the best time."
She stepped back. "Why not? Is something wrong?"
Vlad nodded to the bar where Beckett was coming back with two glasses in his hands. He was so concerned with watching that they didn't spill he didn't see Eva until he was almost at the table. When he looked up and saw her his face whitened.
"Oh. Eva."
"Hello Beckett. How are you?"
He put the drinks down but stayed standing. "I'm fine. How are you? Vlad told me you were in Fenswick for a few weeks."
"I was. I'm back now."
"I see that. How was it?"
"It's a very pretty place. But I'm glad to be home."
He nodded. There were a few moments of awkward silence between them as neither could think of anything further to say. Vlad finally interrupted it. "Are we going to stand around all night or sit down and talk?"
Eva sat down. "Sure. If you don't mind, that is..." She looked up at Beckett uncertainly. He went to sit down, then changed his mind.
"You know what, I'm going to go back to the school. I still have some work to finish off. You two stay."
Eva stood up instantly. "No, Beckett, you don't have to leave. Look I'll go. You were here first..."
He shook his head. "I mean it. I do have work." He looked in her eyes a moment. "Anyway I know that look. You need to talk to Vlad so please, sit back down and talk to him." He pushed his drink in front of her. "Have a drink, okay?"
"Beckett..."
"It's alright Vlad. I have to go." He nodded to Vlad and disappeared back through the crowd and out the door. When he was gone Eva dropped her head onto the table.
"He still hates me, doesn't he?"
Vlad shrugged. "Quite the opposite actually. He still loves you."
She looked back up at him and supported her chin in her hands. "Then why does he run every time he sees me?"
Vlad folded his arms and sat back trying not to look annoyed with her. Sometimes she just didn't get it. "It's very hard on him, Eva. Every time he sees you it reminds him that you left."
"But it's been over a year!"
"Jenviev... he was utterly in love with you. You were his first and only, the centre of the world to him - come on, his mother was most days around the market stalls looking for a hat to wear to the wedding! And your leaving him came from nowhere."
Eva paled. "What?"
"Come on, Eva. You must have known he was going to ask you."
She sat back stunned. "No. I... oh. New Averoigne." She covered her mouth a second then continued. "He kept wanting me to see the house he has there with Kohair and Eric. I..." She lowered her head. "Maybe I suspected. I didn't want to give him the chance to ask... it would have been far worse."
"So can you blame him? He was starting to get over it but then he found out about Leighton."
Eva folded her arms. "Well he needn't worry about that anymore. It's over."
Vlad studied her face. "That explains the greeting I got."
She looked confused a moment. "What?"
"You always get excessively happy when something like this happens. I've seen it enough times. Beckett obviously knows it too."
"You both know me too well."
He reached over and took her hand. "So what happened? Are you alright?"
She smiled. "I'm fine. Fenswick really is a beautiful place, I can see why Leighton loves it there so much. He has so many pictures painted of it. I don't know. The holiday started out well, we went for walks, he showed me some of the sights, then in the evenings... well he said I was good to paint." Her cheeks reddened only slightly. It was enough for Vlad to notice. He slapped her hand playfully.
"Jenviev Telari! You're a woman with no shame!"
She grinned back. "Yes but I do have a great body." The grin faded. "So Leighton said anyway. It was just as the days went by - he seemed more interested in painting than anything else. I've seen his work and I'm not the first woman he's painted, but it's the tattoos. I started realising how he was fascinated by them. Whether he intended it or not, the only reason he wanted me was because my markings posed the kind of challenge he'd never had before. I don't think he was seeing me at all. Anyway I left him."
He squeezed her hand. "I'm sorry it didn't work out for you. You were so excited before going to Fenswick."
"I should be used to this by now. What's one more disappointment?"
"I sincerely hope you never do get used to it, Eva. If that part of you was ever lost you wouldn't be the same person you are now. I would never wish to see you devoid of your hopefulness."
She gave him a funny look and entwined her fingers in his. "Vladimir? You're crazier than I am."
He shrugged. "Someone has to be."
They both laughed for a moment and released one another's hands so they could take a drink. Eva took the time to look around properly at who was present or absent amongst the clientele. The team from the Common Voice were in their usual corner vying for their title as loudest customers with a group from the Glantri Fire and Rescue service. Regulars were spotted around alongside a few new faces and the obvious tourists. She turned back to Vlad. "Where are Clarence and Eli tonight?"
"Working. Clarence changed jobs again."
"Again?! Has he ever stayed in a job longer than a couple of months? What was it this time?"
"His gondola got iced in and that was the end of that. Actually, we think he's on to a good one this time. Constable Estanza got him into the constabulary so he's out on magical training right now."
Eva tried not to laugh but failed. "Clarence? A constable? That's going to take some getting used to. You think he'll stick to it this time?"
"I think so. He really likes it. He's using his magic in ways he never thought of before and as you know yourself they're a good group of people. And they're quite willing to allow him the time for Getigin's classes so this too makes him happy."
She nodded. "Good. I'm glad he found something. It's been a long time coming." They sat back and drank for a moment, watching the crowds around them. Wonderful smells were just starting to come from the kitchen. Vlad was clearly enjoying the aroma. He noticed Eva watching him with some amusement.
"What? When did you get back anyway? Have you eaten yet?"
She shook her head. "Not yet. I dropped off my things at home and came straight here. Knew I'd find you here."
Vlad grinned. "It's chicken night! Claude cooks them just the way Mama does. Maybe with a little less garlic."
"Yet another thing I don't miss about home. Mother was always excessive with the garlic. And we weren't even in Boldavia." She rolled her eyes good naturedly.
"Oh! I almost forgot. Tania got a letter from Olga. She was asking about you. Wants to know when you're going to visit."
"It was tough enough to get Getigin to let me go to Fenswick for a couple of weeks, I don't think I'll be going to Boldavia any time soon. And speaking of Getigin, I should go over to the school and let him know I'm back. You make one little promise and suddenly he has to know your every move..." She smiled despite herself.
"Do you seriously expect me to believe you haven't missed classes, at least a little, while you were away? That you didn't come rushing back to get right back into whatever he has you studying?"
She shrugged her shoulders and finished her drink. "I could lie but you know me better than that. Anyway Scott is casting for his next production, he wrote it himself. I had to come home to audition." She stood up. "I'd better go. See you tomorrow?"
"Sure." She was starting to leave when he took her hand as she passed. "And Eva? Welcome home."
She smiled at him and moved out towards the door. Vlad sat for a short moment by himself before picking up his drink and joining in at the Common Voice table. Seconds later the plates of cooked chicken came out.
The kitchen was deserted when Moskva arrived into it. She sat little Moskva down on a chair, relieved to have the weight taken from her. The sounds of hammering came up from the smithy, at least two different beats. Things were going well for them now. Both Toby and Sula were as competent as their father and the smithy was seeing some of its finest days. Moskva smiled to herself. It was not before time. Seconds later footsteps came up the stairs and opened the door. The eighteen year old came into the kitchen black from her day's work. She untied her scarf and let her hair fall back down in dark curls around her shoulders. She noticed Moskva and smiled.
"Oh hi Moskva. You're home early..." The voice changed as the baby was spotted. "Hello Moskva, what are you doing here?"
Sula came over and was on her knees beside the chair. The child's arms were instantly around her neck with absolutely no regard for the soot that covered her.
"Aunt Sooly!"
Sula picked her up and swirled around making her laugh. She stopped and grabbed onto the back of a chair to keep herself steady.
"Why does that always make me a lot dizzier than it does her?"
Moskva smiled. "Because she's three."
"That must be it." She grinned back at the child. "It is good to see you again! You've grown!"
"We saw funny man. Then he was all gone."
"Really? Well you can tell me all about it in just a minute." She nodded back down the stairs. "Papa should be finishing up soon too. Toby's gone chasing after that girl from Malinbois again. He still won't admit it, though."
"Any word from Henri yet?"
Sula shook her head. "No. But he should be back in a few days. Mama said Milli might come back up with him for a return visit. She misses Papa. And Markus. And...." She tickled little Moskva in the stomach "...she wants to see you!" She nodded to Moskva and disappeared into the back room carrying the child. Moskva made her way down to the smithy.
Gregori was finishing up for the day. He put enough coals on to keep the embers smouldering through the night and set about putting everything away. He was stretching his arms up to the rafters to loosen them a little when another pair of arms met around his waist. He smiled and turned around letting his arms come back down around her.
"Moskva. This is early for you."
"It happens. And I'm under strict instruction from my investigators to take advantage of it." She kissed his lips. "But I could go away if it troubles you."
His response was to hold her to him tighter. "That will not be necessary." He returned her kiss. They lingered together a moment before finally she took his hands.
"I brought our granddaughter to see you. She's upstairs with Sula."
Gregori's eyes lit up instantly. "She's here? It must be... several weeks since last I saw my other precious Moskva."
"I knew you would be glad to see her. Markus will pick her up later when he's finished at the office. He says he'll bring the twins around later in the week when they're not so busy settling into school with Suzanna."
He nodded enthusiastically. "Always a delight to see the little ones... can you believe it? Our baby has babies of his own."
She nudged him gently. "And has had for five years now."
He smiled back at her and put his arm around her waist as they started towards the steps up to the kitchen. "I know. It is just... very good. After everything that has happened, it is good to see him, and you, so happy."
Moskva reached up to touch his cheek. "You won't get any argument from me, my love. None at all."
"They're reading the book already! You know the one Mama gave me when I was ten? And they're only five!"
Gregori smiled proudly as he listened to his son talk about the children. The same proud smile was etched deep on his face too. "They're bright boys with good teachers. You learnt very fast too. Dietrich told me so much."
Markus shrugged. "It was the only thing..." he glanced over to were Moskva was stretched out along the sofa with little Moskva lying asleep on top of her. She seemed to be dozing off too, she hadn't said anything or moved in quite a while. Markus continued in a whisper anyway. "It was the only thing she ever asked me to do back then."
Gregori nodded back in understanding. He remembered only too well the lengths Markus went to to get his mother's attention when he was younger. It had been terrifying... and exhilarating when finally it worked. "How is everything at the school? From what I hear Suzanna is doing a good job."
"The best. She's got everything worked out so she can teach as many children as possible. Not afraid to go a few rounds with the council to get more support from them. She's even talking about getting someone in to help her. It's going well. We were afraid at the start that no one would want to send their kids but once a few came and the others saw how little it took to teach them to read and write... there isn't a spare seat most days." He sighed. "It keeps Suze very busy. But at least she can keep Erik and Oskar with here. A year or two and she'll have Moskva there too."
Gregori smiled. "You'll miss her."
He grinned back. "I'm used to having her running around my feet at the office." He looked over at his daughter. "And I should take her home before it gets too late or Suzanna will get mad."
"You don't want that to happen." They both stood up. Gregori took hold of his shoulder for a moment. "It is always good to see you. You work too much." He nodded at Moskva and spoke more softly. "Just like her."
Markus smiled as he walked over and picked his daughter up. She awoke just long enough to wrap her arms around his neck then rested her head on his shoulder, closed her eyes and was asleep again. It was enough to wake her grandmother up too. She stirred slightly, then her hands went instinctively to where the baby had been sleeping. When they found nothing she jumped to the next plausible conclusion.
"Markus? You're going home?"
"Yes Mama. It's late. I should get the little one to her bed."
"Of course." She sat up. "She's not the only one. I didn't realise I was falling asleep. I must be getting old."
Markus laughed. "Sure Mama. As if that would ever be possible. I'll see you tomorrow." He was still shaking his head and laughing as he went out the door ever careful of the child in his arms. Moskva waited until the door closed.
"What did he mean by that?"
"That you're already as old as you're ever going to get, my love." All at once there was a seriousness in his face as he spoke to her. In an instant he forced it away, brought back the smile, and picked her up from the sofa into his arms.
"Gregori! What are you doing?" She laughed in delight.
"Why do you always ask me that, my Moskva? You know I'm bringing you to bed."
"Yes and one day you're going to hurt yourself. Seriously, don't you think we're getting a little old for this?"
Gregori laughed as he started to walk out towards the bedroom. "Never! As you so often say, that will not happen." He kissed her lips then blew out the candle on his way out.
The crowd went wild. They were standing in their seats and still stomping their feet even after the curtain had fallen for the last time and the house lights went on. Scott was beaming backstage. He took hold of Eva's hand as she walked past and hugged her.
"Eva! Well done out there tonight. You were brilliant - they were in tears! This has to be the best opening night in history!"
She laughed and hugged him back. "Thank you. Gar was great too. And it was a good play, Scott. You deserve most of the praise for that."
"You know what? You're right! I'm a genius!" He released her and went on to congratulate the rest of his cast and team. Eva smiled after him a while before turning back to go to the dressing rooms. She stopped when she saw Beckett leaning against the stage scaffolding watching her. He waved weakly. It was encouragement enough to go over.
"Hi Beckett. I didn't expect to see you here."
He nodded. "Neither did I. Scott came over this evening in a panic because he had no one to do the lighting. Terenz pulled out at the last minute. Got sick or something. He remembered I used to work on them for a while."
"You were always very good at them. At acting too. Don't you miss it?"
"I didn't." He looked out at the stage and around at the excitement as actors and crew bustled around congratulating one another as they tried to get to their dressing rooms. "But I admit, tonight was fun. You did a good job."
She missed the compliment in her enthusiasm. "Then you should come back! Scott would want you, no question! It would be great..."
"Just like old times?"
"Yes!"
"No." He shook his head. "It wouldn't Eva. It would be nothing like old times."
Her head sank with her heart. "I'm sorry. I never meant for you to leave all this. Not because of me."
"I joined because of you. What else did you expect?"
"I'm sorry, Beck. I just thought..."
She never finished the sentence. She was looking downcast at her feet and suddenly Beckett couldn't take it anymore. If part of him wanted her to suffer, the part of him that hated to see it was still bigger by far. He sighed and touched her tentatively. When she didn't resist he hugged her. "No. I'm the one that's sorry. This is a big night - you don't need me giving you a hard time." He released her. "Now go on. Enjoy the party."
She looked up at him. "Aren't you coming?"
"I don't think so."
"Beckett, please. Come to the party. You don't have to talk to me... just don't not go."
He smiled. "I can't. I promised mother I'd be home. You know how she gets."
"Are you sure?"
"It might surprise you to know that not everything I do is based on trying to avoid you."
She smiled back. "I hope not. We're still in the same class with the same friends for a start."
"You see? Now go. I'll see you in class." He nodded once then picked up his bag and threw it over his shoulder. He started to walk towards the stage door.
"Beckett..."
He turned back momentarily. "Let's just leave it here, Eva. Okay?" He didn't give her much chance to answer, just turned and walked away. She watched for a moment, then shrugged her shoulders and went to the dressing room.
Toby came back into the kitchen and sat down beside the stove. He looked across at his sister who was watching intently out the window. There couldn't have been much she could see, it was quite dark out but she stood there anyway, craning to see the cause of any movement and waiting. He shook his head and poked around the pot of broth bubbling lightly on the fire before pouring himself a cup. She was still watching.
"It's just a letter, Sula. They'll be home soon."
She turned around to him. "It's more than that, Toby. Something is wrong. They don't send letters to one another unless something has happened. Anyway I feel it."
"Don't be silly. You're letting yourself get paranoid."
She shook her head and looked back out the window. "I know you think it's silly but I know. It's happened before. Remember when I was five? One morning I just felt real bad and Mama thought I was sick? Then that evening Ernie arrives with Moskva."
"Sula, you were sick. You had a fever."
She turned around and frowned at him. "Or the day Markus and Claude got into that big fight over Suzanna."
"We all saw that coming."
She sat down heavily and picked up the sealed scroll. "I just know this is bad news."
He sighed and poured another cup of broth which he pushed in front of her. "If you're going to stay up waiting for them at least drink this and stay warm."
She took the cup and smiled appreciatively at him. "You don't have to stay up with me."
He smiled back. "Someone has to. You worry too much. Just like Mama."
"I can't help it. Everything is so good at the moment, you know? You saw Mama when we went out to the farm last year, she's happy out there. Sure I miss her sometimes but I think she was right. Things are better this way. Papa smiles all the time now and Moskva's not as horrible and evil as Claude tried to make us think. Even he's happy since Aunt Claudette got him into the army! I'm just afraid it will all stop."
Toby chuckled and shook his head in amusement. He touched her hand. "You're nuts. Did you know that?"
She was about to object, but saw the smile and stopped herself. Instead she just laughed herself. "Growing up in this family how could I not be?"
Toby laughed more heartily at that. "You might just have a point."
They both jumped when the door finally opened. Gregori and Moskva came in speaking quietly to one another which stopped abruptly when they saw they weren't alone. Gregori smiled at his children.
"Good evening. I thought you would have gone to bed by now."
Toby rolled his eyes good naturedly. "We're not kids anymore Papa. How was the show?"
"Surprisingly good. It wasn't as horribly sentimental as the last one Prospero talked me into watching." Moskva went to the stove and poured another couple of mugs of broth. She handed one to Gregori who nodded in agreement.
"Quite an enjoyable evening. You should see it, Sula. Your friend Gar did an excellent job. Very convincing."
Now it was Sula's turn to roll her eyes. "We're hardly friends, Papa. I might have had a small fascination with him when we were hanging around old Dietrich's place but that was years ago! I bet he doesn't even remember me."
Toby punched her shoulder. "Small fascination? You tried to follow the poor boy everywhere! Oh I'll bet he remembers you alright. You don't forget kids that annoying."
She punched back. "All the more reason to leave it alone. Anyway..." She pushed the letter forward on the table to where Moskva had sat down. "This arrived for you. It's from Boldavia."
The room was suddenly quiet as Moskva picked up the letter and felt it in her hands. "Gregori?"
"Yes? Oh..." He dug into his pockets and pulled out her pendant. He put it into her waiting hand. "Or I could read it for you if you prefer."
"Just a moment..." She studied the scroll again, then handed it to him. "It is from Selina. If you would?"
"Of course." He broke the seal and unrolled it, holding it up to the lamplight. He scanned through it quickly, then his brow furrowed. Sula was watching him carefully. Her voice was tense.
"Papa? What is it?"
"Oh dear."
Moskva's hand seized his arm. "Gregori..."
He took her hand and squeezed it. "I'm afraid it's not good. Your sister Katrina is not well. They think she might be dying."
"Mother please!"
"I'm sorry Markus, I have to go." Moskva sat back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest. Usually that was sign enough for Markus to give up and accept that her mind was set, but not this time. He stopped his pacing long enough to look back at her, trying to look equally resolved.
"We got another warning just yesterday! They're just waiting for a clear shot at you. Why do you have to give it to them?"
"Because she's my sister. And I will not let a few idle threats from clerics keep me captive in the city when I should be with her."
"They're not idle!" He threw back his head and resumed pacing across her office. "Aunt Katrina wouldn't want you putting yourself in danger to get to her. She knows your situation."
Moskva sat forward and clapped her hands off the desk. "Exactly. That's why Selina had to write. Of all of them Katrina was always the one to understand me the best. And when I needed her, she was there for me. Now it is time to repay that. I need to go. If even to just say goodbye."
Markus sat down with a sigh. "I'm scared, Mama."
"I know. I get scared too. I was ready to give up on the whole thing when they got Sofie. But don't you see? This is only why we have to fight them more. We can't allow their threats to stop us living our lives." She smiled at him. "And I've faced worse, my Markus."
"I hate it when you make sense."
"Just as well it doesn't happen too often then."
Markus smiled back for a second then turned serious again. "What does Papa think about this?"
"He also worries. He wanted to come with me but I do not know how long I will be gone. And since Milli has come across from New Averoigne to see him, he should not be rushing away to Boldavia."
"So you're going alone."
"Yes."
He shook his head. "And I can't talk you out of it."
"No."
"When are you going?"
"I should be ready in a couple of days as soon as I can get away from the council."
Markus stood up and walked over to the window where he could see across into the training room. Erik and Oskar were there wrestling with their much bigger cousin Corran. He watched the children a moment before turning back to his mother. "You will be careful, won't you?"
"I always try."
He opened the door to go across to his sons. "Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of. I'll talk to you later." He nodded and left her room. Right now he needed a distraction and as soon as the twins saw him approaching the training room, they were happy to oblige.
Vlad said goodbye to Eva and Clarence who had walked with him as far as the Merchant's Quarters in search of a quick snack to eat. They barely noticed, managing just a quick wave before being drawn to one of the better smelling stalls. He smiled and continued on his way to the office. He was about to reach for the door when it opened and a man walked out backwards calling across the office.
"You won't be too late home tonight, will you? We have those tickets..." He bumped into Vlad. "Oops. Sorry Vlad."
"Don't worry, Tim."
Rosie was instantly at the door. "For Rad's sake, be careful. Are you alright Vlad?"
Vlad grinned. "I'm fine, Rosie. It was nothing."
She hit Tim softly. "You should watch where you're going."
Tim took hold of her hand and pulled her towards him to kiss her. "I can't help it. I'm blinded by your beauty."
Vlad rolled his eyes and went inside. It was quieter than usual with no clients around just at the moment. He was about to knock on Tania's door when he heard her laughing with Caliban inside. He knew the tone enough to keep on walking around. The door opened when he reached Markus' office.
"Vlad! Good, can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Sure." He followed him in and looked around before sitting. Part of him was half expecting to see Suzanna there. There seemed to be that kind of atmosphere in the office today. Markus didn't look like he was going to sit down. "What is it?"
The pacing started. "You heard about Aunt Katrina, right?"
He nodded gravely. "Yes. Tania told me. She said Aunt Moskva is going to see her."
"Yeah and nothing I can say can make her change her mind."
Vlad sat up and watched him as he continued pacing. "Why should it? She's her sister. And Aunt Katrina would have been here like a shot if it was Moskva that was sick."
"I know all that. Hey, I have sisters too. But I don't think this is a good idea. Ever since she finalised getting the clerics out of Glantri for good the threats have been even worse. They'd never get away with it in the city but once she leaves... I just don't like this."
"Markus, you have three small children of your own. Don't you think it's about time you stopped worrying about your mother? You know she can take care of herself. She's faced far worse."
He sat down. "But these are clerics, Vlad. Pawns of the Immortals. She has to have angered a lot of those by now. They could be capable of anything." He looked across at him. "Besides, I've seen you worry about your mother."
Vlad shrugged. "Maybe a little. But it's not the same. You can't expect her to stay locked in the city because of a few threats. It's just not who she is."
Markus stood up again. "I know who my mother is." He sighed and went to the window where he could look out over the canal. "You're right. I know that. She said the same thing." He turned around. "But I'd feel a lot better if someone went with her. Someone with a little magic maybe."
"Well Tania can't go. She can't be away from the kids for that long."
"I know. I can't go myself for the same reason."
Vlad suddenly noticed the way Markus was looking at him. "What? No..."
"Why not?"
"You have to be kidding. She'd see right through it!"
"Tell her you miss your mother! You want to see her and Viktor and Alexa. She'll believe it."
"She would - if I didn't just come back from there two months ago."
Markus frowned. "Oh. I forgot about that. Damn." He went back to his seat. "If she knew I was sending someone just to watch her she'd get mad." He entwined his fingers together while thinking about it. "There has to be someone. Someone that can go to Boldavia for their own reasons and just happen to be going at the same time..."
Vlad considered for a moment. Then a thought struck him. "It would take a lot of convincing but... I think I might just know someone."
Scott giggled to himself in the wings. The audience were wild again and the house was packed to the rafters. Word had got around fast and they were still getting a good reaction. The company on stage parted. That was his cue. He went out grinning manically. The cheer swelled. He took his bow then stepped back to take Eva and Gar's hands. They bowed together and the cheer kept going as the curtain fell down before them. He squeezed their hands.
"We really did it this time, guys. We really got it right."
The curtain went up and the crowd were stamping their feet as they hooted. Eva and Gar had since joined hands back with everyone else as they all stepped forward as one again. They stepped back and the curtain fell, this time to stay. The line broke apart quite sedately in contrast to the ruckus on the other side of the curtain. The houselights went up and the stage lights flickered off one by one. Eva glanced up to where Beckett was moving from one lamp to the other. He noticed her and winked down just as Scott grabbed her around the waist and kissed her cheek.
"I can't believe this! Finally they're going to treat our company with the respect we deserve! Word is the house management are thrilled with the box office turnover. We're on our way guys!"
Gar laughed. "And not before time."
"Eh.. Scott? Breathing's good."
"Huh?" He realised what Eva was talking about and let go of her. "Oh. Sorry Eva." He clapped his hands to get everyone's attention.
"Guys. Great show tonight. Now get cleaned up, go home, get some sleep. I'll see you all here at six tomorrow when we can do it all over again." There were nods and mumbles of assent as the company dispersed. He was about to add something further to Eva and Gar when his attention was caught by a couple of suits in the corner. When they saw him look their way they beckoned him over. He grinned and nudged his leading actors. "Management. This has got to be good." He walked proudly to join them in the wings. Gar looked at Eva and shrugged.
"He's gone quite mad this time."
"You know how he tortured himself over writing this thing. Can you blame him?"
Gar grinned. "Not one bit." He offered her his arm. "May I escort you to your room, Ms Telari?"
She took his arm. "Why thank you, Mr Perrin."
They wandered off stage just as Beckett floated down from the beams. He watched after them a moment, then shook his head and went the other direction. He hadn't gone far before a hand tapped his shoulder. He turned around.
"Vlad! What are you doing here? Stupid question, you came to see the show."
"Are you kidding? You know what Eva's like, it's not safe to not come see her."
"Especially this one. Never mind Eva, I've never seen Scott his excited." He noticed the man standing just behind Vlad's shoulder and looking around at the surrounding bustle. "Oh, hello Markus. Didn't see you there."
"Good evening Beckett. Well done on a good show."
"I didn't do much, just filling in. But thanks anyway."
Vlad hit his shoulder. "Are you kidding? Eva says you're one of the best in lights they have! You haven't seen her, have you?"
"I've been keeping her in the spotlight for the last two hours. It's hard not to see her. She and Gar went back to the dressing rooms."
Vlad recognised the look on his face and sighed. "There's nothing going on with her and Gar, Beck."
"I know that!" He shook his head. "I know. But the way she kisses him in that scene... I'm being an idiot. It's just hard when... oh forget it. You know where to find her. I have to finish off here." He wandered away from them still shaking his head. Markus watched a second.
"He still has it bad for her."
Vlad nodded. "Oh yeah. Like you wouldn't believe. Come on. Her room's back here."
They went back to where the dressing room doors were lined neatly in two rows along both sides of a short corridor. Vlad went to the door at the end and knocked. He took a rose out from beneath his cloak as he waited for an answer.
"Come in!"
He opened the door just in time to see Eva drying her face. She looked up and smiled at her visitor.
"Vlad! You came! What did you think?" He came in through the door with Markus close behind him. "And Markus too! Come on in." She waved them in before studying her neck in the mirror to see if all the tattoo covering make up was gone. Satisfied, she turned back to them. "Well?"
Vlad grinned. "You were brilliant. As always."
"You always say that."
"And I always mean it. Here." He handed her the flower and kissed her cheek.
"Vlad, you really don't have to do this every time." She sniffed it before filling a long thin glass with water and putting it in. "But it's beautiful."
"I know I don't have to." He sat down where Markus found a couple of seats under her costumes. "We ran into Beckett. He's in an odd mood."
She rolled her eyes. "I know. One minute I think things are going okay and we're getting along fine, the next he's blustering and making excuses to leave. I don't know what to do anymore." She shook her head, then grinned. "But worry about that another time. You really enjoyed the show?" She looked from one to the other of them.
"Yes Eva, it was one of the best."
Markus nodded his agreement. "My parents saw it opening night. They had nothing but good words for it. I would have to agree."
"Scott is thrilled with the reception it's getting. Really got the attention of the bosses too which is never any harm. This could be running for months!"
Vlad exchanged a quick glance with Markus as if to say that was the problem. He looked back at Eva. "Eva, we are here with an ulterior motive. There's something we'd like you to do."
She nodded and started to unwind her hair. "Sure. Name it."
"Well... we kind of need you to go to Boldavia."
She laughed, thinking it was a joke. Until she noticed they weren't laughing with her. "You're serious, aren't you?"
"Yes." Markus stood up. "One of our aunts is ill and my mother is going to see her. I would like you to go with her. I will of course cover all your expenses."
"Wait, wait..." She stopped with her hair. "Just hold on a minute. Since when did Moskva Koranov need an escort? And why me?"
The room wasn't large enough to pace so he sat back down. "This is the problem. If she knew you were being sent as an escort she would not allow it. That is why none of us could go. But you she would never suspect. If you tell her you wish to visit your family and since she is travelling you thought you could travel together..."
Eva folded her arms and focused her attention on Vlad. After a second he squirmed just a little. It was sign enough for her. "I told you I have no need to go to Boldavia. Why are you still pushing?"
"I suggested it once after Olga was here! You know I'd never try to push you into anything. But I do still think you should go."
She turned back to Markus. "You still never told me why she needs an escort."
"Clerics. You know she was active in removing them from Glantri. I am worried they may try something once she leaves the protection of the city."
Eva held up both her hands. "Woah. Quick check of reality here. You want me, a theatre performer and student, to protect Moskva Koranov, salvation of Glantri, descendent of Alexander Glantri, Shadow Thief, and all round living hero?"
"Actually we're not descended from Alexander Glantri but from his twin brother..."
"It doesn't matter. My point is if there's something out there she can't handle then I'm certainly not going to be of any use to her. I'll be dead before she ever breaks a sweat."
"You have one thing, well two things my mother doesn't have. You have eyes. Yes, she can still see somewhat and she has amazing hearing, but some things can be seen long before they can be heard. And you have magic. That makes you better equipped to fight clerics than she. If necessary. I may be worrying over nothing and everything could be fine. I hope it is."
Eva shook her head. "I don't know, Markus. This sounds a lot more dangerous for me than it would be for her. Anyway, I couldn't go even if I wanted to! I have a show to do here every night! And Getigin - he was mad enough about me going to Fenswick last month. No. I'm sorry but I can't do it."
Vlad got up and took her hand. "This is important, Eva. Getigin was impressed with Olga when she was here, if you tell him you're going to learn from your family there he'll let you."
"And what about the show, Vlad? It's doing really well. I can't tell Scott to find someone else because I want to go pick some herbs in Boldavia! I can't do that. And I don't want to do that."
"Eva please..."
Markus interrupted. "Vlad. She's right. She can't walk out on this because I'm a little paranoid. And it is wrong of me to ask you to put yourself into danger for this. I apologise."
Eva accepted with a nod. "She'll be alright, Markus. She's the toughest person I've ever met." She smiled. "And I've been in the nightmare realm."
Markus grinned back slightly and nodded. "You're right of course. I should get home. I'm sorry to have disturbed you. And again, it was an excellent show. I shall have to bring Suzanna to see it."
"Please do. And don't worry about it. Goodnight Markus."
"Goodnight Eva. Goodnight Vlad." He walked out and left them alone. Vlad suddenly felt uneasy. Probably because he knew Eva was staring at him.
"Alright! I'm sorry! His worries are not unfounded. I thought you could help."
"I'd like to, Vlad. But I can't just run off to Boldavia for the next month. You should know that."
He sighed. "I do. I know it." And he did know it. Nothing was going to get her to Boldavia. "Walk you home?"
"Gonna be strange not seeing ya in council meetings for the next while, Moskva." Ernie Reilly left the meeting halls with Moskva and walked with her as she headed back towards her offices. "Not gonna know ourselves without ya there."
She smiled. "You'll get by."
He smiled back. "Sure we will. You take as long as you need to be with your sis. We'll do just fine until you get back."
"I don't doubt it. Thank you. I have to admit, yours is a refreshing change to every other reaction to my going."
"Yeah, I'll bet they're worried. We've barely had the clerics out a year and a half. But sure if you can't take care of yourself, who can aye? I know you'll be careful."
"I wish Markus could see it like that."
Ernie laughed. "Now Markus is a different story altogether." He nudged her as they walked. "Can you blame him for worrying with all you two have been through?"
"No. I guess not."
They came to the footbridge that led toward the Merchant Quarters. Ernie stopped. "I've got a meeting with Prince Malachi now so I guess I'll seeya when you get back."
She nodded. "You will. Just take care of my city while I'm gone."
He laughed. "Your city? And I thought I was the mayor." He winked. "Bet your life on it, Koranov." He started to wander off. She was about to cross over the bridge when she stopped for just a second.
"Ernie?"
He turned around and came back to her.
"Thank you. Not just for allowing me time off from the council. You've always been a good friend to me. Even when I didn't deserve it."
"Yeah but you needed it. That's what partners are for, right?"
"Right."
He grinned and hugged her. "You take care. Glantri's not through with you yet."
She hugged back and separated. "Hey, things have never been better. Glantri is safe and peaceful. The clerics are gone, the wars are over, and justice prevails. Not to mention that I have my Gregori back and I'm a grandmother... things are good. I plan on sticking around for that as long as possible."
"Glad to hear it. Good luck Moskva."
"Goodbye Ernie."
They parted company and went their separate ways.
Eva sat on the bed with a stack of library books before her. One was opened out in front of her and she had become quite absorbed in its pages. So much that she jumped when there was a knock on the door. She closed the book over.
"Who is it?"
"It's Scott. Eva I need to talk to you."
He sounded nervous. Maybe even scared? She opened the door. He stepped in and looked around for her, then noticed her still sitting on the bed over the other side of the room.
"You like? Very simple enchantment. Once you know what to do. Getigin said I should get some practice... is something wrong, Scott?"
He jumped as the door closed behind him. "Eva..." He went over to the one chair in the room but didn't sit. "Yes. Something you're really not going to like."
His face was etched with worry. It was very strange to see after the last few days of excitement. She pushed away her books. "What is it?"
"The play. You remember last night when the managers from the Playhouse called me aside?"
"Yes. They did like it, didn't they?"
"Oh yes. They loved it. Perhaps too much."
"What do you mean?"
"Please don't be mad."
Now she was starting to get nervous. "Mad about what? What did they say, Scott?"
"Alright. The Metropolitan offered them big money to bring the play there. I mean real big."
"And they said no! This play can make just as much money for them, whatever they were offered!"
"That's the thing, Eva. Not in time. The Playhouse has been in more financial difficulty than they let on. You remember last year when we were doing 'Earthly Possessions'? When you got into trouble with the whole Kodair thing?"
"Of course I remember. It's very hard not to remember that." Her eyes went almost distant a second. "I still get nightmares..."
"Anyway." He waited for her to return her attention to him. "That's when I found out. That's why I was in such a bad mood. Every play we've done since then has just barely been keeping us going for another couple of weeks. Even that wasn't enough. This play, this one was our last chance. If we didn't make it this time then there would be no more Playhouse."
"Why didn't you tell us?"
"Please. You saw what the pressure was doing to me. I could not have my actors under that same pressure while on stage. It would have shown."
She nodded reluctantly. He had a point. "But we did it this time. You said they were happy."
"Yes. They are."
"So why..."
"Because by selling they get to pay off all their debtors now and get to do the repairs needed to the theatre. The city council's new fire safety regulations are coming into enforcement first of Nuwmont. Box office turnover is good but not good enough to pay everyone off and get the work done before the end of the year. This way if they sell they can do it all and not have to close. They can even run a few other shows with different companies while ours is in the Metropolitan and generate more income. It's a good move on their part, Eva." He sat down.
She watched him for a moment. He was still nervous looking. Something told her he wasn't finished. The real bad news was still to come. "If it is what needs to be done to save the theatre then so be it. I suppose it might even be fun to work in the Metropolitan for a few months."
"Actually... you see that's the problem. The Metropolitan don't work the same as the Playhouse. The Playhouse hires whatever company happens to have a good play at the time and leaves them to run the show. Usually it's us but not always. With the Metropolitan... they have house actors, Eva. Actors with contracts that say they will have the leading roles in any production on their stage. It can't be broken."
Eva paled. "What are you saying? If it's what I think you're saying..."
"Part of the Metropolitan's agreement to purchase was that you and Gar would be replaced with their actors." He stood up and came over to the bed with a hurried addition. "But any other role you want you can have it. Just not the lead."
She shook her head. "I can't believe this. They're cutting us? We've been the last month in rehearsals! Gar and I know those roles inside and out! We work well together! I can't believe you'd let them replace us!"
"It's not my choice, Eva! Come on, you know you're the only one I want in that part. Hell, I wrote it for you - the audition was only a formality. The same with Gar. I've seen their actors perform and sure they're good but they have nothing on you two. But we have no choice here. This is the only way to save the theatre."
"You should never have agreed to it. If they wanted our play so badly they should have been made accept us with it."
"They wouldn't. They can't have their actors sitting in the wings for half a year doing nothing! They still have to pay them and trust me, if you think you've seen sulks and tantrums in our company, they're a lot worse over there. And if we stayed in the Playhouse we'd be shut down in the new year and that would be the end of it." He sat on the bed beside her and tried to touch her shoulder. She shook him off. "If you don't want to come with us I'll understand. You could stay with the Playhouse and work for another company for a while. I hear Prospero has started writing his first play. And you'll still draw the crowds. I doubt the Metropolitan realise just how much of a draw you and Gar have been to the show. You're right about working together. There's always something special happening when you're both on stage."
Eva stared at him appalled. "Stop it. Look, I'm not the naive sixteen year old you first brought into the theatre. A little over enthusiastic praise isn't going to make everything alright here. We're a small company and we're used to working together. That's all. I know we're not as good as the actors in the Metropolitan or the Grand Raknar, you don't need to butter me up. From what you tell me this isn't personal. Don't make it that it is."
"Eva! Please understand. I hate this as much as you do. In fact more. I got you into this business, I've come to take some pride in your achievements. But sometimes a sacrifice has to be made for the greater good."
"Fine! You want to sacrifice all the work I've put into this, go ahead. Go to the Metropolitan! But count me out!"
"You don't want to come with us. I understand. It will only be a few months and I'll write something else, I swear. We'll do it in the Playhouse and you'll be back where you belong."
"You know what Scott? Forget it. Don't worry about me. Maybe I've been in this business too long."
He put his head in his hand and gripped the hairs of his hairline. "Jenneva. Don't go spoilt little actress on me. You're too good for that."
"Open." The door obeyed her command and swung open. "Get out."
"I'm sorry. I don't mean it like that. I know your pride is hurt..."
"GET OUT!"
He jumped from the bed and stared at her for a second trying to remember the last time he heard her shout. He couldn't. He tried to say something but there was too much fury in her eyes. He shook his head and headed for the door. Perhaps it was best to let her cool down. He was just outside when he turned around. "Jenneva..."
The door slammed in his face.
The note was the first thing Moskva saw when she got back to her office. It was out of place amongst everything else on her desk, hence it attracted her attention. She picked it up and read it. "I wish a word with you by the canal." She folded it over and stuffed it into her pocket before leaving the office. Rosie poked her head around the corner.
"Going out again Moskva?"
"Someone I have to see. I won't be long."
Rosie nodded and went back to her work. Moskva went through the door back out across the Square. It was very odd. It was barely mid afternoon and there was at least an hour or two of daylight left. Something had to be important for him to ask to see her now. She turned off the Square and went out along the canal around to the back of her building. She walked along for a while until reaching a part cast in shadows from the high walls nearby. There was a bench there where she and Markus would often sit when they needed to get away and talk. She went over to it now, sat down, and waited.
Moments later there was a rustle behind her. She didn't look back. "Hello Boris. This is an unusual time of day to see you."
He walked around and sat beside her. "I have considerable work to do tonight not to mention parliament business. But I wished to speak with you before you leave."
"You heard then."
"It was mentioned that you had excused yourself from the city council indefinitely, yes. On family business. I can only assume you will be leaving for Boldavia."
"In the morning, yes. One of my sisters is quite ill. They do not expect her to survive it."
"I am sorry."
"There was a time I would not have cared. Or least told myself that I didn't."
"That time is long past. And perhaps it is just as well."
Moskva nodded. Boris waited a respectable moment or two before continuing.
"You know you could run into trouble once outside the city. We have not removed them completely."
"I know. But I have everything I need. And it is a risk I must take."
He nodded solemnly then withdrew a ring from his cloak. "Then take this with you. Should there be a situation you cannot handle it will return you to the city on command."
"Thank you. That's very... good of you."
"It is nothing special, just an extra precaution you are unlikely to need." He smiled at her just slightly. "But it might make your son a little happier to know that you have it."
She smiled back. "I can't argue with that."
"Indeed not. Now if you will excuse me I am quite tired. Travel safely. I hope to speak to you soon. Perhaps we will know more on other matters then."
"Until then."
He stood, nodded, and disappeared. Moskva lingered a moment longer before walking away herself.
Eva was pacing around the front office. "Well did she say when she'd be back?"
Rosie shook her head. "No. Just soon."
"But it's been..."
"It's been two minutes, Eva. Will you please sit down?"
Eva sat down with a sigh and examined her finger nails. She looked up after a second. "Is Markus here?"
"No. He went out with Tania. Caliban is here if that is any use to you."
She shook her head. "No. I'll wait."
She sat back in silence for a few minutes more. Finally Rosie smiled over at her. "By the way, I saw the play. You were very good."
Eva just let her head fall into her hands. She didn't answer. Rosie shrugged her shoulders wondering what she had said and went back to her work. After another five minutes the door finally opened and Moskva came in.
"I'm back Rosie. Eva, hello. I don't think Vlad is working here today..."
Eva stood up. "I know. He's in class which is where I should be now... it's you I need to speak to."
"Then you'd better follow me." Moskva went around to her office and opened the door. "Have a seat." She pointed Eva inside.
Eva sat and exercised her patience. She waited the long awkward torturous moments it took Moskva to walk slowly around to her desk, sit and make her self comfortable - she had to be doing it on purpose, and begin the conversation.
"So what is it I can do for you, Eva?"
She sat forward. "You're going to Boldavia in the morning. I want to come with you."
Moskva steepled her fingers. "I see. Why?"
"I have family there. It's about time I met them."
"Coincidence that you want to see them now? You could have gone a few months ago with Vlad. Or was Markus talking to you?"
Eva didn't hear it as a question but as a statement of fact. "No..." There was something about an eyeless stare that could make a person feel transparent. "Alright. I'm not incapable of lying. I spent many years lying to my father. But you deserve more respect than that after all you've done. So okay. Markus and Vlad did ask me last night to go with you. But I said no. You see I thought there were things here I couldn't just walk away from. Well it seems I was wrong. Look, I think he's worrying too much and I don't get what difference I could make to anything, but I just need to get out of this city right now. Boldavia is the one place I have to go and if you don't mind the company, I'd like to travel with you."
Moskva watched her for a moment or two. "I'm riding up there. It takes three days and the route is through Krondahar. Can you handle it?"
"I'll have to. Krondahar shouldn't be a problem. I've never been on a horse before but I'll learn."
"Moskva smiled. "You won't be so sure when you wake up in Braastar. Alright. Meet me at the North Gate stables at dawn. And Eva? You can run away for a while. Sometimes it is even good. But sooner or later you have to go back and deal with what you left behind."
Eva frowned. "I'm not running away from anything Moskva."
"Did I say that you were? It is just some friendly advice for you to remember. From someone who knows." She didn't give her a chance to question her further. "Now if you will excuse me, I have a lot of work to finish before tonight. I'll see you in the morning."
Eva could only nod. "Yes Moskva." She got up and left. Moskva followed after a second and pulled across the blinds to watch her walk back across the Square towards the school. She shook her head. There was something about her she recognised all too well.
Eva sat on the stone wall with one of her cousins. Zeya was maybe a year or two younger than her but well versed in the practices of their family. Mama Zepp had instructed her to share that knowledge with Eva. In return, she begged every day for more stories of the city. It had been a most interesting month leaving Eva wondering why she hadn't come home much sooner than now. That was it. It felt like home. Perhaps not in the same way Glantri did where she had the school, all her friends, and even the theatre, but it had proved the right place to be for now. In just a short time she had learnt so much and it surprised her how much she remembered of her mother's teachings - and the things she had taught her without her realising. Olga had also been instrumental in her education, particularly that part which relied more heavily on the inherent magic that occurred only occasionally in their family. If nothing else Getigin would not feel this trip as big a waste of her time as the one to Fenswick.
It wasn't just her family. She found herself spending a lot of time at the ranch in Moldova too. Taria said she had heard so much about her she felt like she'd known her for years. She had been welcomed there with open arms too. She got wise to why after the first dinner there. Taria was smart enough to know she would hear more interesting tales about her son from one of his friends than from his aunt. And for her part, Taria had provided enough tales about Vlad's childhood to keep her going for at least a couple of months when she got back. Moskva had even brought her out to see Ludwig. The wall had stretched onto two by now. The last ten years had brought a lot of children into the Koranov family. It had been a good visit so far, sullied only by Katrina's death a week ago. She hadn't seen much of Moskva or Taria since then. Her cousin nudged her.
"So then what? You made one bridge invisible and created another beside it. Then what?"
Eva grinned. "Then we waited. A few people crossed over our bridge but they didn't know that what they saw wasn't real so they were okay. Finally Yestifa comes running late for class as always and runs onto the bridge. That's when I went and met him halfway. I wasn't on quite the right spot for Beckett though so I had to push him back a bit. Couldn't think of what to do so I kissed him, told him I wasn't upset about that night, understood how it might have been too much for him and he got scared which was why he took off, told him to come around again tonight. He looked as if he was almost going to accept, the bastard. He would have too, would have let me babble on like an innocent little kid, then done the very same thing that night."
"What did you do?"
"Told him I just knew we were going to be together forever, get married, have lots of children - all just like him of course. That scared the hell out of him. The amount of trouble we got into was worth it for the look on his face when I said that alone." She grinned. "Anyway, that's when he tells me he never felt a thing for me and only pretended he did to prove a point to his friends. It wasn't long after Rolend had been mouthing off about me and the rumours were still going around."
"Wow. That's pretty awful. It must have been terrible with everyone talking behind your back."
"What can you do? You could try explain to each of them how it's not quite true and didn't really happen that way and how there was a good reason for it at the time... but it only makes them talk all the more. And you can't run away either. You might as well admit it then. Anyway it was true. I did sleep with someone just a few nights before I was supposed to marry. Just not for the reasons they all believed."
"So the bridge..."
"Yes. I was on the right mark at that point so I just smile at him and say 'I know. I just wanted to hear you say it before I told you.' So he's getting very confused now and asks me what I'm talking about. 'The bridge. I know you're nowhere near good enough to do it yourself yet but do you know how phantasmal force works? As long as you believe it's really there then you won't notice a thing. But the second a seed of doubt is planted in your mind...' That's when we made the image of the bridge flicker a little. You could see the water below. He's gripping onto the edge but it's flickering in and out too. So I keep talking. 'You see the real bridge is right beside you. There. Where Beckett is.' That's when Beckett turns off his invisibility and appears floating over the water looking as if he's leaning on the opposite handrail. He gives this cute little wave. Yestifa is pale as death. 'I created this one. Needed the practice. You can swim, can't you?' And that was it. We started breaking apart the phantasmal some more so he grabs the handrail and jumps right over. It was amazing, the scream from him when he realised there was no bridge there and went straight into the water."
Zeya laughed. "How did you do that?"
"I had some good help. We made the bridge invisible, true, but we cast phantasmal exactly where the bridge was so it was there all along but when we made him stop believing it, he couldn't see anything. Beckett was only levitating. He wasn't standing on anything. We were on the real bridge all along. He should have known really but he's an idiot."
"What happened to him?"
"Clarence borrowed a gondola so he and Eli were under the bridge with it and fished him out while Vlad and I pulled Beckett in. He was fine, just a little wet. And not just from the canal. And you know, I think that was the end of the whispering every time I walked by too."
Zeya clapped once in delight. "Wow. That can't have been easy."
"Oh we were all absolutely drained after it. It took everything the five of us had to keep all the spells going. We're coming into the school when we see Getigin waiting for us. He'd seen everything. Wow, I never knew anyone could shout that long without taking a breath. We were on lab duty for weeks. It was worth it, though, to get the bastard back. And we all got to know each other a little better so we kinda stuck together after that."
Zeya nudged her. "Especially you and Beckett."
"He's a very sweet guy. I wish it could have worked better than it did."
"Why didn't it?"
The conversation was interrupted by the sound of horse hooves. They came to a stop behind them and they turned around in time to see Moskva dismounting. She approached.
"Hello Zeya. Do you mind if I speak to Eva for a moment?"
Zeya jumped from the wall. "Sure Moskva. Sorry about your sister."
"Thank you." Zeya ran off back to the house tucked into the side of the hills. Moskva sat up on the wall.
"Hi Moskva. How are you? I haven't seen you since the funeral."
"Fine. We did her every justice in our remembrances and now it is time to move on. I'm going home in the morning."
"Oh. It's probably time I went back too."
"You don't have to. I came to tell you that that is when I will be returning. There is nothing to stop you from staying here a little longer. It seems to be doing you some good."
Eva grinned. "It is. There's so many things I never knew about all this."
"It's good to know where you come from, isn't it?"
"It changes the perspective. Things that didn't matter seem more important now. And other things, well they change too."
Moskva laughed just a little. "Family can do that to you. So will you stay?"
Eva considered a moment. "There's still more I could learn. But I miss Glantri. And... before I left I acted like a petulant child towards the first person to treat me as an adult." She smiled back. "I think it's time to deal with what I left behind."
"Then tomorrow at sunrise?"
"Alexander Day. You know we're going to miss all the parties."
"Have you seen how they celebrate in Klantyre?"
Rowen shaded his eyes from the sun as he watched the hills. Finally a silhouette appeared against the white background. He jiggled his feet about to keep warm as the older man approached. Soon he could make out the dark robes same as his own, and then the embroidered symbols along the edges. The approaching man had many more than he to demonstrate his seniority in the order, but Rowen hoped one day to be honoured with the same titles and respect. Finally the man was before him. He nodded slowly.
"He spoke to you then?"
"Yes my son."
"And what did he say?"
"That the time has come to act. An old 'associate' is reaching out once more. We must take away that which he reaches for."
"Did he tell you how we should do that?"
"By removing a most bothersome obstacle. With one act we shall honour him twice. On one hand we shall enforce, on the other we shall avenge." He nodded again and started to move off towards the small settlement. Rowen chased after him.
"But how? What are we going to do, father?"
The man clucked. "You must learn patience if you wish to be beheld in his eyes. But for now I will tell you my son. We're going to kill Moskva Koranov."
Rowen stopped in his tracks while his father kept walking.
Alexander Day, 27 Kaldmont 1013
Eva shivered against the cold. The snow was fortunately falling quite lightly but the pass was perhaps more difficult than it had been on the way up. She needed to distract herself.
"The Scotch Breech. I've heard so much about this place and the battle here - it's hard to believe it's all real."
Moskva glanced over at her, broken from her own thoughts. "It is as real as every place a battle has been fought. Including Alexander Platz."
"But that doesn't seem the same. I walk through there every day and think of a million different things. But here... all I can see is the battle. Beckett's brother died right here somewhere."
Moskva nodded in understanding. "So that was why you were so quiet on the way here."
"I owe Beckett that much." She fell silent. As a distraction this possibly wasn't the best topic to talk about. She made an effort to brighten up. "That and I was incredibly sore from the journey."
Moskva took the change of subject in her stride. She smiled. "I did warn you. This is a long journey for your first ride."
Eva rolled her eyes. "I know that now. Well I've learnt a few tricks since then, I should make it home okay. Still, I don't see why we couldn't have just teleported up. Tania's plenty good enough to do it."
"She did offer. But there's nothing like three days travelling to make you feel you've truly gone somewhere. Even Tania prefers to ride."
"It's true what they say about the Koranovs. You're all mad." She grinned. "Of course I've heard them say the same about me. And more besides."
"Damn." Moskva halted the horse. "Eva, up ahead. Is that what I think it is?"
Eva looked to where she was pointing and groaned. "If you think that's our path snowed in you're right. I knew I should have paid more attention in Elements. A good fireball right now..."
"Would probably make things worse. Can you take a look, see how bad it is?"
"Sure." Eva muttered a few words and flew off her horse. She went up around the snow in and disappeared. Seconds later she flew back and landed in front of Moskva. "Actually it's not so bad. We could maybe get away with it if we lead the horses around. Might need to do a little digging..." Moskva was already dismounting and taking her horse by his reins. "But it reminds me. I think we should stay in Glenmoorloch tomorrow. I won't be able to do that, or anything else, and you..."
Moskva nodded. "I will be completely blind. I know. But we shall see how bad it is tomorrow and decide. Don't worry, I have no intentions of getting lost in bad weather without magic again."
Eva nodded her agreement and took her own horse's reins. She slipped in front of Moskva and led the way, calling out where not to step. "Careful there. Snow's a bit loose. I have to admit, I'm anxious to get home. I just want to get talking to Scott done with. I'm not very good at apologies."
"Most people the same." Moskva followed with her cane being used to its full efficiency. "I take it this is about being cut from the show."
Eva looked around in surprise. "How did you know? I didn't tell you on the way up did I?"
"You didn't, no. But it hardly takes an investigator to work it out. I heard the play was moving to the Metropolitan and since you suddenly became free to join me, I guessed you were not moving with them and were none too happy about it."
"Good guess. Damn, give me a second, I need to clear this bit. Yeah, I guess it is that obvious. The Metropolitan have their own actors that have to take the lead in every show. Didn't leave much room for me and Gar."
"Pity. I thought you both performed excellently."
Eva stopped digging. "You saw it?"
"Opening night. Prospero has a lot of respect for young Scott. He did the best he could to make sure the house was full."
Eva finished clearing the snow and threaded on it experimentally. It was passable. "Scott's one of the best. Anyway, yes. I got very upset with Scott. It wasn't his fault, he had to do what was best for the theatre - and the company. I was very harsh towards him."
"Nothing you cannot undo I trust."
"I hope not. I've been an idiot before and he's always forgiven me."
"That's what friends are for."
"Yeah. I've got some good ones. Vlad has put up with so much from me too. But then I put up with him."
They got around the worst of the snow and were leading the horses back towards the path. "He has grown into a fine man. His mother is very proud."
Eva grinned. "Taria's great. They all are. I see why Vlad used to look forward so much to coming home every Autumn back when he did."
Moskva smiled. "Funny. Taria said to me she understood why he was always so eager for the Summer again."
Eva was about to question her when Moskva stopped in her tracks and put a hand in front of Eva to stop and silence her. Eva stopped where she was. She whispered. "What is it?"
"I don't know. Could be trouble."
"You're kidding. We've come this far and now..."
"Shush! Be quiet." Moskva listened. Eva couldn't hear a thing. "There's four or five people around that next bend."
"Ambush?"
Moskva shook her head. "I don't think so. Eva come here." Just as she said it three people came running at them from around the hill. "Eva give me your hand now!"
Eva found herself obeying before she had time to think. Her hand was grabbed by Moskva's. "Wait, I can..." Before she finished the sentence a ring was slipped onto her finger. The last thing she heard was the word 'home'.
Moskva stood alone and drew her sword. Her attackers were fast approaching. It was going to be a short and easy battle but the last thing she needed was to have to watch Eva's back as well. Boris' ring had come in handy after all. She smiled. One of them dropped to his knees while the others kept running. When they were close enough the older of the two spoke.
"Moskva Koranov, this is the end."
He charged at her with his staff, she used her cane to block him. "I doubt it somehow. Nothing is ever that simple." The younger joined in and she fought them both easily, almost effortlessly. It was only then she noticed a couple more walking from the hills, and another couple. The one who looked like the leader stood up from his knees and smiled.
The first thing she noticed was her cane didn't hit the way it should have... but she felt the vibration through her hands, it was the sound that was wrong. The snow wasn't crunching beneath her, or anyone elses feet. A staff went hard into her hip. She hadn't even heard him... that was it. She couldn't hear a thing. She tried to speak but though her lips moved, no sound came out. They couldn't have... could they have deafened her? She cursed to herself. As if blind wasn't enough. There was another hit. Then she got mad.
Her sword lashed out. She could still see and she could still feel their closeness. There would have been a scream from one of them as her blade slipped into his gut. At least that felt right. The others had arrived but they were a little more wary now. She swung around and sliced into the arm of another. His mouth yelped as he gripped where he was bleeding. There were five of them now, plus the one who watched from a distance apart. His arms were now opened wide to the sky as he looked like he was chanting. The last of them was turning the snow a rich shade of dark grey. She could paint in the red herself later. "Damn bloody clerics. What does it take to get rid of you?"
She couldn't hear her own words and if they did answer her, she couldn't hear that either. Although there was little communication between them too. A few signals but no words... if it was an area that was effected all she had to do was find the edge and get out. She fought harder with sword and cane knocking another one to the ground. That was when the old one looked at her. He was looking straight at her and he smiled. It was the last she saw. Everything else was swallowed up by the light. It was horrible, piercing, burning light. She tore the pendant from her neck. The pain stopped but now she was in darkness. Darkness and silence. This was not good.
Moskva's office came into existence around her. Eva looked around quickly to get her bearings. "Moskva? Moskva please tell me you're here..." She was alone. "Don't do this..." She looked at the ring pushed onto her finger. "Oh shit." She tore out of the office past Rosie and around to Tania's. She didn't even knock.
Tania stood up, pushing Sofie behind her reflexively. She saw it was Eva and lowered her hand. "Eva, what do you think you're doing? Why are you... where's..."
"Clerics! They came, she sent me back. I couldn't stop her!"
"Where?!"
"Scotch Breech!"
Boris sat bolt upright and cursed.
Moskva lashed out. She didn't know where they were but they sure weren't getting anywhere close. She tried to speak the words that would bring her other sword to her hand but nothing happened. Occasionally she would feel a flutter of breeze by her ear and lash at it, but her sword would hit nothing. A snowflake would land on her skin and the same thing would happen again. She knew they were there, circling her, staying just out of reach, tiring her out. With any luck she could hold on long enough for Eva to get help. She hoped Tania was in the office today. There was a hard blow to the middle of her back. She fell to her knees.
"Sofie, go into your father."
"But Mama..."
"NOW!" Sofie ran. Tania could apologise to her later but right now she grabbed Eva by the shoulders. "Tell me. Tell me everything that happened."
"We have to get there. Have to help her. We just got round a snow drift. She somehow knew they were there and then they came running at us. I didn't know what she was going to do! She gave me this ring." Eva pulled it off her finger and gave it to Tania who looked at it for a second.
"Teleport spell. Boris gave it to her."
"What are we going to do?"
"Get up there to help."
"Great, let's go!"
Tania grabbed her arm tight. "It's not that simple. You have to help me find where or I could get us both killed."
"But we don't have time..."
"We have to. She'll just have to hold on."
Moskva swung the sword over her head. It sliced into something, but not as deep as she would have liked. When she swung again there was nothing there but an incredible pain shooting up her back. She tried to stand. The second she did her legs were pulled out from under her. She landed back down in the snow. Another slash with the sword was met with a blow to the side of her head. Not before it sunk into flesh. There was a kick to her stomach. It was an odd sensation. For the briefest moment with the pain in her stomach as she doubled over and the dizziness in her head all she could think was one thought. Leyna. And suddenly it filled her head. There was another hit, and another, but she had stopped noticing. The sword was torn from her hand. The side of her face was wet. It could only have been blood but it felt like tears. Leyna. Leyna was waiting for her.
Caliban was white faced as he stuck his head through the door. "Tania... Sofie said..."
Tania turned around. "Not now. Moskva's in trouble. Just find Markus for me."
Caliban nodded and left. Eva hit the crystal ball in frustration. "I can't do this!"
"Alright. Just calm down. You have to relax. Concentrate."
Rowen stumbled back out of the circle. Blood was pouring from his leg leaving a trail in the snow around him. He looked in shock. Two of them were dead and another three including him injured. She couldn't see and she couldn't hear but still she fought. It was almost over now. Her body was bent and broken as more and more blows rained down on her but still she didn't so much as scream. He wouldn't have heard it even if she did, but he was watching her face. It was almost peaceful. His father gripped his shoulder and pointed to his wound when he had his attention. He mouthed the words "Get a bandage on that." Then he drew his ceremonial dagger and walked into the circle. The others cleared his path. Rowen covered his mouth. Somehow none of this was quite how he had imagined. He pushed the doubt aside hurriedly lest their master see it in him. This was something that needed to be done.
None of them heard the howl. Not until a flash of energy zoomed around them and brought everything back. They heard the howl then and looked as one to the black figure charging towards them. Rowen shouted to his father.
"Father, it's him!"
His father glared across before muttering the words of a prayer. It had no effect. Rowen tried to do the same. Nothing. When he took a few steps backwards he felt again the power of his faith as it washed over him protectively. The others had since backed away from Moskva who lay unmoving in a red patch of snow. They were gathering behind the elder who was ushering them back.
Boris stopped when he saw Moskva. The fury inside him boiled more than he had felt it do in a long time. He had stopped just short of the area where no magic would work and stretched out his hand. Once satisfied, he transformed into a bat and flew over. He appeared before the clerics and seized one by the throat.
"You will pay for this. Every one of you."
Rowen was frozen to the spot. The cleric in Boris' grip had long been a friend of his and now his face was whitening in fright. More than fright. The very life was draining from him. What was dropped to the ground was nothing more than a shell. The others all stepped back. That was when Rowen saw it. The dead. They were moving.
"Father, behind you!"
They turned around in time to see the zombies claw at the closest cleric. He screamed as his left eye came out with the rest of that side of his face. The elder bellowed some words, holding his symbol out, and they both fell into a heap of dust. When he turned around a line of four Boris's stood with their arms folded. He held out his symbol first at one, then the other, and along not sure where to stop. All of them spoke together, though they found it necessary to take a step or two back.
"Alphaks. You had to make it worse for yourself."
The elder shouted his words again. One of the images flickered and died. The other three shrugged. "That was your one shot."
"It's a stand off Gorevitch-Woszlany. You can't come any closer."
"Don't bet on it."
In an instant he was gone. The elder swirled around, symbol out. His eyes searched for where Boris would reappear. There was a tap on his shoulder before his arm was gripped and his elbow twisted. The symbol fell to the ground and Boris seized his throat. The other two ran, clutching onto one another. A blast of lightning followed them and they tumbled into the snow drift. Rowen screamed.
"Noooo!!!!!"
He started running.
There were snakes around Boris' feet. He trampled on them paying no attention. The body in his grip was going whiter. A hand shot out and Rowen slipped in the snow.
"You I'll deal with in a minute."
He tried to crawl forward, with his symbol in his hands always in front of him but the snow seemed deeper somehow.
"And you. Tell Alphaks when you see him that if a war is what he wants..." He dropped the corpse from his hand and shrugged. "Too late." He turned around slowly to Rowen.
Moskva hurt all over. Every part of her was screaming in pain. She groaned. Then she froze. Experimentally she vocalised again. Was she imagining it or could she hear it? Either way it was getting hard to breathe. The snow was warm beneath her cheek and it smelt of blood. She wanted to think about Leyna again. It was safer. Nicer. A voice drifted across the wind to her. "Too late." She tried to pull herself up and hissed as her arm buckled most painfully from under her. It was out of place. So instead she tried to call.
"Boris?"
Boris froze. He turned around to see Moskva moving slightly. He glared at Rowen. "I suggest running." Rowen didn't wait to be told twice. Boris went to Moskva's side.
"Moskva. What are you doing here? Where's the ring?"
"Don't... have it. Gave it... Eva. How did you..." She tried again to sit up. He went down to his knees.
"Don't try to move. I added an extra warning. You should have teleported out and I would be called to where you had been. You were not supposed to still be here. You really did it this time, Koranov."
"There were too many. I was deaf."
"They knew what they were doing. Dammit Moskva..."
She half smiled. "I'm sorry. I think our arrangement... is over."
Suddenly he was holding her. "Don't do this. Glantri still needs you."
"Glantri has never been better. My work is long done and sooner or later... it's time to go. I promised once... that should I fall... another will take my place. And another. And another. Glantri will be fine. But I won't. I'm not coming back this time."
"No. I can't... there is a way."
Her mouth dropped. She gripped his arm. It was surprising the strength she still had in it. "No! There isn't. Don't even think it. The law is the law and must not be broken."
"And you are the proof that some laws can and should be."
"Not this one! Promise me!"
"Moskva..."
"Boris."
"I can't do nothing, Moskva."
"Then do something. Take me home. My Gregori... he'll be worried."
"Damn you." He lifted her into his arms, walked a few feet, then both of them vanished.
"Got it! There!" Tania leaned over her shoulder and looked. The two horses were waiting patiently where Moskva had left them. Tania patted her shoulder.
"Well done. I'd rather you stayed here but I don't have time to argue so if you're coming, stay close."
"I'm coming with you."
"Alright. Let's go." They both disappeared from the office. Seconds later Markus and Caliban came running in.
Eva didn't even notice the cold this time. She ran to the horses. They seemed fine. They were back on the Boldavia side of the snow drift. Tania was beside her.
"Where's Moskva?"
Eva pointed. "We were through there when we saw them."
Tania was already floating over the drift. Eva followed. She covered her mouth when she saw what was waiting on the other side. The splashes of red were hard to miss amongst all the white. Four bodies lay scattered. The wind was whipping up a couple of piles of dust. Moskva was nowhere to be seen. Tania hurried over and rolled a body over. It stared back at her blankly.
"What is it, Tania?"
She bent down and pulled a symbol from it's cloak. "Clerics. I'm not sure but I think it's Alphaks."
"But what happened to it?" Eva had never seen a face so shallow and eyes so void before.
"Vampire. Do you still have that ring?"
"Yes." She gave the ring to Tania.
"Boris was here. He must have set it up to alert him. He would have brought Moskva back to the city. She's probably alright..." Tania turned around to Eva but she was walking towards the biggest pool of blood a short distance away.
Eva felt the drain as soon as she stepped into the area. It wasn't as bad as the days without magic but there was a heavy oppressiveness there all the same and that feeling of helplessness... She knelt down in the centre beside the pool. Tania was soon by her side. She looked up at her.
"There's too much blood here, Tania."
"It doesn't mean..."
Eva saw a glint under the red snow. She pulled up Moskva's cane. "Doesn't it?"
Tania grabbed it from her hands. "No. No it doesn't. That can't happen. Boris came, you saw what he did... he brought her to safety. She's alright." She saw the sword also almost buried a short distance away. Eva wandered toward the mountains on one side. She stopped and picked something up. Tania ran over and took it from her. She closed her eyes. Nothing. She walked until outside the no magic area and closed them again. She yelped and dropped it into the snow.
"What is it?" Eva ran over.
Tania picked it up again and pushed it carefully into her pocket. "They cast light onto her pendant. It's useless now." They both turned as one of the bodies turned over and groaned. They ran.
He had been blasted by a lightning bolt it seemed but wasn't quite dead yet. Tania's foot was on his throat.
"Start talking or I finish you off now."
He sneered. "You're another one... of them. Koranov." He spat the name out. Her foot leaned harder against his windpipe.
"You value your pathetic life, talk."
"Alright! Gorevitch - the younger one. He was here."
She folded her arms. "Something I don't know please. Like why."
"One act with two purposes. For the glory of Alphaks. Remove his support and destroy an obstacle. She had to die. And good riddance."
Tania smiled but there was nothing sweet about it. "Thank you. But now it's your turn to die."
His eyes widened. "But you said... if I told you... you can't! It's not just..."
Tania grinned back down at him. "Common mistake. Thinking all Koranovs are the same. Moskva might have let you live." She shook her head. "But I won't." With that her foot came down hard. His mouth sputtered blood and his eyes glazed over. He was dead. Tania turned around to Eva who was backing away.
"Come on. We're going back."
"You killed..."
"Yes. Is that a problem?"
Eva shook her head hastily. "No. Going home. I'm all for that."
"Then let's go."
Sula was in the kitchen fetching water for the smithy when the pounding started on the front door. She furrowed her brow and went through the front room to open it. "Keep your shirt on. I'm coming." She opened it and took several steps back. It took a second or two for reality to reassert itself and another couple for her voice. She yelled.
"FATHER!"
Boris didn't say a word, just waited as Gregori and Toby came running up the stairs from the smithy. He came in from the kitchen. "Sula, what is it? Are you al... right." He shook his head, "No. Not again...", then ran the rest of the way between him and Boris. He took Moskva out of his arms and knelt to the floor with her trying hard not to notice how her body bent in all the wrong places. He tapped her cheek, instantly going about cleaning the blood from her face with a corner of his shirt.
"Moskva. Moskva please speak to me."
She gasped and her fingers fluttered, grabbing onto his hand. "Gregori... you're here."
"Always. What happened?" He looked up at Boris for an answer but his face remained expressionless.
"You were right. You always told me. One day. It would happen."
"You're hurt. We need to get you some help." He looked up at Toby who nodded instantly.
"No." Moskva tried to shake her head. She barely managed a wobble. "Not this time. Too late. Just Markus."
Toby looked at his father. He nodded. "Get Markus here now."
Sula shook herself. "I'll come with you." They both ran past Boris out of the house.
"Don't do this to me Moskva, please. You know I can't... don't leave me when I just got you back."
"I'm sorry. I'm not going to make it this time."
"You will! You have to! That's the rule! I tell you to stay with me, to hang on, and you do!"
"My sweet Gregori... my love... not this time. Not this time."
"I still need you. Glantri still needs you. Why did you have to go? You knew..."
"It's who I am."
"It was never enough to just be my wife, was it? You had to be a hero. Had to change the world, save Glantri. And I loved you all the more for it."
"They all warned you I was trouble."
"You were that. Please. I'm not ready to have a life without trouble."
"You're my strength. Everything I was came from you. And you're my husband. I can never leave you. Not even in death."
He hugged her tight at the sound of the word he didn't want to hear. "No. Please Moskva. You can fight this."
"I'm tired of fighting, Gregori. My fighting is done. I rebuilt Glantri and I even rebuilt my family. I'm done now. I'm tired. Let me go."
"I can't. I don't want to."
"You have to my love. Look at me. I'm dying. Nothing can stop it this time."
"There has to be a way..."
"The only way is to let me go. Then you'll know. You'll always know where I am. No more worrying."
"I want to worry. I like worrying about you."
She managed to raise her arm enough to put a finger to his lips. He quietened.
"I love you. Always. There are only a small number of things that will never change. That is one."
"I don't want you to die."
She wiped his eyes. "And I don't want to leave you. But I'll be here. Markus... and Erik and Oskar. And little Moskva. Don't let our granddaughter's name make you cry. Promise me."
He nodded. "I promise. She'll make me laugh and remember the best thing that ever happened to my life. And I'll be there for her. I'll try in vain to keep her out of trouble."
"Just don't forget... she's a different person. Don't ever let her think she has to be me. Tell Markus." Gregori looked up. "You can tell him yourself."
Markus ran through Little Boldavia with Sula and Toby close behind him. He had been heading that way anyway when they met him while Caliban waited in the office. He barely noticed Boris watching silently from the door as he tore into the room.
"Mama?" He fell down beside his parents. "Mama... no."
She took his hand. "My son. You're a fine man. Be good and take care of your family better than I did. Be careful of the footsteps you choose."
"Don't talk like that. Did someone get a healer? What happened?"
"I was wrong. I couldn't handle it. I'm sorry to leave you again but this time..."
"Mama..."
"I'm not coming back Markus. It's your city now. Take care of it and don't ever try to do it alone. You have the business. You and Tania. And Caliban... he knows what to do."
"You can't die like this. There's still so much..."
She was shaking her head. "My time is almost over. But yours... your children ... it's all ahead. You know I've always loved you, don't you?"
"Yes Mama. You told me before. I don't know if I can do it by myself."
"You can't. Not by yourself. It took me too long to learn that and it cost me so much. Please don't make the same mistakes. You will make some, but if you learn and teach your children from them... you'll work it out. I love you."
"I know Mama. I love you too."
Her breath was getting horribly shallow. Her had reached back for Gregori's. "Gregori? Where are you?"
"Still here my love. Still holding you."
"Good. I'm so tired."
He could barely speak through his tears. "Then sleep. I'll be right here with you." He rocked her gently.
"Then it will be alright. Mourn and move on. You made me do it once. Now promise you'll do it for me."
"I will. I don't want to but I will." He kissed her hand and the wedding ring on her finger. "I love you."
Her body shook. "And I you. So this is it. Our last dance."
"Not the last, my Moskva. I'll see you again."
"Not too soon my love. In time enough."
She squeezed his hand and he held her tighter, closer. Only when he felt her grip loosen did he dare look again.
"Papa?"
He looked at Markus. It said it all.
Boris watched for just a moment longer as Markus and Gregori held onto one another and Moskva's body. The crying was already starting as Sula hid her face and her tears in Toby's shoulder. There was a commotion outside as Tania, Caliban, and Eva came running toward the house. They stopped when they saw him. Boris just shook his head and walked away.
Caliban was about to call after Boris when Tania's hand was upon his shoulder. "Let him go." She shook her head and walked slowly into the house. There were some things she wanted to put off for as long as possible... seeing that look on Gregori's face was one of them. Her hand flinched and suddenly was enclosed in Caliban's. He pulled her towards him.
Markus was the first to notice them. He looked up at her. "Tania... what happened?"
"It was clerics, Markus. Clerics of Alphaks. They were waiting for her in the Scotch Breech."
Eva came around from behind Tania and Caliban. "They came from nowhere. I'm sorry Markus..."
"You." He stood up. "You were supposed to be taking care of her!"
"I'm sorry, she sent me home, I couldn't stop her!"
"That's great. So you're here safe and sound while my mother is..." He couldn't bring himself to say the word. He just looked back and pointed to where Gregori was still clinging onto her as if it could somehow bring her back.
Eva stammered. "I didn't..."
"GET OUT! You have no right to be here!"
"But.."
"NOW!" He started towards her but his arm was grabbed by Caliban before he got close. Sula was soon at his other side.
"Markus, take it easy."
"I want her out of here..."
Tania turned around to Eva. "You should go."
"But I didn't mean..."
"Later. Look, find Vlad will you? Just don't be here."
Markus was now hugging Sula tight. Eva turned around and fled.
It was dark by the time she reached the school. She hoped Vlad was still inside, the last thing she wanted was to have to search the city for him and the very last place she wanted to look was the Underground. Moskva was too much part of that place and she certainly didn't want to be the one to tell them. She pulled open the large double doors and ran inside. The labs - she ran for the stairs, barely noticing the tiredness in her legs as she ran up to the fourth floor. She pushed open the door to the lab. A bunch of students and their teacher turned around to look at who was being so rude as to interrupt, but no Vlad. She ran back out without hearing what was called after her. The next two labs produced the same results. She was about to head for the library when footsteps came from the other direction in the corridor. She ran straight into Getigin.
"Telari! Where are you running too? When did you get back?"
"Vlad! Have you seen him? I need to find him!"
Getigin grabbed her shoulder as she tried to rush by and levelled a look into her eyes.
"Something is wrong, isn't it? What happened?"
She tried to wriggle out of his grasp but he was holding her tight. "Please. I have to find him. It's Moskva. She's dead. Let me go."
Getigin was stunned. His hand opened and the second she was released, Eva darted down the corridor and away from him. Getigin just stood.
She came to the library and rushed in. Immediately the librarian was on his feet demanding that she be quiet. She paid him no attention but quickly scanned the desks. No Vlad but Eli was hunched over a book. She went over to her.
"Eli... Vlad. Have you see him."
"Eva, hi. When did you get back? You look out of breath.... Is everything alright?"
Eva shook her head. "No. Where is he?"
Eli pointed to the shelves. "Forensics section..."
She ran. Eli closed her book and followed her.
Vlad heard the commotion from where he was studying the book spines along the shelf. He shook his head. There was always someone incapable of being quiet in the library. Was it really too much to ask...
"Vlad! Thank Rad."
Eva came barrelling into him. "Vlad... oh... how am I supposed to tell you this..."
"Eva?" He took her by the shoulders. "Eva what's wrong? Did something happen?"
She nodded. "Yes."
Vlad covered his mouth. "No. It's Moskva isn't it?"
"I'm sorry Vlad. I know I was supposed to be watching her... I couldn't do anything..."
"Where is she, Eva? What happened to her?"
Eli came around just with a few other curious students poking their heads into the stacks just in time to hear Eva answer.
"She's dead, Vlad. Moskva's dead."
He took her into his arms.
Beckett walked up the steps slowly. It had been a long time since he was last here, over a year. It seemed like only yesterday. So much so that when he reached the door he went to get the key... the one he threw back at her in an uncharacteristic rage last year. He knocked.
Footsteps came from inside and the door was opened by the all too familiar colours of the Glantri constabulary. He nodded.
"Clarence. Hi. Is Eva here? Is she okay?"
Clarence opened the door fully. "She is here, as for your other question... you heard?"
"It's all over the school." He stepped inside and saw her. She was curled up on her bed with Vlad sitting beside her and both of them holding onto one another. Eli was there too sitting near them but not touching.
"Yeah, I was tagging along with a patrol near the Court of Miracles when we heard the commotion from Little Boldavia. It must be all over the city by now. Caliban went off to tell Mayor Reilly."
"So it's true." Beckett went over to the bed and sat on the edge. He tapped Eva's shoulder. "Eva."
"Beckett!" Her arms went straight around his neck without a second thought. He hugged her close and kissed the top of her head. "It's alright Ba... Eva. It's going to be alright."
She didn't say anything in reply, just held on. He looked over her shoulder to Vlad. "Vlad, I'm so sorry. Have you been home yet?"
Vlad shook his head then indicated with his eyes towards Eva. "Not yet. I couldn't..."
"Go on. You should be with your family. We'll stay with her." He glanced at Clarence and Eli who both nodded. Clarence came over and stroked Eva's arm.
"He's right. They were all in Little Boldavia when I was there. Tania's there. She knows what happened, I think she saw something. Anyway you should go."
Vlad nodded and stood up. "I have to sooner or later I suppose. I have to see her."
Eli patted his arm. "I could come with you..."
He shook his head. "No. Stay with Eva. I'll be alright..." He brushed some of Eva's hair away so he could see her face. She lifted it from Beckett's shoulder long enough to look at him.
"Vlad... I would have tried... I didn't know she was going to do that!"
"I know. I know it's not your fault. Try not to worry, okay?"
Her head just fell back into Beckett. Vlad looked at her a moment longer before turning around. He had to leave. Now.
Day Without Magic, 28 Kaldmont 1013
No one was quite sure why they were there but a crowd had gathered in Alexander Platz. They asked one another what was happening, what had been arranged, but no one knew. They all saw the same crowd and assumed something would happen. Something had to happen. Someone had to say the words. Everyone knew but until those words were said, there was still a chance.
Ernie looked out the window of his office. He saw the people waiting but to think of going out to them... he came away from the window. Sharastra sat watching him over steepled fingers.
"Someone has to go out there, Reilly."
"I know."
"I realise you were close to her. If you can't handle it I can go."
"No." He wasn't really sure what Moskva would want but there were one or two things he knew she wouldn't. "I'll go. Just give me a moment."
Sharastra sighed. "Don't be too long. We don't want anything starting down there. Not today." She got up and walked out.
Ernie couldn't be sure, but even Sharastra seemed a little disheartened today. He walked over to his book shelf and took down a leather bound volume. In the inside cover was a folded sheet of paper, one he hadn't looked at in years. Not since the last time. He opened it now and started to read. He didn't get very far before the tears started in his eyes. Not a word of it had changed, and he remembered every one, but somehow her letter seemed to pierce through him again as sharply as before and with a whole new different pain. He folded it back and put it away again, stopping once more at the window.
"The day without magic. You always did have a twisted sense of timing, Moskva." He pulled on his official robes and left the office.
Eva ran down the stairs with Beckett close behind her calling after her. "Eva wait! Where are you going?"
"You heard Clarence. There's something happening in the Platz. Were you not going to tell me?"
"You were sleeping, I didn't want to wake you. He said nothing was supposed to happen there, there's just people. He and Eli have gone to check it out. You should stay here, get some more sleep. You're exhausted!"
She opened the bottom door and went out into the air. It was just starting to rain. "I need to know. You don't know what it was like... I could have helped you know!"
He caught up with her. "I know. Alright, but I'm coming with you."
She stopped for a moment and half smiled. "Thank you Beckett. In case I forget to say it to you later. I know this can't be easy for you."
"None of that matters right now, Eva. It's more important that you're okay. Come on. Let's go."
Suzanna joined Markus at the window where he stood watching with his daughter in his arms. The rain was coming down heavier now. She touched his shoulder then smiled at Moskva brushing her blonde curls back with her hand. "What's happening?"
He pointed to the Platz. "I don't know. I guess there'll have to be an announcement. Everyone is expecting it. Where are the boys?"
"Having breakfast. I don't think they fully understand what's happening."
"No? Well neither do I."
"Markus..."
"This wasn't supposed to happen. Not for years anyway. She was supposed to see the kids grow up first."
Suzanna didn't say anything, just put her arm around him. He stayed still for a while, then finally kissed her head.
"Thank you. I should go. See what they have to say."
"I'll come with you. Rosie said she'd mind the kids. Vlad brought Corran and Sofie over. Tania and Caliban have gone back to the smithy to work out what messages to send."
He nodded. "Good. Where's Vlad now?"
"Downstairs with them. Sofie's very upset."
"Alright. Let's go."
Little Moskva spoke up. "Where we going?"
"I have to go out my love."
"Wanna come with you."
Suzanna stroked her head. "You have to stay here with your brothers, honey."
Markus shook her head. "It's okay. Let her come. I... might need reminding." He attempted a smile. Suzanna nodded.
"Alright. I'll get Rosie to bring the others up." She went out and down the stairs. Markus watched for a moment longer before he followed.
Ernie barely noticed that his robes were getting wet. All he could do was go over again and again in his mind what he was going to say. How could he do it? How could he tell the city that Moskva Koranov was... dead. He had to get used to saying that word. Dead dead dead dead dead. It still didn't seem real. He crossed the bridge with his entourage following silently behind him and came to the edge of the Platz. Someone spotted him, nudged their companions and pointed. Soon it spread over the whole crowd as one by one they fell silent. A path was cleared for him toward the top. He gulped. Where was Etienne d'Ambreville when you needed him?
Eva and Beckett found Clarence and Eli and waited with them. Mayor Reilly walked right by them.
Markus, Suzanna, and Vlad walked into the Platz. Little Moskva was craning her neck around desperately to see everything that was going on. She pulled at a short length of her father's hair. "Papa? Why is everyone so sad?"
His face paled as he looked at her. How was he supposed to tell her? He looked at Suzanna who shrugged. She had no more of an idea. He shuffled her around in his arms so he could see her eyes. The same eyes. He smiled at her briefly and tried to explain. "Because something bad happened, Moskva. The clerics, they hurt someone very special - to all of us."
"Don't like clewics. Can Grandma fix them?"
Markus hugged her tight. "Not this time, love. She can't."
She pushed herself back up. "Why not?"
He gulped. "Because she's dead. That means she's gone and she won't ever be coming back."
Moskva's eyes widened with horror. "Not ever?"
"I'm afraid not." He hugged her again but she wriggled until he held her out again. She was shaking her head.
"But I don't want her to go!"
Suzanna stepped in at that point and took the child from his arms. "We don't either, love. But sometimes people have to go, whether we want them to or not."
"Are you going to go?"
Suzanna hugged her and rubbed the back of her head gently rocking her slightly and speaking soothingly. "Not for a very very long time, Okay?" The child nodded and held onto her just as the hush reached them. Ernie had reached his destination and was ready to speak.
"Ladies, Gentlemen, Good citizens of Glantri. Today brings with it some terrible news that I wish I did not have to give you. As most of you no doubt know, yesterday on Alexander Day, Glantri lost one of its finest citizens. A woman that fought valiantly for justice in all she did as a constable, magistrate, and as the Shadow Thief. In many other ways too. We all enjoy a better Glantri for the sacrifices of Moskva Koranov. On the last day of her life she died fighting for our city and its continued safety and prosperity. The exact details surround her death are not yet clear but assurances have been made that all those responsible for the taking of such a noble life did not survive. Everything she did was for this country, but if any one thing was more important to her, it was her family. I'm sure we all join them now in their grief. For them it is even more tragic a loss." He paused for a moment to pull his thoughts together. Why was this so hard? He had made speeches in public so many times before, yet this time... the words just wouldn't come. It was everything he could do to mumble out the few thoughts that needed to be said. "The firelight procession will begin from Little Boldavia at sundown. Everyone is welcome to join and pay their last respects." He needed to get out of there now. Time to finish. "This is the twelfth year to end with a day of no magic. I speak in certainty only for myself but perhaps you may share the sentiment - never has the loss been felt more than it is today."
He stepped down quickly before anyone could see the tears swelling. Everyone remained silent.
Beckett shivered. "I never even noticed. That the magic was gone."
"I did." Eli coughed. "But I know what you mean."
"Yeah. I hate to run, but I should probably go. They'll need everyone they can get today at the Tower."
Beckett nodded to Clarence. "It's okay. Go. Must be bad around there, her being an ex-constable and all."
"Yeah. It wasn't fun when I checked in this morning. I saw your father. He was looking for you so I told him where you were."
Beckett grinned. "That must have surprised him."
"Actually yes. I think it did. But he understood. Anyway..."
"Yeah. See you later."
Clarence stopped long enough to hug Eva then ran off after a constable he recognised. Eli was looking around the crowds. She pointed.
"Hey, is that Vlad over there?"
Beckett stood on his toes. "Yeah. With Markus."
"It must be tough on them. Bad enough to lose someone without the whole city watching over their shoulder." Eli shrugged. "I don't know if I'd like that."
"The price of being a hero I suppose. It must be reassuring though, that so many people care. She really did do something in her life for this many people to notice she's gone."
"Maybe you're right. Do you remember Prince La Mancha? Saves the country again and again and is ushered out with just a statue to mark his presence. And everyone went back about their lives."
"They will here too, Eli. Give it a week and Glantri will be back to normal as if nothing happened."
"I know. And it's good that it does, but at least people stopped for just a second. People don't stop very much anymore."
Beckett shrugged. "That's the way it is. You have to keep moving or you die where you stand." He spoke more quietly, a thought suddenly striking him. "Have to get over the loss no matter how hard..." He turned around, then stopped. "Eli? Where's Eva?"
Eli turned around. Their friend was gone. She scanned back through the crowds then pointed. "There. She's moving towards Vlad."
Eva pushed her way through the crowds. She had to get to them, had to explain. There were puddles on the ground now and she walked right through them paying as little