Sara Douglass – The Axis Trilogy 2 – Enchanter

Azhure crept around the edge of the circle of watching warriors until a gap appeared in the tightly packed bodies. She shouldered her way through.

EvenSong was battling with a soldier from Arne’s unit, a brawny, ginger-haired, experienced campaigner from Aldeni called Edowes. The Acharite soldiers had quickly learned that the female members of the Icarii Strike Force were just as determined as the male. Now, as the two grappled in the centre of the circle, it was obvious that Edowes was giving no quarter.

Ever since SpikeFeather had shamed her in front of Azhure and the other members of her Wing, EvenSong had put all her efforts into becoming an asset to the Strike Force. Today was the first time she felt she had a good chance of besting her practice partner, but the actual “kill” was proving frustratingly difficult.

Azhure glanced about the circle. Arne stood to one side, his arms folded, his posture relaxed, his emotions hidden behind his usual expressionless mask. Only the jerky movements of the twig he was chewing showed he felt any concern about the outcome of this bout. A few paces from him stood SpikeFeather TrueSong, commander of Even-Song’s Wing. His wings were held tense and tight against his back, and his fingers convulsively flexed at his side, as if he wanted to leap into the ring and help EvenSong.

EvenSong and Edowes both wore light armour, but both had collected more than their fair share of bruises during the bout. Suddenly EvenSong grunted and fell to her knees, caught by a particularly heavy blow to the ribs by Edowes, her stave slipping from her fingers. Azhure s stomach twisted, and she only just managed to stop herself from leaping forward and pulling Edowes back.

Edowes raised his stave to shoulder height for the final blow. But he had badly misjudged his opponent. EvenSong’s fingers tightened and shifted on the stave and, her face twisting with determination, she brought the stave upwards with all her might. Straight between Edowes’ legs.

Every male within the circle of watchers whimpered in sympathy as they heard the sickening crunch. Edowes howled, dropping his stave and falling to the ground, clutching at his abused manhood.

Azhure clapped to her mouth to hide her grin, and her eyes met those of a jubilant EvenSong. The Icarii wqman’s eyes glittered with pride, and she did not look the least bit sorry that she had destroyed Edowes’ hopes of enjoying the young Skarabost woman he had been courting for several weeks to come.

SpikeFeather slapped EvenSong on the back before offering her his hand. “I am heartily glad you never thought of that manoeuvre while practising with me, EvenSong,” he laughed. He turned to Arne. “You owe me a jug of Reinalds spiced wine, I believe, Arne. I look forward to enjoying it with my evening meal.”

As the watchers gradually dissipated, Azhure and Even-Song walked slowly across the practice field bordering the Lake of Life. The Keep glistened silvery grey in the sun, for the warmth of the Lake of Life kept Sigholt and its immediate environs free of Gorgrael’s clouds.

“Well done,” Azhure congratulated EvenSong. “Did you notice how all the men blanched as you struck home?”

EvenSong laughed breathlessly, still winded after her exertions. “I hope I have not wounded him permanently.”

“Oh, I am sure he will recover to father his share of children,” Azhure said lightly. Azhure was now well into her pregnancy and her abdomen protruded gently beneath her tunic. Belial had forbidden her to take part in hand-to-hand combat sessions, although Azhure still trained with her archers – six squads now, over two hundred men – and occasionally went out on patrol. She had returned only last night from leading a four-day patrol into the northern Urqhart Hills. Azhure was well respected among both Icarii and Acharites, and only rarely was her womanhood or her pregnancy commented upon.

As Azhure lapsed into silence, EvenSong sensed there was something troubling her and slid her arm about Azhure’s shoulders. “What is it?” she asked.

Azhure took a deep and shaky breath, placing both her hands over her belly. “The baby has hardly moved, EvenSong.

Sometimes I lie a-bed at night and all I feel is this weight in my belly, and I wonder if the baby is still alive. I should have felt it move weeks ago.”

“You are a silly!” EvenSong laughed, relieved. “If you had asked either Rivkah or myself we could have told you what the problem is.”

Azhure stopped. “You know what’s wrong?”

“Azhure. The child you carry is part Icarii. All Icarii babes sleep in the womb until their father awakens them. Azhure, your baby is perfectly all right – awake or not, it will grow and develop normally. Once Axis arrives he can awaken it. Apparently it is the most exquisite feeling, to feel the babe awaken at the sound of its father’s voice.”

Azhure s shoulders relaxed under EvenSong’s arm. “I was so worried,” she said, her voice cracking with emotion. “I thought that perhaps I had harmed it.” A frown creased her forehead again. “But already I am five months pregnant. When should Icarii fathers sing to their children? Is it too late? And what if Axis doesn’t arrive before it is born?”

“Azhure, calm down,” EvenSong said. “It is best that Axis be here for the baby’s birth. But it has been known for a baby to be born without being awakened by its father, and even then, the baby was perfectly normal.”

Azhure’s shoulders relaxed totally and she dropped her hands from her belly. Embarrassed by her show of vulnerability, she turned the conversation to combat and commands. “How are the Icarii coping with their quarters?” No-one had been too sure what the Icarii – used to the luxury of Talon Spike – would think of the tents they were housed in.

“The Icarii would sleep wrapped in their wings on the cold ground if they thought it was needed to win themselves Tencendor again,” EvenSong reassured her. “We are fine. Do not worry about us.”

The other worry Azhure, Belial and Magariz had harboured was the reception of the Icarii by the Skarabost villagers at Sigholt. But this had proved no problem at all. For the Acharites camped in tents and rudimentary huts about the shores of the Lake of Life, the arrival of the magical Icarii simply reinforced their belief that they had done the right thing in following the call of the Prophecy. Obviously the StarMan, if not actually here himself yet, would prove a hero of legend if these mythical creatures had left their mountain home to follow him. The teachings of the Seneschal seemed to be rapidly fading from their minds.

Dominating everyone’s thoughts was the anxious wait for Axis. Azhure, though sure she had made the right decision in refusing Belial s proposal, increasingly worried about what she could expect from Axis. She still sometimes had the lingering fear that he would take the baby from her and give it to Faraday. Although consciously she realised it was a groundless fear – Axis would never do such a thing – at night it sometimes caused her nightmares.

“Azhure!” EvenSong cried at her side. “Look! My father and grandmother arrive!”

Azhure squinted in the direction EvenSong pointed, but she could see nothing save some black spots in the clouds far to the north.

“Come,” EvenSong caught at Azhure’s arm and dragged her around the moat of Sigholt towards the bridge, “they’ll land on the roof. Come! Hurry!”

Magariz had been alerted to the Icarii arrival and now stood on the roof of the Keep. He heard a movement behind him and Rivkah stepped to his side. He smiled at her, delighted. He remembered how beautiful she had been as a teenager in Carlon. Then her hair was deep auburn, her face always mischievous, always alive with humour and love of life.

That had been before her father had arranged her marriage to Searlas, Duke of Ichtar, which had almost broken Rivkah s spirit. Still handsome more than thirty years on, Rivkah was more introspective. Her humour was still there, but more restrained. How strange, thought Magariz, that they should be here now in these circumstances.

Busy as both were, Magariz had not yet had a chance to speak to Rivkah privately since her arrival at Sigholt.

Now Rivkah noticed him looking at her. She reached out and touched his hand where it lay on the grey stonework.

Magariz turned his eyes back to the approaching Icarii. Among them would be Rivkah’s former husband, the man for whom she had betrayed Searlas.

“Did he ever know?” Magariz asked very quietly, so that the other Icarii waiting on the roof might not hear. He was not referring to StarDrifter but to Searlas, Rivkah’s previous husband.

“No,” Rivkah whispered. “No. He never suspected.”

Magariz’s hands relaxed on the stones. “I worried for you,” he said, and tears sprang to Rivkah’s eyes.