Shift, Chapter 2

1st Nuinch 4358

ARROZALE CELEBRATES ROYAL WEDDING

The Kingdom of Arrozale has begun celebrations today to mark the marriage of King Falos and Queen Vinthia. Festivities continue for a full month, including many restrictions on work and trading laws in the region. There are now hopes that the country can look forward to a time of peace and prosperity, following the series of tragedies in recent times…

… King Falos announced that to mark the occasion he would be lifting the ban on the possession of white livestock. White animals have long been considered a symbol of bad luck in the region and were banned nearly ten years ago. The news has been greeted by relief from many members of the agricultural community around the world…

King Penry threw the paper onto the table with the rest of the documents scattered there. Sitting back in his chair he allowed himself a small, self-satisfied smile. Raising his hand, he gave a casual click of the fingers. A powerfully built man stepped out of the shadows and stood by the Kings right shoulder.

“Highness?” he barked, his voice deep and clipped.

“Fetch the council.”

“M’Lord,” he said, bowing out of the room.

Penry sat up in his chair, steepled his fingers and closing his eyes, he assumed an expression of deep contemplation. He did not break this pose until the sound of hurrying footsteps died down and fell silent. Opening his eyes, he coldly surveyed the assembled Councillors, many of whom were breathless, but trying with a great deal of effort to breath as quietly as possible. He held the silence until some of them began to shift on their feet in discomfort.

“So,” he said at last. Another silence, this time even worse than before. He eventually continued, “So. I see our plans to unite my sister Vinthia and that simpleton Falos have come to fruition.” With an irritable gesture of his hand, he beckoned for the assembled Councillors to sit. Waiting for the sound of scraping chairs to quieten down, Penry clipped out the word they had all learnt to fear; “Report.”

***

“Have you heard the news?” Deleha excitedly asked Willan, who had just stepped into the living room.

“No, what is it?” he replied, his curiosity raised by her obvious enthusiasm.

“Arrozale has lifted the ban on white livestock! And the papers don’t say as much, but this means its likely that the King is going to lift further trading restrictions through the region over the coming months.” She beamed at him and handed him her copy of the national newspaper. He grabbed the paper off her, scanned over the headlines and turning, smiled broadly back at her.

“Well, it had to be seen to be believed!” he said and laughing, pulled her into a one-armed hug.

***

“So,” Penry said quietly, “I think it is clear what we have to do.” He surveyed the Councillors, most of whom felt uncomfortably certain that they did not see it clearly at all. An elderly Councillor stood up and cleared her throat.

“If Your Highness would be so generous as to clarify your exact orders for us,” she inclined her head as she spoke, her tones overwritten by cautious supplication. The other councillors gave an internal sigh of relief that someone had spoken and, what’s more, that it was someone other than themselves. Quietly surveying her, Penry pursed his lips.

“I would have thought it was obvious,” he replied in a dangerous tone. “Invite the new King and Queen here. We must have a diplomatic meeting. Invite them on some pretext,” he made a dismissive gesture, “something like a celebration of their wedding. You work out the details, but I want to see it done.” He looked around at the Councillors, who were all frozen in their places. “Well? What are you waiting for?” There was a sudden scramble as the assembled mass all stood and bowed their exit from the room as hastily as they could.

***

Deleha and Willan walked out of their house together and across the freshly re-laid yard. They passed through the gate on the far side and onto the construction site for their new stable block. Suddenly, an orang-utan swung across their path and landed in front of them with a soft flump. Quickly blurring his outline, the ape stretched up and out through his arms, eventually taking on the form of a man.

“How’re things going down here, Kale?” Deleha asked the man. He had short, coppery brown hair and a relaxed, if somewhat sleepy, expression.

“Things are getting on now, my Lady.” Deleha interrupted him with an embarrassed gesture.

“How many times have I told you Kale, I don’t like being called a Lady. Please call me Del.” She smiled at him and he smiled back sheepishly.

“Sorry Del, I do keep forgetting.”

“So do you think we’ll be able to finish the final quad before summer?” Willan asked the still slightly embarrassed man.

“I’d have thought so, Wil,” Kale replied, somewhat relieved to be changing the conversation.

“With all these extra labourers we should be able to fix things for late Naeon, at the very latest
early Detu.”

“So you think we are likely to have everything up and running before the competition in late Detu?” Willan asked eagerly.

“Well, certainly everything in this section is well on target for completion. I’m not sure how work on the Hunter Course is coming on. I spoke to Ginco earlier and she sounded a bit less optimistic. Apparently the water complex is causing some problems.”

“I’d better go and see her,” he replied, his brow furrowing in concern.

“Ok, Wil. I’ll update you on our progress later.” With that, Kale begun to Shift, his image blurring and shrinking back into the form of an orang-utan. Stretching up a long arm, he hooked his hand around a piece of construction scaffolding and easily swung up and away.

“Ok, well, I’d better go and see Ginco, are you coming?” Willan turned to ask Deleha.

“No, actually. I think I’d rather go down to East field and check on the horses.”

“Alright, well I’ll see you later.” With that he Shifted into a wolf and loped away through the construction site and out into the fields beyond.

Deleha turned and headed back the way she had come and cut across the yard towards a different field. Hopping over the style next to the gate, she paused and concentrated. Focusing on the outline of a horse, she gradually began to blur and expand her physical form. Her hands and feet stretching longer as her arms and legs contracted, her back straightening and stretching, following through into an arching neck and elongated face.

Shaking off the residual traces of human tingling along her veins, she stretched out and revelled in her new and marvellously physical form. The power within her body, the tremendous athleticism and the one burning desire to express it in the most natural way possible. To run. To run and run and run. Leaping into a half-rear she threw herself into a full out gallop, flying across the ground, absorbing the distance with ease. The still-human part of Deleha’s mind laughed joyfully at her total feeling of freedom.

***

Dearest Vinthia,

On this most special occasion of your wedding to the most honourable King of Arrozale, I wish to extend to both of you an invitation to visit me in your former home of Silvetera and to stay with me in the Imperial Palace. I wish this not only out of a sense of deepest affection for you, my most beloved sister, but also in the hope that this may strengthen the mutual friendship between our two Kingdoms.

Please find enclosed those diplomatic documents that would be necessary for such a visit, even when on the most friendly of terms between families. I hope to hear a reply from you both as soon as may be, so that I may properly prepare the Palace for the reception of such esteemed guests.

Yours Sincerely,

Penry
King of Silvetera.

***

“You call that checking on the horses, do you?” Willan smiled ruefully at his wife, who had just walked into the house, panting and sweating.

“I need a shower desperately,” she replied, pretending not to hear her husbands question. She ran her hands over her face, pulling them back, with a slightly disgusted expression. “Really desperately,” she added, wrinkling her nose.

“So how are the working herd doing?” Willan asked, rephrasing his question in the hope of eliciting a response.

“Fine form,” she replied with a smile, “I didn’t pick up on any injuries and they seem to generally be in a pretty content mood. They’re not that happy with the amount of noise coming from the construction site, so they’ve got a couple of extra scouts than usual to keep an eye open while the others graze.”

“Did you manage to check on the mares field while you were out there?” he smiled at his wife’s slight look of discomfort, “or where you spending too much time playing with the working horses?”

“Well, no, not really,” she replied slightly more subdued, “I had a quick glance over though. I’ll have another check after I’ve washed up and had that shower.”

“I think we stand a really good chance with the horses we’ve put together for this year,” Willan said thoughtfully.

“Yes,” Deleha replied, “I think we’ll perform very respectably at the competitions this year, which’ll only improve once we start getting more horses in.”

“I can’t believe how lucky we’ve been with the lifting of this ban,” Willan added, shaking his head bemusedly.

“I know, its very fortuitous timing,” Deleha added, “I think the prices for grey horses is going to rise dramatically now that they can be safely moved across Arrozale.”

“Yes, but probably not straight away. People will still be cautious at first, just in case King Falos changes his mind. I think we’ll have to act fast if we want to buy in some Gentraran lines or if we are very lucky, a Tygeriqan. It is going to be an interesting time to keep our eyes on the market.”

“True enough. Anyway, I really need that shower,” she said, walking out of the room. Willan raised his hand in a wave and sat back in his chair, picked up the newspaper and began to read.

***

Dearest Penry,

We would be delighted to accept your invitation to stay with you in Silvetera. Falos and I will be available to travel from the start of Eylth, but until that time we will be engaged in the festivities here in Arrozale. I confess myself delighted to have heard from you so soon and it would be a most joyful reunion to see you again.

I hope this letter finds you well and that I shall hear a reply confirming the receipt of this post and setting a date for our arrival. Enclosed also is a note from my husband, who wished to write you an official note of acceptance.

My fondest affections,

Vinthia
Queen of Arrozale.

***

Penry paced the room, his brows furrowed and his arms linked behind his back. Pausing by the window, he surveyed the wide stone courtyard below that lead on to the vast metropolis of Silvetera. He turned, sat down at the head of the large wooden table and waited. The sound of brusque footsteps announced the arrival of his Personal Guard, who strode into the room and stood rigidly in front of the King.

“Report,” the King’s voice snapped out the word.

“King Falos and Queen Vinthia have just returned from walking the Palace Gardens. They will be here in less than one turn of the glass,” Klint growled in his deep harsh voice.

“Very good,” the King replied, a cruel smile playing about his lips. “Wait here. But stay out of sight.” Klint walked around the back of the King and melted into the shadows. Penry sat in this pose and silently waited.

After a while, voices were heard coming closer until they stopped just outside the chamber. A herald strode into the room and puffing out his chest importantly, proclaimed, “The Honourable King Falos of Arrozale and the Righteous Queen Vinthia.” Penry stood up and with a broad smile on his face, held out his arms as the royal guests entered the room.

“My dearest Vinthia, how well you are looking!” he exclaimed.

“It feels so good to be back,” she replied with a generous smile on her face, as she stepped around the table to hug her brother.

“And how are you, King Falos of Arrozale?” Penry added, turning with an almost imperceptible touch of irony in his tone.

“Very well indeed, brother! No need for formal titles among families, surely?” Falos replied jovially, apparently unaware of the change in Penry.

“No indeed,” Penry replied evenly. “On the matter of families, there was an idea that occurred to me, which I would be most desirous of discussing with you.”

“Fire away!” Falos replied, pulling back a chair energetically and sitting down. Vinthia moved back around the table to sit next to her husband, whilst Penry resumed his seat.

“Excellent,” Penry replied, a slight gleam in his eye, “It concerns a matter of tradition that had always existed between our two houses. This is a tradition that unfortunately was discontinued during that most unpleasant period in the history of our Kingdoms.” Falos rubbed his chin thoughtfully, a slightly more uncomfortable expression on his face.

“All water under the bridge now, surely?” he replied slightly agitated. “Let bygones, be bygones and all that?”

“My point exactly,” Penry continued smoothly. “The tradition to which I am referring concerns the children of the two families.” Vinthia narrowed her eyes and sat up in her chair. “It has long been the case that when the eldest children of the two families reach seven years of age, they will travel to live with the family of the other. In this way, the family relationship is reaffirmed and the child benefits from the experience of living in a new environment.”

Penry paused slightly in his flowing postulation, noting the changing expressions on the faces of the other two. Whilst Falos continued to look curious, Vinthia had a suspicious and anxious expression playing about her face. “My wife has already given birth to our first child, my precious daughter Elile, and if I am not mistaken, my dear sister here is already expecting a child of her own.”

Falos laughed heartily, “My Vinthia told me that you were good, but I never imagined you were that good! How could you possibly know that when we haven’t yet told anyone?” Penry looked across at Falos, barely suppressing an edge of disdain.

“I think that after more than twenty years I would know my sister well enough to be able to tell.”

“So,” Vinthia broke in, a slight edge to her voice, “We should exchange our first born child, an even swap, one for the other, at the age of seven?” She repeated the conditions evenly and carefully, watching her brother very cautiously.

“That is the tradition that I am proposing to revive.” Penry replied simply, returning his sister’s careful watch.

“But your daughter will be seven at least two years before my child, assuming that we are blessed by Lontea, and that no misfortune befalls us. Will you be willing to let us raise Elile, when we cannot yet be certain when or whom my first child shall be?”

“Of course,” Penry replied quickly, sensing that Falos was about to interject something. There was a pause, whilst all three were looking at the other, waiting for one of them to break the silence.

“We will have to discuss it officially,” Falos said eventually. “I’m intrigued by your proposal and I will certainly return a verdict to you as swiftly as one can be agreed.” Penry nodded curtly and Vinthia shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

“Certainly,” Penry replied with a smile.