Royal Exile. Fiona McIntosh

to re-model the city. He had drawn up his ideas and a city architect had been appointed to oversee the grand project that would yield three main squares. The current central square would function solely as a meeting place for Penravians, while one of the new squares would become the political area of the city, where the realm’s dignatories, councillors, and lords would meet for discussion and where formal ceremonies would take place on behalf of the crown. The other new square would be purpose-built for the new covered marketplace. Brennus’s recent extended voyage and stay at the city of Percheron — as a guest of Zar Azal — had opened his eyes to the beauty of a bazaar. Although Penraven’s market would hardly be filled with the aroma of Percheron’s mysterious spices, Brennus wanted to borrow the concept that people could do their marketing under cover and that permanent shops could be set up for the wealthier merchants. He was intrigued by the cunning use of wind-driven wooden sails in the Percherese bazaar, which brought fresh air through the covered alleyways and drove the stale air back outside. The coolness of its marble impressed him and more than anything his breath had been taken away by the souk’s sheer beauty, and the idea that something so functional could still be a piece of art. He wanted to leave a similar legacy to what Azal’s great-grandfather, Joreb, had begun, in ensuring that Percheron would be a place of singular beauty for its people as much as the visitor. Brennus hoped that Penraven and its capital of Brighthelm would be talked about as a city of bold beauty and although his city would not sparkle pale and pastel as Percheron did, he had hopes that it would be nonetheless dazzling in its use of the local multi-coloured stone.

      But all of these plans, including Sesaro’s beloved fountain featuring the famous serpent of Valisar, had now been suddenly made irrelevant by the arrival of war. The threat had not arrested the soldier Faren’s love for Tashi, however, and he still planned to ask for her hand in marriage, despite her protestations.

      ‘Del, you are very sweet and very handsome but my father will want to give my hand to someone who can afford me the type of life that he wishes for his only daughter,’ she had explained gently, once again, only the previous evening. ‘And now with war all but upon us …’

      ‘Don’t speak of that, my love,’ Faren had beseeched. ‘Let us only focus on how much we love each other.’

      ‘I cannot deny that I have had feelings for you but we must be sensible. You are a foot soldier.’

      ‘An aspiring archer,’ he corrected.

      She had nodded her acknowledgment as she continued. ‘Nevertheless, if I am to marry a military man my father would agree to nothing less than commander. I hear the legate needs a new wife,’ she had admitted, laughing coquettishly.

      He had known in his heart that Sesaro would not be impressed by a mere archer, but he had remained undaunted, determined that he would win her, come what may. He had grabbed her around the waist and kissed her neck as she had tried to squirm away from his touch. ‘Bah, surely your father would want you to marry someone who is nineteen, not thirty years older? I will give you strong sons who will continue your father’s art and my military career, and daughters as beautiful as their mother to take care of their grandfather in his dotage.’

      She had smiled at this. He had continued. ‘I have prospects, Tashi. I can be a major in a few years. Just watch me rise through the ranks with my courage and cunning.’ He had arched an eyebrow on the last word, laced his voice with a conspiratorial tone to amuse her, and pressed on. ‘We can have our own farm. I will ensure I’m based here in Brighthelm, we can —’

      ‘Del, you are dreaming. The barbarian is on our doorstep. This is no time to talk of marriage or children, farms or futures. We have to worry about surviving tomorrow. I beg you, stop this.’

      ‘I shall speak to your father.’

      ‘No!’

      ‘Why?’

      ‘I have told you why. Now, please, you must leave. I have errands to run and you surely have somewhere to be, knowing what our realm faces.’ And she had pulled herself from his grip, clearly growing tired of the ardent kisses he had been peppering on her sweet-smelling neck.

      ‘Tashi, I love you!’ he had called to her retreating back.

      And she had turned. ‘I know, but it’s hopeless. You’re a boy. My father wants me to marry a man. I cannot see you again.’

      What Tashi hadn’t explained to her besotted young lover was that Sesaro had already promised her to another, and it was only by chance that Faren discovered the truth later in the day. His commander had taken him off his usual duties to help another unit that was working on the battlements. ‘Your archery skills are put to far better use up on top, Faren,’ the commander had said. ‘Tell Commander Jobe that I have sent you. We need keen eyes and steady hands up there.’

      Faren had leapt at the chance. If he acquitted himself well he could leapfrog perhaps even to captain, and that alone would prove to Tashi’s family that he was worth taking note of. Arriving at the battlements, he had presented himself to Jobe, who had nodded his happiness to have another talented archer at his disposal. He had been told to meet the others and to choose a weapon that suited his preferred weight and bow tension.

      Faren had been in the process of doing this when he overheard several of the men joking together.

      ‘… she’s a beauty, ripe and ready,’ one of the men had said.

      Another gave a low whistle. ‘She makes me feel weak whenever I glimpse her running through the market on her errands. The old man’s already given his permission, even provided the ring. It was her mother’s apparently so the lucky arse doesn’t even have to buy that and let’s face it he can afford anything he likes with who his friend is.’

      The first nodded. ‘I’d give my left nut for a night with her.’

      This had made the four men laugh and prompted a rush of lewd comments.

      ‘Ssh, here comes the captain.’

      Faren had noticed a tall man walk up. ‘And what are you lot up to?’

      ‘Just checking the tensions on the bows, sir.’

      Faren watched the captain’s scowl soften. ‘Listen, I know this is a rough time for all of us so I don’t mean to spoil what little time you have left for normal life. It’s all about to change dramatically and I wish it wasn’t so, but the legate’s aiming to have a parley. We should know by tonight exactly what we’re in for.’

      ‘Is he marrying her, then, captain, before the parley?’ the first soldier had asked, cheekily.

      ‘That’s none of your business, Brek. What the legate does is his affair.’ The captain’s mouth twitched at the corners. ‘But I think I would, war or not!’

      This comment appeared to give the men permission to relax and they began to chuckle among themselves about how the ‘old man’ would need to take horse pills to keep his new bride satisfied in the marital bed. The jesting had turned darker, one man commenting that he’d better hurry up and enjoy her delights because Loethar wouldn’t spare him once the barbarian arrived.

      Faren had only been half listening to the jesting when he heard one of the men mutter the name Sesaro. And then he heard the captain murmur ‘Tashi’ and his attention was more than pricked — it had become riveted. The more he listened, the more his mood had plummeted from intrigued, to alarmed, to dismayed and finally to enraged. They were talking about his prospective wife; it was Tashi to whom they had been making bawdy reference. And if he was to believe their gossip, then Sesaro had promised Tashi to Legate De Vis. It couldn’t be true!

      ‘You, Faren! What are you staring at?’ The captain shouted, noticing Faren’s attention.

      ‘Sir! Er, sorry, I was far away.’

      ‘Lo strike me, soldier, how can we rely on you to shoot straight if you aren’t even focused on your bow?’

      ‘Sorry, sir.’

      The captain had sighed. ‘It’s all right, Faren. I think