Kelton pounded the stick into the ground. Without the assistance of Rebbecca or Taggert, he had to guess the size of the circle he traced in the dirt. It mattered little since all players were stuck with the same size.

With the first set, Kelton tossed a stone to set the distance of the second. There, he repeated the process, all under the supervision of a group of young ones. They were promised a game and were not to be disappointed.

"Ready?" an excitable boy asked. He was bouncing on his toes.

"Aye," Kelton said. It was the second morning of the Tarvakian festival. Storyteller wars were scheduled for the afternoon. To pass the time until then, he decided to teach the game of stones.

"What is this?" Eveyin asked. Kelton turned, surprised to see a smile on her face. She was standing behind Lady Faithhorn and next to Sara. They stood comfortable, as sisters were like to do.

"A game I played long ago," Kelton replied. "A good mix of skill and luck. Not hard to learn so the young ones can play."

Kelton explained the rules as best he could. The hard part came when only four of them could be first. Eveyin laughed as Kelton struggled to appease those who had to wait. Laughed - things had indeed changed.

"It is hard when their moment is a year away," Bellina observed.

"Aye, my Lady," Kelton agreed, pleased that he had finally separated the starting four. Many practice throws followed as young arms learned the weight of the stones.

"It is a simple thing to set up," Bellina said. "Where do you get those stones?"

Kelton was about to answer when Vera, a small girl waiting her turn, replied. "By the river, my Lady." She pointed past the stables. Then she thought better of it and tried to hand Bellina the stones she had gathered.

"Mayhap, you could show me where," Bellina said with a pleased grin. Vera nodded, and she took off with Bellina in tow. Eveyin and Sara followed and drew half the waiting little ones with them. It seemed they all knew the best spots to find stones and intended to prove it.

With Kelton's help, Bellina soon had four sets of the game constructed and had chosen Vera as her partner. More young and old had gathered, and a queue formed for the next opening. It was decided that winners would stay until defeated. Awe-inspiring throws were met with cheers by the onlookers, and well-meant laughter greeted unfortunate misses.

"I am terrible at it," Bellina told Kelton with a smile. She and Vera were ousted quickly. Vera had run back to the end of the queue to try again.

"It takes some practice, my Lady," Kelton said. "I find a good arc works..."

"Kelton," Filgot shouted as he ran forward. He was breathing hard after running from the front gate. "The King's soldiers are here. I am to gather you quickly." Something shifted in Kelton's stomach, unease finding a queasy home.

"Why?" Bellina asked.

"I have not been told, my Lady," Filgot said. "It was all I could do to hold them beyond the gate."

"I saw Kelton with his Master this morning," Bellina said. "It is best if you look in the main house. My husband-to-be is having tea, and will know best of Kelton's location."

"My Lady? Kelton is..."

"Owner Tarvakian will know best," Bellina interrupted. Filgot looked at Kelton, then back at the future lady of the house. He nodded and moved off at a trot to the main house.

"Follow him," Bellina told Kelton. "I shall speak to these soldiers so that you will not travel blindly. A stall at best."

"I thank you, Mistress," Kelton said. 'My lady' was no longer appropriate. Bellina grasped control without hesitation when it was needed. And when it came to the crown, he needed all the help he could get. His greatest fear; the word of the scribing had gotten out, and he was to pay dearly. Isolating Yanda from the penalty would be the best outcome. He took a last look at all those enjoying their games of stones. He'd have to try and shield the entire house.

"Why do they seek you?" Tarvakian asked Kelton when he entered the room. Filgot had already explained what he knew.

"I know not, Master," Kelton said. "Mayhap, something has gone wrong. It is best if I do as ordered and separate myself from here." He pointed in the direction of the front gate. "Lady Faithorn is seeking that knowledge now."

"Good," Tarvakian said as he stood from his seat. "She has a talent for discovering things. We cannot ignore a summons, but we should know the why." He looked at Filgot. "We will both accompany Kelton to the gate, at a walking pace. Give my bride some time to work."

"Aye, Sir," Filgot said, adding a smile.

"I fear for Yanda, Master," Kelton admitted as they began walking.

"I will place myself between her and things that are not of her doing," Tarvakian said. "Alliette, as the King's daughter, will do the same. You be sure not to stir the nest more than you have."

"Aye, Master," Kelton said, then added. "My sorrows if I have damaged your house. It is happy of late, and it would pain me to weaken it."

"Aye, it is happy," Tarvakian said with a smile. "Much of it due to you, so you must return to us with all your parts in place." Kelton wondered if that were possible. The King did not send soldiers out of kindness.

They approached the front gate to find Bellina wiping red eyes. Kelton's felt his stomach rising and had to will his legs forward. The soldiers were still mounted as if time were of the essence. Tarvakian moved to his bride and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"What is this?" Tarvakian asked.

"He must go quickly," Bellina said, waving Kelton forward. Kelton could hear his heart beating. She forced a smile for Kelton's sake. "It is the Queen that summons you."

"The Queen, my Lady?"

"It is Korvin, Kelton." New tears filled Bellina's eyes. "He is at the end of his time, and he has asked for you." She looked at her future husband. "Korvin taught the Queen and me to read." Her head found Tarvakian's shoulder as they embraced.

Fog filled Kelton's vision, and the pain in his gut reformed into something uglier.

"Go," Bellina said. "The Queen would see his last wish honored." Tarvakian waved him forward as Filgot opened the gate. They had an empty horse waiting for him, though he had never ridden upon a saddle. He climbed as Filgot pushed, and found himself on a perch he did not trust.

"Do you ride?" A soldier asked.

"Nay, Sir," Kelton replied.

The soldier took the reins from his hands. "Hang onto the saddle. Ride as if your standing in the stirrups. Feel the beast's flow and move with it." Kelton nodded.

The soldier kicked the side of his horse, and they were off at an increasing pace. His horse followed his reins and matched pace with the soldier's beast. The other soldiers surrounded them, some leading and others trailing. One rode like the wind and disappeared far ahead.

Kelton felt as if he were floundering on a boat being hit by rapid waves. It jarred his legs, sending tension up his body in uneven spikes. When they hit a full gallop, he almost lost his balance and fell. Then, like a dream, his body synchronized with the powerful muscles below. The waves no longer slammed into the bow; they flowed beneath in a smooth dance. He and the horse became one.

If it weren't for the destination, Kelton would have enjoyed the swift ride. Instead, he worried about what could be said to a man who was taking his last breaths. There was a fear his mouth wouldn't work, jammed by the fact he was losing a friend. A simpering fool was not the final vision Kelton would wish, but what if it was all that emerged.

The images of all the dead Kelton had seen in the past swirled in his mind. All because of him. This time, the death will be nature's doing, yet the warning made it worse. So much knowledge would die with Korvin, yet it was the man he would miss the most. The understanding they shared was of great value. Too soon, the palace grew large before him.

"You rode well," the panting soldier said. Kelton nodded and half-slipped off his mount. He patted the neck of his ride, and it snorted a response.

"You are Kelton?" a young boy wearing the copper asked as Kelton neared an opening in the wall that separated the palace grounds from the outside.

"Aye."

"Follow me," the boy said and moved with strong purpose. The Queen had ignited those below her, demanding speed. Kelton complied.

Three halls and two staircases brought them to a fourth darkened hallway lined with doors. At the junction, the Queen stood with her two silvers. Her eyes were red, though her stature was unchanged from previous meetings. Kelton decided she would always look like a Queen, even on her own death bed.

"You know why you are here?" the Queen asked.

"Aye, high Mistress," Kelton replied from his knee.

"If he has a want, I will hear of it." The Queen gestured for him to rise and move along.

"Aye, high Mistress," Kelton said as he passed the Queen. The boy led him to the sixth door on the left, opened it, then closed Kelton inside.

The room had an unpleasant scent that overwhelmed the incense burning in a tray. Two lamps lit the small room. An eclectic collection of books and trinkets covered a set of four shelves along the north wall.

"You have come," Korvin said. His voice was weak, yet he still commanded alert eyes. He lay in bed with blankets pulled to his neck. His hair was greasy with sweat as if his body was cooking beneath the covers. There were no chairs, so Kelton pulled a chest close to the bed, the scraping sound louder than he expected.

"Why would I not?" Kelton asked. Lying about hope seemed useless; the color had vacated Korvin's skin. There was no retreat from being old. "I desire to know everything, and you are the closest I have come to that goal." Kelton decided to let his eyes leak unhindered. Kovin was bare before him, and he will do him the honor of returning the same.

"An unachievable goal." Korvin coughed, then caught his breath. "I know, I have tried."

"Lady Faithorn sends love," Kelton said. It wasn't a full truth. Her tears said it for her.

"Does she?" Korvin said, a painful smile formed on his face. "I like that woman. A good mind that sees more than what is. Like you, she sees what could be."

"She is to become my Mistress," Kelton said with a nod. "I favor it more and more each day."

"I missed our meetings as of late," Korvin said.

"Aye," Kelton said. "It wasn't a lack of desire. I stumbled with what could be and had to hide away for a time. It is the Queen who wished me here."

Korvin coughed again. Spittle formed on the edges of his mouth. Kelton took the cloth that lay draped over the corner post and wiped the drool away. It came back tinged pink. Korvin closed his eyes for a long blink.

"You pushed the King," Korvin said.

"You know?"

"Aye and Nay." Korvin took a shallow breath, then weakly cleared his throat. "Some I hear, some I see, and some I guess."

"I am learning boundaries," Kelton replied. "I stepped way past, and now I must retreat before I step forward again. Smaller steps next time."

Korvin emitted a sickly laugh. The delight in his eyes made Kelton smile.

"What was the verse you wished me not to see?" Korvin asked. "I read them all, yet I could find none worth hiding."

"You knew?"

"Some I hear, some I see, and some I guess," Korvin repeated. Kelton laughed, which made Korvin's eyes dance again. Kelton knew why he was there. Korvin wanted a friend who appreciated his mind. An easy task that Kelton would gratefully fulfill.

"Requiem of Kushiel," Kelton said. "It is a story I heard in another place. I have been looking for other references to my homeland." He shook his head. "To this day, it is the only thing I have found on the shelves."

"Homeland?"

"It is a risk to know such things," Kelton said with a smile. "You could be imprisoned, or worse." The laughter brought more spittle, which Kelton dutifully wiped away.

"I am of Aragonia," Kelton said. "A long story has brought me here, and to my meetings with you. I am still struggling to find my place."

"The healers claim I won't see tomorrow," Korvin said. "I wish to prove them wrong, and use the power the Queen has offered me. I will know this long story."

"The Queen demands your be served," Kelton said. "So, you shall hear it."

Korvin fell asleep three times during the story. Each time, Kelton thought it was Korvin's last. Stubbornness woke him, and Korvin would state what he had heard last, and demand Kelton continue. Kelton would smile, and regurgitate his history as he had done with the Princess. Practice made it easier, a more streamlined task.

Food and drink were brought multiple times, along with the Queen's query of need. Korvin shooed them out with his guarantee that all was as he desired. He demanded Kelton eat, then continue with the story.

"So, you were a thief," Korvin said when the story was complete. Kelton rolled his eyes, which brought a weak smile to Korvin's lips. Of all the things to key on, he, like Yanda, thought thievery a humorous thing of note.

"I too am a thief," Korvin admitted. He coughed, and Kelton wiped his mouth with a cloth dampened in water. Korvin's lips were cracking and flaking skin. It did not look comfortable, and Kelton wanted to soothe what he could.

"Open that chest you sit upon," Korvin said. Kelton rose and complied. "Look at the bottom under the clothes." More coughing and a short pause to breathe. "See...see the parchment."

Kelton found a folded parchment that lay on the bottom under changes of clothes. He removed it and closed the chest, reestablishing his seat. It was an old document that he carefully unfolded and placed on top of the bed along Korvin's torso. A map.

"A copy of copies," Korvin said. "It marks King Assima Victalica's path..." It took a moment for Korvin to settle his lungs. "It is where he met the Nagada." He forced a smile. "Took it from a place I should not have been."

"I have read a journal I should not have seen," Kelton said as he traced his finger along the map. "It shows a path through the jungle. I thought the first King failed to enter."

"Aye," Korvin said with a nod using mostly his eyes. "Mayhap, the path was proposed. Mayhap, it is there and used by some, or now overgrown and useless."

"Ships are the only way around to this day," Kelton said. "Has no one looked for such a path?"

"It was forbidden once," Korvin said. "Now, it is ignored. Mayhap, those who live near would know more. It is a swamp of place if the descriptions are true."

"You wished to go," Kelton realized.

"Aye," Korvin said. Then a fit overtook his words. It was some time before he could speak again. His voice lowered to a weak whisper. "Now, you go for me."

"I can not step that far," Kelton said. "I risk more than myself, as I have told you."

"What is the point of being called the Answer, if you find no answers," Korvin said, his voice a wisp of what it was. Korvin thought it was a funny thing to say, and his eyes danced at the words.

"Just holding this may put others at risk," Kelton said, raising the stolen map.

Korvin said something Kelton couldn't hear. He leaned his ear closer. "Tell the Queen I desire you to have it." Something resembling a chuckle emerged. "Tell her I am a thief. She will forgive..."

A long breath left Korvin's lips, and his eyes froze. Kelton again wiped Korvin's lips, but this time they did not move. He pushed Korvin's wispy hair away from his face and spoke to him. There was no response. Placing a hand on Korvin's chest verified that all had stopped. Kelton rose and moved toward the door, then stopped. His eyes filled, his nose began to run, and something horrible crawled up from his gut.

Kelton collapsed into the corner of the room and wrapped his arms around his legs. Death had claimed a friend. He closed his eyes and wept.

~~~~~

"He wanted for nothing?" the Queen asked. Her eyes were tired but empty of tears.

"Nothing, high Mistress," Kelton replied. His strength over emotion had returned. "It was painless in the end. A better way than many have gone." Kelton looked at the bed as the healers began to prepare the body. The Queen motioned for him to follow her out of the room.

"Korvin desired me to have this, high Mistress," Kelton said, once all other ears were distant. "I fear the King will not allow it."

"What is it?" the Queen asked.

"A map he stole from the library, high Mistress," Kelton said. "He thought you would forgive him for such a thing." The Queen's eyes moistened as she laughed. It was an odd thing to see her display joy. It always seemed her duty to hide it.

"Its a map of the first King's path when he met the Nagada, high Mistress," Kelton clarified. Might as well hide nothing. After his last run-in with the King, he wanted clarity to reign.

"His last wish is granted," the Queen said, waving at the document as if using air to push it back at Kelton. She struggled to regain her composure and wiped her eyes. "He was wiser than most and has served the crown well. By my word, it is your map now."

"I thank you, high Mistress," Kelton said, then dropped to his knee.

The Queen nodded and moved off. "See that Kelton is returned to his house," she instructed as she passed the same boy who had led Kelton into the palace the day before.

The ride back to house Tarvakian was wagon-slow. It gave Kelton time to ponder the loss of Korvin and the map. He knew the man regretted never having traveled west to seek out what he could of the Nagada. Advanced age and opportunity rarely mix well. In truth, the idea excited Kelton, yet he knew there was little chance to find much of what was now near myth. He wondered if it could even be done, would the King would allow such a thing. It would be easy enough to dangle a land route to Zello. The mixture of adventure and possible profits would appeal to his young master. The father was more pragmatic and may not see any wisdom in it. Kelton decided to speak to Vasco first. It is best if the possible sums are quantified before considering them bait.

The sun had fully broken the horizon when Kelton arrived at the gate. That's when it hit him. He had missed the storytellers as well as a night's sleep. The cost was well worth easing Korvin's way. Still, it would have been nice to escape into the land of heroes for a day. There, death wasn't real - or painful.