The Razed Ruins Part I: Ill Tides

Chapter 17.1: The Bad Swimmer

Five Years' Fair. The White City

Galia swept her golden-brown hair from her face and leaned back, resting on her outward turned palms.

"What happened then?"

"He saved me."

"Mario Hernandes?"

Val nodded. "He knocked the guy out with one blow and dragged me out of the bar. I thought he was kidnapping me or something."

"Why would he do that?"

"No idea."

They sat in silence as the river tumbled over Omar Falls beneath them.

"What do you think of the Deliberations?" asked Val, tossing a pebble over the embankment and watching it tumble down the slope until it splashed into the black waters of the River America. Val let his eyes un-focus on the magnificent sheet of crystalline water pouring over the falls. They'd walked for nearly an hour through the capital, battling crowds and morning lethargy, until they'd reached the plunge pool of the famous cascade.

"I find it all fascinating, though a bit tedious."

Val recollected all that they'd heard over the past week, the "Hearings and Deliberations" as they were called. Each of the major houses had had their turn to voice concerns regarding the politics of the Union before the entire senate assembly without interruption.

"I just keep thinking of House Robertson," Val complained. "Claiming they are the true heirs of Omar Roberts instead of us and therefore should have claim to Shamala."

Galia touched his hand reassuringly, her fingers as warm and light as down. "Everybody knows they are liars and deceivers. The Guild of Succession and Inheritance has rejected the same claims from them for centuries."

"But even how they took their name, Robertson. Son of Roberts. In Seldor and Pent some people actually confuse our two houses."

"Even in Rocklands! But what does it matter? They re-hash the same grievance year after year and nothing ever comes of it."

Two boys, one older than the other, appeared at the shores below them, tossing fishing lines into the frothing water. After only a few casts they wrangled their first catch, which they clubbed and tossed into a basket.

"I was more interested," Galia continued, "in everybody's reaction to Quincet Thomas. The realm has turned on that family rather quickly. After the charges against his brother, I'm surprised he had the nerve to stand up there at all."

"I hope mother's speech goes well tomorrow."

Galia swelled proudly. "Mother is one of the best speakers in all the realm. She'll do fine."

At that moment they heard a sliding sound, like pebbles and small boulders, followed by a tremendous shriek. Val and Galia jumped to their feet just in time to see the younger of the boys disappear into the dark waters of the River America.

The twins sprinted to the water's edge as the boy came to surface gasping. "Help him!" the older boy called. "Neither of us can swim!"

Val and Galia fired each other panicked looks. The boy was being swirled around in a large, boiling eddy, drawing ever closer to the main current jetting out from the wash of the falls. "Help!" the other boy cried again, and before he knew what he was doing, Val was in the water.

The frigid cold of the River America this far north overwhelmed him. His lungs seized. Even with his face above the water it seemed impossible to gather a full breath. Though the water looked calm the undercurrent was frighteningly powerful. Val's clothes were heavy, like slow anchors hauling him gradually under. In a panic, he kicked out of his tunic and his breeches desperately.

He had no talent for swimming and the foolishness of what he was doing was immediately obvious. All I've done is make two people needing rescue rather than one. But free now of his waterlogged clothing, he kicked forward in his underclothes until the panicked boy was able to grab a hold of his arm.

"Calm down!" Val cried as the boy groped and tugged at Val in terror. "Stop!" he screamed and the boy froze, his huge eyes staring. "We have to swim together. That way!" Val said, pointing not towards where they had entered the water but further upstream and more adjacent to where the eddy water was pulling them. "Don't fight the current but escape out the side."

Val swam for shore. He wasn't strong in the water to begin with but it was much more difficult now doing the work for two people. "Kick!" he cried. He felt the boy's legs move feebly. The roar of the waterfall was getting louder. It's pulling us in. For a terrible moment Val was certain they'd be dragged into the powerful current where they would almost certainly drown. Some rescue. If I were as good of a swimmer as Pall this would be over already. The very idea that he could save anyone seemed terribly foolish. On shore, Galia and the other boy were running down the water's edge now, screaming things Val couldn't make out. "Kick!" he yelled again. "Kick or we die!" The boy started to move more urgently. And seemingly all at once, Val realized they were making progress. Then finally, Val's feet hit the muddy bottom and a moment later they were able to stand.

Val collapsed before he was fully out of the water, hacking in the shallows. This is why I hate swimming. Galia was at his side. "Are you okay?" It was some time before he could respond.

"Fine," he gasped. "I'll be fine. How is—?"

"He's okay, Val!" she said beaming. "You saved that boy's life!"

"I don't know," he mumbled. "I don't know if I did anything, really."

"I could never thank you enough," said the oldest boy once he was sure his brother was okay. With Galia's help Val got back to his feet. "What's your name?"

"Val," he said.

"Take this, Val. It's the least I can do!" The boy pressed something cold into Val's palm and turned away.

Val saw the familiar emblem of the Circle of Circles and his fingers closed around the union white coin he'd been given. "I couldn't possibly take this," said Val, thrusting the coin back. Galia grabbed his arm and shook her head.

"It's the least I could do," the boy said over his shoulder as he led his brother away. "We owe you our lives." The twins watched them until they faded from sight.

Val noticed Galia watching him with a strange expression of pride and bewilderment. "I saw your clothes," she said with a laugh. "They sank under that falls and vanished."

Val shrugged. "I couldn't swim with them on. We would have both drowned."

"I know," she said matter-of-factly. She examined him again. With his torso exposed to the air, he was already beginning to shiver. "Come on. It's going to be an...interesting walk back to the inn."