|
Post by Markus Everglade on Dec 17, 2013 16:13:19 GMT -5
“Mm hm.” Anella bit her lip. “How a-are you f-feeling?” “I’m alright. I’m harder to kill than a cockroach so it’s not exactly surprising.” The water swished over his head again. “You okay?” “Y-yes. You a-asked m-me b-before…oh…” She blushed. “Before I got my brains bashed out?” Raythor picked up the towel and rubbed his eyes. Then he moved several feet away and shook himself off like a dog. She laughed. He half grinned again. “I’m sure I did.” “D-do you w-want h-help with y-your arm?” It took him a moment, but he nodded. Raythor sat down, starting to undue his own bandages. She picked up the relatively unused towel and the soap, hovering beside him. Anella waited until the bandage was completely off and then gently dabbed at his arm. There was a bit of fresh blood, which she didn’t think was probably good but she didn’t know for sure. A week ago, no power on earth could have compelled her to wash the wound of a relative stranger- and a male one, at that- but she was beginning to have the notion that a lot of things were going to be very different from now on. Raythor fidgeted. “Are you a healer in training?” “N-no. I l-live on a h-horse f-farm with m-my p-parents and m-my brother H-Henry.” “You like horses?” He almost sounded surprised. “T-they’re my f-favorite a-animal. W-what happened t-to your shoulder?” “Seris the supposed bandit king,” Raythor said. “Which is how I met Ketra and Rose. It’s what landed me here, actually.” “You m-must r-regret that.” Anella finished cleaning the cut and stared at it carefully. She didn’t know if it looked better or not. It didn’t seem deep and he hadn’t winced when she touched it so that had to mean it would heal soon, didn’t it? “There are worse places to be. How did you know about my shoulder?” “R-Rose was ranting a-about i-it e-earlier and h-how you h-hurt the s-same arm. That and there’s a l-little p-piece of bandage sticking u-up b-by your c-collar.” He fixed it. She reapplied the wrapping to his arm. He stood and started for the door. “Guess we’re done in here.” “Aren’t y-you g-going to b-brush y-your hair?” Anella asked. “I didn’t plan to start any new practices today.” He shook his head so that his hair fell more or left into place. “There.” He took three more steps and then dropped to his knees. Anella went white and rushed forward, holding out a hand for him. He blinked at her a few times. “What’s that for?” “T-to h-help y-you up?” Anella held out the other hand too. “I h-have t-to g-get you b-back-” “You don’t owe me,” Raythor interrupted. “I told you that.” “I j-just w-want to h-help. I d-don’t expect anything i-in r-return.” “Oh.” He took her hands and got to his feet. He tried walking again but she gently restrained him by the shoulder. Raythor looked back. “What?” “P-put you’re a-arm around m-my neck.” Anella turned crimson. “S-so I c-can help you.” They both stood there for several minutes doing absolutely nothing but stare at each other. “Fine,” he said finally. He complied and they started off on their awkward way back to the original room. “Bet those maids are going to enjoy the blood in their basin tomorrow.” “I w-would,” Anella very nearly squeaked. Water was dripping from his hair onto his tunic and she was close enough to hear it. “I’m really sorry about this.” “I-it’s fine.” “I’ll make it up to you by leaving you the hell alone.” “You d-don’t have t-to.” Anella surprised the both of them. “What?” He actually stopped walking, even though they were only a few steps from the room. “I j-just have Kayle h-here and u-um… it w-would be n-nice to h-have another p-person to talk to.” “You did manage to get me to talk, didn’t you?” “A l-little.” The corners of her mouth turned up. He opened the door and, silently as possible, she went back to her chair and he reluctantly returned to the bed. He appeared to fall asleep almost instantly. Anella had to wait for her heart to stop pounding quite so hard to do the same.
|
|
|
Post by Markus Everglade on Dec 17, 2013 16:14:17 GMT -5
Chapter Nine
Gone in the Morning
Markus woke up still feeling relatively refreshed, despite the fact he and the others had drifted off just before dawn. Laura and Ross were still sleeping, huddled over the bed, each with one half of the large book as a pillow. They’d attempted to read every page of the book, in case it ever mentioned the word elementi in some offhand way, and made it about halfway through without much success. They’d even passed out within minutes of each other. All and all, despite that one very awkward conversation with Laura, it had been a fun night. “Hey.” A face peered in. It took his brain a moment to recognize who it was. When he did, he stood up quickly. “Laura, Ross, wake up,” he ordered. Markus went to the chair with his things in it and grabbed his sword, pointing it at her. “What are you doing here, Maria, trying to kill me again? That friend of yours came awfully close.” “I’m not here for that. I need your help.” Maria put both of her hands behind her head. “I’m not armed; I left every weapon I have back in the room.” “You want my help? Give me some credit, won’t you? I should be putting you under arrest-” “Shit, my head. Why are you screaming…?” Ross let that sentence go. He took one look at Maria, pulled his bow from under the bed, and shot her in the leg. “Say one more word, bitch, and the next one’s going in your head.” “Ross!” “I’m doing my job, Markus, don’t let your bleeding heart get in my way.” “Ross, let me search her.” Laura put a restraining hand on his shoulder. “Protocol demands we ascertain she’s a threat before we kill her.” “She’s a trained assassin, she’s always a threat. She touches you while you’re over there; I shoot her in the head.” “I can respect that.” Laura squeezed his shoulder. Then she went past the both of them. She knelt beside Maria and started patting her down. Markus watched Ross’s muscles tense and he felt his own respond in kind. His heart hit against his chest, the beat audible, the rhythm far too quick to be normal. “As far as I can tell, she has nothing.” “Tie her hands and feet. We’ll speak to Rea and get her put in the dungeon.” Markus sheathed his sword, much to Ross’s displeasure. He paced for a moment, thinking. There had to be a reason she had come here, unarmed, and he doubted it was a good one. However, she had basically let herself get shot. That was not normal for an assassin, as far as he knew. She’d even woken him up before she’d come in the room. “Why did you come here?” Maria looked at him and then looked at Ross. Markus nodded. “Ross, lower your weapon and sit down.” “You’re kidding me. You’re going to listen to her crap again?” Ross did not lower his weapon even a fraction. “She’s tied up and I’m just going to speak with her, from over here. I promise that I will not let her go free, no matter what. Alright?” “Fine.” “But take a step toward Maria, and he’ll shoot you in the head,” Laura teased. Ross smiled a little, finally lowering his bow. She came over and hugged him comfortingly. Markus stared straight ahead. “You can talk to me. You’re the one who got Kylara to spare me before, even if you just intended to feed me to the wolves later. So I’m prepared to listen as well.” “Thanks,” Maria said dryly. She replaced her now tied hands behind her head, still eying Ross warily. There was still an arrow in her leg- upper thigh, actually- but she just did not seem to care. “What I said before was the truth- I need your help. Kylara and I were attacked by our guild last night. Before you go saying it’s because you found us out, the Wildflowers don’t operate that way. We would never kill one of our own.” “Oh no, you just kill everyone else,” Ross said under his breath. Laura shoved him into a sitting position. “Then what usually happens when you’re discovered?” Markus asked. “We go off active duty,” Maria explained. “The actual killing is the easier part of this job. Finding out how the mark moves, who they talk to, how well they can fight… that’s what’s difficult. That’s what we would have been doing after this.” “Now you can study the inside of Queen Rea’s dungeon intensely,” Ross commented. “We put you on the low threat list. Too easily distracted.” “Easy there.” Markus extended his arm, which Ross promptly ran into. “But Markus- I’m incredible!” Ross protested. “I know, Ross. She’s just trying to get under your skin.” Markus let out a long breath. Then he met her eyes and held them. They couldn’t have looked more like the ocean, and they almost didn’t seem to belong with her earth toned clothes, her black hair, her darkly tanned skin. Markus had trusted her before and those eyes… those eyes had been the reason. It was as though there was a kinship between them, a pull that was latent but present all the same. “You’re an elementist, aren’t you?” Maria’s jaw dropped. “How the sky did you know?” “The what now…?” Ross blinked. “And she’s a what? I thought you were an ‘e’ whatever it was.” “Ross, it’s element with an ‘I’ on the end. It’s really not that hard,” Laura sighed. “I can… just feel it somehow,” Markus said. “But I’m guessing I’m right.” “I’m guessing you’re the elementi. Fan-fucking-tastic.” She let out a sigh. “I’m what is less than respectfully referred to as a human-lover. I’d explain in length but my best friend has currently been captured by a team of trained assassins and they’re going to publically execute her as an example in the next twenty four hours so I really don’t have the time.” “Human lover.” A disgusted look spread over Ross’s face. “I think I know what that means.” “Don’t think about it Ross. Censor it right out of your brain,” Laura soothed. “You had to know we’d capture or kill you. Why come back here and get caught if Kylara really needs your help that badly? Why not try and save her yourself?” Markus asked. “Because I’m not an idiot. Even if I do manage to sneak past an entire organization that have the exact same training as I do, I couldn’t take down whoever is guarding her by myself. I’m just one person.” Maria finally glanced at the arrow in her leg. “Also, I’ve been shot recently. Despite all appearances, it actually hurts quite a bit. You three are pretty much the only ones I can turn to so… I need your help.” “Alright, we’ll buy the dirt for Kylara’s funeral.” Ross crossed his arms. “Oh, Rocelin Rainbird, I could go into a long impassioned speech here about how much Kylara matters to me. About how close our relationship is to your and Markus’s. I could even say that the honor of you and your friends has made me rethink my life or something else that isn’t true. Instead I’m going to say this: the Wildflowers are an all-female assassin group and most of them are around my age. We all have to be in our physical prime for this job, you know.” “I think we should help them, Markus.” “I think your hypocrisy just made me momentarily deaf… what?” Markus gave him his best ‘really?’ face. “Ross aside.” Laura went forward, to Maria’s side once more, and withdrew the arrow. Maria’s face contorted painfully. Markus was pretty sure he saw a little smirk of satisfaction on Laura’s lips. “If we don’t help them, and Maria’s telling the truth, you’re never going to forgive yourself, Markus. If she’s not, then we’re going straight into a nest of people who very much want you dead. That being said, you have not been officially tested yet. Every other fight the heirs had was an even one they were given some notice of; you were not granted that luxury. This very well could be it and if you do not face it now, it will probably just continue until you do. We might as well look this beast in the eyes and take it down.” “I completely agree with whatever Laura just said. Also, can I shoot Maria in the other leg?” Ross actually raised his hand. Markus didn’t answer right away. He sat on the edge of his bed, tapping his fingers on the hilt of his sword. He had been making a lot of bad decisions as of late. This had the very likely possibility of being the biggest one yet. On the other hand, Laura had a point- if Kylara turned up dead, it would haunt him until the day he died and he already had too many ghosts on his conscious. There was also some merit to getting this over with. His eyes fell on the open book tangled up in the sheets. Yes, he was an elementi- he was starting to process what that meant- and yes, he could do magic but he was in no fit state to fight even with it. Besides, it wasn’t that strong and he didn’t know how to do more than what he supposed he could call two spells. That he could only do by ingesting his own blood. “Maria.” “Yep?” She was watching blood dribble out of her leg. “If we do this, when we come back, you teach me how to use my magic. Preferably without my blood as a catalyst.” “I’ll do what I can. Yours isn’t like mine.” “What can you do?” “For starters, let me heal you. As a show of good faith.” “You had better be able to do that from over there with your hands tied.” Ross reached for his bow again. “Actually, I can. I just have to be able to see them.” Maria jerked her head, beckoning him. “Show them off for me, one at a time.” “How do we know you aren’t going to… to hydro-death beam him instead, huh?” “Why wouldn’t I have done that already?” “I’ll risk the hydro-death beam.” Markus began undoing the bandages on his arm. Laura immediately moved forward and took care of it for him. Maria’s eyes glowed bright, blinding blue. Markus heard the rush of waves in his ears and he took in a deep breath, feeling suddenly calm. When her eyes dimed all that remained of the wound was gone. “That was a clean one. You’re lucky. If they’re going to scar, they will scar,” Maria said. “Next?” Laura quickly unbound his chest. They stood in silence as she healed every injury he’d had. All she left behind were a few, raised white lines on his chest and a fainter half circle that stretched across most of the right side of his neck. The same side the one beneath his eye was on. He tried not to think about it, instead focusing on how much better he felt.
|
|
|
Post by Markus Everglade on Dec 17, 2013 16:14:46 GMT -5
“I guess we don’t have much time so… let’s go.” He stood up once more.
****
Raythor woke up with sunlight shining on his face. He stared blearily at the ceiling, trying not to remember the fading dream passing through his head. His whole body felt heavy, his head hurt and he was vaguely nauseous. Not bad. He started to move, hoping to get out of here before anyone started fussing over him again, especially- “Masochist?” Raythor blinked with surprise. The reason he couldn’t move was that she- the girl from the night before- was sleeping on his chest. His mind seemed to freeze. “Don’t worry, mom, I already fed the horses….” She mumbled in reply. “Anella?” He used his uncrushed hand to shake her shoulder. She opened her eyes slowly, shifting to gain her bearings. Her fingers curled inward and he flinched. Anella sat up a little, looking at his face with pure confusion. Then her own turned beet red and she sat bolt upright. “Oh…oh R-Raythor… I a-am s-so, s-so s-sorry…” Anella clapped her hands over her mouth, shaking. “Hey, calm down. You couldn’t help it.” He braced himself on his elbows. He couldn’t really see but he did his best to ignore that. “A-are you f-feeling o-ok?” “Yeah, I’m fine.” He lied. Raythor swallowed what he hoped wasn’t bile and blinked hard. The white dots in his vision stayed firmly in place. “How are you, did you get hurt?” “No, b-but y-you d-did… d-did a-ask t-that before…” “Oh.” He gritted his teeth in frustration. This wasn’t good. There were at least two people trying to kill him, and he had intended… he sighed. “Listen, Anella, what’s going on with the queen? Are we out of here today?” She shook her head. “I d-don’t think s-so, w-we h-have to wait u-until e-everyone feels b-better,” Anella said. She tilted her head, a little like his dog did when he was confused. Her wavy hair almost looked like canine ears, bobbing on each side of her head. Raythor’s mouth set in a line. The stutter sounded real, but what did he know. He had never been good at reading people and it had just disappeared last night. Then again, that had only been for a minute. Only when she looked different, but he couldn’t remember how she had looked different. Raythor rubbed his temples, trying to clear up his headache enough to think properly. This girl didn’t seem like someone who would write him a threatening letter, even in some sort of drunken haze. She didn’t even seem like the sort of girl who would be in a drunken haze. That he was good at recognizing, he had seen and unfortunately had to deal with any number of those girls. Anella was closer to the highborns he usually stole from, who ignored him. That’s was what made them so easy to rob. Yet, Anella hadn’t just ignored him either. She had helped him. True, she had done so after he had helped her but… she had wanted nothing in return. Raythor shook his head. Where did she get off trying to befriend him? The people he protected always wanted to pay him back, so maybe this was her attempt. All that he knew was that the other side of her, the one who didn’t stutter, was the only one he had to worry about. “R-Raythor, are you s-sure that y-you’re a-alright?” Anella asked softly. Raythor didn’t get the chance to lie again before the door opened. “Well, good morning you two. Sleep well?” Dione, the queen’s redheaded body guard, eyed the two of them maliciously. He could smell her breath from here. Raythor inwardly sighed. This type he could easily understand: mean and drunk early in the day. “I was unconscious so I guess you could say that.” He replied, freely doling out the sarcasm. She seemed to take that as an invitation. “Oh really? Well that explains a lot.” She crossed her arms, standing her ground and readying for a verbal fight. Oh joy, a splitting headache and a drunk to talk to, all before noon. Would his good luck never cease? “You don’t seem like the type.” “The type to what?” He asked, taking her bait with an eye roll. “I guess Anella here didn’t tell you. I didn’t think she would,” Dione laughed. Raythor saw Anella’s cheeks flame out of the corner of his eye. While, if he had to side with someone….
|
|
|
Post by Markus Everglade on Dec 17, 2013 16:16:00 GMT -5
“I’m pretty sure she’s not obligated to tell me anything.” “Maybe this she is. Rea made me come in here an hour ago, to check up on everyone. I guess you didn’t feel her lying on top of you, huh?” Dione shook her head, like she was ashamed to be in the shy girl’s presence. “And who knows what else she did? She looks so innocent too…” Anella made a faint sound of protest turning, if possible, redder. “Is that it?” He raised and lowered his shoulders casually. “It was just her head; she slumped over in her sleep. Not exactly the rape of a comatose patient with three witnesses in the same room that you’re suggesting. Just the body’s natural reaction to sleep.” Anella had her head buried in her hands protectively. Kayle and Juliet were sitting up and staring at them with tired eyes. Dione put a hand on her hip, feet settling into a position he knew to be ideal for attack with a sword, lips curving into a near carnivorous grin. “I’ll tell the queen none of you are permanently damaged.” She went back into the hallway without making a sound, which he wouldn’t have expected her capable of. Dione struck him as more of a stomper. “Oh my.” Kayle was vibrating in her seat like an excited child. Raythor tactfully tuned out the string of babble that was apparently meant to be ‘secret’ and ‘meant only for Anella’s ears’ that exploded from Kayle’s mouth. He also, still more tactfully, didn’t comment on the fact that Anella was still too mortified to actually be listening. Raythor moved into a full sitting position, resulting in nauseous wave in his stomach, turned so he could put his feet firmly on the ground, which caused a charming and unexpected pain in his lower back, and stood up. He spread his fingers out, feeling like he was stepping on a ship for the first time, and then started toward the door himself. “No,” Juliet’s voice said sharply. “Fuck no,” Rose said. If he were less practiced at not caring he probably would have been extremely horrified seeing her standing there in the doorway. Raythor, figuring he did have enough sense buried somewhere to just give into their whims when he was too weak to put up a decent fight. He then calmly, in something that resembled a straight line, walked to Juliet’s bed and sat precariously balanced on the furthest corner. “No?” He rested his chin on his folded hands. “I’m glad you’re alive,” Juliet said. To her credit her face crumpled for only the fraction of a second. Only someone who had, intentionally or not, memorized her facial expressions would have seen it. “Sweet of you to care, but I still have seven lives left. Don’t worry,” he promised. Juliet scowled but he knew she was joking. The relief in her eyes was just as obvious. “I suppose you always have looked a little like a stray, mangy black cat to me,” she conceded. “When did you lose that first life?” “You’re alive!” Rose tackled hugged him again. Raythor let out a loud sigh. He knew he should be getting used to this, but he just hated physical contact so very much. “You’re a God damned idiot, you know that?” “I know what I am,” he said blandly. Maybe if he ignored her she would leave or just get on to hitting him already. She seemed to be latched on like a leech, however, so he started bracing himself for the long haul. If he was lucky, she’d just snap his little scarecrow body in half and he’d die. That sounded nice. “Why did you go out there alone? Why didn’t you bring Juliet with you?” “So there would be someone to protect all of you in case something happened to me. Which it did.” “What are you, a meat shield?” “Absolutely, it’s my day job. Thieving is just my weekend pleasure.” Rose shoved him down on the bed. “You’re a pain in the ass.” He lay there on his back and nodded. He could feel Juliet’s legs underneath him, which wasn’t incredible for his back but it was better than being suffocated. “When I said I didn’t want a reward, my reward was actually pissing you off. Surprise.” “He’s just an ornery little bastard,” Juliet said fondly. Rose clenched her fists. Raythor expected to be pummeled into submission and she did move closer… and kissed him on the cheek. He flinched and she laughed at him. “It is so easy to get revenge on you, you know that?” “Dear God, stop touching me.” He crossed his arms, an effort lying down, and tried to stare her down. After a minute, they both broke down and grinned. “You’re welcome, by the way.” “That was your thanks.” “Damn it.” “Don’t move until you actually feel better, or I will come back and push you back down. Understand me, moron?” She gave him a shove, which further tortured his stomach, and left the room, slamming the door behind her. “You seem to actually enjoy arguing with her,” Juliet commented. “She starts it so I might as well be the one enjoying it,” he retorted. “You seem to finish it too.” “Maybe they have a crush on each other.” Kayle clasped her hands, her eyes shining dramatically. “Oh, how romantic! The maid and the thief, destined to be together but torn apart but his criminal endeavors!” “Wow, I feel guilty already,” Raythor said dryly. He spent a minute staring at the ceiling, everything aching. Then he quietly passed out.
****
“If there are several hideouts and we have a limited time then we need some kind of tracker,” Laura said. “Leaving this up to chance isn’t safe, even with the map Maria gave us showing where all of them are.” “Right, the first thing to think about if your royal gets kidnapped.” Ross snapped his fingers in recognition. “Thank you bodyguard training, I have another reason to love you. The most important, of course, is that I get to spend time with my beautiful Laura.” He tried to put an arm around her shoulder but she grabbed his wrist. She had to give him persistent. “You have classes about what to do if I’m kidnapped?” Markus asked, clearly disturbed. Laura and Ross both nodded.
|
|
|
Post by Markus Everglade on Dec 17, 2013 16:16:53 GMT -5
“What else do you do?’ Maria asked, very patiently considering the circumstances. She was still tied up and on the floor, though she had healed her leg. Laura let go of Ross’s wrist, standing straight. Her quiver was already slung across her shoulder and her grip was around her bow. This was the first crisis as a body guard where she could take time to decide her actions, and she intended to make the most of it. Time to use all that she’d learned. “First, we focus on finding her. Then, when we can be reasonably sure of where she is, we cautiously approach so as to not startle her captors. Panic on their part can lead to violence even before a ransom, if asked for, is received. We cooperate until no harm is sure to come to her, then attack. If they safely return our charge… pardon, Kylara… we kill them once she’s out of harm’s way to assure the offense is never repeated.” “Wait…” Markus moved his hands very quickly with excitement. “Blade has to have a heightened sense of smell, right? He is a wolf in some capacity.” “He certainly has the fur for it,” Ross chimed in. “If you give him something of Kylara’s to smell, he can track it, yes. Though he’ll probably find it demeaning,” Maria said. “Or you could just take me.” “Not a chance in hell, aqua fur ball. No stabbing my buddy in the back.” “I’m going to leave you here with my sister. It will be kind of like Rea’s dungeon, but with a condemning pair of eyes watching you always. We ask Blade.” In neatly under half an hour, the four of them were trekking through the woods. Blade was taking the lead, actually slowing himself down so that they could keep up. He had been eager to help them, after being unable to help yesterday, and had gladly risen to the task, demeaning or not. Ross was no more than two steps behind him, his determination sadly less noble than Blade’s. Laura was trying to keep in step with Markus, who was lagging behind. Despite being healed, he still looked tired and pale and she was beginning to worry that he’d lost too much blood or that his magic was too draining to be used that much. Even with all of this, he’d gotten as much information as he could out of Maria about each of the bases before they’d left and she knew he was formulating a plan in his head. Laura let her pace quicken just a little. Being a bodyguard didn’t mean being his mother, after all. If he thought he could do this, he probably could. This was nothing compared to the war. They were all still alive, even after that, and they had all adapted. She hated the war for what it had taken from her, but she loved it for what it had given her. Before, she had just been an archer wanna-be knight who didn’t know what it meant to be a soldier. Now she knew… everything that it entailed. Maybe it wasn’t easy, and maybe it never would be, but becoming a knight was her dream and she would let herself die before her dream did. This was just another mission, and she would complete it. Eventually, as they went deeper and deeper into the forest, the trees thinned and everything around them brightened. The snow was very thin over the fallen, slowly rotting leaves and it leant little more than a slight sparkle to the ground. This was certainly the less glamorous part of winter, but Laura supposed it still had some beauty to it. It seemed as though snow was made to look prettier with sunlight. “I am almost positive this dwelling contains the person we are searching for,” Blade said. He stopped abruptly. He began panting but, when Laura looked at him, he closed his mouth and bore a guilty expression. “Great. What do we do now?” Ross asked. For a moment, they all just blinked at the squat, round little house. It sure didn’t look like much, but Laura thought that was probably the point. It blended into the trees like it had been carved into them rather than out of them and the whole process seemed not to have disturbed the trees at all. The average passerby, if they even saw it, would suspect nothing. “You came here to flirt with trained assassins, right Ross?” Markus took a step closer to the house, eyes running over it. “Well I’m going to want you to knock on that door and do the best you can do. Laura, I’d like you to cover him. Blade and I will find another way in, hopefully one as close to Kylara as we can. Good luck.” “Won’t need it.” Ross smirked. “I’ve got his back.” Laura rolled her eyes. “Thank you.” Markus smiled. Then he nodded to Blade and the two of them disappeared around the side of the hideout.
|
|
|
Post by Markus Everglade on Dec 17, 2013 16:17:23 GMT -5
Laura backtracked, found a wide tree to hide behind, and went down on her knee. She took a second, deciding, just where to aim, then readied an arrow. “Alright, Ross. Go get your womanizing on.” “I knew everyone had faith in it,” Ross preened. He stepped, pretty much swaggering, to the door and knocked soundly on the door. It jerked open and a woman with gray hair and a tanned, deeply lined face looked up at him. She scowled. Laura resisted the incredibly strong urge to hit her head against the tree trunk. Repeatedly. “Hey beautiful.” “Excuse me?” The woman’s scowl got heavier. “I’m here, by the authorization of Queen Rea, to search your domicile for an escaped prisoner. Honestly, I thought this was going to be bored doing this job but it seems I got lucky.” “Lucky?” “Most women don’t age well, my lady, but you have aged like a fine wine and I consider myself lucky to be in your presence. I know this is a tedious matter, but someone like you isn't going to impede me. You’re too sensible to put up a big fight over nothing.” “You’re quite the charmer, aren’t you?” She sighed. “Come in, my home is the crowns. What prisoner are you looking for?” Ross strode in and whatever answer he had slipped out of her range of hearing. For a split second, she didn’t know what to do. Then Ross leaned out the door the woman was still holding and beckoned her in. “Come along, trusted associate.” “Of course, sir.” Laura pressed her bow to her leg and followed him quickly. The house was as round inside as it was outside. There were torches in black holders at every crease in the wall, but it was still hopelessly dim in here. For every torch- and there were fifteen- there was a girl. They stood before them, most of them with empty expressions, all staring at them. Not all of them, to Laura’s surprise, were Calthan. Maria had sort of given the impression that they would be. “So you’re looking for Maria. That’s funny… we’re the ones who attacked her.” The woman, now in the center of the room, looked at them with blank eyes. “My name is Ashlin Mara… I say this because I do not often get to use my last name. It’s counterproductive as the head of a group of assassins.” “It’s a very pretty name.” Ross swallowed. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ashlin.” He was still eying the women around the room. “You can stop trying so hard, Rainbird. I’m only here for your friend.” “Why?” Laura had to commend him for trying. One of the girls against the wall moved and started for the door. When she raised her hand, Laura aimed her bow at her. “Get back. Now.” “I don’t think that’s one of your better ideas, Laur,” Ross said mildly. “If they lock that door, we aren’t walking out of here alive.” “Pretty sure we weren’t doing that anyway.” “Leave the door.” Ashlin made a dismissive hand gesture. “It won’t change anything.” “What are we not changing?” Ross tried again. “Sit tight, you’re going to find out soon.”
“They do not seem partial to windows,” Blade commented. Markus couldn’t help him for saying something. They’d been searching for about ten minutes, without finding so much as a crack in the walls. The elementist’s nose kept flaring, so Markus knew Kylara had to be close. His hunting dogs tended to do the same when any sort of prey was close at hand. Instantly his eyes dropped lower. They had been looking for windows at eye level, but what if there was a basement of some kind? Directly at the back of the round house, there was a small, square window resting against the dirt. He dropped down and peered through it, into almost pure blackness. “They do seem to like creepy looking basements, lucky for us.” “Do you suppose you will fit through there or shall I go on alone?” “I think I can do it, actually.” “Excellent, then we have our way in.” Blade sat down and his tail went forward, slowly and quite bizarrely cutting out the pane of glass. He caught it with cat-like grace, using his curved paw, and let it set down gently on the grass. Then he slid through the window and landed, his nails clicking on some hard flooring when he did. It sounded like a rather long drop and Markus couldn’t say he was looking forward to it. He went in feet first, just in case, and hit the ground quickly. While his eyes were adjusting, it clicked that it had been a long drop for Blade, who couldn’t be too much taller than three feet tall. Markus waited and waited but it only marginally improved what he could see. He could hear Blade padding around, though. Markus began to wonder if he could either see in the dark or saw only in black and white, so perhaps it didn’t matter how dark it was to begin with. He’d have to ask later. “Oh yes, you are human. I forgot.” There was suddenly a wide… hole in the darkness. Blade was at the center of it, his back to him, wings spread as though he were testing the air. At the very edge of what he could see, there was a boot. “Kylara?” The boot moved. Markus went toward it and there were sounds of protest. “Easy, it’s just the sap you were hired to kill.” Blade shifted position so that he could see her plainly. Markus took the gag from her mouth and started working through how to get rid of the chains. “What are you doing here? Why aren’t you dead?” Kylara was actually glaring at him. “I’m here because Maria asked me to come,” Markus said patiently. “You’re what?” Kylara raised both eyebrows. “You can’t be serious.” “I’m a prince, we’re always serious.” “Your partner made a compelling case,” Blade added in. He came and sat beside Markus. His eyes turned a deep purple, symbol flashing. The chains decayed and fell away; leaving only her red and angry wrists as evidence they’d been there at all. Blade, as the spell ended, let out a ragged breath. Kylara got up and grabbed the front of his tunic. Markus didn’t move, didn’t react. “Like hell she made a compelling case, after what we did to you. We got orders to bring you to Nightshade, her finisher. You’re supposed to be dead.” “I couldn’t be sorrier to disappoint you.” Markus shrugged. “So you know more about all of this than you said you did, don’t you?” There was a struggle on Kylara’s face. Then, slowly, she nodded. “Kenetari Whitestar wants the Whitestars on the throne and she is making damn sure none of the other countries even try to get her off it. She’s going to manipulate the monarchs any way that she can. This test… she’s seeing who can fight back and how hard they can do it. If they die, so be it. Either way she knows what move to make next. Kenetari works by keeping the people closest to you in constant danger, so that you do exactly what she wants and if you don’t she kills you and she kills them.” “Are you speaking from experience?” “I just found out that yes, I am. Ashlin was never working for her for money; she was working for her because the rest of us would be killed if she didn’t. We’re like family, whether or not you can understand that. She wouldn’t have done to this to me otherwise.” “Killing heirs will do nothing but incite war. That explanation is ridiculous,” Blade cut in. “She freely told Markus what she planned, there is no way the kings would not find out who was behind the deaths.” “That’s what I was told, hell if I know if it’s true or not.” “Either way we have to get you out of here,” Markus said. “I don’t believe this nicey nice crap, Prince Charming.” Kylara gave him a little shake. He just let her. “It’s not nicey nice. You’re both going in Rea’s dungeon.” “You saved me to lock me up? Look me in the eyes and tell me that makes sense.” “If I want to be honest, I don’t know why I’m here other than I couldn’t just let you die. It’s how my brain works, and I’m sorry for it, but unless I change who I am I’m going to be the equivalent of here next time too.” She let go of his shirt. Then she unfastened the coin purse he had given her and shoved it in his hand. “You let me out of here, we work together to put Kenetari down. You can lock me up when she’s fucking dead.” Markus put out his hand. “Alright. Agreed.” “Your challenge is upstairs.” “I’m ready. Maria healed me, actually.” “She’s a soft touch like that.” Kylara went to the stairwell, more from memory than anything else- Blade’s absorption of the shadow had gotten smaller and smaller- and Markus followed close behind. Going up the stairs was a nerve wracking test of his sense of touch. He began to imagine he was journeying back from the underworld, instructed not to look back or
|
|
|
Post by Markus Everglade on Dec 17, 2013 16:17:43 GMT -5
he’d be trapped forever in the depths. All the while, he heard Blade’s toenails click behind him and the sound brought him back to sanity. Kylara stepped into the light, crossing her arms and sitting in her hip. “Ashlin.” “Kylara,” the woman in the center of the circle nodded. Markus’s eyes traced around the room at all the girls standing before torches. Ross waved at him furiously and Laura nodded, her bow pressed to her leg. He swallowed, eyes darting down at Blade. If they had to take down all sixteen of them, they were going to lose. Badly. Ross mouthed “we’re going to die” at him cheerfully. “So you’re Prince Markus,” Ashlin said. “I am. Kylara tells me you’re being used by Kenetari.” “Yes. It’s why I agreed to be this challenge of hers. You see, I have nothing to lose now that I’ve sold my soul to that devil. I’m going to do my best to go down fighting, so it’s just you and me. If your friends try to help you, they have to deal with my girls. Does that sound fair?” “I accept.” “Careful, Markus. Swords are not her only skill,” Kylara cautioned. “She is a half breed, she can use magic. She’s the illusionist-” Two of the girls grabbed her and slammed her against the wall, covering her mouth and holding her there. Markus stepped forward, swallowing hard. He drew his sword and nodded his head. He’d wait for her to make the first move that was usually safest. Especially since he had no idea how an illusionist might fight. She darted off diagonally and he shifted to defend his side, finding himself slammed hard from the front into one of the torches. His vision spotted, but he struck out quickly, barely nicking her. So that’s what illusionist meant. “Just guess the right one. Not so hard, is it?” Ashlin pulled back, looking at him with nothing less than amusement. “I’m not that good at being right,” Markus returned nervously. “Boy is that ever true,” Rose agreed. Laura elbowed him. Ashlin rushed at him again and Markus slashed quickly, blindly trying to hit any direction. It was just a little too random to hit, but it kept her from hurting him. They repeated this exercise a few times, but Markus could tell she was figuring a way around it. In fact, the fourth time she came at him he found himself pinned to the wall, through his arm. He tried to tell himself it was just his left arm but, honestly, that didn’t help too much. “Come on now.” Ashlin angled the blade, making him wince. “You can do better than that.” He slashed his sword at her again and she disappeared. Markus repressed the urge to swear profusely. Laura shifted and Ross grabbed her, shaking his head. He was going to have to guess. Very likely, it was going to get him hurt or killed but he didn’t know what else to do. Markus pulled the sword from his arm, letting out a little squeak, and throwing it to the ground. By the time he was done, she was rushing him again. Markus struck, quickly, to the right. His heart jumped when he heard her cry out. Ashlin gave him a look mixed between hatred and relief. “That was lucky.” Her hand rose, holding her ripped open shoulder. They both stood still for a moment, quietly bleeding, before their swords finally clashed. He struck air again when he finally got a hit, taking another himself in his already wounded arm. He spun quickly in response, actually hitting her this time, leaving her stomach ripped open. She was panting, both hands over her stomach, sword clattering to the floor. “You win. Finish me. Now, Prince Markus.” “You’re unarmed. I win, I passed the challenge. Neither of us has to die.” Ashlin’s eyes widened and then drained of all light. Kylara withdrew her sword from her teacher’s spine, eying her on the ground with an unreadable expression. “One of you wanted to. She could have killed you the first time she attacked and she didn’t. She wanted you to beat her, idiot.” Markus shook, clutching his arm now, tears threatening at the side of his eyes. He wanted this all to end. Wanted people to stop dying in front of him and wanted to stop killing and causing pain. He raised his blood covered hand to his lips and tasted it, feeling his mind go mercifully numb. His body acted in its stead, directing his hand back to his injury and sealing it closed with a flash of blue light. When the effect faded, all the assassins were bowing… to Kylara. “I killed our former master, which makes me leader until they decide on a new one.” Kylara explained, rolling her eyes. “What? You mean if Markus had finished her off, he’d be in charge of a hoard of attractive and deadly woman?” Ross’s jaw dropped. “Why the hell didn’t you do that?” “Can we kill him?” The woman by the door asked. “I’m thinking about it.” Kylara glared daggers at Ross. His mouth shut fast. “Kenetari isn’t going to be happy about this. She’ll probably try and do the same to all of you that she did to Maria and I. So… while I’m leader… I’m going to order you to go to Caltha, find Lila and wait for all of this to blow over. The prince and I are going to take care of her and anyone she can throw at us.” “We can help you.” One of the women who had been restraining Kylara put a hand on her shoulder. “All of us are stronger together than we are apart.” “I’m not going to let her destroy what the Wildflowers have left. Even if Maria and I die doing this, most of you will be alive and you’ll be safe. So it’s an order, not a request. Do you understand me, Nora?” “I obey the master’s orders.” Nora kept her eyes down. “This really means a lot to you, doesn’t it?” Markus asked quietly. Kylara looked at him resentfully, but nodded. He let out an inward sigh. What he wanted didn’t really matter here- he had a lot of people counting on him now.
Chapter Ten
Regret
Laura has wanted to pursue Kenetari so badly that she hadn’t really thought how the other two had felt about it. Ross, of course, was up for pretty much anything as long as he was having fun. As it was almost impossible for Ross not to have fun, she couldn’t remember him saying no to anything in her memory. As for the people slowly getting dragged into all this- Rea, Blade, the rest of cast of characters the queen had invited- well, that was up to them. Rea and Blade, however, were possibly more ready to go than Laura herself was. The others… she didn’t think they even knew what was going on, not yet anyway. That left Markus. Markus… was having more doubts about this than she had ever seen him have about anything before. She couldn’t blame him. This was dangerous and he had a lot going on, his impending marriage not being the least of it. He would never say it, of course, but she thought maybe he might want to back out. She was going to, as gracefully as possible, offer him that way. So Laura waited until he was finally alone- it certainly took a while, thanks to throwing explaining all of this to his sister and arguing with Ross about setting Maria free into the mix. In the end, though, Ketra, Kylara, Maria and Ross’s heated conversation let Markus slip away unnoticed by everyone but her. Laura almost didn’t follow him. After all, he probably wanted to be alone. Still, the last two times he had tried to be alone he had gotten attacked… so she decided her body guard duties won out over his need to be alone and went after him. She found him alone at the banquet table, somewhere in the middle, peeling the skin off an apple with a dagger. It probably wasn’t the best idea, but she’d let it slid. She sat next to him. “Hey Laur. They get stuck in my teeth, before you ask again,” he said. Markus dropped the peels on the table and took a loud, satisfying sounding bite. “Tastes better this way too.” “Tastes better than your own blood?” She asked, trying to sound teasing. He laughed. “Well, that’s a very um… unique flavor, certainly. Tastes like pain.” “Does your arm still hurt?” “No, no it’s fine. I sealed it up myself this time. Thank you for being worried though.” “Can I look, just you make sure?” “Uh huh.” He shoved up his sleeve, taking another bite. He was right. The wound was closed, not bleeding, completely on the mend. What he could do was amazing, she would stand by that. “You don’t think that you’re… an elementi too, do you?” “Why, because of what happened with the mirror?” Laura blinked. “That… that wasn’t my magic, it was the wolf’s. Or, I suppose I know now, the elementists. It is comforting to be able to explain it now.” “Hey, I guess you’re right. I didn’t think about that.” “I think you’d just like if you knew someone like you. Someone you didn’t have to fight to the death.” “That would be pretty nice.” “Maybe I should dye my hair with blueberries again. That worked out so very well when I was seven.” “It did give you a much better excuse to chew on your hair.” She held up a finger. “I don’t do that anymore.” “Nope, you moved on to shredding your lip with your teeth.” Markus flicked her mouth. “You should really stop doing that, you know.” “I bite when I get worried. Do you want me to bite you instead?” “Never ask Ross that question.” Laura grimaced. “Ew.” Markus laughed at her expression and she rolled her eyes, plucking an apple out of the bowl in the center of the table. “I hope never to find out what Ross’s… preferences are.” “Well, he shares with me sometimes so… now you know.” She set down the apple. “And now I’m not hungry.” “Want me to peel it for you?” “Sure, Markus. Peel it for me.” “I really don’t know why you’d want someone to bite you, especially when-” “Markus. No.” “Sorry. He’s just never explained it well.” “It’s Ross, Markus. That’s how he is.” “I know how he is.” He stopped peeling the apple, the skin just hanging off in a red curl from the knife. Markus’s eyes fixed on a glass at the very end of the table, half full, beads of water condensed on the outside. He raised his hand, spreading his fingers. A little this-is-ridiculous smile spread across his mouth and he closed his eyes, concentrating. For a second, nothing happened. Then the glass trembled like someone was shaking the table and broke into a thousand pieces. His brow furrowed. “I really hope I can’t do that to people. We have a lot of water in us, right?” “Seventy per cent. Something like that.”
|
|
|
Post by Markus Everglade on Dec 17, 2013 16:18:44 GMT -5
“Remind me to never even try then. I should pay Rea for that glass. That was bad of me.…” “I think she can afford a new one, somehow,” Laura said. He nodded, starting on the apple again. “Markus… being an elementi means knowing what you are, which is a good thing. It also means that you know for sure that you’re legitimate, which I know drove you crazy thinking about and most importantly it means that there are five other people like you. They might not have the same element, but they have an unusual feature too. They know what it’s like. Maybe we can find one of them now that we’re out of the castle. That is, if you want to keep doing this…” “You think I’m too weak, don’t you?” He set the peeled apple in her hand. Laura shook her head vehemently. “I think that you shouldn’t have to do this, not that you can’t.” Her fingers curled around the fruit protectively. “The last time you both followed me, we went to war and Ross had to watch his brother die. We all did. At first, that was all I could think about. Now though… we’re really good at taking care of each other. I know that we can do this, it’s just not going to be easy.” “Hey…” She reached up, touching his bangs. “Blue has always been my favorite color.” “Green is mine.” He met her eyes. “You don’t have to keep worrying about me, I promise. All the fighting reminded me of…” He let out a little laugh. “It doesn’t matter, really. For all my private teachers, I’m just not a hardened warrior like you and Ross are. I kind of have to work on that.” “I suppose you could call us that.” Laura tried not to laugh herself. “It’s more about finding ways to cope.” “Yeah, ways that aren’t self-destructive.” Markus let out a sigh, finishing up his apple and starting to play with the core. “You’re right. I hated having to fight another human with magic. I hate having to fight anyone at all because; unless my head is completely empty, I feel bad about hurting them even if they’re trying to do the same to me. Most people have a reason to fight I guess- for money, for their country, for someone important to them. Even if I’m fighting for the same reason I loathe knowing that I’m why they can never get what they were fighting for. I know I can never be any kind of hero prince because… they don’t have doubts. They don’t care who they have to fight through, they know what they’re doing is the ultimate good. I’ve started to think almost everything has shades of gray….” “Everything but Kenetari.” “What if she really is just… crazy?” He shook his head. “That doesn’t excuse what she did. I’m sure Jack is not the only person she’s killed and someone has to put a stop to her. It’s looking like it’s going to have to be us.” “You don’t have to be a fairytale, you know.” “Well, I think there’s a reason most of the princes in fairytales don’t have names too. When you’re an ideal, I don’t think you really need one. I’m not, and I don’t know what I’m doing. That doesn’t mean we can give up.”
****
Queen Rea had decided that the group would stay in the castle for one more night. Markus fully supported this decision. He hadn’t bled from or ached in so many places since the war. He could only imagine the same was true for the rest of the group. Then he wondered if Rea had some kind of name in mind for them, as it seemed kind of odd to keep referring to themselves as ‘the group’. He supposed ‘collection of random people’ would actually be more accurate. They certainly hadn’t turned out to be the bunch of nobles he had expected. Still, despite his desire to stay here for health reasons going from one gilded cage to the next was making him restless. As soon as he could slip away from the others again, he did. It really hadn’t been difficult, as his sister and the assassins were still fighting, due to the fact Ketra had taken up what she considered Markus’s side of the argument and was not backing down. Markus wasn’t exactly sure what it was, as it hadn’t been paying enough attention to find out, and even Ross had lost interest. Ross had been far more interested in Markus’s new grasp of magic, and had gone back to reading the book he’d found in the library. He’d roped Laura in by offering to read it out loud, so she’d picked up her sewing, sat down next to him, and gone off into ‘sewing land’.
|
|
|
Post by Markus Everglade on Dec 17, 2013 16:19:06 GMT -5
Markus really didn’t think anyone actually noticed he was gone. He didn’t think going outside by himself would be a good choice, so he stayed inside wandering the halls, headed nowhere in particular. Avior was a beautiful castle. Doubtless, Imperia was too but he was a little too used to it to notice if it was. Castle Avior was of light stone, both in color and weight, intended for looks more than function. Intricate designs were carved in thin strips on the tops and bottoms of the walls and there was even a pattern to the floor. There were an exceptional number of windows as well, most with glass in them and all with at least a curtain, making it very bright. He only saw one tapestry, however, of a battle scarred lioness standing over a blood soaked boar, representing Carina and Dragoon’s animal symbols respectively, before he saw her. Markus could only think that the lioness, though of a representation of Rea’s defeat of Dragoon in the Carinian war, could have fit nothing more perfectly than the angrily crying but somehow still powerful girl before him. “Rose?” “What?” She snapped, before looking up and seeing who it was. Then her face crumbled. “Prince Markus.…” “Hello.” Markus held up his hands but didn’t touch her. He didn’t want to scare her; he didn’t know her that well. “Are you alright?” Rose shook her head, holding something closer to her chest. It was rectangular, fairly small and she seemed quite possessive of it. She proceeded to tell him something that was completely incoherent that was, possibly, heavily laced with words that happened to be synonyms for stupid. Was she talking about him? Markus’s brow creased with worry. “Would you like me to go away?” Rose shook her head, saying the name “Raythor” in an accusing manner. “Raythor?” Markus repeated with confusion. Oh, the one who had saved his sister? “Ok, what about him?” “Haven’t you been listening?” Rose asked, looking still more upset. “Uh…” Markus ran his hand through his hair. He flashed a smile he hoped would cheer her up or just distract her. “Raythor is stupid?” Rose brightened. “You were. So what do you think I should do?” Back to confusion again. Better play it safe. “Well what do you think you should do?” Rose titled her head, considering that. “I think I’ll make him pay for it. Probably for the rest of his life.” “Are you sure?” Markus asked. What the hell had he just told her to do? Was it illegal or something? Rose just looked at him like he was totally insane. “Of course I’m sure. He has no right to be distracting me. I’m supposed to be paying attention to someone else entirely.” “Someone else? Are you in love?” He smiled sincerely. “You could say that.” She fidgeted like a nervous terrier. “Well I hope he’s good enough for you, Lady Rose.” “So do I.” “Now… you don’t love Raythor because he’s stupid, but he’s distracting you?” Markus begin trying to unravel the emotional ball of yarn that had been unceremoniously dropped at his feet. Really, he should be looking for a way to get out here but he knew that he wouldn’t. “But you do love someone else…?” “Yes.” He got the you-are-clearly-insane look again. “I mean I know it was an accidental meeting, so he really can’t be blamed, but still. I guess you’re right though.” She brightened. “I’ll just pretend to be mad at him.” “Alright.” Markus nodded like he understood perfectly. The nod and smile technique had gotten him through a lot of hard places. Rose, no longer crying and fairly calm, loosened her hold on what she was carrying. He tried not to instantly ask but she saw him looking. “I draw,” she told him proudly. Rose squinted at her sketch pad, flipped a few pages and handed it to him. Markus looked down and inhaled sharply. It was him, pretty much exactly, complete with an expression he’d seen in the mirror a thousand times. “You’re really good,” Markus said. He met her eyes again. “That looks just like me. Have you been…?” “Studying your face? Not exactly. Ketra talks about you a lot and she helped me with it. I want to try drawing everyone on the quest, to practice, so I started with you. I know you have to leave early.” She flashed a smile. “P-prince M-Markus?” Anella swallowed. Kayle was cheerfully shoving her forward. “Can I a-ask y-you s-something?” “Of course,” Markus said. He tried not to notice Rose’s obvious resentment when he switched his attention to Anella. “W-would you… t-train m-me? T-to f-fight I m-mean…” “Tell him why,” Kayle prodded. “I-if w-we all…” “She wants to help when we get attacked. Really help and not just get in a few lucky hits. What do you think, can you train her?” Kayle beamed, Anella fiddled with her cross and Rose scowled. “Yes. I honestly believe you have it in you,” Markus said. He held out a hand for her to shake and she, blushing, did. “Some people can fight as though it’s an art form and I’d be honored to help someone like that.” He didn’t even notice Rose’s very, very resentful looks.
**** Laura watched Markus gesticulate in an animated fashion, describing their rescue of Kylara as though it were an epic. She smiled. His voice and the sound of the fire in the hearth… it was enough to make her forget everything life was about to have in store for her. Markus truly did have a soft, soothing voice. Of course it didn’t hurt that telling stories was one thing he was very good at. He was certainly making Kylara out to be the heroine of the story, which Laura could only assume was out of modesty more than anything else. “Ashlin’s eyes went black… like all the life drained from her in an instant. Not the slow burn you see on the battlefield, where everything seems to drag on and on when you watch someone die, this was just one quick second…” He smiled at Laura when she caught his eye. “Hey, don’t use your quiver as a pillow. Use my shoulder.” Rose, who had been listening to Markus attentively, turned her head to glare at Laura. “Are you certain?” Laura attempted. Markus blinked. “What do you mean? We do that all the time at home.”
|
|
|
Post by Markus Everglade on Dec 17, 2013 16:20:13 GMT -5
“Very well.” She shrugged, giving up without actually trying. No, she would never admit out loud that she was jealous of Rose but that didn’t mean she couldn’t take pleasure in little things like this. It would be Rose’s head on that shoulder soon, after all. Laura contentedly started sewing, stretching out her legs. If she worked fast enough she might finish this pillowcase by the wedding. Markus was supposed to have gotten his bride a number of similar gifts and Laura had offered to make them for him. Through the power of their collective denial, she had started yesterday at three in the morning. “Laura?” Ross said pathetically. “Can you throw me the magic puppy book on the floor next to you? I’m too lazy to get up. Also, what is it with you people and sitting on the floor? These chairs are pretty much the best-” “Be quiet and I won’t aim for your face.” “Just the adoring words I wanted to hear.” She tossed the book at him, which was rather large and felt contentment wash over her at the resulting ‘ow’. “Will you come over here and kiss my stomach to make it feel better?” “Uh huh. Right after I get engaged to Markus.” “But I taste like blueberries! Come on, I know you love them!” “Do I want to know what you two are talking about?” Markus asked. Laura and Ross exchanged glances. “No,” Ross said. “And wow, Laura was right. You don’t hear anything when you’re really into something.” “True.” “Prince Markus.” Maria came in, looking at them dubiously. “I promised you information. Care to come with me and hear it?” “Tell me in front of them,” Markus said. His hand snaked down to try and find Laura’s. As quickly as she could, she intertwined their fingers in his and squeezed. “Suit yourself.” “We’re here for you, buddy. No matter how freaky your powers are,” Ross said supportively. In his own way. “You’re an elementi, as you seemed to have guessed.” Her eyes passed over the enormous book on Ross’s lap. “One of the old guard, our… wise elders, shall we say... administered a vial of blood to you as an infant. This gives you some ability to channel energy through liquids and, obviously, the kind of blood magic you’ve been doing.” “So this old guard is not my father, right?” Maria snorted. “Normally, I’d say that it depends on the old guard but Mercury- the one who made you magic- wouldn’t touch a human if his life depended on it.” “So why are you hairless?” Ross asked. “I chose a long time ago to stay permanently in this body.” “How…?” “You’ve heard of the full moon myth about ‘desert wolves’?” Maria prompted. The other four people in the room nodded. “Well, if we fall in love with a human, give them this necklace,” she tugged at the one she was wearing, shaped like a water droplet, “and kiss them beneath a full moon we can stay human forever. It has to be some kind of real love to work and if the human or elementist commits adultery or purposely destroys the necklace then the spell breaks. It can go the other way, but the human will have no magic as an elementist and we get to keep ours as humans.” “And your human is…?” Ross rolled his wrist. “Dead. But since I’m still faithful…” Maria smiled weakly. “Any other questions, Prince Markus?” “Just Markus.” He diplomatically smiled. “So I’m basically a vessel for elementist power, in order to keep it balanced?” “Right, that book pretty much has it right. We need that both so no one element overpowers the others and so no elementist ever has to hold more magic in their body than they can handle. How and why that works is pretty much lost to everyone but the old guard. As a magical being, you’re pretty expendable. Gathering all seven of you does nothing, your powers won’t even benefit each other much… killing yourself is actually the worst abuse of power, because if you died, for instance, none of the water elementists could use their magic until a new elementi was found. The magic in us just… dies without a matching elementi.” Maria bent and kissed his forehead. “You as a person are a different story. Thank you for helping us. We are on your side now, really and truly. We aren’t going to lay a finger on you again.” “Wait…” Ross held up seven fingers. “Fire red, spirit orange, light yellow, earth green, water blue, and shadow purple- I never learned a seventh.” “Where did you learn that?” Rose asked. “My tutor, silly.” “I suppose I misspoke. There used to be a seventh element, shade- the children of light and shadow parents. They were hunted down and killed a long time ago. The few that escaped became human to survive. So we lost the need for shade elementi.” Maria shrugged. “Morbid.” Ross made a face. “Yep,” she agreed. “That’s beside the point, though. The most important thing you need to understand about water magic is that if it has the chance to flow, it will. Using water to fight will make you stronger, using blood will let your magic decide the best way to handle a situation or it can being you to the level of a normal water elementist, temporarily. Luckily for you, most of it is very intuitive.” “It does seem like it would be.” Markus nodded. Maria nodded back. She glanced from face to face, waiting for more questions. When none seemed to be coming, she bobbed her head. “I’m going to go check on Kylara. Thank you again, all of you. Find me if you have any more questions, Markus.” “Of course,” Markus said. He bobbed his head in the same manner. The corners of Laura’s mouth switched. He had probably decided that it was polite elementist custom when someone left the room. He’d do it from now on around Maria and Blade, if she knew him at all. She started sewing again. In a few minutes, on Rose’s prompting, Markus started his story again. The sound of his voice and the cracking fire filled the room completely.
Chapter Eleven
Both
Anella came back from visiting Blade shivering with cold. All of that freezing was in the wind, she decided. There wasn’t a lot of snow, and it was above zero, so it had to be the ice teeth of the wind. She rubbed her arms. That’s right, Anella, block out everything bad by thinking about the weather. There’s a reason you can’t handle fighting… she shook her head. She didn’t even want to know why she should be able to. Listening to her rich friends talk about their interesting lives had always been enough. Maybe though… maybe this was about wanting her own story. Maybe she didn’t want to play a minor role in what seemed like it could be an adventure. A real quest, as Queen Rea had dubbed it. Then she could go home and find a not too annoying husband live out her decent life quite decently. Anella could certainly do both. This could even present her as suitable for someone a little wealthier than herself to marry as well. A door creaked open and she jumped. Raythor stepped out, looking shiftily to both sides like he was a thief who didn’t want to get caught. Of course, if Kayle’s gossip about him was true he was a thief. So could he be…? “Oh. Hey masochist.” Raythor looked relieved when he saw it was just her. “Listen, you want to be… people who talk to each other, right? Please don’t tell Juliet I’m sneaking out to take a walk. She finally fell asleep and I’m going stir crazy… I won’t be gone for long.” Though she hadn’t answered, he kept making his case. “She’s sitting up so she’ll wake up sooner rather than later.” “I d-don’t m-mind,” Anella said, fidgeting uncomfortably. “I m-mean, we’re t-talking buddies n-now.” “Come with me? It’ll be indoors.” Anella swallowed. Has it been a mistake to make that foolish request last night? She was managing to say more than one word at a time, though, and that was leagues above how she was with most men. “S-sure. You d-don’t w-want Juliet t-to f-find y-you walking a-all a-alone, r-right?” “Exactly. You are at the very least as smart as you look.” He said it casually, without thinking, but she blushed all the same. “Ok, stairs are probably a bad idea right now… Here, Anella, you chose which way. I did pretty much force you to come with me so it’s the least I can do.” Raythor grimaced. “Why am I talking so much?” “It’s f-fine.” Anella laughed. “It doesn’t s-seem like m-much t-to me, I’m friends w-with K-Kayle. T-this way?” Raythor nodded and started off and Anella, for once, easily matched his pace. He didn’t seem to be walking in a straight line and every once in a while she gently guided him by touching his arm with the tips of her fingers. It was too light for him to really notice, especially when he was staring straight ahead like a horse with blinders. He didn’t particularly make her nervous embarrassed, like most boys did, but that was probably just because he did not give a damn. That, and there was no pressure. Kayle may have started in on her usual behavior but she had to see it: Raythor was committed to Juliet. Everyone had to. If they weren’t romantically involved now, they would be so. So no pressure, Anella’s mind repeated. Maybe she and Raythor really could be friends. “This castle is…” Raythor trailed off, shaking his head in disbelief. “I’ve never even imagined anything like this.” “I know, it’s j-just so b-beautiful.” “Not even close to where I grew up. I don’t think I even deserve to be here.” “W-why do you s-say t-that?” She blinked. “Because I’m a…” He seemed to be searching for a proper word. “Thief.” “W-well… you w-won’t s-steal from t-the queen, w-will you?” He laughed. It was a strange clipped noise, like he was rusty as it. “No, I’ll just take what she gives.” Raythor finally glanced back at her. “Hey… thank you. For helping me back last night. I know I wasn’t all that grateful at the time.” “T-that’s fine. You j-just d-don’t l-like to be t-touched, I r-really d-didn’t t-take it p-personally.” “Less than a week and already you know I’m ridiculously hard to be around.” He half grinned. “I’m sorry.” “D-don’t be, r-really… e-everyone is d-different…”
|
|
|
Post by Markus Everglade on Dec 17, 2013 16:20:38 GMT -5
“You two again.” Dione stood in the center of the hallway, arms crossed. Anella swallowed. She didn’t want anything horrible to happen today, it had been terrifying and awkward enough week already. “So let’s be honest here blue eyes. Which one of them was it?” “What?” Raythor started. She saw his hand slowly head for the handle of his sword. “Come on. People like us can always recognize each other. It was my father. Which of yours?” “Like me.” This time a hollow laugh. “I didn’t think there was anyone like me.” “It does feel that way.” She shrugged. “Come on, which?” “Both,” Raythor said flatly. Anella didn’t have the slightest idea what they were talking about, but that answer made Dione’s eyebrows raise. “Both? You’re fucking kidding me. Both of your parents hit a pretty boy like you?” Dione shook her head at the discovered tragedy but Raythor relaxed. He pulled his hand away from the weapon at his side. “Well you don’t get this way naturally.” Raythor gestured vaguely to himself. Dione nodded. “I’m lucky Rea took me in myself.” She briefly rested a hand on his shoulder. “Hang in there, kid. I’ll suggest that Rea set you up in the castle after this little ‘quest’ of hers is over.” “Thank you.” It sounded heartfelt. For a monotone. “Juliet…?” “Of course your girlfriend too. Hey, sorry about this morning Blondie. It’s just a game you know.” Dione whistled. “Both. God fucking damn it, both.” She walked off. Raythor shoved his hands in his pockets and kept going like nothing had happened. “A-are you a-alright?” Anella asked, trying to catch up. He was going rather fast. “Why wouldn’t I be? I thought she meant dead.” “W-what?” “Both my parents are dead,” he said matter-of-factly. Anella swallowed. “T-then w-why did y-you reach f-for your sword? Did… d-did you r-react l-like she m-meant o-orphaned? W-why wouldn’t t-there b-be a-anyone l-like y-you?” He stopped walking. Anella fiddled with her cross. Why had she asked that? Why hadn’t she pretended she couldn’t see it or said nothing? “They were murdered. Both of them.” Raythor met her gaze and somehow managed to hold it, despite a nervous little voice in Anella’s head telling her to look away. It seemed like she had somehow made a significant choice in that moment. One that tied her up in the fate of this terribly orphaned boy, the fate of the prince and his friends, the fate of everyone else in this castle… A smirk cracked the stone features in front of her. “I saw it happen, which is why I think there just might not be too many people like me. Especially not servants of the queen or,” the smirk faded, “horse farm girls like you.” Her grip tightened on her cross, the points digging into her skin. “Juliet doesn’t k-know, does s-she?” “No. She hasn’t figured it out, or at least she hasn’t told me if she has. We don’t ask questions.” He fell silent for a minute. “I haven’t said any of that out loud in a long time. Sorry. You’ve had a pretty rotten time of it here, haven’t you? I’m sure this isn’t helping.” Anella made an unsure noise. She felt bad for him but it didn’t seem like she should say it. It felt like he wouldn’t want to hear it. Maybe he didn’t like to be pitied. Boys could be like that, apparently. At least according to Kayle. Raythor just seemed so closed off. “I’m sorry,” Anella decided on. And she was. She couldn’t imagine growing up alone. “Don’t be. I don’t deserve it, trust me.” He half grinned. “You don’t have to keep walking with me, if you don’t want to. I’d understand, I’m pretty depressing. Morbid, Dash says.” “Stupid is the word I would have chosen.” Rose stood glaring at him with Juliet beside her, a much more peaceable expression on her face. Anella wondered that, if they kept going, they’d keep being stopped by redheads. “You shouldn’t be up but I should have known you’d get restless. Promise me you’ll stay with Anella?” Juliet tilted her head. “I d-don’t mind,” Anella offered. “Great, I’m going back to sleep.” “Now wait a minute.” Rose held up a finger, the features of her soft and feminine face wrinkling with displeasure. “You have a concussion, why the hell can’t you just lie down?” “Because I’m stupid,” Raythor said with a shrug. “Pretty sure you answered your own question with that one.” Rose balled her fists. “I’m willing to ignore your idiocy right now.” “That’s very generous of you.” “Shut up. I want you to train me to fight, Raythor. Markus is training her starting tomorrow, so we can just show up there too. You’re going to have to say you work for Ketra. I don’t want him to think anything unseemly is going on between us.” “So you want someone that you consider an idiot to come at you with a sharp object on a regular basis?” Raythor asked, feigning innocence. Anella noted that he was quite easily masking the earlier despair with sarcasm. “That seems a little-” “Shut up.” Rose gritted her teeth. “Just do what I ask. I don’t see what’s so difficult about that.” “I can tell already that you’ll be a delightful pupil,” he returned. She smacked him and stormed off down the hallway. Raythor looked back at Anella and shrugged. “Looks like I might be a masochist too.”
****
“Not fully human,” Ketra said slowly. Rose nodded. She wasn’t sure what to make of this new information about her future husband either. Yes, she’d known he was… unusual but some kind of vessel for magic? “I wonder if my father knows any of this.…” “If he did, he wouldn’t be too likely to spread it around. Especially to my family,” Rose said grouchily. She imagined a host of children with gills and strange hair. She frowned. “Is Markus a merman?” “Oh dear God.” Ketra smacked her forehead. “That is the last rumor we need circulating: Gladian Queen has merman lover, King forced to accept fishy offspring as heir.” “Ew,” the princess replied, staring at her fingernails. That one seemed to be cracking. That was upsetting; her wedding was pretty much tomorrow. Then she gasped. “I still want to marry him. I guess I don’t care.”
|
|
|
Post by Markus Everglade on Dec 17, 2013 16:21:37 GMT -5
“You like him?” Ketra asked hopefully. Rose shrugged. “He’s really sweet. I’m not sure if I’ll fall in love with him-I want to- but if not… I’m still lucky.” She sat down and folded her hands in her lap. “Very lucky. I know he’ll treat me well, regardless of how he feels. I just… get that feeling.” “It’s real now,” Ketra agreed. “He’s not a picture anymore.” “Exactly,” Rose’s voice got faint. Waking up the rest of her life to Prince Markus, eventually becoming his queen… did she want that? After all these years resigning herself to marrying a painted face, was she actually happy with the reality? “Rose.” Ketra took her friend’s hands, expression serious. “I suppose there are a few things I should tell you.” “Hm?” “Markus used to drink, quite heavily. Ross usually keeps him off it, Ross is the only one he told, but… it’s still a concern that it could happen again. If you ever see him with alcohol, he shouldn’t be.” “Really? He sure doesn’t seem like an alcoholic. Or like he’d even ever get drunk, really.” “He’s been sober for a year. It doesn’t really show.” “Ketra!” Markus walked in with Laura and Ross trailing behind him like ever faithful dogs. “Guess what?” “Tell me,” Ketra said. Rose suppressed a laugh. “This letter.” He handed it to his sister. She took it gingerly and read it over quickly. Rose craned her neck to see it too. Then she swallowed. Hard. “Isn’t it wonderful?” Markus beamed. “Who knows how long it will take them to find Princess Rose. I could go on the whole quest!” “Hm. The princess is missing.” Ketra lowered her chin and raised it exactly one time. Rose didn’t really hear Ketra and the Markus trio’s happy babble. Because she had run away, their wedding was put off. She had control now. She was free. Rose closed her eyes and thanked God. There was time to actually get to know her husband. She could control her own red hourglass.
Chapter Twelve
Sword Play
Markus sat alone at Rea’s great table with his feet up on the chair next to him, biting an apple and delightedly rereading his father’s letter. He hadn’t slept much last night, thanks to the bubbling feeling of excitement rushing in his chest. It made for altogether too much bouncy, disjointed thoughts and motivation to turn them off. So he was up, dressed, and fairly wide awake at least an hour before the sun rose. The servants weren’t even awake yet and neither was his early bird best friend. Naturally, he was surprised to hear the sound of footsteps down the hall. He waited for someone to appear but no one did. The footsteps faded like they were never there. Markus rose, curious, and started down the hall. Had he imagined it? It was probably nothing, maybe just a maid cleaning. Maybe they woke up earlier here than in Everglade. He poked his head into the room where he was most sure he had heard something. Again, there was no one. He was about to close the door and leave when something grabbed his attention. He wasn’t sure why it didn’t. It wasn’t something classically considered interesting, just two sheets of paper, yellowed pages from a book on the table. They were so neat someone had to have placed them there quite deliberately. Markus couldn’t help but feel he had stumbled onto something secret, whether it was as commonplace as illicit lovers or as exotic as spies exchanging information. Either way, he wasn’t just going to walk by. The pages turned out to be one large picture of a fiery elementist trying to fly away from a black void in the shape of a door, a silver wire around it. There were words, in white to counteract the black, on either side but in a language he couldn’t read. It might be ancient Gladian, which hadn’t been used since the continent had adopted the universal language some hundreds of years ago. Still, he’d been forced to learn a few words… “Nectus arrive prem oliver ela perisme.” Markus read aloud. “En es pathe ne baro…” “That sounds really pretty.” A voice behind him said softly. Rose smiled as he turned to look at her. “What does it mean?”
|
|
|
Post by Markus Everglade on Dec 17, 2013 16:23:19 GMT -5
“I am- fairly- sure it means ‘Night comes permanently if she dies/ It is your choice to make’,” Markus explained. He stepped back so she could see the picture. “I think it’s from the Solkenton myth.” “Solkenton?” Rose asked. “That sounds familiar but…” She shrugged. “The Phoenix myth.” He reached down to touch the picture of the elementist. “Phoenix was the prince of the six elemental kingdoms. He was born when the sun shone at night, so he was cursed: if he ever took a life the world would be consumed by the reverse world, by pure blackness. Being a crown prince, it was easy to keep him out of battle so he didn’t have to make a choice to violate the rules of the curse. That is until his fiancée, Pearl, fell sick. Phoenix was told that it was because of a dark spell. Someone who loved her would have to take a life, force that sacrifice to replace Pearl in death. Phoenix was all that she had and he was told that he couldn’t take his own life for the spell to work…” Markus trailed off, smiling. “Am I completely boring you?” Rose shook her head. “No, you sound just like a fairy tale book. Come, keep going. Give me the end.” “Well, then a murderer escaped from their dungeon. Phoenix made the choice to save his bride and killed.” “Which is where those pretty words come in.” Rose nodded. “So the escaped murderer was a girl?” “I’ve seen it both ways, but that seems right in this book’s version, given the text.” Markus spread his fingers out over the pages, studying them. “This is what happened to Phoenix, a portal opened. He could either let it consume this world, like the prophecy said, or enter it and endure two years within that world, two years of facing his greatest fears that would feel like a thousand. Again, he made a choice and went into the portal. While he was gone, his family and Pearl disappeared. The Solkenton reign ended and the one elementist country dissolved into six. Just like Phoenix the kingdom and the players in this story are supposed to rise again and again until they get it right, but it never changes. The Phoenixes can’t let their Pearls die. Which is why this,” Markus tapped the necklace around the fire elementist’s throat,” is a symbol of undying love or friendship. Something that you want to last forever, no matter what happens.” Rose leaned over, touching his arm to see more clearly. “That looks just like Laura’s.” “Yeah.” Markus nodded. “Hers is a Phoenix charm. I gave it to her when we were little, for her birthday, because I wanted us to always be friends.” “You really like fairytales, don’t you?” Rose asked, with some amusement. He adopted a sheepish grin. “I’ve always loved them. I used to tell them a lot too, mostly to Laura, before my father sort of… encouraged me to stop.” “Princes don’t tell stories,” Rose said knowingly. “Exactly.” Markus laughed. “Did your family used to be noble?” “Uh… yes. We were exiled from Bloodroot. I was given this name so I would always remember where I was born. My parents always acted like nobles when I was growing up, but I had to face the reality eventually. Being a maid isn’t so bad.” “I do admire maids. You’re so good at doing three things at once, I’m lucky if I can do one.” He took one last glance at the picture and then stood straight. “Are you hungry? I can cook a little bit.” “That would be great, that’s so nice of you.” Rose said, looking at him affectionately. Markus kept up his smile. Please, no crush on me, please… he begged in his head. She’s so nice; she treats me like a person, no hormones… “Something wrong? Suddenly you have a diplomatic smile.” “It’s nothing; I’m just worried I’ll mess up the food. Can you really tell the difference?” He blinked. Rose nodded almost exaggeratedly. “Oh yeah, I’ve seen enough of those to tell the difference.” “Let’s see you do it,” Markus said. He watched her face. Her mouth turned up just enough to constitute a smile, the emotion in her pale eyes flat. “That’s pretty good.” “I think yours is a little better, since you have such a happy face normally,” Rose conceded.
|
|
|
Post by Markus Everglade on Dec 17, 2013 16:25:35 GMT -5
“I guess I do.” He ran his hand through his hair. He was just vain, he told himself. Why should he assume every girl around him was attracted to him? True, he was handsome, but probably not to everyone and his blue hair made most women not even consider him romantically, even with his title. Markus shouldn’t be worried that Rose liked him that way. She knew as well as everyone else that he was getting married. Married men didn’t attract a girl like Rose.
****
The tiny part of Ross that had been expecting or more accurately hoping that they would do most of their sleeping inside died promptly within him. The clearing where they were to spend the night was idyllic, though. A little pond, inviting trees encircling the clearing, beautiful even without their leaves, and grass so green it didn’t seem to be touched by winter… Just the kind of crap a girl like Rea had to love. Ross sighed heavily. Just like the God damn war but without tents. Or dead bodies, that one was a plus. Ross sighed, dropping down on the stump of a long dead tree. Might as well make the best of it. He watched blankly as his fifteen companions split off into their little groups, not having enough energy to get up and join his own. Laura and Markus were beside the pond’s edge so they could more carefully study the water. They were chatting amiably, Markus occasionally laughing at things she pointed out beneath the surface with a long slender finger. She did have beautiful hands, Ross thought, even if she seemed to have no urge to put them all over him. Ketra was watching Markus and Laura with a grave, disapproving expression reminiscent of her father. Beside her, Rose looked suitably pissed. Rose was pretty, very delicate looking. Like a flower, he supposed. Ketra was attractive in her own way too, but Ross knew her just a little too well to even try flirting with her. Besides, getting involved with a friend’s sister had never once proved to be a good idea. Ross turned his head to observe the two darkly gorgeous Calthan women who were scoping out the tree cover. He wouldn’t touch either of them after what they had done. Markus might think they were all fine now, but Ross was going to be watching them, and not for the reasons he usually was. He also wouldn’t exactly be interested in someone who had spent most of their life covered in blue fur and scales under normal circumstances, but the trying to kill his best friend really pushed his non-attraction over the edge. Juliet and Raythor stood a few feet away from the red headed princesses, in the shade, watching the assassins. Juliet, possibly the most beautiful women here, Ross mused, was sadly a lost cause. She was standing quite close to Raythor, her one bent knee almost touching his leg, smiling and fiddling with her hair more than was necessary. Classic female flirting. Ross smirked. Try as hard as you want with that one, Blondie, it’s not going to work. Raythor had his arms crossed, expression blank, serious. Face not giving her anything more than it had to. It was an unfortunate tragedy for all three of them. Potentially four, if Ross’s guess about his cousin was right. Anella had been rescued by mister tall, dark and Calthan and if he knew anything about women (and he did) she would develop a crush on Raythor. Girls who had little to no romantic experience tended to fall hard for guys who protected them. Ross supposed that was better than Kayle, who seemed to be interested in everything male that moved. Then again, Ross was the same way with women. He was just, Ross told himself proudly, better at playing the game. The last group, not counting the vigilant Blade who was so high up in the trees you’d have to know he was there to see him, were the Queen’s people. Ross wouldn’t associate with any of them, he just wasn’t brave enough. Dione was vicious; her famously previous womanizer of a husband didn’t talk to anything not in a dress and the blacksmith Gabriel… kind of like watching paint dry. Ross shifted uncomfortably, thinking of Rea. “Ross.” He made a sound of surprise, staring up into harsh blue eyes. “Ketra?” “Does anyone else know about Markus’s drinking?” “Well, Laura kind of figured it out and I’m sure there’s probably gossip here and there but I, personally, told no one,” he responded. Ross met her eyes. “Why?” “I’ve always wondered.” The Gladian princess shrugged. “I suppose I’m lucky he told me.” “Oh, Markus knew you could handle it Ketra.” “I’ll take that as a compliment.” She eyed him warily. “Come along, Rose. We’ll get…” She trailed off, glancing at Rose. “Raythor,” the younger woman supplied. “Yes, we’ll get him to start your lesson.” “Lesson?” Ross raised his eyebrows. “What the hell could that bloke teach you?” “Raythor will be teaching my maid how to fight properly,” Ketra said primly. Ross burst out laughing. “A Calthan is going to teach you to fight fair? Give me a break! You didn’t want the orderly, regimental Gladian prince to teach her or the traditionally taught Carinian soldier?” “Markus already had a pupil.” Ketra managed to stay calm, even as Rose was turning red in the face. “And Rose wishes to learn swordsmanship, not archery.” Ross managed to keep a straight face for about ten seconds before he started laughing again. “Good luck with that, Ketra,” he managed, finally. Ross was pretty sure he had actually started crying a little. “Who is Markus teaching?” “Your cousin.” “Really? That’s great! I wanted them to be friends.” “I do hope she develops no feelings beyond friendship for my brother.” “Anella?” Ross ran his hand over his wrist. He was so used to having a guard there that his own skin actually felt weird. He must have forgotten it this morning. “Of course not, if she gets a crush on anyone it won’t be Markus.” “Hm?” Ketra gazed at him critically. “There is someone diverting her attention?” “Never mind. I’m just talking crazy.” “You usually are,” Kayle said as she and Anella walked up. She put a hand rather possessively on Anella’s shoulder. She and Ross exchanged sarcastic smiles. The few times they’d met, when Ross was visiting Anella, they’d been on to each other’s tricks and thusly mistrusted one and other. Ross never tried for a girl who knew the rules of the game he played. He didn’t like to lose. “Thanks, Kayle. I’m so thrilled to be spending time with you.” “K-Kayle,” Anella interjected softly. “Fine.” She sighed, rolling her eyes. “We’re getting the boys, Rose. Are you coming?” “Yes.” Rose lowered her eyes submissively. Trying to be respectful, Ross supposed, though why she would be to Kayle was a mystery. He watched the four of them walk off and grinned. He really liked women.
****
Lydrion Archer certainly looked like the Lainan peasant boy he had been raised as. He was pale, thin; in fact almost gaunt, fairly tall and dark haired and eyed. His hair was scruffy on its best days, shaggy on its worst. Brushing it often seemed like a wasted effort. It did what it wanted. The same could be said of his girlfriend. “The assassins failed,” Kenetari said. She stared straight ahead. Her body was ridged, displeased. “I don’t like that, Lydrion. Benvolio did not predict this. I specifically chose the Calthans so that they would kill any royal swiftly; find them corrupt no matter what. They were not supposed to-” “Have a heart?” Lydrion suggested. She turned her head, a distinctly feline expression on her face. “I didn’t hire assassins to threaten my prey with kindness, Lydrion.” “Don’t worry, Ken.” He caressed her cheeks affectionately. She softened, kissing his fingertips. “We’ll find another way to kill him without danger of Everglade retaliating. I’ll take care of it, if it bothers you. You need to concentrate on the death that matters most to you.” “You’ll take care of it.” She put her head on his shoulder. Her voice had become trusting and he felt her relax. Lydrion put his arms around her. He was very, very careful to read every sign she gave. He was good at reading people, perhaps the only prevalent talent he had. It was probably the reason he could feel comfortable about someone as volatile as Kenetari. Even wild animals rarely attacked if they were handled properly. “Do you think Jason will be able to do what you asked of him?” Lydrion threaded his fingers through hers.
|
|
|
Post by Markus Everglade on Dec 17, 2013 16:27:02 GMT -5
“Perhaps.” She shrugged. “I think he’s at a point where the lives of his friends mean more to him than someone who is just a name. If he kills his target before he can see any real humanity, he’ll be able to do this. Otherwise, he’ll come to me. Beg for release; maybe even offer his own life. That’s how he handled killing Charity.” “I took care of that,” Lydrion said with a slight laugh. Kenetari kissed him. “Yes you did. And I trust you to do it again.”
****
Raythor knew Rose was just using these lessons, and of course him, to keep an eye on Markus but the dark haired boy was going to do the best job he could for anyway. He owed her that, for getting so much enjoyment out of antagonizing her. Even if he meant doing something he was so uncomfortable with. The idea of intentionally attacking someone innocent made him nervous. He would have to do everything perfectly. Pick the perfect sword for Rose to use, instruct her carefully and thoroughly, not let her get distracted when anything sharp was involved… Raythor finally chose a sword from his bag and placed it in Rose’s hands. It was light, short, made for petite fingers. The metal of the blade, however, was strong stuff and the handle was a deep, forest green that was comparatively bright next to his other swords’ somber black. It had been made for someone else, a long time ago, but Rose didn’t need to know that. No one really did. “This is nice,” Rose sounded surprised. Raythor watched her run her fingers over the hilt, studying the weapon like she was some kind of connoisseur. “It’s like a real sword.” Raythor laughed in his clipped way. “Yeah, it’s a little different than your sheathe knife. Here,” Raythor withdrew his own sword and held it up next to the green one, “you see, you’ll have to hold it differently.” He carefully adjusted her grip. “That does feel different,” Rose agreed. Raythor let go of her hand and studied how it looked in her hold. “What are you looking at?” “Nothing, I just think you should keep that. It’s like it was meant for you,” Raythor said. He looked up to see where Markus and Anella were. Lowering his voice, he added: “Do you want to move closer to them?” “What?” She blinked at him. Raythor shifted his eyes toward Markus. “Oh.” Rose flushed. “Of course, you moron. Why do you think I’m doing this?” “I know why you’re doing this but I think you might have forgotten and actually started trying to learn.” “What could a princess learn from a peasant like you?” She hissed back. Standing straight, Rose walked regally off and stopped firmly next to Markus. Raythor followed her at his own pace, quietly adjusting her grip as soon as he caught up. “Rose wants to compare our methods,” Raythor commented. Markus nodded, looking excited. “That’s a good idea, Rose. The Calthan and the Gladian methods of war are two of the most drastically different on the continent.” “I’m glad I thought of it,” Rose said. She threw a homicidal look at Raythor. He half grinned at her. Then he promptly shifted his attention. “What are you using, Anella?” Raythor asked. Anella held up her sword awkwardly, shifting her fingers as she did, probably following Markus’s directions. “It’s about the right size for her, isn’t it?” The prince asked. “Looks it. She just learned to hold it wrong. Now she’s got to-” “Relearn it, yeah.” Markus agreed with a slight grimace. “Don’t worry, though, Anella. I believe in you.” He flashed a bright smile and Anella blushed. Raythor imagined this would constitute most of their exchanges. “What about me, Raythor?” Rose needled. Raythor adjusted her grip. “You’ve got to learn period.” Rose scowled at him, he didn’t respond. “It’s tree slashing time for you, Rose.” “It’s what?” She blinked. Raythor moved to a tree and made a vertical cut in its bark with his sword. “When you’re done you can move up to me, maybe accidently miss a few times. Something to live for.” “Shut up.” Teeth clenched, Rose got to work. Raythor spared one last glance at the other two. “Try not to get hurt on purpose, alright masochist?” Anella laughed, her blush fading slightly. “I’ll t-try.” “Eyes on the prize, Raythor,” Rose commanded. “You’re not going to wound anybody cutting like that,” he returned. “Well show me how, bastard.” “Here.” He quite reluctantly put his hands over hers and guided her aim carefully, making a straight consistent cut through the bark. “If you get squeamish hurting a tree, you’ll be useless on a battlefield.” “Call me useless and I’ll cut you,” Rose retorted thinly. “Hurt that tree, Rose.” “Shut your face, Raythor.” “Am I talking too loud for you to hear Markus?” Raythor teased. She elbowed him, which he ignored, and let go of her hand so she could try herself. “Better.” “Really?” “Really. Just a little,” he pushed her hand, “deeper. Way to kill a tree soldier.” Rose settled back against his chest when she tried again, pushing with her back to get better leverage. Raythor kept his eye on the tree. “Good. It’s like you actually care.” “Stabbing you is going to be fun.” “Surprisingly you aren’t the first one to say that.” “What do you think of Markus?” Her slashes became a little more distracted. “He would be easy to steal from,” Raythor said honestly. “I really don’t know him, though.” “Neither do I,” Rose admitted. She went quiet for a while and they worked steadily, eventually trading insults back and forth as they did. Raythor had never encountered anyone with whom he fought this much, not even people who had beat him up in bars. It didn’t make much sense but if felt normal. Like something they’d do for a long time. He didn’t know how to feel about that. “Why are you a thief?” Rose asked. Raythor adjusted her fingers for about the thousandth time. “I don’t stay anywhere long. It’s the easiest way to eat relatively regularly. I can’t exactly make a living off of rescuing princesses from bandits. Strangely that rarely that comes up.” “Couldn’t you make swords?” Rose persisted. “Mine is really good.” “I can’t stay in one place for long.” “Why?” “I’m restless.” “You’re an idiot,” Rose said in a resigned sort of way. She lowered her arm, wiping the sweat off her forehead. “And I’m done for the day.” “Good work.” Raythor praised, without much feeling. Rose rolled her eyes and walked off toward Markus, who was still working with Anella, not giving him another backward glance. It was then Raythor realized that it was going to be difficult, if not impossible, for him to leave everything behind again. He had hoped this time would be simple, without regret, but nothing in his life had ever been simple. That didn’t mean he could risk looking back.
Chapter Thirteen
Laura’s Dream
“Full moon,” Raythor said blankly. It was the group’s third day out here and things were beginning to settle into routine. They walked or rode until Rea found a clearing she liked. Then they spent the night there and usually the better part of the day. It was easy to forget that they were trying to warn a king about a revolution, especially at this pace. Markus appreciated the queen’s taking it slow approach. Nothing like home, but so much the better for it. “What of it?” Rose asked, leaning her chin on her palm and looking at him moodily. “Just all the horrible beasts of the night, I guess. Big fanged werewolves, girl-crazy vampires, zombies who love redheads... You know. Full moon.” Raythor shrugged. Rose picked up a clump of grass, there appeared to be actual dirt at the bottom, and chucked it at him. He ignored it. The air of a poorly planned arranged married that hung around the two of them would either keep Markus entertained or drive him quite legitimately insane. “Why did you expect me to know how to start this? I was trained to kill people, not cook. This is so…” Kylara crouched by the pile of sticks that were meant to be a fire and looked disgusted. “Domestic.” She said it like a swear word. “Because I control the element of water so I thought I could count on my partner to start a fire,” Maria said, sounding cheerful. Kylara and Maria were the ones in charge of starting the fire and cooking dinner tonight. The whole group had been split into groups of two and put into a schedule so that everyone would evenly share the task. So far, it had been utterly uneventful and worked smoothly. The two assassins were not having the same experience. Apparently, neither of them could light a fire, even though Markus would have figured they’d have needed the skill at some point in their line of work. Kylara kept periodically looking at Raythor, Maria would tease her for it, and Kylara would testily respond. It was the closest thing to fire they’d gotten thus far. Markus, who actually possessed both skills they were lacking in some capacity, wanted to help so badly it was making him twitch. “Steady there, Blue. This is neither the time nor the place to play Prince Charming. Kylara would smack you upside the head, man,” Ross chided. “I know.” Markus’s shoulders sagged. “I just… I just really want to help, you know?” “Oh, I know all about your problems.” “Kindness- one disease Ross doesn’t have,” Laura commented mildly. Ross shoved her good naturedly. “Hey Ross, want to say something distracting? Maybe I’ll stop twitching then,” Markus tried. “Uh… how are the lessons with my cousin going? Good?” Ross gazed at Anella fondly. She, being on the other side of the not fire, didn’t even notice. “Oh yes, very well. She’s definitely a natural at it and she’s getting a little more used to talking to me. She still stutters… and blushes… but she will talk to me in more than one word sentences now.” “A big step forward, trust me.” “Well, I think if she gains a little more confidence in herself she’ll probably stop being so nervous. Laura used to be pretty shy too, you know.” “Not when I met her.” “Yeah, but she was eleven when you met her. She had about six years to come out of her shell.” “Markus.” Laura rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t that shy.” “Come on, when we first met? You wouldn’t even meet my eyes,” Markus teased. “You just trailed after me like a puppy, saying pretty much nothing, for weeks. You were just so scared to be away from your parents. Also I think you used to care that I was a prince, instead of, you know, calling me a crazy bastard whenever you feel the situation warrants it.” “You are a crazy bastard. With shiny dog blood that can make glasses explode.” “What’s responsible for her transformation into this bold and brash young lady?” Ross laughed. “If it’s a drug, maybe I can slip it to Anella and she can call you a crazy bastard too.” Laura nibbled her lip, just a little. It had been looking a little better as of late and Markus had to resist the urge to stop her. “Well… Markus was. He made me feel like Imperia was home, him and my dad. It’s about feeling comfortable with the people around her, I imagine. Doesn’t she stutter less around you, Ross?” “Oh yeah, sure.” Ross nodded. “I guess you have a point. I mean, obviously I’m not shy but it did take me awhile to feel at home in the castle too. Glad I had you guys.” He draped his arms around them. Laura poked at his flesh with her sewing needle. “Either of you want to go on a walk?” Markus’s eyes wandered to the almost nearly successful campfire. “Sure Markus.” Laura got up, dropping her sewing on Ross. “Not getting off of course, Markus,” Ross said. “Figured.” Markus shook his head. “Anyone else care to come?” “I would, but I don’t want to miss the grand finale,” Raythor replied. There was a general murmur of agreement.
|
|