by Ivy Clyde
I tilted my head low and entered the room. Norvin shifted towards Adal to make space for me at the table.
“You look lovely, Daria,” said Norvin, draping an arm around my shoulder and pulling me against his chest. “Red really suits you.”
“Thank you.” I looked around the room, hoping to calm my racing heart. I didn’t understand the flurry of desire and emotions that filled me every time I was around them.
“Norvin already told us you’ve decided to be our assassin,” said Cain. His steely gray eyes were grim. Piercing. With his dark hair hanging loosely at his side, he looked utterly beautiful. Maybe it was the fact he had dragon blood coursing through his veins that gave him an almost god-like aura. I had to keep reminding myself to breathe as I met his intense gaze.
I nodded. Suppressing the fluttery feelings in my stomach, I cleared my throat. “I want as much information about the emperor as you can give me. Even facts about the people he is close with could prove important. Can you procure a map of his palace? It will be really useful.”
“None of us have stepped into his palace after the massacre nineteen years ago,” said Cain. “That kind of information is very hard to come by, but Adal has mapped some of it out.”
“Do you remember the details well enough?” I asked, shifting my attention to the man on my left.
“I went through my family’s journals,” said Adal. “There is always some description of the halls, the corridors and the pathways to the temples. I have been adding the entries to make up a loose plan of the layout of the palace. It’s not much but anything’s better than blindly walking inside, not knowing which way to turn.”
“That’s a good start,” I agreed. “I can find out the rest when I reach Drakhaven.”
Norvin poured wine into a porcelain cup and pushed it towards me. Picking it up, I took a sip.
“Do you have a deadline for me?” I asked, taking more sips of the floral, sweet wine.
“No,” said Cain. “It’s a long journey from Linmoor to Drakhaven. The closest route will have you travel half the length of Iorna, then cross into Baledonia and then move north to reach Drakhaven.”
I nodded, leaning into Norvin. The wine warmed my belly, making me relaxed. Until now, I never allowed myself to get drunk, always staying sharp. One never knew when Elga would spring up a surprise training drill. Somehow, with the three princes, I felt utterly safe. The tension in my body loosened.
“How long do you plan to stay here?” I asked after a while.
“We are leaving at daybreak tomorrow,” said Norvin. “We will be taking the mountain pass from here to reach Partaig, the closest town to Cain’s capital.”
“That will take at least a week,” I said, startled. “If we follow the main path from Oakhedge, it will be so much faster.”
“We can’t go through Oakhedge,” said Cain in a low, urgent voice. “The town will already be in an uproar by now.” His silvery eyes fixed on me. “I told Elga to send out assassins to finish every person on the list you gave. With the death of the generals involved, the town will have more soldiers and high officials coming in. We can’t be on that route and risk being identified.”
“Do your ministers know you’re here?”
Cain shook his head. “They think I am in isolation at the dragon temple.”
Novin chuckled beside me. “You really need to hurry back, Cain. You never know when one of them decides to keep you company during prayers.”
Cain exhaled a long breath. “I know.”
“We will accompany you until Partaig,” said Adal. “From there, I’ll take the route to Baledonia. You and Norvin will proceed with Cain to Gweryn’s palace. Norvin will hide there while you’ll be tasked with bringing some ancient manuscripts Cain found in his temples. You will have to be our courier as we can’t trust anyone else with them.”
“Sure. I’ll keep them safe.”
“The texts are all in the ancient tongue, and somehow escaped Ivan’s notice when he was looting and burning the temple archives of the four kingdoms,” said Cain. “We believe it could have some key information for us.”
“Or it could just be a recipe to brew peach ale,” said Norvin with a grin.
“Let’s not hope so,” said Adal with a grimace.
I put down the cup of wine. A part of me wanted to stay close to Norvin and enjoy the warmth of his body but if we were to leave next morning, I had to prepare things for the long journey. I got to my feet.
“Where are you going?” Norvin spoke up at once, grabbing my wrist.
“If we are to leave tomorrow, I need to make preparations.”
“You should rest well,” said Adal.
“Good night, Daria,” said Cain.
Norvin kissed the palm of my hand before letting me go. “I’ll be coming to bed soon.”
Both Cain and Adal looked like they were about to protest.
I laughed, snatching my hand out of his hold. “I miss my side of the bed, you know. Goodbye.” Still chuckling, I walked out of the cottage, turning towards the west side of the village. Before starting with my preparations, I wanted to see Tilly one last time.
The maids’ quarters were empty at that time of the evening. It was dinner time and everyone was probably in the kitchen or finishing up serving Elga and the assassins.
Reaching the quarters, I entered inside the large cottage. It was a single vast room, filled with rows of cots. Only one at the far corner was occupied.
I walked towards the bed. Tilly was lying there with the blankets covering her body. One hand dangled on the side of the cot. Her wrist was still bandaged with the torn piece from my underskirt. I gently shook her awake.
Her eyes opened wide, scanning the darkened room in panic until they fell on me. Slowly, her breathing slowed down and she was able to sit up.
“Are you still scared?” I asked.
Pulling the blanket up to her chin, she gave a small nod.
I sat on the edge of the cot and rubbed her shoulder. “It’s all right. No one will hurt you here. We are all women here.”
“I understand that,” she said in a small voice. “It’s just…every time I close my eyes, it feels like I am back at the brothel. Someone will come and bleed me out.”
“It will pass. I promise.”
She remained quiet, content to stay in my arms. When her breathing was regular, I broached the subject. “I am leaving Linmoor tomorrow.”
“What?”
She scooted back, her large eyes on me. “Where are you going?”
I shook my head. “You can’t ask an assassin where they’re going.”
“Oh…you’re going to kill someone?” she whispered.
I nodded.
“When will you come back?”
“I am not sure,” I lied. “It’s a long task.”
“I will wait for you, Miss Daria. One of the girls said if we are good and obedient, we can become maids to one of the ladies here. When you come back, I’ll be ready to serve you.”
I smiled. “It’s all right. Don’t wear yourself over serving someone else. The only thing I want you to promise me is that you’ll live well. Don’t make me regret saving your life.” She gave me a nod and smiled. “Go back to sleep now.”
I waited until Tilly was lying in bed with the blanket covering her completely. Her eyes closed and within minutes, she was asleep. Peace flooded my chest as I watched her sleep. Norvin, as Naya, had awakened the feelings I’d long suppressed inside me. His playfulness drove away the dark clouds that had lingered over me most of my life.
Getting to my feet, I walked out of the room. I headed towards my own quarters now. It would be at least a few months before the mission would be completed. Traveling on the roads wasn’t easy, especially when we would be avoiding the main towns.
Reaching my cottage, I began packing a bundle with simple clothes. It would have to be wool and coarse hemp, fabrics worn by the poorest lot. They were warm and provided an extra layer of protection fro
m thieves and robbers. I remained in the red silk gown even though it was getting in my way. The large, long sleeves were a hindrance but I didn’t stop to change. It would be a while before my body would be clean enough to don such luxurious clothing.
In a second bundle, I added pouches of herbs, extra needles, and vials of my choicest poisons. My weapons would be part of my person. Additionally, I packed strips of dried meat for Tuto. He was still absent from the room, hunting in the night but I knew he would return before dawn.
When everything was prepared, I sat on the edge of my bed and began taking out my hair ornaments. After loosening the long strands of my hair from the bun and braids, I lay down among the pillows. I was still wearing the silk gown, not willing it to take it off yet. It would be terribly wrinkled by next morning, but it wasn’t something I had to worry about any longer. The maids would fix it for whoever decided to covet my things after I was gone.
10
It was still dark when I woke up. Morning chill crept in through the gaps in the doors and shuttered windows. Shivering, I almost went to the hearth to light a fire. Endure Daria, I told myself. You won’t always have a warm fire when you’re on the road.
Yawning and stretching, I hurriedly took off the red silk gown. It was crinkled like scrunched up parchment by now. Throwing it on the bed, I donned a pair of fitted leather breeches and a linen undershirt. Over it, I wore a coarse woolen tunic. Instantly, I felt warm despite the roughness against my skin. Over the next hour, I added layers of blades and needles around my clothes, hanging them from tiny wiry hooks. The weapons were wafer thin, making them very light but incredibly sharp, sliding over each other along with the movements of my body.
I braided my hair in a thick, long plait, leaving it plain and unadorned. Without a speck of rouge to color my cheeks, I looked like a farm maid in my woolen garb.
I wore knee-high leather boots, the only item of luxury among the hemp and wool. I could do without fancy clothing but an assassin had to be quick on their feet. These boots were my best asset.
Tuto hooted sleepily, one tawny eye opening as he watched me tie a cloak around my neck. I prodded him in the chest. “I am leaving soon. Can you find me when I call for you?” He snapped at my finger and turned around to show me his tail. “Grouchy.”
I moved away from my grumpy familiar. Come daylight, Tuto will fly to me. He wouldn’t have trouble finding the way because of our connection.
Going to the low table in the corner, I poured myself some water from the earthen pitcher. There was a parcel of wrapped leaves with leftover bread from yesterday. Sitting down, I tore into the bread and drank the cold water, reminding myself not to go into the kitchen for hot porridge. My meals would be like this until I’d completed my mission.
After the meager breakfast, I shouldered my bundle and headed out to meet the princes.
Dawn was breaking in the east. The whole valley of Linmoor was covered in thick gray fog. Some of it snaked its way around the cottages and trees, giving everything a smoky, spectral appearance. Reaching the princes’ quarters, I saw packed horses neighing softly by their cottage.
Adal walked out to reach for one of the horses. He was attired in coarse brown wool, similar to mine, but his regal persona wasn’t diminished one bit. When his soft eyes landed on me, he came near and smiled. “How are you, Daria?” he asked in a pleasant voice.
“Sleepy.”
He laughed softly, rubbing one of the horses’ necks fondly. “I had to drench both my companions to wake them up. They aren’t used to waking up before dawn.”
“What about you?” I asked. “Why would a prince need to wake up so early?”
“Sometimes, I study the stars,” said Adal, looking up to the sky. I followed his gaze and looked at twinkling specs left in the lightening sky. “Some can only be seen at break of dawn, so I am used to waking up early. There are nights when I get so engrossed in a text, I forget to sleep. It’s no hardship for me at all.”
I glanced at the golden-haired prince. He was the most beautiful of the three princes. While Cain and Norvin exuded their masculinity in speech and manners, Adal was soft-spoken and gentle. He was highly intelligent but his wisdom didn’t make him vain. He seemed eager to share what he knew. A warm feeling expanded in my chest as he related stories of his observatory room back home.
“I would love to look at the stars through one of your glass pieces,” I said as he explained about the crystals that could bring a far-off object into close focus. “By the way, Prince Adal, are you hungry? The kitchens don’t open for another hour but I could get you something.”
He placed a gentle hand on my shoulder, stopping me from turning away. Up close, I looked up at his soft eyes and felt my heart race. “We want to leave before anyone wakes up. I drank some water for now. We will find something to eat on the road.”
Cain and Norvin stumbled out of the cottage, looking disheveled and exhausted.
“How can you two look so fresh and summery?” groaned Norvin as he came close to us. “It’s still night time.”
“Don’t complain,” said Cain shortly, struggling to suppress a yawn. Dark stubble coated his strong chin. With shadowed eyes, he looked towards me. “Are you ready to head out, Daria?”
“I am.”
“Let us move then.”
We mounted the horses and trotted through the mist, heading towards the entrance of Linmoor village. A cool breeze blew by, lifting the stray strands of hair away from my forehead. I breathed in deeply, feeling the sense of freedom. Even if I died on this mission, I would at least never return to this oppressive place.
All four of us knew the way back to the cavernous tunnel that followed the river flowing overhead. As daylight broke through the gaps in the forest foliage, Cain led his horse into a gallop. We followed after him, reaching the exit gateway of the valley in a short time.
To my surprise, flames erupted in the hands of my three companions. Lifting their palms away from the reins, they headed inside the cavernous passageway. I followed after them. There was no need for me to conjure up my magic to illuminate the way forward.
“You don’t look surprised at all, Daria,” said Norvin, leading his horse to trot beside mine. “All the women fall in love with this particular ability of ours.”
I chuckled and conjured up my own magic, letting the flames lick my fingers.
“Wow! How’d you do that?”
“I have my own magic.”
“It looks very similar to ours,” said Adal, moving closer to stare at my hand. “Do you have dragon blood in your veins?”
“I don’t know. I wasn’t born with this ability like you three. Elga trained me in magic to control the elements of fire and air.”
“We had to train as well,” said Adal. “We are able to control our fires only after hitting puberty. Both Cain and I were fifteen when our ability surfaced.”
“I was fourteen,” said Norvin.
I fell silent, drowning the flames as I followed after Cain and Adal. For a moment, I considered being a lost princess of the dragons. But as images of my pitiful childhood flashed by my mind’s eyes, I discarded the notion completely. I was just Daria without a last name. An orphan, a bastard child. That’s what I remembered Elga telling me.
After an hour’s journey through the underground tunnel, we emerged out into the early morning light. Shielding our eyes against the sudden burst of sunlight, we rode slowly until we’d emerged out of the woods completely.
“Oakheadge is that way,” said Cain, pointing at the road ahead. “We travel north by taking this path and avoid the town completely.”
“Let’s get on the road already and find an inn,” grumbled Norvin. “I am starving.”
We followed Cain’s lead, riding hard and fast through the tree-lined dirt path. We rode for an hour until we came onto a roadside shack, selling breakfast. Rickety benches were placed around similarly wobbly wooden tables. Men sat around most of them, eating their meals while a young maid w
alked about serving them. A stout man with shaggy beard and gray hair stood at the counter, ladling out porridge or adding toasted bread to wooden plates.
“We’re eating here,” announced Norvin, lightly jumping off his horse in one fluid motion. His cheerful demeanor had me frowning. Even though he was dressed like a peasant, he was acting like a cocky prince. I glanced at Cain and Adal.
“We need to blend in,” I said in a quiet voice. “We never know who’s watching us.”
They nodded. We dismounted our horses and tied the reins to a nearby tree. While our mounts grazed on the grass, the three of us went to sit at the table where Norvin sat.
“I ordered everything on the menu,” he said as we sat around him.
“Idiot,” I hissed.
He looked taken back at my scowl. “What?”
“We can’t show we’re a wealthy lot,” I whispered urgently. “We look like peasants. Even ordering barley porridge is rich of us.”
“Ugh! Who would want to eat horse feed? I told them to get us sausages and fried liver.”
My unease was growing as I looked at the men sitting around us. They were either eating bowls of thin porridge or thick, charred bread without butter. No one ate meat.
I was forced to abandon my disapproval when the food arrived. The smell of still sizzling liver with herbs and spices enticed my grumbling stomach. The three princes dove into the sausages, spearing them with makeshift forks.
“I’d like to get paid before you lot eat this king’s dinner,” said the stout man, placing a tray of bread before us.
“Sure,” said Cain in an imperial voice. “This should suffice?” He handed the man a gold coin. The man’s beady eyes flashed at once and he bit into the thick metal.
“Real,” he grunted, eyeing the coin in amazement. Next moment, he was staring at the princes and me. I observed the subtle change in his expression. His amazement was steadily turning into greed. Pocketing the gold coin, he walked away. For the rest of the time we stayed, he kept his eyes on us.