“Eating breakfast,” he answered, lifting the plate of meager offerings for her to see. “Would you…”
“I already ate,” she said quickly, dropping the arm she had been stretching over her head. “We’re early risers.”
He didn’t know who ‘we’ were, the Andinna she lived with or the Andinna in general. He also didn’t know what else to talk about.
“How are you?” he finally asked.
“I’m good.” She was half dismissive of him, looking away and around the clearing as if she hoped someone else would come to give her something important to discuss or run off and do. He knew avoidance tactics. He’d employed them himself in life and had them employed against him. Oftentimes, when he had to question an Andinna in the pits, they would try similar avoidance tactics.
He felt guilty, thinking about the pits when he was now standing among free Andinna, something he had helped work for.
“I heard you got into an argument with…one of your husbands,” he said, then bit his own tongue, cursing softly as he kicked himself. That wasn’t his place to bring up.
“It happens. He needs some time away from me, and I’m going to let him have it. He’ll come back.” She seemed certain of that, confident and secure in her belief. She eyed him now. “How are you?”
“I’m good,” he answered, swallowing.
What am I doing? I don’t know her. What did I think this was going to be like, arriving here and being near her again? I probably remind her of everything terrible she had gone through.
“I’m going to head in and let you train. You’re out here with Zayden every morning still, right?” He was glad he could remember the male’s name, the one he had witnessed fall back in Kerit. He’d caught glimpses of her training with him over the weeks and could see the improvement, but he never interrupted them again. He didn’t belong anywhere near the powerful Andinna with their wickedly curved blades.
“I am. We’re practicing his hovering right now.”
Trevan nodded and started walking away, holding his plate stiffly.
“Have a good morning,” he said roughly, then ran up the stairs and made it back inside. His heart was pounding uncomfortably as if he had just run across Elliar. Actually, the escape from the pits hadn’t gotten him nearly so worked up.
Trevan ate the rest of his food sitting at the unstained dining table, able to feel the rough wood, barely sanded down, on his elbows. Dave wandered in later, yawning.
“I was told last night that I have nowhere to be,” he said with a sigh. “What about you?”
“I go where you go,” Trevan reminded him with a shrug. “So, I guess I have nowhere to be either.”
“Ah.”
Emerian came in as Dave cooked eggs. The human seemed most adept at the Andinna living they were trying to grow accustomed to. Emerian seemed as if he fit there, but he often seemed uncomfortable, too.
“What are you doing today?” Trevan asked the mutt as he sat down.
“Practicing. Like I do every day,” he mumbled. “They haven’t put me with a team or anything. That massive one next door, you know the tall purebred one—”
“Matesh,” Trevan said for him.
“Yeah. He just tells me to train every day in my own time. Said someone is going to come help me soon, but things have been really busy. I wish I could follow you two around. It feels like I’ve been cooped up here for too long.”
“It’s not that fun. Dave does all the important work, and I get glared at. He’s accepted, I’m not. I don’t think they have any idea what to do with us.”
“I want to join a team,” Emerian said, groaning. “If I’m going to be here in this fucking rebellion, I at least want to do something. Right now, it feels like they’re hiding me.”
“They are,” Dave said blandly. “Luykas gets enough dirty looks for being a half-breed, and he’s the king’s brother and Mave’s husband. He has rank and dominance that you don’t, but people have a hard time trusting him, so he steers clear of the lower ranking Andinna. He didn’t even piss any of them off in the pits as you did. So yeah, they’re hiding you. We’ve only been here a couple of weeks. Give it some time. We just entered spring, and we’re in this for the long haul.”
“Give it some time, says the short-lived one,” Emerian muttered. Dave dropped a pot on the table in front of him, making the mutt jump.
“Mash those potatoes,” Dave snapped. “You two are the worst, moping around all the time like your lives are ruined.”
“We’re not moping,” Trevan said quietly.
“Yes, you are,” Dave fired back. “Wasn’t there anything you wanted to do once you got here? Anything at all?”
I thought there was, but now, it just seems like I had no idea what I was thinking.
Trevan looked away, keeping his thoughts to himself.
“I thought I would go to Olost, but both of you decided to sign up for this rebellion and…” Emerian trailed off and got to mashing the potatoes, also deciding not to voice his thoughts.
Trevan didn’t eat any of the breakfast Dave made, deciding the bread and cheese he had picked out for himself was enough.
“Want to spar with me today?” Emerian asked, his face looking youthful as if he were afraid of rejection.
“Sure,” Trevan said. “Dave, are you okay with the dishes?”
“Yeah,” the human called out from the kitchen.
Trevan followed Emerian down and eyed the mutt jealously after he skipped the stairs and left Trevan to walk down on his own.
“Where can we spar?” Trevan asked. “I don’t want to right here.” He eyed the door nearby. His run-in with her in the morning seemed even more awkward and pathetic in hindsight.
“Um…I know a clearing nearby we can try?” Emerian shrugged. “I never go too far because I don’t know anyone, and I don’t think it’s safe. I hate that I’m being hidden, but you know, I get it.”
“Of course.”
They started walking, finding a small trail to go down. Trevan was grateful Emerian was walking with him since the Andinna mutt could have just as easily flown. They entered a small clearing with a shack built at the eastern edge, opposite of where Trevan and Emerian entered.
“This works,” Trevan said, nodding toward the shack. “Maybe that has some training weapons.”
“Let’s hope. I know we both have steel, but I’m not looking to get cut up. On my second day here, Matesh taught me some patterns, and I’ve been doing them every day, but I haven’t sparred with steel…ever.”
“I know,” Trevan said softly. He wished he had gotten more sparring time in recently. “Maybe we can make this part of our day. Me and you. We’re used to sparring together.”
“I kind of want to learn more Andinna ways of fighting,” Emerian said softly. “If I’m going to fight with them, maybe it’ll help me fit in.”
“Then you can practice them against an Elvasi style,” Trevan suggested as they arrived at the shack. He found what he was looking for inside, two simple wooden swords. One was curved like the blade all Andinna kept at their hips, the other was simpler, more of a longsword. He saw them around, but not frequently. From what he had seen, some Andinna preferred different styles of weapons, but they all knew and carried a curved sword as if it was another of their limbs.
“Yeah, that would be good,” Emerian agreed and stepped back once Trevan gave him the curved sword. Watching the mutt, Trevan saw the forms and patterns he must have been taught. They were roughly done, but they were interesting. Emerian lacked grace, and there were probably some errors, but Trevan saw the effect the forms were going for.
“They’re blocks and strikes,” he said as Emerian continued. “It’s a pattern of blocks and strikes to familiarize you with the muscle movements. That’s good. We never had time in the pits for that kind of training.”
“Yeah,” the mutt said absentmindedly. “Let’s get to sparring and see if I can use them.”
Trevan launched an assault, and E
merian staggered around, trying to block but never got an attack in.
“It’s okay, we’ll keep going,” Trevan said when he whacked the mutt in the ribs. “It takes time—”
“Look at the trash out here!” someone called in Common. Laughter followed. Trevan turned and lowered the wooden sword, so he didn’t seem like a threat. Several Andinna were landing in the field, probably close to a dozen. Trevan recognized a few of the faces as gladiators.
Fuck. This was not how the day was supposed to go.
“What are you two doing? This is training equipment for warriors,” one said, looking at the wooden practice swords in their hands. “Should take you to the king and get one of those hands cut off. You know, the standard punishment for thieves.”
“We’re not taking them anywhere. Just sparring for a bit,” Trevan said calmly back in Common. At least they weren’t using Andena. He didn’t know the language, although he was slowly picking it up. “We’ll put them back and go now if you would like.” He lifted it, holding it with his fingertips, so it didn’t seem like he was going to try to attack them. He eyed the group, noticing they all had steel at their hips, the long, curved swords.
“You don’t get a say here, Elvasi scum. And what are you doing, mutt? The morok is for warriors,” one snapped.
“Everyone carries one,” Emerian said, obviously not prepared for a fight. Trevan didn’t blame him. They would lose this one if they couldn’t stop it from happening. “I’m just doing what I was told. Practicing.”
“He’s wearing one,” someone whispered. “Who gave him that, or did he steal it? Don’t we have a weapon shortage?”
“We do. Hand that over, so a real Andinna can use it.”
“It was given to me,” Emerian said, stepping back. Trevan moved with him, keeping them side by side to stay protected.
“Take it from him. I know a warrior who’s been forced to use a pillaged sword from the Elvasi, and this trash has a morok. What a fucking joke.”
Three of the Andinna stepped forward.
“Don’t do this,” Trevan said softly. “We’ll go. Please.”
“Yeah, beg. Like you probably made our kind beg for centuries. I bet if we gutted you and tossed you out of the valley, no one would even notice.”
“That’s not quite true,” a female said softly. The Andinna turned, and Trevan saw Mave standing on the other side of them. “Leave them be,” she ordered.
“Champion,” one of them said warily. “You would stop us all by yourself?”
“She doesn’t have to,” Luykas called down, landing beside her. “You’ll move along. Now, or you’ll answer to us.”
“Why does he get a blade when—”
“Because of moments like this,” Luykas snarled. “Move along. They are members of the rebellion and serve under King Alchan Andini. Attacks against them are attacks against your own.”
The Andinna began to disperse, grumbling and pissed off. Some cast glares at Mave and complained about how the Company was always watching them like the little blue one. Trevan knew from sitting in meetings with Dave as his guard that the blue mutt, Rainev, was investigating the gladiators to make sure none of them had committed crimes that warranted punishments.
Mave stomped toward them, growling as she drew close. Trevan resisted the urge to step back from her as she crowded into his space.
“Are you both all right?” she asked, grabbing each of them and looking over them.
“There was never a fight,” Trevan said, unsure what she was doing. He felt manhandled, which made him uncomfortable.
She stepped back once she must have satisfied herself with their state of being, then turned on Luykas.
“You’ll train with them to keep others from trying this stunt again,” she ordered. “I know things have been busy, but we weren’t supposed to leave them in harm’s way.”
“I was going to start eventually,” he said, sighing. “Forgive me. I’ll start with them today. I had wanted to keep Emerian close, but…”
“I know. Thank you for coming.” She launched into the air, leaving Trevan and Emerian with the white-winged mutt.
I feel bad for calling him a mutt. He’s the king’s brother. Prince? I don’t know, but I’ll try that.
“Prince Luykas—”
“General,” Luykas corrected quickly. “Technically, I am a prince, but I’ll never sit on a throne, so I prefer not to use the title. Right now, I’m just General.”
“General Luykas,” Trevan repeated, nodding. Then he remembered what he was going to say. “What just happened? I understand the Andinna might not feel comfortable with our presence, but how did you and Mave know to get here?”
“She heard the group as she was walking into the village. She and I are blood bonded, so it’s not hard to call for each other in case one of us needs back up,” Luykas explained. “It happens. You two tried to stay close to home, so I don’t think you’re at fault. Now, if you had gone to the larger training grounds, I would have needed to talk to you both. As much as we want it to be, this valley isn’t safe for either of you.”
“It’s safe for you,” Emerian pointed out. “They walked away—”
“I’m the brother of the king and a husband of the Champion. Anyone who tries me will die. Not might die, will.” Luykas gave a wry smile. “Once upon a time, people feared me because I am very good with a sword, and I knew some magic. Now, they leave me alone because I’m connected to more powerful people. Such is life.” He seemed almost annoyed by it.
“Are we ever going to fit in?” Emerian asked, sounding desperate. “I’m here, practicing the stuff I was told to practice.” He huffed. “I don’t know why I thought it would be any better here. It wasn’t better in Elliar when I hoped they would see me as half-Elvasi. Why would the Andinna want—”
“You know the wrong Andinna,” Luykas cut in. “Those of us at the top? We don’t care if someone is a mutt. Maybe that’s because of me, but the king’s nemari, his most trusted aide, is also a mutt and the son of another member of the Ivory Shadows. Everyone brings what they have to the table. Right now, there’s a lot of high emotion, a lot of stuff we as a people need to get through. I strongly believe if we regain our freedom, the idea of being a mutt, with no matter what other race, will no longer be a marker of a social outcast. It wasn’t before the War.”
Emerian frowned. “How old are you?”
“Eighteen hundred,” Luykas answered, smiling a little. “I was around for a good chunk of time before the War. Emerian, I know what happened to you. I know what was done. All I can offer is my condolences. When I was young, my Elvasi mother hid me. She couldn’t formally acknowledge me. Being a half-breed south of these mountains has never been as accepted as it was in Anden with the Andinna. I hope you give us a chance.”
“I’m here, aren’t I?” Emerian mumbled, looking away. “How did you know?”
“Our spies did a lot of research into you once they found you hanging around Trevan, whose freedom was a priority. Though, they didn’t tell us about Trevan until their plans were nearly ready to free everyone.” He sighed and looked at Trevan. “Sorry about that.”
Trevan shrugged. He didn’t know if he had the right to judge. They had all made their choices that night. Trevan’s choice had been to fight and die, so the others could escape. He didn’t die, but that was no one’s fault except Shadra’s, who wanted to put him through hell.
“Well, let’s get to training since we’re all here, and I’m…” Luykas looked off into the sky, almost looking for someone, maybe Mave. Trevan knew Luykas was one of her husbands, and something had happened between them. Luykas didn’t finish what he was saying, looking back down at the wooden practice swords they were holding, frowning when he looked at Trevan again.
What did I do wrong?
“Why are you using that?” He nodded at the long sword, the frown growing deeper.
“I was trained with the longsword,” Trevan answered. “I know the longsword, spear,
and bow.”
“Well, it’s time for a change,” Luykas said, walking through them to the shack with the wooden practice tools, grabbing the long sword from Trevan as he went. “I’m sure you’re proficient in those items, and you can practice them on your own time, but we use the morok.”
“That’s the curved sword, isn’t it? I thought that was the traditional Andinna weapon. Why would I—”
“You sacrificed your life in the Empire for the Andinna,” Luykas said, annoyed as he threw a curved wooden blade at Trevan. “Therefore, you get the morok.”
Catching it, Trevan twisted his wrist and made a few slashes through the air, testing the weight of it. It wasn’t like the longsword or anything he had ever used.
“I’ll have a steel one made for you. Consider it a gift. You’re one of us now in every way but blood. At least to me. You helped free my future wife from slavery, and I can never thank you enough for that.” Luykas gave him a funny look but said nothing else as he walked into the field. “Follow me. You two are in for a long afternoon. Maybe Alchan will be okay with you joining the Company training time…”
Trevan followed as requested, giving Emerian a confused look and receiving one in return. They had no idea what they were in for now, but Luykas seemed like a good male and a capable warrior.
Trevan looked down at the morok in his hand.
He hoped it was a sign things were about to start looking up for him. All he had was hope, but he wasn’t really sure and feeling so out of place, he was certain it was going to take more than a sword to stop him from slipping further into his despair.
21
Brynec
Brynec walked through the underbrush, the world lit by the glow of the dying sun. The early spring cold didn’t bother him, but the light rain did.
“How much further?” someone asked.
Another Andinna growled softly in return. The goal was to be silent and get as close to their objective as possible. With ten Andinna, that wasn’t easy. Two he could rely on were Varon and Nevyn, but the others were still in training. He had to sharpen their skills, though, so he’d asked Alchan to allow him to bring them.
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