by M D Baker
I jolted when she spoke the name of Lord Aldon’s first wife, the woman who’d preceded Valda’s reign over Blackwood Keep. While my fingers began to tremble, she squeezed them softly in return as she went on.
“Knowing the danger to your life, your father hid you for a time, letting it be known that his child had been stillborn to protect you from harm,” Valda continued, her dark eyes conveying far more emotion than I’d ever seen before. “My arrival allowed us to claim you as an orphan, bringing you into our household as a servant.”
Although she’d said it so clearly, it was only then that I began to understand what Valda had been telling me. So many things that never made any sense shifted into place, and the odd circumstances of my life suddenly resonated with a new meaning.
“These years have been so difficult for him,” she explained as a faint echo of inner torment seeped into Valda’s words. “Believe me when I say that keeping his distance has been the most difficult thing your father has ever done. It was no easy task to pry you from his arms; the daughter he could never acknowledge lest she suffer the same fate as his beloved wife.”
“He asks of you constantly, Starling.” Valda smiled as fond memories of those conversations ran through her mind. “But looking upon you without being able to name you as his own tore at his heart, that is why he avoids you so frequently.”
“I consider myself lucky to have the honor of instructing you, Amarrah, but I fear our time together is at an end.” She rose, pulling me up with her as we stood face-to-face. “You must flee, while my duty requires that I uphold our family’s honor and defend Blackwood Keep till the very end.”
“Where will I go?” Of all the thoughts swirling around in my head, it was the first to pass my lips.
“To Oldbridge, of course,” Valda replied as she slid the pack across my shoulders. “Word of this invasion must reach the capital.”
“I’ve never been outside the Keep,” my voice wavered as she led me up the stairs again. “Come with me.”
“You know I cannot.” Her resolve was firm despite the absolute certainty of the fate that awaited her.
As the highest-ranking member of the ruling family, Valda was duty-bound to defend the fortress from our enemies. Abandoning it without a fight was a dishonor far worse than any death she might suffer. Although she’d taught this to me before, it never made any sense until just then. Even while I was still coming to terms with what Valda had revealed, the heavy weight of responsibility that she’d laid across my shoulders was beginning to settle in. Words like duty, honor, and obligation suddenly became something more than abstract concepts, and my feet dragged a little slower as we climbed the final steps of the Keep’s tower.
While we’d been away, the enemy had encircled the fortress, surrounding us in a sea of red-clad soldiers. Although I saw no siege weapons or artillery among them, their numbers alone were more than enough to ensure a relatively quick victory for Cyndhar. A grim silence came over the gathered army as a lone horseman walked his mount away from the horde, stopping just beyond the range of our archers.
I imagined he’d shout some ridiculous terms of surrender, but the entire horde remained deathly silent, and the man spoke not a single word as he planted his long spear deep in the ground. Pausing to leer at Valda while he undid the straps securing a large bundle slung across his saddle, the man withdrew a misshapen lump from the bag before sliding the object onto the point of his spear.
Although it was clearly someone’s head, the blood and bruises discoloring the unfortunate soul’s face made it nearly impossible to recognize… for a moment. The sharp intake of Valda’s gasp echoed in my ears as the battered outlines of Lord Aldon’s distinctive features resolved before my eyes; the father I’d only just learned of slaughtered by some cruel Cyndhari barbarian. My stomach heaved as I fell against the battlements, but the dark stone prevented me from falling to my knees.
There was an unfamiliar strain in Valda’s voice as she helped me to my feet. “You must fly, Starling.”
Griff had returned by then and was gazing out across the field, the desire for revenge burning in his eyes as he stared at the back of the horseman retreating to the safety of the Cyndhari lines. While Valda guided me towards the Guard-Captain, I noticed that he’d removed most of his plate armor in favor of a lighter set of leather. The thick straps of a heavy pack dug into Griff’s broad shoulders, though its bulk lay hidden beneath a dark traveler’s cloak.
“See her to the capital.” Valda straightened herself as she regained a portion of her strength. “Tell them what has befallen us.”
“The Countess will arrive unharmed, my Lady,” Griff swore in response, granting me a title that was not yet mine, but we all knew would fall upon me soon enough.
“You may be captured, you might even be taken,” Valda whispered as she pulled me close, her knowing look making it clear that she was speaking of two very different things. “But a lady of Farren surrenders nothing to the likes of Cyndhar.”
“I will never forget your lessons.” The twang of a bowstring nearby signaled the need for haste, but I paused to embrace Valda before taking my leave.
“Thank you for everything,” I choked out, gripping her tightly as I forced out one final word. “Mother.”
“If only we had more time…” Valda’s voice trailed off as another volley of arrows sailed out across the wall.
“I’m sorry, my Ladies, but we must go. Now,” the urgency of Griff’s words reminding us of the growing danger.
I honored Valda with one final glance, stilling my fears as I forced myself into a calmness that belied the sheer terror roiling inside me, demonstrating that her years of instruction hadn’t been in vain. She knew me well enough to see right through the façade, of course, but offered a thin smile of approval as she made her way closer to the battlements. Bright streaks of Valda’s lightning flashed through the windows as I followed Griff all the way down to the Keep’s lowest level where six more guards waited for us, along with a pair of servants—Jaine and an older woman I only knew as Helred, trembling as they huddled together in a far corner.
Under his instruction, the soldiers slid one of the heavy shelves aside before they began prying at the thick timbers lining the walls of the storage chamber. Their efforts broke loose a narrow panel, revealing the dark contours of a hidden passage. A pair of guards hurried in ahead of us, lighting torches as they led the way into the pitch-black tunnel. Two more followed while Griff entered last, turning to offer a grim salute when he left the final pair behind to cover our escape. We waited just inside the hallway until the false wall was hammered back in place, and the sounds of wood scraping across the rough stone floor ensured that the shelving had been returned to its former position.
Satisfied that our escape route wouldn’t be compromised, Griff ordered us on, and I followed as the guards advanced down the tight corridor. The darkness began to close in on me as the passage went on almost endlessly, taking us well beyond the borders of the Keep. Soon, thick roots worked their way into the stone walls as we moved beneath the dense woods of Blackwood Forest. The tunnel came to an abrupt end at a wall of solid stone, but Griff and the soldiers were able to shift the massive block aside as it pivoted on some hidden mechanism.
Once past the obstacle, we found ourselves in a small cavern. Despite the distance we’d covered, with evening sunlight filtering in through the vine-covered entrance, Griff called for a break until we could travel under the cover of night. A single soldier ventured beyond the safety of the cavern to investigate our surroundings, while Jaine and Helred sat with me on the packed dirt floor.
“They wouldn’t tell us anything,” Jaine whispered, grasping for my hand as she cast a suspicious eye at the guards. “We were just given these packs and told to follow.”
As distressing as it might’ve been, the secrecy made sense. If something went wrong and one of us was captured, it would be better if they knew nothing of what was going on. But I couldn’t allow Ja
ine’s obvious fear to go on any longer, so I tried to comfort her with the few bits of truth I dared to share.
“We’re safe,” I promised her, offering a reassuring smile along with my words. “They’re taking us to Oldbridge.”
“Finally told you, did they?” The twinkle in Helred’s eyes shone brightly, even in the near darkness.
“You knew?” Sharp notes of disbelief highlighted my confusion.
“It’s been good to see the two of you together again,” the older woman didn’t respond to my question directly, glancing down at our clasped hands as she spoke. “Jaine’s only two months older than you, my Lady. With your mother gone, ‘twas I who nursed you both.”
My true age was one of the many things Valda revealed, though not quite as directly as Helred’s comment had. Yet realizing I was slightly older than I’d known was the least important discovery of the day.
“D’ya remember, Griff?” She smiled broadly as she glanced at the Guard-Captain standing over us. “Like peas in a pod, they were.”
“One of those ‘peas’ is a few hours away from becoming the Countess of Blackwood,” he admonished in return. “Best you remember that, Helred.”
“Meant nothing by it,” she muttered dourly. “We know our place, my Lady.”
I’d once shared that sense of clarity, but within the span of a single afternoon, it was lost, and I had no real sense of who I was anymore. Of all the things I might be, ‘Countess’ seemed like the furthest from the truth.
“Valda sent you with me for a reason,” I responded, gripping Jaine’s fingers before she could pull away. “I won’t forget the debt my family owes you.”
“It’s always been my privilege to serve, my Lady.” Helred’s broad smile returned once more. “A warm bed and dry roof are all I ask in return.”
That was the typical bargain between Mistress and servant, the security of a safe home in exchange for their labor. While there were those who took advantage of the apparent imbalance, for the most part, it was a fair transaction. Although many considered the common folk to be their inferiors, the nobility weren’t complete fools—they knew their very existence depended on those same people. Treating them well was the key to a prosperous realm, while a Lord or Lady who failed to do so would wake up to find their lands abandoned, and their titles quickly revoked in favor of a more intelligent ruler.
“You’ll have that and more, I promise.” The reminder of everything that had been taken from me gnawed at my insides while the thought of avenging those losses began weighing on my mind.
“My Lady.” Griff stepped away from peering out into the growing darkness to gently interrupt. “We’ll be traveling for many hours. Perhaps you should rest while we have the chance.”
“You just see that she’s not disturbed.” Helred shooed Griff away, reversing their earlier roles. “We’ll tend to the Lady’s needs.”
Digging among their backpacks, Jaine and her mother pulled out some thick bedrolls and blankets and spread them out across the cavern’s rough floor. Although I felt horrible for lying about while Valda was fighting for her life, my duty required me to abandon my home and seek aid in the capital. Only with Farren’s soldiers could I retake Blackwood Keep and honor Valda’s sacrifice, possibly even rescuing her if she managed to survive. Chances of that were slim, however. The commander of the Cyndhari forces seemed to have a special hatred for my father. Even if any prisoners were taken, I doubted they’d be shown a shred of mercy.
The journey ahead of me lasted for more than just that night. It took several weeks of cautious stalking across the plains before the high walls of Oldbridge came into view. We might’ve made the trek a bit faster, but Griff insisted that we avoid the ragged bands of soldiers who crossed our path from time to time. “Defeated men have little to lose,” he’d cautioned, looking upon the troops of Farren with as much distrust as the enemy. Considering their pathetic state and the small number of guards that accompanied us, it was probably a wise precaution.
Once the shock of my sudden upheaval faded away, I noticed a change in the flow of magic as we crossed the wide-open lands. I’d only experienced its currents inside Blackwood Keep and hadn’t realized that its… flavor would vary as I traveled from place to place. Although it still trickled in at the same steady rate, the sensation was far different. While all the elements of magic were still present, the grasslands tasted more strongly of Earth, and without so many people nearby, it lacked the bold presence of Life that had always lingered over my home—an emptiness that vanished when we finally drew closer to our destination.
Having never ventured beyond the confines of the Keep, the vast city was nearly overwhelming. Countless buildings lined meandering streets filled with shops of all types and manner while a variety of hawkers sold their wares in the open air. A band of minstrels plucked the strings of their instruments outside one of the many parks we passed on the way to the grand palace of Whitehall, named for the pale stone of its towering walls.
The scenes of near normalcy defied all logic. These people seemed to have no regard for the lives being lost in the war that was raging on the frontier. I was still trying to adjust to the odd blend of the city’s magic when we reached the palace steps and was nearly overwhelmed by the chaotic flood of Life emanating from so many tightly packed bodies. Griff’s announcement of my arrival at the gates drew no response from the distracted attendant, and rather than being ushered in to meet with some high-ranking official, we were brushed aside to wait in a small side room for hours.
The reason for the strange circumstances became all too clear when we were finally met by a minor functionary. Griff presented the man with several letters he’d been entrusted with, carefully drafted papers that bore the seals of both Lady Valda and my father. The marks revealed that the documents were no last-minute preparations; the potential for a disaster such as this was a contingency that had been planned for well in advance. After receiving the letters, the man simply noted my position in his ledger, seemingly without a care for the circumstances that had brought about my sudden elevation.
“I wish to extend my deepest sympathies on behalf of King Herrold and Queen Elora,” the still-unnamed bureaucrat offered his less than sincere condolences. “Unfortunately, the war has already been brought to a conclusion; there will be no army marching out to reclaim our lost territory.”
My heart threatened to seize at his stark pronouncement. The thought of allowing Cyndhar to lay claim to the lands they’d stolen was an unthinkable affront to all of Farren, not merely the four districts that had apparently been sacrificed for the sake of an ill-gotten peace. The words that followed were mostly lost to the thundering pulse of outrage beating in my ears, vague promises of recompense from the Crown yet to be determined.
The functionary had been gone for some time before Helred gently guided me to the rooms we’d been assigned, meager quarters that honored us only through the sole virtue of being located within the confines of the palace. Griff set off to discover what more he could while Jaine and Helred stayed behind, attempting to distract me with offers of something to eat and a warm cup of tea. Returning after a few hours, the Guard-Captain confirmed what I’d come to suspect. After our initial success, Farren’s army had been thoroughly routed. The onerous truce that had been brokered was the only thing that spared us from total defeat.
But peace was only a temporary thing. With vicious dogs like Cyndhar, another war was inevitable. When that day came, I vowed that I would be on the front lines, casting my spells and slaughtering every rabid animal that crossed my path. Until then, I’d bide my time, learning all I could to ensure that my vengeance would be complete. My wait would be no idle venture, however. Valda had taught me well. Here in the capital, I would sow the seeds of discontent, making ready to reap their rewards when the hour of retribution finally arrived.
Chapter 7
Five years. Five meaningless, wasted years. That’s how long I spent trapped in Oldbridge with virtually nothin
g to show for it while Cyndhar tightened its grip over their stolen lands. At first, I would occasionally ride across the countryside. The few days it took to reach the border allowed me to glance over the Stillwater at the outer fringes of Blackwood Forest, but I’d long ago ceased tormenting myself with the useless effort.
Although I wasn’t alone in my frustration, the company did little to soothe my outrage. While I was the only surviving heir of Blackwood County, entire families had managed to escape from some of the other districts, creating a sub-class of nobility that came to be known as The Unlanded. The pitiful estates we’d been provided within the capital were an insult, as was the meager stipend the Crown offered in compensation for our losses, yet we were forced to choke down our objections and recognize that it was all we could expect.
For a while, I tried everything I could to stir my fellow nobles into action. In an effort to placate those of us who’d lost so much, we were invited to all the important events and occasions, and I attended every single one of them. Smiling pleasantly while accepting each request to dance or join in a conversation, I suffered through all of them. Valda’s lessons were put to the test as I attempted to maneuver the more powerful Lords and Ladies towards the retribution I sought—wielding the guile she’d taught me to no avail.
Unfortunately, Cyndhar had beaten us more thoroughly than was commonly known. The tattered remnants of our once mighty armies were barely able to secure our borders, let alone mount any sort of offensive. The campaign of whispers I’d initially engaged in with my fellow conspirators failed to take root, and our hopes of regaining our former lands withered away as a sense of futility slowly settled in over the months and years that followed.
Surrender wasn’t in my nature, however, and I continued perfecting my craft. The blue-bound volume Valda had stuffed into my pack turned out to be a tome of advanced magic, and I studied each of its spells until I could practically cast them in my sleep. But wars were not fought with spells alone, and a sorceress couldn’t always count on her guards’ protection, so I also had Griff instruct me in the use of weaponry. The crusty old Guard-Captain was a rigorous taskmaster, but with his help, I learned how to wield the bow, spear, sword, and dagger, though I’d never be a match for him. Adding those weapons to my arsenal would allow me to kill even more Cyndhari dogs in the coming war between our two kingdoms. I only hoped I wouldn’t have to wait much longer before it finally began.