Hidden Revenge

by Norah J. Stone

  From afar, Fosseat was quite beautiful to behold. The orderly rows of elegant buildings rested in a sprawling valley between great green mountains. Brown fields stretched around the capital, meeting the darker shades of the forests that climbed down the foothills on all sides. Soon, those oaks and maples would turn orange, yellow, fiery red and rust brown, though, changing the scenery profoundly, as Lia recalled.

  Turning her attention back to the city below, Lia surveyed the buildings next that were washed-out in the moonlight. The aged constructions should’ve seemed out of place here, but somehow, they fitted in so well with their surroundings they were downright mesmerizing, tempting travelers and merchants alike to stop off and linger for a while. Back in the day, crushes of people filled up the streets, taking in the architectural wonders with delight or seeking out places for a bite to eat, carouse and partake in the city’s many pleasures before continuing on their journey, oftentimes in the direction of the nearby border.

  Though old itself, the grand castle atop the opposite slope was obviously a more recent addition. As such, its style clashed with that of the city, but the castle was still in harmony with the scenery and belonged in this setting as well. The deep lake skirting the castle’s foot threw back the reflection of high turrets and great stone walls by the light of the night sky, the rendering on the dark, impenetrable bluish-black surface vague but still spectacular.

  That castle used to be the seat of the royal family.

  As the thought sneaked into her head, Lia averted her gaze. Though the stately construction seemed to watch over the capital just like in days gone by, Lia knew all too well that the impression wasn’t any more real than the castle’s shimmering, water-borne image.

  With the former rulers gone, even the castle itself was just an empty shell.

  Not wanting to remember, Lia turned from the view and lowered her hood so she could fix her bun, pulling back every single strand from her delicate-looking face. She took in her clothing next, brushing small leaves from her coarse cloak and removing some of the mud from her boots to make sure her appearance passed cursory inspection at the very least. Finally satisfied, Lia pulled her dark hood back up, stepped out of the forest, and started on the path winding down into the valley.

  ~ *** ~

  Though both were human settlements, Fosseat couldn’t have been more different from Mearend.

  The capital city was so well-lit that try as she might, Lia couldn’t not see the wide streets she crept along and remember what they used to look like, or refrain from comparing the place where she now lived with the one she’d once frequented so often.

  Whereas Mearend was filled with similar-looking, simple but still idyllic one-floor cottages hewn from dark grey stone, in the capital, white, ivory and cream-colored structures towered three, four stories high, seeming to vie with one another. The light illuminated the buildings’ details even in the middle of the night, glinting off extravagant glass windows and allowing Lia to get a clear look at the limestone columns, oblong terraces and flat housetops that ordinarily bespoke opulence and grandeur.

  Some time ago, those impressions had been indeed consistent with actuality. Fosseat used to be a grand city – a capital humans could legitimately be proud of. Now, it was all a fleeting illusion, though. Same as with the castle.

  Upon closer inspection, one found that the square columns were starting to crumble. More and more formerly well-groomed lawns and yards had become overgrown. Broken windows yawned open into the night, and the once happily gurgling fountains in the squares and gardens were out of use.

  In many illustrious neighborhoods, magnificent masterpieces of architecture were slowly falling into disrepair. Day by day, whole city blocks joined the ranks of the slums, forcing more and more people to dwell in houses that should’ve been abandoned way back when.

  Only certain parts of the capital continued to thrive. Those inhabited by the current so-called ruling body and their friends and cohorts, the new elite of the Lower Kingdom. An upper class that was made up of traitors who had sold out their human brethren to the Fae Council that had seized control of the Upper Kingdom by murdering their own royal family, along with everyone who remained loyal to the throne – the very same Fae Council that viewed humans as beneath them, as barely more than animals capable of speech.

  In the opinion of the Fae now in power, humans were there for their betters’ pleasure. They were meant to serve Faekind. After all, the Fae were improbably beautiful, so long-lived they were practically immortal and had immeasurable powers.

  In contrast, humans were measly creatures. So breakable. So fragile. They died after only a couple of decades – if they managed to stay alive that long at all, that is, and didn’t perish much sooner in accidents or as a result of injuries, plagues or their own foolishness. Humans were also easy to manipulate, with or without mystical talents.

  Humans were weak. Powerless. Their minds were practically unguarded.

  And the few exceptions who did possess a bit of magic? Who could stand up for themselves and fight for their kind?

  Well, those had to be eradicated, lest they jeopardize the Fae Council’s plans.

  Thus, magic had been outlawed in the Lower Kingdom as soon as the Fae had taken over. People with magical talents or blood were to be interned. Those who actually wielded magic had to be killed on sight.

  Regular citizens of the Lower Kingdom were relatively well-off, though. At the very least, they had a shot at a real life unless their less fortunate brethren living under Fae rule.

  After the Fae Council had assumed power in the Upper Kingdom, any humans residing there or visiting the land had been enslaved. Robbed of their rights, humans had been relegated to menial tasks or heavy labor. They toiled in mines, quarries and refineries, worked the fields or were forced to become pleasure slaves. And in case of an infraction …

  Well, seeing as humans were merely property, they could be punished as their owners saw fit.

  Humans and Fae alike lived in a greatly changed world. Peaceful coexistence, equality and the erstwhile alliance between the two kingdoms were things of the past. Not all humans were ready to simply accept their new circumstances, though. A chosen few continued to covertly fight against injustice, heedless of the possible consequences.

  There were still people in the Lower Kingdom who hadn’t given up, and Lia was one of them. Just like the members of the Resistance.

  Lia was ready to risk her life to right wrongs. She fought to make life a bit better, easier, and to reshape the Lower Kingdom into the country it’d once been. She wished for it to regain its former glory. And, quite frankly, Lia fought so she could get her revenge.

  She’d have sacrificed anything for that.

  ~ *** ~

  Thus, on this foggy evening, Lia sneaked along the illuminated streets of Fosseat, slipping from shadow to shadow to avoid patrols until she reached the part of the city that was still well-kept.

  Here, people weren’t forced to stay in their homes from nightfall to dawn. The remaining nobles retained the prerogative of enjoying their revelries at all times of the day, along with the wealthy and those in power, of course.

  Officials, guards and patrolmen didn’t have a curfew, either, since they had to be at hand whenever they were needed, and many servants had to stay up, too, so they could carry out their masters’ orders at any hour of the day.

  So, in order to learn more about the current goings-on, Lia only had to keep her ears open. People talked. She could always glean something new by simply listening, be it hiding on the streets, eavesdropping on the chatter of busily working servants, or while she sat in one of the taverns in a high-end neighborhood, pretending that she belonged there. She often drank along with the privileged as she spied on them, soaking up their gossip and memorizing their words as they discussed the affairs of state within her hearing or shared information with her out of their own volition, of all things, wanting to impress a pretty girl.

  Lia co
uldn’t mingle without the appropriate garb, though. This evening, she’d have to hide to gain insight into what was happening, and act like she was one of the servants in this quarter if someone detected her. That was the plan Lia had hatched on the way to the capital, anyway.

  If things didn’t work out like she wanted them to, she’d simply have to improvise.

  At last reaching her destination, an inn heavily frequented by city officials, Lia crept around to the back of the building. She let herself in through the servant’s entrance, hurried through the kitchen while it was empty, then found a spot to hide at the base of the stairs leading up to the sleeping quarters while she considered what should be her next step.

  As Lia saw it, she had three choices. She could remain where she was and hope that the people going up to their rooms would feel chatty. She would only be able to hear snatches of conversations that way, though, since the guests would get out of earshot soon enough. Lia could also search one of the rooms, but that endeavor wouldn’t really be worthwhile without learning first which room housed whom. Combing through the wrong one would be a total waste of time.

  That left option number three.

  Lia snuck closer to the main room and scanned it quickly. People sat around smallish wooden desks in groups of three or four. There was also a couple with heads bent close together over their evening meal. Though they seemed to be deep in conversation, Lia didn’t suppose they were discussing state secrets, and the thought brought an unexpected smile to her face.

  Even if such things weren’t for her, it was good to see that falling in love was still possible. That one could find a bit of happiness even in a world that’s gone to hell.

  Getting back to the matter at hand, Lia finished her inspection. At the back of the room, two richly dressed men were engrossed in loud, boisterous talk, likely fueled by many tankards of ale. Though Lia couldn’t hear them from her current hiding place, there was a halfway-open door right behind their table, and none of the gents were looking in that direction.

  Taking a deep breath, Lia strode purposefully through the room. Some guests looked in her direction, but none of them gave her more than a cursory glance.

  So far, so good.

  Reaching the other side of the main room, Lia opened the door a bit more, walked right through and found herself in a dim corridor. It’d have to do. She pretended closing the door but left it slightly ajar, just enough that she could peek out through the gap while she was pressed up against the wall as she started to listen in on the conversation, catching the older of the two men in the middle of a sentence.

  “… some talk about taking more of those brats, or so I heard.” Lifting his tankard, the man took a big gulp before continuing his recount. “They think they’re mellower. Easier to shape.” He paused and leaned forward conspiratorially. “So they will fulfill the Fae’s more demanding … let’s say requirements without a fuss, if you catch my meaning.”

  The young man with the tousled black hair threw back his head and let out a loud bellow.

  Lia felt ill. And she was so, so disgusted with these so-called human beings.

  The speaker went on, “There’re supposed to be less casualties that way.”

  In the silence that followed, Lia took a moment to really take in what she’d just heard.

  It seemed the Fae weren’t content with their own slaves anymore. They were planning on taking humans from the Lower Kingdom.

  And someone was letting them.

  Lia shuddered. How anyone could think it was all right to sell out other people and let the Fae have them was beyond her. What was even worse, these men were talking about taking children, for Gods’ sake. About taking more children. Which meant that this was already happening.

  Lia didn’t even want to imagine what fate awaited those unfortunate innocents in the Upper Kingdom, but she could guess.

  Hearing a new voice drew Lia’s attention back to the conversation.

  “If you ask me,” the younger man began, even though no one had requested him to give his opinion. “Those peasants should be thankful.” He chortled. “Less mouths to feed.”

  Older-guy joined in on the laughter.

  “Gratner certainly isn’t bothered about casualties.”

  “Then it’s fortunate we won’t run out of slave material anytime soon, ain’t it?”

  They laughed again.

  Bastards, Lia thought angrily. Insensible fools.

  They had no idea.

  Lia never learned what else was about to be said, though, because at that moment, someone whispered right in her ear, “Well, well.”

  Then she felt a bright explosion in her head.

  The world went black.

  Chapter Three

  Lia came to with a start and found herself surrounded by darkness.

  It must still be nighttime, she mused groggily, quickly recalling what had happened.

  The inn. Two men talking about the Fae and human children. The painful hit to the head.

  Lia winced, deeply annoyed by her own carelessness. She’d been so focused on that conversation that someone had managed to sneak up on her, taking her completely unawares, then promptly knocked her out before she could react.

  She wasn’t at the inn anymore, though. She could hear the rattling of wheels, and the ground was lurching beneath her lying form, and that meant …

  Whoever had hit her in the head was taking her somewhere.

  Don’t panic, Lia told herself, immediately recalling what she’d been taught.

  Deep breaths. Assess your surroundings. Then make your move.

  Closing her eyes both to focus and so she wouldn’t give away that she was awake, Lia inhaled, then let the air out slowly. Again, and again. Settling down, she finally managed to compose herself.

  On to the next task, then.

  Keeping her eyes closed, Lia took in her surroundings.

  Yes, that was definitely the sound of wheels turning, hitting potholes from time to time. Apart from that, she could perceive the whinnying of horses, so they were on the move, and she was in some kind of carriage … Or wagon.

  Remaining immobile, Lia sought further information, but there wasn’t much else to discern. No snatches of conversation.

  Her captor was either alone, or he – judging by the voice she’d heard it was definitely a he – and his companions were keeping their silence. Still, there was another faint noise …

  The hiss of the wind in the trees outside.

  We’ve left the capital, Lia concluded, gulping, but she still didn’t let panic seize her. She had to stay in control and think.

  Her head hurt. A lot. Most likely, it was just from the hit she remembered taking, the one that had caused her to lose consciousness in the first place. Otherwise, she seemed to be uninjured.

  Lia tried her hands. They were bound as anticipated and, to make matters worse, not in front of her body but behind her back. It wasn’t just rope that encircled her wrists, either.

  She was shackled in iron.

  There was no getting out of those bindings easily or quietly.

  Lia tested her body further. Her arms had fallen asleep and the side she was lying on was uncomfortable, but she could overcome such discomforts. Her legs were also confined, though, so she wouldn’t even be able to get up.

  Still no voices, and she also didn’t hear the clacking of others’ chains.

  Lia was either alone in the back of the carriage or wagon, or the other captives weren’t up yet.

  Deciding that gathering more information was worth the risk of giving herself away at this point, Lia cautiously opened her eyes again and looked about. The darkness persisted, but it wasn’t as all-consuming as it’d seemed at first.

  High above, a little bit of light seeped in. Turning her head in that direction, Lia detected a rectangular opening in the back of the wheeled vehicle. It was so small that her head wouldn’t have fit through, let alone her torso – even if the window wasn’t covered with bars. T
he light of the stars and the moon could creep in, though, providing just enough illumination so that Lia could make out more around her.

  Sadly, she’d been right.

  They were indeed underway, trudging along a road with innumerable potholes, and she was indeed alone.

  Stuck in the back of a prisoner wagon.

  So, to sum up the events, Lia had allowed some coward to steal up on her. This someone had decided to bash her head in instead of facing her, then he’d carried her from the inn and dumped her in here, trussed up securely but at least mostly unhurt.

  In spite of her splitting headache, Lia was still thinking clearly, and she had to face the facts. With her hands shackled behind her and her legs bound as well, she’d be lucky to manage to stand. Since she couldn’t get those damned irons off, she also wouldn’t be able to attack her captor and have any hope of escaping or at least causing some serious damage when the door finally opened.

  This time, Lia wouldn’t be getting away. She wasn’t even getting out of the wagon on her own.

  Sighing, Lia let her head fall back against the hard floor. Obviously, this couldn’t be a simple kidnapping. She wasn’t dealing with a thief or a local thug, either. As far as anyone knew, she had neither money nor connections, and she also wasn’t a person of importance, so one of those wouldn’t have a reason to target her or take her. What exactly was going on and where she was being taken was still a mystery, but Lia had a very bad feeling about this.

  The one other thing she knew for sure was that she’d failed. Captured as she was, she wouldn’t be able to help those children. She couldn’t even let the Resistance know about them, so there would be no rescue, nothing to prevent their gruesome fate, and it was all her fault.

  Lia had gotten caught, and now, if she wasn’t lucky and someone realized why she’d been at the inn – that she’d wittingly spied on people … Done it time and again…