“And of course, you already know Captain Ella, my new second in command,” Tási completely stunned me as she made her final introduction.
“Congratulations on your promotion,” I managed to utter in my confusion.
“I was as surprised as you seem to be,” Ella whispered.
“Why don’t we step inside my office for a moment?” Tási offered as she motioned for us to follow her outside.
Ella and I trailed after her as she led us down the hall to the room she had taken for her private office, and I was amazed at how quickly she had taken care of so many aspects of her new position; she even had a desk and chairs in place for us when we entered the room. Tási didn’t bother to sit behind her desk, however, she just leaned against it as she began to speak.
“Ella, your… relationship with Dreya is not the reason why I made you my second,” Tási dove right in without hesitation. “Although, I will admit, I did consider it. The two of you will need a plausible reason to spend some time alone. Your position as second in command of her personal guard should provide you with sufficient cover for your… interactions to not raise suspicions.”
“But ultimately, Ella, I gave you the job because you are the most qualified—you needn’t doubt that. I consider it a bonus that you also care so deeply about Dreya’s safety.”
“But I want to be clear about one thing: don’t mistake my acceptance of the situation for approval. You will continue to keep this discreet. I don’t ever want knowledge of just how close you two are to become public—I will not allow myself to be humiliated in that way. I can tolerate what is happening because I know that you truly needed Dreya’s help, and I know from personal experience just how strong a bond her influence can create, but I will not be made to look like a fool. Do you understand?”
“Dreya has made that clear to me already,” Ella responded as soon as Tási finished speaking. “And I will honor both her wishes and the trust you have placed in me. No one will find out about us. Ever.”
“Thank you, Ella,” Tási replied. “We will be spending a great deal of time working together. I hope that in time, we can become friends. I think that will make things much easier for me.”
“I’d like that, Commander,” Ella smiled.
“Call me Tási, please. At least when we’re in private,” she replied to Ella before addressing me.
“Now, Dreya Sintári, if you’ll excuse us, I have a great deal to discuss with my second.”
“Of course, Commander,” I responded with her title as I left the two to their work.
My guards were waiting for me when I entered the hallway and followed along as I returned to my chambers, but since I had already delegated nearly all of the responsibilities of my Realm, I wasn’t sure what to do with the rest of my day, so I stood and pondered my next move for a while. When I finally came up with something to at least occupy my time, I called out to the pair of guards that had stationed themselves just inside the entry to my suite. I knew that the guardswomen took their new assignment seriously, and I didn’t want to make their jobs any more difficult than they needed to be, so I gave them some warning of my intentions.
“Lieutenant Karina, make whatever preparations you need; I’m going to visit the Garrison forge now.”
The lieutenant was the officer in charge of my detail at the time, and she quickly made the arrangements. Karina left several of her charges behind to keep watch over my quarters and led my escort herself as we departed for the forge. I found the woman’s professionalism and efficiency impressive, especially in light of how new she was to her position.
“Have you done this before, Karina?” I asked curiously. “You seem quite familiar with the requirements of the job.”
“Ha!” Karina chuckled. “No, Dreya Sintári, I haven’t held a position quite like this before, but I was head chambermaid for a minor noble once. Although the duties are quite different, the need for planning, organization, and attention to detail are very similar. I’m just applying those lessons to my new responsibilities.”
Her explanation made sense—as different as the two jobs might seem at first, ultimately, they relied on the same core principles. Even so, I was impressed at how easily she’d made the transition. Tási had clearly chosen her officers well.
When we reached the forge, Hilgreth and Georl were both hard at work, as usual. Over the last few months, Hilgreth had been training Clorid and Madren as her apprentices, and I saw the two of them in the back of the forge, busily transforming raw iron into the Dwarven Steel ingots that the smiths used for so many of their creations.
“Welcome, Dreya Sintári,” Hilgreth greeted me as both smiths set aside their work. “We have been waiting for you to pay us another visit.”
“Have you come up with something special for my troops?” I asked curiously.
“Well, the First Marshal informed us of your new guards,” Georl picked up the conversation, “and we’d like to make them some special armor, if you can arrange for each of them to pay us a visit.”
“I will see to it,” Karina responded immediately.
Georl nodded to her in appreciation, and the two of them stepped aside to consult on the matter for a while as Hilgreth resumed talking to me.
“Yes, well, as much as we’re looking forward to working with your new guards, there’s another reason why we needed to see you,” she said as she ventured over to one of the weapon racks.
“I’ve seen your weapons, Dreya Sintári,” Hilgreth continued as she pulled a scabbard from the rack. “While most of them are far beyond my skill, your short sword is in desperate need of an upgrade.”
Hilgreth held out the weapon in her hands and offered it to me. The scabbard alone was incredibly worked and showed indications of Georl’s familiar craftsmanship in its fine detail. The hilt that extended from it was wrapped in finely-tooled leather that would offer a secure grip, and its pommel was shaped in the form of a large claw gripping a deep green stone.
I took the sword from her and pulled it from the scabbard. The blade that followed the hilt was simply exquisite, and I realized that the entire thing had been forged from pure Khelduin.
“Hilgreth,” I remarked as I tested the blade’s balance in my hand, “this is truly a masterpiece. You’ve outdone yourself.”
“Thank you, Dreya Sintári, but I cannot take sole credit,” she replied. “All of us, Renn included, took part in its forging. In honor of what you are trying to establish here, I wanted to make sure that our gift was the product of as many different people as possible.”
“Thank you, Hilgreth,” I offered her sincerely. “Not just for the blade, but for embracing the values I’m trying to instill here. I know it wasn’t easy for you to do, and I want you to know how proud and honored I am to see that you have.”
“It has been my honor and privilege,” Hilgreth returned. “Without you to show me the way, I would have never met Renn, and I would have missed out on the love that he has brought into my life. It may have taken me a while, but I finally learned the lesson you were trying to teach me, and I am far better off for it. I owe you more than I can ever repay, Dreya Sintári.”
We shook hands and shared a meaningful look before I withdrew my old sword from one of the many pockets in my Cloak and tucked the new blade away in its place. I only wore one of Georl’s daggers openly, the Essence Blade and Dagger of Laceration were hidden in the sheaths behind my back, and Retribution was tucked away against my forearm. With them at my disposal, I felt no need to carry my short sword over my shoulder, at least while there were no obvious threats to deal with. But when it came time to handle one of those threats, the blade that the three smiths had forged for me would be strapped to my back for certain.
I handed over my old blade to Hilgreth, and she promised to see that it was placed in the armory. The steel was well-made, and it was far from useless. I was certain it could be put to good use.
“I’ll take that,” Karina swooped in before Hilgreth could put th
e sword in the weapon rack.
She immediately unstrapped her own short sword and replaced it with my old blade. She smiled at me awkwardly as she returned to her place beside me and explained.
“I’m not going to let some random grunt wield one of your former weapons when one of us can have the honor,” Karina offered as she adjusted the straps.
“Lucky you were here to save it from such a terrible fate,” I teased her.
“I’m certain I’ll get some grief over that from Aiva and Captain Ella,” she replied with a smirk of her own.
Her comment made me recall something, and I spoke to Georl for a moment to get his approval before I addressed her concern. When he didn’t object, I returned and pulled out the two daggers Georl had originally given me back in Tula.
“These have served me well,” I told her as I handed her the two blades. “But it’s time for me to pass them on. Give one to each of them, so that the three of you can have one of my blades for yourselves.”
Karina took the daggers from me and quickly stashed them away.
“Thank you,” she said in honest appreciation. “We will all be honored to carry these, and your generosity will prevent any resentment as well.”
I nodded back at her as we left the forge. Karina practically beamed with pride as she carried my old sword over her shoulder, and I smiled as I watched her walking beside me. The woman was a true professional, but still let some of her personality come through as she performed her duties. If she could maintain that balance, and the others followed her example, it would make accepting the constant presence of my guardians far easier for me.
We had only ventured a few steps when shouts erupted all along the garrison’s outer wall. As I ran to see what the alarm was about, my escorts struggled to keep up with my pace. They may have been my guardians, but few among them matched my abilities.
I rushed up the stairs and jumped atop the wall as quickly as possible. One of the sentries passed me his spyglass before I even had the opportunity to ask him for it, and I peered into it at the figures that emerged from among the forest at the edge of the fields we had cleared beyond our walls.
I stared in amazement as I saw the figure that was waving a white flag in the distance. It was the female orc that I had set free after our final battle with the Black Hand tribe. Her presence might have caused me to regret my decision to show mercy to her and the other survivors of that slaughter, but as I looked over those who accompanied her, the only emotion I felt was pity.
When I last saw her, she was leading a small band of defeated orcs away from me, but the group that was behind her was in far worse shape than even those conquered foes had been. The bedraggled group looked to be on their last legs, and their tattered clothes and worn faces spoke of the very difficult path that must have led them to me. I had no idea why she had brought the small group back to the site of her defeat, but I decided it would be safe enough to find out.
“Open the gates!” I commanded. “I’m going out to meet them.”
“Forgive me, Dreya Sintári, but I cannot allow that,” Karina objected.
“Lieutenant,” I glared back at her. “Your job is to protect me, not prevent me from doing what I need to do. I am going out there, with or without you, or through you if you make that necessary.”
To her credit, she didn’t back down.
“Commander Tási gave me strict instructions not to allow you to do anything—,” Karina paused.
“Rash? Foolish? Ill-advised?” I offered when she hesitated to repeat Tási’s orders.
“Stupid was the exact word that she used,” Karina reluctantly admitted.
“Well, get ready to join me in something stupid then, because I’m going out there to talk with them,” I sighed.
Karina pulled together my escort, and we walked back down the stairs and to the entrance of the tunnel under the wall. The commotion had drawn more than my attention, and by the time we got there, both Tási and Venna were waiting for us.
“Care to join me for something stupid, Tási?” I asked her pointedly.
“Um… sure,” she flushed as she replied, clearly recognizing her own words when I flung them back at her.
Karina hijacked a few more soldiers to join us as I started down the tunnel, and by the time I’d made it to the other side, my escort was nearly twenty strong, almost outnumbering the bedraggled orcs that I set out to meet. When I glanced behind me, I could see the walls were now lined with archers as well, ready to loose a rain of arrows should the orcs attempt to spring some sort of trap, and Tási brought the entire procession to a halt well inside the range of our archers.
“They’ll meet you here, or not at all,” she declared, and I didn’t offer any resistance to her wise precaution.
Once we stopped, the orc waving the flag and one other came forward, but left the rest of their band behind at the forest’s edge. When she drew within speaking distance, the orc fell to her knees, while the male that accompanied her remained standing.
“Lady Dreya,” she surprised me by speaking my name. “I swore that you would not see me again, but before you slay me for breaking that vow, I beg you to let me introduce you to my second and listen to his plea.”
“I do not discuss important matters with mere seconds,” I replied. “So, you’ll have to just stand up and tell me yourself, starting with your name.”
The orc struggled to back her feet, clearly never having expected to be able to do so again. She was obviously weakened due to whatever misfortunes had befallen her group but managed to speak in a strong and even voice.
“I am Thola,” she began. “Those who are with me are all that remain of the Black Hand, and some others who joined us on our journey. After our defeat, I gathered the remnants of my people, just as I told you I would, and sought out a safe place for them, but we were not welcomed in any land. Our own people attacked us on sight because we refused to fight any more of their pointless battles. Your kind did the same, fearing we were only there to slaughter them.”
“The few you see here are all that is left of us. I had almost given up hope of saving any of them when we heard what you are doing here. It is a faint hope, I admit, especially considering the enmity between our people, but I have come here hoping that you might extend your offer of acceptance to my small band as well.”
‘Fucking kobolds,’ were the first words that sprang into my mind. The recollection of my brief conversation with the dying kobold captain seemed appropriate under the circumstances. We had found a brief moment of something more than pure hatred before he passed, and it had caused me to wonder if there was something there that could be built upon—did we all really have to hate each other? I wasn’t naïve, I knew that for most, it was far too late for that. Centuries and even millennia of bitter hatred would not be erased so easily. But for some, perhaps only a very few, could something more than that be possible?
“Thola,” I replied carefully. “For my ideals to truly have meaning, they must apply to everyone, not just a select few. But that doesn’t mean that I’m willing to ignore the realities of the world. I cannot simply allow your people inside my walls.”
“I understand,” her shoulders slumped in defeat as she responded. “We will go now.”
“You didn’t let me finish, Thola,” I continued. “I’m willing to let you join us, but there will have to be some… precautions taken.”
“What did you have in mind?” Thola responded with a mixture of hope and suspicion.
“I will question each one of your people in turn, to determine if they harbor any intent to cause harm,” I told her. “I can either admit them one at a time as they pass my scrutiny, or you can enter as a group once all of my questioning is complete. The choice is yours, but be warned, I will only interview one per day.”
“Where would you have us stay in the meanwhile?”
“That will be up to you,” I replied. “You may camp in the forest if you like, or here in the field where my soldiers ca
n watch over you.”
“Forgive me, Dreya Sintári, but there is one other option you may wish to consider,” Karina broke in. “The cells in the Garrison’s headquarters will offer security for everyone.”
“You would make us prisoners?” Thola objected.
“No,” I responded. “But it is worth considering—it’s the only way I will let you behind the protection of our walls before all your people have been vetted. If you would like to discuss these options with your people, I’m willing to give you some time to do so.”
“Thank you, Dreya Sintári,” Thola replied, picking up on the title. “I will return shortly.”
As soon as she departed, Venna turned to me and spoke the objection that I knew would be coming.
“This will not go over well for many,” she cautioned. “Most, if not all of your citizens have lost loved ones to orcs in the past. There may be… some unpleasantness.”
“Venna, how many elf and human lives have been lost in the many conflicts between the two?” I began. “What about dwarves and elves, humans and dwarves? Every race on this world has blood-stained hands. Where does forgiveness end? What are the limits of our ability to end the senseless violence? Where are the boundaries for change?”
“I’m neither stupid nor naïve,” I went on. “I know this will be difficult, but the first time we turn our backs on someone seeking peace, our dream for a better Arrika ends, right there. So, we will make sure they truly mean what they say, and once we do, we will accept them. This is a test of our resolve and our sincerity, and I intend to pass it.”
“Permission to speak, Dreya Sintári?” One of my guardswomen requested.
“Now’s the time, sergeant Tana,” I replied.
“I lost my father in one of the orc raids back home,” she began. “I never thought I’d say this, but I’m willing to give them a chance. We probably won’t come across many like them, and I’m sure we’ll kill far more orcs than we bring into the fold, but every life is precious—even the ones with green skin on the outside.”
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