The Caged Kingdom

by M A Price

Marius pounded his fingers on the table and cursed. “What the ruddy heck are you doing here girl? Last I heard you left The Guild behind. We haven’t seen anything of you in moon turns.”

  Katanya fiddled with her braid and tucked it behind her ears. She could do this.

  “I left because of Becca, Marius. I imagine you know that and I’m here now because I need to find them. It’s important and you’re the only one I know who might know where they’re currently camped.”

  A snort came from him and Tabyka brushed his shoulder, her lips pursed.

  “It’s not that I’m unhappy to see you Kat. It’s just Marius likes to stay out of Guild business now. You know that. We have the boys to think of. What about Niya? Could you not have gone to her?”

  Katanya hadn’t seen Niya Lopez since before she had left. Niya had been the one to leave, when Katanya had begged her to stay and she never begged anyone for anything. She could feel the discomfort squirm inside her stomach just at the memory. At the fact she was to some, just as bad.

  “I don’t talk to Niya,” she glared at Marius, but her face softened again as it found Tabyka. “It’s about Elex. I don’t know if you’ve heard that The Guild attacked the Tonkara Facility. It was a job that had been planned for moon turns; but Elex had her own plan and now she’s dead. She left a message with me that I need to get to Ivloch or he’s going to do something that means everything that happened there was for nothing.”

  She felt the silence that came across the room in every part of her. Her power also confirmed her words had hit their target. Tabyka looked over at Marius, a mix of desperation and sadness on her face. Tab had been one of the few close to Elex. One of the very few Katanya believed Elex had ever truly cared for. Marius placed his head in his hands.

  “She’s really gone?” Tabyka finally asked. Katanya felt her head move up and down. Saying it out loud made what she was doing feel a little more than just a mission. More like the favour to an old friend or to… a sister she’d loved and hated with equal measure.

  To Kara, Elex would think she’d gone mad if she could see her now.

  She could imagine the chuckle she’d unleash, those hooded eyes gazing down at her as she fingered her perfectly blonde hair.

  ‘Have you gone soft Leshi? I knew this day would come!’

  “You stay for dinner and you tell us everything you know,” Marius reasoned, his voice thick with emotion, “I’ll tell you where they are in the morning but in the meantime my ruddy wife has missed you and I’m not going to rob her of the chance to see an old friend.”

  The bargain was made and Katanya couldn’t help but feel annoyed that she liked it.

  Twelve - Mara

  Life with The Guild was something new to Mara Lars entirely.

  She remembered every second in the Facility, in more detail than she was remotely comfortable with. Her life with the troupe, although somewhat hazy, was also there.

  Nothing had prepared her for every day with a hundred and fifty resistance fighters.

  It certainly hadn’t prepared her for the Marks that were now across her wrist and stomach or what they meant.

  The biggest and first surprise had been how much she liked some of the people.

  Waking up here, disorientated and in pain before finding out what Elex had done to her… it had made her anxious at first, then fearful, especially after discovering how long Xave's wound had left her unconscious and unknowing-

  The first few moons after they had told her everything, she tried to hide in the tent Idyn showed her to as much as possible. When someone brought her food or checked on her, she claimed she was resting her wounded leg. The truth was the pain had left her early on, like most things in life had. She mostly sat and reflected on how stupid she had been. A hand always subconsciously brushing the number carved into her neck or the places the Mark's lay.

  It had been a woman called Yenna who finally coaxed her out.

  The same woman who had guarded Ivloch’s pavilion.

  The sight of the woman in full armour terrified her at first, as she handed over a tray of Clorix meat. But Mara felt herself relax as they just sat and talked.

  Yenna didn’t mention the things now on her skin, much to Mara’s relief. Neither did she ask about Elex, Xave or anyone else. She mentioned her daughter, Syla, who lived here with them. She told her about how the horses were misbehaving and driving their handler crazy. She mentioned how she wanted to cut her hair but didn’t want to take the risk, in case she hated it afterwards. Mara, whose hair had never managed to grow past her shoulders, found the notion insane but listened with interest.

  It was Yenna who first convinced her to come to the evening camp fire and talk with the others. She hadn’t known what she expected; but it wasn’t the laughing group of people, some dressed for duty, others in normal civilian clothes. They played card games, drank, and joked long into the night.

  Ivloch had been there too. He waved his tankard at her and she sheepishly grinned back. He hadn’t bothered her after that, she didn’t know why, but she thought perhaps he was trying to get her to make her own friends here. Still she watched him from the corner of her eye as he bet on a game of Martax with the soldiers surrounding him. She didn't understand the rules, but it looked like fun. It struck her again how everyone seemed to want to be near him, genuinely enjoying his company. Few leaders ever possessed such loyalty.

  Yenna introduced her to Fendir and his husband Lorren. Lorren always looked like he was sucking a crabble leaf and Fendir’s crooked nose panicked her at first, but she quickly learnt he told the loudest and rudest jokes, and Lorren hung off his every word. They were older than her, nearer Ivloch's age, but reluctant to be apart if they could help it. It was the first thing that had made her heart warm in some time.

  Dexter was new, the same ginger man Ivloch had spoken with on her first conscious day here, he’d only just taken the Guild’s vow, whatever that was, but he was handsome and seemed to be able to keep his cool whatever the situation. Mara couldn’t help but wonder if under his mass of hair, he was actually feeling anything; but she certainly appreciated the level of calm he produced.

  Jengen made her laugh too and seemed to have a charm that made all those around him drop their guard and talk to him with ease.

  There were others, so many others. Some names she remembered, others slipped her mind but their faces stayed and she’d remember to say hello or wave at them next time she crossed their path.

  It was Idyn, who convinced her there had to be that next time. Idyn with that accent and eyes which made her a little dizzy.

  Yenna passed her a flagon of wine.

  “Dex makes it here, he’s a master,” she’d declared before dancing off. Mara moved to the empty log near the fire and sat down. She sipped the wine and whilst she was far from a connoisseur it tasted better than any, she’d had. Still, a few moments to control her thoughts would be nice. To look around at this colourful and inexplicable camp where she’d found herself.

  That made her think of what was on her wrist, the wrist she’d been trying so hard to keep covered and it started the panic. Did they all know? Had they talked about it? Was that why they were being nice?

  Then Idyn was next to her, his long lean legs stretched out.

  “It’s nice to see you again Mara,” he remarked, taking a swig of his own drink.

  “I…it’s not what I’d expected.”

  “No, I’d imagine not. You don’t know any of us and it probably feels like you’ve been taken from one prison to another at the moment.” His words made her admit to herself, that it was true. She couldn’t help but feel that way. “What we’re doing here isn’t that though and you are free to leave, if you want to, but we can protect you here and…people will be looking for you now. I’m sorry Mara. I know you probably never wanted any of this.”

  She hadn’t. Elex had just been someone who was kind to her in a place she was forced to be.

  The first friend in too long. She had never
known what the Mark on her stomach meant, of the power that ran through her veins and certainly not her plan. The Unforgiven had been their only common enemy, as they talked of a liberation that Mara had no idea about. A war she hadn’t understood and couldn’t even now. Elex had seemed just as scared and clueless.

  Then she had left, walked away without ever telling her the truth, and leaving her with a fate that could very well mean her life.

  “I wouldn’t have anywhere else to go,”

  “That’s how I ended up here you know? They found me and I had nobody else. Ivloch and his wife took me in. I was small and terrified, I never thought I’d find a home with these people…” he drank from his cup again and turned his full attention to her, “…now I can’t imagine that I could have ever been anywhere else. Sometimes you don’t end up with the family you thought you would; but it doesn’t make it mean any less.”

  Mara felt her cheeks redden at his honesty. Few people had ever shared anything personal with her.

  “What about what I am? Doesn’t that make me different?”

  “Maybe, but we’re all different in one way or another. It means you can make a difference Mara, more of a difference than anyone and that’s not a bad thing.”

  “But I’m not very good…I don’t know how to use my power. I don’t know how to fight. I know what they told me in there…” The lessons in the Facility had been the worst part. The things they had made her watch. The things they had made her take part in.

  All those Wielders subjected to their will. The most dangerous army they could ever create. All because The Unforgiven wanted to return, to cause another war that could destroy their home, and if they had their way, other people’s homes.

  “You’ve seen how they operate and that means you know a lot more than you think. You have a lot of power. You can learn how to use it and you can learn how to fight. Train with me in the morning? I am no Wielder, but I'll teach you how to handle a weapon. That might help."

  She agreed before she let herself consider what such a thing meant.

  It was only later that night, as she curled up back in her tent which suddenly felt a lot smaller than it had the day before, that she realised Idyn had helped stop her panic attack. Not by telling her to calm down, or doing anything in particular, but by talking to her and giving her a confidence. One she didn’t usually feel.

  ***

  The second thing she learnt was that The Mark of Kara had made her power stronger.

  Stronger than she knew how to control and entirely wilder.

  Her lessons with Idyn began with weapons. She didn’t know or remember the name for any of them, but he didn’t mock her once. For that she was entirely thankful.

  They started with the basics, as he taught her how to hold each and every one. Then how to move her feet and the rest of her body. By the end of the week she’d actually got surprisingly fast with a dagger. The hours when she felt useless and needed a break, Idyn let her. When she thought she was doing well and wanted to continue, long after their session should have finished, Idyn found a way to make it happen.

  He was the perfect teacher and his company was even better.

  Romance was far from her mind after Xave. There were still so many questions and even more mistakes. Yet she also felt that familiar warmth as Idyn came up behind her and showed her how to correctly use her bow or she brushed his hand as he passed over a rapier.

  His face had become the thing she wanted to see each morning.

  It was also Idyn that suggested they start to test her power.

  “We’re getting you competent with most weapons, enough to specialise soon, but Mara, you have other weapons in your arsenal.”

  “I don’t know how to…”

  “I don’t think I’ll be the best teacher. I’ve never been gifted, but I used to train with Elex and…” a look of sadness washed over him, and he pulled his hair over the shaved side of his head. “…another friend, so I might be of some use. More than others here anyway.”

  The fact she’d never heard her power referred to as a gift before was the thing that made her agree.

  Every User’s power tended to be stronger in certain ways. She remembered Xave in the Facility telling her that each User tended to have three areas of expertise, or things from the world in which their power was drawn. He had told her one of the things she was gifted with a specialty in was air. What he meant at the time was she could probably knock people over with ease, if she trained hard enough, but Mara had to admit she was curious at what else she might be more attuned to. At what her power could do in general.

  Idyn started her off by trying to get her to aim her power in certain directions and to knock over specially chosen targets. Getting it to even listen to what she wanted took well over half the moon’s light. When it did finally happen, it exploded from her, missing the mark wildly and instead collided with a tree that fell spectacularly and only just missed Idyn, who was still knocked flying by the blast.

  Mara ran to him and fell to her knees.

  “Idyn! I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean…oh, I’m sorry! It’s never done that before.” He reached up and slowly took her hand in his.

  “It’s alright. I think the Mark has made you stronger. We’ll figure it out though. Together.”

  She’d thought about that moment a lot since it happened, at the feel of his rough calloused hands on hers.

  That night he had sat with her by the bonfire the entire evening and told her about his obsession with old Earth culture. Just like she loved stories, he seemed to love mentions of anything from where their ancient ancestors had originated.

  “There are some old books that haven’t been destroyed and came down with us when they created Brodanna. You find them sometimes or you hear things,” his eyes sparkled as he spoke so passionately. “They say if I’d been born on Earth I’d have come from somewhere called Mexico. I’ve never been able to find out much about it, but that is the dream you know? To find a book about Mexico one day.”

  Now Mara did know and she felt like it was information she would remember.

  Maybe even when her power didn’t let her remember much else, which as they tried to train in the days to come, it didn’t.

  ***

  The third thing she learnt was just how bad the odds The Guild faced were.

  Her training with Idyn had become a mixture of weapons training and trying to find ways to use her power. Idyn who constantly kept cursing himself that he couldn’t help more and that they needed another User. She heard him arguing with Ivloch more than once that they should try and contact someone, only for Ivloch to say they couldn’t. She asked Idyn but it seemed to be the one thing he refused to discuss with her and she decided to respect it; he had already given her so much.

  He was teaching her how to throw knives by the river, a little walk from camp, when Ivloch and Dexter found them. The large leader looked glum and Dexter seemed positively miserable.

  “Is something wrong?” she asked tentatively as they came to a stop before her. Dexter shook his head, tears in his eyes and walked to the river where he fell down on the grass and stayed.

  Idyn dropped the dagger in his hand and marched to Ivloch.

  “What is it boss?”

  “We just got a messenger from Niya. There’s been an attack in Borton.” Ivloch grimaced. “Dexter’s family have been taken. His sister has Wielder blood. There’s no trace of any of them and the whole town has been sacked.”

  Idyn swore loudly and Mara looked towards Dexter.

  “There’s more.”

  “What is it?” asked Idyn. His whole body had gone rigid.

  “There’s word that the Princess has been taken over by an Unforgiven. We have no idea how, but she didn’t have any power like her brother did. It means they’ve found a way to put them inside anyone.”

  “Do we know how?”

  “No, but Niya is working on it.”

  She and Idyn spent the rest of the afternoon taking
care of Dexter. He barely seemed to know they were there, but Mara knew if she were him, she’d appreciate it all the same. Knowing you weren’t alone was usually half the battle; whatever the reason for the fight.

  When he finally seemed to fall into a tormented sleep, they both sat outside his tent. Her limbs felt heavy and she was exhausted. One look at Idyn said he felt the same but neither moved to go to their own beds. She shuffled closer to him, the day making her a little more daring.

  “This whole thing, it’s really bad isn’t it?” She looked at him as she said the words and he fiddled with his hands.

  “I wish I could lie to you Mara, but I’ve never been good at it.

  “The Unforgiven waged war across seven worlds because they wanted more power. They came here and they started another one. They wanted to kill everyone in Brodanna who didn’t have power and to lower the barrier over our planet to find a way back-

  “The only reason that didn’t work is because other people who didn’t want them to win were here. People like Kara who had a lot of magic. She gave her life to create her Mark and the Guardians. Her sword, the other bits of the spell to bring down the barrier, are just there if we’re ever ready. They don’t really matter…

  “Things have changed since then. Brodanna was created so that User power wouldn’t be as strong, not everyone would have it. I’ve met some truly powerful Wielders but they won’t have anything compared to half of The Unforgiven.

  “If they’ve found a way to take our bodies against our will and to put their consciousness into ours, to harness all that power they’ve got…and you have to remember there are thousands of them, then I don’t know what chance Kara’s Guild, me, Ivloch or even you have.”

  Mara let out a breath she didn’t realise she’d been holding.

  “I like that you’re honest with me. Even if you think there’s no chance of winning, you’re still going to fight, aren’t you?”

  “Everyone I love lives on this wretched world, I don’t want anything to happen to it or them. I’ll fight until the end and even then, I think it’ll probably be worth it. What about you?”