The men decided to go out for a walk before packing, leaving Rurik and Amira at the house. They had agreed on leaving the apartment when they got back. It was time for them to attempt to get inside Taluria proper—the Trueblood district. The magistrate should be manning the blockade.
Rurik hobbled down the hall toward where Galro had been staying, the wound in his stomach still giving him trouble. Amira followed him in; the babies had already fallen back asleep and were tucked away in their crib. They would only stay awake for a couple hours at a time.
She entered the room as he was crouching down beside a pile of Galro’s belongings. “Klaric looked through there already. The only thing out of the ordinary was this,” She pointed to a signet ring on a nearby table—a gold band with a flat round piece attached to the front, baring a strange looking flower, bordered by a snake. “We guessed it was probably some way of marking his letters to whoever was tracking us.”
“Most likely. And, they weren’t after us. They were trying to kill you and the boy,” said Rurik, bluntly. “Probably one of Saris’ rivals within the circle, maybe one of the House Lords. We won’t find out now. No leads.”
Amira could see the frustration gathering between Rurik’s eyes. “Well, thanks to you, we are still alive.” She touched his hand.
He nodded slightly. “I am glad I made it back here in time.”
There was a pause. The air was tight between them. Rurik was wandering through his thoughts. He needed answers and, the worst of it, he trusted this man.
“Hey…” she smiled and then continued, slowly, “We had some questions for you, but we didn't want to spring them on you too fast.”
Rurik set aside his bothersome feelings and grinned, “You mean about me bringing back a strange baby in the middle of the night?”
She let out a soft laugh, “Yeah, that might be it.”
“Well, I can't tell you much. I am sorry.” The humor in the randomness fell away, and he contorted his face.
She rushed to his side, “What? Are you hurting?”
“No. No... well yes, but that is not the matter at the moment.” He looked into her eyes. “How well can I trust you?”
“Are you in some kind of trouble?”
Rurik let out a sudden, hysterical laugh, “You could say that.”
She sat looking at him. What had happened? He seemed to forget himself. This was a man who was so sure and confident. Now he thrashed about in a storm of rapidly changing emotions. Why the need for such serious trust? But she would give that to him easily. “You can trust me with your life, Rurik.”
“It may very well be that price if the trust were broken.”
“Just tell me,” she said, harsher than intended. She was worried about him.
“The boy is a Harmite.” There, he said it. He didn't think he could.
Then, she was quiet, without words, without thoughts, in shock.
He searched her face for a hint of her feelings. “He was saved from getting his slave brandings. My brother’s wife, Aeronais’ mother, whom I had no idea existed, is dead. The boy is my responsibility now.”
She was trying to catch up with the surprise of information. “Wait, a Harmite? Or a mixed blood? Because with your brother being...”
“Harmite.” Rurik stared at Amira, impassively, hardened for a response.
She put her hands to her mouth. “Are you saying that you too are…?”
“Harmite,” He said again.
“How is this possible?”
“My parents, particularly my father, led an underground rebellion, with the main cause being to rescue Harmite children out of slavery. He knew nothing could be done for the older children or adults, but babies and young children, who were born in slave camps and districts, sometimes avoided their branding until word of their births spread to the ears of the officials. The Harmites are very crafty at concealing their pregnancies, and babies, for as long as possible. My father was freed this way and, when he became old enough, joined the cause, later becoming their leader.”
Amira looked so confused. “How was all this going on? Is it still going on?”
“Secretively, very secretively. A giant network of informants and friends make it possible. And yes, it is still going, although there are now special groups that have been put together by the Emperor to deal with this exact problem. Recently, these teams have gained in successful at hindering the operations of the rebels.”
Amira realized something about the situation. “You are a soldier! How could you fight for the empire that enslaves your own race?” There was contempt in her voice. She was a Talurian, but she didn’t have to like what came along with that.
“I had no idea.” Rurik’s face sagged. “My father didn’t want us to know. He didn’t want us to feel the pressures of his life. But my brother found out and, later in his life, ended up becoming a major officer within the group. He went to war with me to put up a credible front with the Empire. They had been investigating informants close to him. He needed to play it safe.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Rurik.” Amira held his hand. “I’m sorry you had to learn all of this, with everyone gone now.” She couldn’t control herself. Tears started to fill her eyes.
“Oh no. It’s okay,” Rurik wiped a tear from her cheek.
“Look at me!” Amira sniffed and dabbed at her eyes. “You are going through a life-changing time, and I’m the one breaking down.”
He tilted her chin up. “It’s alright.” Her bright, beautiful eyes stared back at him, and he couldn’t resist. He leaned in for a kiss. She slowly responded, then snapped her head back.
“I’m sorry,” she said, shaking her head, “I really want to…but I can’t. Saris will kill you if he suspects anything.”
“And now you care about how he feels?” Rurik cocked his head, growing irritated.
“I didn’t care when the consequences would only have an effect on me, but now I have more to live for.” She started to cry. “I’m sorry.”
He couldn’t stay angry and drew her close to his chest. She stayed there for a few minutes, collecting herself, before they heard Klaric, Gleb, and Elop come through the front door.
“Hey! Rurik! We are home, let’s get a move on,” Klaric shouted from the living room. Then, he came walking around the corner and spotted them. “Hey…uh.”
Rurik shook his head and pointed back down the hallway. Klaric nodded and turned around. “Boys! Let’s load that wagon up!”
They waited a little longer before Amira slowly pulled away. “Thank you. I needed that. These last few weeks have been hard, to put it nicely.”
“Things will get better,” Rurik smiled.
She smiled back, but it slipped away as quickly as it came, “What are you going to do now? If Aeronais’ mother was killed, does that mean that someone is tracking him?”
“Possibly. I’ll have to deal with that when it happens.”
She nodded, assuring herself of his words.
“Come on, it’s getting on into the afternoon, and we need to get through that blockade today.” He took her by the hand and led her out of the room.
* * *
Rurik and Klaric took their accustomed positions up front, with Rurik driving the horses. The wagon crawled down the main street, headed toward the wide blockade at the end of the road.
“What did you do with the bodies?” Rurik suddenly asked.
“We snuck them into the slave district. Nobody is going to go very deep into the place to look for them. And I guess a small group of slaves have taken to cannibalism, since meat has been restricted, as of late.”
Rurik snapped his head around, “Don’t say something like that about people you don’t even know!”
“Wow!” Klaric put his hands up in mock-surrender. “Calm down.”
Rurik looked forward again, “Sorry. I am…not myself right now.”
“It’s fine. You have been through an awful lot lately.” He jabbed Rurik in the side, playfully, “Hey, I
saw you with Amira.” He winked.
“Yeah, I was there, remember? And, it was nothing. She needed to be comforted.”
Klaric laughed, “Oh, and I bet you comforted her.”
“Would you stop? Nothing happened. And don’t you want to know what happened to me the night I was out?”
“Yeah, sure, I just thought you would want some normality first. You would tell me when you were ready. That seemed to be the way you wanted it after Aamin.”
Their conversation was cut short when they reached the head of the line, and a stout little man in an elaborate robe walked over to the wagon.
“Business within the capital city?”
“Hello, sir. You must be the city magistrate. We are on a mission sanctioned by General Saris of the Talurian Army. I am Corporal Rurik Kaster and this is Private—”
“That’s all very nice, but I don’t really care who you are. Do you have paperwork? I do care about that.” He spread his fat lips into a grin. “In times of war, we don’t just let anyone in the center city.”
Rurik reached into his vest and pulled out Saris’ letter.
The man scanned it, his face snarled, as if unhappy at the legitimacy of the letter. “Very well, everything seems to be in order. You may pass.” He waved his hand, and a group of soldiers pulled the heavy wooden gate open.
Rurik flicked the reins, and the horses trotted forward. “He was a nice gentleman.”
Klaric laughed under his breath, waiting for the magistrate to be out of earshot. “He would make for a nice suckling pig substitute for those slave cannibals. Mmm…roasting over the pit. Maybe a sweet, orange glaze.”
Even Rurik laughed at him this time.
Chapter 38: The General’s Estate
Rurik guided the wagon through the courtyard of the five Houses—a large, open area, marked in the center by a towering marble statue of a long dead Emperor. Rurik never knew the history of it; maybe he would ask Gleb sometime. He seemed to know a lot about a lot.
Since taking office in the Taluria court cut one’s ties to their House, the members of the Inner Circle had separate housing. A manmade forest had been laid out past the center courtyard, acting as the private divider between the Houses and the Officials.
He steered the horse down the road leading to Saris’ estate. A high archway, lined with iron spikes and rivets marked the start of the General’s entranceway. Quickly getting deeper into the forested area, the sounds and sights of the city faded.
They have quite the secluded life here.
With the rounding of one last corner, the home of the Talurian General spread out before them. It was a long, wide structure, with a second level and two observation towers overlooking the out-facing corners—the side that looked down on the city. The majority of the building was made out of marble and accented with touches of silver. A warrior’s look, nothing like the wooden, mystical home that Rurik had heard the Chancellor commissioned.
Three men marched out to meet the wagon. One man stood ahead of the others and raised his hand into the air, motioning Rurik to halt. Rurik recognized the special uniforms, especially the one in which the leader was wearing. This man was the Guard Captain; each of the officials had one—the head of security for each estate.
“The General is away,” the Captain said, eyeing the two men, “And I don’t think he would see either of you even if he were present.”
“You are the Guard Captain of the estate, correct?” Rurik asked.
“Yes, Guard Captain Larkin, and I am ordering you away from these premises. Now.”
“I have a letter from the General,” Rurik reached into his vest to retrieve the paper again. “We are here on his command. His fiancé rides with us.”
Larkin didn’t bother taking the letter, “General Saris is already married, and now I am warning you to depart immediately.”
“She died giving birth. You must have been aware that she was pregnant. And the General has already fancied another woman. You better show her the respect that her future title deserves.”
Larkin glared at Rurik, who met his eyes fiercely.
He unfolded the letter and began to read. As the magistrate had done, the Captain showed signs of defeat in his posture and handed back the note. “Alright, this bares his signet. I am bound by an oath of service to admit and welcome you to the estate.” He gave a weak bow and turned back to the house.
Klaric looked to Rurik and stuck out his bottom lip, “Do we have to stay?”
Rurik chuckled, “Don’t worry, that place is so big, you won’t run into him for at least a week.”
The wagon rolled down the last of the pathway, entering into a large stable, with the house on one side and a perfectly-manicured, flower garden on the other. “Help Gleb and Elop with the bags.”
Klaric jumped from the seat, but Rurik sat up top for a moment longer. He needed to collect himself before his impending confrontation with the Guard Captain. He knew the letter told the captain who he was going to find within the group. Klaric could stand in for Galro, but Elop was an addition, and the hardest part to explain was the extra baby, Aeronais.
* * *
Rurik walked into the wide-open entranceway, with his group close behind. Captain Larkin was waiting for them.
“Your party is larger than the letter indicated.” Larkin slowly walked around the group.
So quick to the point.
Before Rurik could say anything, Amira stepped up to the tall man, with a baby on each hip. “Captain.”
“Yes?” he answered raising an eyebrow.
“Yes, ma’am.” She corrected him, putting on a harsh, better-to-do attitude. “I will be treated with respect in my own home.”
The Captain took the words like a slap in the face. “I…I apologize. Ma’am!” he quickly added.
“Where shall I rest the General’s sons?” asked Amira.
“Sons?” he gave a confused look.
“Yes. Bless her soul! That poor woman,” Amira threw back her head, whipping her hair around, “Giving birth to one baby is hard enough. I know! I am a nurse. Or, was. Now I am of a higher class. Better than you, sir.” She looked down her nose at the man.
Rurik couldn’t help but grin at the budding actress.
“But two! No wonder she couldn’t keep it together. Bled out, right there on the table.” Amira shook her head and then made a show at a quick prayer. To what god, Rurik didn’t know. “It’s quite a coincidence that I was one of her attending nurses. I think Saris noticed me right away, maybe a little hasty on his part.” She winked at Larkin.
“So, wait!” Larkin put his hand up.
“Excuse me?” Amira tilted her head and squinted at him.
Larkin changed, bowing his head, “Sorry, Ma’am. I mean to ask…the General’s deceased wife gave birth to twins?”
“Yes, did the letter not indicate that?”
“It only said fiancé and son, then, of course, the Corporal and Private, along with the slave.”
“Well maybe you read it too quickly, or he forgot the s.” She pushed the babies into Larkin’s face, “Tell me these two aren’t the cutest little pair of brothers!”
Larkin tripped backward to get away from the babies. “I am not a baby person.”
He stood straight again. “Well, I am very glad for the blessings…” He made a play at smiling to the boys, “…that have come to General Saris. These men will get you all settled into your rooms.”
At those words, the two other guards moved forward and motioned for the group to follow. Amira rushed out in front of them, making a show of knowing where she was going already, while Rurik and the other men walked behind, closely together, afraid of what Amira was going to do next.
* * *
After a hearty dinner, frantically thrown together by the house chefs and Elop, who Amira had said was hired as their cook during the trip, the group slowly gathered, one by one, into Rurik’s room, trying to not draw attention from the house staff.
Ru
rik told some truth about Aeronais—he was his nephew and that he was in possible danger, but nothing about his Harmite heritage or the underground rebellion. Klaric, Gleb, and Elop took the news, knowing things were being kept from them, but they were fine with that.
Larkin bought all of Amira’s stories and seemed to be understanding of the miscommunication he sensed in the letter. After all, this was a time of war, and General Saris was surely rushed in composing the dispatch.
When their little meeting was over, they left in the same manner in which they came, each waiting a time before venturing out of the room. Suspicion would quickly spread through the house if they were found to be secretly gathering together.
Amira was the last in the room. She was bidding her time after Elop’s departure. “This is quite an amazing house,” she said.
“You’ve been quite the amazing actress.” Rurik smiled.
“Once I got going, it wasn’t all that hard. I could get used to acting that way, especially if people treat me like the Captain did. He was plain scared!” She laughed.
Rurik walked over to her. “You should stay a little longer. I can try to get that fire lit.”
“That sounds nice,” she pretended to not read the underlying offer, “but those nice ladies watching the boys need to be relieved for the night and I’m tired. Maybe a walk around the House Courtyard in the morning? We can bring along the guys. They seem to be squirming in this place. A little rich for their blood.”
“Or maybe just the two of us could go for a stroll in the garden tomorrow morning.” He touched her arm.
She almost gave into her wishes—almost allowed him to see her feelings for him. But she remained in control. It was better this way, right? She didn’t want anything to happen to Rurik, and if there was someone who could get away with unjustified murder, it was Saris. “I have to go.” She quickly opened the door and slipped out into the hallway.
Fate of an Empire (Talurian Empire Trilogy Book 1) Page 21