Herald of Shalia 5

by Tamryn Tamer

  Brynn grabbed another pastry as Lysandra took several slow sips of her tea. The two women sat in silence for a couple minutes as they calmed down.

  “So,” Lysandra smiled. “I thought you weren’t going to come?”

  “I was worried when Desdemona didn’t come back,” Brynn said. “Then I decided there’s no reason I can’t work while I’m being interrogated.”

  “It’s not an interrogation,” Lysandra said. “We’ve already talked about this.”

  “We talked about it but you didn’t listen,” Brynn said as she sipped some tea.

  “I listened but I disagreed,” Lysandra said.

  “And here we are,” Brynn said while picking up a paper. “We can sit here quietly for the duration. I think I have about thirty minutes left.”

  “No,” Lysandra argued. “You don’t get to count Desdemona’s time as yours.”

  “Fine,” Brynn said. “If you want to sit silently for an hour we can sit silently for an hour.”

  “I don’t want to sit silently for an hour,” Lysandra sighed. “I want you to talk to me.”

  “I’ve been talking to you for weeks,” Brynn said. “You don’t listen. Which is rather impressive given the size of your ears.”

  “Now that’s just mean,” Lysandra said while fiddling with one of her long, pointed ears. “Say you’re sorry.”

  “I’m sorry,” Brynn sighed while rubbing her eyes and Lysandra suddenly noticed the bags under them. “I’ve just been a little bit grumpy today. You know I think your ears are very nice.”

  “Why have you been grumpy?” Lysandra asked.

  “I just have,” Brynn said, her ring emitting a red glow.

  “You know that you don’t have to wear the ring in here if you don’t want to,” Lysandra said. “I’ll believe anything you tell me, even if it’s a lie. I just want you to open up.”

  “What specifically do you want me to open up about?” Brynn asked as she started filling out a new form.

  “How you’re feeling would be a good start,” Lysandra answered.

  “I feel fine,” Brynn said as the ring on her finger pulsed red.

  “Okay,” Lysandra sighed as she sipped her tea. “Have you been sleeping well?”

  “Well enough,” Brynn answered.

  Lysandra smiled and nodded as she stared at Brynn’s ring. She had a theory that Brynn wore the ring during sessions specifically so Lysandra would know when she was lying. If Lysandra asked how she was doing, she would respond that she was doing well, and Lysandra would know she wasn’t. She didn’t need to admit anything since the ring did it for her. The red glow pulsing from the supported Lysandra’s theory.

  “Would you like to take a nap with me?” Lysandra asked.

  “I can’t do work if we’re napping,” Brynn answered as her face turned red and her ring shifted to green.

  “But would you like to nap?” Lysandra asked.

  “Fine,” Brynn sighed as she finished up her paper and laid down on her side. “We can nap.”

  “Do you want to nap with me?” Lysandra asked again, this time more firmly.

  “Yes,” Brynn answered as her glowing ring confirmed her honesty.

  “You know you can always ask me to nap with you,” Lysandra said as she got out of her chair and walked toward the couch. Lysandra climbed onto the oversized sofa and laid down behind Brynn. She wrapped her arm around her and began slowly stroking Brynn’s hair. “It’d be much nicer than arguing for an hour or staring at each other in silence.”

  “I know,” Brynn said while snuggling up against Lysandra.

  “So, are you going to tell me why you haven’t been sleeping well?” Lysandra asked.

  “Renna’s gone,” Brynn answered while shrugging her shoulders.

  “Have you been lonely?” Lysandra asked.

  “A little,” Brynn answered, her ring glowing red. “Fine, very lonely,” she said as the ring shifted green.

  “I could always send my mother back to you,” Lysandra said.

  Ever since being exiled from the master bedroom, Brynn typically spent the night with Renna and Cassia. But since Renna and Frost were both out of the village, Cassia insisted on sleeping with Lysandra.

  “No,” Brynn answered. “Cassia was excited to be able to spend time with you. She doesn’t get a lot of opportunities and is excited about being a grandmother.”

  Excited was an understatement. Her mother had become even more doting than usual. Cassia was constantly bringing Lysandra small gifts and several times Lysandra had woken up from naps to find her mother singing songs or telling stories to her belly. And without Renna to distract her, she’d become even more overbearing.

  “I really would be happy to send her back,” Lysandra said.

  “You’re too hard on her,” Brynn said as Lysandra cuddled up against her. “Cassia loves you more than anything else in the world. You should appreciate her more.”

  “I suppose I should,” Lysandra sighed as she stroked Brynn’s soft black hair. It had gotten quite a bit longer and nearly reached her shoulders. “Do you intend to grow your hair out long?”

  “Have you ever seen a portrait of a short-haired queen?” Brynn asked.

  “I thought you only wanted to be a queen so you could get to Herald Law,” Lysandra said. “Do you still intend to become the Queen of Zira?”

  “I don’t know,” Brynn sighed. “It seems like a waste to throw out all of that effort. I already have the key supporters identified and their vulnerabilities. I would be able to help a lot of people and prevent somebody awful from taking the throne.”

  “Do you like helping people?” Lysandra asked.

  “Obviously,” Brynn scoffed, her ring pulsing green. “Do you really think I enjoy hurting people?”

  “Of course not,” Lysandra answered. “I see how much you enjoy playing with the children in the village. That’s why it’s so difficult for me to understand you.”

  “Because you can’t,” Brynn yawned as she pushed her back up against Lysandra. “You’re not like your mother.”

  “Yes,” Lysandra sighed as she tightened her grip on Brynn’s waist. “My mother has certainly been your most ardent supporter. If you became a follower of Shalia I imagine she would officially adopt you.”

  “That’s just what I need,” Brynn chuckled. “Another overbearing mother.”

  “Was Henrietta overbearing?” Lysandra asked calmly, hoping to hide her eagerness to keep Brynn talking.

  During previous sessions, whenever Lysandra tried to talk about Queen Henrietta and Brynn’s upbringing things didn’t go well. Brynn would talk about her mother superficially. She would tell her about how intelligent her mother was or how the people loved her or her favorite foods and drinks. But Brynn never talked about what it was like being raised by her.

  “You’re going to make a really good mother,” Brynn yawned again as she snuggled up next to Lysandra. “Your child is going to be very lucky.”

  Seconds later Brynn fell asleep.

  Lysandra always found Brynn’s sleeping habits rather strange but ever since her exile from the bedroom they became erratic.

  When the black-haired bard first arrived in the village she would only come to bed if she absolutely had to, frequently opting to stay up all night working on projects. Over time, she started coming to bed more often and sleeping better but there were still nights when she would return to her old habits.

  Lysandra always assumed that Brynn simply preferred to work at night when things were quiet and she could think. It wasn’t until recent events that she considered that Brynn was unable to sleep comfortably without somebody she trusted in bed with her.

  Brynn and Lysandra jumped out of their seats as somebody knocked on the door to the office.

  “Huh?” Brynn looked around like she was expecting an attack. “What?”

  “It’s fine Brynn,” Lysandra said while hugging the slender bard. “We were just napping.”

  “Oh,” Brynn said wh
ile taking several deep breaths. “Right. How long was I out?”

  “Maybe ten minutes,” Lysandra answered.

  “Can I come in?” Desdemona asked from the other side of the door. “It’s important!”

  “Yes,” Lysandra said while releasing Brynn. “Come in.”

  Desdemona walked in with a soldier from Filan.

  “Lady Brynn, Lady Lysandra,” the soldier nodded at the two women. “Sir Adamus sent me to Herald Frost but it seems he’s not in the village and Lady Desdemona suggested I deliver my message to one of you.”

  “What’s the message?” Brynn asked while staring at the man.

  “Yes,” Lysandra nodded. “Feel free to speak.”

  “Lord Moray has amassed an army outside of Filan and insisted that he speak with Herald Frost,” the soldier said while pulling out a notebook. “So, I’m supposed to tell you that Lord Moray arrived with an army and Olivia Moray. They are refusing to hand Olivia Moray over to anybody but Herald Frost. They are also refusing to enter the territory to wait for Herald Frost without their army. They are insisting that Herald Frost come pick up Olivia Moray at the border immediately.”

  “How many soldiers?” Lysandra asked.

  “A thousand,” the soldier said.

  “A thousand?” Lysandra repeated. “That can’t be right!”

  “That’s what I said. I was thinking it might be a trap of some sort,” Desdemona said nervously. “I’m not sure what we should do.”

  “It’s not a trap,” Brynn said while gulping down the rest of her tea. “It’s just how the Moray’s operate. It’s fine. They likely didn’t realize that Frost was away from the village. I’ll go and deliver the bad news. They should handle it better if it’s coming from me.”

  “Absolutely not,” Lysandra said. “That’s dangerous.”

  “It’s not dangerous,” Brynn chuckled. “Thomas knows better than to lay a finger on me. Besides, I’m looking forward to seeing Olivia.”

  “I don’t like this,” Desdemona said. “Why would they bring a thousand soldiers and why would they refuse to leave their camp? They could be trying to lure Herald Frost into a trap to kill him.”

  “That’s not it,” Brynn rolled her eyes. “There are political ramifications for killing a herald. The guards are there to ensure that Olivia is safely handed off. Sir Thomas, or should I say Grand Counselor Moray, has gained an enormous amount of power recently which makes him a very attractive target. It also makes Olivia an attractive target since she’s his ward.”

  “Do they really need a thousand soldiers to protect her from kidnappers?” Desdemona asked.

  “Not kidnappers,” Brynn said. “Assassins. If Olivia were to die then Thomas would take possession of her wealth.”

  “So, is he going to kill her?” Lysandra asked.

  “No, no, no,” Brynn sighed. “It’s not like that. House Moray is different from House Leaucault. Assassinating family members is basically a tradition for the Leaucaults but it’s an unforgivable act for the Morays. They consider family to be very important since every family member has value. Daughters can be married off to create business and political connections and sons are expected to earn income for their house. If Olivia were to die and Thomas was suspected of killing her, he would be disowned. Even if he were found innocent his reputation would be in tatters for failing to protect her.”

  “So, you think it’s to protect her from other members of House Moray?” Desdemona asked.

  “Not just House Moray but anybody that wants to harm Thomas Moray,” Brynn said. “He brought a thousand guards to make sure that nothing happens to Olivia before she’s married to Frost.”

  “He must care about her very much,” Lysandra said.

  “Ha!” Brynn laughed. “No. Thomas doesn’t give a damn about her. Nobody in her family does. She’s a woman and women of House Moray are meant to be silent and produce children. They are taught to be obedient little girls and sold off to the highest bidder the moment they bleed for the first time. Thomas only cares about his power and reputation. Olivia could die ten seconds after marrying Frost and Thomas wouldn’t shed a tear.”

  “Fuck,” the soldier standing in the doorway said. “That’s fucking brutal.”

  “Right,” Brynn nodded. “You’re still here. Anyway, you can head back and tell Adamus that I’ll be along shortly.”

  “We should assemble some guards for you,” Desdemona said.

  “I’ll be fine,” Brynn said. “Thomas isn’t going to let me bring guards into his camp anyway. Most assassins sneak in as part of somebody’s entourage.”

  “You should bring somebody with you,” Lysandra insisted. “How about Baron Slade?”

  “Absolutely not,” Brynn said. “Thomas was a member of the Royal Guards and Slade killed a lot of his buddies. I’ll be fine on my own. I promise.”

  “Are you sure?” Desdemona asked worriedly.

  “Yes,” Brynn said while displaying the emerald glow of her ring. “I’ll be fine. A thousand soldiers are going to keep me safe so there’s no need to worry. Okay?”

  “Okay,” Lysandra said. “If you say so. But be careful.”

  “I will,” Brynn said. “Anyway, I’m going to pack some things. Be sure to let handsome know where I’m at when he gets back.”

  “We will,” Lysandra nodded.

  CHAPTER 9

  Frost spent most of the journey back to Pluma explaining how things operated in the village to Ka and the harpies. He prefaced by telling them about the interview process required and followed up with living arrangements and tasks. He found that the more he told them about the village and its amenities the more excited they became.

  He also covered what some of their specific responsibilities might be such as scouting the area for intruders, delivering messages or packages, and cartography. He also discussed the possibility of them being asked to act as messengers to other countries if things worked out well.

  While the harpies weren’t enthusiastic when he discussed their responsibilities, their demeanor changed completely when he mentioned that they would be given rewards for performing the tasks.

  The rewards frequently changed based on the people requesting services but the compensation was always fair. Tailors had a tendency to offer clothing and accessories while the blacksmiths offered weapons and armor. The only problem was there wasn’t enough work to go around so everybody was limited on the number of tasks they could accept any given week. Although some people got around the limitation by completing tasks in other villages.

  But even with the limitations on tasks there was always plenty for the villagers to do that weren’t tied to the job boards. They could sign up for classes at the academy if they wanted to learn a new class or improve their current ones. They could join any of the small guilds popping up throughout his village if they wanted to learn tailoring, blacksmithing, medicine, or alchemy. They could even join an acting troupe if that’s what they wanted.

  So, it wasn’t surprising that the harpies were full of excitement as they approached the outskirts of the forest and found demihumans gathering herbs and clearing out small monsters. The area immediately surrounding the forest had slightly higher requirements than the area within the forest but was still extremely safe.

  “Herald Frost,” Ka said as she flew down toward him. The slender harpy hovered above him as he released Witch’s reins and gently gripped her waist. He carefully helped the elegant priestess into the front of his saddle. He needed to carefully drape her long tailfeathers over one of his arms to prevent them from dragging on the ground. The last thing he needed was for Witch to step on one of them. “Oh, ha. This is still very silly, yes.”

  “You’re the one that came down to me,” Frost chuckled as he wrapped one hand around her waist and took the reins with the other.

  “It really is,” Ka said as she attempted to balance herself by gently pressing her wings against Witch’s neck. “These beasts are rather fast on foot, yes.”

&
nbsp; “Witch doesn’t like being called a beast,” Frost said while reaching forward to gently stroke his horse’s mane. “She’s Witch and she’s a very good girl.”

  “Yes, of course,” Ka chuckled while gently patting the mare with her wings. “A very good girl, yes.”

  “So,” Frost nodded at the demihumans waving excitedly as the caravan approached. “Did you get a good look at the village.”

  “Yes!” the priestess said excitedly while tilting her head back to look up at him. “It’s very large and there’s an enormous building. That must be the academy you mentioned, yes?”

  “That’s right,” Frost answered while waving politely at a group of demihumans taking down a pair of boars. “Everybody here is sure to welcome you.”

  “I would hope so,” Ka blushed. “I am, what’s the word they used again? I am your fee-on-say, yes.”

  “If you want to be liked I wouldn’t run around bragging about that,” Shael said while riding up beside him. “But most of the villagers have come to understand that just because Herald Frost plays favorites doesn’t mean he doesn’t care.”

  “I wouldn’t say I play favorites,” Frost said defensively as they continued to ride toward the forest.

  “You definitely play favorites,” Ena said as she rode up beside him with Fayeth.

  “You really do,” Fayeth confirmed.

  “You’re just jealous,” Renna said proudly as she approached them on Dancer.

  “Jealous of who?” Ena asked while chuckling at Renna. “You literally have to sneak into his room to spend time with him. It’s not like he chooses to.”

  “Is that what you think?” Renna smirked. “I’ll have you know he visits my room once a week on his own and you should see how passionate he is!”

  “Angry fucking doesn’t count,” Ena said.

  “Angry fucking definitely counts!” Renna argued.

  “Angry fucking?” Ka gasped as she stared at the elves. “What is that?”

  “It’s when somebody uses sex to vent their anger,” Fayeth said. “It’s different but very fun.”

  “It’s absolutely amazing!” Renna said cheerfully. “He tears into you like he’s a predator and you’re just powerless as he goes at it until you can’t take it anymore! I can’t even walk afterward! It’s so much fun!”