by Tamryn Tamer
“Yes, understood my lord,” the woman said with a tremble in her voice. She glanced back at the other women and gave several signals. After a few seconds the handmaidens all put their weapons away and stopped scanning villagers.
“Thank you,” Frost said with an aggravated sigh as they arrived in the village.
Once they arrived in the village, Frost brought them to the temple to start the registration process.
As part of the process, every handmaiden needed to be interviewed and although Brynn typically did the interviews, Frost insisted on sitting through them. Something about Olivia and Brynn’s close relationship made him suspicious.
All of the interviewees were required to eat a biscuit containing a generous helping of Honest Olly, a potion created from an herb that induced honesty, which made it an ideal time for Frost to ask questions that the women would normally be disinclined to answer.
Unfortunately, the handmaidens seemed as confused by Brynn and Olivia’s relationship as he was.
“What’s Olivia’s relationship to Brynn?” Frost asked the nervous handmaiden sitting across from him.
“Are you going to ask that every time?” Brynn groaned while tapping the table. “We are friends.”
“I’m just as curious as you,” the handmaiden said while glaring at Brynn. “Lady Olivia never told us that she was friends with Brynn the Betrayer but from the moment she arrived they’ve been inseparable. The evil little traitor slit Herald Law’s throat and still has the audacity to call herself a follower of Ziralia! How could she be friends with Olivia? Olivia is quiet and polite and sweet! But they’ve been drinking and laughing like old friends and none of us have any idea what’s going on! Lady Olivia does not have friends! It’s making us all very uncomfortable! Lady Olivia is the perfect example of what a lady should be and this murderous little elf-fucking tramp is going to ruin her!”
The handmaiden quickly covered her mouth.
“Satisfied?” Brynn asked while smirking at him. “It’s just like I said.”
“Do you really think that’s a point in your column? None of her handmaidens know that you’re her friend. That’s extremely suspicious,” Frost said while staring at the petite bard sipping her fourth energy tonic. All of the women were frustrated by the friendship and none of the women had anything nice to say about Brynn. After executing Herald Law for treason, her reputation throughout Zira was even more tarnished than before. It didn’t help that the maids were all loyal followers of Ziralia. He turned his attention back to the woman attempting to cover her mouth. “You said that Olivia doesn’t have friends. Why not?”
“Because…” the handmaiden began sweating while trying to resist the temptation to speak, “…Olivia is uncomfortable around people. She prefers the company of animals or books. While at the estate she could go months without leaving her room. It was six months before I had a full conversation with her which is why I don’t understand how this little bitch is able to sit with her like that!”
“I really don’t like you digging into Olivia’s private life like this handsome,” Brynn said while glaring at him judgmentally. “These interviews are meant to ascertain if they are threats, not gossip. How would you like it if I slipped some Honest Olly into Lysandra’s food and started asking her questions about you?”
“Fine,” Frost said while leaning back in his chair. “Were you loyal to Herald Law?”
“Of course,” the woman responded while trying to cover her mouth but she was unable to stop herself from talking. “He was a good herald that administered justice to the wicked. But that doesn’t mean that I would do something wrong! I know what you’re thinking! You’re thinking that I’m going to try to kill you or cause trouble because I’m a follower of Ziralia! But if you should be worried about anybody it’s this traitorous little bitch! She’s supposed to be a worshipper of Ziralia but she executed our herald! You can’t trust her! At least with me you know that I’d only kill you if you hurt Olivia!”
The woman banged her head on the table out of frustration as she continued to talk.
“Oh,” Frost said. “Out of curiosity, did you kill Olivia’s previous husbands?”
“I would have,” she replied without thinking. “They were awful men! She was just a little girl and those men…I wish I would have killed them because whoever killed them didn’t spend the hours torturing them to death that they should have!”
“Hm,” Frost shrugged. “I suppose I’m satisfied with her.”
“She’s the most disturbed one yet,” Brynn sighed. “But if you’re fine with her I suppose that’s enough.”
Brynn continued questioning the handmaidens about their various affiliations and loyalties. Frost was surprised to find out that none of the women had families and were plucked from poverty by Olivia. Olivia had them bathed, fed, clothed, and then had them trained. After months of training they were permitted to serve Olivia in a limited capacity and their responsibilities would increase or decrease based on their performance.
The women were obsessively loyal to Olivia and basically worshipped her like a goddess. All of them told the same general story about her as well. She was a shut-in that preferred to spend time in her room and frequently only left when she was required to.
It made Brynn’s relationship with her even more odd. Brynn was outgoing and adventurous but Olivia was the complete opposite and he wondered why they were so close.
“Alright,” Brynn said cheerfully. “All finished. Des can finish getting them all sorted although rooms could be an issue. Olivia can stay in my room but even after renovations we don’t have enough room in the temple for fifty handmaidens. Really not sure what to do with them. I’m sure Lysandra will enjoy helping them work through their myriad of issues.”
“Speaking of Lysandra,” Frost said as stood up and stretched. He glanced down at Brynn and smiled as he stared down her pink pajama top. “How have your meetings been going?”
“Fine,” Brynn said while rolling her eyes. “I’m not one of her emotionally broken villagers that needs a high priestess to put her back together so there isn’t much to discuss.”
“So, about the same as usual,” Frost sighed. He couldn’t really blame Brynn for being difficult. It wasn’t like he was lining up to talk to Lysandra about his childhood. “It would go a long way with the villagers that are still upset with you if they saw you working through some of your issues.”
“My issues?” Brynn said, masking her irritation with a forced smile. “What issues might those be? Having a better understanding of politics than anybody else in this village and potentially saving thousands of lives by eliminating a tyrant? How many elves have arrived after Xavier approved the transfers that Magnus was holding onto? What do you think Magnus would have done to the elves on those transfers when he returned to the capital? Not to mention the edict to not harm demihumans that Xavier pushed through. An edict that Magnus would have never passed. Who’s being thanked for those by the way?”
“Brynn,” Frost sighed and grabbed his irritated wife, pulling her close. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head while running his hands up and down her back. “You’re too smart to not realize why they’re upset.”
“You’re too smart to not realize that I made the right choice,” Brynn countered while wrapping her arms around him. “I made the right decision.”
“That’s the problem though Brynn,” Frost said. “It wasn’t just your decision to make. Had you told me I would have helped you and everybody else would have as well. It’s not about being right or wrong. It’s about you not trusting anybody enough to tell them. That’s all Lysandra wants. She wants you to stop keeping everything to yourself and trust somebody.”
“You sound like her,” Brynn groaned. “And I trust people.”
“Then why haven’t you told me the real reason for suggesting Olivia?” Frost asked. “You’re closer with her than you initially led me to believe.”
“I didn’t lead you to believe anyth
ing,” Brynn said while pulling away from him. “I recommended Isabelle, Sphira, and Hanna as possible alternatives.”
“You know that Valencia wouldn’t give Isabelle up and I’ve looked into Sphira Sol and Hanna Crest,” Frost said while leaning against the table. “The Sol and Crest families weren’t on the best of terms with Herald Law. In fact, both families hosted celebrations shortly after his death. Law’s only viable choice was Olivia.”
“Olivia was the best replacement for me,” Brynn said while presenting her pulsing green ring as evidence. “See?”
“Word games don’t work on me,” Frost said as he grabbed Brynn’s hand and removed the ring. He set the Truthseeker Ring on the table and stepped toward the petite bard as she averted her gaze. “Now, tell me the truth. If you tell me the truth, I won’t be angry but we’re going to have issues if you keep up these games. Why did you recommend Olivia?”
“Fine. But there are dozens of reasons,” Brynn said quietly while staring at the floor. “Her wealth and status are good reasons but also she’s kind. Unlike other noblewomen she wouldn’t mistreat anybody in the village. Even if the villagers scared her, she would have just stayed in her room sleeping, reading books, and playing games by herself. I also thought that you would be gentle with her, unlike her previous husbands. Olivia deserves somebody that would care for her. But the reason you’re looking for is that she’d do whatever I asked her to.”
“Because she loves you?”
“Because she owes me her life,” Brynn said under her breath. “I wasn’t sure if you were going to forgive me, so I recommended somebody that I knew would encourage you to. Olivia will do anything for me.”
“Why?” Frost asked. “Why does she owe you her life?”
“You heard the rumors,” Brynn sighed. “That Olivia killed her first husband. They’re just that, rumors. I know because I killed him.”
“What? Wasn’t she only twelve when he died?” Frost asked while staring at the steely-eyed bard. “You would have been…”
“Thirteen,” Brynn interrupted. “I know. It was when I still lived in the capital. Olivia wasn’t allowed to have friends her own age since she was married. I was the exception because of who my mother was. Looking back, my mother probably arranged it as a test of sorts. You know, her husband is the one that taught Olivia illusion magic. It was the most effective way to cover the bruises. But the veil would occasionally drop and I would see them. I tried to let people know but was accused of spreading vicious lies. Eventually, I realized that nobody was going to save her. So, I decided to. I had my mother insist that Olivia come out to dinner with us and since my mother was a queen, Olivia’s husband couldn’t refuse. Olivia and I looked remarkably similar back then. That’s probably why nobody questioned it when I walked into her house, claiming to have spilled on my dress to explain my clothing. Not that the story mattered. The maids barely looked at me as they directed me to the punishment room. Apparently, her husband was in a foul mood since he blamed her for everybody knowing about his abusive behavior. I still remember his face as I opened the door. The old man was waiting there, expecting innocent obedient Olivia but instead he got me. I killed him and quickly left. During the investigation the maids testified that they saw Olivia entering the house but dozens of witnesses saw her at dinner with my mother. I’m sure people had their suspicions about what happened but none of them were going to accuse the daughter of Henrietta Leaucault of wrongdoing without evidence, of which there was none. Now, you’re one of the few people who know.”
“I see,” Frost groaned as he leaned against the table. “So, did you also kill her second husband?”
“No,” Brynn answered. “Just the first. Olivia kept everything she knew a secret and after her brother came to take her back to his estate, she told me that she’d always be in my debt. After that, we only saw each other at gatherings and mostly kept in contact via letters. We stopped shortly after my brothers were killed for obvious reasons.”
“Why didn’t you tell me any of this?” Frost asked.
“Because you might have pushed Olivia away,” Brynn said while leaning against the table next to him. “She deserves a good husband.”
“If you think she deserves a good husband then you shouldn’t have recommended her to me,” Frost chuckled.
“I warned her about you and she doesn’t mind at all,” Brynn said while shooting him a nervous glance. “You didn’t say whether you were going to push her away because of this.”
“Have a little more faith in me than that,” Frost laughed. “Although, I’ll admit that I’m a little bit concerned about how to approach the relationship now.”
“Slowly,” Brynn said. “Very slowly.”
“Not really my area of expertise but I’ll do my best,” Frost said. “Are you sure she’s okay with this marriage?”
“I am,” Brynn answered. “I told her all about you and she seemed really excited. But she gets nervous around new people so it might take some time for her to warm up to you…”
A loud bang came from the main dining hall followed by some yelling. It wasn’t a particularly unusual occurrence given how excited the villagers would be after a day of hunting but Brynn was noticeably concerned.
“Dammit,” Brynn growled as she briskly walked toward the door.
“What’s wrong?” Frost asked as he followed her.
“Olivia is out there,” Brynn said worriedly. “I didn’t think we would be in here this long. I should have had her wait in my bedroom where nobody would bother her. She’s normally really good about keeping herself calm but she could pass out if she’s too stressed or something startles her.”
“Why is this the first I’m hearing about this?” Frost asked as he followed Brynn out the door.
CHAPTER 15
Frost followed Brynn out into the main dining area of the temple and immediately noticed that a group of anxious handmaidens had created a barrier around Olivia.
“There you are!” Renna practically tackled him as he entered the dining hall. “Ena’s trying to start a fight!”
“I am not!” Ena said defensively while gesturing at the handmaidens. “They’re the ones trying to start a fight!”
“We haven’t done anything!” the lead handmaiden said while stomping her boot.
Frost looked around the room and watched as the evening crowd rushed in. Since the temple was located right next to the academy it was normal for people to run over to secure a table right after classes finished for the day. While most of the younger students rushed home for the evening, the adults taking classes were a different story.
Several of the more culinarily inclined demihumans worked the kitchens in exchange for a few rel or reputation points as others helped take orders and deliver food. Orders were frequently messed up or flipped around but nobody complained since it was free.
The food stores were constantly overflowing due to the frequent monster hunts and constant gathering so it wasn’t as though they were suffering for materials. In fact, there was so much food that many of the demihumans hoping to learn how to cook trained their abilities by helping with the dinner rush.
Waves of demihumans were quickly filing into the temple. A small group of Myrran women that just entered in shorts and tube tops rushed in and secured a large table as a trio of dog-eared women nearly popping out of their tops fought to secure places at the bar. A pair of Arachne builders walked in with several orcs, chatting about building techniques as they rallied around one of the taller tables that lacked stools.
A motley group of demihumans in aprons ran around the floor taking orders while occasionally glancing at the wall of handmaidens.
Brynn rushed over to the wall and slipped between a pair of handmaidens as Frost stared at the chaos that was basically the temple’s happy hour. He found himself looking around for Desdemona or Lysandra, or anybody to take control of things so he wouldn’t have to.
“Can all of you noisy cunts just shut your fucking mouths for
ten fucking minutes?” Slade snapped from the bar. “It’s bad enough I had to deal with those annoying fucking children today without having to spend my evening listing to a bunch of dumb screaming whores.”
“Aww, are you cranky?” Renna shouted at Slade. “Does somebody need a snuggle?”
“I will fucking gut you like a fish you fungus-haired slag!” Slade yelled back.
“My hair is emerald you ashy-haired elf-fucker!” Renna snapped back.
Frost was always mildly impressed with Renna’s ability to zone in on the things that would piss somebody off the most. Elf-fucker wasn’t much of an insult to her but she knew it would piss Slade off and had no issue using it.
“Did you say something about children, Slade my love?” Hestia asked excitedly as she poked her head out of the noisy kitchen. “I definitely heard you say something about children! Have you reconsidered? I knew that having you teach the children at the academy would change your mind! I heard them in the halls talking about how good you were at stealth! They said that they searched everywhere for you during class and couldn’t find you!”
“That’s because he wasn’t in the class dear,” Cassia said as she waltzed into the dining area and headed straight toward the bar. The white-haired elf took one of the empty seats next to Slade. “He was napping on the roof. But it was still a very good lesson for the children. Of course, I couldn’t sign off on the job so if he wants to be paid, he’ll have to try again.”
“Like fucking hell!” Slade growled.
“Slade!” Hestia snapped. “You promised that you would give it a chance!”
“Dog-fucker,” Slade yelled while waving at Frost. “I don’t suppose you have any new tasks in Zira that need to be taken care of?”
“Bit busy right now,” Frost replied as Ena and Fayeth stomped toward him.