by Heath Pfaff
"As you will, my King." My four-eyed advisor replied, and I could tell by the formality he used, that he was annoyed. I didn't feel like pressing him any further on the matter, not when there was so much that needed to be done. He turned and began to walk from the room.
"Ethaniel, try to carry out our preparations to leave as quietly as possible." I told him.
He didn't stop, though he called back over his shoulder. "We'll be ready to leave in two days. Be prepared." He walked from the room.
Two days. That was fast. Had Ethaniel already been making preparations for our departure? If he had been, how had I not heard anything about it? Was I really so far removed from the happenings of the castle? That was a simple question to answer. I was. In the end, I had been a terrible king. I bit down my bitterness at the way events had unwound. I could do nothing further.
"Where are we going?" Malice asked, startling me from my thoughts. She had been listening after all. She sat on the edge of my desk, looking at me with obvious curiosity. She had no memories outside of what she'd experienced within the castle. For her the prospect of leaving must have been both exciting and frightening.
"Far, far away from here, across the Great Salt Seep, and further still, to a place where none of our kind has traveled before." I told her, trying to make it sound like a magical voyage, an adventure. The truth of the matter was somewhat less pleasant. We would be crossing the great seas, a voyage that few ships survived, and from there we would be making land-fall in the lands of the Hungering. I looked at Malice, and wondered for the first time, if it was right of me to take her along. Should I take such an innocence to a place of death and terror?
She was smiling, her eyes full of wonder. "Will we get to ride on a ship? I've always wanted to ride on a ship!"
Looking at her, I knew that there was no way I could leave her behind. No one would be able to look after her, and I couldn't bring myself to simply abandon her. Danger or not, she would have to come along. I would have to protect her, and do a better job of it than I had so far.
"Yes, we will get to ride on a ship." I answered, forcing a smile through the haze of worry that I felt suddenly creeping up around me.
"So you're going to let Lheec chase us out of the capital like a bunch of scared animals?" Snow said dully as I told her of what Ethaniel and I had decided to do. I was not surprised at her reaction. Snow did not approve of retreating. At least, not when fighting was a viable option.
"No, we'll be gone well before Lheec and his men arrive. When his armies get here, the castle will be empty." I answered her calmly. In truth, I had plans of my own. I did not intend to simply hand over the kingdom and its assets to Lheec, but I had not shared that knowledge with anyone else yet. The idea had come to me as I had finished my conversation with Ethaniel, and by the time I had reached Snow for training, my course of action was all but set. Lheec would get the kingdom, but I would make sure that he had some trouble settling in. He would not take the throne without a cost.
"They will call you a coward." Snow's face was set, her mouth an angry line.
"Let them. Fighting will win nothing but death. I'm not prepared to start another war just to hold the crown. I never wanted to be the king in the first place." I tried to explain things to my stubborn master of swords, but she shook her head again.
"I don't like this. Lheec deserves to be put in his place." Snow retorted.
"Lheec will have no easy time sitting himself upon the throne." I offered, unwilling to divulge any details of my plan at that point. "I think that Lheec will find his throne is going to cost him much more than he anticipated. I also don't think the people will be calling me a coward after I am gone. In fact, they will probably have nothing but kind things to say."
Snow's angry expression turned to one of curiosity. "What are you going to do? You haven't had any luck making the people happy yet. If you had something you could do that would please them, why didn't you do it before all of this happened?" She seemed to think for a minute, and added. "Not that I'm criticizing your work as king. You just have not managed to capture the hearts of the people."
I might have been offended if her words were not so obviously true. "What I have in mind is something that will only work once, and when I am done, it will leave things in a very difficult place for whoever is left holding the crown. Next week, when Lheec arrives, he will find himself in an incredibly precarious situation. If he can hold the kingdom, it will cost him dearly. If he can't, it will still cost him dearly, and he will be out the crown he so desperately wants."
Now Snow smiled. "I don't know what you have in mind, but it sounds absolutely terrible." She put on a stern expression. "Lowin, it's not like you to do spiteful things."
I thought about that for a moment. Was I simply trying to sting Lheec to no benefit? That was a possibility. The man had, however, tried to kidnap Malice, and he'd tried to have me killed, possibly on multiple occasions. I had, I thought, held my temper quite well so far. It was past time for me to stand up and fight back. If I could do so without hurting the kingdom as a whole, all the better.
I turned my eyes to Laouna.
She was still working on her sword forms, getting better with every hour of practice. Her body remembered, even if her mind did not. I hoped that she would be ready to fight if a situation arose that must be confronted by force. I would do everything in my power to protect her, but that would be easier if she was also able to protect herself.
"How is she progressing?" I asked Snow, who was also now watching the red-haired girl.
"She is a brilliant student. I don't know whether she is remembering what she knew before, or whether she is really learning as fast as I'm teaching her, but I have never trained anyone so good." I saw Snow's jaw tighten, and knew she was about to say something she didn't want to. It was a habit of hers to bite off things she didn't wish to speak. "She's not better than me now, but she will be if she keeps on learning at this pace. Even when I teach her techniques that I know she never learned before, she takes to them quickly. Another year or two and I will have nothing left to offer her. She is good, but. . ." Her voice trailed off.
"But?" I prompted, after a short silence that I wasn't certain Snow was going to complete.
"She lacks the will to kill. She is playing a game. When she strikes, she does not strike with the determination to wound or kill. Without that, she will never be an effective fighter." Snow finished.
I nodded solemnly. Malice had never lacked that edge. I remembered only too well the first time I'd met her, and she'd lifted me up by the front of my shirt, picking me up until I was eye level with her. Her eyes had been black then, and they had been full of darkness and anger. I had feared she would kill me. That feral look of pent rage had always been just behind the surface of her eyes.
Laouna, with her green eyes, and gentle smile, had nothing of the anger and darkness that Malice had worn like a shroud. How beautiful and terrible she had been in the dance of battle. . .
"Real battle will harden her, and give her the edge she needs. She needs to have her life on the line. That's the only way to work through the hesitance." Snow said. I knew the words were true. Killing was difficult, but it became easier the more it was done. That was the sad truth of being a soldier. After a while, it became difficult to see those on the opposite side of your sword as anything other than targets.
"Blood will temper the steel of determination." I spoke the old adage, one I'd heard from experienced fighting men, with a mournful breath. I did not doubt that fighting would better Malice's ability to strike, but I wondered if she deserved to be run through that dark gauntlet again. She had a second chance at innocence. Did I have the right to take that away from her? I would not defile her body, should I allow her mind to be equally defiled? It would make her a better fighter, but it might take that spark of innocent joy from her eyes as well.
I loved her, and I did not want to see that light fade from her forever. I vowed to myself that I would striv
e to keep her from battle as long as I might. If she must fight, I told myself, let it be only when no other choice remained before her. Until that time, my arm would be her shield, and my sword would be raised for her defense. After all, my innocence was already lost to forever to a world that took and never gave back.
"I'll have your new sword for you tonight." Snow's voice broke my line of thought. I looked at her, confused for a moment. I did not carry a sword often within the castle. I had tried to for a while, but my retainers and the other nobles did not feel comfortable.
When I did carry a sword, I carried the blade that had been given to me by a dying soldier on the battlefield where I had fought the black drakes, and lost my arm. The blade had survived the battle, and though I didn't believe in luck, I had felt the blade had served me well, so I kept it. I'd had the blade repaired after the battle, but had no more work done to it. It was not of the light, bright-silver steel that was commonly used in noble weapons, but it was a good and sturdy blade. I didn't savor the thought of replacing it, even if Snow though it was wise for me to change to a longer weapon, closer to the one I'd practiced with the day before.
"I already have a sword." I told her, remembering Uin Delmor, the fallen soldier's whose blade I carried, and whose name I had burned into my mind.
"I know, because I've had it reforged for you." She replied, smiling.
"You had my sword reforged?" I was angry. That sword had sentimental value, and I was aghast that it had been melted down.
"Don't look at me like that." Snow snapped. "The steel is still the same. I made sure that the metal was matched perfectly, and that not a drop of the original weapon was put to waste. The cross-piece was reworked to fit, and even the bindings were repaired and kept. You will be pleasantly surprised with the finished results. It is a blade unlike any other. I supervised its design myself."
My anger diminished, flowing away almost as fast as it had come. I remembered a time when my anger would not have flared up so quickly, or so brightly. I had changed.
I could see that Snow had put a lot of effort into the new sword, and that she had meant it as a kindness. She had known how much the original blade meant to me, and seen to it that the new blade was true to the old. The truth of the matter was that I did want a longer, heavier weapon. Snow had provided that, and allowed me to keep my old blade, in a sense.
I smiled at her, though it still pained me to think of my sword being melted down. "Thank you, Snow. I know that if you helped design it, it will be a blade without equal."
My blade master smiled, and I could tell that she was sincerely happy and maybe even excited about her gift. Giving, I thought, was often better than receiving. Snow stepped closer to me, and leaned forward, her lips forming that gesture that can only mean one thing. I found myself leaning forward as well.
"I'm ready!" Laouna called, stopping us both in our tracks. She was standing off to one side of us, her practice blade at her side. "I'm ready to spar again." She spoke directly to Snow. Behind the green-eyed girls eyes, burned a fire of competition I had seldom seen. She was challenging Snow to a battle of sword, but she was also challenging Snow for my affection. I looked to Snow and saw the expression reflected in her eyes, even if not so keenly.
I could say nothing, at that point, without hurting the feelings of one or the other, so I backed away. Snow took up her practice wand, and the two fighters, perhaps the two greatest sword masters the world had ever seen, squared off across the practice field. There was an air of competition between them, but also I sensed a certain camaraderie. They were about to duel, but they were akin spirits. I watched them stand still, each waiting for the perfect moment to move, and it seemed the world froze as well, wanting to see the outcome of the encounter that was about to occur.
What signal triggered the first move, was beyond my ability to determine. Suddenly both women exploded forward, their practice weapons weaving through the patterns of battle like a bird of prey cuts the sky, chasing its quarry. Malice, for all the skill that she had lost when her memories fled, was still better with a blade than I was. Snow was as well. I had seen many blades clash over the years, but when Malice and Snow faced off, it was like watching physical poetry.
It became obvious after very little time that Snow had the upper hand. She knew more tricks, and her form was more flawlessly executed. Malice was losing ground with every pass, and it was only a matter of time before she faltered. I watched, stifling my urge to interfere. I knew what was coming, but it wasn't my place to come between the two women. The practice field, and their sparring matches, were theirs.
It happened suddenly. Malice's guard passed perilously low, Snow feinted high, the green-eyed girl responded by making a drastic correction, and Snow changed her blade's momentum and feinted low. Even further off balance, Malice again forced her guard low to counter. This time, as Snow changed direction once more, I saw the finishing blow. The wooden wand caught Malice on the left side of the face hard enough to knock the girl backwards, and to send a jet of blood into the air. I winced. That was a solid hit.
I came forward to check on Malice, but Snow had already come to her side, and was knelt on the ground, her weapon discarded.
"Are you alright?" Snow asked.
Malice was clutching the side of her face that had been struck by Snow's weapon. I could see a deep bruise forming there, from around her viciously clawed fingers. I knew the bruise would form and pass within an hour, with Malice's healing abilities, but I still didn't like to see it. However, I could not fault Snow for the injury. The practice match had been well fought on both sides, and Snow had only done what was necessary to teach a lesson.
The red-haired girl nodded, looking sullen. "Yes." She said, miserably.
"You did well." Snow announced, standing up and offering a hand to her fallen opponent.
"I lost again." Laouna answered, accepting the hand and allowing Snow to pull her back to her feet.
"Your form is still weak, and you allowed your blade to be teased out of position." Snow reprimanded, but without the sting of gloating. Malice's expression turned even more sullen.
"However, you also showed a surprising level of adaptability, and an impressive ability to recall, and quickly apply, the different forms you've been taught." Snow continued. "Your performance today was better than yesterday. I'm very proud of you."
Malice did something she rarely did. As her hand fell away from her face, she actually smiled at her instructor. Her cheek was badly bruised, and there was a split on the skin, though that had mostly closed already. Her sullenness seemed to flee before Snow's praise.
"This doesn't mean you can stop practicing your forms." Snow snapped, her face taking on the grim expression it generally did when she was being an instructor. "You must work even harder, now, to fix the flaws in your style. I will go harder on you from here on out."
Malice nodded once. "I will work hard, Snow." She said, and there was determination in her voice. The competition was at an end. Snow had won the fight, but more than that, I believed the two women had once more reestablished their level of mutual respect. That was as it should be.
Snow turned to me. "What are you staring at? You haven't worked half as hard as she has, and you've only mastered a third of the techniques. You might be able to beat her now, through brute strength, but strength will only get you so far." Her face was stern.
"Hmmm," I replied, unhappy with the sudden change in direction the situation had taken. Snow, I realized, was now ready to start pounding out my weaknesses. I didn't savor the notion.
The morning of departure came quickly, a flurry of activity buzzed throughout the castle. It was well known that I - with my retinue of Knights - was soon to be departing the capital on a hunting trip. Of course, the "hunting trip" was only a pretext under which we were actually slipping quietly out of the kingdom. All of the black cloaks, and all of the remaining Knights of Ethan, were ready to march. The Knights had been told of what was really happening, bu
t the Black Patch Brigade remained oblivious. I had tried to talk about it with Liet, but my once-companion was uninterested in anything more than what his orders were for the duration of the coming events. I knew that had I tried to discuss the matter with any of the other black cloaks, they would have been equally uninterested.
As I prepared to leave, my pack strapped beneath my brilliant blue cloak, Ethaniel came marching through my bedroom door. Laouna shot him an acidic look from where she sat perched on the edge of my bed as he entered uninvited. Laouna was already prepared to leave, her own pack in place, and her shifting cloak wrapped about her shoulders. She looked almost like any other Knight, dressed in such a fashion. Her expression, and her relaxed manner, betrayed the illusion.
"What is this about a public address before you leave the capital today?" Ethaniel demanded, angered that he had been left out of the loop. I ignored the piercing gaze of his gray eyes, and replied calmly.
"I'm going to address the people before we depart. I have something to tell them; a last act as king." I explained. I had gone to great lengths to carry out my plans with as little notice as possible. Very few of the castle staff had been told of what was to be done, and only those few in high positions and with a lot to lose should any information leak out.