by Jenn Nixon
Loloa contacted the king on the PCD then opened the chamber door. Tiva entered the room. A hint of flowers scented the air. The soft glow of candles surrounded her. She circled the large vibrant couch, her hand caressing the plush material. Never overly extravagant, the king’s furniture was better quality than most, but his living area always felt comfortable and welcoming. Moving to the window, she saw another large group of guardians patrolling the grounds. Sometimes she missed walking the perimeter, but to exchange her duty of guarding the king for occasional fresh air never crossed her mind.
King Delos walked into the room; she immediately sensed a slew of emotions from him. She steadied herself against the wall and raised her shield, blocking his stronger feelings before turning. Harer looked exactly how he felt, at least what she sensed from him. Obviously tired and angry, his shoulders hunched as if the burden of the planet was upon him. His markings were darker than normal under the silver and black wisps of hair. Harer’s normally warm, yet serious eyes, were full of worry and fear. A strong leader indeed, but no fool, he knew the weight of the situation, and though unintended, he held nothing back.
“You wished to see me?” He motioned to the couch.
“I did, sire. I checked inventory and found nothing out of the ordinary among Solun’s belongings. But, I still have a strong feeling the Rebels have been using the alien technology to communicate somehow. They have had insight into matters that they normally would not, and it’s the only logical conclusion.”
“You may be right, Tiva. I just do not see how that can help us now.”
“If we tap into their ability to communicate we would have the upper hand,” she said, and began to pace. “Also, I wish to begin training with the weapons as soon as possible. Can I acquire one early?”
He smiled slightly. “I would much rather you get rest, but I know you will not heed my advice, so I will see how the engineers are faring.”
“Thank you.” She turned to leave, but paused at the door. “Sire, have you something on your mind?”
“Many things, but the burdens of an old man should not be your concern.”
“I would not have offered if I didn’t already sense your worry, Harer,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “Neither of us can sleep, and with the number of guardians in the palace we are safe, we can relax and talk as friends, can we not?”
“If that is your wish, would you care to walk the grounds with me, it is something I often do when sleep evades me.”
“I would enjoy that. I frequently spend time in the tree in our field. Te is a wonderful companion,” she said heading back to the corridor. “He does not judge me, keeps me safe, and always listens.”
“You’ve named your tree?” He chuckled. “There is much I do not know about you, Tiva. As one of my protectors, I should learn more.”
“Anything you wish to know, you may ask.”
“Now that you have posed the question to me, I know not what to ask.” He smiled sheepishly with a shrug.
Tiva laughed and exited the palace, nodding to the guardians at the door. Together they walked to the king’s garden and talked of flowers, weather, and past days of training. Harer spoke of his childhood and growing up as the heir to the throne. She found his stories uplifting and full of life. When they reached the middle of the garden, she sat down on the bench, looked up at the sky, and sighed.
“What troubles you?” he said.
“Many nights I have dreamed of what life there was out there and often wondered if we would ever know them. Now, all I can think of is the aliens who are helping the Rebels in their attempt to rid you of your rightful duty to protect this planet.”
“It is not only me they are against, it is the ideals of our forefathers and leaders who have built this great society of ours. It pains me that there are people who oppose us. I’ve always been open to the ideas of others, which is why we have lived harmoniously for many cycles. Matters such as these can be resolved with negotiations or understanding, but the Rebels…they do not wish it. I have offered my ear to their cause.” He turned to her. “Yes, it is true. I have attempted to contact the leaders to call a truce to this fighting and loss of life. I was denied.”
“Then it will be their downfall, Harer. The Royal Guardians and Legionnaires will not allow them to win.”
He sat beside her and took her hand. Tiva, you are old enough now…and though it may not be the best time. I have something I need to tell you.
Tiva looked at him. What is it you wish to say, Harer?
Many cycles ago, I made a grave mistake. But from that mistake came a wonderful gift. He paused and squeezed her hand.
Both their comm devices beeped and a voice blared through. “The gates, intruders at the gate!”
Tiva jump off the bench and unsheathed her sword. “Come, back to the palace, sire!” She pulled his tunic and pushed him through the maze. Her entire body tensed as they ran through the shrubs and flowers. Keeping alert, she stayed on his heels, her hand tight around his arm.
“We need reinforcements at the gates!” another voice cried as an explosion rumbled through the device and echoed behind her.
As they exited the garden, Jex and Skky came running toward them. “Protect the king, get him into the palace,” Tiva said. “Jex, call my father.” She turned and ran toward the gate.
“Tiva, no, wait!” Harer yelled after her.
“Go, Harer, you must stay safe.” She turned back meeting his eyes and saluted. “Skky, take him now!”
Running to the main gate, another explosion rocked the ground beneath her feet. A plume of gray smoke rose above the gates, the battle concentrated at the front of the palace. She cut to the left and dashed across the courtyard. The guardians at the side gate were gone, obviously heading to the main gate to help. She grumbled, and made a mental note to remember to bring this up as soon as the threat was over. Slowing, she neared the gate and opened her senses. Chaos and fear filled her via the guardians rushed about the grounds. She inched closer to the side entrance, and stopped short, hearing rustling near the locked gate. She sheathed her sword and retrieved the three small daggers from her belt. Pressing her back against the wall, she slid closer to the opening and waited. Her PCD beeped again. She cursed and covered it, muffling the voice.
“Now!” She heard.
A gust of wind rushed over her head carrying a detonator, soaring through the air. It landed near the gates. She turned and ran. The explosion blasted a hole in the wall and the gate slammed to the ground. Tiva flew back, but was unharmed. She rose to her feet to see two men dressed in legionnaire uniforms running inside. She fingered a dagger and with precision aim threw it at the first intruder. He screamed and fell to his knees as the weapon pierced his eye. The second pulled a bladed staff from his side and rushed her. She threw the second dagger, and in her haste caught him in the shoulder. She jumped back, and withdrew her sword.
Their weapons clashed, and with ease, Tiva disarmed her enemy and knocked him out. The other, she noticed, no longer breathed. She dragged her captive away from the gaping hole, and pulled the PCD from her belt.
“This is Guardian Boon, I am at the side entrance and require immediate assistance.” She huffed and tightened her grip around the device. Anger seared through her. Whoever guarded these gates should have their heads on a platter, she thought, disappointed. A few long moments passed, and Loloa and Skky came running.
“What happened?” Skky said.
“The guardians left their post and almost allowed these two to enter unnoticed.” She snapped. “Take this one to the holding area, that one is dead.”
“Understood,” Loloa said.
Tiva gripped her blade and ran back to the main gate. She had not heard another explosion in some time and hoped the attackers ceased. Several small fires smoldered on the path. A group of frantic guardians tossed water on the blazes trying to put them out. Tiva rushed past them and saw Darlew and her uncle standing near the gates.
“What news?” she said, coming to a halt.
“It was only a small group. Many are dead,” Darlew said.
“I’ve sent one with Skky to the holding cell. He is unconscious, but alive.”
“Good work, Guardian Boon,” he said.
“However,” she continued. “The guardians assigned to the side entrance left their post and we now have a breech in the wall.”
“What?” Delver growled.
“It is true,” she said, “and unacceptable, this should not have happened. They could have slipped past us, and they were wearing legionnaire uniforms. We have a serious issue here.”
“So it would seem,” Darlew said. “Return to the palace, we are secure inside for the time being. I’ve sent the level threes to patrol the market place.”
A shiver ran down her spine. She did not wish her siblings to be the first line of defense should another attack occur. “We do not know friend from foe with the legionnaires, Guardian Finto, is it wise to send our young guardians out among them?”
“Do we have another choice?”
She paused, thinking, and came up with no other answer. “For now.” She nodded, and returned to the palace. Inside the corridor, she wiped her brow and noticed blood, grabbed a cloth from the study and cleaned her face before entering the main hall. Gathered around the lift were her parents, several members of the Ispek, Jelev, and Becha families. They talked softly, and she stood by and listened.
“More disguised as legionnaires?” Hutt asked.
“Apparently the one captured is a legionnaire,” Kito Becha said.
“Where is the king?” Tiva said.
“He is safe,” Kevler said. “Where have you been?”
“In the garden with King Delos. When the announcement came through the comm, I left the king in the charge of Skky and Jex. I was going to the main gate when it dawned on me that I was closer to the side entrance, and it was unguarded.”
“It was?” D’laja said.
“Yes. Two men set off a detonator to gain access, and I was able to capture one. The other was not as fortunate.”
“Tiva, come with me,” Kevler said and moved away from the group. Quickening her step, she caught up to her father and tugged at his tunic.
“Father?”
He turned with a scowl on his face and dark purple markings. “Why did you leave the king?”
“I didn’t. Jex and Skky escorted him back to the palace while I went to help the others.”
“You are an elite, Tiva.” He raised his voice. “Your charge is the king’s safety. You cannot go where you please when protecting the king.”
She stepped back and gaped at him.
“Your duty now is to protect the king, not the grounds or the palace, but the king!”
“I…I am sorry, father. I wasn’t thinking, I only thought to hinder the Rebels.”
Kevler sighed, his face softening. “No…I am speaking too harshly. You did a service to us all with your quick actions, but you must remember your place is now at the king’s side. He is your main priority. Unless he orders you to do something, you remain in his charge anytime you are near him.”
“I understand, Father. It will not happen again, you have my word.”
“Come here.” He offered his arms, which she gladly took. “I should not have raised my voice, I allowed the stress of the situation to affect me.”
“We are all afraid, and my siblings are now out there in the marketplace, it does not help allay my fears.”
“I know, dearest one, I know.” He hugged her tight and kissed her forehead. “We must meet with the king, let us make haste.”
*
Tiva, the elite guardians, and the king were still in the summit room when the second sun rose above the horizon. They spent all night strategizing and working through ideas and plans to secure the marketplace and palace. Harer ordered new uniforms for all legionnaires and demanded any wearing the old ones were checked and verified before entering the area. It was a lengthy process, but enough to limit the Rebels for a while.
Tiva and her father had charge of the newest prisoner, and spent the day interrogating him. Every technique they tried failed, and when they turned to physical maneuvers, found much the same. The man refused to give any information no matter how hard they tried.
Several days passed without incident. Tiva kept to her duty, guarding the king. Every time she was with him, she remained on high alert, observing everything around her. Her personal time with the king became a thing of the past.
Again, the thought of the Rebels having some type of alien technology reeled through her mind. None of the attackers had used any new weaponry. They had used the same detonators and blades as they had before. The group was smaller than those who had attacked previously. Something felt wrong, although she could not pinpoint exactly what it was that made her feel that way.
The engineers supplied the king with enough particle-charged weapons for most of the guardians. They trained on a regular basis, learning the new technology. The small, handheld device shot a gust of contained energy at its objective. Someone named them blasters and many took to them well. Tiva, however, preferred her method of combat. It was personal, honorable, and she had more control.
Still, she learned to wield the weapon and kept it at her side. The quiet days and nights continued for the better part of a month. The king’s ship was almost completed. The new cycle of the moon neared, and the weather was changing again.
*
A month to the day of the last assault, and palace continued its high alert. Tiva walked causally through the palace after waking to meet with the elite guardians and King Delos. Their morning meeting held no new information. The captured former legionnaire remained silent. The marketplace was secure, and no sign of the Rebels was uncovered.
Harer, needing time to clear his mind, walked the grounds on a daily basis, and brought Tiva and her father along. Tiva stayed silent each time, allowing her father and his friend to talk. They tried to talk about general topics to steer their minds from the problems they faced, but the conversation always turned back to the happenings of the planet.
For months, the provinces remained in a peaceful state. The Rebels seemed to have vanished. The only benefit was that the populace was safe, for now.
Making their way back to the palace, Tiva took her leave for the evening, and stared out the window in her room. She enjoyed the view from high up the glass tower, but longed for her small home and favorite tree. She missed talking with him and running through the fields. The palace grounds were vast, and she was able to run occasionally, but never at night when she enjoyed it the most.
Tiva curled up under the blankets and held happier memories in her mind as she forced herself to drift off to sleep.
The dawn broke through the window and lit the room to the point she could no longer sleep. She stretched, washed up, and changed, ready for a new day. Meeting with the other guardians in the summit room proved uninteresting. No news. Tiva, her father, and the king went for another walk around the palace. Again, Tiva remained silent and observed. Walking through the Great Hall, Darlew appeared and spoke with the elders.
Abruptly the doors flew open. Tiva saw them first. Tespor was carrying an unconscious Yark into the palace. She ran to them and helped lay Yark on the ground.
“What happened?” she said, checking the fallen guardian for wounds.
“They are coming,” Tespor said. Delos and Kevler rushed over, and Darlew took his son in his arm.
“Who?” the king said.
“The Rebels, sire,” he said then stood up. “There is a mass on the edge of Degort. Yark and I were patrolling the outer province when a small group attacked us. From the bridge, I saw the group approaching from the border. They will be here before mid-day, sire. They are coming speedily.”
Tiva glanced at her father then the king. Both seemed in shock. Darlew growled loudly, and thankfully, Yark moaned; he was not dead. The moment had come. Rebels w
ere on the move toward the palace. She did not need the king to say anything; she sensed everything flowing through him. Yet, she was ill prepared for his statement when he finally spoke.
“Sound the alarm, call for the protectors. We must prepare for war.”
Chapter Nineteen
Tension filled the palace. Each day the king and guardians met in the summit room and watched the battle in the distance. A constant fog of thick gray smoke lingered in the trees and brush on the edge of Degort. Many of the straggling townspeople fled the area after the invaders broke through the vanguard at the border. Only the sea of legionnaires stood between the Rebels and the first village of the capital. Level two and three guardians protected the roads and paths leading to the marketplace. Thousands of protectors occupied Degort. The elite guardians remained within the walls of the palace keeping the king and his family captives in their own home.
Every day the king’s army fought the enemy of the throne. Night after night, Tiva honored dozens of men and women shrouded in the white death cloth. A restless feeling surged through her. It seemed as if she did nothing but watch the fate of her fellow protectors diminish without raising her own weapon to help. It mattered not that the king was her charge, and that her duty was to remain at his side; she wanted to help. The urge to fight the Rebels seethed inside her. Tiva confessed her feelings to her father; he empathized and said he once felt the same long ago.
“In our position the danger comes to us, Tiva, we do not set out to find it.”
She understood, but it didn’t lessen the helplessness she felt watching the legionnaires fall.
A month rushed by in a blur and the Rebels pushed halfway through Degort outer. Both sides lost people every day, the legionnaires suffering the most. The explosions of detonators stopped, a logical explanation was they had run out of the devices, but the protectors took no chances, kept their distance, and remained on the defensive.
The first guardian casualty of the Great War was Nex Jelev, the younger brother of Jex. It was a devastating blow to moral; Nex was only seventeen, the youngest to perish.