Encala

by T. M. Nielsen

  The shirts team had the ball again, and Emily lined up for the hike. Once she grabbed the ball, she ran back a few steps and then turned when she saw Kyle break free from his opposing guard and run at her. She screamed and ran back toward the wrong end zone and suddenly found herself flat on her stomach. Kyle pinned her, but was holding most of his weight. He took the ball and stood up, then helped Emily up.

  The next goal was for the shirts. As Emily handed off to a guard, he broke through numerous tackles and blurred again into the end zone. She began to think the game wasn’t fair, anyone who got the ball, scored.

  Emily lined up again and crouched down with one hand on the grass as she met Kyle’s eye. He winked and yelled for the hike. Her guard broke off and tackled the heku by her, again giving her a straight line for Kyle. This time she tucked her head and rammed into his stomach with her shoulder. The shoulder butt caught him off guard, and he fell backwards and she fell with him, landing squarely on top of him.

  “Are you ok?” he asked, a little panicked, but then she laughed and crawled off of him.

  “Quarterback sack by the mortal!” Emily yelled, doing her own small victory dance. The crowd whistled and applauded and she blushed profusely.

  “I’m honestly surprised you’re allowing this,” Leonid said. Chevalier was so engrossed in the game, that he hadn’t noticed the Elder standing beside him.

  Chevalier just shook his head and shrugged, “I promised her I’d give her some freedom and so far, I don’t see anything wrong with it.” He turned back to the game.

  Emily crouched down again and put her hands out. When the ball was hiked, she backed up and looked for someone to throw to. An opposing heku got free of his guard and ran at her. She tried to dodge him, but she felt his hands on her waist as he picked her up and ran her toward his end zone.

  “No!” she screamed, laughing as he set her down.

  “Safety!” he yelled, and ran to his cheering teammates.

  “I am pretty sure that’s against the rules,” she said with her hands on her hips.

  Kyle grinned at her, “I’m pretty sure it isn’t. Now we’re two points ahead. One more play and back to work.”

  “Huddle!” Emily called, and her teammates came and put their arms around one another’s shoulders, forming a circle with Emily in the middle.

  “They’re cheating,” she said to them.

  “I say let’s form a V with Emily in the middle… we’ll knock them away from you… just run as fast as you can,” one of the recruits said.

  Emily nodded, “Deal. If we get this touchdown, we win.”

  The shirts team lined up for the hike. Emily glanced to her left, and then to her right. When everyone was on the line, she yelled for the hike.

  She dropped back a little and saw the V form ahead of her. She ran as fast as she could, and heard her team knocking the opposing team away from her. She pushed herself to keep up. She knew they were holding back, but she was falling behind. Emily jumped when she saw the end zone and slid into it. About half of the crowd began to cheer and clap, and one of her teammates picked her up and spun her around.

  It was a while before the crowd dispersed, and the first to leave were the Elders. Emily and Kyle met at center field and shook hands. They then walked toward the stables, leaving the teams and the crowd behind them.

  “They’ll have a party tonight, no doubt,” Kyle said, stepping into the barn.

  “A party?” She tossed the football back into the storage closet.

  “They are pretty hyped. That was some training,” he said, and sat on a bale of hay to watch her.

  “Hopefully it worked,” she said, sitting beside him.

  “Oh, there’s a reason for the game?”

  “Of course… so far in training it’s been cavalry vs. new recruits… now I hope we have a unified group. One group.”

  Kyle shook his head and grinned, “That’s brilliant, you know that?”

  “Of course! I thought of it.” She frowned, though, “So if they have a party, then four of them won’t be able to go, they’ll be watching me.”

  Kyle nodded, “They know that’s part of the job, and it’s 6, not 4. Allen has his guards now too.”

  “What can I do to give them the day off?”

  “You promised not to slip out,” he reminded her.

  “I know, that’s why I’m asking how I can do that officially. What if I promise not to leave my room? You can even stay in the room with me,” she suggested.

  “I guess that would be ok.”

  “Go tell them and I’ll head to my room. I need to take a shower and get changed,” she said, standing up.

  “But that would leave you alone… come with me to tell them and we’ll go up together.”

  “True… let’s go,” she said, before standing up and putting a hand out to help Kyle up. They walked out together and called the recruits and the Cavalry together.

  “Great job today guys,” she said, smiling. She loved the way they were excited and acting like friends.

  “You too, Lady Emily. Who knew you could play football?” Mark said, laughing.

  “Last bit of news… Kyle told me you will want to party tonight. So you all get the night off,” she said, smiling.

  The guard’s faces turned from excited to concerned, “Who will watch you?”

  “I have that covered. I promised to be good and stay in my room. Training is at 8am, though, so don’t do anything that’ll keep you from it.” She suddenly wondered if there was anything that could keep a heku from functioning, they didn’t drink, and they didn’t sleep.

  “You know… there is another option,” one of the recruits said.

  “Like what?” Emily questioned.

  “Like you come and party with us,” he said, and then looked nervously at Kyle for approval.

  Kyle shrugged, “Go ahead if you want, Em. Not sure you could be anywhere safer than with thirteen of your guards.”

  “Really? I can go?” she asked, but was already heading off with them.

  “I’ll tell the Elder,” he called after them.

  Kyle walked into the palace, smiling, as the last of the crowd left the lawn. He walked up to Chevalier’s office and knocked.

  “Come in,” the Elder said.

  Kyle stepped in and shut the door behind him.

  “Have a seat,” Chevalier told him.

  “I suppose you saw,” Kyle said, taking a seat.

  “I did, it was quite interesting.”

  “I thought she was just playing. Come to find out, it was her version of a team-building exercise and, well, I think it worked.”

  “Oh? Were the new recruits not getting along with the Cavalry?”

  “They weren’t fighting, but there was a definite line.”

  “I’m guessing Emily is up taking a shower then?”

  “Well, that’s what I came to tell you. Emily went to party with them.” He wasn’t sure how that would go over, so he watched for Chevalier’s temper.

  “She went to party with the guards?” he was shocked.

  “Yes, they invited her.”

  Chevalier leaned his head back and laughed, “Only Emily.”

  Kyle nodded, “I figured she can’t be any safer than that.”

  “Well, while she’s out… we need to discuss the Mortal Ceremony we have next week,” Chevalier said, pulling a file out of a pile on his desk.

  “What were you thinking?”

  “I’m thinking about maybe sending her and Allen to the island for a week.”

  “There’s one going on next week on the Island, too. Remember that Englishman?” Kyle reminded him.

  “Damn, I forgot about that.”

  “I could take her to my place in France,” Kyle suggested.

  “I hate to have her that far away. I have to be here for this one… can you sail?” Chevalier asked.

  Kyle looked at him sideways, “Yes.”

  “Then I say you take Emily and Allen out on the yacht
. Take the Cavalry with you if you need to. It can hold seventy five comfortably.”

  Kyle nodded, “Think she’ll go for that?”

  “I’m sure she will, as soon as she knows the reason.”

  “I’m going to go feed while she’s at the party then, want to come?” Kyle asked, standing up.

  “No, I’m good.” He watched Kyle leave.

  Chevalier waited patiently for Emily to return from the Cavalry party. He watched as the hours ticked by slowly. He started to get nervous around 3am, but then heard her footsteps coming toward the door. She stepped in and smiled at him.

  “Hi,” she said, walking in to face him. She wasn’t sure if he was going to be ok with her out so late.

  “Have fun?”

  “Sure did,” Emily told him, and headed into the bathroom to take a quick shower. After the football and the party, she was exhausted.

  Chevalier went into the bathroom with her and watched through the glass door, smiling. His eyes took in every curve and muscle in her body. Stripping quickly, he joined her in the hot shower.

  ***

  Emily curled up against him in bed.

  “I need a favor,” he said, kissing her lightly.

  “Oh?”

  “Next week we’re doing the ceremony to turn a mortal into a heku.”

  She propped up on her elbow, “Ok.”

  “There’s one on the island, too. Kyle offered to take you and Allen out on the yacht for the week.” He watched her closely for a reaction.

  Emily hid any worry she had, “You can’t go?”

  “No, I have to be here for it. Kyle will take the Cavalry with you.”

  “Sure, sounds like fun,” she said, smiling.

  She began to worry. Kyle had shown a strong attraction to her, and she wasn’t sure how the yacht might affect him. Of course, with the entire cavalry there, he couldn’t do much or it would get back to Chevalier.

  “I’ll have everything ready for you to leave tomorrow,” he said, and pulled her closer to him.

  She nodded and shut her eyes.

  Emily yawned and stretched, then opened her eyes, it was only 6am. She looked around and saw that Chevalier was already gone. She got up and dressed, then went in to wake Allen up. He played on the floor while she packed a bag for him.

  “Ee going?” he asked.

  “We’re going on a boat,” she said, packing the last of his things.

  “Boat?”

  “Yeah, fun eh?”

  He nodded and went back to playing. She loaded some toys into a basket and then went out to pack her own things. Allen followed her out and she put in a movie for him. As she packed a range of clothes for both warm and cold weather, she heard a sound from her bathroom.

  “Chev?” she asked, going in to see what he was doing.

  A strange heku was crouched in the corner and hissed at her when she came in. Emily froze and crouched slightly.

  “Who are you?” she asked.

  He crouched lower and inhaled deeply. That was all Emily needed, he lunged at her just as she felt her concentration lock, and ash scattered across the bathroom floor. Emily ran out of the bathroom and opened the door.

  “I need Chev,” she said quickly.

  The four guards turned to her and saw the terror in her eyes. One ran to get the Elder, and the other three came into her room.

  “When did you get here?” she asked them.

  “Just about an hour ago. We came when the Elder left,” Mark told her, looking at her suspiciously.

  Chevalier blurred into the bedroom, “What’s wrong?”

  She took his hand and led him into the bathroom. At first he wasn’t sure what he was looking for, and then his eyes fell on the ash strewn across the floor.

  “Are you hurt?” he asked, turning to her.

  She shook her head and tears filled her eyes.

  “Did he bite you?” he asked, looking at her neck.

  “No, he jumped at me but I… I ashed him. I’m so sorry,” she said, shaking.

  “Don’t be sorry. I’m proud of you,” he said, taking her into his arms. He led her out into the bedroom.

  “There was a strange heku in here. What time did you get here?” he asked the guards.

  “We arrived just a few minutes after you left, Sir.”

  “Damnit, I should have stayed until you got here,” he growled.

  “Get a servant to collect that ash. I want to know who that was and what he wanted,” Chevalier ordered, still holding Emily at his chest. She was still trembling.

  He led her to the bed and sat her down, then knelt in front of her, “Calm down, ok? Everything’s fine.”

  One of Emily’s guards came up to them carrying Allen, “He said he’s hungry. Can the two of us take him down to eat?”

  Emily nodded and they left, so now only four guards remained with her.

  Kyle blurred into her room, “What happened?”

  “There were a few minutes when the door wasn’t guarded, and in that time, a heku got in here,” Chevalier explained.

  “Is she ok?” he asked, looking at her. She was still shaking and looked pale and afraid.

  “She’s ok. She turned him to ash,” he said, proudly.

  “Good job, Em!” Kyle said, and looked around the room. “I’m going to look around and make sure it’s clear.”

  Chevalier nodded and touched Emily lightly on the cheek, “You did nothing wrong.”

  She nodded.

  He smiled at her, “You have no idea how proud I am of you. You did it!”

  Again she only nodded.

  “Do you want to go get something to eat with Allen?”

  “No”

  “Have some coffee brought up,” Chevalier said, and one of her guards disappeared from the room.

  “You’re going to bring him back?”

  “Yes”

  “What if he is a servant, maybe he was just cleaning.”

  “Doesn’t matter. He shouldn’t have been in here,” he said, taking her hand.

  “Won’t the other Elders be mad if I ashed an Equites?”

  Chevalier smiled, “Not at all. They would have probably killed him for being in here without permission anyway.”

  Emily took a cup of coffee from the guard and sipped it slowly.

  “Maybe the yacht is a good idea, get away for a while,” she said, looking at her half-packed suitcase.

  Chevalier nodded, “Yes, it will be. There’s no chance of you getting attacked there. Did you finish packing?”

  “No,” Emily said, and stood up. She finished her coffee with shaking hands, and then started packing.

  “You’re taking your bikini?” Chevalier asked.

  “I wanted some sun, am I not allowed?”

  “No, that will be fine,” he said, fighting to control his jealous urge to ban her from wearing it.

  Emily sat in the helicopter and watched Chevalier disappear as they took off for the Island. Allen was strapped in and laughing. He loved being in the helicopter. Kyle and two of her guards were with her. The others would arrive by Suburban the following day, and then they would set out onto the Atlantic.

  Allen fell asleep shortly after takeoff and Emily followed. She woke up just as the pilot brought the helicopter down onto the castle’s helipad. Kyle carried Allen into the castle and laid him down on Emily’s bed, and she walked in after them.

  “I’ll have Gordon bring up some lunch,” Kyle said, and left quickly.

  Emily curled up by Allen on the bed and watched him sleep. She was ready to get onto the yacht, away from attacks, away from the Valle and the Encala. Gordon showed up a short time later, smiling brightly. He sat the trays down on the table and left.

  Chapter 4 - Lost

  Kyle cut the engines to the yacht when they were far away from any land. He sat in the captain’s chair and watched Emily. She was lying on the chaise in her bikini, soaking up the sun. Allen played nearby with one of the guards. He kept pulling at his life vest, somethi
ng Emily insisted he wore at all times.

  Kyle turned his chair. From up by the helm, he could see the entire boat. The guards were situated throughout the yacht. No one was getting on board without one of the guards seeing them. The ocean was quiet and a light breeze was blowing. He turned back to Emily. With the sunglasses covering his eyes, he could secretly watch her. She was relaxed, not quite asleep, but still enjoying being out on the water.

  It was only an hour later that she sat up and pulled off her sunglasses. She looked over at Allen, who was playing and smiled.

  “Are you hungry?” she asked, getting out of the chaise.

  “Peanut butter,” he said, and ran toward Emily.

  “Ok, one peanut butter and jelly coming up.” She took his hand and walked down into the main living quarters.

  Kyle blurred into the room a few minutes later and sat by Allen.

  “Is there anything you need?” he asked, looking at Emily.

  “No, I think we’re fine,” she told him, and walked over to Allen with a sandwich and chips. Emily sat down with a sandwich of her own and started to eat.

  “Are you all going to be ok without eating this week?” she asked him, stealing one of Allen’s chips.

  “Yes, we all fed well before leaving. We’ll be good for a few weeks.”

  “What about boredom?”

  He chuckled slightly, “We’re good with that, too.”

  “Sir?” one of the guards called down.

  “Is it ok if he comes down?” Kyle asked Emily, and she nodded.

  “Come,” he called up the stairs.

  One of the new recruits came down the stairs, “Sir, there’s a weather alert coming over the radio.”

  “What kind of alert?” he asked, sighing.

  “Just a storm warning… high swells, wind, and rain.”

  “Ok,” Kyle thought for a moment. “We can’t go back to the island, and it’s too dangerous to go to the mainland. We’ll just have to ride it out.”

  “Is that safe?” Emily asked, frowning.