The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Four: In the Beginning

by Melissa Collins

  “He is Vor’shai, Liurn. Acquaintance of the Emperor or not, he is affected by this persecution the same as you and me.”

  “No. No, that is untrue,” Liurn waved his hand to express his indignation without words as he rose to his feet. The chair he was seated in slid backward, scraping loudly across the floor. “He isn’t a mere acquaintance, Kaori. The man practically rules this country at the Emperor’s side. Have you not noticed the amount of time he spends in Eykanua? Whispering in the Emperor’s ear. The gods only know what he has told that man about us. About you.”

  “He has not told him anything…”

  “You don’t know that! Damn it, Kaori, don’t you see? He wants you to think he is your friend. Vicious trickery, if you ask me. Baiting you. Our whole mission may be compromised if you revealed any detail to that man.”

  “What would you have me do? Walk away and let the executions take place?” she stared at Liurn, aghast at his behavior. This wasn’t going the way she planned. Somehow she’d managed to push her closest supporter away and she wasn’t entirely sure what she had done wrong. “Do you trust me?” The question fell from her lips before she could complete the rest of her thoughts, frantically trying to think of a way to regain control over the situation without letting Liurn or Davian know she had lost it in the first place.

  Breathing heavy, Liurn stared at her, confused. It was a simply inquiry. One Kaori hoped Liurn would be quick to answer. “I fail to see what my trust in you has to do with that man, Kaori.”

  “That does not make my question less relevant. Do you trust me, Liurn?”

  “Of course I trust you –”

  “Do you still desire me to lead this rebellion?”

  “You are the only person I trust to do so.”

  “Then as your leader I am making the decision to accept the information provided by the Duke,” she stated simply. Liurn would have to accept the fact that she was ultimately the one in control. If she chose to do something, he could either follow or leave. The mission would continue whether he was with her or not. It would just be more effective if he stayed.

  Silenced by Kaori’s ruling, Liurn stood, posture erect, fingers trembling where he let the tips rest on the table. Kaori gazed at him, defiant, proud, pleased with the confidence she felt in her decision. In her heart she knew it was the best choice. It was the only choice. If they didn’t accept the information Therek provided, there would be no hope for the prisoners in Voiene. Even if it was a trap, it was a risk they had to take.

  “How do you know he isn’t lying about Tarnai?” Liurn asked, his voice softer than before though a slight tremor remained noticeable. With controlled movements he lowered himself back into his chair, scooting it closer to the table.

  “He’s not.”

  The voice that answered caused everyone to jump, startled by Sivar’s unexpected arrival. It made Kaori uneasy to think how easily he intruded on their conversation without their knowledge. They would have to be more cautious in the future. “Sivar,” she smiled, exhaling a breath of relief to see him there. He looked more collected than before. Calm. She preferred that look on him. “I was hoping you would join us. The Duke told me you were with him in Tarnai. I meant to ask about it earlier but we did not have a chance to approach the topic.”

  Sivar took a step forward, hesitant, as if unsure whether he should come closer. His eyes strayed back toward the door before he seemed to make up his mind, moving slowly to stand at Kaori’s side. “The Duke is telling the truth. I watched the soldiers slaughter nearly a dozen of our people without so much as a flinch when the ax fell. His anger, though more restrained, was no less genuine than that which I felt.”

  “Yet he did nothing to stop it…”

  “Liurn,” Sivar held his hand up to silence his friend, unwilling to listen any further. “The Duke could not take on the soldiers alone. You are being puerile. We all have our limits, and while the Duke may be closer to the Emperor than any of us, he holds no power beyond his ability to feed suggestions in hopes that the Emperor will listen. Even then, he can only put forth those suggestions so many times before the Emperor ceases to take him seriously. He does what he can to stop this madness, but he has more limitations than us. His closeness with the Emperor is an advantage. One wrong move and that could be gone.”

  Scratching his head, Davian looked over to Liurn, sympathetic. Everyone was against him. His continued arguments regarding Therek’s assistance were only making things worse. Coming to his defense, Davian spoke calmly, clearly cautious in choosing his words to avoid offending anyone. “I think it is understood that a man close to the Emperor is an advantage. What Liurn and I are concerned about is whether the Duke is the best choice for that role.”

  “The Duke is our only choice for that role,” Kaori chimed in, grateful for her brother’s support. Having him by her side helped give her the confidence required to hold her ground against her friends. She wasn’t used to leading, and forcing her decisions on others was surprisingly more difficult when the consequence of being wrong could mean their lives. “We have to look at this realistically. Our time is short and our resources minimal. The only chance we have at succeeding is to make use of every avenue available and right now the Duke is our best chance at acquiring information about the Emperor’s plans. Of course we will proceed with caution until we verify his word is trustworthy, but we have no other option. The execution locations are set. If we do nothing, our people will die because we weren’t willing to take a chance.”

  “I am confused, then,” Liurn rubbed his temples, his eyes directed down at the table to avoid making contact with Kaori. He knew he was being foolish. It was just too embarrassing for him to admit. “Does this mean you are going to join us, Sivar? Your defense in the matter of the Duke almost sounds like you aim to help your sister lead us into battle.”

  Sivar fell silent once again. Thoughtful. Pondering the question before finally giving a response. “What choice do I have?” he asked, lightly running his hand over the top of Kaori’s head. A familial gesture. Protective. “Kaori is going to do what she wants whether I approve or not. Quite frankly, I would not be able to live with the shame if I sat back and did nothing while my sister sacrificed herself for the good of our people. She is a better soul than I. Our parents would be proud.”

  Kaori beamed at her brother, unable to contain her joy. With Sivar, they could accomplish anything. He was an intelligent man. Young, but clever. Despite the lack of military training between them, they were more than capable of devising tactics to take on a few soldiers. Her only concern was how they would fare once the numbers started to rise against them.

  “What do we do, then?” Davian questioned, peering at Kaori, expectant.

  She lifted her chin, hoping the men wouldn’t sense the remaining threads of uncertainty which lingered in the back of her mind. They relied on her to lead them. Even if she doubted her ability to do so, she could never let anyone see it. “We need to keep busy,” she stated matter-of-factly. “Even if Mathious and Arcell are able to recruit others to help, we do not have enough time between now and the next execution to properly prove that any of them can be trusted. With that in mind, we cannot use any of the new recruits in Voiene.”

  “It was nothing short of a miracle that we were able to succeed alone in Whitelyn,” Liurn gawked at Kaori. “You test fate by thinking we can pull off such a feat a second time.”

  “We hopefully will not be alone,” Kaori argued. “Surely you all know someone who would be willing to join our cause. Someone you trust. We have to start with those closest to us. Those who do not require a test of loyalty.”

  The men were quiet for a moment. Lost in thought over what Kaori suggested. She prayed they would agree. It was the only thing she could think of which would grant them any chance at increasing their numbers in time for the trip to Voiene. Therek had been right. Any help, no matter how small, was better than none at all.

  “I suppose there are a few people who
come to mind,” Liurn nodded, the sound of his voice causing Kaori to jump slightly, breaking through the quiet. She smiled at him, grateful to hear that at least one of them believed the idea could work.

  Davian’s head bobbed up and down in a sharp gesture to add his support. “I will have to be careful, but there are one or two friends of mine who may also be persuaded to help.”

  “Good,” Kaori gave an approving nod in Davian’s direction. Things finally felt as though they were falling into place. If they each found at least one person, it would double their numbers. That alone was enough to bolster her confidence, her voice firm and steady as she gave the final command. “While we are seeking the assistance of those we know, Arcell and Mathious can begin searching for others. My hope is that we will have a small army by the time the executioner finds his way back to Rothdara.”

  The trip to Voiene felt longer than Kaori expected, her pulse quickened with anticipation by the time they crossed over the city’s border. It was a more densely populated area than Whitelyn. For the past several years the city had begun to grow, spreading outward into the outlying country, becoming a bustling location for merchants and trade. To pass time on the trip Sivar had taken to providing Kaori a lesson on the political standing of the city, informing her of the Emperor’s consideration of making Voiene its own county. Kaori found it difficult to believe the Emperor would be so eager to do anything in regards to the status of Voiene once she and the others were done there.

  Her plan to recruit friends and family had proven surprisingly successful. She and Sivar managed to convince several close friends of their parents to join in the cause, many of which felt quite strongly on the matter. So many families outside of her own had been affected by the Emperor’s actions. Everyone she spoke to knew of a close friend or relative who had been taken into custody for one reason or another. It made Kaori’s task easier when attempting to convince them to fight alongside her and the others.

  Rays from the afternoon sun filtered through the carriage windows, making Kaori uneasy at the thought of how late in the day their arrival was. It had been her intent to be in the city by morning to better prepare. Therek warned the execution would be mid-afternoon. By now the sun was already beyond its highest peak, slowly beginning its descent. She could tell by the number of people wandering the streets that the city was preparing for an event. They would have to be more cautious than they’d been in Whitelyn. No one could be allowed to see their faces.

  Ducking low in her seat, Kaori pulled the hood of her cloak up over her head, tugging at the edges to make sure she was concealed under the thick folds. Sivar followed her lead, averting his gaze to stare down at the floor, careful not to make himself visible to the people outside. The others would be arriving soon, if they weren’t already there. It seemed best they all arrive separately, though now Kaori found herself doubting whether that was the wisest decision. The townspeople would have taken notice of a large group riding into the city, but it seemed safer to keep close. So many things could go wrong. One slight change in the timing of the execution could send their whole plan into chaos, relying heavily on everything to go according to the same schedule as it had in Whitelyn. Risky, yes, but they lacked enough details to create a more sound stratagem.

  As the carriage came to a halt in front of a darkened alley, Sivar slipped outside into the shadows, holding the door open for Kaori to follow. Their eyes were in constant motion, making sure no one had taken an interest in them. The attention of the locals appeared to be focused on the soldiers already in position around a large grassy clearing at the center of the city’s main crossroads. The people referred to the area as the central square. A place where the townspeople held all their local festivities, decorated with stone benches and vibrant flowers in perfect symmetry on either side. It was a shame the soldiers would sully such a beautiful landscape with their iniquitous display.

  Pressed against the side of the building, Kaori searched the streets for any sign of the others. At her inability to see her comrades, she wasn’t sure if she was relieved or frightened. It was best they not be in sight, but at the same time she couldn’t be sure if they were even there. All she could do was trust they wouldn’t have left her and Sivar to take on the soldiers alone.

  “They do not appear to be using a scaffold today. This will make it easier for the soldiers to reach the wagon once they become aware of our presence.” Sivar’s voice was low, barely audible through the heavy fabric of Kaori’s hood. She turned to face him, already feeling the rush of adrenaline as it started to pulse through her veins. Her heart palpitated, creating an uncomfortable vibration throughout her chest as she tried to focus on her brother.

  “We will have to improvise. The number of soldiers I see should not pose the same threat as they did in Whitelyn. Overwhelming them should be simple enough.”

  “The others will be waiting for your arrow to signal the charge. How long do you plan to wait before we go?”

  “Not long,” Kaori turned away from her brother, waving for the coachman to continue on without them. She watched in anticipation as the wheels took to motion, crunching along the gravel before disappearing down the street.

  Sivar tugged at Kaori’s cloak, urging her to move deeper into the protective cover of the alley. “You will have to forgive my uncertainty in regards to timing. I don’t have the luxury of past experience.”

  “Every experience will differ. You shouldn’t dwell on that.” Impressed by the steadiness of her hands, Kaori reached under the heavy material of her cloak to clasp the smooth wooden framework of her bow. “I need you to stay focused, Sivar. Watch what I do. This is the only chance you have before I entrust you to lead the others in Rothdara.”

  Her voice trailed off as she began scanning the alley for something she could stand on, reminded of the necessity of height for the initial strike. A rooftop was out of the question, knowing the guards would be more watchful than before. She could already see their eyes straying to the highest points of the buildings, searching for signs of an attack. Her gaze came to settle on a line of large barrels. They weren’t as tall as she would have liked, but they were sufficient to serve the purpose she needed them for.

  “Help me with these,” she directed Sivar toward the barrels. “I need one of them positioned closer to the edge of the building. If I don’t find some kind of high ground, I run the risk of killing an innocent onlooker.”

  The sound of Sivar’s laughter caught Kaori’s attention. It aggravated her to think that her brother found some kind of entertainment in her plan. “Someone is bound to hear us if we start moving around too much,” he chuckled, placing himself between Kaori and the barrels to prevent her from touching them. “If you need height, I can lift you high enough to get a good shot.”

  “I need a steady base…”

  “You aren’t that heavy. You act as if you doubt my strength.”

  “I am heavy enough to be a strain on your muscles. The slightest wobble can mean the difference between an accurate shot and failure.”

  “Trust me,” Sivar stepped in closer, kneeling in front of Kaori as he motioned her to climb onto his shoulders. He stared up at her, waiting for her to make a decision.

  She hated the fact that he was right. Sivar could lift her higher than the barrels and would create less of a disturbance. But worry filled her in regards to his ability to keep still under the pressure of her weight. There was too much riding on this shot and she had no experience firing from such an awkward position. She’d come to rely on the firmness of her stance. From atop Sivar’s shoulders, she couldn’t be sure that she would be able to achieve the same power and accuracy.

  Begrudgingly, she swung her legs over her brother’s shoulders, biting her tongue to keep from crying out as he rose to his feet, the sudden shift in height adding to Kaori’s discomfort. Although she trusted her brother, she didn’t like the sensation of knowing she wasn’t in complete control of her body. If Sivar stumbled, she couldn’t do anyth
ing to keep herself from falling face-first into the ground.

  She felt Sivar’s hands rest firmly around her ankles, holding her in place, the added support helping to ease her racing heart. Satisfied that they weren’t going to topple over, she clutched the bow tighter in her hand, retrieving an arrow from the quiver attached to her thigh. “We need to be closer,” she whispered. Her anxiety was building at her inability to position herself where she needed to be. She squeezed her legs around Sivar’s shoulders, the tension in her muscles returning as they began to move, Sivar’s steps slow and precise. By the time they reached the edge of the shadows Kaori thought for sure her heart was going to burst forth from her chest if it didn’t ease its accelerated rhythm.

  Timing was everything. She didn’t want to allow the soldiers a chance to bring the prisoners forward. The only people she wanted to fire upon were the guards. If the executioner could be spared, she was determined to do so.

  Everything seemed to be running in a similar fashion as it had in Whitelyn. The wagon housing the prisoners was positioned in the square, closer to the executioner than before. Guards were stationed around it, swords drawn. Prepared for an attack. A single soldier separated himself from the others, moving along the grass to stand in front of the block, holding his hand up to silence the crowd. Now seemed as good a time as any. Kaori was sick of hearing the threats passed on by the Emperor’s puppets. She wanted nothing more than to silence this man before he had a chance to open his mouth.

  Arrow in place, Kaori drew the string back, squinting as she began to take aim on the soldier. Afraid of waiting too long and losing Sivar’s steadiness, she swallowed hard, eyes closing fearfully at the sensation of her fingers slipping away from the string. The soft twang was the only sound she heard before the crowd started screaming, their panicked cries forcing her to open her eyelids to see if she’d hit her mark. Pride washed over her to see the soldier stumble back, head tipped forward to stare down at the shaft protruding from his chest. He grasped at it, his movements sluggish before he finally hit the ground, the tips of his fingers slowly falling away to land lifelessly in the grass at his sides.