by Davis Ashura
He was determined to reclaim his lost skill and become again the warrior he had once been. It would take hard work, but it was work Rukh relished. It was certainly better than serving in the kitchens or cleaning the latrines. Farn, of course, felt the same way, so every day, before and after work, they headed out to the flat lands of Tear Drop Lake or the steep slopes of Mount Salt and Mount Axe and honed their skills and bodies as they had when students at the House of Fire and Mirrors.
While they would have preferred to practice within the warm confines of Stronghold, it had simply not been possible, not with the attitude of the Home Army warriors. They had greeted Rukh and Farn’s request to train amongst them with flat-eyed, unwelcoming stares. ‘There’s no room for your kind here,’ one particularly abrasive lieutenant had told them. Fragging jackholes. Karma had a way of dealing with people like that, and their refusal had actually turned out to be an unexpected blessing. Practicing outside on the slick stones and ground had taught him and Farn a different kind of balance and also inured them to the cold. It was something his cousin would find critical once he left Stronghold.
For Rukh, returning to the rhythms of his youth had also been a cool balm to his troubled heart. The exertions were like meditation, helping him set aside his troubles for a time. They reminded him of a peaceful period in his life when the future had seemed certain, and he had been innocent.
On some nights, like tonight, Cedar and Court would accompany them. They wanted to learn how Kummas fought.
“Is something wrong?” Court asked Rukh. “You seem distracted.”
“I’m fine,” Rukh lied.
“You don’t seem fine,” Farn said. “Even with your left hand, you should have shown better than you did tonight.”
Rukh hesitated, not wanting to share his worries.
“Tell us,” Court urged.
“I can’t join the Home Army,” Rukh finally admitted. “All the slots for the next five years are filled.”
Cedar frowned. “That doesn’t make sense,” he said. “Did you speak to the majors?”
“Just today, and they both say the same thing. The only way I can earn a commission is by winning the Trials of Hume,” Rukh replied. “And even then, it isn’t a sure thing. My victory has to be spectacular.”
Court rubbed his chin. “Left-handed you’re good, but not that good,” he said. “Even I’ve been able to take you a few times.”
“He’s at his worst right now,” Farn said. “Give his leg and arm a chance to Heal fully, and no one here would last a breath against him.”
“It won’t matter,” Rukh said. “I don’t have a Home Army officer to sponsor me, and I can’t afford the entry fee for the Trials.”
“Do you think you’ll be ready by then?” Cedar asked quietly.
Rukh shrugged. “It depends on how strong my arm is by then, but, yes, I should be.”
Cedar smiled. “Then your problem is solved. I’ll sponsor you, and my family will pay the entry fee.”
Rukh blinked, touched by Cedar’s generosity. “It still may not matter,” he said with a shake of his head. “The warriors of Stronghold may not let me enter the Trials.” He lifted up his shirt. The left side of his chest sported a large bruise. “It’s not broken,” he said at their sharp intakes of shock.
“What happened?” Farn asked, outraged.
“Some warriors had a message for me,” Rukh said.
“Some message,” Court said, disgusted. “Did anyone see what happened? Do you know why they attacked you?”
“No,” Rukh said with a scowl. “Of course not. I was simply walking back to the flat after meeting with Dru Barrier when a couple of thugs came out of nowhere … ”
“Probably Blended,” Cedar interrupted.
“Probably,” Rukh agreed. “Anyway, next thing I know, I’m getting kicked in the chest before I can Shield, and … ” he shrugged again. “They attacked. I defended.”
“It makes no sense,” Court said, looking troubled. “Who would do something like this?”
“They didn’t exactly stop and explain themselves,” Rukh said. “All they said was something about staying away from their women and their Army.”
“The Army part I can understand since you had just met with Major Barrier, but the women … ” Cedar frowned in confusion. “You don’t have any romantic-type relationships with any women here do you?”
“None,” Rukh said without missing a beat.
“Then it was probably just a couple of louts with too much to drink,” Cedar reasoned. “I’ll ask around and make sure their lieutenants discipline them.”
Privately, Rukh doubted the officers would do any such thing, but he kept his misgivings to himself.
Court shivered just then. “I’m done. You three can stay and freeze if you like, but I’m going inside.”
“I’m heading in, too,” Cedar said.
After Cedar and Court left, Farn turned to Rukh. “It was about Jessira, wasn’t it?”
Rukh nodded. “I recognized one of the warriors who attacked me. He’s one of Disbar Merdant’s cousins.”
Farn whistled softly. “Jessira’s fiancé.”
“Jackhole doesn’t deserve her,” Rukh said with a scowl. “And the thing is, I hardly ever think of her anymore. Or at least I hadn’t until today.”
“Truly?”
“Truly,” Rukh replied, infusing certainty into his words. Sometimes he wondered how Jessira was doing, but it was a fleeting thought, gone before he had a chance to really consider it. As he repeatedly reminded himself, it was best that way.
“This is unlike you,” Farn said. “Given how much you cared for her, I wouldn’t have expected you to forget about her so easily.”
“I never said it was easy,” Rukh said. “Besides, I promised her nanna to stay out of her life, which is what I’d always planned on doing anyway.”
“When will she get back to Stronghold?”
Rukh spoke without thinking. “Not for another three weeks,” he answered. He wanted to bite his lips the moment the words left his mouth. If he wasn’t thinking about her, then what was he doing keeping track of her comings and goings?
Farn gave him a wry look. He was probably thinking the same thing. “Thought so.”
Rukh reddened. Maybe he hadn’t forgotten her as completely as he had hoped, but in the end, it didn’t matter. “Let’s go on in,” he suggested. “I’m tired of being out here.” He unlaced the leather Constrainers from his wrists. Farn had a matching pair — gifts from Nanna. At that moment, thinking about his family, Rukh missed them with a fierceness that brought tears to his eyes.
“What is it?” Farn asked.
“Nothing?” Rukh asked with a shrug. “You’ll be gone in two weeks and when you are, I’ll be alone in a city full of people who think Stronghold represents the epitome of civilized behavior. They see no contradiction in how they behave compared to what they claim to believe. When was the last time you heard of someone being ambushed and attacked on the streets of Ashoka?”
Farn studied him through worried eyes. “What will you do when I leave?” he asked.
Rukh wasn’t sure. All he knew was if he couldn’t join the Home Army, then there was no chance he’d stay in Stronghold for the rest of his life. The prospect held absolutely no appeal. He might as well slit his wrists and save himself the trouble of a slow and painful death. “If Cedar and his family are willing to sponsor me, I’m going to enter the Trials of Hume,” he said. “I’m going to enter, and I’m going to win. After that, we’ll see.”
Farn smiled, a predator’s slow grin of anticipation. “You’ll crush them.”
Rukh smiled in return. “I’ve seen their best. I doubt they would last more than three or four strokes against either of us.”
“Two,” Farn said. “Make them eat dust in two strokes. You can do it.”
“I’m thinking of using my weak hand for the first match; toy with whoever I’m facing before putting him away.”
F
arn laughed. “Serve the arrogant fraggers right. Let them see what an unfettered Kumma can really do. Maybe they’ll even let you join the Army once they see your skill.”
“Whether they do or don’t, I don’t care. It doesn’t matter, not after what those warriors did to me,” Rukh said.
Farn looked shocked. “What do you mean?”
“It means after the Trials, I’m thinking of leaving Stronghold for a while. I’m going to take Nanna’s advice and go to Hammer.”
“You mean the one about recovering The Book of First Movement?” Farn asked sounding doubtful. “I know legends say it was supposedly written by the First Father, but you realize most scholars don’t believe that, right?”
“I know,” Rukh said, but it didn’t matter. Retrieving a long, lost treasure from a dead city — the idea alone held appeal.
“Then maybe you should rethink this plan.”
Rukh shrugged. “What would you do if you were in my place?”
“I would find a way to make this place work for me,” Farn answered.
*****
The Shadowcats hunkered down for their evening in a small, lonely canyon north of Stronghold. It was a dismal place of muted grays; seen in the stark, granite cliffs thrusting skyward; the cheerless clouds moving listlessly across the heavens; and a waterfall ending in a small pond the color of slate. Most of the ravine’s floor was covered in shale except for a thin strip of sand next to the water.
Several Shadowcats stood watch while the rest relaxed and had their supper next to a reedy fire. They huddled near the flames, enjoying its warmth on the cold, winter night. The Shadowcats had been on patrol for a week now, and with them was Jessira Grey. She’d been temporarily assigned to their unit until her own, the Silversuns, were fully re-constituted.
“I’m ending my engagement to Disbar,” Jessira said to Sign as the two women sat next to one another
Sign shot her a glance of shock and worry. This was unexpected. Before Jessira had gotten caught up in the lives of Kummas and Ashoka, she had been the sensible one; the one who knew her place in the world and wanted nothing more. She was changed now. Of course, some of it was bound to happen. After everything she had been through, there were certain to be changes to how she approached things, how she saw the world. But this … this was entirely different. If Jessira went through with her decision, it would impact her for the rest of her life. And probably not for the better.
Sign waited on her cousin to continue.
Jessira stared into the fire. “Disbar is … I don’t want to speak poorly of him, but he and I aren’t good for one another. We’re neither of us who the other person is looking for in a spouse.”
“When did you figure this out?” Sign asked.
Jessira shrugged. “It’s not like I had a sudden revelation,” she explained. “It’s something I’ve slowly come to realize.” She shrugged again. “And our last conversation only cemented what I’d been worrying about since I came home.”
Sign nodded her head. “I think I know what you mean,” she said. “He’s as tightly wound as a rooster in a room full of foxes.”
Jessira chuckled. “He’s certainly that,” she agreed. “But if that were his only flaw, I could probably overlook it. It’s everything else. He’s just so full of himself. He thinks he knows everything. And Devesh help the person who contradicts him.” Jessira rolled her eyes. “I think his mind stops working when that happens, especially if I do it. In his perfect world, I think he would be happiest if I never had an opinion outside of his own.”
Sign chuckled. “I thought you didn’t want to speak poorly about him?”
“I’m not. Believe me. I could say far worse,” Jessira said with a chuckle.
Sign laughed. “Well then don’t hold back,” she advised. “But I wouldn’t say any of this when it comes time to confront him. He’d likely lose his mind if you did.”
“He’ll lose it anyway,” Jessira said. “You know how he is.”
Sign nodded. “Stubborn, prickly, and self-absorbed.”
“Exactly.”
Sign eyed Jessira with concern. “Still. Even with all that, you did promise to marry him. If you break your oath, you know how much you’ll suffer for doing so. Your reputation could be ruined if don’t have a better reason than ‘I don’t like him’. A promise is important. For years, people have married those they didn’t like for just that reason alone.”
Jessira hugged her knees. “I know, but I can’t go through with it.” She shook her head. “You don’t understand. He has me followed. He thinks he can tell me who I can be friends with. What I can think. When I can speak. I’ll never be meek enough for him, and he’ll never be strong enough for me.”
Sign startled. Her opinion of Disbar, slowly sinking over the months since she’d gotten to really know him, sunk even lower. “He really does that?” she asked. “Has you followed? How?”
“His cousins,” Jessira responded.
Sign considered the situation from her cousin’s perspective. To be trapped in marriage to a man like Disbar Merdant. She shuddered. Jessira would be miserable. And she deserved so much better.
“What will you do when he tries to ruin you?” she asked. “And you know he will.”
Jessira shrugged. “I’ll defend myself, but I also won’t hide away in shame. I’ll fight if it’s a fight he wants.” She shrugged again. “I’m not worried about myself as much as I am about the rest of the family. And I hate to think what Amma and Nanna are going to say.”
Sign gave Jessira a look of sympathy. “I’ll always support you,” she said.
Jessira leaned against Sign. “I appreciate that,” she said. “I think I’ll be needing all the support I can get.”
*****
Rukh waited his turn to hug his cousin. The small party — Rukh, Farn, Cedar, Court, and Laya — stood just outside East Gate. The newly risen sun heralded the new day, bathing the sky in a rosy hue, but down low, the valley remained cloaked in shadows by Mount Fort’s hulking presence. Rukh shuffled about, his movements crunching ground that was hard with hoarfrost and winter’s bite. At least there were no clouds in the air, and no scent of snow or rain on the wind.
Farn was leaving Stronghold, and Rukh’s stomach knotted with tension. He was worried, and if he was honest, even envious. Farn was going home, returning to family and friends, and Rukh wished he could go with him. Instead, he had to remain trapped in a city full of conceited hypocrites. Another attack had occurred the other day, this time by five warriors. After Rukh had reported it, no one had believed him. Perhaps it was because he was unmarked and uninjured and from what he had claimed, it should have been stiff odds. Just as likely, it was because he was a Pureblood.
Whatever the reason, the more important issue was that justice had been denied him yet again, just as it had been with the first two assaults. It couldn’t go on. Another attack might find Rukh badly injured — or worse. In either case, the message was clear: Rukh wasn’t safe in Stronghold. He had to leave.
But he wouldn’t be telling Farn of his decision. His cousin had enough to worry about. Farn was well-equipped for his journey back to Ashoka, but there were still many dangers that could happen to someone traveling alone: Chims, injury, weather, bad luck. He didn’t also need to be worrying about Rukh.
Laya finished saying her goodbye and stepped back. It was Court and Cedar’s turn.
“Travel safe and travel swift,” Court said, offering a traditional Stronghold farewell given by their scouts.
Farn pulled him into an embrace. “Thank you for everything,” he said. “You’re a good man, Court Deep.”
“As are you,” Court said. “Maybe in the next world, you can show me the wonders of Ashoka.”
“Nothing would make me happier,” Farn said, his eyes shiny.
Court gave him a final squeeze before letting Cedar take his place.
“Take care of yourself and try not to hit your head,” Cedar said. “It may be as hard as a stone, but
I won’t be around to take care of you next time.”
“I’ll make sure not to,” Farn said, still smiling. He sobered a moment later. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I wouldn’t be alive if not for you.”
“You’ve already thanked me plenty,” Cedar protested.
“Then one more time won’t hurt. You’re a good man Cedar Grey. I’ll never forget what you did for me.”
Cedar nodded. “Travel safe and travel swift,” he added before stepping back.
Now it was Rukh’s turn.
“Tell my family I love them,” Rukh whispered, hugging his cousin one last time as tears slid down his face.
“They know,” Farn whispered back, tears rolling down his cheeks as well. “I’ll tell them anyway.” He turned away and led his loaded packhorse north toward the Gaunt River and from there, home.
Rukh prayed as he never had before, hoping Devesh would answer his call. He watched until his cousin was a small dot in the distance, remaining in place even after Farn crested a small rise and dipped down the other side, disappearing from view.
*****
Jessira turned in her wooden tray to a warrior working the sinks of the East Lock cafeteria. The long, narrow room was lit by ten immense wagon-wheel chandeliers and housed rows of tables on either side of a single center aisle. Right now, the space was loud with the din of hundreds of warriors seeking their lunch and the laborers working to serve them. The thick granite pavers making up the floor and the whitewashed, stone walls did little to diffuse the sound. Overlooking all of this cacophony was a mural of a smiling Babylin Suresong from his pride of place at the room’s entrance.
“Jessira! Over here,” a voice shouted over the tumult.
Jessira searched for whoever had called. The cafeteria’s clamor made it hard to localize any single voice, but a waving hand caught her attention.
Sign. “Where are you headed?” her cousin asked, falling into step next to her.
“Home,” Jessira answered. “You?”
“Same,” Sign said. “Captain Flare sure took a long time with your debriefing,” she observed.
Jessira grimaced. She’d noticed the same thing. It should have been a routine debriefing of a routine assignment in the Wildness, but instead, it had turned into an interrogation. It was unwarranted, but then again, the captain was a jackhole. She just couldn’t say so. He was her commanding officer, after all. She decided to put the best face forward that she could. “Maybe it’s because this was the first mission I’ve had in months,” she said.