Death Flag

by Richard Haygood

  When she didn’t answer, he nudged her with the toe of his boot. “Well?” he asked impatiently.

  “No, not right now,” she finally answered.

  “Alright, well, I’d offer to help you up, but I have a feeling that—”

  “I don’t need your help,” she said, crawling back away from his feet and standing up. She glanced over her shoulder to where one of her daggers lay but apparently decided not to make a move for it.

  “So, tell me, Shayna: Why do you hate men?”

  “What?!” She looked at him confusedly, clearly caught off guard by his question. She actually started turning slightly red in the cheeks but she answered, “I never said—”

  “Well, you said you hate people like me. And considering you don’t know anything about me other than the fact that I’m a guy, that must be it. That would explain why you attacked Randall earlier as well. So, why do you hate men?”

  Her cheeks puffed up as she turned angry again. “I do not hate—”

  Madison reached up and flicked her in the middle of the head like he would a small child. It was the second shock she had received in less than a minute and sufficient to shut her up.

  “Would you stop treating me like a child?” she asked irritably. “I’m eighteen years old. I think. I hate it when people treat me like that just because I’m small.”

  “Eighteen?” It was Madison’s turn to be surprised, and it must have shown because she scowled at him again. He had only been teasing her about her age because of her appearance—and because it was such an effective way to get under her skin—but he had always assumed she was a teenager—just not quite that old. “Okay, what’s the deal then? Like I said: You’re going to get hurt if you keep this up. And there might not be some magical elixir or healing magic around to save you next time. So, what’s the deal?”

  “You wouldn’t understand,” she said coldly, turning away from him.

  “Because I’m a man? And you hate men?”

  “No, because you just got here.” She walked over and picked up one of her daggers, hesitating slightly before picking it up and slipping it into a sheath at her waist. “You don’t understand what it’s like. I’ve lived here my entire life. Every day, I train. Every day, I fight for my life. And, every day, I have someone different who looks down on me . . . I have to deal with one asshole or another who thinks he’s better than me for one reason or another.” She turned and faced him, crossing her arms over her chest defensively. “Because of my size. Because of my skill. Because of who I am.”

  “So, how does that get around to you hating me? Because I saved you?”

  “No. Yes.” She shook her head, changing her mind. Realizing that her damp hair was still hanging down and already a huge mess, she ripped off a small piece of the hem of her shirt and began the process of tying it up as she spoke. “Because you look down on me. Because you think you’re better than me, and you only just got here. You’re so new you don’t even have a ring yet, and you’re already able to do what I’ve wanted to do all along: stand up to that jerk wad Randall and defend yourself. I’ve had to deal with that asshole my entire life, and yet you’re here half a day and get away telling him off. And you feel pity for me because I couldn’t do it.”

  I can’t tell if she has an ego complex or if she genuinely believes I’m somehow stronger than she is. Madison shook his head. “I just stepped in at the right time because no one else was going to. I caught the guy off-guard. That’s all.”

  She eyed him suspiciously and once again changed the subject. “What is that?” she asked, pointing at his tattoo. She walked across the patio and picked up her other dagger from where he had kicked it next to the main building.

  No sense in hiding it at this point, so . . . Madison shrugged. “You seem to recognize it, so I was actually hoping you’d tell me. Everyone seems to recognize it, but no one ever really bothers to tell me anything about it.”

  “You have it tattooed on you, but you don’t know what it means?” She eyed him suspiciously as her gaze ran over him, clearly not believing what he said. “What idiot would be dumb enough to have something permanently marked on him and not know what it means? Especially that?”

  I know what it means to me, but not what it means to you and everyone else. He shrugged again. “It’s complicated, I suppose. Would you believe if I said that I just woke up one day, and there it was?”

  She looked angry again for a moment, but then she relaxed and shook her head. “There aren’t many who would know what that really means. Not anymore,” she answered mysteriously. “But still, why . . .?”

  “I got drunk one night and thought it would impress all the girls,” he lied. “Or so my mates told me when I came to a few days later. I really don’t remember much about those few days so . . .”

  Shayna snorted in disbelief, and it was a funny noise coming from someone so small. “That sounds more likely than—”

  The door to the main building suddenly banged shut extremely loudly, and Madison looked around to find out what had caused it. There, standing in the doorway, was Erin. She had her fists balled up into tiny, little bundles of rage at her side, and she looked like she was ready to wallop both of them—not that it came as any surprise. Her emotions seemed to rock back and forth as quickly as a boat on the sea, and since she didn’t seem to like talking very much unless she had something important to say or it was in response to a Guardian, he had already learned that he had to guess at what it was that set her off each time, so he just watched her questioningly for a moment and then gazed back over at Shayna. As if reading his thoughts, the young woman just shrugged.

  “What?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest and staring at Erin defiantly. “Something you want to say?”

  Erin stalked across the patio, stopped in front of Shayna and pointed a finger at her and then at the main building. When Shayna didn’t seem to get the message, Erin jabbed her in the ribs, eliciting a gasp and a scowl from Shayna, and then pointed back at the building again.

  “Alright, alright,” Shayna said reluctantly, moving around the girl and toward the door. “I get it. I get it. I’m going to let you off for now, but you owe me for this,” she said to Madison. “For interrupting this morning and . . . f-for . . .” She suddenly faltered, turning slightly red. “Pervert!” She shouted the accusation one last time and then turned and scurried toward the building much quicker than she had before.

  “For disarming you?” Madison asked, a sly smile forming on his face.

  “Wh-what?!” Shayna exclaimed as she disappeared inside.

  When she was gone, Madison turned and looked at Erin, who was still standing motionless, looking at him expectantly.

  He held up both hands defensively as if he wasn’t sure what was wrong. “Hey, I’m all healed up. No need to send me back to bed as well.”

  Her scowl deepened, and she began tapping her foot impatiently as if she were waiting on something.

  “Uhh . . . You want me to pick up the chair that I knocked over?” he asked, moving around her and setting it back into location almost exactly where it had originally been. He glanced around the small patio at anything else that might have been damaged that would upset her, but he couldn’t find anything. When her expression didn’t change, he threw up his hands and shrugged again. When she didn’t say anything, he simply turned around to leave.

  “Hmph!” She only made a single tiny noise, but there was a lot of meaning contained within it—not that he understood what it meant or why.

  It’s not just Shayna, Madison concluded. Everyone around here is just batshit crazy. Especially the women. I’m going to have to watch myself, or I’m going to have someone attacking me every time I turn a corner.

  As if being summoned, Rae burst out of the door at just the moment he was going to reach up and open it, rushing out so quickly that he didn’t even have time to move out of the way before she just crashed into to him. He quickly reached out and grabbed her by both the
shoulders, steadying her, but it was more reactionary than intentional. She had practically bounced off of him, and while it didn’t even seem to faze him, she had looked like she was going to topple over if he hadn’t. Undeterred, she immediately started ranting.

  “Oh my god, you guys. Did you hear? Did you hear what everyone is saying?” she was particularly energetic, even for her. She looked back and forth between Madison and Erin expectantly, and when neither one of them reacted, she looked even more pleased with herself. “We’re receiving an emissary! A whole retinue, actually! Can you believe it? This is the first time in years! It’s never happened in my lifetime. Can you imagine? Not just one person from the outside world, but an entire group of people? Advisors? Royalty? People of sophistication and refinement and class!” Her eyes seemed to grow wider with every word, and she rushed through them as if the next were greater than the last. “They’re sure to know what all the latest fashion trends are in all the big cities—it takes so long for us to even receive the smallest bit of information, and no one ever tells us about art or culture or fashion or even just boring stuff like politics and economic trends—and they’re going to be here for a whole five days! Can you believe it? There’s even talk that part of the entourage might engage in some light sparring or training with us! I can’t imagine that any of the royalty would—that would be far too dangerous to risk someone’s life—but one of their attendants might! Oh, can you imagine! A gallant swordsman from a faraway land! He came here to negotiate some boring deal for trade or a contract or some stuffy work stuff that no one cares about, but he took one look at me and fell in love! Oh, the stories they will tell in the future when they single about my rise to be the queen!”

  Madison had to admit that he was impressed. It had been a rather long time since he had heard anyone manage to talk that long without taking a single breath in between. Her news didn’t really excite him all that much. He watched her blankly, waiting for the amazing part to drop. When it didn’t, he asked, “So . . .?”

  “Ugh. You just don’t get it. But Erin does! I know she does!” She suddenly flounced past Madison to where the other girl was left waiting. Madison glanced back and saw that all of the anger had left her face only to be replaced by something akin to a mixture of dread and revulsion. He wasn’t sure whether it was because Rae was streaking straight for her or because of what she had told them, but it was amusing for him to watch nonetheless.

  “Well, have fun ladies,” he called, quickly opening the door and stepping inside. “Don’t enjoy yourselves too much!” He threw his hand up in a parting gesture as he left. I’m actually fairly confident that it was because of Rae, not the news. When he spied a stack of the pajama-like clothes sitting on a nearby cart, most likely one that Rae had abandoned as soon as she heard the news herself so that she could be the one to spread it around first, he grabbed a shirt for himself and pulled it on. When he was finished, he stepped into the closest room and rummaged around until he found a roll of gaze and rewrapped his lower arm and hand again.

  I’m going to have to do a better job of remembering to take care of this until I learn exactly what it means. Rae is far too hyperactive and wound up to take notice of anything that isn’t about her or thrust directly in her face but . . . Wait, she was there in the testing room with me that day. So . . . she saw the unfurled flag but hasn’t said anything about it. Maybe she doesn’t know what it means? Or maybe she’s just forgotten and isn’t interested? Certainly, with the way she acts, if she even so much as remembered it she would have already shared it with everyone else, right? Madison made a mental note to check in on that as soon as he could. He’d have to find a way to bring it up in conversation without mention it directly just in case she had forgotten about it. The last thing he wanted to do was remind her and then set her to blabbing to everyone else.

  Actually, now that I think about it, Warren might be someone I can ask as well. He was there, and I doubt he would be that unobservant, so maybe I should ask him. He seems to have a grasp on what’s going on around here, so it might be worth the risk bringing it up with him.

  When he was finished, Madison turned and left the building. He’d lost track of what time of day it was and how much time he had spent in the hot spring, but he knew his stomach was telling him that it was hungry again. But, then, it might be from the healing effects of the hot spring as much as from any real hunger. Didn’t someone say it takes energy from the body to restore it? Or does that only apply to magic and potions? Madison made a mental note to ask about that as well so that someone could clarify it for him.

  He started out across the quad toward the dining hall, and it seemed like the news was traveling like wildfire. The small groups of people were all chatting excitedly, and he caught various snippets of conversation as he walked that let him know it was the same topic of conversation on everyone’s lips. They were all dreaming fantastical tales of beautiful princes, well-dressed ladies, and dashing young attendants. A few of the older and brave men were bragging about who would be the first to sleep with one of the young women, and it looked like a few of the verbal sparring matches might actually come to blows before they were finished.

  Madison just shook his head in dismay. Like most of the stuff that everyone made a big deal about around here, the importance of some foreign dignitary’s arrival was lost on him. Just as he was about to step inside and ascend the stairs, Sandra and Cruz came rushing out of the double doors, their heads stuck together. Cruz was carrying a basket under one arm, and they were so caught up with one another and whatever they were talking about, they almost pushed right past him. Madison would have been alright with that, but at the last minute, Cruz seemed to look up and recognize him.

  “Woah, hey man,” he called out, grabbing Sandra’s arm and stopping them both in the middle of the sidewalk. “You hear the news?” he asked.

  “About some group of nobles coming to visit?” he asked. He was almost tempted to let them have their fun and tell him but didn’t want to sit through everything again that he had just heard from Rae.

  “Yeah, man, how awesome is this? I can’t believe they waited this long to tell us! It actually makes me wonder who set it up and when. I’ve been here a long time, my friend, and I’ve never seen a group show up. It’s supposedly only happened a few times in the entire history of K’yer Utane and not since way, way back in the day.”

  “Ah. . . I guess that makes a bit more sense, then,” Madison said, suddenly understanding what people were so excited about. “I guess it is a big deal then. You guys have been fairly cut off from the outside world, right? I get what Rae was going on about now. The only thing I picked up from her was something about falling in love with a handsome prince and dress sizes.”

  “Dress sizes?” Sandra asked, clearly as unable to follow Madison’s explanation of Rae’s storytelling as he had been. “That definitely sounds like Rae. She can be so all over the place sometimes. Say, weren’t you wearing a different shirt earlier? Don’t tell me you’ve been back to the infirmary already.”

  “Ayyy,” Cruz said, giving him a knowing look. “I bet our man here went to check up on little Shayna, didn’t you?”

  “Oh, that’s right,” Sandra agreed, a little too easily for Madison. “You did say you had a huge crush on her at breakfast earlier, didn’t you? So, how is she?”

  Madison stopped himself from sighing outright. Why did I say that? “You could say she’s up and around,” he answered honestly. “After my meeting with Ryder, he sent me to the springs, and I saw her there.”

  Sandra gasped and Cruz smiled broadly, instantly picking up on the unintended meaning. “My man!” he cheered loudly. “But, hey, listen to me, that one is crazy. You be very careful with her, or you’re likely to wind up hurt.”

  Sandra elbowed him about the time he said that Shayna was crazy, and Madison didn’t bother repressing a smile. “I can see what you mean. I’ll have to be careful in the future, but I don’t think you have to worry too much
. She has her own way of getting her point across, but I’m not entirely defenseless.”

  “Hey, whatever you say, my friend. The fruit tastes better when you work harder for it, am I right?” He was grinning broadly at his own innuendos, and Sandra elbowing him again had little effect on either his grin or his mood.

  “So, do you know anything else?” Madison asked. “About this envoy, that is.”

  “Not too much,” Sandra began. “Just basically what rumors are going around. They’re supposedly coming from somewhere up north near Stargrave. I was never too good at geography, but I don’t remember there being too much up there except snow and ice.”

  “Ice, ice, and more ice is more like it,” Cruz agreed. “We haven’t even heard how many people are coming or why, but there is some crazy speculation going around. A lot of people are starting to say that it has something to do with the war that’s going on in the east, but that’s half of a continent away.”

  “There’s a war going on?” Madison asked. That was news to him. No one had been able to tell him anything about the world he was in or what was going on in it, so this was a bit of news he was actually keen to hear.

  “Eh, most of it sounds too fantastical to believe,” he said dismissively, “but a lot of people are starting to think that it’s pretty bad. If it gets too rough, some people are saying that we might even get to see some action.”

  “Even if that’s true, only the Sworn would go—and likely then just to check things out and find out for ourselves. The entire world would have to be falling apart before a lowly Class like you was sent out to fight.”

  Madison clung to every word Sandra said, doing what he could to absorb it all. She was casually talking about whatever the mysterious purpose K’yer Utane held like it was nothing. Warren had skirted around the topic like it was taboo, but now she was carrying on as if it was common knowledge. “So, only the Sworn would go? I guess that makes sense, but it’s to be expected,” he added, encouraging her to keep speaking so that he could pick up more information.