by C. R. Daems
"Yes. And so you know, I would appreciate any advice you may care to share with me. The stakes are high. They may even impact the Trasslat Monastery and the Honorable Monks," I said, realizing the true cost of losing to the Sirens.
"As you will, Honorable Monk." True to her word, she helped me from the carriage to my tent, brought me food, helped me to wash, and quietly talked about the Monks and her service—every Cheyo Monk was assigned a servant who was a highly trained elite guard. They rotated every six months and were sworn to give their lives to defend the Monk. Ironically, I seemed to remember seeing a guard like Sonya at both Calle and Caster but had dismissed them as part of the duke's guard. And on reflection, they seemed to blend into the room and go unnoticed, sitting still off in a far corner.
We entered the city walls midday on the third day. The streets were soon lined with spectators. The castle gates were open by the time we arrived, and Duke Brodka and Minister Millard met us at the steps to the castle.
"Welcome to Hipula, Honorable Monk. Minister Millard has your room ready. When you have rested, I would like to meet with you," Brodka said.
Sonya stepped up and bowed. "Your Grace, I’m Sonya, the Honorable One’s servant. I will let you know when the Honorable One is available," she said, establishing her role.
I almost choked. Obviously, the Cheyo Monks were considered above the whims of nobility, even dukes. Of course, they had earned that right: only one out of hundreds succeeded after many years studying the Eightfold Path and their final reward—having their sight taken from them.
Sonya followed Millard and the four guards who carried me to the duke’s wing and into a room next to his study. My mat was laid out on the floor, a small low table placed near it and a mat placed in the far corner for Sonya.
She sat down at the edge of the rug and the room turned a misty blue.
"It’s best we speak mentally, if you or I need to say something out of character," she said, sitting meditation style in a white tunic on a rug similar to mine. A sword lay across her lap.
"You studied to be a Monk?" I asked, confused. She could reach the blue dimension and her joy was obviously her time at the Monastery.
"No, I studied to be a Monk’s private guard. To be one, you must study the Eightfold Path. If you can attain elevated awareness, like now, then you move on to weapons. If you can master the Iron Path, then you learn to serve the Cheyo Monks. Those that succeed become Cheyo Guards."
"I noticed your uniform has no rank."
"Those who succeed strip the rank from their uniforms to match the Monks’ robes, but our orders must be obeyed by everyone serving the Monks, including the captain of the guard." She smiled. "I’m a warrior. Just as you could never be a slave, I could never be a Monk."
"True, you can’t turn a mountain cat into a turtle nor a turtle into a mountain cat." I laughed along with Sonya. "Well, it’s time to see the duke. I’m anxious to discover the reaction to the news a Cheyo Monk was coming to Hipula."
"Most Monks have some kind of disability. Will you?"
"How about a crippled leg?" I asked. Sonya nodded.
"I hope someone objects to your presence." She smiled as she rose and exited the room.
I quieted my mind, enjoying the peacefulness of the darkened room.
"Whenever you’re ready, Honorable Monk," Sonya said when she returned sometime later.
I nodded and rose, deciding to drag my right leg. I walked slowly, careful to drag my leg a foot each time. As we approached the duke’s study, the guard opened the door and we entered. Sonya immediately closed the door and stood blocking it.
"Honorable Monk, you look awesome," Shelly said along with a conspiratorial giggle.
"Honorable Monk," Brodka said, looking me over. "My longtime friend, Alf, has disappeared along with several ladies, but not the young noble named Robyn."
"Perhaps you may want to talk with him. There must be some reason to seek him out."
"I gave that some thought over the past few days. Apparently, his father is Baron Porter and his estate is near Monis. Baron Porter is real, but I have no record of a son being the rightful heir." Brodka grinned, and I thought he looked much better than last time.
"You could say you’d like to have him entered in the nobility records and need to talk to him, and if possible, someone who could vouch for him," Shelly said.
I thought that an excellent suggestion. She and I had discussed Baron Woolan’s possible connection to the Sirens, as Brodka thought him the most likely to be his daughter’s guardian if something happened to him. The duke nodded slowly, having picked up on the vouch for scenario.
"I’ll have Millard schedule it for tomorrow. That will give him time to run or make arrangements," Brodka said.
"Who is the woman at the door?" Shelly asked, looking toward Sonya.
"Sonya," I said.
"What is your function, Sonya?" Shelly asked.
"Servant to the Honorable Monk."
"And lethal bodyguard. A Trasslat warrior, without the tattoo," I said, liking the analogy with the Ojaza warrior class.
"Are you sure of that, Honorable Monk?" Sonya said with amusement.
* * *
"Do you expect trouble?" Sonya asked in the safety of the blue dimension. The area of coverage could be extended but not through walls or other obstacles, and any failed attempt to do so I would feel.
"Yes," I said, slipping my dagger inside my robe. "Unless he knows I’m not a Cheyo Monk, he would be crazy to try and fake his identity. Given that, I would expect something physical against the duke or the Monk. If he can incapacitate the Monk, then he could influence the duke to enter him into the book of nobility or get him to assign someone like Woolan or himself as the guardian if something happened to the duke—which would not be too long afterward. Or kill him in a manner that looks like an accident. Then he wouldn’t have to bother with the Monk, since the Monk has no authority. I only know he should have fled with the others and he didn’t. Therefore, he has a surprise for us. He knows something we don’t." Suddenly, I became worried. "Sonya, tell Lady Shelly the Monk would like to see her, now."
"We have no power—" Sonya began to say.
"She will come, Sonya; she’s an exceptional woman."
Sonya exited the room, and less than half an hour later, she entered with Shelly.
"It’s still night time, and I’m going to have bags under my eyes. I’ll look like an old woman," she whined as she sat down next to me.
"Think of it as a preview of what you will look like as a duchess." I grinned when she did. But I sobered and then began to panic and had to close my eyes to quiet myself before continuing. "I think it’s possible there will be an attempt on the duke’s life. Wake him up now for an early breakfast and have extra guards assigned, and bring Lutz and have Eaton standby. Sonya will go with you. They may not wait for breakfast."
Sonya nodded. "Yes, Honorable Monk," she said, touching Shelly’s arm to break her open-mouthed shock.
Shelly shook her head and headed for the door with Sonya following. I picked up my rug and exited the room, careful to drag my leg in case anyone saw me. But it was very early and I saw no one on the short trip to the duke’s private dining room. I went to the far corner, put the rug down, and sat. I don’t know why I took the rug, but it gave me a sense of comfort, like sitting on an Ojaza warrior’s blanket. I withdrew into myself and the room became bathed in blue as peace descended on me.
The door flew open as the duke and Shelly rushed in followed by Lutz and Sonya, who closed the door and moved to stand in the corner on my side of the room. Lutz shrugged and moved to stand in the opposite corner.
"You are concerned, Honorable Monk, about?" the duke asked as he sat. He looked tired, upset, and irritated. I understood. He was a duke, well-guarded, and used to giving orders, not taking them.
"You will have to trust me or tell me to leave," I said, barely above a whisper. I was at peace with my decision and unconcerned with whether it wa
s right or wrong or what would happen or not. Except for breathing, the silence was complete as we waited. Sometime later, fighting could be heard in the hallway. The shouting and clanging of swords indicated many were involved. The duke stood his head, swiveling back and forth as if looking for a place to hide. Lutz drew his sword and waved Shelly behind the desk. Sonya never moved or opened her eyes, but in the blue dimension she sat on her rug at peace.
"Honorable Monk, trust I will defend you while you do what you must," Sonya said for my ears only. Minutes later, the door opened and Woolan and Robyn took a couple of steps inside.
"Good morning, Duke Brodka. The plan almost worked. I had to agree, the savage had everyone fooled with her entrance. I was packed and ready to leave myself, until I received word that she had showed up at Trasslat. The Monastery must be desperate, to let her impersonate a Cheyo Monk."
"What now, Robyn?" Brodka asked.
"We will kill the savage and Lady Shelly during their attempt to take control of Hipula. Unfortunately, we arrived too late to save you. The savage had already killed you. Baron Woolan will become the guardian of your children and eventually Duke of Hipula—accidents do happen."
They stepped aside, and four guards rushed in, two headed for Lutz and two toward Sonya. Lutz fought Indian style, going for wounding cuts to keep them off balance and eventually forcing them to retreat. Sonya was a goddess of death. One man attacked her with a hard strike at her neck while the other tried to go around his partner to get at me. She blocked the strike with an upward circular movement which blocked his sword and forced it up and over his head and at the same time a chain shot out and wrapped around the other guard’s neck. When the first guard's sword had passed his head, she slashed downward through his neck as she simultaneously yanked on the chain, tearing skin, arteries, and bone.
At the same time, the room exploded in blue and Robyn stood in armor with a sword in each hand. I stood in Ojaza warrior garb with my sword unsheathed. He stalked toward me laughing with his swords whirling in front of him. I waited patiently as he advanced. His laugh stopped, but a smile persisted. When he came within striking distance, I stepped to his right, blocking the right sword and taking the left one temporarily out of action. Before he could prepare an attack, I stepped past him and cut through the opening in the armor behind the knee. Blood spurted out, and I continued past him so I was out of range for his counter strike.
Knowing he’d bleed to death, he changed the image into a large cat and sprang at me with four-inch claws extended. The wolf met him in midair, latching onto the cat’s neck. Before I could tear out his throat, he morphed into a fifty-foot snake that wrapped around the wolf’s neck and began to cut off air and blood to my head. I could feel my mind fighting to remain conscious. But like in the Ojaza camp, life and death didn’t matter, only the contest. Fortunately, I didn’t panic and used the few seconds remaining to turn the wolf into an inferno. The snake stank from the burning flesh and transformed into a hawk that flew a few spaces away with its feathers smoldering. He became a man and stood staring at me for several seconds, then grew into a monstrous wave that came crashing toward me. I became a giant redwood, with roots sinking deep into the earth. The wave crashed around me, taking tons of dirt with it as it passed, leaving exposed roots. Within seconds, thousands of wood-devouring ants were crawling everywhere. I changed into a Manchineel tree and soon the ants began dying on the tree. Robyn became a man again, kneeing on the ground and frothing at the mouth. The Indians marked Manchineel trees, as they were extremely poisonous. Apparently, Robyn had never seen one. But before the poison killed him, Sonya’s knife flew, almost transparent in the blue haze, and buried itself to the hilt in his left eye.
The room was again quiet. Ten bodies lay scattered around Sonya and four in front of Lutz. Clearly, she had been the center of attention. She stood looking at peace and unhurt, although her uniform was splattered with blood. The duke stood back against the wall, face pale and hand clutching his sword in a white-knuckled grip. Lady Shelly's face was also pale, but her eyes were alert and her dagger was ready, although held slightly behind her and out of sight. Lutz stood relaxed, scanning the room with his sword at Woolan's neck.
"Thank you, Honorable Wolf. This was the day I spent years training for—to protect the Honorable Ones committed to peace," Sonya said, appearing with me on the blue dimension.
"I hope one day I can find what you have, Sonya—where I belong and am at peace."
"Maybe at the Trasslat Monastery."
"No, the Abbot has pointed out that I found peace through hatred. Trasslat should only have people who find peace through love," I said, knowing the monastery wasn't for me. Sonya bowed in my direction, and the blue haze vanished.
All eyes turned toward the door, as men could be heard running down the hallway. I laid my hand on my sword, which was lying behind me. Just then, Lieutenant Eaton appeared along with Captain Behrens, and the hall became crowded with their troops. Eaton's eyes went to Shelly and then relaxed.
"Thank God," he said, taking several deep breaths to calm himself.
"Your Grace, what now?" Shelly asked quietly, stepping closer to him.
"I think you should get some rest while I have this mess cleaned up and assess the damage to my troops. I'll meet with you an hour before dinner. Monk, you should stay."
I nodded and saw Sonya step back against the wall. Shelly left with Lutz, Eaton, and his troops following. Captain Behrens quickly organized his men into details to remove the bodies and to take a roll-call of the duke's retainers and troops. After the bodies were removed, Sonya and I followed the duke to his study, where he poured himself several glasses of wine. Sonya and I chose water.
"What now, Honorable Monk?" he asked, sounding more like he meant it than to maintain our identities. It was a comfortable room. One wall was lined with leather-bound books of every size and color. A large rug with the duke's coat of arms covered most of the wooden floor. Three padded high-back chairs were scattered around the room, each with a small table next to it. The three windows were narrow and high to let in light but not distract the inhabitants. He waved us to chairs. Sonya backed up against a wall between the door and me. I put my rug down and sat.
"I would proclaim that Baron Woolan attempted a coup, and Lady Shelly and the Cheyo Monk thwarted it. And if possible, you need to keep the Monk’s departure a secret as long as possible after Lady Shelly and I leave. I would have someone, maybe one of your daughters, pretend to be the Monk on occasion, to maintain the illusion the Monk is still here. Even if we could stay, it would only be a temporary solution. The Sirens will continue to grow, and they will begin to take more direct action, like assassination. Your long-term safety is better served if we can find the root of the Sirens and destroy it," I said, hoping that the Sirens would avoid Hipula for a while if they thought a Monk was involved.
"The spy at Trasslat knows they never sent a Monk," Brodka said, looking a bit pale.
"Which is the reason we must leave soon: so that I can inform the Abbot."
* * *
The duke, Shelly, Lutz, Sonya, and I met later that day in the duke's study.
"I owe you my life, Lady Shelly. I have set your name in the Hipula nobility book as a Baroness and set aside land for you to do with as you wish. The Honorable Monk has explained why it is best you leave soon. According to Captain Behrens, twenty of my soldiers were killed in the coup attempt. He believes most were loyal to Hipula and were merely following orders from Woolan and thought Lady Shelly and her troops were attempting to assassinate me. So I believe I'm safe so long as everyone believes the Monk is still in my employment. My youngest daughter has agreed to play the part when the Monk's presence is required."
"What about the Monk’s guard?" Lutz asked.
"I will say the Monk no longer felt her presence was necessary."
"My daughter said you would meet with her tomorrow to coach her on what to do and not do," Brodka said.
"I talked to
her earlier, and I believe she is perfect for the impersonation. Tomorrow I will give her my insights and answer any questions she has. It won't require any extensive training. People see what they want or expect to see. I would make up a story in the event you want to stop the deception or she is discovered. Something to the effect the Monk got sick and had to return to Trasslat."
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
TRASSLAT: Abbot of Trasslat
I spent the next day talking about the Cheyo Monks to Sina, the duke's youngest daughter. Celeta, the duke's oldest daughter, sat listening in case she might have to fill in or she needed to coach Sina. Then I dressed Sina in my Robes and had her practice my dead-leg walk. I decided she didn't have to talk, she could write the answer or pretend to write the answer. By the evening, I was not only sure Sina was ready but also that she was looking forward to the masquerade.
That night I slipped over the wall and made my way through the silent streets to the city gates. I waited for dawn and then exited with a caravan leaving the city and made my way about a day's march for the caravan in the direction of Trasslat. Sonya joined me half-way to my planned stop. She had left an hour after me to avoid being seen together. We made camp in a clump of trees and waited. As the sun began to set, the caravan came into view.
"How did it feel being a Cheyo Monk?" Shelly said as she dismounted.
"Like a child dressed in her mother's clothes," I said. "It's hard enough pretending to be civilized."
"I thought she did well," Sonya said, smiling. "Felt real to me."
"I think being a Monk is easier for her than being civilized. Monks see life as it is whereas civilized people see life like they want it to be." Shelly said, proving how perceptive the young woman was and why I thought she would do well as a baroness.
Tents were set up for Shelly and her ladies, meals prepared, and fires started as we talked. Eaton and Lutz joined Shelly's group after dinner.