A Simple Darkness (The Young Ancients: Tiera)

by P. S. Power

  It wasn't that she didn't feel for other people, it was simply that she was more concerned with the ones she was there for than those animals that had walked on two legs. It wouldn't sound good to say that though, would it? That part she got. Her anger might be understood, but simply not caring about those men probably wouldn't.

  So she lied instead.

  "It's... hard. I'm not really ready to talk about it all. I don't know if I'll ever be." Tiera let her voice come out nice and flat, which seemed to do the trick, since Karen just looked sad, not like she was riding next to an insane monster.

  Tiera pondered that idea though. Was she a monster? She'd heard how some Larval Assassins had been controlled once when captured, using a cutter on their arms and legs, then a healing amulet. They were so dangerous that it was about the only thing that would have worked. Those jailers weren't super beings however. They could have been locked up in their own cells and it would have functioned pretty well. Except for then they might have had hope left and she hadn't really wanted to leave that to them.

  That was kind of what a monster would have done, wasn't it? The worst part of it was that she was still so angry at them all for having raped Gerent, and even Trice, that she was tempted to go and make certain they didn't get off too easy. It was pretty bad. Even she could see that.

  Her silence was taken as sadness though, for the awful things she'd done, which was better than it might have been. Finally Karen reached over and patted her back gently.

  "Well, it's done and I have to admit, I was going to kill them all myself anyway. This isn't better, but at least Trice and her friend will be able to sleep at night, knowing these men won't be coming back for them."

  They rode the rest of the way in silence, the trip not taking that long, since they were landing at Tor's, not the King's palace. She set down much faster, slowing only enough to keep herself from accidentally making a hole in the ground, since it was the front lawn and looked pretty nice. They had lights glowing outside the place, so it was easy to see the ground, but she took a minute to do it anyway, just in case.

  Then they had to bring the floating cases with them, since she was taking her Craft with her. Timon had been pretty clear about that part of things and she really didn't want to try and get another one from him. If she lost this one, that would most likely be it, as far as that went. Then her job of carrying messages all over the kingdom would be much harder. At the door they stopped, knocked and waited for several minutes while someone came to let them in. It was, oddly enough, Countess Ross, who'd just happened to be near the door when they got there. Tor had servants, but not a lot of them, so it kind of made sense.

  "Oh! Karen dear, so good to see you." She got a bow, one that named them equals, which was pretty kind of the woman, being a sitting Countess like she was. Tiera got one too, which made her smile, though she went lower than Karen did in return.

  After all, she wasn't as highly placed in society and didn't know the woman well. It made sense not to push her kindness.

  They were taken to the main dining room by the giant lady, her homely face made lovely with a large smile. She chattered the whole time, but not about anything important, not even the cases following them. When they got into the large and impressive room they found at least fifteen sitting Counts and Countesses. Including Countess York who sniffed when she saw her and pointedly looked away. It was so well done that Tiera nearly felt like she was legitimately being snubbed.

  Karen noticed it, and looked concerned, but didn't say anything, simply moving her body between them, as if to stop a fight. It was safe, but Tiera couldn't explain that, so didn't. Instead they were settled next to Count Lairdgren, one on either side. He smiled at them both and seemed happy enough to see them at least.

  "Bonita is spending the evening with Queen Constance. They've become friends. I believe they're plotting out an extravaganza for her next birthday. Connie's, I mean. From what little I've heard it sounds like it might be special indeed." The words were smooth and about nothing in particular at all. Just like everyone else at the table.

  For a while, about an hour, it was almost as if the whole event was just a pleasant meal, to help them all pass the time and get to know the others around them. That ended after the desert course. Not in an obvious fashion, since people stood around then, talking for a while, before going their own way. People did discuss business, but no one seemed too concerned about politics at all. After a while, just as she was starting to wonder if she'd really been needed for the conversation at all, Lairdgren smiled at her and Karen, it was very polite, and warm enough toward the larger girl that she blushed a little.

  "Would you two join me for a walk?"

  "Certainly..." Karen spoke for them, which was just correct no doubt. Tiera was the Count's granddaughter, so the question had likely been directed her way in particular, hadn't it? No one stared at them, or seemed to be upset by their leaving. Even Countess York just acted like she was glad to see them go.

  Once outside they rounded the large building and then stood behind it, talking softly for a few moments.

  "We'll need two craft, the faster ones if possible. Tiera, I need you to take me to Grenwyn, then back here inside the night. Karen, if you'd be a dear, could you take a missive to Richard for me? It isn't that important in and of itself, but I'd like you to pretend that Tiera and I are with you, sitting in the Craft, while you hand the letter over to the guard. I doubt it will truly fool them, but it isn't their regard I'm hoping to capture. It might not be anything, but there have been some minor spying issues. This should be enough to distract anyone too concerned with our behavior."

  It didn't make sense to her at all, but Tiera went along with it, in case it was just something that everyone else got and she was too uneducated to understand. After a bit she put up her Craft, got the two trunks in the back and then turned the thing night sky black. She took off at the same time Karen did, the other craft glowing a brilliant green. Since Tiera took the river side, that meant that anyone on the water might see them, if they were looking and cared to pay attention, but no one else should notice them leave overly.

  The Count looked at her closely while they flew north, with just a slight western edge to it. After a few minutes he spoke, his voice a bit clipped.

  "Stop here. This will do I think. If anyone has the ability to listen to us in one of these things, then we're probably not going to manage much in secret at all. Even planting bugs would be difficult, since the device stops existing at times." He waved at the air, looking toward the front as the dark world outside. The ground was light enough to see, thanks to the moon, but it wasn't full yet. That should happen in a few days, Tiera thought. "Sorry, old term. Those aren't actually bugs, but rather technological listening devices."

  "Alright. So we aren't going to Grenwyn then? What's the plan?"

  "I need you to take off all your amulets."

  Tiera looked over at the man, who seemed to have meant that very innocently, if in a slightly bland fashion. It would, if she did that, leave her naked. That would be embarrassing and if he thought she was going to do anything naughty with him...

  "Fine. But no sex. You look exactly like one of my brothers, as you might know. It would be creepy." It came out sounding harder than she meant, but the man laughed and nodded.

  "Prude. I agree however, that isn't my intent, nor will it ever be. What I have in mind will hurt a bit however, so be prepared."

  She hit the amulets, one after the other, and then removed them, sitting naked and cold in the crafts softly cushioned seat. When she glanced over the Count was digging in a small bag, one that seemed to be made of silk of something similar. Holding out his right hand he showed her what was there. Six very tiny, very shiny, pieces of bone. That's what it looked like at least.

  "Ceramics, with magical fields set in them. Master Kolbrin asked me some questions about how this might work and suggested you for the first test subject. At least for an array like this. You'll nee
d to remember where they go, so that you can activate them at will. Clothing first." He moved toward her and then stopped, as if expecting her to ask a question or squirm away. When she didn't, he set the sliver, which was thick enough to be painful no doubt, against the skin between two of her ribs on the right hand side. Then he pushed hard, driving it in with his thumb.

  She didn't make a sound, so he moved to the next one, standing to reach over her to the other side.

  "Healing device." He drove that one in as well, a thin rivulet of blood running down the side of her smooth body.

  Then there was a disguise amulet, two cutters, one going into the back of each hand, and finally a shield. That had to go in last, since it was the newest type, and would turn on if she felt under attack on a deep level. They weren't perfect, but it was pretty good coverage, most of the time. She could also just turn it on and off at will.

  Then she had to use them all, with the healing amulet being first, causing all the wounds to close in seconds. After that she got dressed, and sat calmly and the Count suddenly lashed out, trying to hit her very precisely on the jaw, angling to hit a nerve cluster, she thought. It didn't touch her at all. The disguise amulet was harder to test, since she didn't know how to use it, but she managed enough to show that it was working well. She just needed to practice with it.

  "The cutters take focus to keep turned on. So those will take practice as well. Otherwise they'll stay off, so that you don't accidentally kill someone in your sleep."

  It worked pretty well. If Trice and Gerent had been armed like this...

  Which was the man's thought as well. They wouldn't have been, of course, but no doubt he'd want to protect his close friends and family in a similar fashion. As long as it worked at least.

  "Half the test is done now of course. The rest will take time. Those fields should last for years, perhaps twenty or thirty. I do decent work that way. They seem to be registering as inert, even to your body, which is a good sign. I was half afraid that the healing devices would force them out. Now, I understand that you've been doing well in your studies at school in the last weeks? Master Kolbrin spoke most highly of you, at least as far as your weapons work is going. How are your other classes?"

  "Math is good. Singing too, except that Instructor Crane tried to get me to service him sexually a few weeks ago, rather than being punished for missing classes. You know, the whole County Morris thing? Anyway, I was going to go along with it, but he backed out. I'm not really certain why. Could he get in trouble for that?"

  The Count shrugged, his face looking a lot less than concerned about the whole thing.

  "Probably. If you complained to Kyle about it, Headmaster Hardgrove, it could be a problem for him. Strictly speaking he probably shouldn't have suggested it in return for favors regarding grades or punishments. People will try to have sex, of course, and making that into a crime tends to cause more trouble than it's worth, over time. Do you feel offended over it? Or pressured to do things you don't wish too?"

  "No, not really. Like I said I was willing. Mainly because I don't want people thinking I'm a Doretta. A lot of people still hate me over what happened before." She tried to make it sound like that part didn't bother her, but the man wasn't fooled. Or sympathetic.

  No, instead he yawned.

  "That would do it, wouldn't it? Well, time will heal those wounds. I'm sure in twenty or thirty years hardly anyone will even remember that it happened."

  "Comforting. I'm only fourteen you know, that's nearly twice what I've lived. In all your time you've never learned a way to get past things like that more quickly?"

  There was a soft exhalation and blank look then, as they both hung in the air, sitting inside the Fast Craft, suspended, neither moving at all for a while.

  "Hundreds of ways. Most of them not worth bothering with, in the end. You'll find, in time, that the thoughts of others don't influence your worth as much as all that. It might not be comfortable in the moment, being unloved by your peers, but that will change soon enough really. It shouldn't, but it will. Too soon. You're lovely and that alone would do it. I can't let that happen however. You have to see that you can't be allowed to go against the norms of your culture, or else you'll come to think that being as you are makes you special. It doesn't. You have to earn being loved, or else it doesn't last. Even then, you have to do it over and again, constantly refreshing the feelings of others, or they'll forget what you've done for them in time. That's the road to being a person of worth."

  The man laughed, a silent chuckle that seemed almost sad.

  "Tiera... I wish I could save you. If I could take you away, teach you to live properly, not to be filled with anger, I would. There is no magic that I know of that can do that, no power on this planet. Except one. Your own will. I can warn you that there is danger, but can you see it?"

  It was almost as if he was speaking in code, trying to not make enough sense for her to understand his words. She had to think about it for a long time then shook her head.

  "Are you saying that I was born bad? That the only thing that I can do is try to fix it?"

  The man tilted his head and then stuck his tongue out. It was an annoying thing that Tor did as well. Cute, but out of place right now.

  "Yes. It can't be pleasant to hear, but that's about the size of it. The person you are is unique and powerful, but also angry and lacking in a proper sense of fear. Those like us, immortals that have shown those traits never live long. Sooner or later something will kill you. Probably me, in the end. Or one of your brothers, to prevent you from becoming what nature says you likely will."

  "A monster?"

  "More or less. Yes. That's a good word for it. You can master it, that anger inside of you, but it will take more than you might be willing to pay, in the end."

  The Count didn't bother to say more and didn't seem to think he should. It was annoying. A slow anger started to build within her over it, even as she knew it was foolish and exactly what he'd been talking about. She tried to hold it back, clearing her mind and breathing deeply. It didn't work, but raw time did and eventually she started moving again.

  "If... I'm bad, then why put magical devices inside of me? Wouldn't it make sense to do the opposite? To strip all weapons from me? Kill me now, while I'm too young and silly to put up a decent fight?" Unless he already had? The ceramics... were they poisoned somehow?

  He shrugged.

  "I could be wrong. You might just be a bit moody, or perhaps you can learn to master yourself in time. You don't tend to lash out at people over minor things, I hear, which is a good sign. You need to keep that in mind and try to protect all around you, from yourself, when you can. Killing you is one way to fix things, but you're family, and besides, for all the danger represented in you, there is an equal amount of promise."

  For some reason it didn't leave her feeling much better. She had promise, but could also be some kind of great evil? More than most people? Grand. Just perfect.

  "Where do you need to go now?"

  She expected a trip back to the Capital, but instead the man pointed due south.

  "The Antarctic. Then we should hit Afrak and get you back to school. We can take turns sleeping. You don't need much, do you?" Not waiting for an answer he leaned against the wall of the Craft and closed his eyes, snoring softly after about twenty minutes.

  Tiera raised an eyebrow at the form next to her as she flew along, using the last direction he pointed as a guide. It was a bit rude of him, dropping that on her and then drifting off peacefully like that. She was some kind of freak, and he just curled up and got a nice nap in. Hopefully he'd wake up with a stiff neck, since that would serve him right for saying mean things about her.

  Mean... and probably true. She did feel angry a lot and got annoyed when other people just didn't seem to at all. It wasn't her fault, she didn't think, but that didn't get you out of being responsible for what you did. Being born evil or whatever just meant she had to fight against it all that much harder
, that was all.

  The idea plagued her for hours, nearly sending her in a rage more than once, leaving her to clench her jaw, knowing that the idea itself wasn't the fault of the man next to her at all. It just was. Like her eyes being brown or her hair black. Count Lairdgren didn't make her that way, chance did. Tiera just had to figure out how to control it.

  About six hours later the man next to her woke, stretching for several minutes, moving into the back to do it, clearing the space of seats with a few thoughts and actually moving to the floor for it. After he finished he made a small room on the right hand side and went in. A restroom, no doubt. When he came out, ten minutes later, he stared out the window, not speaking.

  Tiera rolled her eyes, knowing that this was some kind of Ancient thing. He was proving that he was too old to be bothered with normal social conventions or something like that. Making a face she snorted at him, getting a slightly curious look in return.

  "We should be there in a few hours, three at the outside. It's been light enough for me to use landmarks for the last few hours, so I think I'm on course. So... why do you think I'm a monster exactly? I was thinking about it and, seriously, loads of people are angry a lot. I don't even go into combat rage. I guess that doesn't mean I'm naturally a sweet person, but it isn't like other people don't have to deal with similar things." If the man imagined that he was really getting out of the conversation, he shouldn't have trapped himself in a little box with her. He was more than old enough to know that too, so it wasn't a mistake on his part, she didn't think. No, he'd done everything on purpose, for some reason.

  "They do, except for the fact that you don't seem to feel fear. That's also something that a few others have to deal with from time to time. Mainly men, but it does happen. The combination of high levels of aggression, combined with lack of fear isn't good. It's a recipe for the worst kind or person. On the good side you're intelligent and have a chance to learn control. I know it's a good bit to dump on you right now, but at the rate you've been going I have to try something. Otherwise you'd be going on killing sprees within the next few months, most likely."