Elven Blight: A Katrina Baker Novel 02

by D. L. Harrison

  I tentatively took a seat across from her and started to pile enough on my plate for three normal people, my super powered metabolism was like that all the time, but it was even worse right now after my teleportation experimentations this morning. I smiled a bit shyly, but my words were confident enough.

  “Hi, I’m Katrina.”

  The woman smirked as she looked me over, but not in a mean way. It was more teasing, and her feelings verified it.

  “I’m Cynthia, but call me Cyn, and this handsome specimen is Jareth. Nice to meet a paladin of Arella, and a woman at that, but how will that dress help against your enemies?”

  Jareth snickered, “Well, she’s a cute young little thing, adorable really, she could always seduce them.”

  Cynthia smacked the back of his head playfully, “Don’t scare her away, I get tired of dealing with just you boys all the time.”

  I laughed, “I don’t work for the king, but I imagine I’ll be around, since I’m getting married to Gerard later today.”

  I hoped, that was the plan anyway, if he ever got out of there. I started to wonder just how badly we’d screwed up in Jendas, and what it would mean long term. Maybe I’d have a better idea when I read the histories for Jendas and Trelin.

  Jareth checked me out, again, and then said, “That sly old dog, good for him.”

  I blushed, I liked flirting and attention, it was always fun, but I never pushed it too far because I wasn’t easy, I’d only slept with two men and planned for the second to be the last I ever sleep with, and my husband, and I didn’t want to be a tease, nor be labeled as one. But Jareth was a bit over the top. I decided to ignore him.

  I turned to Cynthia, “So does the king not hire female paladins often?”

  Cynthia snorted, “There aren’t that many of us. Most women who serve the gods become clerics.”

  That was interesting. I doubted the gods were male chauvinist, especially the goddesses. That meant what? Societies influence must be responsible, expectations. Little girls here didn’t dream of being warriors, they were given dolls. Just like I was nervous about getting married at eighteen, even if I was sure of it in my heart and my mind.

  Women wore dresses, and were protected by men. They were the healers, not fighters with a sword. Of course, I was a super who was raised to be a supervillain, but wanted to be a hero instead. In other words, I didn’t fear a good fight, and wasn’t going to cower behind any man.

  Thank the goddess Gerard had no expectations that way, he was even attracted to the idea of me being a paladin and strong woman, and treated me like a fellow warrior. I loved him for that, and many other reasons.

  Cynthia asked, “Have you heard anything about down south or the elven lord?”

  I shook my head, and she looked disappointed as I shoveled more food into my mouth. At least Jareth wasn’t leering anymore, and I felt amazement from him as I cleared the plate of three helpings, and went back for more. What can I say, I needed the calories, and the best part of this world was their food. The food was amazingly good.

  She waved her arm dismissively and said, “There’s rumblings about both. The elves haven’t talked to us in over seventy years, and they showed up two days ago. There’s also rumors about something happening in Chilik, but then there always are. It usually turns out to be nothing.”

  I smiled, “We can hope. It’s been a long time since some insane mage tried to take over the world by enslaving the evil races, hasn’t it?”

  She snickered, “I’m hoping to get assigned down there actually.”

  Jareth rolled his eyes, “You just got back from your last post.”

  “Yes, and you’ve hit on me all day long,” she said teasingly, but I knew she meant it and was annoyed with him. At the same time, she liked him, which was weird, wasn’t it?

  Jareth turned to me, “So how do you fight in a dress, or do you not know paladins don’t get time off.”

  I replied, “It’s my wedding day, but I don’t fight melee. In addition to my goddess’s magic, I have a unique kind of magic. Truthfully, I’m probably a bigger danger to myself if I wielded a sword.”

  He looked skeptical, so I refilled my ale cup, without my hands, while I took another bite of food.

  The explanations would get tedious, but if I didn’t show who I was to anyone, how would I make any friends? I loved Gerard, but he couldn’t be my only connection on this world, nor could the temple.

  Jareth sat back, “So… you’re a paladin and a mage?”

  I shrugged, “Not really a mage, but close enough. I do have a sword and dagger, but I don’t need to use them often. Even for those, I use the levitation from a distance.”

  Levitation was the closest I could come. Telekinesis wasn’t a word in their language.

  What I really needed were some rumors to be passed around about my abilities. At least with other paladins and people I’d be working with.

  Cynthia said, “Well, I could see where that would be useful.”

  Jareth snorted, “Not if someone got close it wouldn’t. She’d just be dead. Unless you want to prove otherwise?” he challenged.

  Damn, I should have seen that coming, Gerard had told me paladins were very competitive. I didn’t want to back down, but I didn’t want to make any enemies either. I had to figure out a way not to embarrass him, but nothing was coming to me. Yet.

  I smiled confidently and said, “I suppose, after lunch?”

  After all, my goddess’s reputation was on the line…

  Chapter Four

  I almost snorted out loud at that last thought. Arella’s reputation had nothing to do with it. It was the way he’d looked at me over lunch. He wasn’t flirting in the harmless sense of the word, or simply admiring how I looked and showing attraction, he’d kept staring at me like I was an object, or something to be measured and possessed. Almost like I wasn’t a real person in his eyes, just a set of tits with a pretty face. Maybe no one ever taught him the difference.

  I didn’t think I was being overly sensitive either, I liked the ego rush when a man admired me, and flirted. It was a nice boost, and harmless fun. I knew most of the other male paladins at the table got the right idea.

  Either way, his arrogance annoyed me, but I regretted my response already. I wanted to fight evil, be a heroine, and live by my convictions. The ones my lifelong empathy for others had instilled, and this world had somehow cemented, the goddess knows it wasn’t my supervillain parents that taught them to me. I cringed at the thought, my dead parents.

  Point was, Jareth had hit my buttons, and I didn’t think anything good could come of this. It wasn’t like I could cross swords with him, so I didn’t see a way to win gracefully. I couldn’t even just fly up out of reach and playfully demand his surrender, because I was in a dress and didn’t want to give free shows. Which meant I had to hammer him hard from the start. I sure as hell wasn’t going to lose, not on purpose anyway. Hmm, maybe I could change?

  Cynthia asked, “Are you sure that’s a good idea Jareth? She’s in her wedding dress for goddess sake, and if you scratch her today of all days Gerard will disassemble you, into very small pieces. I might even help him.”

  I wasn’t sure whether to be pleased or offended at Cynthia’s support or not, I decided to go with the former.

  Jareth sighed, “Are you saying Gerard will fight her battles? A challenge between paladins was given and received. The fight is to submission.”

  Cynthia threw up her arms, which made me smile.

  “Of course not, I’m saying that, never mind, do what you want. You’re funeral.”

  I’d managed to empty my second plate as they argued, and was finally full. I finished the ale, which seemed to be growing on me. The taste I mean.

  “Thanks Cyn, I’m okay with putting it off if you want to. Just remember Jareth, we won’t be crossing swords. It will be more like a fight against a mage, but possibly worse. It will be a very short fight, and very embarrassing for at least one of us. No clash of marti
al skills at all, which is usually the point of these challenges isn’t it?”

  After all, I didn’t have to cast. I could tell he planned to rush me, and hold a sword to my throat before I could finish a spell. I didn’t read his mind, it was all over his face, and in the comments he’d made.

  “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you, much,” he said with a smirk, and then the arrogant bastard winked at me.

  I sighed and stood up, “Ready when you are.”

  To my shock all the paladins, and several others got up from the table and followed us through the hallways of the castle. I may have been ignoring the rest of the table in order to get to know Cynthia, but obviously they hadn’t been ignoring us. Well, this should be fun.

  We went out one of the exits in the back of the castle, which opened up into a courtyard of sorts, which was obviously a training ground. I saw what looked like a barracks, a smithy, and a weapon’s shed which was open, and had several racks of weapons, some made of wood.

  “So… how does this work,” I asked in a quiet voice.

  Cynthia looked at me incredulously, “The fight happens in the ring on the ground when a third party calls it, that would be me today. If you get knocked out of it, get knocked unconscious, or yield in an untenable position the fight is over. Drawing blood or breaking bones is bad form. How do you not know that?”

  I smirked, “I’ve been a paladin a whole week now, and been in Trelin a whole two weeks. It’s my first challenge.”

  She shook her head, but I smiled as I walked into the ring, even though I wasn’t feeling it. The ring itself was large enough to move around, almost thirty feet in diameter. I saw Jareth muttering under his breath, but didn’t understand he was casting a spell until he blanked from my powers. Well shit, a paladin spell that protected from everything? That made things, not simple. I might even lose.

  I thought fast. Magic was powerful, but even magic had to yield to physics. If I hit him hard enough with TK, his shield would block the strike from hitting him, but hitting his shield should sent both the shield and him flying. Of course, if I accidentally broke through his shield, a hit that hard could kill him. Then… I remembered the fireball. I couldn’t touch the mages magic that formed the ball of fire, but I was able to touch and control the air around it to catch it in an air prison, and send it back. Why couldn’t I do the same with a shield?

  It probably wouldn’t help me in a real fight, since it was a very non-fatal idea, but in this situation it was a perfect solution. If it worked. I had a feeling if it didn’t this fight was going to be painful, and not for him. I looked around again, there were about twenty paladins, and at least fifty others. Functionaries, guards, and all sorts of others. I even caught sight of a few servants.

  I hoped I didn’t manage to alienate them all, but it was too late, I was committed to this for good or ill. Backing down now would be even worse.

  Cynthia said, “Ready?”

  I nodded, and Jareth nodded as well, and I really didn’t like the gleam in his eyes, or the intense anticipation I felt rolling off him.

  Cynthia said, “Three, two, one, fight!”

  Jareth moved toward me at a sprint, which at twenty feet apart wasn’t far for him to go, but I reached out and held the air around him. Air was light, it moved out of the way when objects moved through it, and only at high speeds caused resistance. But air had real weight, and it was real matter. The power of my mind was holding that air in place, not letting it part. A cocoon of air molecules formed around his shield, which I didn’t need to penetrate.

  He turned red in the face, and growled as I held him there. It was about five seconds in when he pulled a dagger and threw it at me to the gasps of the crowd. It wasn’t until I caught it with my mind that I realized it wouldn’t have hit me, and was a distraction, then his spell hit. A lance of light that caused all my muscles to freeze up. I was slowly tilting over to the side, completely paralyzed.

  I might have overreacted at that point, worried that I’d given him time I shouldn’t have. I pushed the air cocooning him, hard. Possibly too hard, but his emotions had been rage when he threw the dagger. He screamed, and made at least fifteen feet in height at the top of the arc his body made through the air, and landed about thirty feet outside the circle.

  I let the dagger drop to the ground and managed to pray for a dispel magic. A flash of light and I was getting back up. I was sure that I’d won, since I was the only one in the circle.

  Cynthia cleared her throat, and was obviously trying not to laugh, “The match is over, the clear winner is Katrina.”

  I felt a little ashamed of myself, but also strangely vindicated at the same time. I think I liked Cynthia, but I may avoid her when she’s in Jareth’s company in the future. I felt surprise, confusion, and a little awe from the crowd around us. I also felt a lot of gloating and frustration. It wasn’t until I looked around, and saw several people passing coins between each other, that I realized those last two emotions were both the winners and losers of several bets…

  Cynthia came over and clapped my arm, “He had that coming, but he’s not a bad guy when you get to know him.”

  I looked at her skeptically, but she just laughed, “You’ll see.”

  Jareth walked back over and sheepishly picked up his dagger. I was actually surprised that he didn’t feel all that angry anymore. Not happy though.

  “Katrina,” someone said in a low voice that sent a shiver through my body.

  I smiled and turned, I hadn’t even felt him arrive with all that was going on.

  “Gerard.”

  He grimaced, and I felt anger from him, “Come with me, the king wants to talk to you.”

  I frowned and followed as he turned, “Why are you angry.”

  He grunted, “Not about us, or you. As for why, you’ll find out in a few minutes. Nice fight by the way, Jareth is an asshole.”

  I snickered, and used micro-kinesis to get all the dust off my dress.

  Oh. I was glad he wasn’t mad about the fight, but I couldn’t imagine it was a good thing, whatever it was that I was about to learn from the king. What would make Gerard so angry on our wedding day? I refused to speculate or worry, I’d face it like I had everything else since I got here on this crazy world.

  Chapter Five

  The first thing I noticed as we walked into the private meeting area, was that the king didn’t look happy at all. James gave me a weak smile and a wink, as Gerard bowed and I completely mangled a curtsey. I was in a dress after all, and it was my first one ever.

  I’d have to practice.

  The mage advisor Andrew, was as usual taciturn, and didn’t even acknowledge my presence. It was the fourth person waiting for us that threw me the most, I hadn’t felt him earlier because he was absent to my senses, and obviously had some kind of protection from all spell around him.

  It seemed my earlier assumption about Gerard being stuck talking about the incident up north was incorrect.

  He was about six feet tall and thin to the point of effeminate, had shoulder length very light blonde hair, and emerald green eyes. His face was too pretty to call handsome, too alien to be called attractive, and he had upswept pointed ears. I’d have been excited to meet my first elf, except he had a cold measuring look on his face, and his bottom lip was curled slightly in disdain.

  My faint hope that elven facial expression had different queues was squashed by his first harsh words.

  “She’s just a child, I was sent here by my queen mother to find a warrior.”

  The king said in a tight voice, “Prince Vaeril, this is Katrina, Paladin of Arella. I remind you, I cannot order her to go with you,” he turned to us, “Take a seat.”

  I smiled slightly, so much for not giving me orders. I could also understand why the king was out of sorts, the elf prince must have been driving him crazy. I took a seat next to Gerard, and felt better immediately as he claimed my hand under the table. As long as I was with him, I’d deal with whatever came.

>   Vaeril waved a hand, “She must come. The queen has commanded it. Though I have doubts it will do any good.”

  I asked, “Why me?”

  Vaeril replied smugly, “She had a vision from Arelleas a week ago. That all would be lost if you didn’t stand with us against the threat.”

  I wondered why I should give a flip about this goddess Arelleas at all, if I had to work with a bunch of haughty arrogant elves. I really should have read the damned books. I was about to say just as much, when Gerard squeezed my hand, and explained in a low voice.

  “Arelleas is Arella’s elven aspect.”

  Damn, that changed things, it changed everything. This was going to suck. I wondered for a moment why I didn’t get a vision, and then realized I’d have probably raced off toward the elves and got shot for my efforts, without prince sunshine to vouch for my presence. Were all elves cold and disdainful to humans, or was the prince just special?

  “What threat?”

  Vaeril said distantly, “It is a threat to our forest, and therefore our magic and lives. That is all I will say here, you will learn more when we arrive. We must leave today, as soon as possible.”

  James winced, and the king’s face turned red. This elf had no tact at all, and had just told the king he didn’t trust him, in so many words. I also knew why Gerard was upset, no wedding if we were leaving now. So much for a vacation honeymoon while I studied.

  “Gerard and I can be ready quickly, and meet at the stables?”

  The king looked away, as did the others.

  Gerard ground out, “I have… a different assignment. Back at Southwater, something is going on in Chilik. I’m probably the best to go, since I was there the last six months and I’ll be able to spot any changes more easily than another paladin.”

  I felt dizzy for a moment, why the hell hadn’t he told me that on the way here? Now I guess I really knew why he was so angry.

  The king cleared his throat, and I gasped in a breath and started to breathe again. No marriage, check. No fiancé on my trip to elven land, whatever the hell it’s called, check. I already missed him, and I was holding his hand. Why didn’t he tell me, why did I have to hear about it in front of all of them?