The Price of Faith

by Rob J. Hayes

  Careful, Jez. Something doesn’t sit right here. When in doubt, meet your enemy head on. Another of Yuri’s teachings both in combat and in life. She was a woman and not a large one, men rarely expected her to stand toe-to-toe with them.

  “What’s your game, Hideo? First you want to throw me out of your empire and now I’m a… shouldn’t the honoured guest gets snacks? Or at least a drink?”

  “You did us a great favour, Blademaster. You brought back our wayward women.”

  “Oh, that.”

  The magistrate shifted a little, no doubt uncomfortable at the idea of treating a woman as his equal. “I would like to make you an offer, Blademaster Vel’urn. One I believe you will not be able to refuse.”

  Jez almost laughed. “Let’s hear it.”

  “I want you to leave. Tell the Dragon Empress you have enjoyed your stay but it is time for you to go. Tell her it is time for you to continue your travels, or to see another part of the world, or to go back to whatever backward place it is you call a home.”

  This time Jezzet did laugh.

  “In return I offer you life…”

  “An interesting offer considering I could take yours right now, and no,” she looked over her shoulder at the two guards, “you couldn’t stop me.”

  “I offer you your life and that of your lover’s. Refuse me and I will see you executed for your crimes.”

  Jez fixed the annoying man with a stare as cold as the deepest sea. “I refuse. Whatever it is you think you can do to me, or him, I dare you to try.” It was perhaps a little over the top but Jezzet did not respond well to threats and this man was without a doubt threatening her. “Seems to me the only reason you want me gone so bad is because you’re scared so, no. I’m not going anywhere.”

  “I offer you one last chance to reconsider, Blademaster Vel’urn.”

  Jezzet stood and made her way to the exit. “Goodbye magistrate.”

  “We have a hero in our midst,” the empress of the Dragon Empire declared with a smile.

  Any of the Gods listening? I swear I’ll learn and remember your name if you stop this before it happens.

  The empress gestured Jez’s way. “The Blademaster Jezzet Vel’urn.”

  Some of the gathered magistrates gave begrudging nods of half-feigned respect but behind Jezzet a roar of applause went up. She had been wondering why the palace had been opened to the common folk today and though they were guarded well by more Dragon Knights than she knew existed they cheered her name all the same. She felt her cheeks redden.

  Caught between humiliation and a strange pride that she could neither understand nor agree with Jez weathered the affirmation of her great deed with a stoic determination to get through it and out the other side unscathed. If there was one thing she hated more than the attention of the masses she couldn’t name it.

  One consolation, Jez. Most of the magistrates look even less comfortable than you. She spotted magistrate Rurin making a point of not looking at her. He was directing his full attention towards his empress, as was proper when in her presence.

  “She has shown exceptional strength and courage in her struggle to save our citizens from certain slavery,” the empress continued her voice loud and clear and unwavering despite coming from one still so young and addressing so many. Jezzet was fairly certain she’d jump out of the nearest window should she ever find herself in the empress’ current position. She thanked the nameless Gods that it was considered improper for her to speak in public while in the empress’ presence lest they ask her to make some sort of speech to the gathered masses.

  “We bestow upon her the title of Dachi and all the rights, privileges and responsibilities that accompany it.”

  Wonderful, another title. I have something of a collection these days. Judging by the gasps of a few of the magistrates and the cheers from the more common folk Jez assumed the title was something of a big deal though she had never heard it before and no one had discussed the matter with her at all. Whatever privileges and responsibilities she was now entitled to, it was safe to say she neither wanted them, nor had she earned them.

  They’re making far too big a deal of this, Jez. Something’s not right. She was beginning to attract more than a few hostile stares from the magistrates and they weren’t even bothering to hide it. None would speak out for fear of reprisal by the empress. They were in front of the public now so any that argued with the young ruler were like to find themselves on the pointy end of a dragon-bone sword but Jezzet couldn’t shake the feeling the empress had painted a target on her, one that all the magistrates would be aiming for.

  The rest of the morning was less eventful and passed slowly. Jezzet had no problem with sitting still for hours on end, Yuri had made her do far worse and for far longer as part of her training, but it was certainly a dull way to waste her time. She found it hard to stop her mind from wandering and no sooner had her will slipped the damned thing made a beeline to thinking about Thanquil.

  She wondered how he was doing, where he was, whether he’d found the witch yet. More than that she wondered if he was thinking about her, wondered if he was missing her as much as she missed him.

  Jez looked around the great hall. Magistrates were in heavy attendance as always. Many of the more common folk, though none too low in class, still remained; they were required to kneel as well but their status did not afford them the luxury of a mat. The empress sat on her throne of bone with her great looming dragon behind and the Dragon Herald to her right.

  Drake isn’t here. Jez realised with a little too much disappointment for her own liking. She had come to expect the pirate’s smug presence and had almost come to enjoy their mutual amusement at the rigid formality of the empress’ court. They shared unspoken jokes in smiles and eye rolls and, though she would never trust him, she counted him as one of her few allies here in Soromo. After all, he wasn’t nearly so bad as all the stories made him out to be. He was pretty enough to warrant looking at and had a charm all of his own. She wondered where he was and why he wasn’t in attendance. If the empress was at all perturbed by his absence she showed it not a drop but Jez could imagine the girl was experiencing some turmoil of her own.

  It was a little before midday when the empress’ dragon called an end to court. The beast, which had appeared to be sleeping, let out a mournful rumble followed by a bark. The empress nodded and bade everyone leave. As Jezzet stood up to go she noticed magistrate Rurin and two others hanging back, no doubt attempting to secret a private word with the empress. She snorted out a laugh and made hastily for the exit. Some of the common folk, still under guard and made to stay until their betters had departed, applauded her as she passed. Jezzet quickened her pace to be gone from the awe-filled gazes.

  She found the Dragon Herald waiting for her outside of the great hall. Still dressed in his dragon bone armour he cut an impressive sight and again Jezzet felt the urge to prove herself against him in combat. He pulled her aside into a small room with a low desk with a mat either side. As with most rooms in Soromo it was separated from the rest of the building only by small paper screens.

  The Dragon Herald took a seat on one of the mats and waved Jezzet to the other before speaking in a hushed voice.

  “You are Dachi now,” the herald said.

  “Skipping the pleasantries are we? Well then yes, it appears I am. And what exactly does it mean?”

  The herald frowned, obviously trying to translate the word into a more common term. “Dragon Friend.”

  Jezzet cocked an eyebrow. “Only dragon I know is the empress’ and I’m not sure we’re friends, certainly not on first name terms.”

  The herald didn’t laugh, nor did he frown, he stared on impassively at Jez until she sighed and shrugged. “Go on.”

  “The empress has not made many allies amongst the magistrates in making you Dachi. You are the first in almost one hundred years and the only woman ever to have been honoured with the title.”

  “Well I certainly feel honoured,”
Jez quipped with a smile but was rewarded with yet more nothing. The Dragon Herald could almost have been made from stone he was some impassive. “So what does it actually mean?”

  “You are entitled to purchase land within the Dragon Empire and have been granted a home in the Kai district.”

  Jezzet’s eyes widened at this. The Kai district was reserved for visiting royalty, Dragon Princes and only the most trusted of the magistrates. For Jezzet to be granted a home in the most prominent district in the city. No wonder the magistrates weren’t pleased.

  “The upkeep of your house will be your responsibility,” the herald continued ignoring Jez’s obvious surprise. “You have also now have a seat on the council. You will be required to attend at least once per month while residing in Soromo and your voice will add to the others.”

  The council was a ruling class that existed under the empress. Decisions deemed not important enough for her attention were discussed, at length, and made by the council and they had always been exclusively male. For Jezzet to hold such a seat, such a voice…

  You’re being played, Jez.

  “Why?” she asked.

  “Because the empress wishes it.”

  “Sure, but, why?”

  The Dragon Herald stood and bowed his head. “Your things have already been moved to your new household. I will have a servant meet you outside to show you the way.

  “Good luck, Dachi Blademaster Jezzet Vel’urn.”

  With that the herald walked to the door, slid open the panel and was gone. Jezzet sat still for a few moments, shocked and unsure of how to react. For the empress to give her a position of such power. Over the years Jez had developed a good sense of when she was being made a pawn in a much larger game and right now that sense was tingling. Unfortunately, other than turning tail and running, she could think of no way to extricate herself from the situation. With a frustrated resolve she determined to go along with the whims of the empress. At least until Thanquil returned, then she decided they’d find a pressing need to be elsewhere.

  That night they came for her in force.

  Jezzet

  The first Dragon Knight died in an instant, unprepared for a rudely awoken Blademaster he didn’t even have time to raise his pretty sword.

  Jez had always been a light sleeper. In the early days of her training it had served to warn her when Yuri was coming to her for sex. She would lie awake and feign sleep until the old bastard had touched her, until he disrobed and thrust himself inside of her without ceremony. Later in her training they had turned her light sleeping into an exercise. Yuri would try to sneak up on her, to attack her unawares. Not once did her old master succeed but despite her always waking at his approach she never once got the better of him.

  But that was then and this was now. These men were not Yuri and she was no longer an apprentice. She was the Blademaster now with near a decade of experience and in all that time only one man had ever managed to sneak up on her; Thanquil.

  She rolled out of bed, instinct making her body react long before her mind registered the specifics of the situation. The first Dragon Knight had barged through the door and Jez’s sword cut a broad stroke across his unprotected face and he dropped to the floor heavy and dead.

  She was in her new home, in the largest of the sleeping rooms and surrounded by paper screens that acted as walls. Silhouettes already warned her there were more assailants and she already knew she wouldn’t be able to match them for strength.

  As the second Dragon Knight burst into the small room, ignoring the door and instead tearing apart the paper of the wall, Jez snatched up her second short sword. Some part of her had registered the tightness of her surroundings and had decided the long sword would be too unwieldy. She wore only her undergarments; a pair of pants and a soft cotton top, both white.

  There was a time you would sleep in your armour, Jez. You’ve been living comfortably for too long.

  Most men in the Dragon Empire might pause and stare at her lightly clothed form but these were Dragon Knights and they were not so easily distracted. Jezzet used both swords to block a deadly swipe as another two men crashed into her small room.

  You need better surroundings, Jez. Run!

  She spat in the face of the Dragon Knight, turned and ran, snatching up her tabard as she went and crashing through one of the paper panels. Damned flimsy walls work both ways. It pained her to leave her long sword behind but there was nothing for it.

  Jez barrelled through two more rooms, leaving torn paper and angry shouts in her wake before running into the outside wall of the building, a wooden wall. A Dragon Knight emerged to her left and before he had a chance to take stock Jezzet launched herself at the man. He deflected her first sword with his chain-linked armour but her second found a weak link and slid into his belly. Jez felt hot liquid wash over her hand as the man fell away from her with an expression caught between surprise and incomprehension. She wasted no time in pondering the expression but ran as more Dragon Knights arrived.

  Even with her right hand slick with blood it took only a moment to throw her tabard over her head and another to belt it around her. She burst out of the side doorway to find herself in a garden she didn’t remember seeing before. Jez had spent almost ten minutes earlier that day surveying her new home before boredom set in, that it had coincided with her finding a cupboard full of rice wine was merely a happy coincidence.

  Now she found herself surrounded by cropped green grass on miniature hill in the middle of the grounds. Fruit trees clustered around the edges of the garden and somewhere to her left she heard trickling water and the occasional sound of wood striking wood. The moon was high and almost a full circle and the stars crowded the night sky like thousands of tiny candles all flickering at once to prove their existence. She was surrounded by Dragon Knights.

  Those left from the party that had tried to take her by surprise piled through the door behind her. Those in front and to her sides stood at the ready, swords drawn and expressions stony.

  Jez stopped in the centre of the little grass garden and took stock. She counted fifteen Dragon Knights and with the two she had already murdered that put her somewhere close to fucked.

  Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.

  “Put down your swords, Blademaster,” said one of the Dragon Knights. Jez focused on him assuming he was the most senior of the group and the man in charge.

  She grinned, wild and menacing though she didn’t feel it. “I was about to say the same to you. Unless you want to fetch some more men so we can call this an even fight.”

  “You’re under arrest.”

  Jez laughed. “And which one of you wants to be the first to try taking me in?”

  “By order of the Dragon Empress.”

  She stopped smiling. That changes things. Can’t fight the whole fucking city, Jez.

  “What’s the charge?” she asked, stalling for time, for a way out, for any sort of advantage. Being out numbered seventeen to one was not her idea of a fun night under any circumstances and never less so than when the seventeen carried seventeen pointy objects.

  The man in charge stared on. “Put down your swords.”

  It was all starting to feel horribly familiar. She’d been arrested in Sarth in much the same fashion. Outnumbered, surrounded, the dead of night, her wearing little or less and no charge to speak of. Well the latter wasn’t entirely accurate given that in Sarth the guard had witnessed her murder a man. That the man had been a heretical Arbiter attempting to subvert the very organisation tasked with purging heresy was an ironical truth that had never come to light. Arbiter Kosh had died a nameless body on the streets of Sarth and Jez had given up her sword, surrendered to the guard and spent the next two weeks in prison awaiting sentence. Thanquil had come to her rescue then, much like the first time they met in gaol of Chade. A proud woman might have bristled at that but pride was not a vanity Jezzet Vel’urn counted, she had long ago given that up in favour of survival.

  “Last time
, Blademaster. Put down your swords.”

  Better locked up and alive than free and dead, Jez.

  She held the façade for a few more seconds before straightening, dropping her swords and taking a step backwards. The Dragon Knights wasted no time in rushing in to secure her. Gauntleted hands grabbed her, shoving her this way and that. A foot kicked in to the back of her knee and Jez went down, collapsing into the grass with her arms still held out. She gave an involuntary cry of pain as one of the knights pinned her arms behind her back and manacles were fixed around her wrists. A hand wrapped around the back of her neck and Jez found herself wrenched back to her feet to face the lead Dragon Knight. Another hand grabbed hold of her hair from behind and wrenched her head backwards. She glared deadly daggers at the man in front of her.

  “Blademaster Jezzet Vel’urn,” the Dragon Knight said in a formal tone. “By order of the Dragon Empress Rei Chiyo I place you under arrest until such time as she deems you ready for trial.”

  The man grabbed Jezzet by the chin and stared down into her face. She didn’t struggle, she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. “You killed two of my men.”

  A fist connected with her gut with such force Jez felt the lights go dim. The wind was blasted from her and her body simply couldn’t remember how to breathe. She slumped, gasping and the men holding her let go. She hit the floor and writhed in pain, still trying to draw breath.

  “Nothing permanent,” she heard the Dragon Knight say. “And nothing visible.”

  When she woke Jez could honestly say, she hurt. The knights had worked her over good and proper after she had lost consciousness and though her face was blessedly free of swelling, a small mercy but at times like this she was willing to jump on any that happened to be going, the rest of her was not. Her entire body felt stiff and she ached in every limb. Her laboured breathing convinced her she had at least one broken rib and… It suddenly dawned on Jezzet that she felt wet.