Turning Reina away from her sister’s body, Leyna pushed her through the door, checking to make sure the coin pouch was still attached to her wrist. Feeling the weight of it, she began to lead Reina into the rapidly deepening darkness of the night, praying the light of the moon would be enough to guide them to the docks.
Chapter One
“Never take your eyes off your opponent,” the teacher lectured, lunging forward at Leyna with a flat-tipped wooden sword. Parrying it away, she tried to maneuver around him, feeling the sweat dripping down into her eyes. The heat of the sun was unbearable in the heavy armor she was wearing, her throat parched from the rigorous exercise.
Gracefully ducking to the side, she evaded the teacher’s next strike, poking the tip of her own sword against his back triumphantly. Stepping away from him, she made sure she was out of range for any further attacks, watching him cautiously until he turned to face her with a smile. “Very good,” he nodded, moving his sword across his body in a salute. “You’re getting much better.”
“That’s why I’m here,” she shrugged, returning his salute respectfully. Grabbing onto her practice helmet with a firm hold, she pulled it from her head, shaking her long black hair loose over her shoulders. The air from the training yard felt good against her face, cooling her warm skin. She didn’t mind the dust particles that filled her nose from the dry ground. All she cared about was the breeze, trying to ease her body before it overheated.
“Have you had any luck finding a job?” he asked. His arm reached out to take the sword from Leyna’s hand with a smile. “I know there aren’t very many around here and you said your income from helping teach wasn’t enough for you and the child.”
Shaking her head, Leyna gave a soft sigh, lowering her eyes to the ground sadly. “I have been trying, but no one will hire me. They all know how young I am. No one wants to bring on a child. It looks bad for business.”
“You’re what? Fifteen?” he asked curiously, pulling a flask from his belt. Tipping it up to his lips, he took a drink, basking in the hot rays of the sun. His skin was deeply tanned from his exposure to the elements, his hair a shocking mass of white in contrast to the complexion. His soft blue eyes looked her over carefully, appraising her appearance with a critical gaze. “That’s a fine age for my people. You Vor’shai will never make sense to me.”
Leyna tapped her fingertips idly over the metal of her helmet still clutched in her hand, shrugging her shoulders dismissively. She knew that as a simple human race, his culture was far too different from her own, leaving a gap between them that she’d found common with all of his kind. The life span of the Vor’shai people was known to far exceed the limitations of so many others, their secret rumored to be hidden within the magic which coursed through their bodies. Due to the extensiveness of their physical life, their maturing process was much slower than that of the human races, drawing out their childhood state.
At the age of fifteen she was still considered a child among her people. Although it was customary for a Vor’shai to be kept from society until such an age they were deemed adult, Leyna had found herself thrust out on her own, forced to find her way in a world that was less than accepting of her. Schooling was difficult to come by and she counted her blessings every day that her teacher had agreed to take her in, granting her an education which otherwise would have been denied to her.
“I hear the military in Siscal is in need of soldiers. I was contemplating attempting acceptance into the ranks there,” Leyna replied absently, following her teacher into the much needed shade of the school. A series of racks had been set up near the door, allowing a place for students to put their armor after each training session. Locating the one designated for her, she arranged her helmet at the top of the rack, tugging on it to make sure it was securely in place.
Her teacher went to work at his chest armor, pulling it carefully over his head to situate it on the rack with the rest. While tying it in place, he glanced over to Leyna with uncertainty, his eyes searching her expression as if expecting her to admit she’d been speaking in jest. “You can’t possibly be serious,” he chuckled. His hand patted at the armor contentedly before making his way back over to her. “If you can’t even get a job cleaning the stables around here, what makes you think they’ll allow you into the military?”
“And what makes you think I have to tell them my age?” she shrugged, winking deviously at him. “Blaise, you’ve said it yourself in the past that I can keep up with the best of the warriors here in Carpaen. Would the armies in Siscal be any different that they would require such far superior fighters?”
“Leyna, it’s different,” he sighed, his shoulders drooping in defeat. She could see the frantic look in his eyes while he struggled to find the right words to deter her from the idea. “Carpaen isn’t at war. If you joined the military here, they would provide you with the training you needed. If you went to Siscal they would toss you into a unit and you’d be on the battlefield before you could even blink.”
“But the military here won’t accept me. They know me; and they know how young I am. It’s not an option.” A frown passed over Leyna’s slender features, all traces of her lighthearted humor from before dissipating with the seriousness of her tone. “I have very little in the means of options. There is nothing else I can do.”
Blaise stared back at her, his eyes alone speaking of his discontent with what she suggested. Unable to bear his disheartened gaze any longer, Leyna brushed past him down the hallway, making her way further into the school. She could hear the sound of his footsteps following her, loudly echoing off the stone walls. “And what if they find out you lied to them? How do you think they would react to that slight?”
She came to a stop in the middle of the hallway, pursing her lips together at the sound of Blaise’s voice. It was something she’d contemplated herself when considering her options. Lying to any government could hold severe consequences, though she couldn’t be honest with anyone if she had any hope of making a living. For years she’d spent her time scraping every coin she could find, picking up any odd job that would offer her something more. It just wasn’t enough.
Her first year in Carpaen, she and Reina had slept in the streets until she managed to beg enough money from the shoppers in the market. Eventually they were able to pay for a room at the cheapest inn she could find in the slums. When she’d come to the academy in the city of Eykanua, it had been to beg for work from the administrators. If Blaise hadn’t taken pity on her and brought her in as his student, she and Reina would’ve been back out on the streets with nothing. But he’d taken her in, teaching her the ways of military combat and fighting for her to be able to work as an assistant to him in his classes. The time Leyna spent in the streets was all she needed to know that she had to do something in order to prevent Reina from ever having to live that way again. It didn’t matter what the risk was to her; even if it meant going off to war in a country she’d never seen with her own eyes.
“They will just have to not find out, then,” she said quietly, rubbing the tip of her ear thoughtfully. Blaise’s footsteps grew nearer as he made his way to her side, his expression reminding her of a father preparing to lecture their child. Before he could start to speak, she held up her hand to cut him off, shaking her head vehemently. “Do not try to talk me out of it. I have already managed to save up enough money for a horse and enough food to take along with me on the journey.”
“This will never work, Leyna,” Blaise argued, lightly pushing her hand back down to look her in the eye. “You may be able to talk like an adult, but you don’t look one. If there are any Vor’shai people in the military in Siscal they will call your bluff instantly upon seeing your face.”
Hanging her head shamefully, she stared down at her ragged dress, the hem of it frayed from wear. Oversized for her small figure, the material draped past her feet, dragging on the ground with every step she took. The fabric was stained from mud and dust gathered in the training courtyard, its a
ppearance unsightly, holes worn through the sleeves. Folding her arms across her abdomen she tried to hide it from view, her discomfort evident in her hunched posture. “My age is only noticeable because I look like a ragamuffin. If I am able to present myself with a bit of dignity, I may have a chance at fooling them.”
The sound of Blaise’s defeated sigh reached her ears. “You are too stubborn for me to even think I could change your mind,” he frowned, tilting her chin upward with his hand. “Promise me you will at least tell me when you plan to leave so that I might be able to help you.”
“By the week’s end. I have already spoken with the administrators here at the academy and they have granted me leave,” she replied calmly, shifting her head away from Blaise’s touch. Of all the people in Carpaen she’d come to know, it was Blaise she’d dreaded telling about her plans, knowing he wouldn’t agree with her decision. Despite her young age among her own people, it had been a poorly guarded secret throughout the students at the academy of his affection for her. Though he had not spoken of it, she’d been made aware through the rumors, causing a feeling of awkwardness when near him. There was no doubt in her mind going into the conversation that he would take it the hardest of anyone; she simply hoped she could use whatever persuasive abilities she had to convince him that he had no say in the matter.
“You’ve already spoken with the administrators? How long have you been planning this?” he demanded, reaching out for her again. With a sharp gesture of her hand she pushed his arm away, stepping back to place distance between them.
“Several months now,” Leyna stated defiantly. She could see the hurt in his eyes. At her dismissive behavior, his expression contorted into anger, quickly working to regain his composure. He stared at her in disbelief of her actions, making a move as if to close the gap between them before thinking better of it.
Other students of the academy had started to filter into the hallway, their curious gazes watching them with growing interest at the scene. It was difficult to ignore the burning eyes of the onlookers anxiously awaiting what would happen next. Running her fingers through her hair she turned away from him, her feet carrying her toward the front of the academy with determined strides, throwing her final words over her shoulder. “I will not discuss the matter any further with you.”
She was grateful for the silence in response, assuring her Blaise had chosen not to follow. The nerve of him; she thought in frustration, her fists clenched tightly at her sides. If I had known he would assume he had any rights over my life because he took me in, I never would have accepted…
The anger slowly waned at her own thoughts, realizing she was lying to herself. Without him, there was no way to know where she and Reina would be now; if they would even still be alive. She owed their lives to him and yet she couldn’t help but feel he was asking too much of her. Respect would dictate her to be in his debt; but honor argued that she was not obligated to offer her life to him. She was heir to a noble family of the great Vor’shai. She would bring more disgrace upon herself by becoming involved in any romantic dealings with a human than she would if she lived as a pauper surviving on bread crumbs and dressing in rags. Not far from how I am living now…
Stepping through the heavy doors at the entrance of the academy she immediately felt the unbearable heat from the sun bearing down on her face once again. The street was filled with horses and crowds of people hurrying along to the markets. Day was soon to become night, the merchants due to begin packing up their wares within a mere couple of hours. She could feel the hot gravel under her feet, burning her skin through the holes worn in the fabric of her slippers. The soles were peeling and worthless; the shoes serving as more of a decoration than actually acting in their intended function.
Cries from the local beggars filled her ears as she made her way further into the heart of the poorer section of town. The buildings were dilapidated, the paint peeling from the weathered exteriors while the roofs sagged with age. Reaching the door of the inn, she cringed at the sound of the creaking hinges. From behind the desk the clerk glanced up from her paperwork with an apathetic gaze, barely acknowledging Leyna’s presence before returning to her business.
The floor boards on the stairs groaned loudly under the weight of her steps, announcing her presence despite her attempts to keep quiet. Hurrying down the hallway she kept her eyes cast downward, finding her way to her room quickly while fumbling with the key. Silently, she slipped inside, closing the door behind her, double checking to make sure the latch was securely in place.
“Reina, I’m home!” she called out, looking around the room curiously. At the sound of her voice she watched the little blonde-haired head pop up from the other side of the bed on the floor, her green eyes opening excitedly. Scurrying over the blankets, she ran up to Leyna, wrapping her arms around her tightly.
Returning the gesture, Leyna patted her on the back, forcing a smile through the sadness she felt to see the young girl. She cared for her the way she would have cared for a sister, if she’d had one. The difference in their racial heritage meant little to Leyna after so many years. Reina was the closest thing to a family she had left. She was of Mialan descent, her skin remaining fair even through the exposure to the sun for so many years in Carpaen. The similarities of the Mialans to the Vor’shai could be seen easily between the two girls, the points of Reina’s ears less sharp than those of Leyna’s, though still noticeable from under her tangled mass of hair.
Lifting Reina up into her arms, Leyna carried her across the floor, setting her down carefully on the bed. “Oh, you’re getting too big,” she chuckled, lowering herself onto the mattress beside her. “In another year, I’m not sure I’ll still be able to pick you up.”
“I’m not that big,” Reina stated innocently, kicking her feet out to bounce down on the bed playfully. Reaching her hands out to her stomach, Leyna began to tickle her, a warmth flooding her senses at the sound of her laughter.
She hated the thought of leaving Reina behind in Eykanua. There was no other option for her, if she intended to leave, but the idea tore at her very insides. The question she was faced with was who would care for Reina while she was away. Although Reina was a year older than Leyna had been after her mother’s death, she wasn’t sure if she would be capable of caring for herself if left alone. She could think of no one else with whom she would trust such a responsibility; and the orphanage seemed too desolate of a place for a girl like her.
Unable to hide the distant look from her eyes, Leyna bowed her head forward, hoping to conceal her face from Reina. She didn’t want her to know the troubled thoughts that filled her head, afraid they would worry her young mind. It was all too much for a girl so small. Her time should be spent with toys and fresh air, not struggling to find money in the putrid streets of this decaying town.
A gentle tugging on the sleeve of her tattered dress pulled her from her thoughts, her lips turning upward into a smile at the sight of Reina curled up by her side. “Leyna, why do you have to leave?” Reina asked quietly, snuggling against her. “I don’t want you to go.”
“I have to, sweetie,” Leyna frowned, gently twirling Reina’s blonde locks around her finger, holding her tight. “The innkeeper has decided to raise our rent and I don’t make enough money at the academy to pay for it. If I stay here, we will end up back out on the streets again and I couldn’t bear to see that happen.”
“But you said the orphanage would have kids we could play with. We could both go there,” Reina pouted, her lower lip sticking out pathetically. “Then you wouldn’t have to go to work all the time. You could stay and play with me.”
Leyna ruffled the young girl’s hair, leaning forward to give her a kiss on the forehead. “I am too old for the orphanage. They will accept you, but I am beyond the age of entry there now. I think you would like it there while I am away. And when the war in Siscal is over, I could come get you and you could come live with me in the north.”
“Could we have a big house and eat
chocolate every day?” Reina asked excitedly, shifting on the bed to stare at her happily. Unable to resist a smile, Leyna laughed softly, pulling Reina to her in a tight hug.
“Of course we will. And you can have ice cream for breakfast every morning and a new dress every week for you to dirty while you play,” she smiled, tapping the tip of Reina’s nose. Reina’s face wrinkled up with a giggle, her body squirming free of Leyna’s arms.
“I hope the war gets over soon, then,” she said absently, ducking back down beside the bed where she’d been when Leyna first arrived home. “I don’t think the kids at the orphanage will like me. What if they’re mean to me?”
Slowly rising from the bed, Leyna watched Reina playing with a tattered old doll, one of the arms nearly torn completely from its body with the stuffing poking out of the seam. The painted smile on its face was worn almost entirely away, its eyes staring out like little dots on a wooden ball, no longer discernable as what they’d originally been. “They won’t be mean to you,” she assured her. “They will love you; just so long as you share your toys and treat them all nicely.”
A familiar pain in her stomach caused her to hunch over uncomfortably, breathing deeply to ease the discomfort. It had been two days since she’d eaten last, her meals from the academy being the only source of food she could bring home to Reina. Grimacing, she realized she’d left the school without stopping by the lunchroom, leaving her with nothing to feed either one of them. She cursed under her breath, making her way toward the door, thinking desperately how she could manage something for Reina to eat. They had no coin to spare. Her only option was to go back and face the students at the academy again.
The Myatheira Chronicles: The Vor'shai: From the Ashes (Volume 1) Page 2