Horses approaching in the distance distracted her from the light, her eyes lifting up to gaze at the entrance of her tent. Almost instantly the glow dissipated, dimming the tiny space back to the darkness it had been before. The thick material of the tent prevented any light from filtering in from outside. She hadn’t realized just how dark it was until the glow was gone.
She strained her ears to hear what the voices were saying outside. Several of them sounded familiar, but the one she cared about was the Captain. He was a brave fighter, yet she found herself constantly worried about his safety. She feared what would happen to her if anything ill were to befall him. The new captain might not be so forgiving of her secret. And even more so, he might not be as understanding as a friend.
At first she could make out nothing but the murmur of multiple voices all speaking at once. The other men were finding their way to their tents, discussing the highlights of their battle. There were enough voices to assure her they’d been victorious. They were much too relaxed and numerous to be returning from a failed attack. Still, she had not heard Thade’s familiar tone. She’d yet to even make out the sound of Feolan amongst the racket of celebrating soldiers.
Eventually the noise started to taper off, the men finally settling down for the night. The celebration would continue in full force once they returned to the city of Siscal. For now, all they could do was sleep.
Sliding closer to the side of her tent, she listened intently, aware of soft voices still coming from somewhere just outside. Relief flooded her as she recognized one of them to be Thade, though his words were too muffled to make out. It didn’t matter what he was saying – only that he was safe.
Content with knowing everything was well, she moved back into the center of the tent. A single thin blanket offered her a minor respite from the cold. Lying down on the hard ground, she drew the blanket up to her chin, covering herself up tightly; her body curled into a ball. She had survived another battle; but she wondered when they might finally survive the war.
The cool breeze brushed along the skin of Leyna’s neck. Even in the height of the daytime the temperature remained frigid, a sign of the coming winter months in the mountains. They anticipated a return to Siscal before the weather could take a turn for the worst. From outside her tent, she watched the soldiers casually strolling about, enjoying the mild warmth the afternoon sun offered. The night had been even colder than usual, leaving her with a chill all the way through her.
In a mild daze she worked at doing up the buttons on her jacket, her fingertips frozen to the point where any detailed movement felt clumsy and uncoordinated. The skin was numb, making it difficult to know whether or not she was even successfully getting them done up correctly. She hated not having her uniform perfect. While the men preferred to relax in the more basic pieces of their attire, she tended to remain in full dress, finding it easier to conceal her scrawny figure under the heavy fabrics and layers of clothing.
Behind her she caught the sound of someone calling her name, her head snapping up attentively in the direction of the voice. Smiling through the cold, she made her way toward Feolan’s tent, nodding to him in response to his summons. His tent was larger than many of the others, allowing ample room for himself and Thade to sleep. It acted as more of a portable office, though no one was usually ever allowed inside with them unless there was something wrong. That was the place where they formulated their attack plans. Their dedication to keeping the strategies outside the reach of enemy ears prevented them from most idle chatter while at camp.
Around her she could hear the sounds of the soldiers snickering, heckling her from where they watched her being escorted into the tent. They assumed the same as she did that she was in some kind of trouble. She just didn’t know for what.
Inside she found Thade standing next to a makeshift table, tapping his index finger absently on the surface. He seemed far away in his thoughts. Leyna wasn’t even sure he was aware of her entrance to the tent. He appeared mostly unscratched from their battles the day before. A single bruise could be seen on one side of his face, darkening the skin slightly at the top of his high cheekbone. Other than the exhaustion she could see in his eyes, he looked in good health.
“Is something wrong?” she asked, her nervous curiosity getting the better of her. The anticipation caused her heart to flutter in her chest. She felt her actions had all been within the rules, but it was hard to tell by the distant expressions on the faces of her superior officers.
“Why would something be wrong?” Feolan chuckled lightly. The tone of his voice helped to ease Leyna’s worry, sounding too casual to imply any disappointment in her. “Truthfully, the first lieutenant, under normal circumstances, would share the tent with us to help strategize our defense – so there is no need to worry about being in trouble if we request your presence. We simply gave you your own tent because we felt it wasn’t appropriate for a young girl such as yourself to be bunking with two old dogs such as us.”
For the first time since her arrival, Leyna could see Thade’s shoulders shake with a quiet burst of laughter, his eyes glancing over to them tiredly. “Old? Speak for yourself maybe. I still have plenty of good years left in me.”
She’d never pondered his age before. Hearing his comment brought a deeper inquisitiveness out in her mind. He didn’t look nearly as old as his stature and mannerisms might suggest, though with the Vor’shai it was too difficult to even contemplate guessing age. Once one of their people had reached adulthood, their features changed very little. It was the signs of life experience that made their age more apparent. A clench to their jaw or creases in their skin from years of worry or thought. The only part of them which held significant truth was their eyes. They were truly the window to their soul in many ways – and for the first time Leyna realized Thade’s eyes, though hardened from his years at war, still held a glow of youth deep inside them.
Bashfully, Leyna averted her gaze, embarrassed to find herself staring so directly at him. Regardless of the ages of them all, she understood exactly why it was inappropriate for her to share the tent with them. War or not, there were still social expectations for a young woman to behave virtuously. To disregard that outward appearance, even if she were doing nothing wrong behind closed doors, could still mar her reputation among society. The lifestyle of a soldier was unladylike enough, with their harsh living arrangements and the masculine style of dress.
“Well, I won’t argue your decision to keep me tucked away in my own private quarters. The privacy is certainly preferred over the behaviors I saw while sharing camp with the other women.”
Feolan checked the entrance to the tent, making sure it was securely closed. Content that they were adequately alone, he motioned for Leyna to step away from the door, gesturing to a stool resting to one side of the table. She’d never been inside the command tent before. A wave of pride washed over her as she accepted Feolan’s offer, situating herself confidently on the seat.
She was surprised to find the table empty aside from a single piece of parchment lying near Thade’s hand. In her mind, she always pictured the tent to be filled with maps on which they would plot their next course of action. It was hard to think of them creating all the brilliant strategies they had used to maintain the upper hand for so long in the war on nothing but a thin parchment. “So, what is it exactly that you both have been mulling over in here all morning?”
“Always straight to business with you,” Feolan nodded. He made his way over to a stool across from Leyna, seating himself and placing his elbows on the table. Clasping his hands together, he gazed at her steadily, seeming to search her face for something she couldn’t quite understand before speaking again. “I told you word was sent to Tanispa about the Ven’shal which attacked you when we arrived in town.”
Leyna moved her head up and down slowly, unsure of what he was getting at. “Yes, you mentioned it.” A brief response felt better than nothing. She wanted to make a good impression. Attentiveness now was cr
ucial in order to solidify her importance in the new position she was in. Hundreds of others had been vying for the first lieutenant promotion, and it had been given to her. She didn’t want to make them regret their decision.
“The Prince is coming to Siscal,” Thade sighed, his tone sounding almost irritated by the news. Folding his arms across his chest, he turned away from the table, making it difficult for Leyna to see his face to decipher his true attitude on the matter. He seemed to be intentionally avoiding her questioning gaze, his attention directed absently off into the empty back corner of the tent.
“Is this – bad?” Leyna asked hesitantly. She thought it sounded important, but she couldn’t tell by the behavior of the others. They were making it impossible for her to know how to react to the thought of seeing the Tanispan Prince. She knew very little about him, but if he was royalty, she could only imagine the honor it would be to meet him.
Unclasping his hands, Feolan straightened his back on the stool. He looked contemplative at first. His brows were furrowed in deep thought, his eyes cast slightly downward at the table. After a moment he looked back up to her, shrugging his shoulders in an oddly nonchalant way. “It depends on your opinion of the Prince. He has a bit of a reputation, but that really doesn’t change the fact that he is the current heir to the throne. Some of us are still a bit biased and hold a deep disappointment in his way of conducting business in comparison to his late brother.”
“Brother?” she asked, the word slipping from her lips before she had a chance to think over the question. Nibbling her lower lip in embarrassment, she lowered her eyes down to the table, scolding herself for having made her lack of knowledge of the Vor’shai royalty so obvious.
Feolan looked taken aback by her inquiry before quickly regaining his composure, smiling at her with an understanding nod. “I forget sometimes that you were not raised among our people.” The comment stung her. She knew it wasn’t intended to be as biting as she took it, but she couldn’t help her reaction. Any reminder of her poor upbringing for a Vor’shai child hit her harder than any other insult. She wanted so badly to be accepted and yet she was so set apart from her people that it felt out of her reach to accomplish.
At his words she couldn’t help but hang her head dejectedly. Her shoulders bowed forward, as if suddenly burdened by some invisible weight. So far she was failing at her attempts to pretend she was knowledgeable of the topics they might present her. It was humiliating.
Noticing her reaction, Feolan quickly tried to retract his statement, his eyes glancing over to Thade for some kind of support. Thade’s attention remained distant, oblivious to Feolan’s struggle. “There is nothing wrong with that, mind you. I just meant – I tend to talk without thinking that the entire company may not know exactly what I am speaking of…”
“Think nothing of it,” Leyna replied dismissively, her eyes still locked on the uneven floor of the tent. “Do not worry about me. I am here to seek the knowledge I don’t have so that I can be better prepared for the things you might ask of me.”
“Queen Vorsila gave birth to seven children before her husband died,” Thade said suddenly, the sound of his voice surprising Leyna with his sudden return to the conversation. “The first daughter died in infancy of an illness which affected her lungs. Her next child, and heir to the throne, Princess Amari, was murdered by the Ven’shal. Her brother, Prince Ehren, became the next tentative heir until a female child became of age. While he was living, the Queen’s twin daughters, Kaelin and Kadri, were kidnapped and found dead several weeks later. Although their murderer was never found, the cause of death was assumed to be at the hands of the Ven’shal.”
“That is awful,” Leyna frowned. She wasn’t sure what was worse about the information; whether it was the reality itself, or the detached manner in which Thade addressed it. His voice droned like that of a history teacher giving a lesson to a class rather than a man discussing the fate of his people. “It is as if they were targeting her daughters specifically.”
Still facing away toward the back of the tent, Thade continued speaking, his voice steady and emotionless. “That was what the Queen thought as well. With the last of her daughters dead, she thought her sons would be safe. Instead, about twelve years ago or so, Prince Ehren was assassinated while on a trip to Mialan. His assassin was caught and executed. A Ven’shal sorcerer.”
“And the current Prince… who is…”
“Prince Enaes,” Feolan chuckled, coming to her rescue with the name. She smiled back at him gratefully. There were so many names she’d never heard before; though a vague memory fluttered through her head. Something her mother had said. Yes. She had spoken the name of Ehren. They had been out shopping one day and passed by – something. The image was too hazy in her mind. She’d asked her mother about it. A memorial of some kind. Erected in Mialan in memory of the Prince.
A wash of excitement flowed through her at the thought. Her mother had spoken of their people on many occasions but so many of her words were lost to the years. She hated the fact that she’d failed to retain her mother’s teachings. It was her only knowledge of the life they lived before they moved away from Tanispa. Her mind had just been too young to hold onto it in any conscious form. “Right, Enaes – if so many people feel he is not suitable, why do they not choose another to be the heir. There is still another child, isn’t there?”
“The youngest son was pulled from the public eye before he was even old enough to be introduced to society. A precautionary measure for his safety. Enaes is rather fond of his position. To remove him from it would only cause hostility within the family and that would serve little use.” Rising from his seat, Feolan moved over to where Thade had been standing, lifting the parchment from the table to look it over carefully.
Sensing Feolan behind him, Thade turned back around to face them both. The distance had left his eyes, leaving behind the familiar calm Leyna had grown so accustomed to seeing there. “This conversation is not appropriate. We should not be speaking so poorly of our Prince. Enaes is a good man and he does well with his position. He will not shirk the responsibilities… unless there is a tempting enough woman to distract him from them.”
Thade’s lips curled up into a curious half-smile. Leyna wasn’t sure whether or not she should laugh at his comment, though she found it to be amusing. She waited until Feolan’s voice chimed in before she gave in to the giggle building up inside her. “I think that is true for most men,” Feolan grinned. “Women are the ultimate evil for a man of power.”
“Well that hardly seems fair,” Leyna smirked, folding her arms across her chest. “Not all women are evil.”
“You may not be yet, but some day perhaps it will happen unintentionally for you,” Thade smiled, patting Leyna’s back on his way over to the stool where Feolan had been seated. “It’s the women who do not purposely use their charms that are the most dangerous. They are harder to spot and they hit you before you even realize what is happening. The ones who know how to use their wiles are far too obvious to be successful with a clever man.”
“You sound like you are giving me advice on how to seduce powerful men.” Leyna couldn’t help but laugh at the thought. She lacked in every quality which a woman could use to catch the eye of such a man. To even think about attempting to seduce anyone – the thought was too funny to consider as anything more than a joke.
Feolan stepped calmly over to Leyna’s side, holding the parchment out for her to see. “Our issue here is not that you will seduce a powerful man, but that a powerful man may try to seduce you.”
The words on the parchment blurred together at first, the fancy script delicately showcasing the Vor’shai language. She’d never seen it in writing before – that she could recall. It looked oddly foreign. When spoken it flowed easily and gracefully off the tongue, but in reading it she had to sound everything out more slowly in fear of misunderstanding the message.
Prince Enaes was coming to Siscal. He requested the presence of General Matia
s and Captain Thade, which was to be expected, in her opinion. If he had questions about the situation, the top military men made sense to be in attendance. What she didn’t understand was how any of this had to do with her. “I doubt he will even see me.”
“He will,” Feolan replied. His serious tone returned, the lightheartedness of their prior conversation no longer visible in his actions. He seemed truly troubled by the situation. As for why, Leyna couldn’t even venture a guess. “While he is in Siscal, he will be under the protection of the military here. What this means, is that we will be providing him with a constant guard.”
“I would assume that guard to be you, Commander,” Leyna cut in politely. Order of command made the most sense when determining who should stand at the side of someone as important as the Prince. There were a great many people in the Siscalian military that ranked much higher than herself.
Feolan paused for a moment, looking over to Thade calmly. A silent exchange passed between them. After a brief silence, they both nodded to one another, with Thade suddenly rising up from his seat in a smooth and graceful motion. Setting his eyes on Leyna, he leaned across the table, bracing his upper body with his palms against the surface. “Prince Enaes trusts no one outside the Vor’shai. With this in mind, his guard cannot be anything else. Normally, this would indeed place Feolan at his side for protection, but other details seem to be hindering us.”
Leyna started to speak but quickly thought better of it. They were making her nervous. Had something happened that she wasn’t aware of? Did the Prince dislike Feolan – or even worse, had he somehow requested her? That was foolish to even think. He didn’t know her and Feolan was much too distinguished of a man to have done something to upset their people.
“General Matias suffered a strong loss a few months back during a battle against a band of Sanarik. He lost one of his commanders to their attack. Last evening during the second wave of Namiren units, his first commander was severely injured. If General Matias leaves to accompany me to Siscal, he would then be leaving the entirety of his men under the watch of a lieutenant – and that is not proper procedure. We have been left with no choice but to place Feolan in charge of his men until General Matias can return from Siscal.”
The Myatheira Chronicles: The Vor'shai: From the Ashes (Volume 1) Page 12