Oki-ven

Chapter Four

*Trigger Warning: This book contains violence and abuse against women and children. If you are badly affected by said topics, this book isn't for you.
Please leave a constructive comment. Also, please rate this. Writing is something I love doing. Even if you hated it, please rate it and com ent why.

^^^

The door bursting open had me awake and on my feet before I even registered that a man was shouting. It wasn't until I reached for my dagger that I realized I was nude, unarmed and in Sofia's room. She sat up, her eyes still half-glazed with sleep. Ryker loomed at the entrance, glowering at us.
Thank the gods that I can stand at all. I've woken up with worse than a sore throat and weak limbs after an attack.
“What in the Gods’ name is going on in here?” Ryker shouted.
"We were asleep after a spectacular night, if that is quite alright with his lordship." I snarled as I seized my shirt, throwing it on hastily. "What is all this damned shouting about? Is the estate under attack? Or is this because your breakfast has grown cold?"
Sofia reached for her own clothing to shield her body from her husband in a way I couldn’t dismiss.
I shot him a glare of my own as I fetched my trousers and belt. “If you do not mind, Lord Ryker, you are upsetting my sweet Sofia. Do leave.”
“You cannot command me out of my wife’s room, noble blood or not!”
I stood rigidly between the two, meeting his gaze with fire in my eyes. “I do believe you are unclear on the rights of women in Zenith.”
“I am very aware of where women sit there. Here they are beneath men.”
I crossed my arms. "I dare you to lay a hand on me, lorde. Your king would not be pleased to learn you struck a bard from the House of Sigrid."
Ryker turned away from me and faced Sofia. "Zenith trains their bards as assassins and spies, Sofia! This woman is a cut-throat!"
Surging out of bed, she exploded. “So, on an assumption you poisoned my lover?!”
“I did no such thing!” Ryker snarled out. “She probably did not wash her hands after readying her poison for us!”
I threw my hands up in the air, rolling my eyes. "Do you even hear yourself speak? I cannot even stand the sight of blood."
"There are all sorts of threats on the road. How in the gods' name does one who travels get on if they cannot take looking at blood?"
I scoffed, waving away his question. "My war horse is so short-tempered I warn stable hands to let a master tend the beast."
Sofia got between us. "Symphony would not hire an assassin, Ryker. You tempt me to attempt such things with your lovers."
“Next time, if you would inform me-“
"As you inform me, Ryker?" She met his gaze, balling her hands to stop them from trembling.
Why is she doing this? This is my battle.
I watched as the two stared one another down. Sofia was trembling, but held his gaze and stood still. Her shoulders were almost as straight as his. Snarling, Ryker turned on his heel and slammed the door shut on the way out.
Sofia flinched, her shoulders slumping. "Well, I never!" She huffed, turning to her wardrobe. "Are you alright, Oki?"
Because she saw me last night. She truly believes he attempted to kill me. I suppose this will just make my job easier. Her knowing the truth will loose me the chance to kill this scum-bag.
"I'm fine. I believe the poison is out of my system."
"I meant..." She trailed off as she examined her clothes. "Never mind."
Sighing, I shook my head. "He does not frighten me, Sofia. I have seen his ilk many times in my travels."
Sofia didn't reply. She chose a beautiful blue dress with purple trim. She brushed her hair, washed her hands and face and put on a matching hat and gloves before picking out a pair of shoes that went with her outfit. I waited patiently while she did so.
If I would have slept in my own room, I could have changed my clothes as well.
But then I wouldn't have been here when Ryker popped in.
Sofia led the way out to the gardens, where a servant brought us fruit, bread, cheese and tea. I was picking at the bread more than eating it when Sofia spoke.
"Nature is so beautiful. I am glad I could convince Ryker to allow me to have the garden built and maintained. This was an empty space when I first moved in. We still had more money than what we needed, then."
“You like outside?”
“I adore it. When I was young, my mother would take us riding in the woods. She would point out all the different kinds of birds and animal tracks.”
“Women are taught such things here?”
“She was an excellent hunter, despite how little my father approved. She was a native.”
“Fascinating.”
That would explain some of your features, such as your height and darker skin. I also understand where some of your viewpoints come from, and your resourcefulness.
Sofia was quiet before asking “What about your family?”
I coughed up my tea.
"Oki? Are you alright?"
I held up a hand. "Fine, fine."
Once I’d recovered, I had to compose myself first.
She's never pried before. None of my clients or lovers have ever pried before. Should I lie?
I glanced up at her to see her on the edge of her chair, her eyes glued on me with a tight frown.
What's the harm in telling her? At least she won't call the physician again if I distract her.
I took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "As a bard, my father taught me to love music and stories. I learned reading, writing, history, and mythology. I spent many hours honing my voice as well as my body, learning how to project my voice, sing and dance.
Father taught me the art of speaking to people - how to move them, how to use words in ways I had never imagined before." I took a bite of the strawberry and chewed slowly, concentrating on the sweet juices of the ripe fruit.
"And your mother?"
I swallowed hard before setting down the berry. "Mother taught me swordplay, strategy, human anatomy, and finances. I was shown how to lead people into battle with a war cry that would dishearten the enemy."
"You learned both? Is that so you could be...?"
I shook my head. Another lump in my throat had me taking a gulp of the tea. "They could not decide if I were going to be a warlord or a bard."
“Why?”
I sat back to study her face carefully. She was leaning forward, having hardly touched her food. Her eyes were trained on me, with her lips in a slight smile.
She isn't prying for information. She's honestly just curious. Why, though? Why now, out of nowhere?
"Our heirs are determined by the child's gender. Not their sex, Sofia, but their gender. Sons will take a father's position, and a daughter will take their mother's. When I announced I felt that I am both genders, they were beside themselves."
"Couldn't another heir take the place you did not?"
"If I had siblings, yes. That very well could have worked out that way. If I had a sister, for example, it would be expected of me to take my father's place. Alas, that was not possible."
“Why not?”
“My mother had trouble conceiving children. My elder brother died before leaving the crib. No matter how Mother tried to give Father another child, it was not to be.”
“Have they sorted it out?”
“Deciding I did not have the stomach for up-front combat, I became a bard. Mother was satisfied that I still utilize the skills taught to me, though in a way not presented. Mother adopted a young woman to take the war lord position.”
“Do you two get along?”
“Very well. Aysha is a brave and brilliant woman who leads our armies well. That one would have made mother very proud.”
“You mother passed on?”
I paused a moment there before sighing. “Complications from the same illness that prevented childbearing. I…I was not there.” I cleared my throat.
"I am very sorry, Oki-ven. I did not mean to upset you."
“You did not know. What about your parents?”
“They are very happy monarchs, though I do believe my eldest brother Erik will soon take the throne. Father has been feeling his age of late, and my mother’s health is in decline. I do my best to visit, but Ryker does not like them. I am rarely permitted to see them. We write letters instead.”
“How cruel of him.”
Sofia raised an eyebrow, and smirked. “Indeed.”
Caught my intents behind that word, did you? This woman never ceases to impress me.
A servant refilled our tea, and we fell into an unfamiliar silence. Birdsong filled the garden. The scent of summer flowers reached me on the hot breeze. I watched the light play off Sofia's jewelry and butterflies flitter in the breeze.
No wonder she chatters endlessly. This is drull. Well, nothing like a story to fill the time.
"You know, in Zenith there is story about the seasons."
Sofia perked up, her eyes shinning. "There is?"
"Yes, and it is quite different from the one in Torro's texts."
"Oh, do tell!"
"The gods had just created the earth, and all the animals within it. Their children actually created the seasons."
"The children of the gods aren't gods themselves?"
"No. Their children are the sun, moon, wind, the land, and the sea. The gods were in the middle of arguing over who had created the world and who's creations was the best. Because of their constant battles, the weather was unstable.
Driving blizzards, twisters, raging fires, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, hurricanes - they would appear out of nowhere without reason or warning. It could do nothing but rain or not rain at all for months. One day it'd be cold enough to kill animals, yet on the next it'd be just as hot.
Animals, including humankind, begged and pleaded with the gods to stop their arguing. The gods were too busy to listen. So their children left their place in the heavens and came to earth. They spoke to the animals. Humans were the ones who voiced that they understood the glory of all the weather, even the bad weather. But what if it were stable - predictable?"
Sofia shifted forwards in her seat, forgetting her perfect posture. She had also seemingly forgotten about her food, as she wasn't eating either. "How did the children help, if it were their parents waging war causing the issues?"
"I'm getting to it." I chuckled. "The children of the gods returned to the heavens to find their parents were searching for them far and wide. When they demanded to know where they had gone, the children told them. They told them the conditions down on earth, and demanded the gods stop waging war against one another.
As parents tend to, they dismissed their children's concerns."
"Sometimes children don't have enough experience. But they sound like they knew what they were talking about."
"Many parents dismiss their children even when they know what they're talking about." I shrugged. "That is the case in this situation. The gods told the children that they would not stop arguing until they had figured out who was the true creator and had made the best creations.
So the Sun, Moon, Sea, Land and Wind left their parents to cause destruction and went to work trying to figure out how to balance the unstable weather. Moon and Sea knew they could counter Wolfe and Katana's magics if they could just create a magical spell to do so. They began to work together to do so.
Sun knew it could absorb any extreme heat and fend off extreme cold. Sun knew that their power would not last forever without resting. Land had an idea for that; it could let Sun rest until it felt restored. But it would cost Land energy itself.
Wind had a solution for this. Wind could sweep across the earth and bring Sea and Sun's magics across it, so the land could use their magic to revitalize itself."
"So they worked together to create magic?"
"Yes, but every one of them needs rest. That is why we have the four seasons in some places and not in others. The Wind can only run so fast and so far before it needs rest. Sun sits in the same place, so not everywhere gets enough of its magic, while others get too much. It is not perfect, but it is the best they could do. Their parents are stronger and older. And gods do not die, so they cannot wane in strength."
It wasn't just Sofia who'd listened to the story. Her servants joined her in applause as it ended. I glanced over at them before dismissing them.
It isn't the first time I have gained a larger audience than I assumed I would.
Vincent blazed out of the manor to fling himself on his mother. Sofia grunted, her chair inching back as her face went red. Her tea went flying. Hot tea splattered all over the table as the cup rolled to the ground. It shattered into a thousand tiny pieces. Birds called out an alarm, the entire flock taking flight. Servants scrambled to attend the mess with a ten-year-old in the way.
“Vincent! You right yourself this instant!” Sofia corrected sternly without raising her voice. I leaned back in my chair with a frown, putting my hand to my chin as I observed.
Removing himself, he gave a quick, meaningless apology to the servants before turning back to his mother. “Can we go for a walk, mother?”
“Now wait one moment, young man.” I cut in before Sofia could give in. “Do you not see the mess you made? The servants are cleaning it up, and you are not the least grateful for it.”
“It is their job.”
"They would not have a mess to clean up if it were not for you. What are you doing, racing about and slamming into your mother like some rascal hound? You have yet to properly apologize to any of us."
“You cannot tell me what to do. You are a woman.”
Sofia swatted her boy’s butt, making him whirl around with wide, doleful eyes. Tears gathered in them but didn't spill.
"Do not speak to an adult like that, Vincent! You are embarrassing me and insulting my friend by addressing ven in such a way! Oki-ven is nobility, child, and very special to me." Sofia frowned, forcefully righting her son. Her tone hardened. "Not to mention Oki is very right. You are behaving like some street rat, not like a Ziir's son. Apologize properly to all of us. Now."
I didn't think she had it in her.
Vincent hung his head. "Sorry, mother. I did not mean to hurt or embarrass you."
He gave me a low, sweeping bow. "I apologize for my unkind words, Oki-ven."
Aren't you a charmer? You won't be much unlike your mother, if she can straighten you out.
Then he hesitantly turned to the servants. "You did a wonderful job setting the table, and it was reckless of me to run about. I am sorry I made a mess of it."
"Now that is more like it. Behaving like an heir." I nodded approvingly. "Vincent, do not take my words hard. It is your job to make your parents proud. You cannot do that if you act half your age. You should be learning how to run an estate. Refine your manors, sharpen your mind and hone your blade."
He pondered what I had said before hesitantly speaking. “You are from far away?”
“Indeed.”
“Is that why you dress like that?”
“That is very observant. You would do your mother proud if you would behave.”
“You think so?”
"I do, if you could stop hiding under your mother's skirt and shirking your duties. You would make an excellent Ziir if you would only focus."
“Can you fight?”
“Yes.”
“Will you show me how?”
What an odd question from a boy in Torro.
"Learning to fight from a woman would do you a discredit. Pay heed to your tutors. Go on - attend whatever lessons you have this time of day."
He pondered something else before venturing further. “Did you listen to your mommy and daddy?”
"Kids do not always know what is good for them. Do not be hard on yourself, Vincent. Learn from your tutors and parents, do your very best at everything every day and one day you will make them proud."
"Why does mother not call you a girl?"
“Because it is rude where I grew up. Call me Oki-ven.”
“Can I call you milady?”
“I would prefer you did not.”
“Okay. Thank you…Oki-ven.” As if to show he had learned from our conversation, Vincent walked away. It made both of us smile, and Sofia chuckled.
“Thank you. I have never seen anybody handle him like that.”
"I have learned there must be a balance in a child's life. If you are too soft, you destroy them. If you are too hard, they grow up hateful and jaded."
“I am fearful his father will teach him wrong.”
Like telling a woman she can’t tell him what to do and not appreciating his lessors.
“I can see that. Is that why you are so gentle?”
“Yes.” Sofia let out a soft sigh. “Though I believe it is time to not baby him so. Too much and he will not be strong enough in his later years.”
Or he will become too privileged.
“Finding a balance can be hard.”
Sofia smiled softly at me. “Yes, it can be.”
We were quiet for a moment before Sofia asked hesitantly. "Do you have children, Oki-ven?"
"No." I said softly. "That would be quite irresponsible of me."
She gave a soft sigh. "I suppose as much as you travel, it would be. Did you want children?"
My throat tightened. I stared down at my food instead of looking at her. "Forgive me, Sofia, but I would prefer not to speak on it anymore."
"I apologize."
We were quiet as we finished our meals. “I have duties to attend.”
“I need a few things in town. Are horses permitted? I do detest walking.”
“Yes. Shall I see you at supper?”
“It would be my pleasure. Then perhaps I can sing for you later.”
“That would be marvelous, but do not overdo yourself.” Sofia openly kissed me in parting. “Send me word if you would prefer supper in your quarters.”
Pondering my pounding heart on my way to my room, I changed into traveling clothing. Simple, undyed cotton would be less noticed. By the time I headed for the stables, I had yet to figure out what was changing between the Ziir’s wife and me.
There, the painted mare nibbled on oats. Upon seeing me, she threw her head with a nicker. Patting her nose, I took her out, tacked her – I never bought anything fancy for my horses – and mounted.
It is time to explore the back alleys of this gilded cage.