Ascendant

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: BETTER FOR A MILLSTONE

The man who had yelled at her merely glared in a high and mighty way before going back to instructing the men.

Runa's gaze drifted to the workers and their conditions as their superiors shouted, mocked, and even struck a few of them to do as they were told... an eerie feeling growing in her stomach at the sight.

[GEM]

But before any more thinking about this could be done, her sister found her and said, "Valmaor wishes to speak to you."

Runa made her way into his chambers, the halls empty as her footsteps echoed through the stone passage. Entering through the heavy wooden door, she let it shut behind her and stood like a soldier called to attention.

Valmaor was sitting on one of the chairs before his fireplace, goblet of wine in hand with a half empty bottle on the table between the seats.

"You summoned me?" Runa asked.

"Yes... come in girl. Have a seat," he replied with a gesture, his voice a bit off. Perhaps it was the wine.

She stepped forward and walked into view in front of him, her back to the fire.

"Do you respect me, girl?" he asked with a bit of anger in his tone.

"Yes, my lord," she replied plainly.

"Then disarm yourself before entering my chambers." He pointed to the table by the door that she came in through.

[GEM]

She blinked a couple of times but did as he said, walking to the table and placing on it her daggers and a couple of throwing blades she always had on her person. She then came back to where he was and slowly took a seat in the chair beside him, questioning herself as to what he could want from her.

"I'm sure you have heard about Arvid," he told her, his eyes staring into the flames.

"He wants to become a farmer and fisherman... to serve our community but in a different way—"

"He's gotten soft... like the lot of them will... Which is why I have become more grateful for you." He looked her in the eyes, a silence in the air as the crackling of the fire was the only noise to hit their ears.

She felt strange in his presence, as if something was off. But she continued to listen anyway.

"There's a fire in you that burns brighter than the others. At your age, none of these bastards would have the balls to do what you've done here."

"...I do what I do for the vision. I do it... to create a new world. One full of hope and freedom..." she began to say, but as she did, the images of the way the workers she was watching were treated went through her mind. Even saying this words now seemed difficult. "One full of mercy... and justice. True justice," she finished, staring into his gaze as steely as she could.

"I see that in you... as well as great potential."

She wondered what he was getting at but nodded, thanking him for the compliment nonetheless.

[GEM]

"I won't always be around here as the director of our little family. Life has aged me like it's aged others. When the times comes for me to take my place in the ground... I will keep you in mind as a replacement."

She was surprised. After all, she was doing well, she supposed... but so were many others in their brotherhood. And they had a much higher kill count than she did. "...Me? In your position? Are you certain about this?"