UNSHEATHED

Chapter Two

The Captain eyed the guard closely. He was standing, but on closer inspection it appeared that the man had drifted off with his eyes wide open.

"Guardsman, attention!" she barked. The man snapped to a stiff, straight position and saluted her. She watched him swallow in his terror. He could easily be dismissed for this.

"Did you get enough rest last night, Guardsman?" she asked as she leaned in close to the man's face.

Elena was slightly taller than him. He stiffened further.

"No Captain, I'm afraid I didn't. Our new baby was ill and cried nearly all night." He looked at his feet.

Sweat beaded up on his forehead.

"You have the most important post in the whole Palace, guardsman. The Queen is in her chambers within and you are standing here dozing off! What if someone had tried to break in? Need I remind you that peace in this land is predicated on a living head of state?""

She would let him worry for a little while. As Captain of the Guard, Elena couldn't afford to have any of her guards at less than full capacity at any time...not with threats to her majesty's life appearing regularly, and certainly not after the events that put her on the throne in the first place.

"I don't care if you have to sleep in the barracks like a single man when your home is too noisy, guardsman, you will not stand duty unless you are completely alert. Two days will be docked from your pay. If I find you dozing again, you will be dismissed. Am I making myself clear, guardsman?"

He saluted and now appeared completely alert.

"Go to the barracks and find lieutenant Tellecan. Tell him I am ordering him to take this post immediately. I will take your place until he arrives. Then, you are dismissed for this shift."

The young man saluted again, holding it for a long moment before taking his leave, his shoulders slouching as he marched away. The captain stepped into position on one side of the solid wooden door.

She had been going about her supervisory rounds of the main sections of the palace, checking that all of the guards were in position, alert and ready for anything. Sadly, there were always a few who weren't.

She stood as she would have expected her guards to do. It wasn't an exciting job, but she could never impress on her guards strongly enough how important it was. There were many people who wished Queen Liriel harm, despite her efforts to make her kingdom a better place. Being mindful and vigilant was critical to warding off these threats.

A creak of the heavy door warned her that someone was exiting from the chambers. She kept her position, staring across the hall, but she could sense that it was the Queen who departed. Something about her always made the hairs on the back of her arms stand up. Though she was a tiny woman, scarcely larger than a child, so vast was the mantle of her power that she filled a room with her presence.

The small woman turned and looked up at Elena with a puzzled expression.

"Captain...what are you doing standing at my door? Are we short of guards?" she laughed a little, as if it was a joke between them. Elena couldn''t understand how anyone could wish to hurt her.

"Good evening, your majesty. I reassigned one of your guards. I am waiting for a replacement to come. He should be here shortly."

"Good that you are here, Captain. I was going to have someone fetch you anyway."

It was then that Elena realized that Queen Liriel had a slight worried look on her face, one that most others would not have noticed.

"Is something wrong, your majesty?" she asked.