Iron and Wood #Wattys2017

Chapter Twenty-Seven

"Hello, Shal," said Marius.

Shal's eyes flickered around the room. The furniture was fine dark wood, the curtains open and the sunlight warm. A bottle full of deep red blood was lying out in the open, on the table where Marius sat, watching her with a hint of triumph in his eyes.

The sheath at her side was much too light without her sword, and she flexed her hand, wishing the blade was back in it's place now more than ever. The new collar around her neck seemed to weigh a thousand pounds.

The Templars stepped outside, shutting it behind them. As soon as they were away from her side she staggered to her feet with excruciating awkwardness, glancing from the ceremonial sword over the hearth, to the heavy ornaments on the bookshelves, and even the sharpened quill on the desk.

Marius looked at her with an interest that made her want to avoid his stare, his dark eyes prominent with his thick hair pulled back.

"Why don't you sit down, Shal?" Marius produced two silver goblets from a drawer, filling each one halfway with blood.  She knew not to believe the kindness in his voice. "You must be thirsty."

"I don't take orders from you anymore."

"But that wasn't an order." Marius raised one eyebrow, glancing back at her. "Or have you forgotten how to have a drink with someone?"

His tone lowered dangerously, the way that would have made her wither immediately back at the Fortress.

Shal stared at him for a long moment, words escaping her. She looked back at the door, and then at the chair.

"You've given us an impressive run," Marius nodded as she sat down. "No deserter has ever escaped the borders of the Empire."

Shal was silent. She did not touch the blood he put in front of her.

"You'll be glad to know that Ella has vanished," Marius continued. "Or not, since rumour has it that she's either gone up to be married or died."

Shal's heart dropped. "You know about--"

"The two of you?" Marius nodded, putting his goblet back down and dabbing his lip with a black silk handkerchief. "Word travels fast, especially when the daughter of a lord is seen slipping off to bed with a female soldier."

Marius folded the handkerchief and placed it back in his pocket.

"My sources tell me that while she has not been seen or heard from since, Ella was alive and well on the night of the feast when she disappeared. I suppose you can confirm that?"

Shal looked at the blood settling in the goblet.

"I don't know where Ella is."

"I didn't expect you to."

"Then why haven't you killed me yet?"

"Because," Marius leaned forward and put the tips of his fingers together. "There's something you can do for me. It's part of the reason I came to get you personally instead of sending another search party-- we've seen how well the last ones fared."

He sat back, draining the rest of his cup. She watched him warily.

"I've done nothing to the blood, by the way." Marius pointed to hers.

"I'm not thirsty." Shal pushed it back towards him, folding her arms. "What do you want from me, if you aren't going to kill me?"

"No one back home can know of a successful escape from the Templars," Marius explained. "If they knew such as thing was possible, the amount of desertions would triple. Besides- it would be terrible for the image of the Empire."