Snow crunches under my boots while I follow the Assassin across the main courtyard of the Black Guard headquarters, it's cold and Ruby let me borrow her warm cape made of giant reptile leather lined with wolf fur to avoid freezing to death.... I think I've never worn so many layers of clothing at the same time. But it's worth it, despite having to hide my red nose behind the scarf and feeling tears filling my eyes because of the cold wind, I can't help looking around in shock: Baalberith is a beautiful city under the snow. Even if the sky is cloudy and there's not enough light, the snowy blanket makes everything look clean and light and the snow has removed the smell of blood and putrefaction that sometimes drifts over the city coming from the God of War's temple.
I feel peace and satisfied with the decision I made to come here for a second. It's not always like that, I think it was a mistake most days and nightmares haunt me in my dreams every night: Kevan covered in blood making fun of me, telling me I'd be better with him in the light elves' kingdom, swearing that I'll die tortured and sacrificed to the terrible gods dark elves worship while Ruby stays indifferent. And the worst thing is that, when I wake up, I know it's not a nightmare and there's a reasonable chance that this happens. But there's no turning back, this is what I chose and I must focus on surviving and on finding the way to get out of this situation alive. I know I can do it, there's always a way, I only need to draw up a plan carefully and pick out good allies.
Maybe Khrise can be one of them although I'm not sure I should trust dark elves, even if they seem friendly when they sit down next to me to drink wine and talk. Fights in her blood pit are exciting but often too bloody in the end since she shows no mercy no matter the circumstances. Ruby bet all her money on the winner and she was busy counting the gold coins while I explained her ex-lover who gladiators were and how they managed to survive even when they lost fights: the audience had mercy if they had showed exceptional bravery and skills. Khrise admitted she'd lost some good fighters that would've deserved a second opportunity but the game in Baalberith was different and her audience wouldn't allow it, besides, she had lot of slaves available.
No, I don't think Khrise will help me voluntarily, above all if she knows my intentions but I could fool her pretending that I'm working on a task for the Queen. I need to think about this deeply but I won't have time today because the Captain of the Guard has invited us to visit the stables near the barracks, I guess he wants me to take a look and improve them somehow. I know soldiers are really satisfied with their new kitchen and dining room because the soup arrives hot to the table and training rooms are clean and ventilated now. I have more ideas to implement... I'll be busy and that will keep me alive.
"Terrible Lord..." I mumble bowing politely. Ruby's father is waiting for us at the stable door along with two guards and another elf and his black armour sparkles under the light reflected by the snow, it never ceases to amaze me that dark elves are able to wander around without a cape even if they wear good wool clothes but I don't understand how they don't die of hypothermia when the only thing covering their torso is a leather doublet and some metal plates on top of it.
"Advisor... and my dear daughter..." Ruby smiles amused and rolls her eyes, showing the Captain that she knows he only calls her like that when he wants something from her or the Queen has showed us her support publicly.
"What can we do for you... dad?" The Assassin hesitates before spiting the word out like it tastes awful in her mouth.
"He's Urian and is in charge of taking care of Baalberith's special animals..." I frown confused, watching the tall and skinny elf who's staring at me with curiosity, as if I were an odd specimen.
"We call him the Beast Lord: he takes care of Seraphon for the King, the Queen's winged horse, their pet wolves too..." Ruby explains quietly and I nod finally.
"I understand, I'm pleased to meet you, Dread Lord. Your job is very interesting, it must be pretty difficult to keep clean and healthy such extraordinary animals... and their balanced diets..." Suddenly, I picture in my mind what kind of things a dragon eats and I fall silent. There aren't big herds of cows or sheep in Baalberith because they'd be unable to survive the cold and lack of food so, if I remember old legends correctly, Seraphon likes young maidens... luckily, I'm not one of those.
"It's a fulfilling work, I love seeing my animals growing happily and that's why I need your help... The Captain was kind enough to arrange this meeting." Urian smiles coldly, I bet this man has ice water running through his veins instead of blood and I know he'll be delighted if I become his wolves' dinner tonight because I failed.
"Of course, Dread Lord... Where's the problem?"
"It's a mess," Ruby's father raises his gloved hand to point at the building behind them. "It needs a lot of work, better ventilation, more light, a sophisticated drainage system because it floods every time it rains heavily... We can't have our mounts living like this."
"I'll take a look," I whisper worried about those poor horses that must be freezing to death in such a ramshackle stable. I move one step dodging the dark elves and I'm about walking through the door when Ruby's hand on my shoulder stops me.
"Watch out!" She raises her other hand holding the dagger in her fist and uses the pommel to hit the snout of the beast that steps back hissing while I remain paralyzed with my mouth wide open. Ruby growls next to me while digging her fingertips into my flesh through the cape I'm wearing. "The bite of a giant lizard is painful and their saliva is poisonous so you better approach from behind, far away from their mouths."
"Okay, I'll remember that..."I whisper trying to remain firm despite my heart is racing and I can feel it on my throat, my legs are shaking too, but I can hear the guards chuckling behind me and understand that Ruby's father and his friend the Beast Lord have tried to play a twisted joke on me, confident that the Assassin would save me from a bite that could be fatal for a human. I take a deep breath trying to pull myself together, I won't let them make fun of me this way, won't give them the satisfaction of seeing me scared... Damned idiots, stupid and arrogant dark elves...
I walk into the stable slowly, paying attention to where I put my feet till my eyes adjust to the dark while I keep insulting Ruby's race and all their ancestors in my mind. Giant lizards are exactly that, big reptiles taller than a horse with powerful jaws, sharp teeth and scales that are stronger than a shield. In fact, they look like velociraptors but they can run with four legs instead of two, there're six in this building and they fidget nervously huddled together on the other side of the corridor, staring at us with caution. The truth is that they seem to be aggressive and athletic creatures but the building is too small for them to move comfortably, I know cold weather isn't a problem for them but this place is dirty and falling apart. Poor guys...
"Are there any more?" I ask pointing at them.
"No, these're the only ones available for the Black Guard to ride. There're more in the City of the Mines but lizards are very hard to tame and even more difficult to ride, only a group of very experienced warriors manage to control them although reptiles are able to wreak havoc and death in the battlefield, you only need a handful of them to kill a hundred of enemies." Ruby's dad smiles delighted and points at the bigger one. "That's mine... Soul Eater is his name."
"Lovely..." I mumble before turning around to look at Urian. "I need a report," I explain trying to keep a professional attitude. "What do they eat, how much, how much water do they need, do they sleep standing or lying on the ground, how much room do they need to feel comfortable...? They can stand the cold so we could knock down those walls and build wider windows and doors to get more light... Do they prefer a floor made of stone or rammed-earth? And a bed made of straw? We need to fix this roof and the courtyard is massive, maybe we could build fences around an area and let them go out to stretch their legs from time to time..."
"They should be tall fences, giant lizards can jump and climb..." Ruby answers while the noble elves stare at me surprised.
"All right, tall fences curved inwards at the top and some barbwire..." They all look at me bewildered for a second but they can't ask me what I'm talking about because something huffs near my ear suddenly and I can't help jumping scared, getting closer to the Assassin. The Captain chuckles while patting the neck of the giant reptile and petting it like it's a big cat.
"Soul Eater likes you, well, humans are his favourite food in general but you don't smell like those miserable people he chews and swallows alive, I guess. Do you want to try?"
The tall elf points at the leather saddle attached around the lizard's belly and they all stare at me expectantly holding back a smile, I understand they expect me to turn the invitation down but I nod with dignity and get closer watching the animal's head so he doesn't bite me. I've ridden a horse many times before, it can't be that difficult... Only Soul Eater is taller, I can feel his muscles moving under my thighs even through the leather, his skin is ice-cold even if I'm touching his nape with my gloved hand and my position on the saddle isn't comfortable because I'm not as strong-built as the Captain and my feet don't reach the stirrups. If the lizard runs or jumps all of a sudden, I'm going to break my skull against the hard floor, that's for sure.
"Have you ever felt anything so powerful between your legs?" The elves laugh their asses off and I roll my eyes while climbing down carefully, trying to avoid the mouth of the reptile again: apparently, stupid jokes made by men are the same no matter their race or the world they're living in. Ruby shakes her head while rolling her eyes hard too.
"Well, I rode a Harley once..."
"I'm sorry to bother you, Terrible Lord, but the King requests your presence." A boy smartly dressed with a blue and silver uniform has got closer walking slowly and waits at a respectful distance.
"Of course," the Captain answers gesturing at Soul Eater to go back to his small cubicle.
"The Assassin and the Advisor too." Ruby and her father look at each other shocked for a second while I feel my stomach turning, I've seen the King from afar in a couple of occasions but I know I don't want to draw his attention to me and much less have conversation face to face with him. Dealing with her mother is exhausting and I don't know if I'm strong enough to confront her baby boy. But there's no elegant way to say no, of course, so we say goodbye to the Beast Lord who promises to send me his report as soon as possible and we follow the Captain and the guards escorting him to the area of the fortress where the rooms used during official ceremonies are.
"Who is Harley? Was she your lover?" Ruby whispers near my ear while we walk down a wide corridor lit up by torches that allow me to see her furrowed brow.
"No, of course not, Harley is a... means of transport..." The Assassin still looks at me with suspicion. "It's like a horse but faster and really powerful."
"But you told me that you had a girlfriend, that Kevan forced you to leave behind your family, friends and your girl..."
"Fiancée," I cut her off growling. "We were going to get married next summer." We both climb the stairs behind the two guards quietly while I shiver under the cape, this damned castle is ice cold and not even a hundred of fireplaces can warm these massive rooms.
"Do you still love her?" I stop abruptly looking at the Assassin with my mouth wide open... I can't believe she has the audacity to ask something like that, it's none of her business... But Ruby stares at me with a straight face for a second before gesturing with her hand, ordering me to keep walking. I obey her clenching my jaw before answering.
"I don't know, many years have passed... I miss her but I also miss my family, my friends and life. Sometimes I try to remember their faces and can't do it, I fear I'm going to forget them..." I blink to stop tears from running down my cheeks and take a deep breath. "But it doesn't matter anymore, I'm here and have to survive."
"And I'll help you with that. But now... I don't know what the King wants but you should try to remain firm and be respectful. I won't lie to you, he can be scary, but won't drain your energy the way his mother does so you won't feel physically sick."
"Fear makes me feel physically sick," I grumble and Ruby snorts while we walk across the door. Another elf wearing the royal colours tells us that we must wait sitting on a stone bench leaning our backs on the wall while the Captain of the Black Guard takes his seat at the round table. The room is massive and it's decorated with tapestries, velvet curtains and fine wood furniture with golden ornaments but everything looks old and a bit shabby, fireplaces and torches of witch fire can't illuminate all the corners but I believe this place should be cleaned thoroughly and the decoration renovated.
"Shit..." the Assassin whispers next to me. "This is the Council Room... What the hell are we doing here?"
Ruby clenches her jaw and gets up suddenly: the King has walked in the room and heads towards this throne so I copy her movements and remain still looking at the floor till my girl tugs at my cape to tell me I can sit down again. A dark elf wearing a simple grey tunic and who seems to be old, despite he's still attractive like every member of his race, gets up and starts delivering a speech while others listen attentively but I can only understand a few words and some sentences, the elven language is too complicated. I think this is a regular meeting, they're talking about supplies, soldiers, plans for future battles... I try not to look at the monarch because I don't want to get anxious, I can see the profile of his helmet from this bench and the scars all over his jaw, his cape made of giant reptile leather hides part of his black armour but the steel is covered with weird runes that sometimes shine in golden and purple shades.
"What the...?" I whisper shocked, I've averted my eyes from the King to take a look at his counsellors expecting to find Ruby's father and other famous warriors, army generals, wealthy nobles, those kind of people... But I could swear that's a mummy... A dry and hunched corpse on a chair, still wearing a suit of armour and a tattered cape, his mouth is open in a cry of horror... there's a knife sunk deep into his chest. And it's not the only one... There's another mummified corpse wearing a fancy tunic covered in dust and a skeleton inside a breastplate that seems to be centuries old. The dark elves, the ones alive I mean, are still talking about state affairs and ignore their table mates.
"Those nobles were involved in dangerous Court plots and machinations..." The Assassin whispers in my ear quietly while keeping her eyes fixed on the table. "The King himself killed them for betraying him and he keeps them on their seats as a reminder of what happens when you try to fight him, sometimes he pretends to talk to them as if they were still alive and that makes his current counsellors' skin crawl. He thinks it's funny..."
"I understand, dark elves sense of humour is a bit macabre from a human point of view..." Ruby shrugs and smiles while I fidget awkwardly on the bench. Minutes tick by slowly and my hands and feet are ice cold even if I have my boots and gloves and witch fire warms the room. Suddenly, the members of the Council get up, bow their heads with respect and leave the room in an orderly fashion while we get up to but remain still waiting for... a gesture of the King's hand.
I get closer hesitating feeling his eyes fixed on me, he's as intimidating as his mother but in a different way: magical power pulses around him too but it's also restrained, the man keeps his emotions under iron control although I still can feel hate, bitterness and resentment boiling behind the cold façade he shows to the world. It' terrifies me to think what will happen the day when all that violence breaks out finally. And yet, there's something else... The King of the Dark Elves was once a prince of a blessed kingdom covered in light, raised by a smart Great King who instilled positive values like honour, pride, greatness, perseverance and determination in his son.
There're still some traces of that in him, after long years studying the best warriors of my world I can sense the qualities of a great ruler in this elf tortured by constant pain. He's still the son of a legendary warrior, of the most admired and longed for monarch of his race... but he's also the son of a scheming, heartless and selfish bitch. If the south elves wouldn't have feared the Queen's influence so much, if they would've accepted the rightful heir as king hoping that he could control the woman's ambition, who knows what could've happened? They could've avoided hundreds of battles and unnecessary deaths and they could have a strong leader now, maybe a bit harsh and dominant, but people would've prospered under his rule, no doubt. Unfortunately, it's too late for that and the King is doomed to live in that suit of armour that contains his tormented soul.
"Advisor..." I curtsey respectfully, not only because it's the polite thing to do but because I feel compelled to do so: the monarch's tone of voice, albeit soft, oozes power and authority. "I want you to climb to the top of the tower and improve my dragon's nest and later, you can take a look at my rooms too... but only you and the Assassin are allowed in that area."