"Nothing ventured, nothing gained." Argyle said and his father nodded.
That's why we rode nonstop through forests and dark valleys, through mountain passes and along the edge of deep ravines, crossing frozen rivers, far away from the main road so the members of the House of Uthorin wouldn't know what was going on or that we knew their plan. We were able to travel fast because the soil was frozen and there was no mud, some snowflakes fell on our shoulders and there was hardly any light because of the dark clouds covering the sky but the path was clear. One week riding a horse feeling the cold wind sneaking under my thickest cape, tears filled my eyes and I shook like a leave but lowered my head, clenched my jaw and grabbed the reins hard because I didn't want to embarrass Ruby despite I felt I was about passing out.
Exhaustion... I'd never been so tired in my entire life. I flopped down on a rock and ate whatever she gave me quietly, wrapping up the cape around my body and fearing the moment I had to pull my pants down to pee because I my ass got exposed to the cold wind all the time. They pitched tents every night and I curled up next to my bodyguard on the ground covered by a couple of blankets, it was uncomfortable but, even so, I fell asleep immediately and it seemed that only a few minutes had passed instead of hours when Ruby shook my shoulder to wake me up... And I jumped again on the back of the horse after eating a chunk of cheese with bread and washing my face with a jug of cold water. I felt dirty, exhausted and depressed when we arrived to Kaldra.
But I was unable to lie down on a comfortable bed covered with soft blankets and have a warm bath as I was expecting because the northern fortress is just a small circular tower surrounded by walls that protect some simple wooden huts where soldiers live. Ruby's father took the only room with a fireplace at the top of the tower above the warehouse where weapons are kept while the rest of us had to pitch the tents again. I decided I didn't want to sleep on the hard ground, I couldn't bear it anymore, my entire body hurt and I wanted to cry but showing any weakness in front of dark elves was a bad idea so I gritted my teeth. I knew they had watched me during the entire trip waiting to see how I broke, they thought the poor and weak human who wasn't as strong as them was really funny but I didn't want to give them the satisfaction...
I ordered the soldiers of the garrison to go to the near forest to cut down some trees, forcing them to make rough wood planks and build platforms to pitch the tents of top of them. It took some hours of hard work and it wasn't the perfect solution but at least we'd be adequately insulated against cold. The first winter snow had melted even if they were waiting for a big storm the next days but there was enough left to gather some in a bucket and melt it with the witch fire, I was able to wash my body with a cloth finally and felt clean again, I slept hugging Ruby and really comfortably that night, feeling some precious heat.
Everything was all right till Sryne arrived with her troops: she'd picked out a different route to avoid giving clues to our enemies about what we were planning. She was kind to me in public and praised me for my idea of building platforms in order to keep the tents dry and hot but she climbed to the tower later and locked the door behind her, she was drawing up plans with the Captain and his children and I felt left out while wandering around between huts, soldiers who looked at me with curiosity and Brides of the God of War that ignored me. It was hailing when I reached the top of the wall to be able to take a look at the horizon, climbing up carefully since the stairs were slippery and I didn't want to fall and break my neck.
I didn't understand what my role there was, I knew Ruby had to fight for her family and support them because her life depended on the high status of her father, and I was supposed to follow my bodyguard to be able to stay alive in Baalberith. But I was an expert in military strategy, I'd studied hundreds of battles and could contribute with some good ideas: I should be in that meeting in the tower... The Assassin trusted me, I knew that, she valued my intelligence, her father had learnt to respect me and Argyle liked me... If I wasn't there, it was the Head of the God of War's Brides' fault... I shouldn't care, my main goal was to keep a low profile being useful to survive, the Captain of the Guard and his children had enough combat experience and they'd be able to fix that mess... There was no reason for me to get involved in it.
But I did care... Ruby was up there with her former lover and I couldn't help feeling jealous, after all, my life depends on the Assassin considering me special, interesting and fascinating instead of a boring human, otherwise she won't want to be my bodyguard anymore. If she leaves me, I'll die. No one would take my safety so seriously, no matter if the Queen herself orders it, no one feels that special bond with me in this frozen kingdom. A shy ray of sun lit up a little stream running in the distance and I couldn't help smiling when an idea made its way through my mind. I decided that it was about time for the Advisor of the Lady of the Dark Elves to do her job and Sryne could go to hell.
*****
"... it depends on the soldiers we have available. If we attack this area..."
"Bullshit..." I whisper walking in the small room and taking a look at the map hanging on the wall that Sryne is pointing at out of the corner of my eye. The beautiful elven woman blinks shocked but also confused, she doesn't know the word I grumbled in my language, obviously... luckily for me or I'd be dead now. Maybe Ruby will kill me after all, she doesn't look very happy while I'm here being the centre of attention again, and she tilts her head to one side abruptly ordering me to leave. I'm not going, of course, I've crawled through this frozen land day and night till all the muscles in my body hurt... I'm not going to sit idly after all that great effort.
"Sorry, Iselen, you were saying?" Argyle asks smiling amused, it's pretty obvious he can feel the tension in the atmosphere and is having the time of his life looking at Sryne frowning and Ruby clenching her jaw.
"I said I have the solution to our problem," I answer with a firm tone of voice staring at the Captain sitting at the head of the table. There's a handful of lieutenants he trusts here and three Brides of the God of War with their Lady... we're a dozen of people here and yet, the room feels crowded, they even opened a window because it's getting hot in here with the fireplace.
"I'd love to hear your plan," Ruby's father answers ignoring Sryne offended look. "You're good at designing weapons... I want to know if you're good at military strategy too." I can't help chuckling while dropping a roll of paper on the table and pushing it to unroll it.
"This was my job, Terrible Lord, before coming to Baalberith." Ruby fidgets on her seat nervously while staring at me angrily and I realize she hasn't told anyone that I was a military history professor, actually no one in this room knows how valuable my knowledge is, not even the Queen knows it, probably... I guess this way her way to protect me and I'm ruining it again exposing myself too much, drawing attention, exactly the thing she told me not to do.
"Okay, let's hear all about that human strategy..." The Head of the God of War's Brides walks back to her seat and looks at me disdainfully, her tone of voice shows that she believes this is a waste of time... Damn bitch... I'm sick of lowering my head, sick of elves treating me like I'm a worm, sick of my bodyguard scolding me nonstop... I'm supposed to be here to improve the lives of this bunch of unbearable idiots and the only thing I ask in return is a little bit of respect... and no one stabbing my back with a knife.
"If you'd be kind enough to take a look at this drawing," I whisper pointing at the roll of paper keeping a professional and neutral tone of voice. "This battle plan is the result of mixing two different ones together, one of them was carried out successfully by one of the best warriors in my country centuries ago, the other one is actually a combat technique perfect to fight on the snow that the troops of a king invented a few years later... This is the fortress, there's a wide and clear area in front of it that would be a great battlefield for two armies, but there's a little stream running on this side through a not very deep ravine."
"That's true," Argyle nods looking out through the window. "What good does that do us?"
"We need a lookout to tell us when our enemies will arrive, half pf our troops will be waiting inside the fortress and the other half will hide in that ravine but they'll take the shirts they're wearing under the tunics off and will wear them on top of the armour, white linen blending in with white snow... It'll be difficult for our enemies to see them." The Captain leans forward to look at the roll closely and all of them copy his movements, even Ruby has stopped to stare at me angrily. "Half of the soldiers and assassin ladies will leave the fortress and attack the enemy directly... We'll be outnumbered, of course, and will retreat..."
"Sorry, what?" Sryne looks at me outraged but closes her mouth when she realizes I'm smiling.
"In my language, this technique is called, literally, turn around and run away... but it's a trick: we'll turn around and pretend to run to the fortress, the enemy will believe victory is at hand, they'll follow us and their front line will be a mess... And suddenly, our soldiers will run out of the ravine and attack them from behind while the fortress troops turn around again to attack the front line. And they'll be trapped... It'll be easy and very effective as long as we all move in sync. Everything will depend on the Black Guard withstanding the first attack fighting ferociously, this will be a performance but it must be credible, the House of Uthorin has to believe that there're only a few soldiers defending this fortress and they'll run away, forcing them to move forward so the troops hiding near the stream can attack them from behind. They'll do great..."
"I don't think it's a good idea to divide our troops, honestly. Why are you so sure that a few dozens of soldiers will be able to withstand the attack of the Lords of the Slaver's Gate? They have a reputation for being fierce..." One of the Brides of the War God asks with arrogance and her Lady tries to hide her grin while I stare at them pretending to be shocked by their boldness.
"Because we're talking about the Black Guard and if their Captain orders them to hold the position, they won't move a single inch... As they have always done and will always do, they've never failed a mission and this won't be the first one, believe me. Are you questioning their skills?" Men straighten their backs proudly around me and their Captain raises an eyebrow, obviously upset, while the young Bride lowers her head when she realizes she's fucked up and Sryne clears her throat before speaking.
"The Guard's feats are famous all over the world and our enemies fear them more than any other elven warrior for good reasons, I don't think anyone would ever dare to question their skills. As you've said, it's a simple and effective plan, a smart trick much in the style of our race... We love to win by deceit and make fun of the defeated because they were stupid. So we all agree here?"
"Definitely, it's a good idea. Thank you, Iselen." I bow my head respectfully at Ruby's father and he waves his hand to order me to leave before focusing on an argument with his lieutenants and the Head of the God of War's Brides to know which soldiers will stay in the fortress and which ones will hide in the ravine. Argyle winks at me before focusing on the conversation too and I turn around, leaving the room relieved, my legs are shaking and I realize suddenly I was actually scared despite my rage. I hope I haven't made a mistake today...
"Iselen..." Ruby's sharp tone of voice makes me stop in the middle of the staircase and look up, the assassin is waiting still in the middle of the small landing and her fist is clenched hard around the handle of the knife hanging from her hip although she keeps a straight face while looking at me. "You've gained the appreciation of the Black Guard thanks to your words, this is the first time you make friends instead of jealous enemies in Baalberith. Congratulations..."
"Thank you..." I whisper awkwardly.
"However, Sryne won't forget this incident easily and it's quite possible that she'll send her girls to kill you way before I expected."
"I'm sorry..."
"Please, tell me before doing something like this again... I don't like to be caught off guard since that puts your life at risk." I nod while keeping my eyes on the stairs and swallowing hard, now that my wounded pride isn't blinding me anymore I understand I've messed up and my girl has good reasons to be angry with me. "Go back to the tent and wait for me there, quiet and calmed, without getting in trouble. Do you think you'll be able to do that for me?"
"Yes, Dread Lady."
*****
"It's snowing outside..."
"So what?" Ruby answers harshly while she adjusts the armour on her chest, this is the first time I see her wearing something like that instead of her grey assassin uniform and I must admit she looks pretty good. The different black metal plates with golden edges fit her body perfectly covering her upper arms and thighs but leaving her legs protected by some thick leather boots so she can move, run and jump easily. A belt with a big golden buckle holds her swords and knives on her hips and I bet she's hiding more weapons, a light chainmail protects those areas that the plates expose and several protection amulets from the God of War are hanging from her neck and shoulders attached to small hooks.
"It'll be difficult to see your enemies in the middle of a snow storm at dawn..."
"I can smell them," she answers bitterly. My bodyguard has been in a horrible mood for a couple of days after I exposed myself in front of her father and the God of War's Brides, I apologized several times but Ruby has remained obstinately silent while watching my back and drawing up plans with the Captain. I fear she'll leave me when we go back to Baalberith asking the Queen for a new job... A terrible destiny awaits me if she gives up because now all of them know I'm more valuable than they've guessed at first, I'm not only able to design weapons but I can lead armies too, they won't try to kill me but a terrible lord could kidnap me and I'd become his slave in return for my wonderful ideas. My life would be a hell of torture and pain... I'd be better off dead. "Besides, I'll fight next to Sryne and she's really good handling her knives. My old mentor likes me and won't let anything bad happen to me... she has future plans for me, do you remember?"
Her sweet tone of voice feels like a punch in my stomach, my bodyguard knows I hate the Lady of the Assassins, and rage boils in my veins again; jealousy and wounded pride make me clench my jaw and get up not caring if the dressing gown I'm wearing over my bare body is unbuttoned... after all, Ruby Rose has seen it all already despite she hasn't touched me these days. She's slept in the tent next to me, it's true, but she vanishes for hours and is always talking to her, laughing with her, probably having sex with her... I can't compete with an elven beauty with violet eyes.
"So your only goal in life is becoming Sryne's lapdog... I was expecting something better from the daughter of the Black Guard Captain, it doesn't seem a decent job for the best assassin in this kingdom..."
My bodyguard turns around abruptly and tangles her gloved fingers in my hair, pulling harshly to move my body closer to her, her lips meet mines in a cruel but passionate kiss and I can't help but respond to it despite she's hurting me. She puts her arm around my waist and the metal plates with sharp edges of her armour dig into my flesh while her tongue reaches further and brushes every corner in my mouth, tears run down my cheeks but I don't try to pull way, enjoying the heat of her lips not caring about the pain till she moves a step back finally, breathing heavily and staring at me with a mix of rage, frustration and something else that makes her eyes shine but I can't identify what it is.
"Two soldiers will take care of you but don't do anything stupid." Ruby takes her helmet and leaves the tent not looking back while I remain still and speechless, my head is a whirlwind of thoughts and only the sound of the wind and the armours of the soldiers outside manage to snap me back to reality: I should get dressed and climb the wall to watch the battle... but before I have to clean the wounds the Assassin's breastplate has cut in my skin. I look down at the drops of blood running down my bare legs while holding back a sob: my heart is frozen because I've understood I feel something special for Ruby, I thought that developing feelings like friendship and loyalty would be normal because she's my only ally here... but this is way stronger. Something I don't dare to name yet because it scares me... This won't end well, she's not my equal, she's a powerful elven lady and I'm a poor and weak human living in a world that's not mine. There won't be a place for me in the life of the Assassin when she decides to go back to Sryne although I'll be dead then, most likely.
I must go on with my plan if I want to survive... and Ruby can't be part of it, no matter how much that hurts in my heart.