In the morning Elena awoke feeling excited to get to work. She had something important and interesting to do, and was ready to take on the challenge. Strangely enough, she thought she might have finally convinced the suspicious Prince she was worthy of his trust.
She splashed a little water on her face and threw on her somewhat wrinkled uniform. It would need laundering soon. On her way out the door she noticed there was no longer a guard posted there. She was greeted instead by two trillas women.
One was the young girl who had assisted her the day before, and the other a new woman, more elderly and with an air of authority. They both curtsied deeply.
"My Lady," began the elder of the two. "The Prince has commanded that you are to be moved to a more suitable room on the upper level. We will take your things there now."" She curtsied again, and the younger woman did as well.
Elena tried hard not to roll her eyes. This was what she hated about the privileges of the nobility — all the formalities. It wasn't the fault of these women, so to be polite; she agreed to let them do their assigned work despite wishing she could simply do it herself.
They led her up a spiral stair of stonework that was built inside of one of the corner towers. It wound up and up five flights to finally end on a bright floor filled with windows. Elena had to look out and see what the view held.
It was wonderful.
The sun was just cresting the horizon, casting pinkish orange hues all over the deep blue sky and the blue-green sea. Even the sand was tinted by the light, as were the light grey rocks of the cliffs.
A balcony lay on one side that looked out over the courtyard below. The other side was lined with a series of doors. It was through the first of these that Elena was led.
The matron smiled seeing Elena's surprise at the suite of rooms that had been assigned to her.
"Is there anything my Lady needs?" she asked.
Elena looked at the armful of clothing the younger woman had carried for her, and then to her uniform.
"I'm afraid I didn't expect to be staying long. Everything I have needs cleaning."
The matron nodded to the girl who left promptly. She returned minutes later with clean clothes folded neatly under her arm.
"These will do until we can wash your other things. Do you want your uniform cleaned as well?" she added.
Elena nodded and took the clean clothes into the next room to change. They were simple garments, the kind most women wore. She was thankful they hadn't brought her some fine lady's gown at least. She decided it looked better to leave her hair unbound.
The two smiled as she returned, handing them her soiled uniform. Gurgling erupted from her stomach. She patted it with her hand.
"You may dine at the end of the hall, my Lady."
Relieved, Elena thanked the servants and allowed them to leave before setting out for the dining room. She looked around her new abode. It was as nice as her quarters in the Citadel in Estallium. Nicer, in a way, since she had a view from several rooms of the seaward side of the fortress. Another balcony ran along this side of the building as well, with openings from each room.
Another loud growl from her stomach reminded her where her priorities lay. She went down the hall, looking out the windows to watch members of the circle doing their daily exercises far below.
The room at the end of the hall had double doors which opened inward on a large table with seating all around. As she entered she crossed paths with Joran, who appeared to be leaving.
He nodded and bowed slightly.
"Good morning, Captain. I hear we are going to keep you very busy for the next while." He grinned and looked back over his shoulder to where his father sat. "Thank you again for your part in my rescue. I'm afraid I won't be able to keep you company. I have my own business to attend to. May you have a productive day." He bowed again and left.
The Prince stood, which made Elena blush. This was too much attention for a soldier, and it had been a long time since she had been obliged to act like a lady.
"Good morning, My Lord," she began.
"I had decided that last night. Joran confirmed a few details. Please sit and eat. Are the rooms to your liking?"
"You have been exceptionally generous, My Lord. They are quite lovely. The view is quite extraordinary as well." Elena sat across from the Prince trying to ease into her new surroundings and position. "I was surprised you didn't ask for more proof. How is it that you found my strange story convincing?"
He laughed. Elena liked this much better, and the twinkle in his deep blue eyes made him seem much less fierce.
"You told me you hadn't progressed past the second level of mastery in your studies of the forms because you had no maru. I know this isn''t true."
"I beg your pardon?" she looked across at him, puzzled.
"Everyone has maru. Everything has maru. Your maru is considerable, I would say. It explains your youthfulness as well as your strength."
"You think I have maru and that this is why I have remained young?" Elena shook her head in disbelief.
"When we were in the circle at one point I had a shift in vision. Instead of seeing normally, I saw the world in terms of maru. It's an ability that I possess. I can''t really turn it on and off, but it sometimes strikes me."
"What did you see exactly?" Elena wanted to know, although she had difficulty believing him.
"I saw a blaze of golden light, as if I was looking right into the sun. I have never seen maru so brilliant."
"Did the sun get into your eyes?" Elena suggested. She had tried so hard to feel maru in herself and had failed miserably.
"Captain, I saw it, and I understand enough about maru to know that the brighter the light, the more powerful the individual is." He grabbed a roll and tore it in half. ""Furthermore, maru is life-force. It is what gives the hilliri a greater lifespan than the trillas, and a greater resiliency against illness. The hilliri have also learned to tap into maru and use it for many purposes."" He popped a morsel of bread into his mouth and chewed.
"So you think that somehow I have a lot of maru, and this explains everything?"
"Yes." He fed himself some more bread and washed it down with drink.
"Then why can't I find it myself and use it?" she asked. It was a question she would really like to know the answer for.
The Prince shrugged.
"Perhaps you don't believe you have it and no one has been able to convince you otherwise. I'll have to think about it, but there must be some way to get you to see it or feel it for yourself."
Elena didn't want to talk anymore about maru she did or didn't have.
"There was one point that Joran mentioned. He said that he was in Estallium at the time of the funeral rites for the Emperor Eradon. I remember sending him to represent Castillon, and Jaline was there to represent Kalad. I wanted to make sure the new Emperor wouldn't forget to acknowledge the treaty Eradon made with Castillon."
The thought of that day stirred a mixture of feelings in Elena. She had been beyond grief at the loss of her only parent, and fearful for her future. Her half-brother Dorianus always despised her, and he would become the next Emperor and the head of her family.
"I hadn't realized he attended your wedding as well." He didn't look as if he was grilling her now, but it was clear he wanted a real answer.
"My half-brother always detested me. When he became Emperor, his first act was to arrange a marriage for me in order to get me out of his way. If I have neglected to mention it, it is because this was a time in my life I would gladly forget."
The Prince looked troubled.
"Forgive me, I didn't mean to stir dark memories."
It was never as simple as remembering dark times for Elena. Dark they indeed were, but confusion also troubled her. She hadn't protested Dorianus' choice for her. She knew the man, Atreus Julianus, Lord of Lucifara, well enough know what her future would hold.
Atreus was, at the time, the most eligible man in Estallium. He stood tall and straight and his ice-blue eyes held a sharp cruelty, but women swooned at the sight of him. He was aware of his power and used it to advantage.
Many young noblewomen were furious that Elena was chosen for him. Why should a bastard child be elevated to such a high position when there were plenty of beautiful unmarried women who were far more willing to take the job? But Elena was still blood-kin to the Emperor, and had been acknowledged by their father. She knew that Atreus wanted blood ties to the Emperor. Elena had only been a tool for him to use.
Atreus took away all of her weapons. He locked her up in her room, refusing to allow her out to ride or walk even with an escort. She became a prisoner without any means of escape. Life deteriorated for her when she failed to become pregnant. Atreus became so cruel that Elena trembled whenever he entered her room. It troubled her to think of it even now, as a woman who had mastered the hilliri forms and commanded soldiers, that she had ever been so helpless.
"He was stuck by lightening through an open window," she said. "The lightening seemed to hold onto him for minutes. In the end, he was completely charred.""
"What a horrible way to die," said the Prince, his dark brows furrowed.
Elena had to agree. She saw it all, and even though she hated Atreus and rejoiced to finally be free of him, at that time all she could feel was horror at the manner of his demise.
"I'm sorry," said the Prince. "I hope I haven''t spoiled your appetite. Can I interest you in some smoked fish?" He handed a plate to Elena and passed her some water for her glass.
"Thank you. Actually, I'm famished." She demonstrated by keeping quiet and eating for a long while.
When she finished, Elena began to think about the day and where to begin. She was curious, though, about what Joran was doing and said so.
"He's gone to look up some laws I need to review. He likes to do research and often helps people to resolve disputes."
"Indeed?" said Elena.
"We have to do something about the invaders that have escaped. There should be a warrant for their capture, but with Rainna having some standing here as my wife, I am obliged not to show her any special favour. He says he is willing to look after it, but I thought it was an evil duty, to find the law that will implicate your own mother.""
"Jaline always says that Joran is fair minded to a fault."
"You know my daughter as well? Of course, she would be part of the circle your guards were charged to protect."
He lifted his cup to empty the last of it and set it on the table. He sat for a moment looking pensive.
"What will you do?" Elena understood the complications the Prince faced.
"The whole group must be charged with kidnapping and treason, and a reward for their arrest must be posted." He looked down at his plate for a moment. "However, there are difficulties in this, since, as you are aware, the treasury has been cleared out. I find myself in the unenviable position of being completely broke."
If Elena had anything of value on her at that moment, she would have offered it to him, for he looked completely bereft. Struggling to be helpful, Elena offered her suggestions.
"Can you borrow some money? Or is there someone in Castillon who would want to help bring justice by offering the reward in your stead?"
"It's never simple, I'm afraid. Credit has to be repaid with interest, and there is more than just the need for a reward. We have work to do to build up our defences, as you say. I suspect you are going to tell me soon that we need an army."
"Well, it would be a very sensible thing to do, but I see the problem."
"I'm afraid I can't even pay the people who work for me," he said running his hand through his hair.
For a minute Elena struggled to find the right thing to say. If only they could get the treasure back.
Then it came to her...Elena grinned from ear to ear as she realized she could indeed help.
"I know what I can do," she announced.
The Prince looked puzzled.
"You have a suggestion?" he asked.
"We need to find your treasure. It might be hidden nearby. If we can find it, we may also find these outlaws, and you might not even need a reward." She clapped her hands together. "Then you'll have what you need to build that army I'm going to recruit and train." She nodded her head once for emphasis and smiled again.
The Prince burst out laughing at this.
"What?" Elena asked.
He rubbed his brow and shook his head as his laughter simmered to a chuckle.
"I think I like you, Captain. You don't let problems distract you. And your solution is, well, it's brilliant. If you think you can find the treasure, I''ll see to it that you have enough help to accomplish this. And when you do find it, as I have no doubt now that you will, we will talk more about building armies."
He pushed back his chair and stood.
"What shall you do today, Captain?" he asked.
"Go searching for treasure," she replied as she stood and smiled.
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I hope you enjoyed this instalment of Unsheathed. If you did, please consider voting so that it has a chance to receive some more attention by rising up the ranks in the Fantasy category. I also enjoy comments, so please feel free to let me know what you thought.
Cheers!
Rebecca