I might change my updating schedule from Sunday to Saturday. Apart from that, I have something to say, which you will find at the end of the chapter.
Left
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Violet and brown eyes collided with each other. The wine was playing with mind and he allowed it to. Around him, the celebrations were going in a full swing, yet he was not exactly there.
The ballroom was filled with Lords and Ladies of different states and their ever-increasing chatter was grating his nerves. His vision was spinning. How many glasses did he have?
The laughter of his Commanders made him concentrate on the party again. Commander Rysen, though he stated he wanted to go back to his country, was enjoying immensely.
The hall was huge and the staircase at the northern end of the room split into two on either side after thirty steps. The chandeliers were lit with fire and the glass at the corners of the room reflected the moonlight with precision. The jewels the women wore shone with brilliance.
"Papa," a small yet strong voice called. "Can I go to sleep? Mika said me to sleep before the second fourth hour of the moon. Can I?"
Her crystal violet eyes reminded him of Adysea's so much. So much that he felt she was watching him and not his daughter. Marina's blond hair was pinned into a proper braid and her cheeks were flushed from the party. She wore the gloves.
He hated that the magic chose her. Why could it not leave her alone?
"Is it time already?" he asked, his voice worryingly hoarse. "I did not notice."
"Many people called, but you never responded, they left you be," she said, sitting next to him, her posture somewhat a mix of a warrior and a noble lady. How his daughter pulled off, he would never know.
He covered his face with his right hand and massaged his forehead. He had no recollection of what happened in the past hour.
He groaned. "It must have been very rude of me."
"King Kinsey Cathale said that you were not feeling well," she supplied. "Some Lords and Ladies already left."
"It was rude of me," he said. "Why would they leave? Only at occasions like this, they find suitable bride and grooms for their children. Why would they?"
"How would I know papa?" she asked, taking the wine glass from his left hand and placed it on the table in front of them.
He gave his daughter a pleading look.
"No," she said, sternly. "You have been drinking too much, papa."
He sighed. She was right.
"I think it will be better if we just retire for the night," he said, a yawn slipping through his mouth.
He received many concerned looks from his comrades and he just nodded at them hoping he convinced them that he was fine.
"General Warddis."
He turned to look at Lady Shaiya standing.
She was wearing a yellow gown, which showed her cleavage. Her neck was choked with a four-layered golden necklace. Necklace? More or like a noose. Her brown hair was pinned up and her face was artfully made.
"What do you want?" he snapped. Why would they not just go away?
She seemed to be slightly taken aback by his behaviour but he cared less. It was her mistake to approach him when his mood was worse. Even his king left him in peace.
"I was hoping to discuss a proposal to you," she said, her eyes blinking fast.
His brows joined. "What kind of proposal?"
She gave him a secret smile. "I have a young daughter, you see, general. She is fertile and most compatible for you. She reached her womanhood. Her beauty is unparalleled. She would be kind to your daughter." She looked at Marina. "She would warm your bed, get rid of your stress and do her duties as your wife. She can bear your children. She can maintain a long conversation with a clever person. She can dance, sing and paint. She can..."
"What are you implying, woman?" he growled.
"I offer my daughter's hand in marriage to you." She finished with a coy smile.
He blinked, Marina squeezed his hand.
"How old is your daughter again?" he asked, barely able to breathe.
"She is there, Lord Warddis." Lady Shaiya pointed to a docile looking girl, timidly chatting with Lady Mae Cathale. Brown hair and a round face, filled with fear. He was looking at a child.
"How old is she?" he gritted his teeth.
"Thirteen," she said smugly.
"Just five years older than my daughter," he muttered to himself.
"What?" she asked.
"Bloody hell, woman!" he blazed. "What are you thinking? If she were a year or two younger, then she would be like my daughter! What a kind of matrimony is that?"
"You are capable of providing her food and shelter," she shrugged. "That is all that matters."
"Then even a foot soldier is paid enough to support his family, why not him?"
"Uh, you see," she started, but he held his hand to stop her from talking.
"You were talking to me as though you were going to sell your daughter to me. As though she was a thing, learn to respect that girl's feelings. See her face, Lady Shaiya! Look at that fear!" he said, his previous drowsiness fled away. "She is a child. How can you bargain with her?"
She remained silent.
Marina gave him the strength he needed. With his daughter by his side, he could conquer anything. She gave him that power.
"Even if your daughter was old enough for me," Payne said. "I will never marry her. I loved my wife true enough to let her go."
"Then why not your daughter?" she asked, looking more desperate. "Your daughter can marry my son, look there! He holds a rank in the army!"
His eyes found a twenty-year-old boy, jesting with his friends. He was nothing like his sister. Payne knew that boy. One of his Commanders said that boy would be a Colonel within a few years. But sadly he could not remember that boy's name.
"He is literally thrice my daughter's age," he spat. "Why would I spoil my daughter's life?"
"He has the potential to become the general, General Warddis, after your time," she said. "Your ancestors have been the general for many generations. And it will continue so to be."
He gave a blank stare. What was this woman thinking about herself?
"Your daughter will be known as a general's daughter and another general's wife," she stated.
He looked down at Marina to see her giving the woman a disgusted look. "What do you say, Marina?"
"I would say," she said, her tone cool, confident and demanding. "I would rather be known as General Marina Warddis. Her son can work under me." She then tossed her braid back.
He gave his daughter a proud smile. "There, Lady Shaiya. You have your answer."
"You will regret it," she snarled at Mairna.
Marina smiled calmly at her. "Perhaps. But I would rather not marry than marry your son. After all, a man is not required in a woman's life. She can do fine without one."
Flushed with anger, Lady Shaiya pushed past them and went to her friends.
"Did I say anything wrong, papa?" she asked.
His smile got wider. "Not at all. That was amazing!"
She smiled at him.
But he knew who influenced her. That name itself brought the anger he tried to quell by drinking wine.
"You are spending a lot of time with Mika," he said, as they walked through the hallway to reach Marina's quarters.
"She is splendid, amazing, and lively and never ceases to make me laugh," Marina smiled. "I like her a lot."
His brows rose. His daughter never took a liking to someone that easily. As much as he did not like her being meticulous, she knew whom to trust. It was an inherited ability. His mother had it.
"What did she do to gain your favour?" he asked, keeping his pace fast.
Without a stain visible on her face, she kept par with him. "Nothing. She did nothing to gain my favour. That what made me like her more. She did not try. Her actions said, 'this is me; even if you don't like me for who I am, I am still going to be like this.'"
He chuckled softly. Of course, he knew that much about her. That was what inspired his daughter?
"Papa, where is Dame Pheliny?" she asked as they reached her room's floor.
"She is your aunt," he sighed. "She will hate it if you call her with her title. And as for your question, she is down south. Some matters took her attention."
She nodded. Within two minutes, they reached her room. He felt air rush behind him. By his previous experience, he knew who it was. But he was glad Marina did not notice that.
Marina opened the door and went inside.
"I will come after one hour, Marina," he said, as she went near the fireplace to warm herself. "You better be in your bed. I don't want you poking your nose into another book."
She smiled and nodded. She proceeded to remove her gloves and placed it on her nightstand with precaution.
Before he left, she did something peculiar. From the folds of her skirt, she took a dagger and tossed it next to her gloves.
"What in the Spirit's name was that?" he asked his eyes wide.
"A dagger," she answered simply, not bothered by his reaction.
"I know that is a dagger, Marina," he said. "But what is it doing with you?"
"Protection, papa," she said. "Mika said me to always carry it with me."
He pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. "From tomorrow, your training starts. Don't be late."
He stormed out, but not before seeing the look of pure joy radiating on her face.
It was worth it. Allowing her to train. That thought had been going on in his mind ever since Mika suggested it to him, but being her father, he did not want to see a scratch on her skin. But what Lady Shaiya did was what made him snap. She was capable of defending herself. How long was she going to remain in his shadow?
He closed the door with a soft click. "I thought you had already left."
"I wanted to see you before I did," she whispered, hiding in the arms of the night.
"Why?" he asked, the wine's effect started to take control of his body. "Why are you going to go in spite me telling you not to?"
She stepped out and his breath choked him. The tight black dress hugged her body and a pair of twin blades attached on her back; if she looked at him, he would without a doubt fall on his knees.
Her face was concealed with a grey mask. But he could never mistake those warm brown eyes filled with golden dust. The warmth her eyes showed when everything failed and the fire that raged against the dark.
"You of all people know why I am going, Payne," Mika said, hugging herself with her gloved hand.
"I darn well know it!" he snarled and pulled her away. Somewhere where his daughter would not hear the conversation.
At the end of the corridor, a balcony gave its visitors a beautiful sight of the gardens. Jasmine of different kinds bloomed making the air laden with its nectar and scent. The wine tasted sweet on his lips. Despite this, he was waging a war against himself.
"But that does not mean I should like it," he finished.
"This has to be done," she protested, looking at the waning moon. "Taraq Pierce must die."
"By your hands?"
"Not exactly," she said. She averted her eyes.
"Then give me a bloody explanation!" he raised his voice. "General Crest asked our help, why did you volunteer? What made you throw your life away? And not to mention that if you kill Lord Pierce, then Dyiq-lye will be out for your blood. Not theirs."
"They are already searching for me," Mika sighed. "They want me dead."
"What did you do?"
"I chose my life," she stated, her voice matching the softness of the winter moon's glow. "Is that wrong?"
"I suppose not." Her answers left him searching for words. But it was not his place to demand answers when she did not want to say. Her past intrigued and enticed him. Who was she? With her expert of throwing knives, why did she stay will Lady Corne?
"Then why are you making me feel guilty about it?" she asked, her voice quavered for a fraction of second before she hardened it.
"I am not trying to hurt you, Mika. I just want to look out for you." The words rolled out of his mouth. "Why are you not letting me do that work?"
It was not the answers he was after, it was her safety. If he did not know her past, so be it. Lest he would know her future if she allowed and he did know her now. That all mattered to him.
Even if she was a monster for someone, she was a human for him. It was like a rose. Just because it had thorns, did that stop people from picking it?
"Why would you care?" she asked. "I appreciate it, but having no one other than Ella to care for me, I feel weird."
"Why should I not?" he asked. "As much as you do not want to say anything, I consider you to be my friend. I do not want anything to happen to you. You said you had only Ella to care for you. Add my name to that list, Mika. Because if a friend of mine needs me, I am always there, no matter what."
Friend? His inner voice mocked him. You had a 'friend.' And what happened to her? Where were you when she needed you? She had to flee home. You bring your friends a great luck. The sarcasm killed him.
She turned her face even more. "You are making it difficult for me to leave."
"You are still going to leave?" he asked. "Is there no other way?"
"None that I can see." The cold winds blew over them, making her black grab dance with them. "Taraq Pierce already have many protectors. I believe Dyiq-lye might even be protecting him, and I am the one person who can sneak past their defences and kill him. I am not confident, but this is a conviction I have. Trust me, Payne. I will make it here within two weeks. What more do I have in Tantalia?"
"Lady Avantika Yithare is kidnapped by them," he began, his voice hoarse from overtaking sleep. But he yawned and blinked his eyes fast. Sleeping now will get him nowhere. "And the mighty forces of Yerinah are still searching her. I trust you. It is them who I don't trust."
As though something hit her, she whipped her head and smiled at him. Or so her eyes said. "It is new for me when people care, you know? My brother saw me as a potential threat to my state. He thought I would fight him for it. He tried to kill me. My mother was busy with the children she gave birth. My father rarely ever noticed me. Being the eldest daughter in the house, I had to take care. The only person elder to me tried to kill me. This is all new to me."
He stared at her. The pain caused by loved ones, by the family was the most painful of all. His mother was there, supported everything his sister wanted and warned her when she chose a wrong path. The relation between his mother and sister was that of close friends.
With a loving family, he could not understand what she went through even when he wanted. "I don't want to pretend that I understand. I don't, but I can make it better for you."
He paused when he saw tears glistening in her eyes. A smile touched his face. Not even the worst torture could get her teary eyed, but just words of consolation; she was trying her hardest to contain the salted water.
"I think you would have liked my sister," he said, yawning. "She would have liked you."
"Why do you say so?" she asked, her voice shaking.
"She was my little sister and she liked strong women like you." Remembering his family was the hardest he had ever done. "Though we were not a large family, we were quite close. People thought that we were twins. Would it be ridiculous if I say we were able to feel each other's pain?"
She frowned. "I have heard siblings feel that. That just explains what a deep bond you have. I wish I had that kind of bonding with my brother. Where is she?"
"With the Spirits," he whispered. "A terrible fever took her and she died when I was seventeen. That broke my parents. When I became general, my parents left Awathe and settled in a peaceful seaside village in the east."
She quirked her eyebrow.
"Yes," he chuckled. "The residents of that village do not know that their past general is living among them." Seeing her bewildered expression he continued, "My father claims, agriculture is the most important. Though he ended up taking fishing."
"He works?"
"Trust me. I had many people ask me that question. Those stubborn parents of mine refuse to take the money I give them."
She laughed and for that second everything seemed to be well.
"I did not say that story to make you feel better, Mika," Payne said, once that happy moment passed and the weight of the situation fell on his shoulder again. "In fact, apart from the people I trust the most; next to none know my past. If we had time, I would have told my life in a greater detail. I trust you, Mika. I trust you to return. I cannot lose my friend."
He was surprised at his honesty. Never did he knew he would grow to care for her. Marina was right. She did not make people like her by changing herself; rather, she was who she was and that pulled people in. It was one of many things he admired about her.
Silently she nodded. Placing her hand over her masked mouth, she gasped.
"Thank you for trusting me," she said, gratitude in her eyes was visible the most. "I don't know how to thank you."
"I don't think friends thank each other," he stated. "Repay me by coming alive and uncaptured. It will be messy for me to come after you."
She playfully punched his right side. Pretending that it hurt, he rubbed the spot where she hit him.
"That was not strong, Payne," she commented dryly. "You and I know that you are acting."
"Is my acting skill terrible?"
Anything to see her well.
"Very."
He rolled his eyes. "But still explain. You said you were leaving yesterday. What are you doing?"
"Decoy, Payne," she said. He heard a smirk in her voice. "I sent a maid dressed as me to Tantalia yesterday. They will think that it was me and follow her, while I will be following them."
"Aren't you putting her life in danger?"
"I am going behind her," she said, firmly. "I will not allow anything to happen to her. I know there is someone watching me, I just needed to know who it was."
Payne nodded. "I asked Commander Lena Waem to aid you. You will be under her protection until you kill that bastard and after you kill him. The lower you stay, the better."
"You seemed to have thought about everything."
"Of course." He rose his eyebrows. "You are going there as Lady Naira Drenae, Lady Mae Cathale's friend. As many did not see you for a long time, they would have forgotten how you look and you are really different from what I saw a year before, so that might work."
"You saw me a year before?" she asked incredulously.
He coughed. "Yes. I was there for Lord Elmar Ashel and Lady Ella Corne's wedding."
"Oh!"
"But I did not know it was you until I saw you in Cyriac." He explained. Why did he do that?
She hummed. "That seemed to be a great plan."
"Not to mention, since you are leaving now, go to a healer and get golden dye. Have your hair in some colour. It might make you impossible to recognise," he said.
As much as he did not want to see her leaving, he was thankful that he did. If not, his plans would fail.
"What if you don't recognise me?" she asked, raising her eyebrows, with false mockery.
"I will recognise you anywhere, Mika," he said. "Now go on. Before I change my mind and chain you here."
"You really are concerned about my safety," she commented.
"Of course," he chuckled and yawned. "Else, Lady Corne will escape her place and kill me."
"Oh!" she laughed. "That she will definitely do."
He placed his hand over his heart. "I don't want that to happen you see."
Her eyes shone with happiness. "I hate to leave when you were angry with me. I am glad that you are okay."
"I am not okay, Mika," he smiled and his face almost split from it. "I am controlling my anger. This is the wine's effect. Now go on before it wears off and I stop you from going."
"So I must thank the wine."
"Yep." He drawled. "Once you reach there, send me a message. And I almost forgot. Commander Alekos will also aid you. He will get you inside Lord Pierce's house. That plan is laid out. Your way is cleared."
"Why are you so concerned about me?" she asked.
"Because I made a mistake once and I missed my one true friend. I still search for her," he whispered. "I don't want to lose you too, Mika."
"Just a friend?"
The hold of wine loosened on him considerably. Wetness burned the fire in his eyes. That was impossible to think. Though it was years since Adrysea had died, he was still bound to her.
"I do not want to answer that question," he said quietly. "Do you see like that?"
"Pfft, nah," she said. "I better get going. Else I won't ever leave. And I am seeing Triane how he is faring before I return."
"Goodbye till we meet again. Send him my regards. And tell him to send me a message about the suppression in Tantalia." He waved his hand. His blond messy hair sprawled all over his face, obstructing her parting image.
"Shall do. Take care of Marina."
"She is my daughter, Mika," he said. But internally he was glad that his daughter had many people who cared about her.
"I know."
"She is starting her training tomorrow."
"Oh," she whined, stopping in her tracks. "I will not be able to see her train!"
"You want to?"
"You know what?" she called. "Leave the daggers to me. I will take care of that for her."
"She might love that," he responded.
"I know." With that, she disappeared, the night swallowing her back again, leaving him the company of stars.
Standing and staring at the previously occupied space, he turned and saw the concealed night's beauty. He connected the rarely visible stars and tried to form a meaningless pattern.
"General Warddis," a voice called, snapping out of his revive.
Blinking, he turned to see Colonel Autry standing behind him.
"What is it?" he asked, his form almost slipping. It was when he realised how truly tired he was.
"Commander Rysen had to leave." She stated abruptly.
Everything was going good or was he under an illusion?
"What happened, Colonel?" he asked, his body going rigid. It was as if he did not even have a single glass of wine. How his body moulded to his desires, he would never know. He did not question that mystery.
"The pirates have started attacking," she said, her voice edgy.
Why did his Commanders send her when a message had to be sent to him? She was terrified of him. If she was the only brave Colonel then what of other Colonels? The truth struck him hard. He needed to have a conversation with them.
"Battle in Yerinah have begun."
Hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.
As some of you have requested Azaziah's story from her eyes, and since I wanted to write too, there might be a novella, "The Ballad of Winter" Azaziah's story told from her eyes. (If you have forgotten, it is the story, Trystan says to Aeron chapter 3).
The book will be up only after the novella is completed. Some characters from this story appear there, any guesses?
That being said, have an amazing Saturday or Sunday, depending on your time zone!
Until next Saturday,
~Quill