The sounds of cracking steps woke me.
It had been a very long night and I had, apparently, succumbed to the lull of rustling leaves, rushing wind, and the pleas of my aging body. Exhaustion weighted me down, dulling my senses. Still, I forced my limbs into motion, swinging myself upright from my sprawled position. Light filtered through my shuttered eyes leaving me desperate for day or darkness; I wasn't sure which. Gods, why are mornings so difficult?
The sound of another set of steps convinced my grudging body that day, in fact, was what I needed. Dawn had just broken and painted the world in gentle golden light. A staggering shadow trudged through the brush, hands grasping at branches either to clear the path or to support it on its journey.
"Quala? Stop."
She kept walking, ignoring Gahnenal's voice.
"Please."
His wavering tone brought her to a halt, hands gripping branches tightly. "What do you want?"
”You shouldn't be walking around.” Gahnenal strode up behind her, so close that if he reached out, he could embrace her. He didn’t.
“I need to work.”
“No, you don’t.”
“I do.”
“Sit with me?”
“Don't.”
“Quala, couldn’t you--.”
“Just don't.”
The tone of finality in Quala’s voice made his jaw snap shut. The silence between them blossomed out into a giant bubble, suffocating the noise of the woods around them. I could see streaks of golden light bounce and dance along their throats and jaws as they considered what to say next in the heavy air.
Slowly, Gahnenal began to move, laying a gentle hand on Quala’s shoulder. For a moment, I could saw Quala’s body bend into the contact. It was so sudden, so primal, and so quickly erased that I thought I had mistaken her stiff and sullen posture for a relaxed one in the wavering light.
Like a current, Quala’s stiffness transferred itself to Gahnenal. With a quick twist, he span on his heel and strode back towards the camp, never looking back. Quala turned, revealing golden drops trailing on her face. She shook her head, wiped her face and returned to trekking slowly across the uneven terrain, her movements jerky and unnatural as she attempted to limit her back’s activity.
Slithering down the tree trunk, I started running quietly through the woods towards where I was sure Quala would pass. Perhaps she’d like some company on her first raid back.
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“We need to talk.”
I sat up, sending the untrained kids I had been playing with tumbling. Like springs, they compressed then expanded to their regular proportions, ready for more rough-housing. Though their limbs seemed to be contorted in the strangest positions, the children always popped back up uninjured.
The miracle of youth as seen through the eyes of a old geezer.
A sardonic crossed my lips before I remembered that Sle was waiting for an answer.
“Talk in private you mean?”
Nodding the affirmative, Sle gestured for me to join him outside camp. Brushing off protests and dust, I waved at Shira letting her know that the little kids needed observation before they thought of setting the whole woods on fire out of boredom.
We walked in silence until we hit the Great River. Spray from the rapid current hung in the air, rendering the area misty and ethereal. The darkness of the woods loomed over the floating cloud -- from the edge of the river where we stood, we could see nothing but the blackness of the forest a few meters away.
“We have a problem.” Sle’s voice was slightly raised so that I could hear him over the violent rush of water.
“What’s wrong?”
“Convoys are disappearing. On almost every raid, the convoys that should be coming, don’t. Or they come from a different route, or with so much artillery and soldiers that it’s too dangerous to try and steal anything. This week especially -- no one could even come close to looting anything. It’s been happening for a few weeks now.”
“How I have not heard about this?”
“Because it’s not happening on your raids.” Sle thrust his hand into his hair. “Your raids are random -- you don’t tell anyone when or where you’re going or who you’re bringing with you.”
“I see.” My mouth pinched.
Sle threw his hands to the side. “Look, Ayri, if you think I’m crazy, say so.” He took a shuddering breath. ”I think someone’s leaking our raid schedules to the Southern King or -- someone. Someone knows. And someone in camp is the one telling them.”
I watched Sle’s earnest face; there was worry there. Worry and fear. Compromising our plans was a step away from compromising our location. A step whose possibility I couldn’t entertain, let alone allow to occur. Desperation gleamed in Sle’s eyes as I considered the news he brought me.
“Sle, you were always crazy. But I don’t think you’re wrong.” His relief was palpable as all the worry and doubt he had carried left him in an almighty sigh. I grasped his shoulder.
“We’re going to change how things work. All raids will be random now. If it keeps happening, especially when it’s the same person going on the raid, you let me know.”
He nodded in agreement.
“For the past few weeks, you said?”
“Yeah. Well, they have --”
“-- been doing raids on their own according to the schedule. Every single one of them.” I paused, contemplating the possibilities. “It could be anyone.”
Sle nodded, miserable. I shook his shoulder a little.
“Sle. We don’t have time to complain or worry. We just need to fix this. Now.”
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We were walking back from our impromptu meeting, lost in thought and eyes drooping with exhaustion when the steely warmth of an arm wrapped itself around my neck. The press of a cold blade set little bumps crawling along my skin.
“Such a rude way of saying ‘hello’.”
Someone chuckled into my ear, “The only girl I know that’s never afraid of a knife to the throat -- how could I resist?”
“With your manners? I imagine it’d be impossible.”
I felt the arm loosen enough for me to step away and greet my attacker. “Dilenkeh.”
He nodded in response and tested his sword’s edge before dropping it into the sheath hanging at his hip. Dilenkeh looked, if possible, larger than before. Well fed. It made me conscious of my growling stomach.
A naturally imposing mass, the addition of more muscle to his body, more meat to his bones made him a Goliath among men. The size of the sword that he had so easily flourished one-handedly into its sheath would have left both of my arms shaking just to raise to shoulder-height.
From the corner of my eye, I could see Sle rest his hand with casual indifference on the worn handle of his heavy hammer. I crossed my arms across my chest, feeling for any bugs that could have been placed on my skin when Dilenkeh had locked me into that compromising position. Feeling an unfamiliar bump on the edge of my rib cage, I used my thumb to press on the oddity discreetly. I could feel it crack under the pressure, releasing sharp metal bits and its own special ooze.
Catching the momentary twist of my wrist, Dilenkeh smirked. “Told you she’d find it. You owe me.” He spoke into the air but his veins lit up beneath his skin as in response. Then they flashed again and he laughed, sending me a look.
I struggled to keep my face completely impassive but it was made particularly difficult as Sle began to step away from Dilenkeh. “Now, that is really impolite.”
From the shadows emerged silver-handed men, stoic and immovable as always. They stood in a neat circle, arranged in such a way that each was arm’s reach from the other, with us at the center. Outside the edge of the circle, a few well-dressed strangers leered at us. I couldn’t understand why noblemen kept “participating” so uselessly in the King’s missions in the woods -- there’s only so much that can be done in silk and satin.
I sighed, leaning against a nearby tree and ignoring the masses of armed men surrounding us. “What do you want, Dilenkeh?”
“Really?” He raised his eyebrow. “You don’t remember the last time we met and the particular circumstances of your continued existence thereof?”
“You know I have a veritable ton of odd conversations on a regular basis. Remind me what we talked about, why don’t you?”
Mocking my relaxed stance, he leant against a nearby trunk, crossing his arms and smirking. “Something about killing you all if you come back to the Southern King’s lands, something else about not meddling with our affairs.”
“Well, you’re going to have to be much more specific because at this rate, I really can’t recall anything quite so vague.”
I heard Dilenkeh murmur something that sounded like “Women” under his breath before saying, “You are defying the King’s orders. Your life is forfeit unless you do what I say.”
“Don’t know of any kings.” I shrugged.
“Gods Ayri, stop being so dense!” He pushed himself off his tree and slammed into me. Winded, I fought to look calm as his hands struck the wood beside my head, sending dust and splinters into the air as he pressed against me. “Times are changing, woman, and you better get used to it. You’re not in charge any more.” His breath fanned over my face, leaving nothing but a foul scent behind. Trying not to gag, I smiled at him and slid my hips just a little from side to side. Dilenkeh dropped his gaze and sneered at me.
“You really think that’d work?”
I took advantage of his less-guarded position and struck his nose and chin with the top of my head. There was a loud crack though I didn’t feel anything -- the top of the head is one of the hardest points in the body. Dilenkeh exhaled in pain and went stiff, giving me just enough room to slide out from under his arm.
“No. But it seems to have worked just fine.”
I walked over to Sle, who had been watching, saying. “But yes, times do change. Common courtesy does not. Though apparently it’s not common anymore.” I sat down on a log as Dilenkeh readjusted his nose and popped his jaw into a more comfortable position.
“Tell me why you’re really here, Dilenkeh. If you were here to carry out your threats, you would’ve killed me long ago.”
He sighed, running his hand over his face, and turned to face us.
“We’ve got someone who tells us all the naughty things you’re up to.”
“We know.”
He struck the tree, sending leaves quivering. “Let me finish!”
Tilting our heads to one side, Sle and I waited for Dilekeh’s tantrum to pass. It seemed that his temper -- which used to be perfectly under control before -- was now quite unbalanced. We watched him pant, chest heaving, and fight to regain a calm exterior.
After a moment, he said, “We know what you’re up to. It’s just a matter of time before we walk into your pathetic hide out and finish the job.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sle’s throat jump as he swallowed his emotions.
“We’ve even got ourselves a few gentlemen that are more than willing to help us out.” Dilenkeh snapped his fingers. Two silver-handed men turned away from the circle and walked a few steps into the woods. They returned carrying two sacks thrown over their shoulders, marching the unwieldy bundles through the brush. Though the bags were not moving, the sound of stifled screaming filtered out from the burlap. The muted yells stopped for a moment after they had been thrown on the ground.
“Funny, one of the them was helping us, the other was looking for the rat. Wonder if you can guess which was which.”
Methodically, and ruining Dilenkeh’s ‘dramatic’ moment, the silver handed men pulled away the fabric cocooned around the two captives. The boys’ muffled yells grew louder as they felt air instead of harsh burlap. Looking down, I met the two gagged boys’ eyes. Ralerin and Chael. One was helping Dilenkeh. One was searching for the spy. Which was which?
Masking my confusion, I shot Dilenkeh a look. “Learnt a few new knots while you were away?”
Sle snorted. The two boys were smothered in silver cable, so trussed up that it was a miracle that they had managed to be thrown over the silver-handed men’s shoulders rather than be carried like planks.
Eyes narrowed, Dilenkeh took a few more deep breaths before he spat. “Always so funny. So smart. Have to wonder how you’ll get out of here, don’t you?”
“Not really. Beauty, charm, wit -- I can keep going if you like.”
“Gods, you just never stop, do you?” Dilenkeh’s fists clenched.
I turned my head to Sle and asked, “Do I ever stop, Sle darling?”
“Never.” He sighed.
“Seems that I never stop.” I replied to a fuming Dilenkeh.
Face red with effort, he pressed his lips into a painful smile. “How could I forget? No use us trying to talk to you. Boys?”
Hands restrained me, ready for an almighty struggle but none came. Why they expected me to be stupid enough to try to single handedly fight the horde of armed men, I don’t know. But I found it funny. Funny enough to use the situation to unnerve our captors.
I laughed. Loudly. My roars bellowed out into the woods, magnifying and echoing in an alarming way. Dilenkeh’s and Sle’s shocked expressions really didn’t help calm me down. Tears streamed down my face as cable was slung on me, jerking a hand here, a foot there. The silver-handed men were avoided me, their disgusted glances bouncing off my shrill armour. Peering through my dewy lashes, I saw a smile dawned on Sle’s face like a dark shuddering shadow. Dilenkeh was reduced to a giant dark mass.
“Shut her up! Just shut her up!” Dilenkeh yelled at his men.
The silver-handed men tried to place a gag in my mouth but because they didn’t want to touch me more than necessary, I could shake my head away from their hesitant grips. Men and their fear of insanity, I chortled to myself.
“Gods!”
Dilenkeh rose above me like a wave -- his hand flew to my face like a whip. Lights fizzed before my eyes and I could feel my jaw hang slack and silent. My body wavered, out of my control; buzzing filled my ears, drowning out all other sounds. Trying to set the world back in order, my head lolled. I could see a silver mass surrounded by flies like an inverse spider’s web. The earth rushed and rolled and bent and I with it.
The next strike sent me into darkness.
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My first author's note -- how exciting!
This is a bit of an odd and super long chapter. Quite a lot's going on and I realize that a lot of the hints that I was supposed to weave in sort got left at the curb. So I'm really sorry if the developments seem sudden. But it will be fixed when I get around to editing.
If you didn't think it was that odd though, let me know!
Thanks for reading this far! We're almost done guys! Just one more section! Prepare for heartbreak, danger, daring feats, and, of course, trust and love.