TwelveDays to Die
by
RobJ. Hayes
Cover image ©2013 by Julio Real
All rights reserved.
Jezzet slowed to a stop, breathing heavily and halting her run at thefence that surrounded their ramshackle farm. The sun was lazy andlow, still struggling to rise, and it gave her a long shadow thatstretched back towards the city. Truridge was a dark stain on the farhorizon, almost half a day's walk away.
The hard morning run never seemedto get any easier no matter how many times she did it. Probablybecause that old bastard always changes the route, makes it longer,Jez thought. Acouple more years and he'll have me lapping the whole of Acanthia asa warm up.
The goat wandered up to the fence and stuck its head through a largegap. It gave Jezzet a long stare, twisted its head sideways, thenlowered it and nibbled at some enterprising grass that thought it wassafe from the mangy beast. It wasn't much of a farm with just onegoat and three chickens, but it helped keep them fed, though most oftheir food came from trading in and around the city. Despite theyears they had been together, Jezzet still didn't know what hermaster sold down in Truridge, but whatever it was he never seemed torun out of it.
Jezzetdipped her hands in the nearby trough and pooled some water to herface, sipping at it and then splashing the rest over her sweaty skin.Always tastes likegoat.She gave the little beast a hard stare and it countered with mildindifference.
"Didyou do the full route this time?" Yuri asked. He was sitting nearthe chicken hutch, flush against the building and very much in theshade. Jezzet hadn't even noticed him there until he spoke.
"Yes,master," she said with a tired sigh.
DespiteYuri Vel'urn's advancing age he was as spry and fit as Jezzetherself. Oldbastard hasn't slowed a drop even though he hasn't been out on amorning run in... I dunno, a bloody long time.He was swift and agile, strong as a bull and had the stamina of twoyoung men. Despite this he was also wrinkled and grey, and Jezzetsometimes caught him wincing when he stood.
"Good,"Yuri said, watching her from the shade. "Run it again."
Jezzet clenched her jaw and bit back the first reply she thought of.Telling the old man to screw himself against the wall would be apetty insult and would likely earn her a beating. Like as not, itwould be less painful just to do the run.
"Fancycoming with me like you used to?" Jezzet asked as she bent downinto a stretch, one leg beneath her and the other out to the side.
Yuri Vel'urn shook his head and lifted a small cup to his mouth,sipping at the contents. "My running days are behind me, Jezzet.You, though... You are full of the passion of youth. Put that vigourto good use."
Jezzetshifted to stretch out the other leg. She was young, that was true.Yuri had bought her at just nine years old and she'd been with himfor... Shit, Jez,can't even remember how old you are. Twenty, maybe?
"Thelonger you sit there stretching the more likely I am to send youround for a third time."
Jezzet let out a groan. "You wouldn't." It was pointless becauseshe knew he would.
Yuri looked up to the sky and raised a hand, pointing south towardsLongwood. "Before the sun reaches the forest or you'll be goinground again."
Jezzet pushed back to her feet and scooped more water from thetrough, drinking two deeps mouthfuls. She sent Yuri a baleful glare,then turned and started her second morning run of the day.
Jezzetcould feel her legs wobbling as she reached the flimsy gate for thesecond time that day. Beatthe sun though, Jez. Just.The brilliant yellow ball was about to start shining directly down onLongwood, but it hadn't made it quite yet. Jezzet celebrated bydropping down onto her knees in the grass and dunking her head intothe trough right next to where the goat was lapping away. She gulpeddown huge mouthfuls of the stale water before pulling her head backup and gasping for air.
Jezzet's gasps quickly turned to laughs and she fell backwards ontothe grass and stared up at the brilliant blue sky. She wiped waterfrom her eyes and pushed her short, black hair back on her head. Shelay there and listened to her heart beat quiet and slow.
These sorts of stolen moments all to herself were rare. Up until ayear or so ago Yuri would sometimes disappear for days on end,leaving Jezzet all to herself. She had loved those days, and thefreedom she found in them. She'd still had duties of course, and Yurialways left her with a strict training regime, but it was Jezzet'schoice whether she followed it or not. Sometimes she would lie in hercot until midday and enjoy being lazy. Sometimes she would steal downinto Truridge during the afternoon and get roaring drunk. Sometimesshe would sit outside and watch the stars twinkle, and simply enjoyhaving the world all to herself.
ButYuri hadn't left the farm in so long privacy was nothing but a fondmemory for Jezzet. Traders still came to call, but he no longersought them out. Neither did he use her body like he used to. Therewas a time when he'd take her three or four times a week, usuallystinking drunk and rough as goat fur, though sometimes he could begentle. It had been months now since Jezzet had been fucked. Strangethat you're almost starting to miss it, Jez.
She felt a tugging on her boot and looked up to see the goatstraining to force its way through the fence and nibble on her toes.It wasn't the first time the little beast had done so either, itseemed to have a strange fascination with Jezzet's feet.
A heavy stick sailed through the air overhead and landed somewherebehind Jez, she ignored it and ignored Yuri walking towards thelittle gate with a similar stick in hand.
"Up," Yuri ordered.
Jezzet waited a few moments,enjoying the mild defiance, but it wouldn't do to ignore her master'sorders for too long. She knew from experience just how much defianceshe could get away with before earning bruises. Likea whipped dog knowing its place.
Rolling to her feet, Jezzet straightened up and glanced down at thestick lying in the grass. It was one of the wooden training swords.Shaped like a plain longsword and made of ironwood, it was nearly asstrong as steel and weighed about the same too. They had a range ofweapons inside their little home that would make most collectors morethan a little jealous, and Yuri had long ago collected wooden copiesof some of his favourite blades.
"Wehaven't used wooden swords in..." Jezzet racked her memory. "Years,I guess."
Yuri pushed open the gate and stepped onto the path. The goat made aplay for freedom but the gate swung closed far too quickly.
"Pickit up," Yuri said as he approached. He was wearing his trainingrobe, thin cloth made baggy by his lean frame. It tended to ripplearound him as he moved and made picking out a target that much moredifficult. Yuri had also tied his long grey hair back and trimmed hisbeard into a point. He looked more like the master Jezzet rememberedfrom her childhood than the one of more recent years.
Jezzet scooped the wooden sword from the grass and gave it a twirl,feeling the weight and balance of the blade and settling into atwo-handed stance, her feet shoulder width apart.
Old bastard won't give youanother warning, Jez. He'll just come at you. At least you ain'tgonna get impaled this time.It was a sobering reminder of how tough her training had been upuntil now, and how harsh a master Yuri was. Jezzet had scars all overher body, arms, legs, torso, even one on her face, a small snip of ascar just below her right eye. It was all part of the Blademastertraining, or so Yuri said. A Blademaster needed to know how it feltto get cut, to get stabbed, to get run through. They needed to knowso it wouldn't shock them during a real fight. Jezzet had all thescars of battle, but she'd never been near a real fight.
"Sowhy the wood, master?" Jezzet asked, the tip of her blade followingYuri as he circled her.
"Tosee how far you have come."
Jezzetsmiled. I'll showyou just how far I've come, you old bastard.
Yuri stopped moving just a few paces away, his back straight as apole and his wooden sword held in one hand behind him, running upalong his back. He was standing south of Jezzet, trying to put thesun at his back, to blind her and mask his movements. Jezzet saw hismouth crinkle into a smile. He might be a Blademaster, but Yuri wasalso a master of misdirection.
The sun is a trick!Jezzet glanced down to see he was barefoot just as Yuri started tomove, pivoting away from her and bringing his left leg up in a spinkick. She danced backwards but the kick was never meant to land. Thegrass Yuri had torn from the ground flew towards Jezzet, a smallstorm of little green blades, and behind them came Yuri.
The old Blademaster came up underneath the flying grass and hiswooden sword whipped upwards in an arc that aimed to slice Jezzetfrom groin to collar. She parried the blow to the left and flowed tothe right, barely dodging out of the way as Yuri attempted to followthrough the attack with his shoulder.
He gave Jezzet no time to gather herself, moving with her and aiminga hard jab at her legs followed by another. Jezzet found herselfgiving ground again and again, on the defensive as she parried anddodged, looking for something that might be considered an opening.
He's fast for such an old man, Jez. Always has been. You'refaster.
She stepped into his next attack, bringing her own wooden sword up ina figure eight, brushing his attack away and flowing into her own.Yuri's advance slid to a stop and he backed away as Jezzet whippedstrike after strike towards his face, each one blocked or missing itsmark as Yuri swayed from side to side. Jezzet ducked, going down ontoher left knee and stabbing towards Yuri's legs, a quick jab which hebarely sidestepped away from, then Jez's sword was back in time toblock the counter as Yuri tried to bring his sword down on her head.
They stayed there for a couple of heartbeats, Jezzet with her swordheld up by her head and Yuri pressing down on the blade with his ownas he stood over her. She knew she wasn't likely to win a test ofstrength with the old man; Jezzet was strong but Yuri was stronger,despite his years and recent apathy.
She felt the pressure waver for just a moment and Jezzet pushed backto her feet, knocking Yuri's blade away and forcing him to stumble astep backwards. She should have capitalised on the advantage, shouldhave taken the opportunity to press the attack, but she was tooshocked. And Yuri looked just as shocked.
He's weak, Jez. Weaker than you. Slower than you. Time to pay thebastard back for all the beatings.
Yuri's sword seemed to come out of nowhere, straight into a jab thatwould have skewered Jezzet, but she blocked with her own just intime. Yuri ducked down at the last moment and the hilt of his woodensword smashed into Jez's leg. She gasped at the pain, but before shecould counter attack, Yuri was already back on his feet and a spinkick connected with her face, sending her rolling arse over tit inthe grass.
Jezzettasted blood. Her leg ached and her mouth stung. She grinned up atYuri. Nothing likea fight to get the blood going, Jez. Time to finish the bastard onceand for all.
Yuri danced forwards again and Jezzet scrambled backwards on handsand arse until her back hit the fence. She felt the goat nuzzle ather short hair, thinking about taking a nip. Yuri came closer stilland Jezzet thrust her wooden sword at him, a wild strike he brushedaway with ease and whipped his sword around to bring down upon herhead. Jezzet waited until the last moment and rolled away. She heardYuri grunt as he pulled his blow, desperate not to hit the goat.
Jezzet launched back to her feet and jumped, spinning in mid-air andthrusting her sword at... thin air.
The blade of Yuri's sword slammed into Jez's gut and she crashed tothe ground, gasping and cursing in equal measure.
"Howmany times, Jezzet?" Yuri asked. He didn't sound smug, moredisappointed.
She rolled onto her knees and lowered her head in submission, hersword laid out on the grass in front of her. "Never..." she drewin a breath and coughed. "Never jump. The moment my feet leave theground I lose control of my momentum." It was a lesson she hadlearned before many times, and one she seemed doomed to learn againand again. "I'm sorry, master."
"Youwere slow today."
Jezzetnodded at that. WellI have been up and running circuits since dawn.
"Perhapsif you had been a little faster..." Yuri said and Jezzet looked upto see a frown on his wrinkled face. "Come."
Yuri turned and walked towards the house, giving the goat's head arub as he passed. Jezzet grabbed her sword from the ground and pushedback to her feet, limping after Yuri. Now the fight was over shecould feel the numb ache spreading through her thigh.
The chickens were out of their little house, pecking around thegarden. Jezzet had spent hours watching them in the past, studyingthe way they moved in short, jerky motions, always alert. They tendedto keep their distance from the goat, but there had been a few standoffs in the past. It was hard to say who won those contests.
"Sit,"Yuri said as he lowered himself into his rocking chair near thedoorway to their house. The old master spent many evenings in thatchair, rocking back and forth and watching Jezzet train, or sometimesjust watching the lights of Truridge once the sun went down.
Jezzetlimped towards the chair and folded down into a cross legged sit nearit. She laid her wooden sword across her lap and waited. This waswhere Yuri would tell her all the mistakes she made during theirfight, explaining them in great detail. Asif he needs to.You can remember each one in vivid detail, Jez. The moment youoverpowered him... that was the mistake. You could have finallybeaten him. You should have battered him for all the times he'sbattered you.
"Themost important thing a Blademaster can ever do is take on anapprentice." Yuri leaned forward and held out a small clay cup infront of Jez's face. She took it without asking and a quick snifftold her it was rice wine. Yuri never offered to share a drink withher.
"EachBlademaster is different, and each training regime is different, butone thing is constant..." Yuri paused and Jezzet found him watchingher intently.
"Thata Blademaster may only take one apprentice, and the final test is aduel to the death," she said slowly, already dreading the topic.
Yuri nodded sagely and poured his own little mug of rice wine. Hesipped at it and Jezzet followed suit, wincing at the flavour. Yuristarted to rock his chair gently back and forth.
"Blademastersare not chosen, Jezzet," Yuri said after a while. "Any fool withenough time to train can become proficient with a weapon, some mighteven become experts. Blademasters are different. We are better. Thereis something– more to us. A natural ability and grace that goesbeyond muscle memory and finesse.
"Weare not chosen. We are born to be. I was born into riches and a silkswaddle, but I was born to be a Blademaster. You were born..."
"Intoslavery," Jezzet interrupted and then quickly shut her mouth at adisapproving glance.
"Youwere born into poverty," Yuri continued. "You were sold intoslavery. You were born to be a Blademaster." He smiled. "And youwere very lucky I was visiting the brothel the day your parentsdecided to sell you."
One kind of slave girl is much the same as another. Bought andkept and fucked daily no matter who paid the coin for me. At leastwith Yuri you've learned a useful skill, Jez.
"Oneday you will have to take an apprentice of your own, Jezzet. I hopeyou'll know to look in the most unlikely of places."
"What'sthis about, master?" Jezzet asked. Yuri never beat her for askingquestions, but often for assuming answers.
"It'stime."
"No."Jez shook her head.
"Yes."
"ButI lost."
Yuri laughed. "Do you think it was by accident I made you runaround the lake twice this morning?"
"I'mnot ready."
"Youhave to be, Jezzet. We're out of time."
"What?"There was something in the way Yuri said it, something he wasn'ttelling her.
"You'reout of time," Yuri said. "I've already made the decision." Herocked back in the chair and picked something up from the porch,slinging it down onto the ground in front of Jezzet. It was a pack,her pack, and it was stuffed full of clothes, her clothes.
"Whatis this?" Jezzet couldn't keep the note of panic from creeping intoher voice.
"Go,"Yuri said. "You have twelve days to spend as you please. When theyare up, I will find you, and one of us will die."
Jezzet was shaking her head. "No. I... I can't."
"Go,"Yuri said again. "This is your last warning, Jezzet." Sherecognised the tone in voice and he was serious.
Jezzet couldn't think, didn't know what to feel. Her mind was ajumbled mess and she couldn't even hear her own thoughts. Everythingwas noise and panic. She looked up at Yuri and he frowned down ather, wearing a face she knew all too well.
Before her master could force the issue, Jezzet snatched up her packand launched into a run for the third time that day, only this timeshe didn't have a destination. This time the only place she couldn'tgo was back home.
Jezzet didn't stop running until the first few houses of Truridgesprung up around her. She slowed down and stopped, leaning againstthe wall of a ramshackle stable, and sucked in deep breaths, lettingsweat drip down her nose onto the ground below. The city was a grandone, opulent and vast, but that was further in. Here on the outskirtswhere the only the poorest of folk lived, the buildings were smalland the work was hard.
Sheknew Truridge well, had been to the city more times than she couldcount or cared to. She had been born in Truridge, in one of thepoorer areas just like this one but along the riverside. Spenthalf your life living in a shit hole just like this with ma' and da',Jez. Right up until they decided to sell their little girl intoslavery.
Jezzet turned back the way she had come and looked towards her home.She couldn't see it, not so far away, but she knew where to look. Shewondered if Yuri was looking back.
Screw the old bastard, Jez. You don't need him. For the first timein your life you are free!
It was true. She no longer belonged to anyone, was no longer beholdento anyone. Jezzet realised for the first time in her life, she coulddo whatever she wanted. A wild laugh bubbled up from inside and burstout. Jezzet leaned against the stables and giggled, mindless of anypassers by who might be watching and think she was mad.
Yuri could watch from their home all he wanted. He could sit thereand rot or come for her like he promised. Jezzet wouldn't care. Sherefused to.
Just what is it free folk dowith themselves?She wondered and the answer wasn't too long in coming. Free folkdrank and they fucked, and they did whatever they pleased. Andwho am I to argue?
Jezzet spat in the general direction of Yuri and stepped away fromthe stable, turning around to join the road that led into Truridgeproper. She knew a few taverns in the city, she'd visited them fromtime to time, and she knew which ones served the least watered downbeer. The day was young, the feeling of freedom was heady, and shewanted to spend the first day of that freedom getting so drunk shecouldn't feel the creeping sensation of despair forming in her gut.
The Wondering Wanderer was a large tavern along the riverside. Itserved a good selection of beer and a better selection of clientele.Merchants, sailors, thieves, and good folk all drank alongside eachother in the Wanderer and that meant Jezzet didn't look too out ofplace. She had some decent clothes, it was true, not anything fancylike a dress or a suit, but she preferred to wear her scrappyleathers. Jezzet liked to dress for ease of movement and protectionshould any sort of fight be in the offing and that's exactly what herworn, brown leathers provided. Though she had to admit they made herlook half feral, and the short spiky hair and stale sweat smelldidn't do a drop to change that image.
Jezzet sat in the corner of the tavern, a table all to herself, andsupped at a mug. Her first day of freedom wasn't going how sheenvisaged and that was at least partly because she simply didn't knowhow to go about making friends.
Jez vaguely remembered having friends, other children her age, backwhen she lived with her parents. It was so long ago now that shecouldn't really be sure– memories tended to get a bit fuzzy aftertime got its claws in them. Since being sold to Yuri, Jezzet hadn'treally had chance to make any friends. They lived far enough awayfrom the city that trips to it were irregular, and her training hadoccupied her for almost every waking moment.
Afew years ago Jezzet had made a friend of sorts, a young man by thename of Thom. He was handsome and cheeky, and he made her laugh. Yurihad ended that relationship almost as soon as it began. Neverfigured out what the old bastard said to Thom, Jez. Whatever it wasit scared him right off. Shows the value of love right there.
She was somewhere into her second beer when a big man with big armsand a big beard detached himself from his group and sauntered over.He didn't look handsome underneath the hairy face, but he did smileand that helped Jezzet let her guard down a little. The dust of along road seemed to stick to him and gave his skin a mucky look. Thebig man slammed his mug down on her table and flopped down into achair, waving over the barmaid and ordering a round for both himselfand Jezzet, before even asking if she wanted one.
"Lonely,you look," the man said. His accent wasn't Acanthian and Jezzet hadno idea what any other accent sounded like. Her only knowledge ofother places came from Yuri's sporadic stories, and he only told anyof them once he was two blinks from passing out on rice wine.
"Youdon't." Yeah,well done, Jez. Make friends by telling the first one to show aninterest to fuck off.
The big man with the dusty beard and the strange accent turned in hischair and looked back at the table he had recently been sat at. Aftera moment he turned back to Jezzet, a broad smile showing white teethbeneath the beard.
"Yet,sit here with you, I choose."
The barmaid brought their beers and took a coin from the man, hesniffed at one of the tankards and then passed it to Jezzet. "Goodale," he said with a reassuring nod.
"Couldhave figured that out myself," Jezzet said with a grin as sheraised the new mug and gulped down a mouthful. It tasted warm andbitter and almost nutty. He wasn't wrong about it being good.
Theman watched Jezzet for a while, his eyes occasionally darting down tolook at her chest. Ain'tgonna see much there. Some women could put an eye out with theirpair, but not you, Jez.
"Otherwomen, you aren't," the big man said.
"Othermen, you ain't," Jezzet replied quickly. She wasn't sure what itmeant, but it certainly seemed to put a smile on his face.
Theysat in silence for a while, sipping at their drinks. The man nevertook his eyes from her, and Jezzet occasionally returned the scrutinybetween watching the rest of the tavern. Wellthis is nice and awkward, Jez.
"Name,you have?" the man asked eventually. His smile was gone and he nolonger looked quite as casual as before. Yourfault, Jez. Put him on edge by being such a prickly bitch. Try beingnice.
"Jezzet.You?"
"TarnSkybeater, I am."
Jezzet laughed. "How'd you get a fancy name like that?"
Tarn frowned. He had blue eyes, she noticed, dark at the outsides butlighter as they moved inwards. "When I was born, the sky beating."
"Huh?"
"Skybeating," the man banged his fist on the table three times makingit jump a little and spilling good beer all over it. Some folk nearbytook notice, Jezzet saw them out of the corner of her eye.
"Astorm?" Jezzet asked. "There was thunder when you were born?"
The man nodded.
"Sothey named you Skybeater?" Jezzet laughed. It seemed such an oddreason to take a name.
"Yes.Our way, it is."
"It'sa stupid way," Jezzet said with a giggle.
She could feel the beer going to her head and she liked it. It feltlike it was loosening her tongue, giving her confidence. She feltlike she could say anything she wanted, do anything she wanted, andno one in the tavern could stop her.
This is what it means to be a Blademaster, Jez. You could fighthim if you wanted to, could fight everyone in this place and you'dwin. Or you could fuck him.
Jezzet looked at the man again. He wasn't handsome, but he lookedstrong and had a certain rugged appeal.
"Yourdrink," the man said, "enjoy."
He stood to leave, his chair scraping on the wooden floor, and Jezzetleaned forwards quickly, reaching out and catching hold of his wrist.She pulled him back down into his chair and smiled at him. Once hewas seated again, Jezzet drained off her mug and signalled thebarmaid for another round, this one on her.
The second round of conversation didn't go much better and Jezzetsoon came to the conclusion that she simply wasn't cut out for it.She managed to insult Tarn three times and each time he looked caughtbetween anger and confusion. Luckily the flow of booze seemed tosmooth over a few of the rough edges, and before long Jez grabbedhold of Tarn's hand and dragged him upstairs to her room.
Jezzet wasn't gentle. She didn't want gentle. She wanted to fuck andshe wanted to take out some of the frustration she was feeling andshe did both with Tarn. He tried to take charge, pushing her down onthe bed and attempting to simultaneously mount her and drop histrousers. Jez wrapped her legs around his waist, whipped his arm outfrom under him and pivoted, flipping Tarn onto his back, and thereshe rode him.
It wasn't like with Yuri. Tarn felt different inside, bigger andfaster. A lot faster. Didn't take long for the man to wheeze andgrunt and fall limp, leaving Jezzet more than a little unsatisfied.Unfortunately no amount of wriggling, slapping, or threatening gotTarn up for a second go at it so she soon dragged him up off the bed,shoved him towards the door, and locked it behind him.
The following two days went much like the first. Jezzet woke with ahangover, forced some food down her throat, and then set off to finda new tavern with new beer to drink and new men to fuck.
She learned a lot about making friends in those two days. First andforemost was that nothing earned a friendly smile quite like theoffer of a free drink, and nothing turned a new friendship sour quitelike the offer of a wet cunt.
Bythe end of her third day Jezzet was nursing a sore head, a soregroin, and she couldn't quite shake the growing sense of dread thatcrept up on her every time she found herself quiet and alone. Shefound herself sitting in taverns and startling every time the dooropened, and she knew why. Jezzet imagined Yuri barging in through thedoor, throwing a sword at her, and then leaping in for the attack.She had nine days left. Just nine days before her master came lookingfor her. Nine daysuntil he kills you, Jez.
"Howfar could a woman get away from here in nine days?" Jezzet askedher newest group of friends. There were four of them, three men and awoman. All were sailors by trade, serving on board some merchant boatthat Jezzet had already forgotten the name of.
"Byboat?" asked Oin, a middling man with features about as bland ascould be. Jezzet had eyed up the group when they walked in anddecided Oin was the one she would fuck. Sex was just about the lastthing on her mind now though. Now she was thinking about running.
"Sure,"Jezzet said.
"Dependson the weather," Joelin said. She was an odd one was Joelin, prettybut liked to hide it under layer of dirt and grease. "Good windcould get you half way to the Shield Islands."
"Ifthe boat were going to the Dragon Empire, sure," Oin supplied."Could be it were going south, sailing across the Sea of Stars toSarth."
"Wouldn'tget very far hugging the coast," Joelin said. "Better off headingwest towards the empire."
This is going nowhere, Jez."Doesn'tmatter where," she said. "Just want to know how far."
Oin shrugged. "Pretty far. You looking to turn sailor?"
"Thinkingabout it," Jezzet lied. She just wanted to be as far away fromTruridge and Yuri as possible.
"Yaknow how to sail?" Joelin asked.
Jezzet scoffed. "How hard can it be? Pull on a few ropes and scruba couple of decks."
Oin burst in a raucous laughter, Joelin shook her head, and Taffy,the last of the group, pulled a face that made him look thicker thanthe blood Jezzet felt like spilling. It wasn't that she didn't likethe little group, but that she wasn't too fond of being made to looka fool, and right now she was feeling fairly foolish.
"Don'tlook so angry, lassy," said Taffy. "What is it you do?"
"Do?"Jez asked. "I train. Um, I fight."
"Soldier?"
"No."
"Whatthen?" asked Joelin. "You fight in the Guild pits or something?Spilling blood for the thieves of Truridge to make money from?"
Jezzet frowned. "No. Just sort of train really. Don't fight foranyone but myself."
Joelin opened her mouth to say more, but Taffy cut her off. "Andhow hard can that be? Swing a few swords, poke a few folk with thesharp end."
"No,"Jezzet admitted. "Years of training. All day, every day training."And a little moregetting poked than poking others.
"Sailingain't really different, lassy. Any fool can swab a deck, but it takesyears of training to scuttle up rigging and lay on canvas."
Jezzet nodded at that, conceding the man's point. "What aboutrunning then? If I were to get up and start, how far could I get innine days? I've not really been out of Truridge ever. Don't knowwhat's about."
"Notfar in nine days on foot. Maybe with a horse," this from Oin.
Jezzet had ridden a horse before though not for a very long time.Yuri purchased two a couple of years back and they spent every day ofthe next three moons learning to ride and learning to fight from atopone of the beasts. After the old bastard was satisfied he took thehorses away, and sold them back to wherever they had come from.Jezzet knew how to fight from a horse and she also knew how expensivehorses were, and her coin supply was already dwindling. Too manyrooms hired and too many drinks shared were a quick way to empty apurse.
"Thereare plenty of towns nearby you could get to, lassy," Taffy said,poking at his beer and narrowing his eyes. "But they all have aGuild presence. Everywhere in Acanthia does. Might be you want toconsider what sort of trouble you've got yourself into. No sense inrunning from the Guild."
Jezzet considered arguing with the man, pointing out she'd never evenmet one of the Guild's agents, let alone done anything to piss themoff. In the end she couldn't be bothered with the argument. She wastiring of this little group fast, and not least of all because shecould no longer control the fluttery feeling in her stomach. The moreshe tried to ignore it, the more Jezzet realised that Yuri was comingfor her.
Jezzet finished her drink, draining half the mug in one pull, andsaid a hasty goodbye to the sailors. She scooped her pack from thefloor, slid her sword back into its scabbard, and made for the exit.
The night was dark, but the street lamps lit the way well enough.Jezzet had no destination and no plan. She let her feet walk and shelost herself in dark thoughts, imagining what would happen once thetwelve days were up.
He'd come for her, she knew that much was true. Yuri didn't bluff,nor lie. Jezzet imagined him striding through the streets ofTruridge, stopping at every inn and tavern, and tracking her down.Whether he found her drunk as a fish or cowering in a hole or runningdown the cobbled streets, he'd find her and come at her with nakedsteel.
Jezzetdidn't fear fighting Yuri, they'd fought thousands of times. Younever once managed to beat him, Jez. Closest you ever came was himmaking a mistake and those are rare as a red sky.She didn't fear getting cut or bleeding. Jezzet feared dying. Shefeared leaving a nameless corpse on the streets, passing on todeath's grey isle, and knowing that Yuri was disappointed in her. Heclaimed they were the last of the Blademasters, the last of an orderthat was doomed to dwindle by its own rules. Yuri was too old to takeanother student, too old to train anyone else. If Jezzet failed tokill her master, and she would fail, then the Blademasters would begone from the world.
So no pressure, Jez. Just the fate of a legendary order resting onyour shoulders. Fuck!
Her pace quickened, not quite a run, but not far off. Some folkwatched her go with curiosity, some did their very best to ignoreher. A person near running through the streets of Truridge might wellbe a Guild agent, or maybe running from the law. Last thing most ofthe good folk wanted was to be caught up with either.
Jezzet was following the river upstream. She'd passed the docks awhile back and so far north the city was starting to show its poorside. Warehouses and workshops gave way to dilapidated houses, andless folk walked the streets. Across the river Jezzet could seemansions, but on the east side most were little more than hovels. Shedidn't know where she was going, but it was the first real exerciseshe'd had since arriving in Truridge and it was doing wonders toclear her fuzzy head.
Then Jezzet realised where she was. Her pace slowed until she wasstanding still. She wasn't breathing hard, yet sweat sprung from herforehead and rolled down into her eyes so she had to wipe at them. Ithad been a long time, more than half her life, but she recognised herfamily home when she saw it.
It was a small building, just one floor and only three rooms. Itlooked out directly onto the water front, and was close enough thatit occasionally flooded when storms passed by north of the greatriver. Jezzet remembered helping her mother wash clothes in theriver. There was a communal pier that most of the nearby houses usedand Jez and some of the other children had competed with each other,diving in and trying to splash those washing their clothes.
Jezzet drew in a ragged breath and shuddered as she let it out.Before she could decide it was a bad idea she approached the house,stealing up to it on stealthy feet and staying out of the light fromnearby lanterns.
The hammering in her chest made Jezzet shake as she slipped up to thewall that faced the street. The door to the house was located nearthe back of the building, but there was a small window on this side,shuttered with wood but loose enough that a person could peer throughif they got close enough. Jezzet was well aware that she was quitevisible to anyone who passed by, and that she looked like a thief orworse, yet she didn't care. Now that she was here she wanted to seeher parents.
Then what, Jez? Burst into the house shouting mummy and daddy andfall into their arms? All is past and forgiven? I forgive you forselling me to a man who has spent the past ten years fucking me,cutting me, and turning me into a deadly weapon.
Jezzet clenched her teeth and froze as a shadow passed across theshuttered window. She heard voices from inside. A woman and manchatting about something. It dawned on her then that her parentsmight not even be there, they could have moved, could have died. Shecould be stalking around outside the house of a random family.
Listen, Jez. Listen. Andshe remembered. The voice of her mother triggered a flood ofmemories, and Jezzet felt tears well up and start to cascade down hercheeks. She remembered her mother singing to her, stroking her hairwhile she fell asleep. Jezzet remembered that same voice cooing andshushing a distraught little girl with a grazed knee.
Shaking her head, Jezzet wiped tears from her eyes and edged closerto the window. She was a woman grown now, and didn't need anyone tostroke her hair or tend to her cuts. Yuri had made sure enough thatshe could deal with her own injuries.
Sheheard another voice, deep and masculine and rough as hands cobblingshoes all day. Her father sounded well, his voice cheerful as hejoked about his day.Itdidn't feel right to Jezzet. How could a man be cheerful afterselling his daughter, even so many years after the fact. How couldshe have meant so little to them?
Closer still and Jezzet reached the window. The warm yellow lightwithin made the night feel colder somehow, and she shivered as sheleaned across and peered through one of the little gaps.
A girlish laugh made Jezzet pause for a moment and then she leanedfurther towards the window, no longer caring if the people inside sawher. Through the gaps in the shutter Jezzet saw her father sittingdown at a small wooden table, spoon in hand. He was holding it like aweapon and leaned forwards, reaching in and bouncing the spoonlightly off the head of a young girl who looked no more than nine orten years old.
Something went cold inside, hard and lifeless. Jezzet thought sheshould cry or cry out, scream or kick down the door and beat thoseinside. Instead she just watched while her parents sat down to dinnerwith a young girl who could only be Jezzet's sister. A young girl noolder than Jezzet had been when those same parents had sold herwithout even asking why Yuri Vel'urn, a man visiting a whore house,was offering to buy her. He'd paid them handsomely enough for her andthey had run off with their small fortune, and now Jezzet could seewhy.
Why? Why get rid of me just to have another child? Was I not goodenough? Was I such a shit child that they needed to sell me to startagain?
Jezzet pushed away from the window and away from the wall. She turnedher feet south towards the center of Truridge and started walking. Anold man watched from the street, squinting at her and she scowledback at him before turning her attention to the dirt beneath her.
Jezzet's parents had sold her and never looked back. They obviouslydidn't care whether she was alive or not, living well or not. Theysold her and replaced her. And now, ten years on, the man they soldher to was going to try and kill her.
Try, Jez. He's going to try and he's going to fucking fail!
It wasn't easy finding a Guild agent. Most folk Jezzet talked toseemed to think the thieves were everywhere all the time, and mostwere more than a little spooked just by talking about them. Yet whenJezzet went looking there were no agents to be found. Then, as iffrom nowhere, Jezzet found herself surrounded. She was walking pastan alleyway and spotted the two figures crouching in the shadows, shedidn't spot the two closing in from the other side of the street. Aknife appeared in one man's hand, a bald fellow with no eyebrows, andJezzet snapped into motion. It was an easy thing to take the knifeand put the man on the ground, and after she did the others were alittle more wary.
After that they led her through a series of alleyways, occasionallycutting through a building, and doubling back on themselves at leastonce. Jezzet followed in silence, watching each of the men for anychance they might attack. Murders weren't a common occurrence inTruridge, but even out of the city Jezzet heard of Guild agentsdealing with those who challenged their dominance. Bodies turned upas a warning to any others.
"Inthere," said the bald man, pointing to a dark hollow nestled inbetween two stunted hovels. It seemed to lead underground and Jezzetdidn't much like the idea of being trapped underground.
"Youfirst," she said, making certain her voice was a low growl.
The bald man shook his head and started forwards, disappearing intothe darkness of the hollow. Jezzet took one last look at thebrightening sky and followed him in.
She lost all sense of direction down in the dark. The bald man lit atorch and led the way, but they were moving through close stone, thepassage no wider than two of Jezzet and a drop shorter too, forcingher to stoop. Water dripped down the stone walls and the air smelledstale and damp.
Eventually the passage opened out into a large chamber with acircular pit in the middle. It was well lit with torches and lanternshanging from the walls and Jezzet could see at least a dozen similaropenings into the arena. There were a few folk lounging about andsome even looked like fighters.
"No,"said a tall man. He was sitting at a table pushed up to the edge ofthe pit so he could look down into it. He stared at Jezzet and shookhis head. "Not her."
The bald man shrugged and turned, already trying to usher Jezzet backinto the dark passage.
"Whynot?" Jezzet shouted. She pushed the bald man away and stormedtowards the table near the pit. Two brutish-looking thugs moved tobar her way.
"Becauseyou're Yuri Vel'urn's brat," the man at the table said. His hairwas greased back on his head and his thin moustache made him looksevere.
"I'mno one's brat," Jezzet spat. "My ma... Yuri kicked me out. Toldme to find my own way, and my way led me here. Only one thing I knowhow to do and that's fight. So let me fight. Pit me against whoeveryou like."
The man at the table leaned back in his seat and considered Jezzetfor a long time. "You ever been in a fight? A fight like this. Norules, no training swords. Might be you get hurt."
Jezzet snorted and reached down, pulling up her leathers to show hermidsection and the dozens of scars Yuri had given her over the years."Do I look like someone who's afraid to get hurt?"
Jezzet spent seven days fighting in the pits. The Guild operated afew of the underground arenas and they moved Jezzet each day, andeach day she fought new opponents. They were different from sparringagainst Yuri. Jezzet had expected the skill, but not the ferocity andcertainly not the brutality.
Her first fight was the hardest, not because the man truly challengedher ability, but because it shattered Jezzet's notion of what a fightwould be. No sooner had the bell rung and the fight started, the manwith a shaved head and a milky right eye came at her, stabbing andslashing. He carried a pair of daggers, long and sharp, and moved onthe balls of his feet.
Jezzet danced around the blood-stained sand of the arena, givingground and trying to keep the man at bay. She was deadly with asword, but if the man got up close that same sword would be useless.Eventually she scored a hit, a deep gash across the man's thigh thatsent him stumbling backwards. By then Jezzet's blood was pumping inher ears and an animalistic rage took her. She closed on him,slashing left and right to cut tendons in his arms, before drivingher sword into his chest. The crowd roared above and all around her,and Jezzet watched the man slip from her sword and die on the packedsand. She never even knew his name. It felt like she should know thename of the first person ever to die by her hand.
The next fight was easier and the one after that easier still. TheGuild agent who picked her opponents kept choosing stronger, moreskilful men to throw against her, but none stood a chance against atrainee Blademaster. Each fight was new and different. Years oftraining forms and motions all came together for the first time asher blade spilled blood time and again. Jezzet didn't kill them all,not after the first time, but some of her opponents wouldn't lay downno matter how many injuries she dealt them.
Bythe end of her seven days down in the pits, Jezzet had made enoughmoney to live handsomely for a while, and had learned something thatten years with Yuri could not teach her. Her master had trained herto fight, but just a handful of days in the pits had taught her howto fight. And howto kill, Jez.
On the eleventh day, Jezzet stuffed her meagre belongings into herpack, settled her bill at the tavern, and walked out of Truridge.With the sun rising in front of her, she set off straight towards herhome and her master. When she had left it had been running, fleeing–now she was returning at a steady walk.
It wasn't that she didn't still fear death. The thought of fightingYuri for real scared her more now than it had eleven days ago. It wasthat she had excepted the inevitable. Yuri was a Blademaster andJezzet was his apprentice. They would fight and one of them woulddie. Jezzet had seen death now, she had caused it. She could cause itagain.
Itwas already mid afternoon by the time the ranch was visible. The pathback home split off from the main road and wound its way up a smallrise. Jezzet could have walked it with her eyes shut she knew the wayso well. She knew every stone, every dimple, and every turn. All toosoon she could see the fence and even the goat as it tried to reachoutwards for the longer grass. The beast looked up as she approached,yet kept silent. It was the longest Jezzet had been away since Yurihad purchased her so long ago. Wonderif the stubborn goat even remembers me.
Yuri was outside, his long robe trailing in the dusty grass as hesprinkled food out for the chickens. It was a job Jezzet had alwaysdone, and it almost made her smile to watch her master doing herchores.
"Isaid twelve days," Yuri said without looking up from the chickens."By my count you have until tomorrow."
Jezzetdropped her pack and waited outside the gate to their home. Don'tlet him see your fear, Jez. Face the old bastard down.
"Thosewere your terms. I decided we would fight on mine."
"Oh."Yuri nodded and straightened up, limbering first one way then theother. "What if I refuse?"
"ThenI will force the issue," Jezzet said and held her sword up beforepulling it free from the scabbard.
The old man strolled over to the doorway and reached inside, pullingout a sword Jezzet had never seen before. It was a scimitar, andJezzet had trained with one just like it, but this one was different.The blade looked like it was made from black smoke and the hiltseemed to fit into Yuri's hand as though it were made just for him.
"ABlademaster without a blade..." Yuri said.
Jezzet finished the saying. "Is a master of nothing."
"Thisis my blade. It was forged for me alone and has tasted more bloodthan I care to remember. I have not used it in a long time." Yuridrew in a deep breath. "I sincerely hope it will taste no moreblood." He saluted then, the blade held in both hands towards thefloor and his head bowed. Jezzet mimicked the pose with her ownsword, a drab length of grey steel by comparison.
When Jezzet looked up again Yuri was already opening the little gate,shooing the goat away with one bare foot even as he stepped throughand then it closed behind him. "Are you ready, Jezzet?"
No.
"Yes,master."
Yuri stopped and watched her, his broad scimitar held across hisbody. He would come at her slashing in wide, fluids arcs; trying toget in close. Jezzet wanted to keep him at range. Her own sword waslong with a single edge running along it; she could both slash andstab, but if Yuri got in too close, her blade would be next touseless.
Edging closer, Yuri stared at Jezzet, his eyes intense and bright.Jezzet backed up a step, keeping light on her feet and dropping intoa two-handed stance. She had the speed and the strength and thetraining. Yuri was an old man, long past his prime, Jez knew sheneeded to use that advantage.
He wants you to attack, Jez.Best oblige the old bastard.Jezzet crossed the gap between them in two strides and feinted rightbefore stepping left, using her longer reach to flick an attack atYuri. He wasn't fooled for a moment, brushing the blade away andturning the momentum into a series of attacks of his own.
Jezzet gave ground, parrying some slashes and dodging others, andstill Yuri came on, giving her no time to rest. He was different thanthe times they sparred– more intense and focused. Jez felt theblade of his scimitar brush past her and knew it would have been akilling blow had she not stepped away from it. Yuri really wasn'tlooking to test her, or even to cut her. Her master was trying tokill her, and the only way Jezzet would come out of the fight alivewas to kill him first.
Blocking a cross body slash, Jezzet pushed Yuri's blade away. Beforeshe could push through an attack of her own Yuri fell backwards,twisting as he went, and a bare foot caught Jezzet in the groin. Shegrunted, stumbling backwards and wincing through the pain. Yuri gaveher no time to recover as he flowed back to his feet and dancedtowards her, his blade already making circuits through the air,glinting from the waning sun.
Their blades met again and again as they traded blows, faster andfaster until Jezzet was no longer thinking of her next move, lettingher body flow through ingrained motions. They moved yet barely moved,each of them stepping back and forth and side to side over the samepatch of ground. There was a joy in it, in the thrill of the fightand the hiss of steel kissing steel. Jezzet felt her face tighteninto a grin, and even Yuri seemed to be smiling. In all their yearsof training and sparring together, never had Jezzet felt so close toYuri as she did now as they were trying to kill each other.
Jezzet flicked two lighting fast jabs at Yuri, breaking the rhythm oftheir trading blows. The old man startled in surprise and Jez spun toher right, bringing her sword up and around. The attack should havecrushed through his defence and bitten into his arm, but Yuri wasn'tthere any more. He was crouched down, one leg out to the side and theother bent beneath him. Jezzet watched in horror as he thrust uptowards her with his scimitar and she felt it bite into hermidsection.
The wound hurt, but it was shallow. Scimitars weren't meant forstabbing and the attack barely broke through her leathers. Jezzetstepped backwards and knocked the blade away. For the first time sherealised Yuri was breathing heavily. In all their years she had neverseen the old man out of breath, not during exercise or training oreven sex.
Even tired, the bastard is too damned fast and too damned good.Time to break the rules, Jez.
She turned on her heel and launched into a sprint, presenting Yuriwith her arse. Jezzet knew he'd give chase, it was too good anopening for him not to. She ran towards their house and leapt overthe fence, taking her feet from the ground and landing just a footaway from the goat. The little beast was ever curious and quicklymade to investigate. Jezzet rolled to the side, and came up in acrouch facing Yuri as he followed her over the fence and hit thegoat, his feet tangling with the beast and sending them both crashingto the ground.
Jezzet moved in and stabbed down with her sword. She felt theresistance as the blade hit Yuri, felt that same resistance give asthe blade plunged through his chest and pinned him to the earthbelow. He didn't scream, just groaned in pain.
The goat rolled back to its feet, shook its head, and wandered off tostare at the chickens. It didn't even seem to notice that Jezzet hadjust killed its owner.
Yuri groaned again and Jezzet twisted her sword and pulled it free ofhis chest and stepped backwards, still holding her sword ready. Hewasn't dead, not yet, and she couldn't be sure he wouldn't try totake her with him.
"Neverjump," Yuri said as he lay there bleeding onto the short grassbelow. "You made me break my own rule." His head rolled to theside and he stared up at Jezzet. There was something in that gaze andJezzet reckoned it might be pride.
"I'msorry," her voice sounded quiet to her ears, and she had to swallowdown the lump forming in her throat. She dropped her sword then andrushed to Yuri's side. The realisation hit her like a punch shedidn't see coming.
You've killed him, Jez. The old bastard has spent the last tenyears caring for you, protecting you. And you just killed him.
Yuri chuckled and Jezzet could see the pain it caused him. "Don'tbe. I would have killed you, Jezzet. I was trying to."
Jezzet nodded and wiped away tears that threatened to spill from hereyes.
"Helpme to the house," Yuri said, his voice weak and his eyes drooping.
Jezzet rushed forward and took her master under the arms, gentlypulling him towards the house and then propping him up against thewall. The trail of blood he left on the grass was damning evidencethat Yuri did not have long left. Jezzet thought it half a miracle hewas still alive at all.
"Drink...with me," Yuri slurred, his head lolling to the side.
Jezzet fetched the bottle and two cups, quickly filling them andsliding one into Yuri's hand.
"Toyou," Yuri said, his eyes closed. He raised the cup a little andthen dropped it, his hand falling to his side.
Jezzetstared at her master's body in horror. She poked him, but he didn'tmove. She held a hand to his neck and felt no pulse. Yuri Vel'urn wasdead and she had killed him.Jezzetdidn't even try to stop the tears.
The house burned, a bright light in the darkness. And Yuri Vel'urn'sbody burned with it. Jezzet had placed him in the center of thelittle building, surrounded by blades, and his own black scimitarlaid out on his chest. It was a fitting pyre for the last of theBlademasters.
Not the last, Jez. Not while you're still around.
She'd set the goat and the chickens free and the little beasts werearound somewhere, taking the opportunity to scour new territory forany food they could find. They didn't stray far from the only placethey knew, and Jezzet could well understand that instinct. The worldwas a big place and she'd only seen a tiny bit of it. It was time tosee more, if only to escape the bitter memories. Morning would rollaround soon enough and Jezzet wanted to be somewhere she didn'trecognise by the time it did.
Time to go, Jez. Nothing left todo here. Honour the bastard in your own way.She laughed to herself in the darkness. Maybetake his name. Jezzet Vel'urn has a ring to it.