Jade
"It's time to rise, Empress." Amalthea's voice cut through my sleep. I couldn't remember when I had finally stumbled back up to my chambers during the feast, nor where I had left the gown, but I remember the last cup of wine was probably one too many. I pulled a pillow over my head.
The bed could stay, I firmly decided in the night. It swallowed me up like clouds. I could toss and spread my arms out and not be afraid I would tip over the cot and spill out, or loosen one of the ropes. There was even more than one pillow. The bed was definitely staying. The flowers, which had spun during the night, could go.
"She also said to remind you that you are to meet with the Lords of the Capital this morning." Amalthea was at the foot of the bed, opening the trunk and rummaging in my things, no doubt looking for something suitable for me to wear. She pulled out a navy linen tunic and held it up. It was my favorite. My mother had embroidered little white flowers along the collar. Amalthea set it on the corner of the bed.
"So it's still morning then?" My voice was muffled as I peeked out from under the pillow.
"It is. Your mother said you didn't like to oversleep." The small girl pulled out a pair of tan trousers.
"No, not those. The dark leather ones." I slowly emerged from my comfortable fort of pillows and blankets, and crawled to the edge of the bed where I sat with my legs crossed. A jeweled pin fell out of my hair. I groaned. I must have looked quite a sight.
"Shall I draw a bath for you?" Amalthea set the leather trousers beside my tunic.
A bath? I hadn't had one of those in quite some time. Usually I had a basin and a rag to wash with, a stream if my mother and I could convince the men to stay away long enough to let us have a turn. "A bath would be wonderful, thank you, Amalthea."
Amalthea disappeared into a smaller side room, one I hadn't bothered to explore yesterday. I could hear water filling a metal tub, a heavenly sound. Reluctantly, I crawled the rest of the way out of bed, standing only in my short shift, and dug around the trunk to find the leather doublet to pair with the tunic and trousers. I wanted the fancy lords to remember that I lived my life by the sword, and that I didn't spend my days sitting on overstuffed cushions.
"Come," the small girl appeared in the doorway to the other room. "Your bath will cool." She disappeared back into the room, a clear order to follow her. Who was I to disobey?
A large, copper tub sat in the middle of the tiled room, vines hammered into the side. Steam lifted off the top of the water and I couldn't help but sigh. While Amalthea busied herself at a side table, probably with some oils I would decline when she brought them over, I shimmied out of my shift and unceremoniously climbed into the tub. A bit of water carelessly spilled over the edge as I slipped below the surface, the hot water closing over the top of my head. I stayed there a long moment, pretending the world would be different when I came up for air.
Alas, it was not. As soon as I came up, water dripping off my nose, I was reminded I was Empress. Amalthea was standing by the edge, a little gold edged bowl in her hands. I wrinkled my nose at it.
"Don't worry, Empress, it isn't something with flower perfume. Just something to help ease the aches from a long ride."
I still eyed it suspiciously, but my knees and back did ache. Sighing, I dipped my head back, renegade pins clanging against the copper. Amalthea pulled a small stool over to the tub and added the potion to the hot water. Whatever it was, it had a lovely woodsy smell that was comforting.
Amalthea sat behind my head, carefully pulling jeweled pins out of my hair and beginning to detangle the mess of braids and curls my hair had become. Thankfully, her fingers were gentle. "Amalthea?"
"The Empress can call me Thea if she pleases."
"Then you must call me Jade." Her nose wrinkled. "Sir Jade?" I offered. Her nose wrinkled further. "Your choices are Jade or Sir Jade. That's it."
She thought for a moment, working at a particularly tricky braid. "Sir Jade then."
I smiled, taking my victory. "Good. So Thea. You're Lord Burley's third daughter then, and he sent you to serve me? I don't recall your father being particularly supportive of my endeavors."
"He wasn't." She picked up a brush. "But I'm the third daughter, and six of ten. I asked for the reprieve. And to be a part of the new world."
I doubted the last part was very true, but I wasn't going to argue with her. My parents had only had me, and I had only had a troop of knights to raise me. If there was one thing I could not comprehend, it was sibling relationships. "Well," I closed my eyes as she brushed my hair, "I may not be the reprieve you were looking for, Thea."
"From what I have heard, you treat your men fairly. You even fought by their side on the battlefield. You bled for them. That's more than anyone in your position would normally do. I guess I don't quite understand that sort of thing, but it strikes me as a good thing to look for in serving someone." I couldn't see her, but she stopped brushing my hair for a long enough moment that I sat forward to turn and look. Thea was looking out the window.
"I don't," I hesitated, looking at my scarred hands, "know much about being a good master to anyone. I had a squire once. It didn't work out. I can't promise that I will be agreeable most days but I will never treat you as anything less than a lady of my court."
She turned her attention to me. "I'm not a lady of the court."
I shrugged. "Sure you are. Starting today."
"I'm your maid, Sir Jade."
My finger shot up. "Lady in waiting."
"That's the same thing."
"Ah, better title."
She rolled her eyes, and we both laughed a little. "I accept then. Let me get you a towel, Sir Jade and I'll call up your breakfast."
"Our breakfast."
"Our breakfast then." Thea stood up from the little stool and retrieved the softest towel I had yet felt in my life. I wrapped myself in it, and if it hadn't been for the lords waiting on me, might have stayed in it all day.
Thea disappeared with the click of the outer door, and I supposed I might as well dress, reluctantly. While my leather trousers, linen tunic and matching doublet were well worn and comfortable, they were no match for the plush towel I left behind. So I stayed wrapped in it as I wandered out into the main bedchamber, tucking the end under my armpit to keep myself covered. My hair dripped down my back, leaving a trail of water in my wake as I padded about the room, fingers trailing over the ornate furnishings. I found myself back at the window where my mother had braided my hair just yesterday.
I peered down into the garden, watching a few servants working in the plant beds in the morning sun. They worked side by side, a few stray giggles reaching my window high above them. Too bad I would have to tell them that I had other plans for the courtyard. I cringed thinking of their disappointment, or perhaps they'd be relieved not to be tending to it. The idea of people serving me was a concept that didn't sit well in my stomach. I wasn't sure how I was going to change it, but I supposed that as empress, I could find a way to do so.
I leaned further to watch them work and knocked my head against the window. Their faces peered up at me, serious for a moment. Heat rushed to my cheeks and I raised a hand in greeting. From my height, I couldn't tell if they were hiding a chuckle, but they ducked their heads and went back to their work. Great. Now they'd think I was a complete dunce. None of my battlefield victories would mean a thing to people in the Capital, only how I carried myself and already I was knocking my head into windows. In a towel.
With a reluctant sigh, I wandered back into the room and to where my clothes were laid out. The lords would not want to be kept waiting, as eager as I was to ruffle their feathers, I was acutely aware that I would need them to push our empire into the future. Politics, a game both General Merien and I had always been reluctant to play, but understood we had to play, me more so than him.
By the time Thea rapped on the door with breakfast, I was doing up the laces of the doublet, my damp hair braid back in a single plait. I hadn't yet stuffed my feet into my worn riding boots, so I took the silver platter from Thea's hands and climbed up on the bed, patting the space before me for her to join.
"Sir Jade..." she hesitated.
"No, no. Come on, let's eat. We'll be spending a lot of time together for which I apologize in advance, and it's important to know," I tore off a piece of a roll and stuffed it in my cheeks, "that I don't do things like all the other royals."
"I'm beginning to see that." She gathered up the hem of her linen dress and delicately joined me, picking at a roll herself.
"I've spent most of my life in a military camp, Thea." I told her through the mouthful of bread, then snatched up a bowl of wine-preserved fruit.
Thea nodded, "yes, so they say."
My eyebrows shot up, "Oh? They say things about me. Interesting. I assumed such. I didn't become a knight without hearing rumors and snide remarks hidden behind ale mugs. Well, good."
Thea tentatively picked up the second bowl of preserved fruit, pushing a grape around the edge. "My brother's are knights. I don't think they're quite the same sort of knights as you are, however. My youngest sister wants to be a knight, I think. My father hopes she grows out of it."
I shrugged, popping the last of my fruit into my mouth, "I hope she doesn't."
A little smile graced Thea's young face. "Me too. My brothers need a thumping."
I leaned forward, my interest peaked, "Point them out to me and I will make sure they end up square on their rump."
She laughed a little. "That would be a sight to see."
"I'll figure out how to make it happen." I set the bowl down at the patter. She looked at me, making me laugh. "I need the practice. I can't be getting soft now. How would that look?"
"Jade!" The door swung open revealing my mother, elegant in a navy silk gown, her hair wrapped about her head. Thea bounced off my bed as if it was fire, snatching up the tray. My mother glanced at her, a gentle smile on her lips, which promptly disappeared once she looked in my direction. "They are waiting."
"Right." I gathered up myself and slid off the bed, rummaging about for my shoes. Thea coughed and nodded in their direction. I scooped them up, shoving my feet inside them. My mother gave me a once over, then shook her head, but we had had this argument before. I was not about to trade in my leathers for gowns; I stopped being that girl long ago. "I'm ready."
I was nowhere near ready when the doors opened to grant me entrance into the chambers for the Lords of the Capital meeting. There were some twenty odd finely dressed men, and one woman, who were in turns standing about speaking in hushed tones or sipping drinks at an oblong table in the center of the room. The room itself was to my liking, filled with shelves and books or scrolls depending on the age with rolling ladders to reach the highest shelves. Tall, many paned windows lined one side of the modest hall, casting in the rising sunlight, revealing little particles of dust floating here or there. A few guards were posted, but not as many as had been at the feast.
General Merien met me at the door with little fan-fare. My left hand scrambled for purchase on my hip where the pommel of a sword would have rested, making me look slightly clumsy until I just stacked it there as if I had meant to all along.The general raised an eyebrow at me, but I refused to acknowledge it. He led the way into the room, more at my side than in the lead.
Not a soul looked up until I stood at the head of the oblong table. Even then I had to clear my throat to get even a passing glance. Apparently all the ceremony and pretend smiles were gone from this lot. It was just as well. I was happy to oblige their stares if it meant business and not more ridiculous flattery.
"Well, lords, and lady - we shall have to rectify that - shall we begin?" I waved a hand toward the empty seats of those still standing while General Merien moved to the opposite end of the table as my Prime Commander.
"We have been waiting to begin while you were sleeping off your festival last night, your majesty." A bullish man with small eyes but a strong chin near the center seductively took his seat. He was a man who knew he was handsome, fit, and was used to commanding space. I had met many like him. Bedded one or two. His sharp tongue, which drew a chuckle or two, would not last long in my presence.
As they sat, I remained standing. "Let us, perhaps, begin by clarifying a few things, Lord I-Do-Not-Recall-Your-Name. First, if it was so important to begin promptly, might I entreat you to begin at that time? I can assure you that I will catch up. Second, we will not be addressing me as your majesty. That's old and makes me feel old. You can address me as Sir Jade or General Jade. I prefer the later but will answer to the former. Third, get all of your snips at me out of the way today. Afterwards, I will expect you to be smarter than that. Fourth, we are here for the empire. Not you. Not me. Not your little corner. The whole empire. Fail to do so and I will find someone who will. Understood?"
There were hard stares, a few soft nods, and a jeer from the bullish man. He would need to be put in his place soon. "Good," I slapped my hands on the table in good spirits and sat down. A nearby servant boy who had blended so well into the books appeared at my side with quill, ink, and reams of paper. "Clever," I muttered and smiled at him. Out of the corner of my eye I saw General Merien shake his head. "Let's begin."
"Well," an older man with greying hair and beard neatly groomed began, "Sir... General... I'm sorry but that is a very odd way to address our empress. I just cannot buck tradition that much, my dear." While I was no fan of pet names, I liked him and bit back my usual tendency to rebuke such things. "Empress... Let me begin by addressing the pressing issue in the North."
"The North? How so, Lord...?" I trailed off, waving my quill in his direction. My mother would have memorized all of their names. She was a far better statesman than I.
"Lord Marley, my Empress." He nodded his head in some semblance of respect. A well dressed man in expensive silks, particular to the trade in the north-west I noted, with fine embroidery, no doubt a man who was used to being addressed with respect. "The Northern borders have been continuously pressed upon by our neighbors, attacked even, while we have been... deciding our leadership. Our attention was divided and it seems they realized it and have set out to take a portion of our land, people and supplies."
"'Deciding our leadership?' Yes, I suppose we could call it that. I prefer the term civil war, but if you prefer more political names so be it. But some of us had not forgotten the North as others have," I raised a hand to silence the bullish man when he opened his mouth.
"Regardless, we cannot simply let them walk in and take from us. Not now. A show of strength is needed." Lord Marley looked around the table.
My jaw worked a bit, "No one is suggesting we let them."
Lord Marley turned to me, square in the eyes and suddenly, I did not like him anymore, "The minute we turned our attention to a rogue army marching up from the South, we invited them in with a fruit basket."
The grip on the quill in my hand threatened to snap the feather before I laid it down beside the ink pot. Slowly. Deliberately. I glanced down the end of the table to Merien who had a face of stone, one I recognized well. It was a cautionary expression, but one that said he wouldn't interfere. I had first encountered it when I had been promoted to Colonel of the Twin Armies and had had to make a tough decision on the battle line placement. I hated it then, but I appreciated it now.
"I'm aware that you all think I'm a child, a woman, or a rebel who should have died many times over. Or even have been hanged from the Capital walls. Your man didn't win this war. His claim was snuffed out. He turned that eye away from his duties while I fought my way here to make sure those eyes never stray from it. I'll remind you that I am a sworn knight of this realm, General of the Twin Armies, and I have never forgotten the Northern border. General Merien?"
The General, clad in some of his light armor, leaned over on one side of his chair, resting an elbow on the arm rest. The leather creaked, reminding all the silk clad men that even before this war, Merien was a respected and well-liked military man. He was not some foolish, young rebel, but a battle hardened general who had fought many years for the empire. "A portion of my most skilled men have been deployed to the border, even before we marched on the Capital. I expect word in the next day or two. Our borders, which have been neglected, will be well protected."
"You mean to tell me," the only other woman leaned up to look at the General, "The Golden Dragon themselves are North? Then who shall protect us here?"
I thumped back into my seat, smacking my forearms loudly on the armrests. "Are the Twin Armies nothing?"
The woman looked at me, her silver hair piled neatly on her head, "They are not the Golden Dragon." She was matter-of-fact, a manner I could respect if I was so insulted. "Pardon my saying so, General Jade."
I narrowed my eyes, ready to fire back when the General spoke up, "The Golden Dragon, yes, but I have not sent my full army. And our empress is correct. The Twin Armies are more than capable of protecting us, even while drunk and sleeping."
"Like their general, no doubt."
My attention shot to the bullish man. "Would you like to express something, Lord I-Do-Not-Recall-Your-Name?"
A sneer. "No."
"Good. Now, shut up." I held his gaze a bit longer, then picked up my quill once more. "So there is that, the North is being tended to and our borders protected. I'll send an envoy North to their courts as well." Politics. How I hated it.
"And what good will that do?" The lady looked at me.
"What all good envoys do. Observe. Report back. Know your enemy, my lady, even if you have to be a little mouse to do it."
"Is that what you did, then?" Lord Marley was not content to be quiet. "Played a little mouse? How honorable is that for a knight?"
A slow, mischievous grin split my face as I leaned onto the table on my elbows. "Who said it was I who was the mouse?"
Three hours of bickering over who got what profit over what trade lines, what colors our new royal seal should be, and endless trivial topics, and I was finally free of the meeting room. I had immediately set about to find Thea, dragging her out to some random patch of grassy space in the maze of gardens within the Capital grounds. I loved to go riding, or wander the market place, but even General Merien had said it was too soon for me to do such things. I would have to find a body double, that was my only solution.
In the meantime, I lounged on the spot of grass, hands behind my head and stared up at the clouds. Thea worked on some patch needed in one of my tunics torn who knew how long ago. I couldn't remember the last time I had taken a moment to just watch the clouds in peace. I had certainly watched the clouds lying on my back coated in mud, blood, and trapped under a crushing pile of men. That day I had been lucky that General Merien hadn't given up the search for me in the dead bodies of two armies. I sat up then. Perhaps laying down and staring at the clouds was not for me.
"How do you like it?" Thea showed me her find stitching work. I could hardly see where a rough hole had been.
"That's wonderful, Thea. Do you think I'd be allowed to wear it to official meetings?" It was one of my favorite, well worn and soft.
"You can do whatever you'd like."
I wrinkled my nose, "you know that's a lie. Let me rephrase, do you think my mother would allow it?"
Thea held up the poor tunic. It was near shear and probably wouldn't survive much longer. "In dark light, perhaps?"
I snatched it out of the air and held it to me. The smaller girl laughed. "I'll have you know that tunics are very practical."
"So are linen dresses."
"Not on a battlefield."
"I have no intention of ever being on a battlefield, Sir Jade." She was still smiling, but a seriousness had reached her eyes. "That's for the likes of you, and my sister, and my brothers, heaven help us. My work is here, and it's no small thing."
I reached out like I had seen my mother do before, but instead of holding her hand, I just patted it. "No, it is not. And I am immensely grateful for it."
"As well you should be."
Thea jumped. I spun around on my knee, pulling out the knife tucked into the top of my boot in the process. Pointing the sharp, but small knife at the owner of the voice, I clenched my jaw to keep from smiling.
The man before us put his hands up in surrender. "You pull a knife on me, my general?"
I rolled my eyes and sat back. The boyish man before me had ruffled hair that was almost never tidy, in stark contrast to the way he dressed. His boots were always spotless, even on the battlefield, which was annoying. The square jaw almost always made the ladies swoon, even me once, long ago when we were just children. We had tested those grounds and found them too shaky, but nevertheless, Gilead remained one of my most loyal friends and trusted commanders. Once glance at Thea and I could tell she wasn't as sure as I was about him.
"Amalthea, meet Commander Gilead. A thorn in my side, but I'd not have him anywhere else." I turned away from him, patting the ground at my side, away from Thea.
He winked, "Are you sure about that, my Most Royal Empress Supreme?" I shoved his shoulder hard as he sat down, toppling him over. "Fine. I'll stay at your side. Probably safest there anyway."
"One day," I began, "someone is going to make you regret those things you say, Gil."
"Perhaps," he leaned around me to flash his winning smile at Thea, "Perhaps the Lady Amalthea is the one?"
I blocked his view. "You leave Thea alone." I poked his chest, making him laugh.
"Don't worry, Sir Jade," Thea had not quite relaxed, "I'm not the sort to fall for the military type."
Gil looked appropriately insulted, "Oh, ho! But we're great fun."
"Gil..." My tone was in warning.
He waved me off, "No, no. We are, my Most Royal Empress Supreme. Who else can get piss drunk and still topple regimes?"
Thea pursed her lips and I sighed. Gil was not the type to bring into tense political company. He was always finely dressed, a product of being the last son of a wealthy family, but that also meant he didn't care for holding his tongue much. It was fine on the battlefield, even in camp where it drew men and women to him, but setting him loose in court would be a disaster. Amusing, perhaps, but Merien and my mother would find some way to poison me for it.
Seeing our faces, he made a show of being hurt. "Not appropriate?"
I shook my head. "No."
He settled in with his long legs out before him. "That's too bad. I thought present company would enjoy it."
I followed his lead, stretching out. "Present company now has to run the entire empire. And take care of little birds and mice hiding in bushes."
Thea set about folding my tunic she had repaired for me. "More than just bushes, Sir Jade."
I looked over at the smaller girl, noticed that Gil followed my gaze. Was she trying to tell me something? Of course, she was, but what exactly did she mean? Was she hinting that even she could be reporting to someone? More than likely my mother if anyone.
When she said nothing more, my attention turned to the garden space before us, and the buildings of the Capital compound. Beautiful pale stone erected centuries ago, cobbled together through different emperors with different tastes forming a strange sort of maze-like symmetry that I appreciated. Would I end up building something to contribute? Would I end up making an impression on this ancient set of buildings? I bit my lips. Perhaps. Or perhaps I would tear it apart.
"That settles my mood," I declared suddenly, jumping up to my feet. "Come, Gil, let's go find some swords and swing at things." I headed down the little incline. "I'll see you before the evening meal, Thea. If I have to eat with others, so be it, but I'd prefer to dine alone tonight." Decidedly, I refused to look back at her. I trusted Thea, or I thought I did, but she was still a part of a world I wasn't sure I wanted to maintain, but I also wasn't sure how I wanted to change.
With a few long strides, Gil caught up to me. "I don't think she meant anything by that, Jay."
I lifted a shoulder. "Perhaps. Still. I haven't had a moment alone since I came here. Since the Battle at the River to be exact." The moment I had stepped off that battlefield, sweat covered, blood soaked, and exhausted, a surrendered sword in my hand, people surrounded me. My mother, General Merien, countless other commanders, politicians, servants, Gil... all of them well meaning for the most part, but not one moment for my own thoughts.
Men and women had died that day. One of the bloodiest yet in our final push for the Capital. I lost people who had been with me from the beginning. Good people. They had laid down their lives for their belief in something different and better than the on-high oppression of the emperor who had chased my family out of power when I was a child. Usually I forced my commanders to give me a few hours at least a day if I could, to mourn, to gather my thoughts, then lock them all away and move forward. The last battle had been so different. Their faces still swam in my eyes if I wasn't careful.
Gil grabbed my arm, and I hadn't realized I'd been aimlessly stomping forward and was heading the complete opposite direction from the barracks. "I know, Jay." His eyes, always so jovial, were solemn. He had lost his lover that day, a man who had both hoped would be by his side forever.
"Gil.."
"Nope." He marched on, directing me through the barracks and toward the practice rings. "I've said my goodbyes, and you know as well as I that Padraig would be embarrassed beyond belief if we were still holding on." Reaching up, I squeezed his shoulder.
All things considered, the gardens being laid out as maze-like as the buildings, it didn't take us long to reach the barracks and practice rings. At first the men, and a few scattered ladies, didn't notice my presence. They went about working the horses, running drills with practice weapons, and general cleaning duties. It was a relief to be amongst the familiar sounds of work, leather, and metal. I could almost disappear; but once one man spotted me, the others did too. While I couldn't be sure how they knew it was me, there was no stopping them once they began to take a knee. What a waste of energy.
"No, no," I insisted, "up, up. I want nothing more than a nod when I come through here. I will not be the cause of a disruption. Back to what you were doing." They were hesitant, casting looks at each other, but they slowly went back to their individual chores.
I cast a look at Gil. "We need to get some of my troops in here." Originally, I had resisted. I hadn't wanted to appear like a conquering hero, despite that I had conquered their former ruler. Now I could see that I would need to incorporate them into the current Capital Guards.
"Agreed." Gil nodded, casting about. "And some of our trainers. These men need some work."
"They're royal guards. What more did you want of them? But yes, training will need to begin immediately. I intend to see only peace but..."
"But being prepared is never a bad thing," Gil finished. "What about the 51st? They were your first, most loyal, and hardest hit. They could do with a bit of comfort, comparatively."
Looking at the guards around me, I had to agree. "Bring them in. But mix them into the barracks. I don't want anyone segregating. We are all the same now, and most of these men never raised a sword to us."
"I'll start getting it organized this evening."
We made our way over to a shaded overhang where blunted swords were neatly stored. They might not have been soldiers, but I had to commend them for keeping a tidy and well cared for barracks. I would need to set up a meeting with the guard commander, make him my ally, and tell him how I appreciated his work in person.
I was admiring the grounds when out of the corner of my eye, I saw Gil toss a practice sword in my direction. He was trying to catch my off guard, but neither one of us had survived countless battlefields without being able to spot sudden movement coming our way. I caught it easily, frowning at its imbalance; but a practice sword was a practice sword and I could compensate.
I lead the way toward and open space in one of the practice fields, ignoring the way the others' eyes followed Gil and I. The former emperor had stopped being a man of action years ago.
My back was still turned when I felt Gil make his move. Turning, I met his blade, feeling it vibrate into my hands. Gil had always been a hard hitter, using his taller size to his advantage. I was all too familiar with his fighting style, and he with mine. At any given spar, it was a coin toss who would win, usually depending on how tired either one of us was from the previous day, but today, we were both rested. I smirked at him. A show would be good for the guardsmen.
"Alright then," Gil smiled, drawing back.
We circled each other, sizing up the other, judging the day's weakness. He was ever so subtly favoring one side, perhaps having bumped into a table during the previous night's festivities. It would be a good side to exploit. I moved on the offensive first, testing spots, just as I knew he was letting me, feeling me out. General Merien would be yelling at us by now if he were watching, telling us to stop playing around. Gil seemed to read my mental criticism, and the fight began.
A crowd had gathered around the edges of the practice space by the time Gil and I had called a truce. We were sweating, tired, and neither one had really made ground against the other. As competitive as I was, wanting to be the very best, I knew how evenly matched Gil and I were; it was the reason we were a formidable team on the fields. It was a dark day for the enemy when they saw the two of us side by side.
I tossed the practice sword into the sand. "No more. I'm starving."
Gil stabbed his sword into the ground. "Agreed."
"Truce, dear friend?" I extended my hand.
He took my forearm. "Truce. For now."
I laughed. "For now."
A quiet applause began, which made me blush, so I turned away to pick up my discarded weapon. Gil was already moving toward them, pacing the edges. "No, no. None of that. That is how each of you should practice and fight, if need be. The 51st will be here tomorrow to begin a new training regime. I expect you to excel. Your empress expects you to excel."
Rolling my eyes, I swung the sword over the back of both my shoulders, resting my arms over each end. "Don't scare them, Gil. Not yet." I gave one particularly young guardsman a wink. He ducked his head.
"Who is scaring my men?" An older man, fit, broad shouldered with only a hint of grey at his temples, strode onto the practice field. He eyed Gil, then me, sizing us up. Cleary, he didn't know who I was, which was refreshing.
Gil stepped forward, but I caught his arm, swinging the practice sword around to my side. "No one is scaring anyone," I met the man halfway. "Just reminding them of their duty."
The older man, the Guard Commander I assumed, was not amused. He stared down his nose at me, as many other commanders had done in my lifetime. "They know their duty, girl."
"Sir." I corrected him. "I'm a knight of the empire. Or General. I also command the Twin Armies. Or, what was that new one now, Gil?"
"Empress."
"Right. Empress. Pesky title. Not a fan of it, but it's been a challenge to make people call me 'General' or 'Sir.'" I smiled as sweetly as I knew.
He stopped staring down at me, but he refrained from giving any more ground. I respected that. He still needed to keep the men and women in his command in check. "Well, General, I'd kindly like to ask that you not intimidate my men."
I shrugged, moving past him, "Not my intention." Then spun on my heel to face him. "My intention is to make sure they are in top shape. The 51st will be joining your men in the barracks, and training them. We're not at war anymore, but I'm sure you can respect being prepared."
I was turning to leave when he stopped me, "We're not a military unit, General."
Only half-turning back, I set my jaw. "Granted. I don't intend to treat you as such, but you will be trained to my standards."
"As you wish, General."
I held his gaze a moment longer, before shifting it to Gil who was at the commander's back. As soon as our eyes met, his shoulders relaxed and he walked around the commander to join me, then kept going, toward where we had pulled the practice swords. He wordlessly took mine from my hand. I could hear him shoving them into the storage rack.
Surveying the others around the yard, I let out a long breath through my nose. They were tense, apprehensive. One step forward, two steps back. Not what I had had in mind.