The Southern Years
1
The Southern Fortress was both familiar and foreign, and Theo couldn't help but look over his shoulder every time he turned down a new passageway. In the past, any exploration he had done here had been done clandestinely, always with the chance that Ottan or his guards would discover him. However, with the dark metal band securely over his left bicep, Theo reminded himself that he, and not Ottan, was the leader here now.
He reached the room he had been aiming for and took a deep breath before pushing his way in. It was a relatively large chamber, with a padded seat in the center of it. From what Theo understood, this is where Ottan had met with various people—a throne room of sorts. Theodynn's own parents didn't really have a throne room...at least, they didn't utilize one. There were specific rooms where they held meetings, or they did most business from their offices. Taking in the lush furniture and raised dais holding the padded chair, Theo frowned. It seemed Ottan had enjoyed the classic kingly lifestyle. Theo personally had never met with the ex-leader in this room—each time he or his parents had come to the south, Ottan had graced them with the privilege of meeting with him in his lavish personal meeting rooms.
Theo crossed the room, studying the large seat pensively. Would those of the south expect him to act as the previous leader, sitting on this throne and lauding over them? Or would doing so only aggravate them? Regardless, he didn't really feel like setting himself up as that kind of leader.
But what if that is the only kind of leader they will ever respect?
A slight noise cut into his thoughts, and Theo unsheathed his sword and turned in one swift motion. His blade rung out disjointedly as it met with the another, sparks shooting off in the otherwise dim room. The attacker smiled smugly, her rust-covered eyes flashing as she studied him.
"Well, at least I know you can hold off an assassin, if you insist on going around the fortress without your personal escort."
"Was this really necessary?" Theo asked dryly as the woman lowered her weapon and flipped her braid back over her shoulder.
"How did you give them the slip? You're supposed to have at least two people on you at all times." Rook's gaze glanced around the room. "Didn't want an entourage while you're admiring your new digs?"
"Very funny," Theo said, rolling his eyes as he sheathed his sword. Rook did the same, but her smile faded as she scanned the room again.
"I don't know how Ottan lasted as long as he did. I've counted at least five major security breaches in this half of the fortress alone."
"I found seven," a new voice chimed in grimly, and Theo turned to see Tolan materialize out of the shadows. The bodyguard had his characteristic stoic expression, but Theo was surprised to see him dressed in southern garb, rather than his usual Central Fortress guard attire.
"Nice threads," Theo pointed out. "And for the record, neither of you can get after me for wandering alone. With you two, I already know I'm never really alone."
"You can't just count on us being on hand if something were to happen," Rook pointed out. "You need to take your safety seriously, Theodynn."
"I am," he assured, studying the young woman in amusement. "Geez, you're worse than my parents lately, Rook." She scowled at the analysis, but Theo was already turning to his head bodyguard. "Seven security breaches, you said? Is it stuff we can fix?"
Tolan sighed. "Technically...though ideally, we would have a bigger force of loyal men."
"We had a surprising number of Ottan's force offer to stay on," Rook pointed out.
Tolan didn't seem impressed. "That's what worries me."
"Well, I'd say an eighth of them are actually quality guards, and of the remainder, half of them will probably do a good enough job if you pay them well...and the rest are probably just waiting for an opportune time to slit Theodynn's throat," Rook offered as she sauntered up to the chair in the center of the room. She climbed up the dais and sank into the chair with a dramatic flair. "I've always wondered what it would feel like to sit here," Rook mused as she studied the room with her nose in the air. After a moment, her stoic mask dissolved into her classic smirk and she stood. "It smells like Ottan up here."
"Great," Theo mused. "Just another reason to get rid of it."
"We need to go over our plan for tomorrow," Tolan cut in. The new leader glanced over.
"Why?" Theo asked, smiling to show he was teasing. "Do you really think someone would try something on my first official public appearance?"
"We'll have the forces from the central fortress on hand on the balcony, but we need at least a dozen of Ottan's previous forces to do crowd control," Tolan pointed out. "I'm not sure that I'll have found enough of them that I trust by that point."
"Actually, you should put your loyal Centries in the crowds, and put Ottan's guards on the balcony. You'll want the guards on the ground to not turn a blind eye to any southerner who gets too ambitious."
"Centries?" Theo asked. Rook shrugged.
"It's kind of a mouthful, saying central fortress guards all the time."
"Oh, great idea," Tolan said sarcastically as he fixed Rook with an unamused look. "Put the people we don't trust right next to Theo, where they won't have any trouble running him through."
"Guys..." Theo tried, but both ignored him.
"No guard would dare do anything up in broad daylight, with the whole province looking on. A figure with a crossbow hidden in the crowd, on the other hand—"
"I wouldn't put it past a southerner to be opportunistic," Tolan said pointedly, and Rook narrowed her eyes.
"Guys." Theo begged
"Us southerners may be stubborn, but we aren't stupid."
"Could have fooled me."
A flash of aura exploded into the room, and both Rook and Tolan whirled, hands going to the blades at their waist. Theo gave them both a withering look as he lowered his hand, the aura fading.
"Are you done?" he asked. Neither answered, and he sighed. "Look, I get why you guys are so tense...but all you've done the past two days is argue. We've got to be able to trust each other if we're going to make this southern leadership thing work, right?"
Rook huffed, not saying anything as she glanced irritably at Tolan. The guard didn't look the least bit abashed, and Theo rubbed his face.
"All right, plan for tomorrow: half of the Central Fortress Guards on the balcony, half in the crowd, subsidize with Ottan's forces as necessary—as many as you feel we can trust, Tolan. You can be on the balcony with me, and Rook'll be in the crowd, keeping an eye out for opportunists." He gestured to them. "Work for everyone?"
Neither answered for a moment, and he noticed Rook's expression twisting with concern.
"Something wrong with that?" Theo prompted. Rook blinked, and she finally met his eye. She smirked with a shrug.
"Works for me, if it works for Mr. Stick-in-the-mud."
"Mr. Stick-in-the-mud is my brother-in-law," Tolan corrected, shooting Rook another irritated look. "I don't love the thought of dividing our forces...but I guess we don't have much choice until we can figure out who we can trust. If we can ever really determine that."
"It's just going to be tight for a little while," Rook assured, coming over to wrap her arms around Theo's shoulders. "Once Princey here wins over the masses, the threats will decrease."
"That's a terrible plan to live by," Tolan pointed out.
"I don't know; he's pretty good at winning people over," Rook pointed out as she played with one of Theo's stray curls. The leader rolled his eyes as he extracted himself.
"Sounds like we finally agree, then," he pointed out. "We should probably turn in and get some sleep."
"Are you going to spend the night in the leadership suite yet? Or are you still holed up in a guest room?" Rook asked. Theo shrugged sheepishly.
"Ottan left a bunch of stuff in the leadership suit. Until we can get it all out of there and replaced..."
"What? You don't want to sleep in the same bed that Ottan did?" Rook asked with a wicked smile. Theo visibly shuddered.
"No thanks."
"I'm following you to your room, Theo," Tolan pointed out. "Tomorrow, you need to make sure you have at least three guards with you at all times. If I hear about you giving them the slip..."
"I'll behave," Theo promised. "I only went off on my own tonight because I needed a little space to clear my head." He glanced back at the throne, the heaviness from before returning. "This is kind of a big deal, huh? After tomorrow...it'll be official."
"For better or for worse," Rook teased. Theo sighed.
"For better or worse," he repeated softly.
Rook managed to stop the central fortress guard before he drew his sword, giving the man a withering look. "Stop getting so worked up about the people chucking rotten vegetables, and keep an eye out for crossbows, huh?"
The man scowled and pulled free from her grasp, but she was glad when he did seem to rethink attacking the naysayers. The roots they were chucking weren't even coming close to the balcony, but Rook had noticed that the southerners' blatant disrespect was putting the centries on edge. Maybe she had been wrong to put them in the crowd. She had already had to intervene three times.
"They can't honestly expect everyone to be happy about Theodynn, can they?" she muttered to herself as she watched the centrie stalk away, scanning the crowd distrustfully. She shook herself from her thoughts as she turned back to the balcony. Theodynn looked nice. He was dressed in southern garb that she had picked out for him, his leadership band obvious on his sleeveless arm. The new leader continued smiling, despite the slander that was being yelled up at him. He was trying to say something, but honestly with all the yelling, Rook couldn't quite make out his speech.
"We'll have to talk about that, too," she muttered. "Southerners are more of "show me, don't tell me,"sort of people." She pushed past a few more naysayers, looking for anyone who seemed suspicious.
"He's just a child," one of the nearby southerners hissed. "Inexperienced and full of foolish ideas."
"I give him a month before we have Ottan back," another replied. "This idiot isn't going to have what it takes."
Rook glowered at the two speakers, but they didn't notice. Up on the balcony, Theo seemed to have finished whatever he was saying. He waved one last time, which was met by further boos and hisses, and then Tolan whisked the new leader back into the fortress.
"Well, it could have gone better," Rook mused as she watched the doors close. "But then again, it could have gone worse." She looked around one last time, but no one seemed to be eyeing her suspiciously. She had wondered how she would fare, out here among the southern people...but it seemed that no one really knew who she was. She had done her hair differently today, just in case.
The crowd was still heckling, but the centries had started to order the southerners to return to their homes. As the masses started breaking up, Rook debated whether to return to the fortress or not. After a minute of indecision, she opted for not. Being Theodynn's informant was proving to be a better situation than being stuck in a cell, but she wasn't loving having Tolan breathing down her neck all the time. Now was a great opportunity to get some fresh air and personal time, and if Tolan asked too many questions, she would just say that she was helping dissolve the crowd.
The young woman headed for the markets with a skip in her step, her mouth watering at the thought of Delie's rats. She had been nervous that morning and skipped breakfast, which was honestly unlike her, and now she was ready to sink her teeth into something savory.
Just as she was reaching the first stalls, someone ran into her. Rook stumbled, shooting the man an irritated look. He met her eye, and when she caught sight of his expression, Rook's fingers drifted to the hilt of her sword. However, then the man was moving back into the crowd, and Rook blinked.
"The centries have rubbed off on you already," Rook chastised herself, releasing the hilt of her sword. She wove through the masses, enjoying the hubbub as everyone filed back into the marketplace. Everywhere she went, people were discussing Theo's speech. It seemed like most of the southerners had the same thoughts: that Theo was either too young, too inexperienced, or too strange to really deserve any of their respect. She overheard a couple ragged men talking more threateningly, but she knew that true assassins would never disclose their plans in broad daylight like this. However, she did make sure to commit the men's faces to memory.
The stall she had been aiming for was empty when she reached it, and Rook frowned as she leaned in to make sure Deilie hadn't fallen asleep behind it again. When she couldn't see the vendor, she tsked.
"Where you at, Deilie? Not like you to leave your goods vulnerable like this." She was seriously considering taking a peek in the man's spice chest when she heard a familiar voice from behind.
"Shouldn't be here, Rook."
She spun and grinned at the dirty merchant. He avoided her eye as he shuffled behind his stall. Within moments, he was deftly carving points onto skewers with an old knife, and Rook rested her arms on the wood of his stall.
"Two rats please...no, make that three. I missed breakfast."
Deilie made no move to assist her, keeping his gaze on his skewer carving. After a moment, Rook reached into her pocket for the allowance Theo had given her earlier.
"I've got money for once, huh? If that's what you're worried about."
"You shouldn't be here," Deilie repeated, and Rook's smile faded as the man finally looked up at her.
"Is this your attempt to haggle? I don't have that much money, so..."
"You're not one of us anymore, Rookie. You can't waltz down here and act like you are."
Rook's heart sank, and she finally removed the coin from the stall to slip back into her pocket. "I never knew you to turn down a hungry customer...especially one with coin to spend," she pointed out bitterly.
"You've got a target on your back girl...a big one. People aint going to forgive you for turning over to the other side."
"There aren't sides," Rook insisted. "Quazier deserves to be behind bars. I would have killed him years ago if I thought I could get away with it—most of the traders would have."
"Quazier is one thing, but Ottan is another. You've helped boot him out, and you're sitting pretty in that big fortress with that prince pretender."
Rook scowled. "He's not a pretender. If you'd seen what I've seen, you'd know—"
"It doesn't matter what promises he makes, or even who he is, Rook. The point is, the south doesn't want someone new, prying into their business and making changes. It was bad enough when the slave took over the Rulership and flipped the realm on its head. Now the very sanctity of the south is being threatened."
"What sanctity? Face it, Deilie. Most of us have been scrounging for survival our whole lives. What if the south could actually thrive?"
"You sound just as foolish as that prince. I listened to his little speech...empty words and promises, is all. The south is like a wild hoofer, you know...and we aren't going to thank anyone who decides we need to be broken in."
Rook studied the man, realizing that Deilie was angry. "It's not how you think it is," she tried, but he waved her off.
"Don't try to talk me into the madness. I know my path...and the south with me. The question is, Rookie...do you know yours?"
"What do you mean?"
He finally looked up to meet her eye, his expression grim. "The only way you're going to survive here is if you prove you're still on our side. The south's side. And you can't do that if everyone thinks you're on the prince's side."
"What exactly are you suggesting?" she asked coldly.
"Say what you have to for the prince, but unless you start using your newfound position to actually benefit the south—"
"I'm not getting involved in any schemes," Rook cut in, her expression becoming just as serious as his. "Theodynn gave me a second chance, and I'm not risking that."
Dielie's expression darkened at her answer, and he looked down to viciously carve another chunk off the skewer. "Then there's no help for you, lass. You're doomed."
"What do you know?" Rook demanded. "Are there specific people hunting me, or are you just saying there will be?"
"I'm not getting involved," he repeated, mocking her pervious answer as he carved another long curl of wood. "It isn't my business, or my head, is it?"
Rook was surprised at how close to tears she was, but she kept her head held high as she folded her arms crossly. "Well. And here I thought after all these years, we were friends."
"Maybe we were, but you're not going to find many friends here in the south, as long as you're throwing your lot in with them." The merchant gestured to behind her, and Rook turned to see one of the central fortress guards making his way through the market. The guard caught sight of Rook and scowled.
"Oi, informant!" he called loudly as he beckoned her to join him. "You're supposed to be back at the fortress. We're to give our reports to Leader Theodynn."
The hubbub of the market seemed to quiet, and Rook could feel dozens of eyes suddenly bearing into her. She glowered at the guard, not bothering to look over at all the unfriendly looks she was now receiving. If they didn't know who she was before, they did now.
Just great, she thought bitterly, but she turned to Deilie one last time. "See ya, Deils. Keep your face to the sun," she offered sarcastically before moving to follow the beckoning guard at last.
2
Theo stared at the food in front of him, trying to figure out how he could be starving while also feeling like he couldn't eat a bite.
"It's not poisoned," Tolan pointed out at last. "If that's what you're worried about."
Theo grimaced, glancing at his bodyguard. "You seem confident."
The bodyguard shrugged. "Tasted it myself."
"Tol..."
"It's that, or assigning some poor servant to try it."
Theo studied the stew and sighed. "And what would you do, if it was poisoned?"
"Better me than you."
"Not loving that attitude," Theo pointed out, but he picked up the spoon at last. Silence fell as the leader began to eat, and he found the silence heavy. After swallowing another bite, he glanced back at his head guard. "Is there a reason that you're dressed like that? I thought you hated the south."
Tolan glanced down at his outfit. "It was Syn's idea. She thinks that we should try to acclimate to the culture as much as possible. I'm not sure it will change anything, though."
Theo shrugged, thinking of his new wardrobe. "Rook did say that we might gain points for trying."
"We didn't seem to win many points today."
Theo's expression fell as he looked back at his stew. After a moment, Tolan moved to come stand by him, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"We didn't have any assassination attempts, I suppose," the bodyguard mused, as if trying to add a silver lining. "You're safe, and that's what's most important."
Theo scoffed softly. "I guess." He stirred his stew a few more times, eager for a change of subject. "How's Syn taking the move? Are you guys settling in okay?"
"Well enough," Tolan shrugged.
"And you're all right with living in the fortress?"
Tolan didn't answer right away. He finally sighed. "I'm used to the fortress life...but Syn tends to get a little stir crazy within stone walls. We'll see how long she puts up with it."
"That's funny," Theo pointed out. "She said the same thing about you."
Tolan smiled a little. "I said I'm used to it...not that I prefer it. If this was any other province, I wouldn't bother with the extra security of living in the fortress, but given the circumstances..." he trailed off, and Theo sighed.
"I get it," he offered.
"Teag is already complaining," Tolan admitted, sinking into a chair at the table. "Said that if he was going to live in a fortress, he might as well have stayed in the West."
"That's right—Teag came with you," Theo remembered as he glanced over. "How is he?"
"Getting stronger. As soon as I can locate a forge, I think he'll be fine. He's just tired of sitting around." Tolan rubbed his face. "Not that I'll have time to dedicate to a forge anytime soon. Maybe we should have left him in the West, where he actually had stuff to do."
"Hey, you'll get it," Theo offered with a smile. "This fortress has a forge too."
"Have you met the blacksmith?" Tolan asked dryly. "I've met sniffers that were less territorial."
"Well, maybe I should just instate you as the new blacksmith, then," Theo offered.
"I don't have enough free time to be a full-time blacksmith, Theodynn," Tolan reminded. "The beast of a man in your forge at least knows his way around a blade. Barring any loyalty issues we may run into, you might as well keep him on." Tolan shrugged. "I can't really blame any blacksmith for not wanting outsiders in their territory...but I'm not going to be able to utilize the southern fortress forge the way I utilized the one in the west."
"There have got to be other forges around," Theo assured. "We'll find something, and I have lots of guards now, Tol. You can take a day off once in a while to pound metal. In fact...I think I should insist on it, for both of our mental health."
Tolan shot him a dry look, and Theo just smiled before moving to finish his stew. With his gnawing hunger finally satisfied, he pushed himself to his feet.
"I'm going to head to my office. I'll take my escort. You should go check in on Syn."
Tolan studied Theo critically, and the leader smiled.
"If you can't trust that I'm going to survive every time you have to leave my side, these are going to be some really long years for you, Tol."
"I'll be checking in with your escort, to make sure that you have at least three men at your door at any given time, and that you don't weasel out of it."
"I promised that if I took this job that I would make use of the escort. I'm going to be fine, Tolan." Theo headed for the door, and his guard followed begrudgingly. The leader offered a little wave as they reached the hallway and parted ways, with the three guards who had been standing at the dining chamber door following Theo as he moved toward his office. There were many rooms within the Southern Fortress that he hadn't even explored yet, but Tolan and Rook had discovered what they had deemed a "secure area." It was a little nook on the east side of the fortress, including a few small chambers that had probably housed Ottan's advisors. The rooms still had Ottan's extravagant flair, but on a much smaller scale than his own. The opulent personal chambers that the old leader had occupied were the true strongest part of the fortress, and Theo knew that Tolan would prefer it if the new leader would make use of their security benefits. However, Theo just couldn't bring himself to. Maybe someday when Ottan's items had been removed, and the chambers could be aired out, but at the moment, Theo felt more comfortable in the smaller rooms in the eastern wing.
His office wasn't far from the small dining area he had just been in, and he pushed the stately wooden door open. On one side of the room, piles of old parchments were in a precarious stack, waiting for Theo to go through and figure out which of them were important and which could be burned. Theo sank down into the comfortable chair at the desk, studying the pile with a sinking feeling. Part of him just wanted to turn in for the night, but he also knew that he wasn't going to get far into changing the south until he had a good grasp of what the state of the south even was. The endless piles of documents would hopefully provide insight, but he had a headache just looking at it.
"You can wait at the door," Theo offered to the guards watching him. "The room is secure, as long as no one can get in and out of there."
The trio glanced at each other, and the one in the front nodded. "As you wish, Leader Theodynn." The guard went to close the door, and Theo winced a little.
"Wait."
The guard paused, and Theo looked up sheepishly.
"It's occurred to me that you've all been following me around all day, and I never asked for your names."
The guard blinked, but he answered smoothly. "My name is Pon. This is Treave..." he gestured to the man next to him. "And Mahlyn." Here, he gestured to the woman. "We've served at the central fortress for a combined 29 years, and we are prepared to protect you to the death, Theodynn."
It was Theo's turn to be taken off guard. "Oh. Um, thank you." He rubbed his neck awkwardly. "I mean, if everything goes right, that won't be necessary."
Pon's expression stayed politely stoic. "Anything is possible," he pointed out.
"Yeah...I guess you're right," Theo admitted.
"Let us know if you need anything," Pon offered before shutting the door. Theo stared at the shut door for a few minutes before sighing and turning to the stack of papers.
He wasn't sure how long he had been picking through them, sorting them into piles of apparent importance before a knock sounded at the door. Theo glanced up as Mahlyn poked her head in.
"Apologies, Leader Theodynn, but your informant has finally come to give her report."
"Send her in," Theo offered, and the guard withdrew. After a moment, Rook entered, glancing at the door as it closed behind her.
"Look at you, actually using an escort," she teased before turning to smirk at him. Theo smiled back, some of the weight and anxiety inside waning as the woman made her way across the room.
"I told you I could be responsible," he pointed out. She raised an eyebrow as she sauntered closer, taking in the piles.
"Speaking of responsible, this looks like an absolute nightmare," she pointed out. Theo shrugged.
"Just trying to figure out where we're starting. Where have you been all day? The crowd guards mentioned you slipped out after the public appearance, and then you never came to give your report."
"I didn't slip out," Rook challenged, taking a seat on the corner of his desk. "I figured that since I was close to the markets, I would just pop over to Deilies."
"Ah," Theo said, sifting another paper into a pile. "Got some delicious rats, then?"
Rook's expression wavered for a moment, but then she was rolling her eyes. "He didn't actually have anything in stock. Apparently he was too enraptured with your speech to prepare his wares today."
"Did he really like it?" Theo asked. "Or are you being sarcastic?"
Rook paused, and then she fiddled with the end of her braid. "Well...I mean, he heard it. But Deilie's a traditionalist, you know, so there's little that he actually likes—"
"He hated it, then," Theo translated flatly. "Just like everyone else."
"Theo..."
"Don't sugarcoat it, Rook. No one heard a word I said...and if they did, they disregarded it."
"Well...I mean, it was a little hard to hear you. What with all the heckling and jeering and vegetable throwing," Rook admitted.
Theo sighed. "It didn't go well at all."
"Hey, don't get so worked up," Rook chided. She moved off the corner of the desk so she could come to stand in front of his chair. "You got your first public appearance over with. And, if it helps, you looked great up there."
"I doubt that anyone really cares what I look like, Rook."
"You've got a handsome face. You can work that," she insisted, and Theo was surprised when she sank down into his lap on the chair. "Speaking of..."
"I've got a lot of work to do," he pointed out, gesturing to the piles but not pushing her off.
"Mmmm...there will always be more work. Why don't we take a little time to celebrate?" She was wrapping her arms around his neck, and he sighed.
"Celebrate what? Today was a disaster."
"A hoofer running rampant through a market is a disaster, Theo. Today was what I would call a 'starting point.'" She played with his hair, pulling it through her fingers as she studied him. "Besides, we knew that this was going to be how it would be, at the start."
"I guess," he admitted. "It's just...knowing everyone was going to hate me, and then being out there, openly hated..."
"You've been loved your whole life. It makes sense that this would be a little jarring...but don't let it make you doubt yourself. At the end of the day...the people out there are just people, and they're only cruel because they're scared." She shrugged one shoulder. "It's how we cope here in the south."
Theo frowned as he considered her words, but then Rook was leaning in. He let her kiss him, but after a moment he pulled back. "You should have come to report sooner," he murmured. She grinned.
"So we could have longer together?"
Theo smiled, but he shook his head. "Tolan's frustrated with you...and I think some of the other central fortress guards as well. They weren't sure what your motive was, slipping away right after the speech."
"I told you, I was just visiting Deilie," she repeated. "And then I got back and had to eat, and I was trying to get my room all finished up..." she paused, rubbing the back of his neck. "And maybe I was hoping to catch you alone."
"Ah. There it is," Theo pointed out with a small smile. "Tolan isn't going to appreciate you going out of your way to avoid him."
"Maybe not...but he probably also wouldn't appreciate me doing this." She began kissing him again, and Theo finally relaxed as he kissed her back. He pushed the worries and the self-consciousness that had been eating at him from his mind, trying to focus instead on this moment. There was no heaviness to this...no weighted consequence. Nothing to think about as he could just lose himself.
Rook was the one who eventually pulled away, and Theo didn't miss the hand she pressed against her middle. Reality came crashing back in, and he grimaced.
"Ancients...is the bullet wound still bothering you?"
"I'm fine," she assured as she flashed him a smile. "I mean...it doesn't feel amazing, and I'm not going to be able to fight in the pits anytime soon, but you didn't hurt me. It's just stiff, is all."
"You're still healing," he pointed out. "We should probably have a healer keep an eye on it, and make sure nothing goes wrong with it."
"Whatever makes you stop worrying about it," she said, rolling her eyes. "I've dealt with worse."
"You keep saying that, but I still don't believe you."
"What happened to what you said earlier? About trusting each other?"
He fingered her braid. "Just take it easy the next few days, okay?"
"You've got enough to worry about, Theo. Don't add me to your list." They kissed one last time, but then Theo eased her off his lap so he could stand.
"We should probably turn in," he realized. "It's getting late."
"Is it?"
"Rook."
She sighed heavily, but she was smiling as she ran her hand through his hair one last time. "Then I guess I'll see you at breakfast for our morning meeting."
"Don't be late. Tolan's already irritated with you."
"I'll try not to ruffle anymore of his feathers," she promised. She moved to the door, but then she paused to look back at him. "Theo?"
"Yeah?"
"Don't let what Deilie thinks get to you...or what anyone thinks. You don't have to answer to anyone but yourself." Her grip tightened on the doorframe. "We're going to make a difference down here. I can feel it. And as long as we believe in each other..." she trailed off, and he was surprised by her rare flash of vulnerability.
"Thanks, Rook," he offered. "I'll try not to get caught up on today. You're right—this is just our starting point."
"Exactly." She gave him one last smile, and then she left. He watched her go and then glanced back at the piles of papers. He debated trying to finish up with the sorting at least, but then he shook his head. It had been a long day, and he was ready for sleep.
3
Tolan scanned the forge, taking in the tool wall and noting how many blacksmith essentials were missing. Behind him, Teag scoffed as he hefted the heavy box he was carrying.
"Not much to look at," the teen pointed out.
"Looks like scavengers cleared anything worth taking," Tolan mused. "But the structure is sound."
"It's already so hot in here...I can't imagine what it's going to feel like with the forge going," Teag griped, setting the box down on the table in the center.
"You get used to it. Do you want to be a blacksmith or not?" Tolan put down his own box, moving to study the forge and ensure that it was properly set up. The anvil sitting next to it looked relatively new, which he supposed he could be grateful for. It seemed like the only valuable thing that scavengers hadn't bothered trying to take. He didn't blame them—anvils were hard things to move, and only valuable to some.
"I'm just saying," Teag muttered. He moved over to the weapons wall, which was empty at the moment but had pegs in place to hold various blades and tools. "If this forge is so great, why hasn't any other blacksmith snapped it up yet?"
"It's owner was recently imprisoned because he was a slave trader," Tolan reminded as he began pulling various tools from the boxes. "It hasn't been empty that long."
"Long enough for people to steal everything worth having."
"It's going to be a work in progress, but we knew that," Tolan snapped, turning to fix the teen with a withering look. "We got it for cheap, it's pretty close to the fortress, and it's got a forge and an anvil. It's more than I thought we would be able to find."
Teag was quiet as he started helping unpack boxes for a few minutes. "I thought you said you were going to build a forge," he finally pointed out.
"I don't have time, or the materials." Tolan finished clearing out his box, staring at the tools wall with a sinking feeling. He was used to just using whatever tools forges had on hand, not owning a lot of his own. There were still far too many gaps on the wall. He knew Theodynn would buy him whatever he needed, but it felt almost wrong to rely on the new leader for everything. For a moment, the guard longed for the forges of his youth—the ones his family had when he was growing up in his home village. Every tool was of the highest quality, and every weapon that left those forges were worthy of pride.
"You okay there?" Teag muttered, and Tolan turned to see the teen studying him with a frown. Tolan scoffed.
"Fine. Just sick of your belly-aching. You're the one who said you wanted to be a blacksmith...this is how you make a start in that profession."
Teag's expression darkened. "I'm just pointing out that we aren't starting with as much as you made it sound. That's all."
"We've got a forge, an anvil, and a hammer to pound on it. That's all you really need, kid." Tolan gestured to the half-emptied box Teag was still working on. "Now hurry and unpack, so we can go to the mines and see what we can get for a fair price."
"Your tent markings are those of a healer," Theo pointed out exasperatedly to the woman sitting outside the tent in question.
"Wasn't my tent originally. Don't know what those marks mean."
"Everyone in your village says you're a healer," Theo pointed out. The woman's expression flickered, but she just shrugged.
"I don't know much. Just a few things, here and there."
"That's better than nothing."
"Thing is...I'm not that experienced." Her eyes flicked up to Theo again, and he was surprised by the hatred he saw in her gaze. "I only know how to heal southerners."
Theo went quiet as he realized what the woman was saying, but then he heard someone draw their blade behind him.
"Refusing to assist the province leader is treason," the guard hissed, and Theo turned to gesture to his entourage to stand down. There were five of them today, including Pon, Treave, and Mahlyn. The guard who had drawn his sword was one that Theo didn't know as well, but he had discovered that the young man had a short fuse. According to Pon, the guard's name was Ivvan, and he was a loyal fellow, despite being quick to anger. When he saw Theo gesture, Ivvan scowled, but he obediently sheathed his weapon.
Theo turned back to the woman, his voice even. "That's fine," he offered. "The person who I need your assistance for is southern, so there shouldn't be a problem."
"I'm not helping you, boy," the older woman scowled, though she glanced at his entourage. "Gut me if you must, but I get to decide who I do and don't heal."
"We're not going to gut you," Theo pointed out flatly. "I'm just trying to hire a healer for the southern fortress. It seems Ottan's personal healer went with him when he moved—"
"When he was wrongfully ousted," the old woman corrected, but Theo didn't skip a beat as he continued.
"So I'm trying to find someone who would be willing to visit with a friend of mine to make sure a wound is healing. We are planning on paying you for your trouble." His hand went to the pouch at his waist, but as the old woman spit at him, he didn't bother pulling out any coins. Theo wrinkled his nose in disgust, and he heard Ivvan make an incredulous noise.
"Do you realize who you're disrespecting?" the young man demanded as he moved toward the woman again, hand on his sword. Theo turned to once again stop him, but Pon put a hand on the man's shoulder before Ivaan got far.
"Stand down," the older guard ordered, and Ivvan huffed angrily as he glared daggers at the old woman.
"There's no reason to be angry," Theo added, turning to give the woman an aloof look. "She decided she didn't want the job, so we'll just find someone else."
"Ha. Good luck with that, pretender. No southerner with a shred of dignity would join forces with the likes of you." The healer sneered.
Theo turned and walked away, though he couldn't help but feel angry himself. His entourage followed behind as they made their way back to where they had left their hoofers. For a few minutes, the walk was silent, but then Ivvan spoke up.
"Pardon me for saying so—"
"Ivvan," Pon reprimanded, his tone harsh. Theo turned.
"No, it's okay," he offered. "What's up, Ivaan?"
The young man shot a glance at Pon, but now that he had Theo's permission, he continued despite the look he was getting from the older guard. "That's the third healer who has turned you down, and the most disrespectful one yet. If you keep letting people talk to you like this, they're going to think they can walk all over you."
Theo was quiet as he processed the guard's point, and he finally shrugged. "I offered them a job, and they each said no. Is that really a crime worth punishing? I don't want to be someone people respect because they're afraid of how I'll react by turning me down."
"But that is what it means to lead," Ivvan tried, moving faster so he could catch up with Theo. "Take your parents, for instance—they don't go around threatening everyone, but they take disrespect seriously. That's why Ottan isn't leading anymore—because he broke the law. He disrespected them, and there was a consequence for it. The lowlifes in this province aren't going to respect you as their leader if you don't make yourself out to be someone who deserves respect."
"Thanks for the insight," Theo cut in a little too politely. "For one, I am not my parents, and for another, they had to deal with hateful acts at the beginning of their rulership as well. People said and did cruel things to them, but they had to learn how to move past that. Eventually, the realm grew to respect them without the use of constant threats."
"Well..." This time it was Mahlyn, and everyone turned to face her. The middle-aged woman reddened, but she shrugged as she continued. "Technically, the realm respected your parents a lot more after your mother executed the Western Leader." Theo stared, and she cleared her throat. "I'm just saying, there was a show of force, there at the beginning."
"And remember how Keyda locked all those slaves up, for disrespecting Cole?" another of the guards pointed out. "That really showed everyone that she meant business."
"I was at that first meeting—the one right after the fall of the Baron, when she and the Dragon Master came to talk to all us oni. The way she spoke to us, hands and eyes brimming with power...I honestly wondered if she was going to kill us all. At the very least, we realized she had the ability to do so," Treave mused, stroking his salt-and-peppered mustache. "I still remember that day, all these years later. The beginning of the change."
Theo was silent, not even sure how to respond to the guards' perspectives. Pon seemed to notice his silence, and the oldest of the guards cleared his throat. "I think what Leader Theodynn is trying to say is that we need to keep things in perspective," Pon pointed out. "The Rulers had to take drastic measures in times of treason, but none of the healers today have crossed that line. They have been disrespectful, yes, but not treasonous." He shot Ivvan a hard look, and the young man scowled.
"Yes, thank you, Pon," Theo offered wearily, glad that at least one of the guards seemed to understand him.
"Of course, Theodynn," Pon replied respectfully. "It makes sense that you wouldn't want to fly off the handle for every little slur...and if treason were to arise, I'm sure you would deal with it appropriately."
Theo's smile faltered as Pon met his eye evenly, and the new leader finally cleared his throat. "Uh, yep. Of course." They had reached their hoofers, and Theo gave Dragon a pat on the neck before pulling himself up into the saddle. His stomach felt sour as they started their trek back to the fortress, but then Pon was addressing him again.
"Theodynn...if your need for a healer is dire, I'm sure we can acquire one from the Central province, or the Western one. I'm sure there are many healers graduating from the western school who would be very grateful for such a prestigious job."
Theo sighed heavily. "I know...but I think it would be better to get one from the south." Pon's expression tightened in confusion, and Theo shrugged one shoulder. "People already see me as a usurper, and my guard force is largely made up of central province guards. If I start replacing every position with people from other provinces, then I'm afraid it will just continue the "us versus them" mentality. I've got to start finding southerners to fill southern positions." He glanced back at the village they were leaving, thinking of the onery woman they had just spoken to. "It just may take a while to do it."
The stars were bright, and Rook was glad for more alone time with Theodynn after another long day. At the moment, Tolan was forcing her to head the servant interrogations, figuring out which to keep on and which may have ulterior motives. It wasn't exactly something one could just breeze through, and Rook kissed Theodynn fiercely as she tried to forget the ache in her back after the long hours sitting in a cramped office.
Her hair was down, and the new leader was playing with it as they kissed. The feeling was back—the one that had started in the Buyer's fortress. It was the safe feeling—the one of being held in someone's arms, protected.
Theo's hand had left her hair, but Rook barely noticed. She was about to pull away and mention how wonderful it was when an icy pain erupted into her back. Her eyes flew open as she managed to gasp, and she was shocked when she saw Theo smiling at her. It wasn't his usual smile—this time, it was cruel, and calculating. Rook felt numb with pain and confusion, and Theo's voice was just a whisper as he taunted her.
"How does it feel, Rook? Being stabbed in the back?"
The knife twisted, and as Rook screamed out, she woke. The once-assassin-now-informant bolted upright, her body soaked in sweat as aura exploded out from her. The curtains at her window flapped wildly in the wind as she trembled hard on the bed, and as the phantom pain in her back faded, she grabbed her head.
"Just a dream, you idiot," she chided shakily. "It wasn't real. Stop reacting...it wasn't real."
It took a few more minutes before she managed to curb the panic inside, and the aura finally responded as well. Rook exhaled as she watched the purple light fade, rubbing her arms. Theo had promised to help her figure these powers out, but he had been so busy lately, not to mention she was hesitant to let him know about the nightmares.
"I could just tell him they were about the Buyer, and what happened in Ninjago. Or even that they're about Quazier. He'd believe it," she mused softly as she shook in the bed. After another minute, she rubbed her face wearily and got to her feet. She knew she wasn't doing herself any favors by skipping out on sleep, but the thought of accidentally drifting back into that dream made her shudder.
Her footsteps were near silent as she made her way to the door, a habit she was barely aware of. She opened it carefully, but she didn't make it far before a guard stepped into her way. She jumped, not expecting a person to be standing directly outside, and her hand went to her waist despite the fact she wasn't wearing any weapons.
"What are you doing?" the guard asked.
"I need to clear my head," she replied, feeling a flash of irritation.
"This early?"
"Yep." She went to move past him, but the guard side-stepped her. She narrowed her eyes as she studied him. "Do you mind?"
"Tolan said that you're not to wander the fortress at night."
"Maybe, but I'm sure if you asked Theodynn—"
"According to the Rulership, Tolan has the final say for you, not the leader," the guard cut in, his gaze firm. Rook felt a flash of anger toward the centrie and to the head guard.
"I have to pee," she pointed out irritably. "What am I supposed to do about that?"
It did take the guard back a little, but then he scowled. "Then I shall accompany you and make sure you are only going to the lavatory and back."
"This is ridiculous!" Rook snapped. "I'm not a prisoner!"
"If you don't like the arrangement, take it up with Tolan. Or you could let the Rulers know of your discomfort with being monitored."
"Kahzym's crown," Rook cursed. "You centries need to loosen up. Any stiffer, and you're going to snap in half."
The man scowled. "We were hand-picked to protect Leader Theodynn, Heir of the Oni...and you will find that none of our forces will ever waver in our loyalty. We are prepared to put his safety first, regardless of your opinion on it."
"I'm not questioning your loyalty...I'm questioning how you're showing it," Rook snapped. "I'm not a threat to Theo. I thought you were stationed here at my door to protect me...not imprison me."
"This is protection," the guard sniffed. "An attack is much more likely to occur when wandering the fortress, even with a guard, than when in a guarded room."
Rook folded her arms to show that she didn't believe him, but then the guard was gesturing.
"Come. If you require a trip to the lavatory, it's best to go quickly."
"This is ridiculous," Rook breathed angrily, but she finally sagged in defeat and followed the guard down the hallway.