Chapter 10
"This is actually rather comfortable," commented Cairn as he lay in the wagon, "that is if you don't mind the bumps, hard surface and various corners jabbing into your side, threatening to impale you." He sat up with a groan. "Can't I ride yet?" He knew the answer, even now the sound of his own voice and the sun's light threatened to explode his head. He couldn't see straight; everything was blurry and distorted. Shaking his head, causing his brain to rattle and ache, his vision cleared up a little.
"Of course not," the blue-headed blur said in Draguen's accented voice. "You likely have no sense of balance at the moment and cannot see properly either." Cairn nearly fell over as the wagon bumped. "Now, why don't you try to go to sleep—."
"I've tried," he moaned."
"Here," a redheaded blur, Merric, said handing the hung-over boy a flask. It was warm. "It's coffee. Black and bitter, it'll help you function better." Cairn took a sip of the offered liquid...and nearly choked.
"Gods, that's nasty," he rasped. His vision was no longer so cloudy. The men around him now had dark spots for eyes, before it was their hair and skin colour for their heads. He snatched the flask back and drank, shuddering at the taste. At least he could see again.
The knights laughed at his reaction to the brew while the other 'Roses' hid smirks (actually Draguen hid a wry grin, but does it matter).
"Hey Warric," one knight called to one behind him, "it appears the lad doesn't like your handiwork."
"He wouldn't, considering from how far east he is," another—Warric—replied. The two shared a few features, "He's likely used to Tyran style coffee with all that foam or the chocolate drinks of northern Maren."
"Ah, so you did pay attention when I gave you that culinary lesson." The first knight said slightly surprised. The two continued like this for sometime, when the knight who Cairn had been drinking with the night before fell back to next to the wagon. The knight, Esmond, showed no effects from the amount of alcohol he had consumed.
"Don't mind them, they're cousins." He said as though the relation explained everything. Seeing Cairn's small amount of confusion, he explained, "Iden and Warric, of Vikison Lake and Mandash respectively. Put them together with their cousin Owen of Jesslaw, and there'll soon be trouble underfoot." The freckled knight grinned, "They pulled some rather good pranks as squires when they were all at the palace."
Cairn gave him a look, "I suppose that makes sense, but what were they talking about food for?" Esmond gave him a look and silently cursed himself, this boy wasn't from Tortall, how would he know.
"Iden's knight master was an Irenroha; they are perhaps the most culinary refined family in Tortall. Brimming with cook-mages too. Iden," Esmond indicated the knight who had spoken first, "learned some tricks of the trade and enjoys imparting his knowledge on any who ask." He shrugged, "So you play violin?" Cairn nodded, "For how long?"
"At least nine years," he replied. Esmond continued to ask and answer questions until the bitter coffee had taken complete effect and Cairn was able to see and balance. At this time it was time for lunch anyway. So they readjusted the packs and the blond-haired violinist got to ride again.
They rode until very late in the night without further incident eventually catching up to a merchant caravan. Settling with the caravan for the night they would detach themselves from the group the following morning.
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"...they will be in Corus in a little less than two days if they keep pace." She finished reporting. Flicking her black braid over her shoulder she spoke again, "It would be better to catch the girl before she gets to the capital."
"I know that," the former duke of Avery said. Turning to an attendant he instructed, "Have my personal troops assembled. The Panthers preferably," he indicated one of the squads. A trained group of assassins and mage-literate men and women, while young the Panthers were perhaps the most deadly ensemble of fighters in the Eastern lands with exception to a group of Yamani samurais. The attendant rushed off in the direction of the barracks.
"Anelee, will you be able to transport eleven people, including yourself, by portal?" she nodded, "Excellent. You will take the Panthers to meet the brat. Once there, dispel that shield that you told me about. Kresh, their resident mage, will assist you." He smiled genuinely pleased, "It would be better for my image if you were able to bring her back, but if she turns out violent she may be killed. The man she's with is of no worth to us and is only an unwanted witness, dispose of him."
"Yes sir." She curtsied deeply, the navy dress and crimson robe fanning out around her. Standing, she gave a nod of her head and swept out of the room. The scent of geraniums still lingered.
"You will not fail me Anelee," Gaile said to the scent. He turned to the window to look at the sinking sun. "You would make a good queen once this mess is dealt with." A wicked smile played across his lips as he thought of the possible future.
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Raven tossed. She couldn't sleep, something felt wrong. Sitting up in bed, she looked around the room that Jeremy had rented for her. It was small, clean and smelled of pine; there should be nothing to keep her up. Listening for a while, she realized the problem. It was too quiet. Slipping out from under the covers she padded over to the window and opened slightly. In poured the familiar sound of animals scurrying about and crickets chirping. The cool breeze ruffled her nightgown leaving her with a slight chill. Wrapping a blanket around her shoulders, she sat by the window watching the night.
The wispy clouds, the stars and the crescent moon, all attributing to what Raven could only describe as a 'sparkly' feeling. That was when she saw them.
Shadows, slinking about in the forest, cloaked in darkness. They came from what Raven could only explain as a portal. The glittering ebony fire created a rift between two places in this Realm, granting immediate passage. She knew the how and likely the who, what, where and when of the portal if her suspicions were correct. She just wanted to know the why.
She quickly dressed, snatching a twin set of daggers in case there was trouble. While whoever they were couldn't hurt her, they could hurt others.
"They say 'curiosity killed the cat'," she commented dryly, "It's a good thing I'm not a cat." Opening her window a bit wider she looked down; the second story not too far up. Securing a blanket, she lowered herself a bit, letting go to land with only a slight jolt to her heels. Turning, she drew the twin daggers.
Okay, think as a thief. Remember what it was like to be an enforcer for the Underground court. Past all the memories of poverty, she remembered the fights, the quick scraps with daggers, knives and broken glass. The quick twisting and sharp blows that made all the difference. She was ready to fight.
Walking towards the forest, senses alert she noticed movement again.
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"Steady," Anelee ordered the warriors, "wait until she's a bit closer. Then Kresh," she indicated the small man beside her, "will blind her while I destroy her shield. Disarm her and tie her up, no more wounds than necessary. If she is unrealistically resistant, gut her. Once she is dealt with, take care of the man if he's watching."
They turned to look at the small girl approaching them, her eyes shifting back and forth watching for movement.
"Now," the Tyran woman commanded. Kresh hurled a ball of light at the girl's face, while Anelee tore the shield to bits with raw power. The Panthers swarmed.
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She felt her shield collapse and yelled the first thing that came to mind. Brennen sie, burn them. The ball of light blinded her, while the Word of Power caused a fire to flower around, and attack anything that approached, her. She knew that she shouldn't have used the word, some families elsewhere in the world were now without the fire they needed for warmth and to cook with. But it kept these people at bay. She felt the fire begin to return to its source, she would have to fight with her feet, daggers and mind soon. Preparing her stance, she crouched and leapt up through the wall of fire to lash out at the first humanoid form she came in contact with.
The mildly scorched and bewildered fighter didn't know what hit him, but his companions did. After a quick slash across the young fighter's throat, that killed him, Raven pushed off him to crash into woman, with her daggers tearing bloody chasms across the woman's torso as she twisted to push herself into another Panther. She made three more kills in this ricocheting manner before a large hand clamped over her wrist, halting her flight.
Flicking one dagger back, she tried to knife the man's forearm, while she slashed at his face with the other. Her caught hand met tough leather, while her arcing dagger was caught in another large hand. He twisted her arms behind her back, causing her to drop her daggers, thankfully one landed pointed down in the ground. Blocking out the pain in her arms she pinched the dagger's hilt with her feet, kicking backward into the man's upper thigh. The dagger severed the tough muscles there causing the man to drop her from the sudden pain. Falling to her knees she grabbed one dagger and threw it at another aggressor, catching the women through the eye. Using the other dagger, she impaled the man who grabbed her, causing both to fall dead.
Reclaiming the dagger from the dead man's chest she jumped up to face the remaining two fighters.
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"She's good," Anelee remarked watching the girl bounce between the Panthers, death in her wake. A woman fell due to a dagger in the eye. "What should we do?" she asked with a shrug to the pale Kresh. "That fire wall she used was rather impressive."
"That was child's play," the short man remarked haughtily, despite the fact that he was obviously afraid. "As to our course of action, we should kill her."
"Why?" the tall, Tyran woman asked. The man looked at her as if she was crazy.
"She is most definitely resisting, your ladyship." He pointed out angrily.
"But not unrealistically."
"That is irrelevant!" he snapped. Muttering an incantation, he summoned a Beholder. The large, many-eyed beast hovered waiting for instructions. "Kill her!" the mage demanded waving a finger at the battle-engaged Raven.
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Cut, block, kick, and slash. It was a pattern, almost a dance. One Raven knew to well. She was currently wildly defending herself between the remaining two Panthers, the black-clad figures passing her off between them.
'They're toying with me,' she thought angrily blocking an incoming dagger, 'If they can kill me why don't they just kill me.' That was when she heard the cry of 'kill her!' The shout was soon followed by an eerie hiss that caused the two assassins to break off their assault. That left Raven face-to-face with the most hideous creature she had ever seen.
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