Madison
I watched monotonous desert landscape beyond our car's rear. It was a long ride and I was starting to regret refusing to be on the front seat with my father instead. But it was still worth it, to sit here and pretend not to notice long glances Josh was sending my way. Josh was twenty five years old, a seasoned soldier and a real man, if I've ever seen any. Tall with broad shoulders and stunning blue eyes, he made women watch him wherever he went, he was our elite spy as well. My father was not pleased with the prospect of me getting involved with any of his men. He had specific opinion on soldiers of the Order of St George. They were simple minded and only good to do one thing, himself excluded of course. But mom could see Josh many virtues. She fell for a soldier, no matter what her husband wanted to believe. So I hatched a plan. Before I leave the spy chapterhouse to study computer science and information technology, I would seduce Josh. It was quite a challenge, I considered myself very attractive but my daddy's views on soldiers around me was well known in the entire chapterhouse and enough to stop even the bravest or most reckless soldiers from ever showing me any familiarity. Except for Peter. He was always like a father to me. He showed me my first code and secretly encouraged my interests. Even when mom worried that they were not lady like and kept me inside and sitting still instead of roaming outside where fresh air and sunshine could work miracles for my health and beauty, Peter insisted on teaching me everything he knew. It run out when I was maybe ten years old and I was teaching both of us ever since.
My plan was miserably squandered, when Josh unexpectedly was sent away on mission in almost three months until my planned departure, but then attack of gray dragon clones made my parents too paranoid to send me away and I decided, that it was a gift from fate. An opportunity to make sure, that I would hold the college boys up to high standards.
The car stopped and my father sitting in passenger seat rolled down his window as a soldier approached our car holding his m4 trained at my father's head. "State your identity and purpose." The soldier requested. On the other side of the car another soldier was pointing his riffle at Peter, who was driving the car. I felt anger at this disrespect, after weeks of hiding, running and discovering horrors throughout Order's chapterhouses I was so sick and tired of fear, that anger felt good. As long as I did not crease my forehead that is, it would not do to get wrinkles. "Commander Jason Knight of Southern Chapterhouse." My father said in calm voice. "I come with my wife and daughter along with surviving soldiers of numerous chapterhouses. Soldier outside casted doubtful look at my mother sitting between my dad and Peter, and me sitting in the back with five other men, but then he lowered his m4 signaled to the other soldier and to the watchtower to stand down and said. "You want to drive straight ahead to the armory Sir. That's where command center is now." And they stood at attention as the gate opened to let us pass. I could hear him talking to a wire as my father rolled up the window and Peter got our car to roll.
It was obvious, that the chapterhouse have been under attack lately, even though much have been cleared and even repaired. The Chapel laid in debris and said armory was being rebuilt with few men about to mason holes in the outer wall.
Peter stopped the car beside the entrance and my father stood out of the car and signaled for us to follow suit. I was stiff after hours upon hours of driving but was rewarded with Josh turning to help me jump off the car. I followed my mother to stand behind my father with Peter between us and strangers and the rest of the squad, Josh, Bill, Chris, Jimmy and Michael following behind us.
When the car stopped the masons paused their work to watch us, and now two of them, young guy with dark hair and dark blue eyes and another just as young with brown eyes and hair, strolled towards us. They stopped ten steps from my father and lips of the first one formed a thin line. The second boy stood at attention and addressed my father. "Welcome to western chapterhouse commander, this is Lieutenant St Anthony acting Commander of the Order of St George in absence of Commander Sebastian."
This boy was Lieutenant here! I almost felt sorry for him. My father's disdain for other soldiers was inversely proportional to their age. But he had some compassion for kids as he called young recruits.
"I see, can we talk somewhere lieutenant?" My father asked. Lieutenant St Anthony was good to hide his annoyance at my father's impertinence. "Yes sir. Let's go inside commander's quarters. They suffered least damage." He said then turned and walked away toward a building deeper into the base perimeter, after a moment hesitation my father followed. Inside we were led to a meeting room with a rectangular table and few chairs. "Would you fetch us some water Joseph?" The Lieutenant addressed the other soldier who left. Then he pointed us to the chairs and sat close to the head of the table. He watchedus with neutral expression but I could sense his apprehension. "It's a surprise Commander." He stated. "But a good one, so long after the Night of Fang and Fire we didn't expect more survivors to emerge. And we need them badly." My father watched him closely and the guy, to his credit, did not flinch or squirm. "Night of what?" He asked finally. St Anthony looked confused before realisation dawned on his pleasant features. "That's what the dragon clones attack is called." He explained calmly. "Have your chapterhouse not received a warning of it from late Lieutenant Martin?" My father cleared his throat. "We have received a warning but not the name." Lieutenant St Anthony looked my father in the eyes and said. "Where are you from Commander? I have never heard of Commander Knight, and was always very interested in the Order's chapters and leaders."
I could feel my father tensing, even though nobody who did not know him intimately would notice anything. "This is none of your business Lieutenant." He said. "But I am in a mood to indulge. I am a commander of an elite special force, mostly working with spying on Talon and infiltrating their ranks. Southern Chapterhouse is a secret to everyone except Patriarch and a few commanders highest in the Order's hierarchy. But ever though you have never heard about me I have heard about you." Young man obviously did not like my father's tone, even though his face was schooled into stone mask. "I have received every piece of information you have sent into the Order, and I have some serious concerns." My father was openly displeased now. "Commander Sebastian is a convicted traitor to the Order of St George, he is also responsible for the death of the Patriarch, who got killed by your hand. I understand that Lieutenant Martin took him back in, but that does not erase his crimes. And now, surprisingly the traitor is constituted Order's leader and he hands the Order over to the enemy. On a silver plate." St Anthony blanched hearing my father's speech. "I am highest ranked surviving leader in the Order of St George and I resume command over what is remained of it. I have already sent for lieutenant Ward and his men to return. And I will deal with Sebastian when he is here." Young Lieutenant listened calmly to all this. "And do not think, that I do not know where he is. He is with his dragon. He is in thrall and he is revelling in profanity. But not for long, I will not allow him to destroy the Order, that lasted centuries." At last Lieutenant St Anthony spoke slowly. "I doubt, that Commander Sebastian will be back today. You and your men must be weary, please stay here in commander's quarters, the building was barely affected by the attack. There are some rations left in the cantina, it's not much, but you're probably used to it. I will let you know if anyone arrives." My father glanced at me and I cast my eyes down. "We will do that." He said. "But do not try anything stupid." St Anthony stood up and showed us to follow him. We were led to a two room suite with bathroom and a small kitchen, probably intended for a family, as soldiers of St George usually lived in very ascetic conditions. "The whole floor is empty, just pick a place. If you need anything you can call me on this number." He laid a piece of paper on
a table in the kitchen, and then he was gone. Josh immediately moved to the hall to make sure nobody would surprise us, Paul and Christopher went out, probably to pick rooms for themselves. They were not of southern chapterhouse, we've found them accidentally while scrying for remains of the Order after the attack of dragon clones. My father suspected that Paul was a deserter, he was not very happy when we turned up on a threshold of his motel room and called on him to rejoin the cause. Chris was lone survivor of dragon attack called Night of Fang and Fire, whom we have discovered in the debris of northern chapterhouse. He suffered head injury and passed out, his unconscious body got covered by two walls falling upon each other and creating a barrier, that protected him from being burned or discovered. On the downside he was too weak to get out of there, and we've found him dehydrated and almost dead lying in his own waste, more than three days later. Fortunately mom is a former field nurse and she turned him around. We've been delayed by nursing him nearby northern chapterhouse in almost a month and then following other tracks of survivors, that mostly led us to cold trail of "mysteriously disappeared" soldiers of the Order of St George. Of course we have received the call of western chapterhouse, but since my father discovered it has been taken over by dragons, he decided to lay low and feel the situation first. After months of watching them closely we have determined, that they were indeed surrendering the Order to Talon. After Talon's hacker left few months ago it was easier for me to access their communication channels and we have learned, that the situation was grave but also that there were other soldiers under command of Lieutenant Ward, who remained loyal to the cause. We have sought them out and convinced them to aid us in regaining control of the Order, though they were strangely reluctant to the idea of resuming war against dragons. We have agreed, that we go in first and Ward and his men join us few days later, when the dust has fallen. Lieutenant Ward was positive, that as long as we do not shot at any dragon, there was no threat of violence from the traitors, so we decided that going in seven men and two women was safe enough. We split a week ago, when an appointment was made for a meeting with Talon, where the new Commander was attending. My father decided it will be easier to assess his men and possible courses of action, without his presence, which was supposed to be very inspiring. So far everything was going according to the plan.
"...So you better get here before he executes someone commander." We heard the last of Lieutenant St Anthony's message to his leader. My father smiled one of his rare smiles. This was going very well indeed. The Commander was on his way, possibly thrown off balance by dramatic report, and we had more surprises waiting for him. My father sat down beside me on small couch, where I was working. He laid his hand on my shoulder. "You're very clever Madison, I'm proud of you my girl." I could see Josh and Bill trying to look the other way witnessing this soft side of their uncompromising Commander. Mom smiled to me briefly and I glued my eyes back to the screen looking for last missing pieces in the Order-after-massive-attack-puzzle.
We ate some bland food and I got to stay and work on the couch long into the night. I was about to call it a day and go to bed, when finally I found something interesting. There was a secret encrypted code in Order's database on westernchapterhouse's server, that I hacked immediately after our arrival. So little, that it could not contain the information, that I was looking for but I knew the Order. They were four hundred years old order of knights, they were set in their ways, this could be a map or a key. With newly refreshed energy I sat down to crack it.
I was still doing that three hours later, when my mom emerged from the room my parents shared and ordered me to bed.
When I closed my laptop and stood up I saw a car driving past and stopping in the middle of the road a bit ahead. Lights were out so I crept to the window and looked when a... boy got out of the car. He was shorter than Lieutenant St Anthony and he seemed younger too. I knew his age of course, we have gone through any information we could find about him, but reading reports of his exploits as soldier and news of him challenging the Patriarch and winning the duel with him, romancing with a dragon and leaving the Order for it... I just got an impression that he would seem much older, than he was. I could not see much, he quickly entered a building next to ours, where lights were still on. I felt that I should probably try eavesdropping on his conversation with St Anthony, but I was completely worn by the damn code and former travel. Besides, father did not ask me to wait for Commander Sebastian to come back and spy on him. So I went to bed instead.
I slept in and missed first sight of the infamous Garret Xavier Sebastian. When I finally emerged from my room, Josh was waiting for me on the couch. "Your father is in the meeting with the Commander. He told me to bring you when you get up." Distraction, I thought annoyed. I was to be a distraction for the commander and his Lieutenant. And if they fell for me and started trying to please my father, all the better. My father often used mine and my mother's good looks as a token of prestige. In an Order almost devoid of women he had two most beautiful. I briefly considered making a move on Josh then and there, but since he had orders to bring me to the meeting as soon as possible, I decided not to test his loyalties and dragged myself to the bathroom. I showered quickly and dressed in wrap dress of deep blue color. My hair was still damp but it made me look even better. Twenty minutes and I was strolling alongside Josh, to the room where we talked to St Anthony yesterday.
My parents and Peter sat at the table opposite St Anthony and one who must have been Sebastian. Several soldiers that I didn't know lined the wall alongside Paul, Bill and Chris. They all looked up, when I entered, and my father said. "My daughter Madison." St Anthony and Sebastian nodded to me and I quickly took the free chair on my father's other side wondering at the tone of introduction. Josh joined the others at the wall. I contemplated Commander Sebastian from the corner of my wandering eye. He was tan and muscled, but nothing out of the ordinary in the Order, his hair was blond and his eyes were gray. But there was something about him, his presence dominated even my father's, which should not be possible. I caught myself wanting to look at him all the time, even though Josh was in the room. Moreover I could tell, that this effect was not limited to me, and even my father felt it. Something extraordinary.
"So as we were just telling. We have serious reasons to be suspicious of this sudden alliance with dragons. The Order of St George has beed wiped out and Talon seems to proceed as before. This time unchecked and unchallenged by anyone in the whole world." My mother said. That meant more soft approach have been decided upon. Something was telling me, that my father's intention of crushing commander's authority and hold of his people in one frontal attack was met with... obstacles. I focused my attention on Garret Xavier Sebastian and noticed, that Tristan St Anthony was much more at ease today. I could even recognise slightest traces of the swagger my father's soldiers showed, when they felt particularly proud of being under his command. His voice was surprisingly deep when he spoke. "This alliance, is a fact. I have fought and bled for this war to end alongside dragons, who wanted the same. We've brought great sacrifices to see this happen, and now for the first time in centuries there is peace." My mother looked at my father and answered equally calmly. "But the Order has been attacked by Talon, our property was destroyed, our people exterminated. Those who survived are left with wounds and nothing, and often lost everyone they knew. And Talon is unchanged succession on the... CEO chair aside. Will they assume responsibility for the damage they caused? Provide help or reparations for the soldiers who now, no longer can do, the only thing they lived to do? Chris here suffered serious injury under what you call Night of Fang and Fire, however disturbing we find it, that you use the enemies cryptonim for what was planned as complete extermination of the Order of St George. It is too early to determine what this might mean for his ability to take education, work and take care of himself." Commander took a while to look up at Chris, and answered. "Back then we would have gladly do the same to them, we were at war." My mother was not easily deterred. "But you have claimed, that these dragons, who are your friends, were not from Talon. That you have defeated Talon hand in hand. Shouldn't the spoils be shared equally as were the blood spilled? Even if we are never to fight dragons again, we have needs and our means of providing for them have been taken away by... the war." She said, calmly and to the point and sensing acute attention of the soldiers gathered in the room, she followed with another blow. "Don't you find it strange Commander, that no such topics have been included in the agreement, that Talon made you sign on behalf of entire Order of St George? Maybe the dragons that you consider your friends, are not that different from the dragons, who murdered hundreds of our soldiers in one single night?" Homerun. But commander looked at Chris and suddenly seemed very interested. "You are right ma'am, Commander. It is strange that we have to rebuild our dwelling with our own hands and bricks we recover from the debris. I think we should ask our friends for help or as you'd rather have it, demand renegotiation of the terms of peace. I believe you would be willing to assist such negotiations?"