The Hounds of Helghan (8)
Radec and Runa went together to the Metrac family estate to meet with the general and decline his arrangement. He took the response with a show of dismay.
"You two are absolutely sure that neither of you are interested in marrying each other?" At the sight of the colonel and lieutenant politely but firmly standing their ground, he sighed. "Well, there we have it. Arranged marriage is not forced marriage. No one can force either of you if both of you don't agree to the arrangement."
Radec and Runa exchanged the briefest glance of relief when Metrac wasn't looking.
The general attached the leash in his hands to the collar of a dog he would lead outside, and he frowned down at it. "There goes a nice morning of walking the dog."
"I'll walk the other dogs with you, if it's any consolation," Runa said.
He cracked a grin. "It has been a while since we last walked the dogs together. You'd been so busy training." His gaze flitted to Radec. "If you have no pressing matters to attend, why don't you come along, Colonel? We can take you on a little tour around our home while we're on a stroll with the dogs."
Radec had stacks of paperwork waiting for him back at the academy, and he wasn't inclined to address them any time soon. Clerical responsibilities were his least favorite part of being in charge of the academy. He was made to fight on the field, not stay cooped up behind a desk. He was also curious to check out where the Metracs lived. He had never been on the premises of their home before. He took up Metrac's invitation with a nod of thanks.
The family estate may be only a fraction of Visari's palace in size and splendor, but the "little" tour still took him on at least half an hour of viewing a flourishing garden and passing by a sizeable collection of sculptures. In their home, where he was a guest, Radec kept himself behind Metrac and Runa as they walked the dogs side by side. All the dogs were short-haired hounds, military-trained and genetically enhanced to inflict flesh-rending bites. But with no enemies in sight, and under no orders to attack, they trotted ahead of their masters with tongues lolling out of goofy, gaping grins.
The hedges hemming in the garden were arranged in a circle—like the Helghast triad, in fact. Patriotism permeated every corner of Helghast society, even in the garden of a wealthy family. As Metrac, Runa, and Radec circled around to head back to the estate, the colonel couldn't ignore how fine, spacious, and clean the building looked. Quite unlike the unkempt, cramped mess he had once called home in Suljeva.
Envy didn't stir within him, because nowadays he found his spare, functional flat perfectly adequate. He never had a taste for opulence. He wouldn't know what to do with too much space. What he felt instead for Runa, when he considered her before him, with her former home looming majestically in the background, was respect. She had rejected all the comforts and luxuries that came with her birth. She chose a career in the military, and chose to lower herself to fight an uphill battle some would think unnecessary. Maybe even humiliating.
"Look at you now, an elite shock trooper serving under the Colonel Radec," Metrac said to Runa. "You traded dresses and ballroom dances for knives and shootouts." He laughed at that.
She gave her brother a tight smile.
Radec realized that while Metrac may have claimed to be proud of his sister, he seemed to treat her as if she was one of the dogs. Like something that greatly amused him. Even now he praised her as if she had performed a trick.
"Well, Colonel, what do you think of our home?"
Radec snapped to attention at the general's inquiry. "Very scenic, sir. I can see why you enjoy walking the dogs around here."
"Oh yes, they like it, too." Metrac reached down to scratch under the dog's pointed ears. "This is the calm before the storm. Soon they'll be tasting blood as they'll join the army invading Vekta. They can't wait to be let off their leash to tear out the throats of our enemies."
"Lovely," Runa remarked, and that made Metrac laugh.
"Did you learn sarcasm from the training program as well?"
She pursed her lips at him. "That's the least of what I've learned, brother."
"I'm sure. Even women in the military swear like sailors. I know, I've heard them." Metrac waved his hand. "Anyway, I think I've kept you two here long enough. I have yet another meeting with the Autarch to discuss invasion plans." He glanced at Runa. "Oh, I almost forgot. Father's on his way home from a Senate conference."
She looked away. "Right." She handed over the leash of the dog she was walking to him. "I had better be on my way before he gets here." She bid farewell to Metrac and accompanied Radec back to the academy.
The colonel remembered Metrac mentioning that the senator wanted nothing to do with his daughter after she joined the military. He didn't press her for details on what led to that severed relationship. It wasn't his business to know, and likely not in her interest to tell him.
"The general took our decline better than I had expected," Radec remarked.
"He'll keep up the teasing, though." Runa let out a quiet huff of exasperation before collecting herself. "He'll put your patience to the test with his teasing, if he hasn't already."
"Plans for the invasion on Vekta are well underway. The Autarch and his generals have to spend long hours of consulting and collaborating over strategy. I hope that will keep General Metrac very occupied. He won't have time to amuse himself over us." Radec saw that Runa bit down on visible effort not to smile at his dryness.
"I hope so, too, sir. Feel free to send me on far-flung missions that'll put a good distance between you and myself. My brother wouldn't be able to do much with us being apart."
Radec smirked under his helmet. "I like your thinking, Lieutenant. I'll have you hit the ground running, then."