Читать книгу SYLVAN ELF CHRONICLES - Christianne Van Keuren - Страница 9

Chapter Three

NALAS had gotten many of his troops ready to go at the same time Kaleen and the others left their pursuit of the murderous Grace. Final preparations were being made and a very small garrison of about twenty men were to be left behind to protect this hidden fortress. In Nalas’ mind they were expendable pawns, a small wall to shield his departure from the others. Just enough to slow someone down if they came in behind him. He and the remainder of the garrison would be leaving for his main fortress: Hecidia. Many of his ranking generals had gone ahead to get things set in place for his arrival. It would be good to get back to his home. The only thing holding Nalas back from leaving now was his waiting on the arrival of his servant, Tobias, with the female soldier. His mood worsened with each passing day as he waited. He took his frustrations out on those around him. Many seemed to sense his presence before he made it into a room making themselves scarce rather than incur his wrath.

The only one who wasn’t afraid was the Wargi sorcerer. He kept a tight watch on Nalas’ movements as he had his own agenda for the future. A future that included the kitchen skivvy. The girl had caught his attention in a different way than Nalas’.

For Nalas, she was an unwilling partner for his sexual relief of pent up energy and frustration; for the Wargi; she was a means to an end for his future. Capable of bearing Nalas’ progeny, whether she wanted to or not. He had to find a reason for Nalas to leave the girl behind so he could control her. A diversion was on its way, but he didn’t know it. What he didn’t know was the girl was using an herb so she wouldn’t get pregnant. She wasn’t stupid, she was not willing to bear his bastard child.

Tobias had enjoyed a day and a half of peaceful rest. No fetching this, no scurrying to fetch that. What short time he had spent there had been miserable and the only way to make it tolerable was to try and anticipate what Nalas needed before he asked for it. A lot of the time he was able to do so, but on the occasions that he slipped up he knew about it in a rush and with a heavy backhand.

Tobias missed teaching, and for all her mundane nagging, he missed his wife. All the bright spring sunshine still couldn’t lift the heavy hand of loneliness that darkened his spirit. He had to find some way of getting away from Nalas. Running now would end up in his death and probably his family as well. It would not be an easy death either. He had to bring the woman back and bide his time for now. He also knew that if the opportunity arose, he would kill Nalas before Nalas killed him. He knew Nalas would kill him when Tobias wore out his usefulness.

Tobias was not a Lorkian, so he felt none of the obligations towards Nalas as the sons and daughters of their forefathers had. He also had no intention of letting Nalas know he wasn’t a Lorkian for it would surely mean instant death for him. Now after more than a century and at least five generations since their enslavement, some of the Lorkians were attempting to shed the bonds of forced slavery. Many were ready to remove the yoke of corruption and live their lives in peace. Bitter resentment rose each time one of their young men or women were forced to enlist in Molktie’s army for Nalas.

Tobias had the unpleasant task of retrieving one of those forced into service. She felt none of the patriotism to Nalas’ cause but did as ordered, as she was a good soldier and respected her parents.

Her contempt for Molktie ran deep for she knew of other soldiers who did not do as ordered and things happened. No one ever asked questions. No one dared.

Her name was Mattea and she was an excellent soldier with well-honed skills, groomed for work that others had no stomach for. Her superiors considered her a natural in the position she held. She was the offspring from a long line of soldiers. Soldiers that had always put their lives on the line for Molktie and Nalas.

She proved what an excellent soldier she was when, very pregnant, she had fulfilled a mission that could have spelled certain death for both she and her unborn child if she failed. She made a point of being better than others for her own survival.

Mattea was no stunning beauty, nor was she ugly. Her features pleasant, but commonplace. If anyone saw her, they couldn’t really recall anything that remarkable enough about her to warrant their remembering. She blended in so well with those around her that many mistook her for a native of the village or town. Her ultimate goal was not to attract attention to herself. So far she had achieved her agenda. She would soon be putting all those skills to the ultimate test with Nalas. And not because she wished to.

Mattea kept her dark hair cut so it fell just below her shoulders. Not long enough to impede when in military gear, but long enough when not, to be done up as any other village woman had hers. Mattea kept her well-muscled body in top physical condition, especially during her pregnancies. She could handle any piece of weaponry with ease and confidence, her best being small concealed weapons for assassination.

Mattea’s most outstanding feature was what had gotten both her husband and Nalas’ attention. Her eyes. Eyes the color of a gray November sky that missed nothing and when angered the gray turned to cold steely-blue points. So cold that a stone flint had more warmth than those eyes. They never betrayed her inner thoughts when cornered or when she took a life. Her husband, Trevor and their children were the only ones to ever see the softness that was deep within her heart and allowed her to feel.

There was a small scar, just under her chin, from when she was young and in training. Her lack of arm strength and skills at the time allowed her more experienced partner to slip his blade in under hers, catching her with the tip of his blade opening a shallow one inch gash, wounding her more mentally than physically. It accomplished many things, but the biggest and foremost was her self forced doubling of her training efforts to build her strength and stamina, sometimes to the point of exhaustion.

Many nights she went to sleep too tired to even eat, then forcing herself to get up the next morning and start the whole process of the previous day all over again. Her dogged efforts did not go unnoticed by her superior’s. One such sergeant took over her hand to hand training for in fighting; and without his superior knowledge. The two honed her skills to become the ultimate assassin. She learned quickly and soon began to surpass her teacher.

On the fields where she learned to deal in death was also where she would learn to give life as well. It was here that she met Trevor. It took him almost a year to get close enough to her to gain her trust and almost as long to get her to let her guard down. Finally after almost two years the two were married. Their first child, a boy, followed within the next year.

It was during her second pregnancy that she proved herself with her deadliest mission as an assassin. Her commander had sent her under the pretext that no one would suspect a soft spoken, very pregnant woman selling her wares from a pushcart. He was correct. She managed to find and without a moment’s hesitation, slid an ultra-thin boning knife in her target’s sweetspot, puncturing an artery before walking calmly away. The target never knew what the stinging pinch in his back really was. The thin trickle of blood made no visible spot visible on his clothing as he walked away. The man suddenly felt lightheaded, staggering as if drunk before falling in a gutter to bleed out internally. His personal guards knew he had been drinking wine, so they didn’t suspect the attack at first; that is until they went to put his limp body onto a litter to carry him away. As the one guard grabbed the shoulders of his jacket the stress on the fabric caused it to tear along the knife slit and he almost dropped him. That was when they found the small wound in his back.

It wasn’t an easy mission and she almost…almost got caught, but she didn’t. Shortly thereafter she gave birth, a little earlier than expected. Mattea felt the mission was the reason why and was glad to be away from things for a while. What this mission also did was give her the right to refuse any assignment she chose. They were rare, but she had a few occasions when Mattea could pick family over military duty. Most of those were when her husband, Trevor was sent on scouting trips. For the first time in five years since the birth of their daughter she was about to be forced into taking an assignment that she couldn’t refuse.

Tobias, although pleased to be out of Nalas’ lair, still had the unpleasant task of fetching the object of Nalas’ fascination. He had lied to Nalas the first time saying that he did not know her, when seeing her again had triggered his memory and kept him awake the night after seeing her on the training field. It kept nagging at him until very early the following morning when it struck him as to who she was. Now the task came to keep anyone from finding out, especially the Wargi sorcerer. He made sure that he cleared his mind or he thought of vulgar things when the Wargi was near. Tobias had figured out in a hurry that the Wargi hated anything relating to normal human vices; vulgar thoughts of the opposite sex angered them. Not that Tobias was one to occupy his time with lascivious thoughts, but if it aggravated the Wargi than he was willing to comply.

He hadn’t recognized Mattea at first, because she had grown out of her gangly, awkward adolescence into accomplished adulthood. It wasn’t so much as her face that he remembered, for her looks like all youngsters changed as she grew. No, it was more the way she deported herself. Respectful, but aloof; that is until Nalas pushed her, then her true nature and strength of character asserted itself. She was not going to be intimidated nor bullied by him. Tobias remembered that she never tattled on the schoolyard bully or backed down from him when he had given her one of the severest beatings Tobias had ever seen. But that same bully was quicker than scat to rat her out when she retaliated and gave him a severe pounding when she was bigger. She took her lumps from the School Master for that, but was never bothered by another bully ever again. She saw Nalas in the same light on that day. She gave him no more respect than she gave that bully.

Tobias drew a collective sigh as he approached the outskirts of the town. He came to the first checkpoint and spoke the necessary information to continue towards the outer gates of the town. If Tobias were to venture an opinion as to how he would be received by the townspeople from the way the sentries treated him, then he was in for a very cold and suspicious greeting. The guards were just as tight lipped and leery as Nalas’ private guards. Guards who were old school Lorkian and more of a warring type people than his own. Tobias village was more like Kaleen’s. Craftsmen, farmers and tradesmen. This town appeared to hold true to form with most of its traditions. They must have at least one of their offspring go into military training. There were a few that refused and that’s when fear and intimidation reared its ugly head by forcing the issue or exiling the family from the village. This was happening more often as time passed and these exiles were forming their own smaller towns more concerned with their own prosperity and serenity than military slavery to a leader and Grace whom none of them respected or honored. They found growing and producing their own food and raising their own families more rewarding than killing and robbing.

Mattea’s oldest child had more of a bent for growing things than learning how to handle a weapon. Mattea did not quell this desire. She was a good soldier, extreme assassin and yet the thought of some peace was a pleasant concept.

Tobias quickly reached the gate and spoke to the guards. They directed him to where he had to go and Tobias quickly headed for the garrison outpost to deliver Nalas’ instructions and orders to retrieve this female soldier. He was quickly taken into the Major’s office.

The Major sent a messenger to find her at her post. In short order he returned with her. She tapped lightly on the door before entering at his direction. She turned to close the door, but stopped when he told her not to close it. She brought herself to attention in front of him as he purposely remained sitting. Mattea did manage to get somewhat of a quick look about, but couldn’t see who was behind the door the Major wished to have kept open. Tobias had intentionally stayed on the backside of the door, not daring to twitch a muscle for he knew she would catch it. Tobias could tell from her uneasy posture that she sensed him, but refused to look around as she spoke to the Major.

“You called for me sir?”

Tobias spoke as he stepped out from behind the door. “It was I who had you summoned.”

Mattea spun partially, her hand automatically going to her short blade.

“Easy.” Tobias spoke softly, hands held up in front of him. The action was two-fold as it showed her he was unarmed and meant her no harm.

Mattea relaxed slightly as she sized him up. Tobias didn’t speak again until after she gave him a quick once over. What Mattea saw let her relax slightly, but as she knew, you never underestimate your opponent and survive.

Tobias stood before her, not a very powerfully built man. Tall, long-limbed. Before all this happened he had, rather proudly, sported a small belly paunch from his job as a teacher and a wife who knew her way around a stove. Had, until he was so rudely recruited by Nalas as a personal servant. His features were rather bookish like most scholars, hands long and slender incurring new calluses with his recent career change. He still managed to retain the air of a gentleman about him even in his current predicament. A characteristic that he found severely lacking in Nalas.

Mattea could tell from his dress that he was a servant, but his carriage and direct eye contact as he spoke to her told her he wasn’t born into this position. The more she studied him the more a small mental itch pricked at her memory until it came to her. Tobias saw the look of recognition passed over her face. His gaze changed from benevolent to strict, cutting her off before she spoke.

Mattea still managed to blurt out “You’re.” before Tobias cut her off.

“Yes, I’m Nalas’ man servant. You met me at the mountain fortress in the training chamber Remember?” His eye contact, direct and unwavering. His look was a quick read and she followed his lead. He did not wish to be identified as her former teacher and it didn’t take a sledgehammer to tell her why.

“Yes. I remember.” Mattea’s face relaxed for a second before remembering her sparring session with Nalas. A wary look tightened her jaw as she remembered Nalas’ face plant onto the arena floor. “I also didn’t stay around very long after we got done sparring or…If you remember.”

“Nalas remembers as well and wishes to see you.”

“Why? Is he angry with me?…”

“Oh quite the contrary. He was very; shall we say; intrigued with you…” He let that sink in for a moment before continuing. “He wishes to enlist your services.”

“For what?” Scorn in her voice, eyes sharp pinpoints of anger. “He has numerous other soldiers at his beck and call that would jump at the chance to work with him. Why me?”

“Lieutenant!” Her commanding officer barked. “That is Lord Nalas you’re talking about, not some flunkie.”

Mattea’s attention snapped back to her superior’s face. She didn’t buckle under his disciplinary stare as he knew she wouldn’t. Tobias could see the retort Mattea was about to utter and knew it would be the end of her career if he didn’t intercede. He physically stepped in between the two trying to stem the rising anger between them.

“If I might explain.”

“Please do.” Mattea’s jaw clenching; shallow rapid breathing betraying her anger and frustration. Totally out of character for her usually cool control over her emotions.

“Well it appears that your; how shall I put this?” Tobias drew a collective breath in hopes that he could find the right words. “Well, probably the best way I can put it was the lack of fear you displayed when he grabbed a hold of you and wouldn’t let go. The fact that you didn’t panic and were quite prepared to take his head clean off his shoulders from his aggressive actions impressed him quite a bit.”

The Major stood quickly knocking his chair over. “You threatened Lord Nalas?” The Major sputtered, not totally sure he heard correctly that Mattea was ready to attack Nalas. He didn’t know whether to reprimand or applaud her. He knew he had to watch his reaction in front of this man servant so he didn’t have anything happen to him as well. The Major was about to say something and as his mouth opened, Tobias cut him off with a wave of his hand. Tobias sensed what was going through the Major’s mind.

“Relax Major. In all fairness he never let her know who he was. He lost his temper and charged at her, she did as she was taught and he, well he got a well deserved rude awakening.”

“But…” The Major continued to sputter. “What…?”

“He took a nosedive into the dirt when he charged at her. He couldn’t beat her by sparring normally so he attempted brute force instead. He failed. She had executed a very neat, well placed blade down by his feet and he tripped over it. Nalas allowed his temper to cloud his attention and it earned him some well deserved humiliation.” Tobias looked over at her before continuing, “That’s probably why he wants her in his personal detail.” Tobias stated as he looked back at the Major. He didn’t dare look at Mattea as he knew she would see through him and know that wasn’t the only reason. He could have saved himself the angst for she knew it wasn’t the full truth, but she was not going to call the man a liar in front of the Major. She went a different route.

“So, what does this detail for Lord Nalas entail M’Lord?”

Tobias inclined his head slightly at the respectful title. “I am no lord, Lieutenant, just a lowly man servant for Lord Nalas. But, I do appreciate your respect.”

Mattea didn’t respond with words, but her expression told him to continue. He did.

“He wishes to have you join his personal armed guard detail.”

“Any flunkie can do that.” Gray eyes hardened as distrust raised her suspicions. She knew what personal armed guard duty entailed and it wasn’t anything she wanted to do.

She looked back at the Major. “You have plenty of much younger soldiers; many of whom I still have to train, but there are enough well qualified men who would jump at the chance for this detail.” Mattea turned and looked back at Tobias. “Please send Lord Nalas my gratitude for the position, but as prestigious as this offer is, I decline.” Looking back at the Major she asked, “I am still afforded that right to refuse am I not Sir?”

Tobias knew exactly how she felt; he could totally sympathize. But he also knew that if he had accepted her refusal and returned without her, Tobias would certainly be put to death and no doubt by Nalas’ own hands. He sadly informed her that she had no choice.

“My dear Lieutenant, I fear it is not a request, but a command. One you can’t refuse just as I wasn’t given a choice in delivering. I can only express my regret and apologies to your family for having to take you away from them.”

Mattea looked back at Tobias, reading his face and his eyes and knew deep down in her gut he was telling the truth. She also saw that his regrets for taking her away from her family were genuinely heartfelt. Anger and resentment built behind those gray eyes like a thunderhead, dangerous, dark and ominous. She was about ready to explode when the Major interceded, understanding coloring his tone.

“If, and I say if, this had just been a request I would have most certainly have said you have the right to refuse, but it is a direct command.” Here he paused to collect his thoughts and deliver what he knew could be the last order he ever gave her. With a heavy heart the Major made his decision. “A direct command I cannot, as much as I wish I could, cannot ignore. You, as I, have no choice.” He was quiet for a moment, letting it sink in. “I’m truly sorry.”

The Major had firsthand seen what could happen when a commanding officer ignored such a directive. It was how he had acquired his current post, because of someone’s arrogance of his position.

Mattea’s face was hard set, angry and he feared what she was going to do or say. He looked down at his feet, not being able to look her in the eye as he searched for the right words. Mattea had never seen this side of the Major. He had always been decisive, never at a loss for words, or in command of a situation. To see him stumbling about made her uneasy. Nothing ever seemed to faze the Major, but this command from Nalas rattled him making him appear vulnerable. He finally looked back up at her, approaching her using common sense. His voice softer, more persuasive.

“Lieutenant. I understand your resistance and you’re not wishing to go, but I also do not wish to see what has happened to others who defied Nalas or Molktie’s direct orders happen to you. I inherited this position as your commanding officer, because my predecessor had other ideas that conflicted with theirs.”

Suspicion narrowed her eyes to mere slits as she asked, “And just what happened to him?”

Here Tobias interrupted. “If Nalas was true to form he would have hunted him down and brutally murdered him. No doubt by his own hand.”

Mattea looked from one to the other and neither one’s gaze wavered from her. She continued to search the Major’s face until he had to look away, ashamed he had done nothing to help his superior out. Again, Tobias seemed to know what he was thinking and spoke his mind.

“If you had interfered and tried to help him you would be dead as well. We’re all expendable in his mind, just mere pawns. Don’t blame yourself for trying to protect what you hold dear Major.”

“Is there nothing he’ll stop at?” Mattea asked

“No.” The Major answered, swallowing hard as the memories of what happened darkened his thoughts. “He also murdered the man’s family with his anger.”

Mattea looked quickly at Tobias. “Then why on earth do you…” Her eyes quickly flicking back to the Major, “Do we?” She never finished these questions as she very softly answered it herself. “Because he is a Grace and we have no other choice.”

“None of the other Graces are like Nalas.” Tobias interceded. “Which is why…” But Tobias stopped himself before he finished his thought and got into trouble for his opinion. He needn’t have worried as the Major himself wasn’t all that eager for the impending war. He had hoped he would be able to finish out his tour and retire as some had managed to do, but now even those who had resigned their commissions due to their age would soon be hard pressed back into service.

Both Tobias and the Major looked down at their feet. Mattea pulled into herself as the weight of resignation draped heavily across her shoulders. With a heavy sigh of acceptance she looked at her superior. She knew it was useless, and obviously unhealthy, to ignore and refuse Nalas.

“Well do I at least get some time to spend with my family before I have to leave?”

Tobias’s answer shattered her hopes. “We have a day…I wish I could give you more, but I can’t.” He paused then continued. “I am sorry I have to do this. You don’t deserve this.” His voice was soft and barely audible.

Tobias watched the light leave her eyes as she accepted her fate. His heart broke as he watched her face before anger filled it. Tobias knew deep in his heart that he would never leave Nalas’ forced slavery alive, but he vowed silently to himself that if it took his life he would make sure that she made it home to her family. Mattea’s movements next to him brought him back to the present.

“If that’s all Major, I’d like to spend what time I have left with my family.”

“Permission granted.”

Mattea snapped to attention as she saluted, and he returned it. Executing a perfect about-face, she left the room, head high, shoulders squared.

Two pairs of eyes watched her departure with sadness. The Major was the first to speak.

“I’m losing a good soldier.”

Tobias’ response, though soft, spoke volumes and might as well have been shouted. “You’re losing a good person, but if I have anything to do with it, she will return.” Tobias changed the subject. “I do hope that you have some lodgings for me tonight?”

“I do.” He looked out the door at his Sergeant at the desk. “Sergeant!”

The man rose and entered as he answered. “Yes sir?”

“Master Tobias requires lodging for the night. Please escort him to the visiting officers quarters and provide fresh water and such so he might freshen up.”

“Yes Sir.” The Sergeant looked at Tobias. “Ready Sir.?”

“You don’t…yes. I just need to get my gear from the horse.”

“I can bring that for you sir.”

“Thank you.” Then Tobias looked at the Major. “And thank you Major.” He said, extending his hand to the Major. The Major stood taking Tobias’ proffered hand. He was left to stand on his own as he watched Tobias leave the room.