by Alex Linwood
“You foolish girl. You’ll not get away from me again. And I’ll make you pay for the night I had last night,” he said, his eyes boring into Portia. She could feel hatred emanating off his body. It was fully focused on her.
Sergeant Lyren almost looked excited as she stared at the man. She pulled her own weapon, a knife similar to the one Portia carried, and widened her stance to a fighting one.
“Hello, young man. Are you here to play with us?” Sergeant Lyren asked.
The man dragged his eyes away from Portia and looked at the elf sergeant, seeing her for perhaps the first time. Some fury left his face to be replaced with apprehension. But he didn’t run.
“If you call it play to lose your life,” he said, bravado in his voice.
“That is not something I’ve experienced nor plan to anytime soon. You’ll have to tell me. Oh wait, you’ll be dead,” Sergeant Lyren said, not missing a beat.
Portia drew her own knife. She didn’t feel strong enough to do any more magic, but knife work was reflexive to her. It didn’t require as much energy. Besides, there were two of them to one of him, even if he towered over them both.
The man lunged towards Sergeant Lyren but then veered towards Portia and jabbed at her with his blade, ducking out of the elf’s counterattack at the same time. Despite his size, he was quick on his feet. Portia was quicker. She used her knife to block his and then swept along his clothing with it. The quickest way to see if he had any tattoos was to take his shirt off for him.
And it worked. He backed away from Portia’s counterattack and looked down in amazement as his shirt fell in tatters to the ground. There, upon his right forearm, just the same as the bandits in the road, was the diamond tattoo. Portia sucked in her breath. He was one of the cult members. Here, in Rocabarra. In the Elven kingdom. The capital city of the Elven kingdom. Dread settled into her stomach. This was not a lone attacker. More than likely, he had other accomplices nearby.
Luckily for Portia and Sergeant Lyren, none of his other friends were close enough for him to rely on them. He looked at the elf and girl with their blades out, then to the remains of his shirt on the ground, and made the decision to flee. He ran down the road away from them.
Sergeant Lyren ran after him, yelling for others to stop him. But no bystanders stepped in front of the huge man running down the street. Portia could hear Sergeant Lyren cursing under her breath as she ran after him. She would have joined the elf in her pursuit, but she felt too weak herself to do so. Portia needed to reserve some energy in case anyone else came to attack her.
Sergeant Lyren returned empty-handed, a black look on her face. “I take it that man was your attacker last night. Why did you take off his shirt instead of just stabbing him outright?”
Portia was shocked at the question. “I’m a guest here. I didn’t want to attack a stranger.”
“Self-defense is another thing entirely. You see that man, and I’m with you, then you stab him, do you understand me? At least enough to keep him from fleeing. Get his leg or something.”
Portia nodded at that. She did not relish the thought of hurting anybody but wasn’t going to argue with the sergeant. Hopefully it would not come up again. “Can you do magic?” she asked Sergeant Lyren.
“Not much. Not enough to stop that man. Why didn’t you do any? Still too weak?”
Portia nodded. Perhaps she should have tried harder. But she was too afraid of passing out in public, alone. If the sergeant had been running off after that man, there would be no one to defend her. Portia did not feel safe enough in Rocabarra to leave herself vulnerable like that.
“So, the shirt. There must have been a reason. You don’t strike me as the type to torture people with no reason. Why did you take his shirt off?” the sergeant asked.
“To see if he had any tattoos. And he did. I think that tattoo is a symbol of a cult. One that’s causing problems in the human kingdom. A lot of problems. The guards are struggling with them. Its members are terrorizing common folk so badly that it’s hard to get anyone to talk about it.” Portia tried to explain, not feeling fully confident in what little knowledge she had.
“Perhaps that explains our crime wave here. Things have changed here quickly. And not for the better. But then again, you understand that since now you have to become a Friend of the City to even be in the inner city.” Sergeant Lyren motioned for Portia to join her walking back towards the inn. There was nothing else to be done here for the moment. Portia was grateful to be going back. She was exhausted.
When they returned to the inn, Sergeant Lyren insisted on buying Portia a meal. Portia knew she got free dinners but wasn’t sure about lunch, so she didn’t argue. Indeed, she was too tired to argue. The sergeant wanted to know more about the cult, but Portia had little knowledge to share. Sergeant Lyren promised to return again to talk to Lady Harper about this issue. Perhaps the royal envoy would know more.
The sergeant left before Portia had finished her meal. There was no one else in the dining room except Jsoth, who was folding napkins around silverware. Portia was not looking forward to going back to her tiny room, so she asked Jsoth to not clear her setting and then she went to her room to retrieve her book. She might as well sit in the dining room and sip tea and read her book while she waited for Lady Harper to return. There was nothing she could do now except perhaps take a nap, and she wasn’t ready to do that yet.
But the book was not reassuring reading. The author was not a kind person, at least not judging by anything written in the tome. He spoke of the base camp they set up on an island and more rejoicing in the bloody raids they had inflicted on the city they were attacking. The description was specific enough that Portia gasped out loud when she realized the author was speaking of Coverack. The bloodbath being described happened in the capital city of the kingdom of Haulstatt—if it was the kingdom of Haulstatt back then. But of the city described being the city of Coverack, there was no doubt. It described the location in minute detail, right down to the purple stone of the royal castle, a stone that Portia had seen nowhere else in her limited travels. She was sure there was no other city that had such a purple castle settled just so upon the city wall facing the sea.
Another gasp followed when she realized the dead and dying described in the book were elves. The author had a different name for them, something she didn’t recognize, but the author made it clear they were not the same as the invaders. The author felt little remorse in cutting them down and killing them because they were so different and little and small. And they wanted the land the elves had. They were going to take it no matter what the cost. Portia put down the book in shock. No wonder the elves had constructed such a huge wall to keep out humans, if indeed this book was written by a human. She could now understand the massive scale of the Eternal Wall that ringed the elf kingdom.
“Fun reading?” a concerned voice asked.
Portia looked up to see Lady Harper standing in front of her. Her face turned red. She felt guilty by association and horrified at what she had just read. Somehow she felt personally responsible for what happened to the elves. Looking up at an elf who had been kind to her made her feel worse.
“Not fun reading, no,” Portia said. Lady Harper looked concerned, tilting her head in question. “It’s about a battle. I think it’s when… the invasion of Coverack happened. When it was held by elves.”
Lady Harper looked surprised. “No, that would not be fun. It was a horrible time for our people. How did you come to have such a volume?” Lady Harper picked up the book and opened it. She scanned a few lines and Portia could tell she was able to read it. “We know our own history, that much is true, but we have nothing so specific as this volume. Where did you get it?”
Portia swallowed. She didn’t think it was a secret but still felt strange telling the elf what she asked. “It came from a special library on the Academy grounds. The Library of Mages, although it doesn’t have much about magic in it. The librarian herself… I think she was a little surpr
ised too. This is a translation though. Few people could have read the original.”
Lady Harper nodded and sat down opposite Portia. “That is probably how the original survived. How did you get this translation?”
“It was given to me by one of my professors. He has the original. For safekeeping.”
Lady Harper pursed her lips. It looked like she wanted to ask more but did not. Instead, she waved over the server and ordered a glass of wine. “Well I have some good news for us. You’re going to meet the king in the morning.”
“But how? I haven’t actually done anything yet,” Portia asked.
“Sergeant Lyren seems to think otherwise. She has already put in a good word for you. It’s enough that we’ve been granted access for you to the inner city. The king would like to meet you before he makes a decision about whether you are allowed to learn the magic. It is one step at a time. You must do your best to convince him tomorrow. We need an alliance—human and Elven—to prevent another such occurrence as detailed in this book.”
Fear gripped Portia. It was one thing to read about the massacre of the city, it was another to have to face such a thing in person. They had to succeed in stopping another invasion.
Chapter 13
Portia awoke nervous about her meeting with the king and queen. She wished she had brought along the locket she had gotten from Elyas. Somehow holding it made her feel better. But she sighed, knowing she made the right decision to leave it back in her room in the pyromancy house in Haulstatt. She would have been sad if she had lost it on the road. And that was more than possible, considering they’d been attacked once while traveling, and then again as part of the kidnapping attempt she had thwarted in the city.
Lady Harper and Portia made their way to the castle. A special letter of invitation granted Portia passage into the inner city. It also earned her a few interested looks from the guards.
The castle was sprawling and intricately constructed, in a style completely unlike any of the buildings in Haulstatt. The roof flowed in curves. It rose over each narrow window and then down again. Nowhere was it straight. But even with its curves, it was still fitted with ramparts for archers. Additionally, an entire outer wall encircled the structure, itself dotted with narrow windows and spouts for hot oil. All of it was constructed of a deep ruby red stone. The stone glowed. The castle was both a beautiful place to live and a well-constructed defense for its inhabitants. It was more impressive than the one in Coverack, something Portia would have not thought possible until she saw it with her own eyes.
They were led through the castle by a steward. He walked extremely fast for such a small elf. Portia regretted their pace, for she longed to stop and stare at all the beautiful objects displayed along the way. As in the Coverack castle, there was also a portrait room filled with portraits of royalty, this time all elves.
When they were introduced and ushered into the throne room Portia sucked in a gasp of surprise. It was packed with noble elves. These must be the royal court. They were dressed in incredible finery—silks, velvets, and even some material she didn’t recognize, one that had fine strands that stood up in the air and waved like dandelion seeds in the breeze. But there was no breeze in the throne room, so the material itself gave the illusion of a living creature wrapped around the elf wearing it, breathing and watching Portia, along with its owner.
King Magnus sat on the throne that was only a few steps higher than the surrounding crowds. The throne was carved of dark wood that ran in swirls and hollows. Queen Ceola sat on a similar wood throne, one that was slightly smaller than the king’s. There was an opening in the stone floor around both thrones and it appeared the thrones were growing from the ground beneath and into the room. Portia sensed that the thrones were much larger than the portion visible in the room, and that they ran down below the room they were in, if not further. She could feel magic from their direction and wondered if it was from the king and queen, or perhaps from the thrones. Or both.
Guards kept everyone at a respectful distance. The elf king and queen were surprisingly young. Most of the surrounding attendants and noblemen and women appeared older. One particularly obnoxious advisor stood close to the king—almost over him. Portia instinctively wanted to push him away from King Magnus. The intensity of her loathing for the standing elf took her by surprise. She struggled to push it down as she performed an awkward curtsy to the king and queen and once again chided herself for not practicing this basic skill more. It seemed she was always asked to use it, and she did it so poorly.
King Magnus waved his fingers at the advisor next to him who then stepped forward and cleared his throat and spoke. “This human child is brought before the court, named in a petition to be Friend of the Elves.” He did not hide the skepticism in his voice. The king scowled at that but did not correct his advisor’s manner.
Unhappy grumbles from the noblemen greeted this pronouncement. The king let the grumbling continue. He looked over the crowd. Portia thought he might be looking for the reactions of specific elves, but she wasn’t sure. He was calm in the face of the apparent opposition. For the first time in her life, Portia was grateful to not be a king or queen. Orphans had more freedom, and less disapprobation.
Finally King Magnus raised his hand. Silence came over the throne room. “Bring in the witnesses,” the king said in a quiet voice.
A side door was opened by two footmen. A troop of six guards escorted in the merchant Sergeant Lyren and Portia had visited yesterday, as well as Finrod, Sergeant Lyren, and the sullen human assailant who had attacked Portia twice. The assailant had been given another shirt, one that ill fit him and was too short in the sleeves. It revealed the diamond tattoo on his forearm.
Portia sucked in her breath in surprise. Somehow, overnight, Sergeant Lyren had found their assailant and brought him in—for Portia had no doubt this was Sergeant Lyren’s work. Again she was impressed with the capabilities of the elf. Murmurs filled the throne room as the noblemen jostled for position to see who was being brought in.
Portia looked at the merchant nervously. She was surprised to see him there. She had no reason to think he would say anything good about her.
Sergeant Lyren gave her a wink, as if to calm her, but as it had done before, her wink gave Portia nothing but confusion.
Finrod gave Portia a warm smile. He too winked at Portia and then looked at Sergeant Lyren, who gave him an approving nod. At least there was one person, no, two—if indeed she could count on Sergeant Lyren—who were fully on her side besides Lady Harper.
“We will hear from the merchant first,” the king said.
The merchant stepped forward and gave the king and queen a bow. He turned to face Portia and then all those in attendance in the throne room. “I have been called here to bear witness on the character of this human. Some would say I am a fool to speak words on behalf of a human girl, but I have seen her work firsthand. She aided the law enforcement officer here while taking care to do no permanent harm to any of my staff, despite overwhelming odds against her. She met her obligations yet harmed no elf, despite severe provocation.” He looked around the room, serious, then added with a wry smile on his face, “My only complaint is the water stains in my hallway rug, but I have been assured that those will be taken care of in the name of the kingdom.” His chuckle was the only sound in the room.
This was not at all what Portia expected him to say. For she had prevented his workers from doing their jobs and protecting him. But it was true that she had made pains to hurt no one.
Portia was not the only one surprised. Angry murmurs arose from the noble elves. At least one cried out ‘traitor’. Portia flushed with anger and embarrassment. Was it so hard to believe a human could do something worthy?
King Magnus motioned for silence, which slowly came to the room. “Is there anything you would like to add?” he said to the merchant.
“Only that I would trust her to guard my child,” the merchant said.
His testimony confuse
d Portia. Did Sergeant Lyren really interrogate him, or was it more of a test for her? Portia looked to Sergeant Lyren, who refused to meet her eyes and instead looked around the room and tapped her feet as if she was not paying attention to the testimony. Portia was not fooled. The sergeant was too perceptive for that.
Finrod also had good things to say, although he did mention it was humiliating to be led around by a human, even a good human. But his haughty remarks, delivered in the piping voice of a child, brought laughter into the room and eased the tension.
“Sergeant Lyren, please speak your piece,” the king said.
Sergeant Lyren stepped forward to address the room. “Portia Harris has provided an invaluable service to our force. As we all know,” she said, looking around the room for confirmation, “there has been a rise in violence and kidnapping directed at our young elves.” Angry mutters met this. “I fear there are many more that we don’t even know about yet. But thanks to this young lady, we have word of a cult that is more than likely responsible. You see in front of you one of the members of the cult. This is our true enemy. Portia Harris has helped reveal them. Lady Harper of the Meadows can fill us all in on further details. I fear we have much work to do, but at least we know now where to focus it.”
Lady Harper nodded agreement.
The volume of chatter in the room rose to a fever pitch. Angry elves looked at the attacker who glared back at them sullenly. He was unrepentant, his jaw set in a firm line. He hated all in the room but fixed his glare most especially on Portia—he loathed her most of all. Portia stepped closer to Lady Harper.
The king waved to his advisor.
“Silence!” the advisor said.
