by Emerson Fray
Chapter 5
The air of Novae was something Ren couldn’t get used to, even after being there for three days. Each morning she woke in her giant bed, the covers tossed and crumpled from a long, often sleepless night, and took a deep breath. Air would fill her lungs with ease; there was no tightness, no underlying scent of metal or chemical like there was on Earth. It was extraordinary, but uncomfortable. The only reason she could even tell the difference was because of her small visits to the isolation chambers on Earth; they simulated other planets for students to study. The first time she’d gone in one she got so light headed she almost passed out. Her body was so used to how it was, she wasn’t sure she would ever become accustomed to Novae. Novae felt so pure, which was why she was so angered when Garret announced that she had to be present when Maks picked his army. She sat at the small table on the veranda, sunshine glittering down on her and Elian as they ate, and almost spat out her water when she heard the news.
“Why do I have to be there?” she questioned. “I don’t know anything about the army. What does he even need—never mind.”
Ren chastised herself for being so stupid; of course Maks wanted an army. If he couldn’t lead a scow into battle, he would at least command a small group from his new planet.
Garret sipped at his coffee. “We have only been here a few days and Elian has already made great strides in getting to know the people while you have not.” He sent her a small pout. “If you join Maks on his walk to hand pick men—well, they might see what they are fighting for.”
Ren squinted at Garret. “Why would they ever be fighting? Novae isn’t at war with anyone.”
“No, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be in the future,” Garret explained. “Think of it as marketing—you need to get out there and be seen if you wish to be noticed. One day you will have children that will rule over this planet—it would be nice if their mother was respected by the people.”
It was hard for Ren to force the water down her throat, but she did, if only to buy her some time before answering. Children? Really? She’d never thought about that, she was more worried about the past than the future. She couldn’t imagine having children here. Even back on Earth it had never crept into her thoughts once.
“His Grace is going into Mahendra this afternoon,” Garret went on, uncaring to Ren’s feelings. Elian gave his sister a sympathetic look, but never said a word to defend her. She thought he accepted their fates far too easily. “I suggest you wear something silver, something feminine, perhaps.”
Ren had heard enough. Though she had only just began her breakfast she slammed her hands down on the table and marched back into the manor. Was this his effort at showing her she had no power? That she had no choice in her own life?
As she stormed up the stairs, her high collar on her shirt beginning to choke her, she found herself facing Maks.
“Come with me,” he ordered.
“No,” she replied. “I won’t.”
He furrowed his brow, more in confusion than anger. “I’m going to decide on what men I’ll—”
“Have in your army,” Ren finished. “I know. And I’m not going to parade myself in front of a bunch of soldiers.”
Maks studied her, as if debating on what to do. “You’ve always been a good judge of character,” he said carefully, “I thought you might be able to tell who would fight best.”
Ren was taken aback. Since when did Maks think that about her? She had no idea. But as her father stood before her in his royal attire, the suns on the collar of his shirt seeming out of place, she thought he might actually want her help. He wouldn’t have admitted anything so easily if it didn’t mean something.
“Fine,” she agreed. “But I’m not wearing a dress.”
Maks shrugged. “It’s better if you don’t. You’re in a position of power; it’s best you show it with these people.” He started down the winding stairs, and Ren followed.
“It’s not about power,” she argued, “and wearing a dress doesn’t take a persons power away. It’s because I don’t want…I don’t want to be seen as feminine.” Ren didn’t want Garret to think he’d won. If she wore a dress it felt like admitting defeat. She also didn’t want any attention from the men of Novae, and maybe if she wasn’t feminine they wouldn’t take interest.
“Don’t stammer,” Maks ordered, back to his old self, “it’s weak.”
Ren never did manage to get in the last word when it came to Maks.
The Novaeans, as far as Ren could tell, were strong warriors. They battled against a harsh environment and won, and even managed to build a city from nothing. It was amazing, which was why she hated that Maks had turned them into a spectacle. He’d ordered all the strongest Sotarians to meet in the training pits for orders. So far most of them had shown up, but a few remained on the edges of the city, keeping watch for anything dangerous.
“Nothing has come into the city for many years, my Lady,” Abetha said after Ren voiced her worries. “There is nothing to fear.” Yet still the Sotarians stood guard.
The Sotarians stood in the centre of a circle, some with weapons while others carried nothing. Some wore leather hides and others blended in with the citizens, choosing to wear blue and black cotton with small patches of leather sewn onto the elbows and knees. They milled about waiting for orders, but never formed a line as the soldiers of a scow would. Ren studied them, and all looked to be loyal warriors despite their disorganized nature. She’d expected most of them to be men by the way Novae seemed, but they were split right down the middle; the women looked more deadly than the men, in Ren’s opinion.
“They look strong,” Maks said. “Good.”
“The Sotarians go through rigorous training,” explained Garret. “They train for years, often in the wilderness to prove their worth. I believe they’ll serve you greatly. Although…you may wish to be careful whom you choose.” His eyes fell to a girl standing on the edge of the group. Ren rolled her eyes.
The royal family and their escorts stood atop a hill to survey the Sotarians, far away from any of the people.
“They don’t work together much, do they?” Ren asked.
“Sotarians are lone warriors,” Abetha explained. “They rarely need to work as a group.”
“They can learn,” Maks said.
“Before they can become an army they will have to be vetted by the Monarchy,” Garret cut in. “To ensure they aren’t rebels.”
“Rebels?” Ren repeated. “What rebels?”
Abetha looked away, guilty of misinformation. Ren faced her, “You said the people were happy about our arrival.” She turned to Garret and Maks. “You all did.”
“We thought it best you not worry,” Garret replied quickly, “but yes, there are insurgents. Not everyone—”
“With new leadership comes resentment,” Maks said, his voice booming over Garret’s. “It’s natural, and it will be stamped out before it gets past the capital.”
“It sounds like it already has,” Ren said, her voice rising. “What else haven’t you told me?”
Abetha would have been the best person to ask, because Ren knew she couldn’t take any pressure. But the girl was already playing with the edges of her shirt and trying to find anything but Ren to look at. So Ren focused all her anger on Maks and Garret.
“They’re planning something,” Garret answered when Maks stayed quiet. He was watching the Sotarians again, as if Ren weren’t even there. “A possible assassination, nothing to be concerned over.”
“Assassination?” cried Ren. Her hands were in fists at her sides, unable to believe that this had been hidden from her. Did Elian know?
“I want General Compton here to start training,” Maks said, still ignoring Ren. “All of them.”
“Right away,” agreed Garret. Garret reached his hand into the air to wave the men away, giving them permission to leave when Maks raised his own hand.
; “Wait. Have the strongest fight.”
“What, is this a game to you Maks?” Ren questioned. “You can’t make people fight because you feel like it!”
He shot her a glare but it didn’t make her flinch. Not this time. “Stop it,” she ordered.
“Your Grace?” Garret asked.
“Now,” Maks said.
“Right away,” Garret agreed again. He hesitated for only a second before moving down the hill to speak with the Sotarians. But as he made it to the bottom Ren watched him approach a single woman, her blonde hair bright against the crowd of brunettes. Garret said something quickly to her before glancing over his shoulder at the woman from before.
Soon Garret was hurrying back up the hill. “It will begin in a moment.”
They waited. The crowd of Sotarians dispersed, leaving only five men behind. Four of them had full leather armour on, and one wore blue cotton without any leather sewn on. From the distance Ren stood, she thought he would be the first one to be thrown from the ring. Though her attention was divided, Ren could see the female warriors narrowing their eyes, unsure of what to take of the blatant sexism that had just happened. Of course Garret would order them out of the circle, Ren thought. She imagined he hadn’t even said “strongest” and merely substituted “men”.
“Can’t have women competing, can we?” Ren questioned. She crossed her arms and sneered at Garret.
“On the contrary,” Garret replied. “These are merely the strongest in Novae.”
“Stop it,” she requested once more to Maks.
Maks’s only reply was a wave of his hand, and the battle began.
As much as Ren didn’t want to watch, she couldn’t force her eyes to close. And she was glad that she hadn’t, because she would have missed something amazing. Just as the men began to spar, a woman jumped from the crowd. Dressed in black, her clothing was different from what everyone else wore, and her light brown hair tied into a high ponytail made her stand out from the crowd of short-haired individuals.
Ren blinked, and it seemed like that was all it took for the woman to defeat the other warriors. A few quick blows and each man was knocked to the ground. Not unconscious, but enough for them to admit defeat themselves. The woman had never even taken the weapons from her back.
Standing with her mouth agape, Ren didn’t know if she should cheer or duck for cover. The woman stood, staring up at the royals, her breathing heavy as she flipped the hair out of her eyes. A motion of disobedience rather than annoyance. Ren loved it.
“That was…” Garret said, and even he was at a loss for words.
“Her,” Maks ordered. Although what kind of order it was, Ren didn’t know.
“What’s happening?” Ren asked.
She was ignored again. Garret questioned, “What do you wish her to do?”
Ren thought the woman showed too much defiance for Maks to like her. Maks was a man that favoured a soldier that obeyed, not one that so blatantly fought for recognition.
The woman opened her mouth. “I am Sheridan; the strongest Sotarian to walk this planet. I will not be pushed aside so easily, Your Grace.” Once again, Ren didn’t know whether to praise or sneer at the venom in the woman’s voice. But something about her defiance made Ren’s skin tingle; nobody ever stood up to Maks like that. It was refreshing.
Maks nodded. “She’ll be Loren’s guardian.”
“What?” murmured Ren, her mind still reeling from the quick fight. “My what?”
“There are enemies everywhere,” Maks explained. “She’ll keep you safe.”
“What if she’s a rebel?” Ren questioned. If anyone was going to be an obvious choice for a rebellion, it was Sheridan. But something in the woman’s stance made Ren think she was trustworthy, if only from the way she spoke so freely to the so-called royalty.
Maks gave a faint smile. “She isn’t.”
Ren wasn’t given any time to argue, as Maks and Garret had already started moving down the hill. She followed, her footsteps hot on their heels with Abetha behind her.
“I have plenty of training to defend myself,” Ren said. “I don’t need this!”
“This isn’t like your school on Earth,” Maks replied. “There are enemies you don’t know about.”
“How often will she be around?” Ren asked, thinking her privacy was a long forgotten dream.
“Always,” said Maks. “You will not eat or sleep or breathe without her there.”
“I don’t know her,” she argued, “you don’t know her.”
“That isn’t important.”
They reached the bottom of the hill where the fallen Sotarians were picking themselves up. They gave quick bows to Maks and Ren before limping off into the crowd. The woman who bested them waited.
“Sheridan, was it?” Maks asked, his back straight.
Ren crossed her arms, staring at the woman that would be following her forever. She had startlingly light brown eyes, with matching light hair and tanned skin. There wasn’t a mark on her, from either the fight or her years of service as a Sotarian.
Sheridan nodded.
“You’ll be guarding my daughter,” Maks explained, no questions about it. “Your sole purpose now is to keep her alive.”
Sheridan nodded, not even seeming curious about the order. “As you wish, Your Grace.” There wasn’t nearly as much distaste in her words as before, maybe because she was so close to Maks.
But still the words bristled over Ren’s skin, and she hated how easily Sheridan accepted this new life. Did she not have plans to do something else? What about her family? They wouldn’t be seeing her again unless Ren ventured into the city.
Sheridan looked to Ren, meeting her eyes unlike any other person on Novae. Her heart skipped a beat and her chest tightened. This wasn’t just a warrior standing before her, this was a killer. A survivor. Something that Ren had never encountered on Earth before. It was a good thing she’d had practice not sleeping, because with Sheridan around she was certain she would never be able to blink again, let alone sleep for eight hours.
“I’m leaving,” Ren announced, unable to stay near her father or anyone for much longer. As she started to make her way back to the manor two sets of footsteps followed her; she looked over her shoulder to see Abetha following tentatively, and Sheridan. She lifted her shaking hands, having trouble finding any words to express how fast her heart was beating, and how much she didn’t want to be on Novae.
“You are not taking the boat back?” Abetha asked.
“No,” answered Ren. “I’m not getting in a scow with him right now.”
No more words found their way to her tongue, and she ended up turning back around and quickening her pace. She couldn’t yell at Maks in front of his people…it would have to wait. The edges of her vision had blurred red, and she was having trouble walking in a straight line.
“My Lady, are you all right?” Abetha questioned.
“Fine,” mumbled Ren. Her head felt light. Nothing about coming to Novae was what she expected. Not that she’d had much time to expect anything at all that was.
There were assassins and insurgents against her family, the Monarchy seemed to be planning on forcing her into bearing children, and now she had to deal with not one but two pairs of eyes constantly on her. Worst of all Maks and Elian seemed content on letting it all happen.
But what about me? Ren thought. Will I just let this happen?
“No,” Ren murmured, “I won’t.”
She whirled, ready to give Maks a piece of her mind. Standing up to him was nothing new, she’d done it plenty of times before. But as she stopped on the dirt she realized she’d have to tell her father that she wanted to go home, and have nothing to do with him or the Monarchy. And saying it in person was very different than just moving out while he was away.
“Ren!” Elian called. Ren looked at Sheridan and Abetha before turning to find her brother racing through the crowd toward
s her. He had a large grin on his face, one she only saw when he thought about adventure. Or ruling a planet.
“What?” she asked, still suspicious that he knew about the assassins and rebels. Surely he would have told her.
He passed right over her prickly demeanour. “I thought you would want to know something, but if that’s how you’re going to be—oh, hello Abetha.” He nodded his head at the girl. “You look lovely today.”
“You flatter me, my Lord,” Abetha said, turning her blushing face away from Elian. His face was turning just as red, and Ren had to force herself not to check on Sheridan. What did she think of this spectacle? Ren wondered. And she was unable to stop her eyes from looking in Sheridan’s direction.
Sheridan stood a few feet away, hand still fresh with somebody’s blood as she watched the surrounding people. There weren’t many of them, a large bubble forming around the royals, but she was careful. She was actually watching for a threat, Ren thought. But there was something else hidden in her expression, a kind of wish for a challenge. As she turned to get a better look at someone Ren noticed the thick sticks on her back had blades jutting out and curving on their ends. Some kind of sickle? Ren wondered. They seemed like such strange weapons to her, but another glance into the forest made her think otherwise.
“Who’s that?” Elian asked, when he finally tore his eyes away from Abetha.
“Sheridan,” Abetha replied, and it caught her attention. Sheridan shifted her eyes towards the three, and Ren quickly looked away. “She is my Lady’s personal Sotarian.”
Elian nodded his head. “You have your own Sotarian? Nice.”
“It isn’t nice,” Ren sniped. “A person was just snatched away from their life to stay with me; that isn’t nice.” She crossed her arms again.
“Did you say something to Dad about it?”
“Well, I was going to—I just…” Ren didn’t have a good enough excuse for her brother.
“That’s what I thought.” Elian sighed. Ren hated that he made it sound like she always did this, but she felt it wasn’t her fault. How did you confront a man that never came home? How did you confront a King when he was standing in front of his people? “Anyway, I came all the way down here to tell you that some supplies came from Earth. There are a couple of small boxes that I’m assuming are yours.”
“My books?” Ren asked with far too much hope.
“Too light for books,” Elian mused. “Naomi said it was something from your research that you really wanted.”
Ren lit up brighter than the sun over their heads, and set off in a run towards the manor; her translator had finally arrived! It was at least a mile away, and it would have been faster to get into the small scow that they had taken to get to the city. But she couldn’t do that, even if she did want to get back as fast as possible.
“What about Abetha?” Elian shouted.
Ren looked over her shoulder for a fraction of a second. Sheridan was right on her heels, hair flying behind her in a wave. “Keep her company!”
When Ren continued forward her hair into her eyes. The sounds of footfalls behind her grew louder, and just as she turned to see how close Sheridan was her foot caught on an upturned stone. Ren shouted and fell to the ground, scraping her hands and knees and her left cheek as she connected with the dirt.
The sound of rushing air flew overhead. Ren looked to her right to see a stone arrow puncturing the tree, the feathers on the end still swaying in the wind. She was stunned into silence while she attempted to push herself off the ground.
Ren searched the area to find where the arrow had come from, and when she turned to her left she saw a figure in the trees. A man stood on a low, thick branch, fury in his shaded eyes. His hand lifted, a jade blade glimmering between the leaves.
It shot forward and Ren braced herself for a new feeling, a searing and numbing pain she’d never felt before. But rather than pain she was encompassed by a shadow. Ren opened her eyes to find Sheridan holding the jade blade. “Stay down,” Sheridan ordered as she threw the blade back into the trees.
Sheridan’s large hand pushed her back down as she tried to stand. Dust swirled around her, blurring her vision as the wind picked up. Ren shielded her eyes, and when the dust settled she caught a glimpse of a shadow moving into the trees, pulling another figure to the ground.
Ren coughed and stood, just in time to see Sheridan holding an arrow to a man’s throat. The dagger was in his shoulder.
Elian landed beside Ren, grabbing her tight and forcing her to her feet. “Are you okay? What’s going on?”
“I—I don’t know,” Ren breathed, coughing through the flying dust. “That man…”
“A rebel,” Abetha cried. “He is a rebel! Look at his markings.”
White scars shot up the man’s left arm, an old injury from a fire so hot Ren couldn’t even imagine how it must have felt. He glared at Sheridan, and spat something in a language Ren didn’t recognize. “What did he say?”
“He called Sheridan a traitor for protecting the false heirs,” Abetha translated. She shied backwards, looking around for more rebels.
“I called for Dad,” Elian said. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Maks?” Ren asked. Her eyes went over Elian’s shoulder and found the four Sotarians Sheridan had defeated heading over. She looked back at Sheridan and found neither she nor the rebel had moved an inch. It was as if the wind itself didn’t dare touch either of them.
Only when the other Sotarians arrived did Sheridan choose to lower the arrow, and it was soon replaced with a blade by another’s hand. Sheridan came to her side while the four Sotarians watched the rebel.
“Why did he attack me?” Ren asked. Nobody had ever attacked her before. On Earth she’d known everyone, even if she didn’t talk to them daily or consider them friends. Murders and assaults were things of the past there, and was now only on other planets.
Planets like Novae, Ren thought. She went to brush the dirt off her hands when a stinging pain ran across them. Tiny scrapes covered her palms, but only a small amount of blood began to seep through.
“Rebels oppose—well, us,” Elian explained, still holding onto his sister’s arm. So he did know about them. He didn’t seem to catch her glare and added, “Although an attack like this…”
“You were very lucky Sheridan was here,” Abetha said, and for the briefest moment Ren wondered if Maks staged the attack. But there was no way to know for sure, and she wanted to think that he wouldn’t do something like that. Technically she was his daughter…there was no way…
And she didn’t think the hatred she’d seen in the man’s eyes could be an act.
“Thanks,” Ren mumbled to Sheridan.
“It’s what I’m here for,” she replied. Her eyes continued to scan the trees for any other threat. Ren was too flustered to think about her words.
“I uh…I’m going to go back to the manor.”
“We’ll walk with you,” Elian said.
“No, it’s fine,” Ren said, her voice low. “Abetha go back with Elian and Maks. Come by the library tonight and I can show you something neat.” She tried to smile, for their sakes more than her own. “I promise you’ll love what you see.”
Abetha and Elian were hesitant, and tried to follow when Ren started walking. But she stopped them again, and shooed them back to the city where Maks waited. The further she walked the more disappointed she felt that Maks himself hadn’t come to make sure she was okay. Was that really asking so much?
“Are you injured?” Sheridan asked when Ren’s pace slowed.
“Not physically,” Ren admitted. It wasn’t her pride that had taken a beating, or even her emotions at the thought of almost dying. It was her hopes that had taken a real hit. She looked at Sheridan and wondered if she was the only one. “You’re fine just being taken from town and told to watch me?”
Sheridan gave a shrug and tucked her hands behind
her back. It was such a quick movement that Ren thought she might cut herself on the blades, but she seemed fine. She barely looked at Ren when she spoke, but when she did Ren felt like she was the only thing Sheridan was focusing on; like Ren was her entire world. Her gaze was too intense, and whenever she spoke Ren felt like she wanted to disappear. It was a strange combination.
“What did you want to do before?” she asked.
“I am a Sotarian,” Sheridan answered. Ren grew tired of her simple answers, and continued in silence.
“Sorry,” she found herself saying.
“For what?” Sheridan asked. It was the first thing she sounded truly curious about. Ren didn’t dare look at her.
She sighed. “You know, for taking over your planet. Kind of rude.”
“It’s your birthright.”
Ren paused before glancing at Sheridan.
“A little piece of paper doesn’t really give me the right to overthrow a government,” Ren replied.
“Our Prime Minister wasn’t interested in leading,” Sheridan explained. “Maks seems like a good leader.”
Of course a warrior would consider Maks a good leader, Ren thought. They were one in the same; they would battle to the death if given the command, no questions asked. At least, that’s how it looked now. So much for that rebel Ren saw in the pit, the one that looked so defiant of Maks’s command.
Ren quickened her pace, no longer interested in speaking with Sheridan.
