by Jeff Gunzel
“That’s the arena they call ‘Moxis,’” Jade said solemnly. “Most prisoners never spend a single day in a cell. They just end up fighting for their lives in that house of death,” she said as she gestured towards the giant structure. “Making a spectacle of these games of survival while charging coin to watch the carnage is commonplace. This is hardly the only city that uses such brutal tactics for crowd control. In fact, all the larger cities seem to—” She stopped in mid-sentence. Her jaw gaped wide open.
Jade leapt from her horse and sprinted to the nearby street lantern. The other two did the same, not understanding what was so urgent. She gazed at the poster pinned up for several minutes, seemingly trying to decide if it was real or not. It can’t be! But there it was—the warrior who had tried to save her those years ago, his face clear as day staring back at her from a paper prison. He was the main attraction? Her head swooned, and she fought hard to stay on her feet. This meant that not only was he alive, but he had been forced to fight here all this time. How could he have survived this long? Even the mightiest warriors didn’t make it past the third or fourth rounds, but he had been here for years.
Jade ignored her friends’ pleas to explain what her odd behavior was about as she stormed back to her horse. “We need to find an inn,” she said, looking as if she had seen a ghost. As far as survival odds in the arena went, she had seen a ghost. “I’ll explain everything once we find one and I can sit down and get a drink.”
They traveled only a short way until they came across “The Dancing Sword.” It seemed older than some of the other taverns they had passed. Not run down or lower class, just a bit old fashioned, given how modern everything else seemed in Taron. The old-fashioned feel was welcome in a strange way.
The inside did not disappoint, either. Everything was made of wood, from the faded floors to the plain chairs and tables. Even the inner wall was assembled from aged wooden planks that may have had a lacquer finish at one point in time, but was quite faded now. The oil paintings of kings and queens that hung about the faded walls didn’t match very well with the vibe of this old inn. The boys supposed it must have something to do with running a business in Taron; it seemed they must be required to hang paintings of royalty.
The folk sitting around the bar were unassuming for the most part—merchants and tradesmen local to Taron. But to Jacob and Eric, they appeared to be noblemen, with their tidy haircuts and fine, colorful clothing. Jade rushed to one of the many open tables and collapsed down into a chair with her arms spread across the table.
Her two companions quickly rushed to sit with her while motioning for three ales to be brought over.
Eric boldly put his hand on Jade’s knee and said, “Are you going to tell us what that was all about back there?”
She kept her head low as she rubbed her fingers nervously on the table, considering the question for a moment. Jade found it odd she had shared intimate details about her life, such as her time living with Ben and even her shallow childhood due to constant training and living in secrecy, but never once had she mentioned this warrior who had betrayed his own kind just to try to help her and her friend. The more she thought about it, the more she was forced to accept the reality of her reasoning for not telling anyone. She felt guilty! When she looked over her shoulder that day and saw them drag him away, she knew his life had changed forever. That wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for her. That same nagging feeling that always haunted her in times like this began to surface once again. Everyone who gets involved in my life gets hurt!
She took a deep breath and began to recount the story of what had happened that fateful night. She had mentioned that night before, but never in detail, and certainly nothing of the warrior who’d tried to save her. The fact that he was here now, and alive, couldn’t be a coincidence. It just can’t be!
When she was finished, the three sat in silence as their minds chewed on the new developments. They sipped their drinks slowly while thinking about the odds of him really being here.
Eric finally spoke up. “I know you think there is some kind of destiny here, or maybe you just think you owe him something, but the truth is there’s nothing we can do for him now. I’m even starting to wonder if there is anything we can do for ourselves.” He folded his hands on the table and lowered his head.
They sat a while longer before Jade placed her hand on his. “I’ll just get us a room for right now. Trust me, we’ll figure all this out,” she said as she stood up, giving his hand a firm squeeze before letting go. She walked over to the tall, thin bartender and began talking while the other two stayed at the table.
Jacob’s eyes followed Jade until he was sure she wasn’t looking in their direction, and then he backhanded Eric across the shoulder.
“Ouch, what was that for?” asked Eric, startled by the sudden assault.
“You really are stupid, aren’t you? A blind bat can see how much she likes you! You constantly ignore her. Really, I don’t know what you’re thinking sometimes,” Jacob said, his voice very nearly bordering on anger.
Eric gazed back with a genuine sadness in his eyes, which in turn made Jacob draw back in on himself, ashamed of his outburst. Eric had a hard time meeting Jacob’s eyes. “I’m not stupid...alright?” he finally said, only half looking at his blond friend. “It’s just that she likes who I’m supposed to be, not who I am.” If it was possible to look even more depressed, he had just accomplished the feat. “I just have a feeling I’m not who she thinks I am—what she wants me to be; what she gave up her life for!” His fist slammed on the table.
Now it was Jacob’s turn to look away.
“Tell me, how am I supposed to tell her she’s wasted her life chasing a fairytale? Let alone try to steal her heart! Even you can’t be that cold,” Eric finished.
“I’ve got us a room,” came the cheerful call from the bar.
The two boys, now solemn, stood up and walked over to Jade.
“Look, guys, it’s been a long day. A lot has happened, and we can’t do anything about it today. Let’s just get some rest and start fresh tomorrow,” Jade said, seeming rather perky all of a sudden.
Her renewed energy was refreshing, and she had a good point. Everyone was tired, and perspectives can be gloomy when you try to make decisions when you’re feeling down. Getting some rest and letting everything wait until tomorrow sounded like as good a plan as any.
The three strolled upstairs to a rather plain-looking room decorated with simple wooden furniture that looked very old. It matched the rest of the establishment, so nothing seemed a surprise. Again, someone would be stuck on the floor as usual. Eric made the decision slightly easier by jumping on one of the beds as fast as he could. Jade playfully offered to fight Jacob for the last one. He politely withdrew from the competition, claiming he was displaying chivalry. Secretly, he didn’t think going toe to toe with Jade was a good bet for any man.
They all got settled in and extinguished the single lantern. Not ten minutes went by before there came a light knock at the door.
Eric sat up in a bit of a haze, wondering if he had imagined it.
The light knock came once more, proving it had not been a dream, but barely a second later, the door blasted off its hinges from a mighty kick. Armed soldiers flooded into the room, encircling the trio with weapons ready before they could even blink. They had obviously been prepared for the raid, as every soldier ran to a predestined spot in the room and held their ground. The three young companions were in shock, having no idea what to do.
Two soldiers loomed at the doorway, seemingly to cut off any potential retreat. “Make way,” one of them called out as they sidestepped to expose the hallway.
In walked a tall man whose dark piercing eyes were that of a hawk’s. His thick armor shimmered even in the minimal light. The man could have been wearing street clothes and it still would have been obvious he was in charge. “Eric Aethello, Jacob Couture, and Jade Ethrista,” he said in a booming voice as those dark eyes bore
into each one of them. “You are hereby summoned to stand before Her Majesty, Queen Ilirra Marosia.” He looked to one of the soldiers. “Gather all their belongings quickly.”
The trio stood up with their hands held high in the air, not wanting to make the situation any worse by showing any movements that could be mistaken for aggression. This was not the way they had intended to see the queen.
* * *
The three companions marched along the glistening white tile floor. The guards surrounded them in a tight diamond formation, almost touching them. Even though the soldiers were armed, at least their weapons were not drawn.
They were led up a flight of bright red stairs wide enough for twenty men to walk side by side. Across the top of the steps was another long wide hallway, garnished with large, thick, stained-glass windows of green, blue and yellow on each side. Each set of windows displayed elaborate red curtains, held wide open with gold-colored ropes made of silk.
The carpeted red hallway led to a set of thick golden doors ornately decorated with black and green grapevines painted along the borders.
When two soldiers stepped out from their tight formation to push open the heavy doors, it was like opening a doorway into a fairytale. The Queen’s throne room’s floor was covered in lush, thick, red and green carpets. Wide golden pillars with white bases stretched high into the air to support the deep red ceiling. The same stained-glass windows from the hall lined each side of the room.
The queen, sitting high on her throne, could be seen up ahead. The walk to her was only fifty feet or so but felt like hundreds, for her noble presence seemed to fill the room. A massive banner in the likeness of the Taron flag hung directly behind her golden throne.
The queen smoothly rose to her feet as the young companions and their escort approached. Her green eyes burned with an intensity that matched her flaming red hair. The potent aura of leadership that radiated from her made it hard to tell if she was a fearsome warrior or a commanding queen. Maybe she was both.
“Leave us!” Ilirra commanded.
The soldiers immediately broke rank and scurried from the room.
Jade was the first to drop into a low, elegant bow, followed quickly by the boys, who managed awkward bows of their own.
“Rise, all of you,” Ilirra said in a far softer tone now that the soldiers were gone. “I’m sorry for the harsh reception, but I couldn’t allow for any error.” She marched back and forth with her hands clasped behind her back while her head remained high and level. “The hour is late. I have rooms for you.” She paused a moment to look each one in the eye as she scanned the three of them. She smiled as each met her gaze easily without shying away. “We will discuss no more business tonight.”
She snapped her fingers, and two serving maids came to lead the companions to their rooms. The three youngsters followed along unemotionally, having a hard time believing all this was real.
Eric and Jacob shared a room, while Jade was taken to her own private quarters. The boys’ eyes nearly fell out of their heads when they saw theirs. The enormous room held two lush beds with thick red blankets and matching sheets. The beds were surrounded by dark, lacquered wooden furniture that had clearly been handcrafted with supreme care. The nightstand, table and chairs were all the same deep rich color, probably all fabricated by the same craftsman. There was also a fireplace with little wooden trinkets on the platform above it.
Jacob couldn’t stop touching the figurines, or anything else for that matter. Lifting a porcelain vase that was on the table, he looked underneath it for who knows what.
“Would you stop messing around with everything? Put that down,” Eric said, slightly entertained at how aggressive Jacob was being with all the stuff in the room. He wouldn’t earn enough in a lifetime to replace any one of these items.
“I can hardly believe we are here!” Jacob said excitedly as he finally put down the wooden figurines he had been juggling a moment earlier. “And remember, she sent for us. She knew we were here!”
That was true enough. The Queen had indeed sent for them, which in turn made them wonder how much she knew.
“You know something?” Eric said in a slow, considering voice. “I think she knows more about this than we do. I thought we would be here trying to sell her some crazy fairytale story, one I’m not sure I believe myself.” He paced back and forth as he rubbed the back of his neck, fondling the necklace. “Now I’m starting to think we are going to be doing a lot more listening than talking.”
Jacob said nothing, but certainly found logic in Eric’s statement.
Jade’s room was similar to the boys’, with only a few minimal differences. For one, there was one big bed instead of two. It was so large and soft, she thought she might sink in and never get out. But the other difference was far more welcome. A tub filled with soapy hot water had been drawn just before she arrived. She eagerly stripped down and sank in all the way up to the back of her neck. The warm water felt so wonderful, she thought she might just sleep in the tub tonight.
After soaking for only a few minutes, a light knock came at the door. Jade rose a few inches and looked over her shoulder, not knowing exactly what to do. She couldn’t exactly stand up and get the door right now. She gasped as the door slowly creaked open and Queen Ilirra peeked into the room. Jade sank deep into the water, suddenly feeling very small and insignificant.
“I’m sorry to disturb you, child,” said Ilirra, not bothering to avert her eyes. “I hope you found the accommodations adequate, Jade.”
“Oh. They are more than adequate! You should never have gone through all the trouble,” Jade babbled nervously as she sank so deep into the bubbles she resembled a frog hiding in a pond with only its eyes exposed.
“Nonsense, Jade. You three are my honored guests.” The queen’s voice was soft and comforting, yet authoritative at the same time. She walked over to the dark oak nightstand and picked up the ivory brush that lay there. “I’m so glad you’ve come back to us,” she said, waving the brush in the air with every word as if conducting a band. “I know we were going to talk in the morning, but—”
“Oh no, it’s fine. I’m wide awake,” Jade said in a shaky voice. But it was certainly true; she was definitely wide awake...and in the presence of the queen.
Ilirra smiled as she stepped towards the tub. “May I?” she said, giving the brush a slight shake in the air.
She wants to brush my hair?
Ilirra didn’t wait for a response. She knelt down behind the tub and began applying long, smooth strokes through the girl’s jet-black hair. “You know, Jade, I can still remember when you were just a baby,” she practically whispered in her ear.
Jade twitched a little at the conversation becoming so personal so quickly.
“I knew way back then you were destined for great things. It was hard waiting all these years to learn of your safety. When Tamera and Grimton never returned from Brinton, I thought—”
“They never came back?” asked Jade, starting to sit up, but for some reason splashing back down deep into the water, again with only her head exposed, and just barely at that.
“No, dear, they didn’t,” the Queen’s voice rang deep with concern. “That’s why we lost contact for so long. We weren’t sure where you were at that point. But you’ve come home now, and I see you’ve accomplished the task you were burdened with.” There was a long pause; silence hung in the air. “Are you sure it’s him?”
“Yes,” Jade replied without hesitation. “He is in possession of the necklace, for one thing.” But then she quickly changed the subject all of a sudden. “And just so you know, I don’t care what happened to Tamera and Grimton. They were cruel.”
The Queen paused only for a moment before she continued brushing in long, slow strokes.
“Please tell me about my parents!” Jade blurted. She had obviously been holding that in for some time now.
This time the Queen stopped brushing in mid stroke. There was an awkward moment before she carried on
. “I’m afraid there isn’t a whole lot I can tell you, my dear,” she said in a sad voice. “I can tell you one thing for sure. They loved you very much and were devastated to see you go.” Her voice cracked a bit as she forced out the words. “But it was for the greater good. You were born into destiny, Jade.” She slowly wrapped an arm around Jade and placed her cheek against the back of her head. She held the embrace for a long moment. “If you aren’t too tired, I would love to hear as much as you’re willing to tell me tonight.”
“I would be honored. But first, could you turn around so I can get my robe on?” Jade said, turning red with embarrassment.
Ilirra smiled at the pure innocence of this girl—this warrior—who held so many social insecurities. She complied with the innocent request before turning back around.
Then they sat on the large bed together and talked well into the night. Jade told her everything that had led her to this very moment. She even told the queen about the warrior who was fighting here in the arena and the part she played in his current situation. Jade asked if there was any way Ilirra could have him pardoned. She regretfully told her that she didn’t have the authority, for the slavers were their own entity and had full authority over their contract, but added that she would send a messenger to the head slaver and have him name his price. There was always a chance she could buy his freedom. Ilirra hated the games anyway. It was nothing but a barbaric form of crowd control. If she could release one soul from their grip, all the better.
Chapter 12
Kelzson Sen looked rather out of place sitting at a desk pushing papers.
The large, grizzled man dipped his oversized white feather into the black ink bottle for the thousandth time and continued to sign off on what seemed to be a never-ending stack of paperwork. Contracts to sign, receipts to be accounted for; the endless paperwork was the part of his job he hated most. Well, not so much the receipts. Those all translated into coin to fill his pocket.
Kelzson decided he was done for a while, as the hot, sticky room was starting to get to him. Wiping sweat from his brow, the tall man stepped away from his desk and wandered out into the street. It was only a touch better outdoors, as the light breeze did little to cool the air, which was surprisingly warm this early in the day.
