The Helm of Time

by A L Issett

  ~

  It had been three weeks since Earl Tox had become Regent, a position he could see he was born for. He already had three high ranking Tavorians nobles killed, they should have stayed in Tavor instead of seeking power in Ket. Tox would give the land to the people and restore some of the noble houses. He had candidates that he would elevate to that level, maybe the boy Tanner who undoubtedly would wake up angry as hell. He had killed a guard already and was prepared for more until Golden cracked him on the back of his head, probably saving his life. Golden would have to be rewarded, Tox knew Golden didn’t like him but was willing to put Ket first. Tox was about to talk to Mary, the tanner’s wife to make small talk. She was probably still angry at being transported, having to relieve herself in an unprivate cage but he would have to make it up to her. Well her and her husband, Tox originally thought to make him a Baronet or something but now thought the title of Earl would do the boy justice. Suddenly the boy Tanner burst through the door wearing nothing but his small clothes. He was quite a specimen, heavily muscled but in a feline type way. He stalked over and was so disrespectful Tox had to clear the room to talk to the lad. Tanner eventually relented and agreed but Tox was no fool, he knew Tanner had to be controlled. Jennifer met his eyes and Tox nodded, the boy would have to be dealt with using the Green. It was a foul substance that was quite good at getting people to comply, the boy would need to be dosed until he reached compliance. Tox felt bad about using it but it had worked with Queen Aundrea who had been quite confrontational before she was dosed. Now she was a pleasure to be around and Tox looked forward to the time she would willingly give herself to him.

  The next day Tox awoke to news his spies told him about what had happened between Golden and his sister and thought he should try to straighten it out. He would most likely have to use the green again, leaving the girl and his Queen as the only two people under its effects that were in the palace. The girl was just as angry as he thought she would be and refused any food. Tox dosed her himself and sent for Baronet Greenley’s son Todd. Tox knew Golden did not have what it took to do what would come next, this Greenley boy did. He was sadistic from what Tox had heard which is why Tox hated mages altogether. Greenley was also weak when it came to warfare but had a particular set of skills he was looking for, these sets of skills would help keep the girl Mary compliant. With any luck in a few months whenever Tanner got back she could persuade the boy not to hate him.

  CHAPTER 5

  Tanner threw up again as he was face down on the floor. He was sure he soiled himself some time ago but the cramping in his stomach was unbearable. He could hear the girl laughing to herself and talking to the one who took Mary, Nance was the man’s name and they seemed to be poking fun. Jennifer had scratched Tanner with some type of poison and was now telling him the effects of it and that she could stop the pain if only he asked nicely. The sword was silent or perhaps Tanner couldn’t focus on it through all of his pain. Blessedly he lost consciousness on the cold hard ground.

  When Tanner awoke he was feeling better, he was in a tub of some kind and someone was washing his back. It took Tanner a moment before he realized what happened and shot up. The person washing him was Jennifer who first took a glance at his manhood, then back up at his eyes and gave him a smile.

  “Before you get all angry, I gave you a little breather,” Jennifer said as she let her eyes wander. “You have been out for a day now and your stomach is very weak, you should eat something.”

  “I could snap your neck like a dry twig right now,” Tanner said as he stared down at the woman.

  “You could try, but then you know if you succeed what type of pain awaits you,” Jennifer said laughing. “As long as you listen to me and stop threatening your teammates, I will make sure you don’t get sick anymore. Of course when you decide to do otherwise, then you know what awaits.”

  “You can take your relief and stuff it,” Tanner replied. “I am going to get me Mary back and when I do I am gonna spit you like a young deer on a hunter’s campfire.”

  “I was hoping you wouldn’t say that,” Jennifer said as she stood up. “You see you do not have much time before the coughing begins again, although this time I think I will let you appreciate your situation. It is a shame, I had just gotten you clean too!”

  Tanner was about to say something back but could feel his throat getting itchy, followed by a cough. Tanner had nothing in his stomach and began to wretch violently as the pain started all over again. Tanner did not know long he stayed there curled up on the ground. He could hear Nance laughing, other times it was Jennifer. Tanner had passed out a couple of times but always woke with vomiting followed by pain. He didn’t have anything more inside him to soil himself with and it was only bile coming up from his stomach. Tanner felt weak, if he continued like this there was no way he could save Mary. At least that is what Tanner told himself, in reality he wanted relief from the pain and he wanted it now. Tanner passed out again, this time he was awakened by Nance.

  “If you are through shitting yourself we have work to do,” Nance said gruffly. “Clean yourself up and follow me or you can sit in your own filth. Either way I don’t care but we have already lost four days with this foolishness.”

  It had been four days, Tanner thought as a tear escaped his eyes. For four days they left him in his own filth. Tanner nodded as Nance pointed to some clothing that was neatly laid out on a bench and the tub which was filled with steaming water. Tanner stripped off his clothes and soaked. He became disgusted as the water quickly turned an ugly shade as his own filth lifted off of him. Tanner got out of the tub feeling weary and dressed in the clothes provided to him. They were black and tight fitting, just like the other clothes that was being worn. He walked outside of his room and could see others, each were smirking at him while some gave him a pitying stare. Tanner found who he was looking for, it was Nance who was talking to an older man who was dressed in a white version of the outfit Tanner wore. Tanner made his way over to the pair as the old master looked at him passively, then began to speak.

  “Tanner I am Master Yoku, I am in charge of the Black Hand,” the man said with a voice stronger than he looked. “While you are here you are under my rule and the rule of your Captain and her second on your team. I hear you are skilled with your magic sword so while you are here you will not possess it.”

  “Where is my sword you old dodger?” Tanner said weakly as his throat was raw from vomiting.

  “I could withhold the relief for another three days if that is going to be your attitude,” Nance replied.

  Tanner flinched at the mention of the relief being withheld.

  “That is more like it,” Nance said pleased. “Continue on please Master Yoku.”

  “You will learn other fighting styles Tanner while you are here to make you more rounded in case you get into a fight and do not have your sword handy. Please follow Nance to go eat, try the soup. All who have went through the ordeal report having a weak stomach although normally all it takes is a day or two for troublesome people to see things our way.”

  Tanner nodded and followed Nance into a rough looking wooden building. The smell of food hit Tanner and made him want to retch again. Tanner steeled himself as he saw Nance grab himself a bowl and plate then went over to where a man was standing over a massive counter of food. Nance took a steak and some other items Tanner could not see. Tanner grabbed a bowl and decided to follow the old master’s advice and get something light. Tanner watched the man scoop soup into his bowl and wonder how he would get out of his current predicament. He had killed two men with the sword and had gained some of their knowledge. He knew the faces of those around him and the way they fought. What none of them knew however was how to counter the poison. It was likely that none of the assassins here knew, it was probably made someplace else to ensure the assassins would do their job without switching sides. Tanner found a table filled with people he did not know and took a seat, he would not sit with Nance or the other people at Nan
ce’s table although there was more than enough space.

  “What do you think you’re doing shithead?” Tanner heard a man’s voice say. Tanner ignored it and took a sip out of his soup which felt like fire sliding down his raw throat. “Hey shithead are you dense, this table belongs to top team, team one, not some fucking country boy. Unlike most of you, all of us grew assassins, we weren’t taken from other sources.”

  “Who gives a dog’s bollocks?” Tanner replied weakly. The man slapped Tanner’s bowl off the table and stood up. Tanner looked up at the man and could see a cruel smile. The man was no taller than a short woman and looked about 35 summers. He had his hair in a black pony tail and looked ready to do violence. If this idiot wanted violence Tanner would give it to him until he remembered the pain, the unending pain. Tanner sighed and grabbed his bowl off of the floor as Nance came walking over.

  “That is why you sit at your own table,” Nance said shaking his head. “Now go get your food and sit where you are supposed to.”

  Tanner hated being talked down upon but decided it wasn’t worth it. He felt weak, too weak to probably best anyone here. Tanner let his tendrils flare and was shocked. All of those around him near this table were mages. Tanner slowly began draining any mage he could sense as he walked over to get more soup. He felt his body healing slowly and could see there were thirteen mages all clustered around here. Tanner got his soup and could hear Nance argue with the mage assassin.

  “I don’t need you fight my battles,” Tanner said growling as Nance continued arguing.

  “I don’t giva ashit about you, this mage is not going to push around any of my team members,” Nance replied.

  “I am not your fucking teammate, you would do well to remember that,” Tanner said as Nance looked him straight in the eye.

  “I can’t believe they elevated you to second,” the mage laughed. “You can’t even keep the loyalty of your own team. I wonder why the Regent thinks your little group can even take out one school.”

  “Go sit down at your table,” Nance said as he stared at Tanner. Tanner could see he was slightly taller than Nance but the man was built solidly. Tanner stared at him before taking a seat as all of the mages sitting at the table laughed. Tanner set down and recognized one of the men who attacked him and helped Nance take Mary and thought about killing him.

  “You better take it slow with that soup, the Green aint nothing to be fooling with” the man said cheerfully.

  “Get stuffed nancy boy,” Tanner said as he continued his slow drain on the mages nearby.

  “Still a bit angry are we?” the man said and laughed. “We are in a dangerous profession friend; we could die at any time while out on mission. We don’t have time to stay peeved at one another. That little deal with your wife was just business and you killed three of my friends. I’m not angry at you about it, you were just a man trying to protect his family. Although I will admit I was smarting after you caught my leg then threw me into the boss.”

  “Save your prattle for someone who cares,” Tanner said as Nance came and sat back down.

  “I am only going to say this once, if you ever contradict me again you will stay locked up in your own filth again,” Nance said quietly but with a lot of venom. “I don’t want your ass on this team no more than you want to be here but I am in charge whenever Jennifer is isn’t around and you will listen to me. Am I understood?”

  Tanner looked at the man and wanted to tell him where he could stuff it but knew this man meant business, he would leave him in his own filth for as long as it took. “Understood,” Tanner said grudgingly as he looked back down into his bowl.

  “That is more like it,” Nance said with a grunt. “We are already off schedule due to your stubbornness. You don’t have any time to rest. After you finish I want you and Gerty to meet me at our practice field. Jennifer is putting hopefuls from the lower school through their paces to determine if any of them would fit our needs.” Nance finished his plate quickly then left as the man he figured was Gerty continued talking.

  “Between you and me our group leader is one hot piece of ass,” Gerty said laughing. “She seemed to have taken a special interest in you, I heard she gave you a sponge bath. She never gave me any bath but then again I never had to take the Green.”

  Tanner ignored the man and tried to focus on his sword, where ever it was it was gone as Tanner could not feel it. What Tanner did feel was some of his stamina returning from draining the mages in the vicinity. Tanner stopped his draining before anyone got suspicious; he had taken enough to feel a lot better as his stomach started righting itself. Tanner put his bowl away as Gerty motioned for him to follow. They followed a small path which led into a clearing that had six buildings set up. Around the building were six people, three of them mages Tanner knew from draining them slightly. There were five men and a female, all a little younger than Tanner fighting with wooden daggers. Jennifer and Nance stared at the would be assassins, their dance was beautiful Tanner thought, like watching water flow. The forms came into Tanner’s mind and how each should be done and could see all of the initiates had some mastery but could see some were slightly off balance while others were striking too fast.

  “Halt,” Jennifer said as she walked over to Tanner and Gerty. “I can see you are feeling better,” Jennifer said into Tanner’s ear suggestively and got closer than she needed to. “I need to see how you move, why don’t you grab a pair of daggers and join them.” Her breath was hot and throaty Tanner thought as he grabbed a pair of wooden daggers. He had knowledge of how they should be held, but knowledge is different than experience. Tanner was matched up against one of the men, this one a mage. The man attacked suddenly weaving his body at odd angles as he came in for a strike. Even without the sword Tanner had excellent reflexes and moved out of the way before the strike could get close and delivered one of his own. His opponent dodged it easily and pressed his attack. Tanner brought his leg out and kicked the man in the chest but was unable to put the force on it he wanted.

  “Oh Tanner, we are assassins not soldiers,” Jennifer said in a childish tone. “Were are about killing quickly and silently. Your kick could have sent your target into some noisy furniture. Then you would have guards to deal with.”

  “Let them come,” Tanner replied as Jennifer let out a laugh.

  “Tanner if you don’t want to learn you can always go back to your room,” Jennifer replied with slight humor in her voice. “I could go see how you are doing two days from now, maybe you will be better after sometime alone?”

  Tanner remembered his time and shuddered again, this would be the stick he thought. They would get him to perform on cue whenever they wanted. Tanner hated himself for staying quiet but the poison was too tough to handle, even for him. Tanner bowed his head at his opponent who once again took up a fighting stance. The man came in quickly; his whole attack was offensive, with no room to defend himself. He sliced Tanner across the throat once with the wooden blade which drew oohs and ahhs from the other hopefuls who now watched the fight reset and continue. Tanner despite the knowledge he had from the assassin he had killed gripped the dagger in his strong hand like a sword but kept the other in a reverse grip. His opponent came forward as Tanner stuck the blade out in front of him and watched the other man’s hips. His opponent came at him just like before but Tanner gave ground while striking out occasionally to keep his opponent far. The man slipped one attack and came in for a strike but Tanner had seen that maneuver before. In a real fight he would have stomped down on the man’s foot and brought his knee up to the man’s face but he could use only the blade. Tanner twisted and brought the blade in his off hand across the hopeful’s throat and backed away. The fight was tied now at one a piece. His opponent still looked calm despite losing as the fighters reset. This time Tanner shot out at the man, using all of his heighten speed and attacked. His attacks really did not have any kind of pattern to them, he just struck as fast as possible. His opponent was obviously used to being the fastes
t and having opponents react to him, now that he was on the defensive Tanner had him beaten in four moves. They fought again but with the same result, this time in two moves. The fifth time they fought his opponent was too occupied with striking first that he left himself wide open and Tanner finished the duel within one strike.

  “Enough,” Nance said loudly. “You have some skill Tanner but it is unrefined. You know the basics, enough to be passable but you move as if you are not comfortable. Let’s see how you do with a more likely challenge.”

  The girl stepped into the area then, Tanner could tell she was a mage. When the signal was given the girl had a wand that appeared in her hand and got a spell off quicker than he had ever seen. She attacked the dust at Tanner’s feet sending a cloud of it in the sky and it effectively masked her movements. Tanner was disoriented from the commotion as the girl suddenly appeared through the cloud and struck a killing blow.

  “Ha, here is your anti mage Jennifer,” Nance said as he spat on the ground. Tanner’s opponent laughed a little and reset but if she would use her talent then so would Tanner. When the match started again Tanner started rapidly draining the girl as she repeated her trick with the dust. This time Tanner ran backwards and along the border of the make shift sparring ground as the girl continued using her magic, each spell weaker than the last the way Tanner was draining her. Tanner brought her down to less than 10% of her power and went on the attack. The girl was slow and sluggish as she got off a wind spell which Tanner tore through easily to land his own killing blow. Tanner stopped draining the girl as she collapsed in the dirt.

  “What did you do?” Nance asked as he looked at the exhausted girl. Tanner stayed silent as Nance screamed it a little louder. “I am not going to deal with you, I don’t care if you answer me or not. Find your way back to your room.”

  “I used my…” Tanner said before Nance cut him off.