by Auryn Hadley
General Sturmgren chuckled, and Berrik glared at him. "You think this is funny?" she asked.
"I think it's brilliant. No offense to Anglia. The Lieutenant used the man's proclivities against him. Well done. I understand why your reputation as an assassin is legendary."
"Thank you, sir," Sal said. Then she asked Ilija, We still good back there?
Dom's trying not to laugh. You're good so far. When it comes to the King, stick to the story, ok?
The story? Sal asked.
Let the Terran get the kill. Jase caught her, Jase killed her, but let her get the kill. We'll be good. Just lie, Sal. I know you can do it, Ilija insisted.
Make sure Jase knows. They'll ask him, too. Make sure his story is the same.
"And then there was the Jonkheer, correct?" the woman asked, unaware of the conversation in Sal’s head.
"We sent a letter to Eriwald requesting a meeting and received a refusal by mail. We again requested a meeting, this time through a third party. I believe Bysno was suggested. Eriwald refused. By this point, we had begun to seek additional information about Eriwald, and learned that he had reason to dislike the Conglomerate."
"What reasons are those?"
"His wife had been suspected of an affair with a Citizen during a visit to Prin. She claims to have moved to Myrosica, but we were unable to find any records of a woman by her name in either nation."
"So he hated the entire Conglomerate because his wife had an affair?" Berrik asked.
"I do not know, ma'am. I do know that marriage, sexual relations, and women's rights are treated much differently in Anglia. With the difficulties we had trying to find the woman, it could be that he assumed she was being harbored here against his wishes. That is merely speculation, though."
"I see. Were you ordered to speculate?"
"Yes, ma'am. I was ordered to make decisions based upon the information I was able to obtain. I believe that is rather close to the definition of speculation."
Dominik chuckled softly behind her, and Sal fought to keep her face straight.
"So, you decided that Eriwald was not suitable, is this correct?"
"Yes, ma'am. When we tried for the final time to seek a meeting, we were threatened."
"So, what did you do then?"
"Eliminated Eriwald from succession to the throne," Sal said simply.
"How?" the Representative persisted.
Sal fought her lips, but the smile was winning. "He was cut down in his keep."
"You hacked the Jonkheer to bits in his own home?"
"No, ma'am. In the courtyard."
"And how did you do this without being caught?" she asked.
"We killed the guards as well."
"When you say we, who do you mean?"
"Myself and Sergeant Cynortas, ma'am."
"And how many guards did you kill?"
"Twenty, plus the Jonkheer, ma'am. There was one civilian injury, but it should not have been fatal."
"You harmed a citizen of Anglia?" Berrik asked, glancing again at the men seated behind Sal.
"Yes, ma'am. He tried to detain me. I wounded him enough to get past him, nothing more."
"And why did he try to detain you, Lieutenant?"
"He felt that, I believe it was fifty guilders, should have been enough money for me to sleep with him," Sal answered blandly.
"You were soliciting men in the middle of a mission?"
"No, ma'am. In Anglia, an unattended woman is assumed to be soliciting. I refused his offers multiple times, but he did not find 'no' to be an acceptable answer."
"So you cut him down? A civilian?" Berrik growled at her.
"No, ma'am. I merely cut the tendon to his penis. It's excruciatingly painful, but rarely causes mortality."
Damn. Remind me to tell the soldiers how lucky they are, Ilija thought at her.
Sal fought to keep her face serene.
Berrik was scribbling notes. "I see. So you're saying that two of you eliminated twenty-two men?"
"No, ma'am. Twenty-one men, and one civilian was wounded," Sal clarified.
"And these are not the only assassinations you carried out?"
"No, ma'am. King Jensen's nephew and the Adele were eliminated as well."
"Go on," Representative Berrik said.
"Since Eriwald was not suitable to the Conglomerate's needs, King Jensen's older brother and nephew - the brother's son - were killed while traveling from Dorton to Eriwald. Sergeant Cynortas and I delivered scopolamine via jakentron needles. Both targets were shot in route. Both targets were declared deceased within a week."
"How did you get close enough to inject them, Lieutenant?"
"We did not, Representative Berrik," Sal said. "The jakentron fires darts or needles. We chose hollow point needles made of plant material, often mistaken as thorns by the target. These were coated in scopolamine, and the toxin was released upon penetration of the skin."
"And where did you learn how to do that?"
"It was covered in my initial training with the Black Blades, ma'am. Sergeant Cynortas was my instructor. He was trained in Escea before Escea joined with Terric."
"I see. And why did he go to Escea for training?" she asked.
"I do not know, ma'am. I was not a Black Blade at that time."
"I sent him," General Sturmgren said. "A few years ago, we sent all of our assassins for training in Rok and Jurica. Rok specializes in poisons, and Jurica in hand to hand techniques."
Representative Berrik leaned around her companions and looked down the table at him. "And why are you so instrumental in the decisions of the Black Blades?"
"All elite units report directly to me. I formed the Lightning Brigade when I was just a Sergeant myself. The entire elite program has been orchestrated by myself, with approval from Parliament."
"I see." From the look on the woman's face, Sal knew that she had no understanding of military protocol. "Lieutenant Luxx. When you had eliminated these men, what happened next?"
"I ordered Jassant Cynortas to assassinate King Jensen," Sal said clearly.
"And did he succeed?"
This was the trap the Conglomerate had put her in. Her mission was to assassinate the former King of Anglia, but she'd made friends with his replacement. The only problem was that Dominik Jens, the current ruler, had loved his grandfather dearly. She'd gained his trust through lies. What would happen when he learned the truth?
Sal, Ilija reminded her.
Chapter 4
Sal let her eyes settle on the Representative and made her decision. Her relationship with Anglia mattered so much more than anything the Conglomerate could do to her.
"No, ma'am. While the mission was successful, Sergeant Cynortas was not."
Ilija's response was immediate. Good girl, Kaisae. You just smoothed a whole lot of things over.
"And why wasn't he?" Berrik asked snidely.
"Because the King had already been assassinated. While Sergeant Cynortas moved into position, he spotted another person on the battlements. He was delayed while he determined the identity of that other person. She was later found to be a Terran archer."
"Not an assassin?"
"No, ma'am. She had no training besides aiming her bow. She took the shot through the King's private chamber's window and hit her mark. Sergeant Cynortas detained her and identified her at that time. The Terran falcon was embroidered on her uniform, and she carried Terran arrows. She refused to answer any questions except for her name, rank, and unit. With the guards alerted, Sergeant Cynortas threw her over the walls. She survived the fall and was trailed by the Anglian guards until captured. At that point, Sergeant Cynortas disposed of her with a Terran arrow."
"Why did he use a Terran arrow?” Berrik asked. “What's so special about them?"
"Terric only uses arrows made from dark wood and fletched with raven feathers. They're black with black tips and fletching. This means they look distinctive to all other arrows used on the continent."
"Wouldn't i
t be easy to just use arrows made in the same way."
"Yes, ma'am. It is. That is why the archer was killed with a Terran arrow," Sal told her.
"And why did he kill her? Why did he not simply let the Anglians interrogate her?"
"Madam Representative, our mission was first level clearance. The dual nature of it meant that any hint of Conglomerate soldiers in the area could cause additional and unwanted complications. We felt that the risk of detection was too great when weighed against the possible rewards of the Terran archer being interrogated. She was disposed of to prevent Anglia from learning we were there."
Sal heard the door behind her open again, and quiet footsteps walked up the hall. The smell told her it was just a conglomerate soldier, most likely the one who'd been sent to attend Anglia. The Representative looked up and scowled before turning back to Sal.
"So what did you do after that?"
"We waited for a month, focusing on training, especially agility."
"Why did you do that, Lieutenant Luxx?" she asked.
"Because Valmere was next in line to the throne and would inherit. Intelligence reports claimed that he was sympathetic to the Conglomerate, intelligent, and liberally minded. Due to the lack of influence over him at the time, I felt that the use of a minor Anglian law which granted anyone able to make it through what they call the gauntlet - a run from the Palace entrance to the feet of the King during court, with full guards in attendance - would have the most influence on Anglia's relationship with the Conglomerate."
"I see, and you made this run, then?"
"I did, ma'am."
"And you swore allegiance to Anglia in order to get it!" she snapped at Sal.
"No, ma'am. When I reached the King, I had ample time before the Anglians could have detained me. I told him I would vow to protect his life while I held the position, but I would not, and could not, swear allegiance to Anglia as it would conflict with my vows to my country."
"You lie, soldier," the politician said calmly. "You were rewarded with an Iliran title and treated as a celebrity in Anglia. You expect me to believe that you did not swear to honor their country?"
"Yes, ma'am, because it is the truth. I chose the Iliran title as a way to honor the other citizens of Anglia and to separate myself from the traditional chain of command."
"Why Iliran?" Berrik grumbled.
"Because it's very close to Grauoran, ma'am."
The door opened again, and Sal saw the Representative glare. "Someone get that damned dog out of here!"
"Amma!" Rhyx called, scampering forward.
Rhyx, come here now! Ilija ordered the pup. Come here, or your amma will get in big trouble. Right now, pup, I mean it.
Ok, Rhyx replied, and Sal almost sagged with relief when she heard the clicking of claws stop halfway down the aisle.
"We do not allow pets in here. I don't know who you think you are, but please remove the beast," Berrik demanded.
"No." That was a voice Sal knew. "She is not a beast, and she will stay. Children often forget their manners, but she will be silent," Dominik said clearly.
"Fine!" Berrik sighed. "Soldier, we're discussing a serious offense here. If you swore allegiance to Anglia, that means your vows of loyalty to the Conglomerate are voided. Do you understand that?"
"I do, madam Representative, which is why I never made any vow to the country of Anglia. I swore to the soldiers that I would be honest with them, but that does not void my vows to the Conglomerate. I swore to the King that I would protect him, but that was the mission I was sent on by the Conglomerate. I made no vows or oaths that would jeopardize any I held to the Conglomerate of Free Citizens."
"And yet they allowed you to lead their military? You were given complete control during wartime? How do you explain this?"
"The King of Anglia is a good man and a wise ruler. He chose the logical option to save his country, which was a team of soldiers trained and equipped to improve his own military."
"I cannot believe this. You expect me to take your word for it, iliri? You have no proof of this - and you cannot provide any proof. The actions speak loud enough that we can all see through this charade."
"I can only offer witnesses, Madam Representative."
"And are any of them here? I am not holding this trial up another day for some pathetic attempt to falsify evidence. We already wasted enough time because of your refusal to discuss the mission. So, is there anyone here who can attest to your words to the King of Anglia, who we could believe actually heard them?"
A chair scraped as it was shoved back, and Sal watched the faces of the military officers all turn in the same direction. She lifted her chin a hair more, this time finding it easy not to smile.
"Yes," Dominik said from behind her. "Yes. I can attest to what Lieutenant Luxx said, Representative."
"And who are you?" Berrik sneered. "I can't take the word of some farm boy that brings his hounds into a military tribunal."
"I am Dominik Jens."
The woman looked at him blankly, but General Sturmgren chuckled under his breath.
Berrik's head snapped around so she could glare at the General. "And what are you so amused at this time, Ran?"
"Well," he said, gesturing to the lone man standing in the audience, "since the King of Anglia is standing in court, I think Lieutenant Luxx has a pretty good witness. Welcome to Myrosica, sire, and to the Conglomerate encampment."
Dom nodded at the General. "Thank you, sir. And thank you for the use of your soldier."
"Anytime, sire. Sorry about the assassination parts. You know how it goes," Ran Sturmgren said casually.
"Yeah. Sadly enough, I do. I got a few quick lessons." Dominik flicked a finger to indicate Sal. Then he settled Rhyx more comfortably on his hip. "May I approach, Madam Representative, or will you chide me for daring to hold the heir to one of Anglia's three thrones?"
"The dog?"
Dominik groaned under his breath. "Grauori. I assure you she's nothing like a dog. Ilija, would you ask the Orassae to come in please?"
"Yes, sire," Ilija said. Within seconds, the door opened again, and Rragri strolled into the building, her translator beside her.
"Rhyx," she said, standing up and reaching for the pup. "Laetus, Grunae. Sai vau loura il."
Dominik ignored it, focused on the tribunal. "Madam Representative, I did not catch your name."
"Halin Berrik," she answered casually, not bothering to even rise from her chair in greeting.
The King tipped his head slightly, keeping his regal mannerisms intact. "Ms. Berrik, I would like to introduce you to Orassae Rragri and Vargwar Harrgra, her translator."
"Mr. Jens - " Berrik began, but Ilija stood and cut her off.
"It's Your Majesty, or King Jens, or even sire, but the King of Anglia is never called a mister." Ilija sat when he finished speaking, a smirk on his face.
The woman on the dais was slowly turning red with frustration. "King Jens, then. Why have you brought them here?" She gestured to the grauori.
"Because we were invited to a meeting about an alliance. Since I cannot make decisions for the grauori, their leader must attend to represent the other half of my country. I would've thought we'd receive a bit warmer welcome. But that can wait, Ms. Berrik. Let's address the problem at hand. You claim that no one can verify what the Lieutenant said when she laid her weapons at my feet? I would like to say that I can. I remember it very clearly. It was the first time I'd seen an iliri."
Chapter 5
"Did Lieutenant Luxx forswear her allegiance to the Conglomerate in order to achieve the position of," Helin Berrik shuffled through her notes, "Kaysai, is it?"
"Kaisae. The vowels go the other way around, Ms. Berrik. And no, the Lieutenant actually told me she could not swear to honor Anglia because she was sworn to the Conglomerate," Dominik said calmly, walking to Sal's side. "You've seen better days, Lieutenant."
Sal ducked her head. "Yes, sire."
Berrik continued, "And you are will
ing to swear to this? Why would you give her, an iliri, control of your military without an oath to your country?"
Dominik laughed. "If you'd been there, you'd understand. Lieutenant Luxx passed through almost two hundred guards. She managed to incapacitate a few, but she simply avoided most of them, including over fifty archers. She laid her weapons at my feet with only one scratch. Later that day, I was informed that my military was substandard and that the Conglomerate had offered their services to help me increase their training in order to protect ourselves from Terric. Are you saying that offer was false?"
"I was not in office at the time the offer was made. Unlike Anglia, our leaders are chosen by the people and elected at regular intervals."
"I've thought about that. It does make sense, I suppose, although, with a government that rotates so frequently, I would think you'd experience more mistakes, such as being unaware of the leaders of allied nations, or possibly lack documentation about the international espionage you send your soldiers on. Regardless, I wouldn't have thought that holding a military tribunal in one of those allied nations would be the wisest way to keep my country's political secrets, well, secret."
"Are you saying that you disagree with how the Conglomerate is run?" Berrik snapped at the King.
Dom’s smile was pleased. "No more than you were complaining about Anglia, I'm sure. Now, please. Let me assure you. This soldier is about as far above reproach as they come. She performed her duties flawlessly, refused my offer of land and titles three times, and returned here, aware she was going to be court-martialed, even with those offers still available to her. She managed to not only save my life a few times, but also," he paused and looked at the Representative for a long moment, "this soldier secured my agreement to consider an Alliance with the Conglomerate of Free Citizens. I would hate to think that offer was made with false information. Colonel, what do The Conventions say about alliances made with inaccurate information?"
