by Jenn Nixon
“Yes, Mother.” Tiva nodded. D’laja rose, pulled at Zenid’s tunic, and whispered in her ear. Tiva watched the two, and raised an eyebrow sensing amusement from her trainer. Zenid grinned and then D’laja took off. The doors to the lift finally opened, and Tiva waited for her trainer to enter. Zenid nodded and walked in, followed by the young girl.
“Your manners are impeccable, Guardian Boon,” Zenid said.
“Thank you, Guardian Finto,” she said with a slight bow of her head. Again, she felt amusement emanating from her trainer, but remained silent. They rode up for a few long moments. The doors opened. Zenid walked out and looked down at the hollowed space surrounding the lift. Tiva followed, resting her hands on the guardrail, admiring the breathtaking sight. Not only were they almost at the top of the tower, she could see every floor’s walkway below them. The people scurrying across the expanse looked strange from high above.
“Are you ready to discuss your aspirations, Guardian Boon?”
“Yes, I am.”
“This way,” she said, and clasped her hands in front of her and led her into another room that was sparsely decorated, yet comfortable. They sat opposite each other on soft couches, and Zenid handed two parchments to Tiva and took out a small palm-sized data recorder. “The first is level three duties: The Palace Grounds. You can choose to be a gatekeeper, standard patroller, tower watcher, or general security. The second is level two duties: The Palace. For this level, you can choose to be a guard for the various floors of the palace, including the throne room and Great Hall. You can also opt to patrol the perimeter, entrance/exit monitor, as well as palace escort to visitors.”
Tiva reviewed the list of duties. “I know which I will choose for each level, but my aspirations go beyond level two, Guardian Finto.”
“I have heard as much…” she said, then twisted her mouth slightly, “Tiva, speak forthrightly of what you wish.”
“I wish to be the king’s Royal Guardian.”
“You are aware that Abennelp has never had a female elite guardian? The test for level one is very intense and difficult.”
Tiva nodded looking straight into Zenid’s eyes. “I understand, but it is my wish. Each first-born child in my family has been an elite level one Royal Guardian. Tradition may say that a girl has never held such a rank, but I will continue the history of my family. I will train hard, and I will be the first.”
“You seem very determined. I will mark it on your record. First, however, take a step back and speak your choices for level three and two.”
“I wish for standard patrols or security, and perimeter or interior patrols,” she said, trying to glance at her record covertly. Zenid shifted on the couch pulling the recorder closer and met her eyes. Tiva’s markings turned slightly pink as she grinned sheepishly. “May I know what my record says?”
“Not at this time, perhaps in the future,” Zenid said. “Now, what else do you wish to accomplish during your training, Guardian Boon?”
“I would like to become well rounded in all there is to know about being a guardian. Aside from education, my empathic abilities require more centering, and I wish to sharpen my fighting skills.”
“I see, very well. Your parents seem to have taught you well at home, you are quite articulate for someone of your age.”
“Thank you, Guardian Finto.” Tiva bowed her head slightly. Zenid chuckled slightly and put a hand on her shoulder.
“You may call me Zenid, Tiva.” She smiled. “Guardians must stick together, and many of us have adopted a casual manner with each other. Besides, we are neighbors and I have known you and your family for many cycles. Just remember, in the presence of the Royals or government heads, you need to use proper titles.” Tiva nodded. “I see a productive future for us, Tiva. Are you ready for your aptitude tests?”
“Yes, Guar…Zenid, I’m ready.”
“Prepare to fight,” Zenid said.
Tiva pulled her sword from its sheath and held it flat against her nose. Tespor, her opponent, followed suit and smiled from behind his blade. She didn’t return the smile. Instead, she elevated her elbow moving the sword up to her right, parallel to the ground. Tespor lunged forward, swinging his sword at her shoulder. Tiva blocked the attack and spun around quickly building momentum. The sword neared Tespor’s chest, but she changed her assault, forcing the blade down toward his stomach. Again, the weapons collided. Tiva felt the vibration ride up her arm through her hands. They danced back and forth, dodging, blocking, parrying, and striking at each other. Tiva never let her attention stray from Tespor, but she felt Zenid’s eyes studying her.
“You need not to hold back, Tiva,” Tespor said as his sword slammed into hers.
“I don’t want to hurt you, my weapon is sharper than yours,” she said, pushing down on her sword to force his to the ground.
“Stop!” Zenid raised her voice over the clang of the metal. Both stopped mid-swing and faced her. “Well done, the both of you. I can see you are able to handle a full sword, Tiva, now we will test your strength and speed.” She looked to the far end of the training field, her eyes focusing on a small chest near the entrance to the king’s garden. Tiva and Tespor followed her gaze. “Inside the chest are two practice swords. Retrieve them and return quickly.”
Tiva was off and running before Tespor moved. She heard Zenid chuckle behind her, but she kept her sights on the chest without look back. Her eyes searched the ground before her, making sure there were no ditches or unevenness in her path. She pumped her legs harder sensing Tespor gaining on her. A small smile crossed her lips when she spotted a boulder ahead of her. She hopped off the ground, landed on the boulder, pushed off with all her strength, and soared through the air. She flipped over the chest and landed behind it. Pulling open the top quickly, she reached in for one of the wooden swords. A shadow of movement crossed in her line of vision, and when she tilted her head up Tespor was a stride or two from the chest. She pushed the top down and jumped on top. She pushed off, flipped over Tespor, landing behind him, and ran back toward Zenid.
Zenid was making notes in the palm recorder when Tiva slowed her pace.
“Excellent.” Zenid smiled.
“Thank you.” Tiva took in a deep breath.
Zenid turned to Tespor when he arrived a few moments after, “Excellent job as well.”
“Thank you, Zenid,” he said, his expression betraying the sentiment. Tiva knew he was upset; however, she kept her thoughts to herself. Tespor gripped the wooden sword and twisted it over once in his wrist and looked to the sparring field. Zenid’s lip curled into a smile and she nodded.
“Take your places,” she bellowed.
Tiva followed Tespor to the middle of the field. They bowed and took their stance, staring at each other and waiting.
“I will not hold back this time if you wish, Tespor,” Tiva said, meeting his eyes. She noticed his markings turn darker, then slightly pink, and felt as much confusion from him as the crescent moons displayed.
He nodded to her, raising the sword higher. “Fight with all your might, Tiva. I will do the same.”
“Begin!”
Tespor lunged, taking the first strike again. His blow, more powerful than anything he did earlier, took Tiva by surprise, and she stumbled back. Her mouth twisted to a small grin as she clutched the wooden hilt with both hands. She forced the faux blade toward him in an upward motion blocked his next strike, and the tip of her weapon struck his shoulder. Without hesitating, she spun around aiming for his other shoulder. Tespor’s sword collided with hers; he glared at her, grunted, and pushed against her weapon. She hopped back, steadied herself, and jumped toward him for another bout.
A few grunts and groans escaped their lips as they exchanged blows on the field. Tiva struck Tespor twice on the shoulder, once on his hand, and twice in the gut. Tespor hit Tiva once on the shoulder, twice on her forearm and once on her leg.
When Zenid finally stopped the fight, Tiva noticed a few guardians had made their way over to w
atch. She also knew that Tespor was very angry. They bowed to each other and exited the sparring field. Zenid thanked Tespor for his help and dismissed him. He stomped away without acknowledging either of them.
Dumbstruck, Tiva watched him leave and frowned. “I don’t understand. Why is he so angry? He asked me not to hold back.”
Zenid kneeled down. “Sometimes people can’t control what they feel when their emotions are so strong. I believe Tespor is angry because he thinks you have bested him.”
“My technique is lacking, and he is much stronger than I. Perhaps I am quicker and my reflexes sharper…why would that make him angry if I was better?”
“You will come to learn over time, some men do not like to be bested by women.” Zenid smiled as she spoke. “Others, however, like the challenge, and many of the guardians seemed to have enjoyed the training.”
Tiva sighed, her thoughts straying to her friend. She shook off the feelings and looked to her mentor. “Did I do well Zenid?”
“You did very well. You will not have to bother with the basics in your weapons training, I’ll send my report to your uncle, and he will work out your training exercises. But now, we can go to the meditation room and test your empathic abilities.”
Tiva and Zenid returned to the palace. People rushed back and forth through the corridors. Tiva picked up a sense of urgency from many of them. When Zenid led her to the meditation room, she noticed it mirrored the earlier one, except billowy pillows covered the floor, and no other furniture was present. Zenid motioned for Tiva to sit, so she complied, picking a yellow pillow. Zenid sat next to her on a large blue one.
“First we will test your strengths, your projection abilities, and finally your ability to hide your own emotions,” Zenid said, creating the mood. She pressed her palms together, and Tiva followed suit. She then closed her eyes. “Clear your mind, Tiva. I will project an emotion to you, tell me what you feel.”
Tiva closed her eyes and did as told. Her thoughts and feelings slipped away. She felt others around her more clearly. Zenid’s emotions were strong, but not the only ones she picked up.
She focused on Zenid only, and felt the wave she was sending, “Happiness.”
“Good,” Zenid said quietly. “Again…”
Tiva reached out to her mentor pushing aside the other emotions she felt nearby, “Amusement.”
“Again.”
“Fear.”
“Again.”
“Embarrassment.”
“Good, open your eyes Tiva.”
Tiva opened her eyes Zenid was smiling at her. “I did well?”
“Yes, you did very well,” she said and made another note in the palm recorder. “There was one emotion in the background I projected that you did not sense, but that was merely a secondary test to see just how strong your abilities are.”
“I felt it, but I wasn’t sure it came from you. There are many people in the corridors and I sense some of their stronger emotions as well.” Tiva frowned. “I’m having problems separating them all.”
Zenid’s eyes widened for a moment, and she made another note, “I see. Interesting. I have seen others with heightened abilities, but rarely this young. Can you mind-speak, Tiva?”
“I do not believe so,” she said, “but I have inherited my mother’s Nature Sense.”
“Ah, yes. D’laja is very strong with the Nature Sense.” Zenid nodded and made another note in the recorder. “Now, I want you to project a few emotions to me. Think of things that make you happy and sad, perhaps something you are frightened of, or something that makes you angry.”
Tiva nodded and closed her eyes. She let her mind wander toward the different emotions Zenid had asked, felt each as they passed through her. Zenid touched her mind to sense the emotions, Tiva kept herself calm and relaxed. After a few more moments, Zenid said, “Good Tiva, your projections need some sharpening, but you did well.”
Tiva opened her eyes again expecting to see Zenid near, however she was at the opposite side of the room going through a hutch in the corner. She watched, curious, then smiled inwardly and cleared her mind to sense what Zenid was doing. She chuckled. Tiva’s markings turned pink. “I’m sorry. I thought perhaps it was a test.”
“It was, and you did as I thought you would.” She smiled and carried over a long wooden box placing it between them as she took a seat. “Concealing your emotions from others can be accomplished in two ways. I am sure your parents have taught you the easier of the two ways already.” Tiva nodded. “Good. Suppression is not the only way to block others from reading you. You will learn more about this during your training in the cycles to come. For now, however, we will test your basic suppression. Some of this may be uncomfortable, but you will not be harmed.” Zenid opened the box and pulled out a few items. She placed four things directly in front of Tiva: a feather, a dagger, a writing utensil, and a rock. “Now close your eyes again.”
Tiva breathed deep and closed her eyes. She rested her palms on her knees, waited. Several long quiet moments passed, then, she felt the soft feather on her face. Her first reaction was to laugh, but as the smile began to form on her lips, she froze. She cleared her mind of thought and pushed back on the feelings that were encroaching to the surface. I am not happy, I am not being tickled, nothing is happening to me. Repeatedly in her mind, she tried to convince herself, and suddenly she felt Zenid try to sense her. Tiva pushed the feelings deeper inside. She continued to concentrate on keeping the emotions hidden, but couldn’t hide the initial shock she felt when Zenid suddenly pierced her arm with the dagger. The pain was minimal, and easy to suppress. She pushed back, and went beyond suppressing her feelings; she began to force herself to feel nothing.
Zenid’s mind touched hers probing again. Tiva sensed the surprise from her mentor, but continued to focus on feeling nothing. Her concentration did not waver; she was void and emitted nothing to her mentor. “Open your eyes, Tiva.”
As Tiva opened her eyes, a powerful wave of terror came from every direction. Her markings turned neon, and her face paled. Zenid grabbed her hand, “What’s wrong?”
“Panic, confusion, a large fight, or…I’m not quite…” Tiva gasped and bolted to her feet. She ran to the door without thinking.
“Tiva wait!” Zenid called out after her. “Where are you going?”
“I…there was…something has happened in the Hentor Province,” she stammered.
“How do you know this?” Zenid rushed to her side.
“I can feel it, I must go. I have to find my mother.” Tiva ran out of the room, down the corridor, and dashed straight for the tower lift. Zenid followed, and slowed her as they neared the lift.
“Tiva, you are just a guardian trainee, these matters do not concern you,” she said.
“My father is in the Hentor Province!”
Zenid’s markings turned neon, she nodded and pushed Tiva into the lift when the doors opened, “Go, find your mother. I will see what happened.” Zenid turned and ran out of sight. Tiva pressed the keypad in the lift and began her descent. She paced within the confined space, glancing to the ground below every so often. She exited the lift when it reached the bottom, and caught another round of strong emotions.
People rushed back and forth, paying little mind to her wandering alone through the corridors. A group of guardians and legionnaires congregated near the throne room entrance. Tiva brushed past them, searched for her mother. She ran down the corridor to the main study and darted out of the palace through to the guardian corridor. She expected to see her cousin Towt, instead Litru and Zaynus stood at the entrance.
“Guardians Truda! Have you seen my cousin Towt Narja?” she said breathlessly.
“We have not seen him,” Litru answered and Zaynus said, “You seem distressed, Guardian Boon, speak of your worries.”
“Something happened in the Hentor Province, my father is there,” she said with a hint of panic in her voice. “Please, I need to find my mother.”
Litru knelt down and
took Tiva’s hand in his. “We will help you.”
Zaynus nodded and pulled out a portable communications device. “Do not worry, everything will be fine.”
Dazed, Tiva absently stared at the twins. Litru led her down the corridor gently holding her hand. Zaynus followed and spoke quietly into the PCD, requesting help contacting D’laja. The three entered the main study. Litru guided Tiva to one of the couches. He smiled, trying to allay her worries obviously sensing her emotions.
Zaynus pulled at his brother’s tunic and they walked to the far corner of the room. Though they were whispering, Tiva heard every word.
“Central Communications is trying to contact D’laja at home or in her hover. Stay with her, I will head back to the entrance. Keep sharp brother, something has happened.” Litru waited for his brother to leave, then returned to the couch and sat next to Tiva. She looked up at him, her eyes full of fear and sadness. Litru wrapped an arm around her shoulder and drew her against him.
“Such is the life we lead, Guardian Boon. I would like to tell you it gets easier the older you become, but worry and concern for your loved ones never fade,” he said. “We will hear word shortly.”
“Thank you,” she said. She curled up and wrapped her arms around her legs. She pushed aside the feelings, not enjoying them in the slightest.
Litru projected hopeful emotions toward her inadvertently, though his general disposition seemed very lighthearted. She tried to find comfort in his arms, but she needed her parents. Tiva closed her eyes and leaned into Litru. Warmth and caring emanated from him. Surprisingly, she began to calm, Litru had an interesting effect on her. Suddenly another strong wave struck her. She leapt up from the couch. “No!”
Litru stood. “Guardian Boon?”
“The gates,” she said, bolting for the corridor.
“Tiva, wait!” he shouted from behind.
She forced the palace doors open and ran toward the main gates. Litru then Zaynus called out to her, but she continued speeding down the path. Seeing a short cut, she ran through the king’s garden, leaping over benches and shrubbery. She ran harder, digging into the ground increasing her speed. Something terrible has happened. She soared over the last of the flowerbeds, rounded the outer wall of the garden, and skidded to an abrupt stop.
