Blades of Fate

by Alledria Hurt

  He blinked again to push away the tired feeling. His mind drifted.

  The recollection of his dreams pushed its way to the front. The woman, the more he thought about her, the more he saw the Queen. They had never been introduced. Most assassins did not know their targets; it made for messy accidents. However, the play had given him time to study her looks. He knew she was indeed the woman from the dream, but who was Vadian? What part did the dragon play in all of this? His eyes dropped closed. The dragon reappeared in front of him. It did not speak, yet it carried with it a message. If only he could make sense of it.

  Sudden shaking woke him.

  Master Calinn stood at his side, one hand on his shoulder.

  "Come, I bartered you a way out."

  Warden came to his feet. The older man looked him over.

  "How bad was it?"

  "The wound is a shallow scratch. Barely worth anyone's notice." Wrapping his cloak around his shoulders, he made ready to leave.

  "Good," Calinn said. "Come quickly."

  The pair went down the stairs together. On the street, Calinn explained,

  "One of the guard captains is a comrade of mine. Though the command was the seal the city, he sits on an area where he can help you over the wall. Then you'll be able to find a horse and make good your escape." Few passed them on the wide boulevard despite the hour when a lesser street would be busy. At the first crossroad, Calinn turned south toward the mountain.

  "How far away is his position?" Warden asked.

  "Don't worry, it is not far from where the wall comes down off the mountain. The shadows will hide you."

  The mention of shadows tickled something in his mind, but Warden pushed it away.

  "I have heard little of your pursuers," Calinn said. "If they move through the city, they are remarkably quiet."

  "They would have reason to be. Their very existence is treason."

  "So now is yours," the old man said stopping to allow another to pass. Both of them looked up at the same time to see a small knot of people forming. Calinn grabbed Warden's shoulder.

  "If we are separated, the captain's name is Efried and he waits at the south wall for you." With that, he offered Warden his hand.

  "You don't have to do this. You have a life here."

  "Once upon a time, a master did much the same for me to allow me to have this life. I will do no less for another." They headed up the streets toward the knot which opened to receive them. Warden skirted to the edge, knowing it would be in his best interest to run as soon as possible. Yet he hesitated. He didn't want to see the Master cut down for helping him. Still undecided, he made a break for it down a side alley. Several broke off to chase him.

  The last thing he saw was Master Calinn pulling out a dagger against others. He didn't have time to consider it much. Instead, he ran, cloak flapping as he made his way through the streets ducking one way then another to stay ahead of his would-be killers.

  He dropped under the neck of a horse and charged across the street ahead of some walkers. Those following him were cut off by the carriage the horse dragged. He lost sight of them and dipped into another alley. Passing by a woman standing in her doorway, he had a moment to consider where he was going. His general direction had been chosen when he took off. Now he needed to find his way to the appropriate section of the wall so he could leave. Perhaps if he made it out of the city, he would be safe. He felt no certainty in that, however. His only certainty was in getting away he would still be alive. Nothing else mattered.

  Looking over his shoulder, he checked for pursuit. No one came charging up the street at him, so he breathed a sigh of relief. One thing done. Now to another. Turning, he headed toward the wall. He needed to reach the wall in the shadow of the mountain. Efried would let him out. He could shake the dust of the city from his boots.

  It was cooler in the shadow of the mountain and Warden thanked the heavens for it. The Burning Island was not known for its breezes. Standing at the base of the wall, he gazed upward. A few men walked back and forth. This close to the mountain the wall was mostly for show. Any force coming at the city from this side would have to come from the sea. However, it was there. Stairs mounted up the side to allow the soldiers to walk across the top. Warden went up the stairs.

  At the top, he was held at spear point by two guards.

  "Off the wall," one said.

  "I came looking for Efried," Warden said.

  "What business do you have with the captain?"

  "I was referred to him by a friend, Master Calinn. I was told the Captain could help me."

  "Go to the captain," said the first. "I will hold him here."

  Warden considered how easy it would be to overwhelm the guard with his own weapon and then be over the wall before the other returned, but stayed his hand. There was no telling if he would need this information again and hurting someone unnecessarily might render it useless. He waited with his hands in clear view for the captain to come.

  When the man came back with the captain, Warden marked Efried as a tall man with quite broad shoulders, perhaps a born soldier from the way he carried himself. He wore heavy armor which must be baking him in the heat of the day.

  "You come to me from Master Calinn?" Efried asked.

  "Yes. He said you would be able to help me."

  "Why are you leaving the city?"

  "That is my business."

  "And mine since I will be helping you leave. Tell me or get off the wall."

  He didn't have to wrack his brain for a lie. An old one came to his lips.

  "I've offended a noble family with one of their daughters. I need to be gone from the city for a while in order to allow things to die down."

  One of the soldiers snickered and the captain pinned them down with his eyes. The sound died away. Warden put his hands out.

  "Please, you can see why I am in such a delicate position. I need to disappear."

  "If it is one of the true nobility, adherents of Ancel, disappearing may not save you."

  Warden nodded. Those who followed the god of war could be known for their ability to hold grudges and to end them with swords. He didn't want any part of that. Thankfully, he had no such thing to worry abut. Just the fanatical Daughters of Curcula. They wanted his head on a stick. He fully intended to deny them the pleasure.

  "Do we have a deal?" he asked waiting for the captain to say something.

  "We have a deal. You may cross over the wall here. You will have to find your own horse, however."

  "Thank you."

  The wall wasn't flat, but rather sloped so that it was widest at the base. Warden crawled across and then slid the short distance to the slope of the mountain below. Once he had his footing, he walked down staying close to the wall. In order to see him, one had to be looking straight down. That was how he walked away from Arathum.

  There were no trees to duck into on this side of the city. Instead, he had to keep going until he reached the main road. One of the gates led directly out onto that road, but they were so busy keeping people in that they did not look for someone walking away.

  He was out of the city a half mile before he came upon a caravan encampment. He skirted the edge of their tents. They must have been denied access earlier in the day. Their horses stood nearby with their heads down occasionally nuzzling at the fine dirt which produced little grass.

  Picking one a distance from the others, Warden sidled up and mounted easily. Certain no one noticed him, there was no shouting, he rode away. He kicked the horse into a gallop and made his way down the main road away from Arathum as fast as the horse could run.

  Some distance further on, he came upon a horse carrying two. He stopped away from them, his heart pounding for no reason. Without seeing their faces, he knew at least one of them. He dreamed of her. He dismounted and walked toward her. She stood her ground.

  First Meetings

  Between them lay the dust of the road. She stood tall and stiff as he walked forward leading his stole
n horse. Well within reach of her voice, he stopped. She took in every inch of him: the difference in his carriage, the shape of his face, the length of his hair. All of it stuck in her memory. The last time she had seen him he had been much different. This creature was more rangy than built. Prepared for speed not for power. Then she sought his eyes. She wanted them to be red as his eyes had been. No, these were brown. Perhaps they would become red. Unarmed she felt naked before him.

  He came close enough to touch and she slapped him. When he brought his hands around to try and stop her from hitting him again, she attacked from the other side. A blade popped out at his wrist and she deflected the blow that would drive it into her side and kicked him in the stomach. He was indeed fast. She was faster.

  "Stop," he said.

  She hit him in the throat forcing him backward. At her back, she felt pearls of blood drip down her skin and soak into her shirt.

  Why had she chosen to fight him alone? The Trusted would have remained with her, but she had sent her ahead. Not for the best.

  He drew back, one arm protecting his side. She did not press him. Once upon a time, she had been called forth through combat. Could the same be done for him? His eyes said nothing she could read. When she punched at him again, he drew back further.

  "You cannot be him," she said. Yet the presence said it was so. How could she bring out what he was? He slashed with his blade, catching nothing but air as she gave ground before surging forward inside his guard to hit him in the teeth.

  The first shock of darkness reached up from the level of his skin and for a single moment his eyes turned blood red, but it faded.

  In her, the light leapt to the surface and spiraled around her hands. Around her the glow grew in spite of the daylight. Concentrating the light into her palms, she brought it all together for a single mass.

  He pulled away and the horse shied. Fascinated, he reached out to touch it.

  "Come back to me, Vadian."

  The words of her dream came unbidden to her lips, but the meaning was true. She sought her lover in his eyes, in the way he moved, in everything about him. If he was the one, then he must be him. There was no other way.

  Again his eyes flickered and he stood taller. Around him, the darkness flared like wings. Then it was gone.

  Her energy waned as she bled. Finally, she could hold it no longer. Beneath her, her knees buckled. He jerked forward to catch her as she went down. Her eyes remained open and a smile touched her lips as his red eyes gazed into hers.

  "Vadian."

  Still smiling, she slid down into the familiar darkness of the unconscious. It welcomed her with open arms.

  Warden came out of a black fog with an unconscious woman in his arms. He studied her face, caught in repose. Beauty attended her, but he thought he saw some touch of amusement there he didn't catch. The horse stood nearby. He looked to the animal then back at the woman.

  She was the Queen.

  He had studied her face the night before as he waited to kill her. There were those who wanted nothing more than to see her dead. And now she lay in his arms. Had Fate given him a second chance to finish what he started? The blade at his wrist was long enough to pierce her heart. She would be found dead on the road, perhaps when her companion returned with the guard. He brought the blade to her chest, pressing the tip against her skin.

  His arm shook.

  The point scratched her and a bead of blood appeared.

  He looked at her face again. She appeared so calm. His sore jaw spoke of a struggle, but he barely remembered it. Something had come between them. What was it? Laying her down in the dust of the road, he pulled his hand back to realize she bled.

  Last night, he had stabbed her and apparently missed what he aimed for. Today he stood over her with the very wound he inflicted bleeding into his hand. He steadied his breath.

  The Daughters of Curcula wanted her dead. He did not. They would try to kill him rather he killed her or not at this point. He could not stay their hand. Better to get as far away as he could. Yet did he dare leave her in such a state? Though there had been no movement on the road for some time with Arathum locked down, he couldn't be certain what would happen to her.

  The horse approached and nuzzled his hair. Warden batted him away.

  He should leave her.

  Something stirring inside of him whispered no.

  His eyes ran the length of her body and the small pool of blood now coming from beneath her.

  "Who are you to me?"

  Warden did not believe in kings or kingdoms. He lacked close ties. He kept his solitary life full of work. He had no reason to help her. Yet he couldn't just ride away and leave her there. He hefted her body out of the road and went to the horse. Throwing her over the saddle, he mounted himself. She needed a doctor. He needed to make good time away from Arathum or he risked being waylaid. He couldn't reach the nearest town before nightfall and he had no way of knowing what she would do when she awoke. However, he had few choices. His direction was away.

  He turned the horse the way he wished to go and rode on.

  Leviana awoke on her side in a bed she did not remember. Her final memory was of his face staring down into hers, now she lay somewhere she did not recognize. Carefully, she skimmed the room with her eyes. A candle cast a warm glow nearby, but that left much of the room in shadow. Turning her head, she tried to see more. Her neck protested, but she moved it just the same. Nothing. Turning the other way, she saw someone there at the edge of the room. In the chair not far from her sat Warden with his eyes shut. He did not stir when she put her feet on the floor but as she moved through the room, he said,

  "Not planning on leaving without saying goodbye, I hope."

  Without guilt, she sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at him.

  "Who are you?"

  "It doesn't matter. I saved your life there in the road."

  "And the night before you tried to take it. I haven't forgotten."

  Putting one hand against her back, she tested the edges of her wound. Someone had stitched it closed again and covered it with bandage. "If you wish to assert your right as my savior, then tell me your name."

  "Warden."

  "That's a title not a name."

  "It is my name."

  "No other?"

  "None."

  She scanned him but said nothing else. He returned her curious gaze.

  "Where are we?"

  "A small town to the northeast of Arathum. They had a surgeon and a warm place to sleep. I thought it would be best since you were bleeding to death ever so slowly."

  She did not say thank you. If he had chosen to leave her behind, she would have chased him. Her soul knew him for who he truly was. This mask of another man was nothing before the truth of the matter. But she would have to try harder to bring him out. How was she to do it? What did she remember of him drawing her out? The memories were there but they offered her no immediate answer. The memories were bathed in moon glow and surrounded by chains with links like blue and black stars.

  "In the morning, I'm riding north. I assume you will be returning to Arathum."

  "You must return with me."

  "I have nothing in Arathum to hold me--"

  "I can reward you for saving my life."

  "As you said, I only recently tried to take it. It's only fair."

  "I don't care about fair. I care about what I want and I want to reward you for choosing not to leave me to die."

  The conflict of emotions played on his face. Leviana read something there, but most of what she saw was greed. He would not turn down her invitation because it meant material gain for him. Vadian would be disgusted. He may have been a conqueror king, but he was also a warrior. He did not skulk in shadows. He did not attempt to kill from behind. He fought from the front and destroyed those who stood against him.

  "What will you give me?"

  "It is yours for the asking. I only wish that you accompany back to the palace so that it can be
rendered unto you."

  "And if I say no?"

  "That is your choice. I will not stop you."

  She would chase him to the ends of the earth to have Vadian back.

  Returning to Arathum

  Morning found them still sharing a room, though Leviana lay in the bed and Warden on the floor. She woke first and sat up. Watching him sleep curled in on himself illuminated nothing for her, but she did it anyway. When it had been her and Vadian, it was not unusual to find him watching her sleep. He often stayed up late into the night. She preferred the morning. Now she waited for him to come to. He struggled up out of a dream a few minutes later, rolling over on his back. He opened his eyes.

  "Immortal," he said.

  "Warden."

  "I see you're awake. Shall we make ready to leave?"

  "Yes."

  He was only gone a few minutes before he returned with a cold breakfast of fruit and water. She nibbled at it with little appetite. He scarfed down the rest.

  "How are you paying for this?"

  "I told the innkeeper I was the first of a caravan and I found you lying in the road. They gave you attention for free and he thinks there is a caravan coming that will stop here and pay him for the rest."

  "Ingenious story."

  "I will pay him out of the reward you give me."

  Leviana shook her head.

  "What about horses?"

  "I have a horse. It will have to do for both of us."

  "You can't lie your way into another horse?"

  "I don't want to stretch the story too far. That's when people start asking questions. Questions do no one any good."

  "Ah."

  Breakfast finished, they went down the stairs together. The innkeeper, a stick thin man with a sallow complexion, looked them over.

  "I see she's doing much better. The doctor will be pleased to know."