by Kris A Hiatt
“Attention!” yelled another.
All of the men and women training in the yard snapped to and silence filled the air. Treace could easily tell why there was a need for the new buildings. There were so many people milling about the training yard that there was no way all of them could train at the same time and be safe doing it. There just wasn’t room.
“At ease,” Exodin told them, sliding off his horse.
A young boy took the reins of Exodin’s horse and began walking it in the direction of the stable. Treace noticed several other boys at the ready to do likewise with the rest of the horses. He hoisted his leg over and slid down.
The others behind him did the same.
“Is the baron aware of our return?” Exodin asked one of the guards.
“Yes, Commander,” the man replied.
Treace didn’t catch the first guard calling Exodin his commander, but he didn’t miss the second. Tabor was the commander of Liernin’s forces and was the very man that had first offered Treace a job as a city guard. “Commander? What happened to Tabor?”
“I’m certain Baron Liernin would like to explain that, sir,” the man replied.
“Take us to him,” Exodin commanded.
“Sir,” the man said.
They were led through the palace’s rear doors and past the barracks that Treace used to reside in. He remembered the time that he yelled at the other guards for their belittling of Plent. Plent wasn’t the best guard, or friend, Treace had met while serving under Tabor, but he wasn’t the worst either. He thought the memory came back to him because it was then that Treace first voiced his concern for the lack of teamwork within the ranks. He threatened the men, something he now realized was a foolish thing to do, but Tabor had overheard him and backed him up. Tabor was a good man and Treace hoped that he was okay.
They entered the courtyard and Liernin came into view. He was standing next to his wife, Amana, and Drevic. Next to Drevic was a man Treace thought he’d seen before, but didn’t recognize right away. As they got closer he realized it was the man from the streets in Kadenton when he was being paraded through the city and into Shamir’s prison. Treace remembered him because he stuck out as much for his clean shaven face and head as he did for not glowering at him like everyone else.
“Daddy?” Kiril squeaked from behind him.
She was walking right beside him. He didn’t even realize she had stopped.
“Kiril!” the bald-headed man cried.
Kint? Was that man really Kint? How was that possible?
“Daddy!” Kiril yelled as she sprinted past Treace and toward the older man.
Kint walked quickly toward her and they came together and hugged each other tight. They turned as they hugged, rocking back and forth.
Treace could see tears streaming down both of their faces. The lump in his throat told him he’d have tears streaking down his very shortly.
He continued past them and approached Liernin and Drevic, wanting to give her time with her father. He still couldn’t believe it.
“Welcome back,” Liernin told them.
“As touching as this reunion is,” Exodin began. “We need to talk.”
“Let them have their moment,” Drevic instructed quietly.
“Is it really him?” Exodin asked.
“It appears so,” Liernin replied.
“How?” Moffred asked.
“Apparently he faked being stone-faced so that Disdane would leave him for dead,” Drevic explained. “A risky move.”
“When did he arrive?” Treace asked, trying to piece things together. If Kint was the man in the streets of Kadenton, what was he doing there?
“Shortly after you left for Lake City,” Drevic explained. “How’s your mom?”
“Thanks to Heral, here,” Treace said, grabbing Heral’s shoulder. “She’ll be fine.”
“Glad to hear,” Liernin offered.
“What took him so long to get here?” Moffred asked.
“That,” Drevic began. “He wouldn’t say. He said he’d wait and tell that tale when his daughter had returned. He’s a curious fellow, that’s for sure. And I’ve never met anyone stronger in the use of magic.”
“So you’ve seen it?” Moffred asked.
“Yes,” Drevic confirmed. “But why he’s helping us still remains a mystery. That too, he said could wait until Kiril’s return. I’m quite interested in hearing what he has to say.”
“Baron,” Exodin cut in. “If I may? I’m sure Kint and his story is quite interesting, but we have serious things to discuss.”
“Very well,” Liernin said. “Archbishop, I’ll leave this to you.”
Drevic nodded and Liernin and Exodin walked off.
Treace wasn’t certain if he should stay with Drevic or follow Exodin.
Liernin made the decision for him when he turned around and motioned for him.
He nodded to Drevic and his friends before jogging to catch up to the baron and his mentor. Well, he thought, one of his mentors.
“Treace!” Kint called out.
He turned to face the older man and raised his brow.
“Thanks for keeping her safe,” Kint told him.
“Truth be told, sir, she’s the one who kept me safe.”
Kint smiled and nodded before hugging his daughter tightly again.
“What happened to Tabor?” Exodin asked as they moved further away from the group.
“He refuses to see you,” Liernin said hesitantly. “He’s still quite sore about his daughter.”
Treace recalled the story that another guard, Primain, had told him about Exodin’s past. When he was much younger, he had fallen in love with Tabor’s daughter. The two of them kept their love a secret and when Relandra, Tabor’s daughter, got pregnant, they came forward and told the truth. Tabor was furious, as was Drokier, since the latter was promised by the former that he could be the one to marry Relandra. In the end, it wasn’t to be. Relandra, and the child, died during birth. Treace couldn’t imagine Exodin’s pain, or Tabor for that matter.
“At a time like this he still can’t keep his emotions in check,” Exodin stated in angry disbelief.
Even though he said it with a little anger in his voice, Treace also detected pain mixed in there too. Even though many years had gone by, he supposed Exodin didn’t like being reminded of his lost family either.
“We both agreed that you’d take over as the commander of my forces,” Liernin explained. “Since you’ll be taking Treace with you, Tabor is my new personal guard.”
Treace wasn’t offended at the news, nor was he glad. He’d miss his duties as Liernin’s personal guard, but he’d miss spending time with the baron’s son, Liern, even more. During his time of training Liern how to fight with a sword, the two of them had become quite close. He respected Liern’s unrelenting optimism and eagerness to learn. He’d miss spending time with the young man.
“I noticed a lot of new construction already,” Exodin stated. “We’re off to a good start.”
“It’s a start, but I wouldn’t call it good,” Liernin argued. “I should have prepared for an attack on my beloved city a long time ago.”
“We have time,” Exodin assured him.
“Let’s hope so. We’ve begun building posts near to the border. I’ve dispatched the Elite Guard to oversee it. They’ve been trained, obviously, so it’s a hundred less men to get in your way,” Liernin replied.
Treace was about to ask where the extra seventy men came from, but then he recalled that there was an encampment stationed north of the city. The extra men must have come from there.
“Treace!” Liern exclaimed as the young man rushed to meet up with them.
“Hey Liern!” Treace replied, accepting a hug from his young friend. He smiled at not only the sight of the young man, but due to the fact that he was just thinking about him.
“Your mother okay?” Liern asked sheepishly.
“She is,” Treace replied.
“Mother said
to tell you that dinner is ready,” Liern informed his father.
“You go on ahead. I’ll join after I talk with these two,” the baron replied.
“She also wants them to join us.”
Liernin looked Exodin and Treace over. “I’ve learned not to argue with that woman long ago. We can discuss this after dinner. Join us?”
“We’d love to,” Exodin replied.
“Lead on, young man,” Treace told Liern.
Liern skipped ahead of them with a smile on his face.
Treace marveled at how oblivious Liern seemed to be with the recent events. The whole city was preparing for war and yet the young man was skipping down the hall. Either Liern was oblivious of it, or he just didn’t understand the gravity of the situation. Treace wondered which.
Chapter 6
Treace ignored the blowing snow and watched intently as Kiril battled against Timin below him in the ring. The observation deck that he and Exodin shared was covered in snow, but he didn’t mind. It was better to train in the cold than the heat.
Kiril was much quicker than her opponent, but he was stronger. He also had the reach advantage, given that he was using a sword and she was using fist weapons.
Treace thought back to when she first told him he was going to teach her how to use a sword. It seemed longer than the six months it had actually been. With all the physical training Treace was doing with the soldiers and mental training he was doing with Kint, he could hardly tell the days apart anymore.
“She is fast,” Exodin remarked.
It was true. Even after watching her progress as a fighter, her speed was still remarkable. Kiril’s fists flew much faster than most, including her own sword arm, which is why Exodin suggested she learn to fight with fist weapons instead of a sword. Kiril agreed to it immediately. “She was fast to begin with, but now she’s even quicker. Possibly faster than I am. Surely faster than you.”
“Even as tired as you are, you still never miss a chance do you?” Exodin asked while shaking his head with a smile.
“Never,” Treace told him.
“Stay outside,” Exodin yelled down at Timin. “You’ve got the reach advantage.”
“You’re quicker, Kiril,” Treace coached. “Move in and out. He can’t match your speed.”
Kiril started to dart in but Timin slashed defensively in front of him with his sword. Kiril raised her forearm and the sword clacked off of her armguard. It nearly slid all the way to the hook at the end near her elbow. If it had, the fight would have been over. The gathered crowd’s intake of breath signaled that they thought the same. It was cold, but that didn’t stop the men from watching this fight. Kiril had gained the respect of many with not only her fighting abilities, but how quickly she had learned to do so. Not many missed the opportunity to watch her fight. Treace suspected that part of it was also due to how attractive Kiril was, but he never said as much. He preferred to think she garnered such a crowd strictly for her fighting prowess.
“That’s a genius design,” Exodin remarked.
“Smith is talented,” Treace agreed. Smith, using the name of his profession as his actual name, was the baron’s personal smith. Treace used to be a blacksmith and had considered himself quite gifted at smithing. Many others agreed. But as good as Treace was, Smith’s works were widely regarded as the best in the land. The man had come up with a clever armguard design that allowed Kiril’s fist weapons to be fitted directly to the armor. She could punch as hard as she wanted and defend strikes with either forearm. Near the elbow was a hook so that it caught a sword if it ever slid that far, allowing her to twist her arm and use it to try to disarm her foe. At the very least she could control her opponent’s sword, which as advantageous as it could be, was also dangerous. If they were stronger than her, that meant they could potentially control her arm as well.
Kiril snapped off a counter punch that Timin barely got out of the way of.
“Back out!” Exodin roared.
“In! In! In!” Treace yelled.
Timin tried to do as he was told, but Kiril was faster. It was cold and slippery and Timin was moving backward. He could only hope to move faster backward than Kiril could move forward under perfect conditions. These were less than perfect and he was caught easily.
Kiril performed a quick combination into her opponent’s midsection before the man could react. He tried to bring his sword up and back down on the inside in an attempt to stab at her flank, but just as quickly as she was there, she was gone again. She had hopped backwards and her opponent’s sword caught nothing but air.
“If she gets much better, she’ll be your equal,” Exodin surmised.
“Then you admit she’s already far beyond your skills?”
“It’s a good thing I’m unarmed,” Exodin warned in jest.
“Shall I give you back your sword then?” Treace asked.
“I didn’t give it to you, I gave it to The Wolf.”
“I am The Wolf,” Treace reminded his friend. He did appreciate that fact that Exodin gave him his sword. Treace had crafted one for him and one for Jensen, who had previously given it back to him. He didn’t feel slighted that both of them returned their gifts. They weren’t being disrespectful, they were trying to honor him. For as long as he’d use the swords, Treace would always be reminded of both men when he drew them from his back. He would forever be in their debt and using swords that he made for them was his small way of honoring them in return.
“You’re just a scared pup that doesn’t know that he should submit to his alpha,” Exodin asserted.
“Do I need to remind you that you haven’t beaten me since I was twelve?”
“Oh, come on!” Exodin exclaimed. “That was a good one. You’ve got to give me credit for that!”
“It was good. If only it wasn’t coming from the omega of the pack.”
“Perhaps you’ve been right all along. I have nothing further to teach you. I thought I could teach you some manners and to respect others, but I see now that I can’t. I must be an idiot for thinking I could.”
“I’m glad you finally admit it.”
“Sidestep and slash, Timin!” Exodin yelled.
“No reply?” Treace asked.
“I should have let Wren kill you.”
“You said so yourself. You were saving his life, not mine.”
“Fine,” Exodin relented. “I give.”
Treace loved having these verbal battles with Exodin. The man was getting much better. He might even be up for a challenge with Moffred someday soon.
“I wish Rinin had caught that bastard,” Exodin said a moment later.
“Why do you think Wren did it?”
“Like Emiah said, I think he didn’t like the idea of me being the constable instead of him.”
“I know he didn’t like the idea. With you as constable he couldn’t get away with whatever he wanted. But to kill his own father? That’s cold, even for Wren.”
“You of all people should know how cold that bastard is,” Exodin told him.
“I know. He’s a bastard all right. What gets me is how he’s remained hidden for so long,” Treace told him. He didn’t think the pampered man could live for long on the run while on his own. If he wasn’t dead in the woods somewhere already, which Treace admitted wasn’t a completely unpleasant thought, then Treace thought Wren must have outside help. He had no idea who would help him, though. Rinin had sent word to all the other towns and mining locations that Wren was wanted for murder. Still, no one had seen or heard from him. None that reported anyway.
“He could be dead for all we know. If not, Rinin will get him, don’t you worry.”
Rinin’s reputation didn’t take as big of a hit as he thought it would for not finding Wren. Most people in Lake City were just glad the man was out of their lives. By all accounts the good people of Lake City loved their new constable. Exodin had chosen wisely.
“Will he join us?” Treace asked.
“No. Lake City needs him, even
if half her people are here now,” Exodin replied, obviously knowing that Treace was speaking of Rinin.
Treace nodded his head. He wasn’t aware of it at the time, but prior to leaving Lake City, Exodin had instructed the mill to begin operating at near max capacity once again. For five straight months the lumberjacks of Lake City sent lumber downriver and into Haven. That lumber is still being used to build a new wall around Haven and some was used to build several new ships. Now, many of the men capable of swinging an axe have become part of Liernin’s army.
“Put her on her heels!” Exodin roared. “Go after her!”
“He’ll lose more quickly if he does,” Treace said quietly.
Timin put his head down and did as his Exodin suggested.
“I don’t think you give him enough credit,” Exodin told him, giving Treace a look.
“And you don’t give her enough,” Treace said, pointing his finger down at the fight, making Exodin’s eyes follow his finger.
Just as Treace finished his sentence, Kiril’s fist connected hard with Timin’s jaw. He didn’t know if Exodin saw the maneuver, but Treace was proud of Kiril for the way she baited Timin into falling for her feint. Timin was no novice, yet he was taken by surprise and bested by a fighter with much less training than him. Kiril was fascinating.
The crowd erupted.
Kiril reached her hand out to help pick Timin off of the ground. His lip was split and he was certainly dazed, but he was with it enough to accept her hand.
“You don’t deserve her,” Exodin said.
“I know,” Treace agreed. He knew Exodin was only teasing, but Treace wholeheartedly agreed. She was wonderful in so many ways. She was smart, beautiful, and now, quite dangerous. There weren’t many capable of beating her in combat with weapons, and fewer still that could match her magical prowess. He was lucky she chose to stick by his side.
Kiril looked at him and gave two thumbs up. He returned them and offered the warmest smile he could, which she returned.
They weren’t married by any means, but they did spend a lot of time together. Many just accepted they were a couple without actually asking if they were. Treace didn’t mind. They were friends, first and foremost. If it progressed to the point they were lovers, he would welcome it with open arms. Until then, he would enjoy their time together as friends.
