by M. Gregg Roe
The girl continued frowning as she pursed her thin lips. Dressed all in shades of brown, she was as tall as Aliva, but with a thin, athletic build. Romee had braided her dark brown hair into twin pigtails that swayed back and forth as she walked. On either side of her waist were a dagger and a shortsword, weapons she had been taught to wield by Draymund and his son, Saxloc, both of whom were skilled warriors.
“I thought you would fly me to Rohoville,” Romee said suddenly, presumably another random thought. “Audrey says you use magic to fly back and forth.”
“I booked us on a ship because I didn’t know what the weather would be like,” Aliva explained. But there was a second reason. She hoped that the leisurely trip would allow the two of them time to get better acquainted.
“It’s too foggy to fly,” Romee said, nodding. “We might run into something.”
“Rain and wind aren’t fun either,” Aliva said, smiling at the girl. “I’ll fly you around Rohoville on a nice day after you’ve settled in.”
“Okay,” Romee said as her gaze went distant. “I like flying.”
The visibility decreased even further as they continued on in silence. They could hear other people out, including some conversations, but seeing them was another matter.
“I think someone’s following us,” Romee whispered suddenly. She put her right hand on the hilt of her shortsword and glanced back. “It’s too foggy to see.”
After listening for a moment, Aliva said, “It sounds like two people wearing heavy boots.”
“City guards?” Romee asked.
“Probably.” Aliva smirked. “If they’re thieves, they’re not very good ones.”
Romee relaxed and giggled. “Maybe they’re thieves disguised as city guards.”
“Actually,” called out a man’s voice from behind them, “we’re city guards disguised as thieves who are disguised as city guards. I think.”
Aliva and Romee both laughed uproariously. The two men ended up escorting them to the south gate while patiently answering Romee’s rapid-fire questions about their work and training. It sounded as if the girl was considering city guard as an occupation, which wasn’t a bad idea. She might even end up working for Gabriel in a few years. Or maybe she would decide to remain in Rohoville or go somewhere else entirely.
It was still foggy when they reached the ship’s berth, but noticeably brighter. That was encouraging.
“There’s my trunk,” Romee said, pointing to where several items awaited loading onto the ship. The trunk contained both the girl’s clothing and the bulky practice gear that would be kept at the school once she started her classes.
The Dragon’s Fall measured fifteen yards from bowsprit to stern. The tops of the three towering masts were invisible in the fog. Aliva was no expert, but the ship looked fairly new. They watched as sailors clad in light blue uniforms began loading the ship, chatting casually as they exerted themselves. Some items went into the hold while others were placed on deck toward the rear and lashed down with netting. It was all orderly and precise, almost like a performance.
Once aboard, they seated themselves on a bench that was one of several located underneath a light blue canvas awning near the front of the ship. The only other passengers were a young human couple with a baby. Sitting stiffly to Aliva’s right, Romee began to fidget almost immediately.
“Is something wrong?” Aliva asked her as the crew made ready to cast off.
Romee looked over but didn’t respond immediately. “I’m worried the other students won’t like me,” she said at last, almost whispering.
“I’m sure it will be fine,” Aliva assured her. “In any large group, there will always be some people that don’t get along. Don’t worry about it.”
Romee nodded, but she looked doubtful.
Once the ship reached the center of the river channel, it picked up speed, carried by the strong current. In theory, the Diar River could carry them all the way to the Great Ocean. But if they were to try, they would all perish within the portion of the river that ran through the Gray Forest, just like every ship that had previously attempted the feat.
Romee suddenly stood up and went to the port railing, staring outward as her braids swayed slowly in the breeze. There was a sadness about the girl that worried Aliva. But maybe that would pass once she had settled into her new home. They couldn’t match the lavishness of Draymund and Almera’s mansion, but Stanley’s house was both modern and spacious.
She and Stanley had agreed that fostering Romee would be an excellent test. If they couldn’t look after one teenage girl for a few months, then they would reconsider their plan to adopt a child.
Aliva smiled coldly at a male crewman that kept eyeing her, and he hurriedly looked away. Had she been traveling alone, she might have altered her appearance in advance to one that attracted less attention. Since Romee believed that Aliva was a normal human, that hadn’t been an option.
A few minutes later, Romee returned to her seat. “It all looks the same,” she complained, scowling childishly.
Aliva saw it as an opportunity. She told Romee about Stanley’s background and the successful business he had started. Then she asked Romee all kinds of questions about her education, types of food she liked, taste in clothing, and so on. Judging by her eager responses, the girl was pleased by Aliva’s interest.
They arrived on schedule, and Aliva felt her heart lift when she spotted Stanley waiting to greet them. There were interesting times ahead.
Like a moth to a flame, Romee headed to the right with a rapt expression. To be fair, another student had apparently done the same, and he didn’t even seem to notice when Romee walked up next to him. Bolted securely to the stone wall, a large rectangle of painted wood depicted more types of weapons than Aliva knew existed. There were even large-scale weapons like ballistas and catapults.
This wasn’t the start of classes; the school expected new students to show up five days in advance. The first morning was set aside for a tour of the school’s accommodations and facilities, with the afternoon for students living in the dormitories to move in and get settled. Over the next three days, each student would be evaluated as to their physical condition and combat skills by a team of instructors. Given who had trained her, Aliva was confident that Romee would pass any practical test of skills. It was the classes that worried her. Romee was literate, but just barely. And her handwriting was atrocious.
The walk from the house to Danj’s School of Fighting wasn’t all that far. Unless, of course, you were accompanied by someone who was not only easily distracted but impulsive. After spotting a pretty butterfly, Romee had headed straight into the woods after it, nearly braining herself on a low branch. Aliva had needed to come today, but she would escort Romee to school for at least a few days. Otherwise, the girl would arrive late. Or maybe not at all.
Romee was still entranced when Aliva found herself in front of a desk manned by a barrel-chested, middle-aged man with disheveled, dirty blond hair. He had the look of a seasoned warrior, even down to having a ragged scar on his right cheek that stood out against his pale skin.
“Name?” he rasped, raising his thick eyebrows. Recognition showed in his brown eyes as he stared at her face, but that wasn’t surprising. Part of being so beautiful was that people remembered your appearance.
Aliva nodded to the right. “Her name is Romee.”
He riffled through a small pile of papers and removed one. “You’re obviously not Almera,” he said, frowning down at the neat handwriting.
“I’m adopted,” Romee said, suddenly standing to Aliva’s right. “They’re both half-elves. And so is their son. He’s my older brother, and I’ve got two younger sisters that are twins. Well, they’re not really my sisters. But we’re from the same place. And—”
“Romee,” Aliva said firmly, noting the man’s wry look of amusement. “He doesn’t need your life story. I can take care of this.”
“The course schedules are on the other wall,” he said to
Romee, and she darted over to them.
“We’ll settle her down,” he continued, looking over the application form. “Did Draymund teach her to slay dragons?”
She could tell it wasn’t a serious question.
“She is staying with you?” he continued, picking up a stylus in his beefy left hand and looking up.
“And my husband,” she said, suspecting he already knew who she was. “Stanley and Aliva.”
“The ferry owner,” he said, nodding as he jotted down their names. “Do you have an unmarried sister?”
“Only a dead half-sister,” she shot back, erasing his smirk. She wasn’t in a flirting mood, and it was the truth.
“Go through there and wait with the others,” he said, hooking a thumb at the oak door behind and to his left. “Next!”
The door led them to a covered area that bordered the large practice yard. Surrounded on all four sides by the two-story stone structure, it was floored with hard-packed dirt. The area was also empty at the moment. By the time the same man arrived to lead their tour, Romee was noticeably impatient, fidgeting and chewing on her lower lip.
Aliva enjoyed the tour, but she had to rein in Romee’s incessant questions several times. The dormitory rooms were small but adequate, and there was a large room that served as both a dining room and a common area for the students. But it was the armory that most impressed Romee and the other new students. Many of them asked questions there, but their guide wouldn’t permit them to handle any of the weapons. That was a relief.
Walking back home under brooding skies, Romee was silent as they strolled past the impressive castle where Rohoville’s rulers lived. The blue and red pennants at the tops of the round towers fluttered audibly in the stiff breeze.
“This is going to be so much fun!” Romee exclaimed, now all smiles. “I didn’t know they taught so much. I can learn how to command people, even whole armies.”
Aliva couldn’t picture Romee commanding anyone, but she said nothing as the girl continued to prattle. It would all work itself out in time.
Three days later, bad news arrived in the form of a letter written on the school’s distinctive light gray stationary, which featured a stylized drawing of the school’s namesake confronting a lion. It recalled an actual event, except that real lions weren’t that large. The letter was an ultimatum. Romee’s disruptive behavior needed to stop, or they would expel her from the school.
“We knew this was inevitable,” Stanley said, folding the letter neatly before handing it back. “She just can’t help herself.”
As the one who spent the most time with her, Aliva knew that all too well. Where she had lived in the Witch’s City, Romee could run around the grounds to burn off energy. Or she could pester the twins into playing with her. Or she could practice her combat skills in the training area underneath the mansion. Here, they struggled to keep the girl entertained, and they didn’t dare let her go out on her own. Unlike Almera, they didn’t have a magical system to alert them if Romee wandered off.
“I went to see Branwyn earlier today,” she told her husband as she followed him into the kitchen. The woman, who lived in the same general area, was both a Priestess of Arwon and a trusted friend.
“And what did Branwyn say?” he asked, peering into the pantry. Stanley cooked most of their dinners, and he did it well.
“She sent me to see Petra.” That was the young woman who ran the city’s sole alchemist shop.
“I hadn’t thought of consulting an alchemist,” he said, frowning at the basket of sweet potatoes he had just pulled out.
Aliva hadn’t either, but she really hadn’t been thinking that clearly since Romee came. It was wearing her down.
“Where is Romee?” he asked, placing three potatoes on the preparation table.
“Asleep.”
He turned to face her with a troubling expression. “Naturally asleep?”
“No,” she confessed. “I used magic again.” Her first use, two days earlier, had led to a long and painful argument. “We need to discuss this, and I don’t want her to hear.”
“What is there to discuss?” he asked, and she could hear the disapproval.
“Petra has been working on a medication for children that behave like Romee. It’s designed to calm them so that they can focus, but without making them drowsy. She’s already tried it on three children, and it’s made a real difference.”
“Then we should try it,” he said. “I assume you already have some.”
“Yes.” She lowered her head. “I put some in the juice Romee drank when she returned home from the school.”
His jaw tightened as he held her gaze. “You don’t want her to know,” he said accusingly.
“She wouldn’t understand,” Aliva retorted, feeling tense herself. “Romee doesn’t need to know. Petra said some of the parents did it secretly.” But that was with much younger children.
“I don’t want to argue about this,” he said, slumping his shoulders. “You’re the one dealing with her most time, so we’ll try it your way.” He cracked a goofy smile. “If she does get expelled, we could send her back.”
“I’ll take full responsibility,” she told him, relieved by his concession. Sending Romee back to Draymund and Almera would not only be an admission of failure on their part, but a crushing blow to the girl’s future hopes.
She took charge of the potatoes while Stanley prepared the three small beef steaks he had bought on the way home. It was a nice day, so maybe the three of them could go for a walk after dinner. With luck, Romee might already be calmer.
Actions have consequences, sounded the unwelcome voice of Lasrina.
And just how many children have you raised? Aliva thought back.
None, but I have seen much.
Then tell me what I’m doing wrong, Aliva snapped.
You must learn some things for yourself, the goddess intoned.
To Aliva’s great annoyance, Lasrina said no more after that. Maybe she should have asked Branwyn if it was possible to exorcise a deity.
It seemed to Aliva that Romee was slightly quieter that evening, both during dinner and as they strolled afterward, but she resolved to be patient.
Clad in a lightweight rain cloak, Aliva walked away from the school, feeling smug. There was no doubt that the medication was having the desired effect. Subdued seemed to be the best description. It was like the medication had removed the hard edges from Romee’s erratic behavior. She fidgeted less frequently. When she spoke, it was slower and more likely to make sense. More importantly, the girl actually paid attention when spoken to. Now that she was attending classes that included lectures, that was vital.
Stanley had acknowledged the change, but he worried the dose might be too high. That was one thing that Aliva would experiment with over the next few days. The smallest dose that produced the desired effect would obviously be best.
It was tempting to go tell Petra the good news, but she decided to wait until they needed more of the special medication—probably not for at least ten days. Since it was still under development, Petra had requested detailed feedback.
Aliva headed east, following the downhill path when she came to it. A few minutes later she reached A-Dora-ble Dresses, a shop that she sometimes freelanced for, either providing designs, making alterations, or sewing complete garments. Sewing was something that she had a real aptitude for, especially if it was something sexy.
An hour later, when she departed with enough work to keep her busy for days, the light drizzle had become a steady downpour. That didn’t dampen her spirits, but halfway home, something else did.
You need to be in Zardis two days from now, Lasrina intoned. It is important.
“You couldn’t have told me before I took on all this work?” Aliva complained, keeping her voice low and barely moving her lips. When possible, she preferred to speak out loud to her annoying mistress.
Believe it or not, no. That would have resulted in undesirable repercussions.
Early evening, replied the goddess. The location is a considerable distance from the city’s docks.
That was a definite concern, given how large Zardis was. The ancient city had grown organically, with no overriding design. Parts had been rebuilt repeatedly after burning down or suffering some other disaster. Even city residents found navigating outside of the area where they dwelled daunting. Aliva had only visited a few of the nicer areas.
“Don’t you have anyone there that serves you?” Aliva asked as the sky continued to darken. You would never know it was morning.
Not for something such as this.
The goddess went silent after that, which was typical. The next communication would probably be when she told Aliva exactly when and where she needed to go, and maybe what she needed to do there. Given her talents, it might be a seduction. But it could just as well be an assassination or a theft. Aliva had never discerned any pattern to the tasks that Lasrina assigned her.
When Romee arrived home that afternoon, Aliva could tell she had something on her mind. “They told me about the letter,” Romee said, leaning against the doorjamb with a glum expression. Her hair was damp, but at least she had remembered to remove her boots. “I’m trying to listen better, but one instructor talks really fast. I can’t think that fast. Or write fast, either.”
That was true even without the medication. Romee was bound to struggle with the academics, but that shouldn’t preclude her from becoming a skilled warrior. King Danj was rather simple-minded in some ways. (It was his wife who made all the important decisions.) No one, however, questioned the man’s skill with a sword.
“You probably aren’t the only one having trouble with that,” Aliva told her. “And some people are just better at teaching than others.”
“Okay. Maybe I’ll talk to some of the others.” She pushed back her chair. “I’m going to my room to lie down. I feel strange. Maybe I’m getting sick.”
