I received several friendly nods as Neepa led me out of the room, but there were quite a few questioning looks, too.
We walked back the way we came and then turned at an intersection down a different hallway. The ceilings were vaulted and joined seamlessly to the stone columns built into the wall every fifteen feet. The hall featured more stained glass windows that depicted some more epic imagery, and there were a few paintings of men and women who must’ve been praise worthy. Some were simple portraits, others depicted grand scenes of them in combat. A notable painting was one of a woman clad in skimpy armor holding a boulder the size of a car over her head, looking primed to slam it into the face of some horned monster.
There was a two-way split staircase at the end of the hall; the other steps leading to the other end of the building which I suspected was pretty fucking huge. Neepa helped me with each step, all twenty of them.
I paused at the landing to take a break. Stairs leading down from the landing split what I figured to be the formal reception area of the building. Clerks sat behind teller stations cut into the wall, each of the eight windows sectioned off with rope stanchions while people waited in line to talk. The other side of the room had long tables where some people lounged, the space going much further and around the corner. But the oculus window over the main Romanesque style double doors drew my attention.
The window was easily twenty feet in diameter, and it featured the most intricate of window tracery and stained glass placement I’ve ever seen; the arrangement so flawless that it looked like a glowing portrait. The image looked a lot like the Holy Mother I’ve seen in a few catholic churches. The woman in this window had bone-white hair, her eyes closed and her face transcendent. White robes flowed and danced around her body in a heavenly manner. Embraced tightly in her arms were the grateful faces of several boys and girls, who clung desperately to the woman’s robes.
I pulled my gaze away from the honestly beautiful imagery when Neepa brought me to the large portal, which was guarded by two men with halberds. I was so caught up in staring that I didn’t realize we were moving again.
Both men grabbed the steel loop on either door and parted them for us.
“Thank you,” I said as I stepped through.
They each gave me a friendly nod as we passed, but there expressions grew pensive once they settled on Neepa.
Just as I was about to ask her about that, I got a look of what was beyond the doors and stopped. Before me was an immaculate medieval-style street that looked as though it were ripped straight from a fantasy novel. There were grand, gothic stone structures and more rustic daub and wattle buildings riddling the cobblestone street. And lining the street were several stands selling numerous things than ranged from food, clothing, jewelry, knick knacks, fetishes, and leagues more. I looked behind me and gaped at the building in all its entirety. It was like I was standing in front of the Basilica of Saint-Denis. The architects must’ve reduced a mountain to a hill in order to gather enough stone for such a thing.
Slowly navigating down the steps, I soaked in the views. However, something from the corner of my eye pulled me from my moment of awe. Initially, I thought it was a bow or ribbon on a woman’s head, but when I looked closer, I realized that they were ears, feline ears.
She saw me staring as she walked past, biding me a friendly smile. But that smiled quickly turned into a frown when my gaze continued to track her long after she passed. The woman shot a terrified look over her shoulder when she saw me still staring, then bolted off into mass of bodies walking down the sidewalk, my eyes watching the tail swaying from her dress until she disappeared from sight.
“It is a custom of your people to dress like animals or something,” I asked Neepa as I continued to stare in the direction of the cat-woman.
Neepa followed my gaze, then looked back at me. “Do you not have beastkin in your world?”
“Beastkin?” I asked.
“People whose ancestors were beasts before they received the power of the One. They’re fairly prominent in the capital,” Neepa informed.
I gave her an odd look. “Species? As in plural?”
“Um, yes… Does your world not have multiple species?”
“Like animals and plants, yeah, but not like… people…” I trailed off as I saw a pair of beastkin, a man and a woman. And then I saw another elderly man who had long, pointed ears.
You’ve got to be shitting me.
“E-Elf?” I stuttered, pointing a finger at the old guy.
“Elfvautem,” Neepa corrected, “people whose ancestors where the trees of the first forest.”
How the hell do you get people from trees?
I was waiting for her to be like, “Just kidding, it’s actually Halloween, stupid!”, but she said it with the same casual tone as if she were commenting on the weather. I had to sit down. Half because my mind was just blown, again, and the other half because my midsection choose that time send a vicious flare of pain. I held my side and winced.
“Are you okay?” Neepa asked in alarm, sitting next to me and holding my shoulder.
I groaned. “Yeah, I’m fine, just in a lot of pain all of a sudden.”
“Sorry, our head healers were preoccupied treating other soldiers. We were only able to spare an apprentice for you. The bones of your arm and ribs are still cracked.”
I stared at her, not believing her for a second. “Healers? As in magic?”
Neepa blinked a couple times and cocked her head to the side. “Well, yes.”
A few seconds passed before I realized she was absolutely serious.
Okay, magic is a thing, apparently.
“How come they didn’t magic away all my injuries, then?” I asked
“The damage was severe; even with the power of a head healer, your body would still need some time to recover on its own. Perhaps if they healed you over several days, maybe, but we can’t afford to do that.” Her head perked up in panic and her face flushed red. “N-not that I’m saying you’re not worth it––you are very––I would never let you––I mean, you’re special to me––US! You’re very special to us, so…” She covered her face and made a whining sound in her throat.
“I get what you mean,” I said with a smile. Neepa was a very interesting woman. I thought about what she said and my smile faded. “Other soldiers, you say? They were hurt fighting monsters like the ones I saw?”
Neepa pulled her hands away from her face and clasped them on her lap. “Yes,” she answered distantly.
Others like me. People who fought against monsters. Some may have had it better; others, not so much. It should be obvious some have died along the line. Those who’ve fought on my world, on other worlds. Christ, even thinking about it like that is giving me a fucking migraine. Imagining a horde of those things was terrifying. God forbid I ever caught up in something like that.
A horse drawn carriage, of course, pulled up in front with a guard at the reigns. He was a skinny fellow with a short crop of black hair with a thick mustache on his lip; it appeared he grew the thing to balance out his baby face, but it just made him look odd.
The driver hopped off and opened the door, and with his and Neepa’s aid, I was able to slip inside without too much hassle. However, when it came time for Neepa, the driver didn’t so much as give her a cursory glance. The driver perched himself back on his seat while she climbed in and closed the door. She sat across from me and set her hat on her lap.
“Hold it,” a female voice shouted from outside. Neepa perked up and held open the door.
Moments later, a bandaged arm grabbed the frame and pulled a familiar blonde inside. Same golden hair and emerald eyes, and same bitchy expression. The only thing missing was her armor and weapons. Instead, she wore a red V-neck tunic that was held in place with a black, leather belt. Tight fitting brown suede pants covered her lean legs, and a pair of leather boots adorned her feet; slung over her shoulder was a small satchel.
“Eva?” Neepa said in surprise. �
��I thought you still had to make your report?”
“I do,” Eva said as settled next to Neepa. “But I volunteered for the night watch for a few extra days, so I’m grabbing some things from home.” Eva looked at me and glared. “I heard some very interesting gossip about the living arrangements for the native.”
Neepa looked way and began fiddling with the brim of her hat. “Um, well, you see––”
“––Save it. If that wasn’t the case then they wouldn’t have wasted a carriage on you.” Eva sighed and dropped her satchel to the floor, and then kicked her legs up on the seat next to me. “Might as well enjoy the ride; better than that splintering wagon,” she murmured before banging on the wall.
There was a crack of leather and the carriage lurched forward.
“You’re not mad?” Neepa asked.
“Yes. I’m very mad,” Eva said without pulling her gaze from the window.
“O-Oh,” Neepa sheepishly replied and continued to fiddle with the brim of her hat.
An awkward silence loomed and I kept looking between the two women. The silence was getting uncomfortable and I still had many, many, many questions, so I decided to kill two birds with one stone.
“So… you two live together, then?” I asked.
Eva gave me a cursory glance from the corner of her eye before returning it to the passing streets. Didn't look like I was going to get anything out of her, but Neepa was far more forthcoming.
“Yes. But don’t worry, we have plenty of room,” she said merrily.
“That’s, uh, good to know,” I replied. We hit a bump in the street that rocked the carriage. The movement made me hold my side and suck in a sharp breath.
“Ah,” Neepa cried, “Are you okay?”
There was another bump and I let out a strained grunt. “Can’t you magic away some of the pain or something?”
Neepa sank into her seat and seemed to deflate. “N-no, I was never trained, nor do I have the aptitude.”
After the third bump, I realized how much I under-appreciated a leveled asphalt road. I closed my eyes and took a few breaths, trying to will the throbbing away. No such luck.
There was a bit of a scuffle and Eva shouted, “Hey!”, then felt someone hold an arm over my shoulder. I opened my eyes and saw Neepa at my side.
“I-I’ll k-keep you steady so you don’t rock around so much, okay?”
My cheeks burned and I looked away from her only to meet Eva’s scowling face. She folded her arms over her chest, then kicked her feet up where Neepa was sitting. Not exactly sure how this was supposed to help, but I didn't voice my opinion.
To fend off another awkward silence, I asked, “What exactly are you two? Soldiers?”
“Eva’s a soldier with the Arms of Earus. I’m an unaffiliated mage that works under them, as well.”
“You mean you don’t work under that one lady. Julika, right?”
Neepa frowned a little when I mentioned her. “No,” she said with a dismal tone.
“I got the impression that she didn’t like you very much. I got that impression from the other soldiers, too. What’s up with that?”
I thought maybe it was because of me, which was partially true, but most eyes were on Neepa. The soldier who came into my room and Julika were overt with their disdain, everyone else ignored her as if she was invisible.
“Um…well…”
“None of you business,” Eva spat.
“I wasn’t asking you,” I said tersely, glaring right back at her. What the hell did I do to upset her? Whatever the reason, her attitude was wearing on my nerves.
“Listen here, bum––”
“It’s Al, Blondie,” I quipped.
She set her jaw and looked like she was about to reach for me. “How dare you speak––”
“Eva, please,” Neepa pleaded. “It’s okay. I don’t mind, really.”
Eva’s stare lingered on me for five solid seconds before she turned back to the sights outside with a huff.
Neepa sighed and looked at the carriage floor. “My people,” Neepa started. She chewed on her lip as she thought. “My family…” she trailed off, falling silent as she started to click her nails together. “They did something… something bad.”
“What?” I asked. She had my interest. Did her family try to assassinate the king or something? This place has to have a king, right?
The conflicted look on her face told me that whatever it was, it must’ve been bad, or that it was something of a difficult subject. My interest was piqued, but the cost of her tumbling through a rough conversation wasn’t worth it.
“Did you do anything bad?” I asked instead.
She looked up. “What? No,” Neepa said quickly.
“That’s all that really matters to me, then,” I replied. “Can’t hate you if you’re not a bad person.”
Relief washed the tension from her face. Her arm around me tightened and she pulled me closer, pressing one of her massive mounds into my arm. I flinched then winced from the movement.
“Oh, are you okay?” she asked.
“Just another bump,” I murmured.
One really big, soft bump.
I looked outside the carriage window and saw us approaching a barbican set inside a stone wall that eclipsed the sun. I assumed the portcullis was hidden up in the stone. From how long it took us to pass through to the other side, I’d have to say the walls we’re at least twenty feet thick.
Exiting the wall, the carriage now rolled along a dirt road with squat wooden houses along either side of the path. Beyond the homes were fields of crops. Simple-looking people raised their heads from whatever they were working on or where they sat on their porches to watch us pass. Given the area their functional clothing, I’d say these were farmers.
The carriage rode some ways from the barbican, and the wall that curtained around the city seemed to go on forever in either direction. At regular intervals atop the imposing wall were specks of people, keeping watch no doubt. Despite the walls being something like forty feet, the tall spires and towers and other immense buildings further within the city were still visible. Sigemond’s garrison must’ve been located near the edge of the wall if were able to get outside so fast. The expanded sight offered some scaling, but it was hard to gauge how expansive the city was.
We passed a long stretch of open pastures once we left the small farming village, and drew nearer to the edge of a forest. Resting far beyond the green inferno was a sprawling mountain range that was at least several days away. The road continued into the forest where trees were cleared, but the driver snapped his reigns and the carriage came to a stop in front of a house.
Standing a stone’s throw from the tree line was a lonely two-story home. It was another daub and wattle structure. The plaster bleached bone and cracked from the sun, the roof made of rough planks, and the two windows on either side of the door looked like a pair of sad, hollowed eyes. A crude wall encompassed the front yard, the thing made from mismatched stones stacked on top of one another without any mortar. The house bordered decrepit, but the vibrant garden in the front yard added much needed splashes of vivid colors that truly redeemed the sad structure. On a good day, it’d look like a cozy bed and breakfast.
A pointy hat and a house by the woods? I wonder if she’s got a cauldron and a black cat in there.
I snickered to myself at the thought.
Eva grabbed her satchel and kicked open the door before jumping out. Getting out was much more painful this time around. Once on the road, I had to hold myself up against the carriage and catch my breath until the pain subsided.
“I’ll fix you some more medicine when we’re inside, okay?” Neepa promised.
Our quiet driver glared at Neepa. “If you poison him, sow, I’ll see to it personally that your head gets lopped off, you understand?”
“I only want to help,” Neepa squeaked, recoiling and looking on the verge of tears.
Eva yanked the man by his collar and spun him around to face
her. “Listen here, beanstalk, don’t you dare threaten her,” she snarled.
“The same applies to you,” he said, pointing at her in accusation. “You live with that cow, you may already be cursed!”
Eva’s jaw tensed angrily and her face grew red. Just as she was about the shout, I interrupted. “Excuse, Mr… sorry, never got your name.”
“Felix of the family Glebe,” he informed.
“Right. Felix, there’s a pretty big scuff on your carriage here.” I indicated with my finger. When he looked away, I clocked him across the chin with a right-straight that sent his ass to the grass. He looked up at me while he held his chin, anger flaring across his baby-faced features.
“Neepa has been nothing but kind to since I woke up,” I said to him. “She’s a friend. I’m not sure how you all do things around here, but people who talk shit about my friends in front of me get hit. You understand?”
Felix got up on one knee and reached for a dagger tied to his belt. His fingers paused just as they settled around the handle, just as I figured.
“Go ahead,” I implored. “But no harm is to come to me, right? If I heard you clearly earlier, people get their heads lopped off for insubordination, right?” I asked smugly.
The scowl and frustration on his face told me as much. With nothing more than a scowl, Felix climbed up to his seat and snapped the reins. The horse let out a whinny and trotted away at a brisk pace.
“Thanks for the ride,” I called.
The smug smile left when my face twisted with a grimace and I dropped to a knee.
“Al,” Neepa cried, swooping down beside me.
Cool sweat formed on my brow as I heaved for air. I looked at my right shoulder and saw a large red bloom soaking through my shirt. The punch tore something open, but Felix was being an asshole, so it was worth it.
“Some medicine would be great,” I said between breaths.
Neepa lent me her shoulder and helped me across her yard. Eva went ahead and got the door for us.
The interior was in far better condition than the exterior. The first floor was a mostly open room divided into two sections. The left side featured bookshelves on almost all available wall space, the only breaks being for the fireplace and windows. A bench sat on my left under the window. Miscellaneous books, notes, small tools, and what looked like a chemistry set were scattered atop the surface. Herbs and spices hung from strings over the bench to dry. In front of the fireplace was a large round rug and two upholstered arm chairs. Further back in the room was a staircase that led upstairs.
Heart of the Resonant: Book 1: Pulse (Resonant Series) Page 9
