by Candy Crum
With anyone else, the familiar was their companion. Their friend. A family member they would be lost without. Arryn, however, regarded the tigers as her children. Young Dante had become a son to her in such a way that she couldn't even bear to let him out of her sight most times.
It was sweet to see.
"Has he grown any since he's been here?" Amelia asked.
Arryn shook her head. "That's part of the reason why this sucks so bad. If he was bigger, I wouldn't worry so much. In the mountains, when I met them, Dante was just a tiny little thing. He wasn't much bigger than a small dog, though he was obviously a lot thicker and more muscular due to what he is. But he grew very quickly. Over a couple of days, he grew to the size of a medium-sized dog—just a little smaller than that, really. He hasn't grown an inch since."
Amelia shook her head. "That's so weird. Isn't that weird? I don't have much experience with tigers—or familiars—but it seems that Snow is way bigger than she should be."
"Snow was full-grown when I met them. The females don't usually get very big." Arryn laughed. "Well, I said that tigers don't get very big, but what I meant was that they don't get very big in comparison to what she is now. I didn't have any experience with tigers, but I'd seen some leopards and panthers. I didn't think there would be a huge size difference between them, but boy was I wrong. Before the growth spurt, Snow was twice the size of any leopard I had ever seen. Snow was close to three or four hundred pounds when I first saw her. During the week we spent together, she tripled in size. She must be over a thousand now. Little baby Dante, however, will forever be a baby, I guess."
Amelia smiled. "Yeah, but can you really complain? He's just so cute. He's still small enough that you can hold him in your arms and snuggle him like a baby. And he is a baby… As soon as he catches someone oohing and aahing over him, he sees that as an invite and jumps into their lap and demands to be loved on. He's quite the charmer, that one."
Laughing, Arryn said, "Yeah, that's no joke. He is a sweet little guy."
They walked in silence for a few moments as they headed toward the Versuch grounds. Amelia had been invited into Arryn's head at one point since she had been back, and the girl had allowed Amelia to see the things that she had experienced.
What she had survived, Amelia knew without a doubt she never would have. It had been one hell of a mix between skill and determination that had allowed her to thrive on that mountain. No doubt a healthy dose of stubbornness and refusal to give up had helped as well.
"I know you've been recovering and getting more into the new mom and familiar thing the last couple days, but have you thought any more about what happens next?" Amelia asked.
Arryn huffed, her eyes darting toward Amelia's. "What is this? You're the second person today to suggest I've gone soft. Cathillian was the other one. Of course, I just thought he was being a dick."
"No one thinks you've gone soft," Amelia said with a smile. "We just haven't heard much about what you plan to do. I realize that I'm the Chancellor, but I also realize I can't do this without you. I wanted to let you have a couple of days to recover before I approached you."
Arryn nodded, giving a heavy sigh as her eyes wandered to the ground. "Trust me, I've been thinking a lot about it. The only thing I know for sure right now is that Scarlett has to die. She knows we are a threat, and she has to know that we are all tucked away in the Dark Forest. How long before she sends an army of Arcadians to our borders?"
There was a moment of silence before Amelia said, "Yes, that thought had crossed my mind as well. They could destroy this place if they wanted to. In the good old days, back before mystics were controlling everyone, everyone had a healthy respect—or fear, depending on how you wanted to look at it—of the druids of the Dark Forest. There was no way in hell an Arcadian would threaten to remove even a single leaf from the forest. I imagine that fear and respect will dwindle more and more everyday with Scarlett in charge."
"We need to sneak into the city and assassinate those who are closest to her. There are still several students and teachers who were in their little group I haven't killed yet. We need to remedy that."
Amelia nodded. "That sounds like a good idea. A good start, anyway. The governor of Cella has been talking about going back to his city, just him and his son. Before he came to Arcadia, before he found out that Talia had her claws in the city, he'd made a deal with the remnant. He was supposed to deliver Talia and Scarlett to them. He never promised that he could, but he did promise information. He was supposed to meet them a week from that day. It's been four days, so he plans to go. He'll need to leave tomorrow to get there in time."
"And he seriously plans to go alone? What if they don't like his answer?" Arryn asked.
Amelia shrugged. "I don't know. I do know that if he doesn't show, they will rip Cella apart."
They walked a few moments in silence, and the training grounds came into view. Finally, Arryn said, "I have a feeling this war will be far worse than we imagine. It's not just Arcadia. It's the dark druids. It's the remnant. And when it comes to the city, the guards are innocent. Their minds are being twisted and manipulated on a daily basis. We are going to war with people who literally don't have a clue what they're doing."
"We have to find a way to subdue them. Lives will be lost—I'm not stupid enough to think they won't be. But we need to try to save as many as possible. Nonlethal measures, if we can pull it off."
Arryn nodded. "Sneaking into the city and pulling off some assassinations sounds better and better all the time. We should talk to the Schatten, the shadow warriors from the northern village. There are several here in the southern village, and I'm betting they would be more than willing to help in one way or another."
"Arryn!" Celine waved from the pit. She was there bright and early to train with Nika, as expected. She had been relentless with her training since she arrived.
"Will you be teaching or training today?" Amelia asked.
Arryn gave a dark smile. "Both. Get your ass in the pit."
Amelia's eyes widened for a moment as she realized what Arryn meant by that. "Great. Well, this should be fun."
"And painful! Don't forget painful," Arryn said with a wink.
Amelia smiled and nodded her head. "Yeah, and that. Did I tell you how glad I am to have you back?"
2
Scarlett sat on the front of her desk with her legs crossed. Her red dress touched the floor, but it was slit straight up to her hip, showing off her legs as she stared down at the disheveled middle-aged man who knelt before her.
His hair was long, all different lengths, and completely unkempt. It was a dirty grey color, but she wasn't sure if that was the result of dirt or that was the actual tone. His eyes were dark blue, bordering on brown in certain light.
He was a filthy man, but Scarlett was quite certain he wasn't useless.
Her friends had circled around him like vultures, hands clasped in front of them as they stood there staring down at him. The man shook, tears rolling down his face as he waited for the new Chancellor to decide his fate. Her friends had no doubt terrified the man on the way to her office.
But that was all right. She planned to use his fear to her advantage.
"What was your name again?" Scarlett asked, her tone bored and slightly annoyed.
"H-henry, Chancellor. My name is Henry."
She pursed her lips as she nodded. "That's right… Henry. So, Henry, what brings you to my office?"
Henry nervously looked over his shoulder at the men and women behind him before wiping his tears from his face. He turned his attention back to the Chancellor, obvious confusion on his face. "Don't you already know, ma'am?"
Scarlett rolled her eyes and sighed. "Yes, Henry." She rubbed the bridge of her nose as her eyes closed. "I know exactly why you're here. What I don't know is your version of it. I'm interested in hearing what you have to say."
There was a pause as Henry shifted his weight from knee to knee, trying to get comfortable. Hi
s hands were bound together at the wrist, and he had pulled them tightly against his chest as if he were a child praying.
"I was caught stealing, Chancellor. My wife, she's very sick. I don't know if she'll make it, and I couldn't afford to get the supplies I needed to help her. Please, don't cut off my hands. I need them to take care of her," he begged.
Scarlett studied him, her face taut with concentration. "Well, that is the old way, after all. Cutting off hands, I mean. Stealing is a serious offense. If we can't trust you not to take what doesn't belong to you, how could we trust that you wouldn’t use those hands to hurt the city in other ways?"
The man's eyes widened as he shook his head wildly, moving a few inches farther forward on his knees. "I would never hurt anyone. Please, you have to believe me! I would never hurt anyone. I just needed to be able to take care of my wife. I'll do anything. Anything at all. I'll help rebuild. Please, just tell me what to do, and I'll do it.”
Scarlett faked a heavy sigh as she shook her head, looking the man over. "You know what my job is. You know what it entails. I have to ensure the safety of the city." She stood, making her way over to where the man knelt on the floor. "An example must be made, or the city will fall to pieces in this difficult time."
Nikolai took a step forward. "You could make an example of him, just as you suggested, but in a much different way."
Scarlett feigned interest, since this was part of the plan they had discussed in the privacy of their minds before the man had been brought to kneel at her feet.
Nikolai continued, "You are trying to build a new city. You're trying to establish yourself as a kind leader, one who understands others. If he truly was stealing to provide for his sick wife, the people would be moved by your compassion if you released him."
"Interesting. You're suggesting that we should just let him go? Or would there be stipulations to this agreement?" Scarlett asked.
"Chancellor, I would suggest allowing him to clean himself. Give him something other than rags to wear. Provide the supplies his wife requires to live, and allow this man the opportunity to continue to walk the streets so the people see just how kind you truly are." Nikolai gave her a wink and a knowing smile.
Henry suddenly became very motivated and excited. He nodded his head, his eyes wide as he flattened his hands against one another in a praying fashion. "Yes! Please! I promise you that I'll do just that. I'll tell everyone of your kindness. I'm from the Boulevard, and our people stick together. If you give my wife this chance to live by giving me this opportunity, I'll work hard to make sure everyone sees what I see. Someone worth following. Someone truly just and compassionate."
Scarlett held her look of concentration for a few moments before slowly breaking into a smile. Finally, she nodded. "Henry, today's a new day. I'm so happy we found a solution that doesn’t require bloodshed or you being forced into a cell away from your wife. There are plenty of empty noble houses. There is no reason for you to live in squalor. I'll have some guards help you move your wife to one of those homes. You clean yourself up, get her well, and we will call on you when we need you."
Tears filled the man's eyes as he leaned forward and kissed the floor directly in front of her. "Thank you! Thank you so much. You have no idea how you have helped my family. You won't regret this, I promise."
Scarlett stood, nodding her head toward the door. "Oh, you're quite welcome, Henry. And believe me, I won't."
Henry was led out of the building by Vanessa and Theo, who unbound his wrists and spoke to him with feather-light voices. It was only one person, of course, but that one person would go a long way to securing her seat. She had no true claim to the office of Chancellor, so anyone could challenge her at any moment. It would be little actions like this that would keep her self-proclaimed position safe.
Barbara stepped forward with a smile on her face. Her eyes were green and shaped like a cat's, and the very color complemented her dark skin and red-painted lips. She had long medium-blonde hair that hung in a loose braid over her shoulder, with curly tendrils escaping around her hairline.
"Everything seems to be off to a good start. Shall we keep searching for degenerates?" she asked.
"Absolutely. I plan to use good old Henry as my champion. He will walk the streets and praise me to anyone he can get to listen. Shouldn't be too difficult, at least with those Boulevard shits. The more names we add to the list of people who worship the ground we walk on, the better off we'll be."
Barbara smiled. "That shouldn't be too difficult. The weak-minded are always eager to please. The city is full of followers. We should have an easy go of it. Where should we start?"
Scarlett walked around her desk and took a seat in the overstuffed chair. "Start with the barracks. That will be the most important. Once we have the support of the Guard, we will have the support of the people. Do it while they're sleeping. Anyone is an easy target while sleeping. It shouldn't even take very much magic on your part to plant a few suggestive thoughts."
Nikolai smiled. "As you wish. This will be fun."
Scarlett gave her own wicked smile. "Oh, sweetheart, you have no idea. Once we have the Guard in the palms of our hands, we have every tool necessary to rip apart our enemies. The first thing I plan to do once our position is secured is move on the Dark Forest. I plan to burn the bitch to the ground."
While everyone else was at the training pit or clinging to the Chieftain's every word, Samuel snuck off and made his way down to the river. The Kalt River was not only beautiful, it was peaceful and quiet. It was also where he had initially met the druids.
Arryn and Elysia had found him after he passed out and collapsed in the river. He had washed downstream, and was nearly dead in the cold water when they came upon him.
After they pulled him out, they had healed him. He hadn't trusted them or their magic at the time, but he had quickly come around. Samuel, being a rearick, had a natural distrust for any form of magic. His people didn't believe in it, so none of them had ever practiced it—at least as far as Samuel knew.
He nearly laughed as he pulled the seeds from his pocket and held them in his hand. He studied them, taking a deep breath and letting it out as he wondered if he should be doing this.
Not long before—though it seemed like a lifetime now—Samuel and a man named Andrew had saved a group of loggers close to the border of the Madlands. Miraculously, no one had died, but several had been injured, and some of those injuries would have festered and killed them later had it not been for the arrival of Arryn and her friend, Cathillian.
Cathillian had healed the men and taken them under his wing. He had taken it upon himself to escort them outside the city walls every day and taught them nature magic. Taught them how to grow trees to replace the ones they cut down. He had hoped to teach them even more, like healing, so they might never have to fear for their lives again.
Out of all the students, there had only been a couple who had a true underlying talent. An affinity for nature magic.
And Samuel had been one of them.
He had sworn off it, vowing that he would never learn such a thing. He hadn’t seen the point of it—until Celine was nearly killed during a dark druid invasion.
He had held the girl in his arms, watching her bleed out. There was nothing he could do to save her, and he relived the terror he had gone through when he had found out his own family had been killed.
He had grown very fond of the young woman in the short time he had known her, and the thought of losing her completely devastated him. Somehow, he had found the strength to heal her in the midst of all that.
The power came bursting out of him in his most desperate moment, and he had saved her life. It was because of that moment that he decided he would never take such a risk again.
Now, he had a new vow. He would never risk her life again.
Samuel laid the seeds on the ground in front of him. He had found them just outside the Chieftain's hut. They were kept in little bags, and he had seen the kids
take them in the mornings before class. The kids would each grab a bag out of the basket and head off with the Chieftain.
He wasn't sure what type of seeds they were, but he hoped that with practice he would be able to figure that out once it grew and bloomed.
Samuel hadn't actually tried any of the things he had seen Cathillian teaching the other students when they were still in Arcadia, but he had listened to his words, paid attention to the lessons. Now, he wondered if a part of him might have known that he would end up where he was, with the necessity to learn.
After drilling a small hole in the damp ground with his finger, Samuel put one of the seeds in and packed the dirt around it. He set the little bag to the side and leaned forward, laying his hands flat on the ground on either side.
He took a deep breath and exhaled heavily, then closed his eyes and focused hard on the seed he planted. After a moment, Samuel felt warm. His entire body heated up, but he mainly felt it in his hands. He remembered Cathillian instructing the others to push the heat into the ground, so he did. There was no way for him to know if what he was doing was correct, but he was determined to get it right one way or another.
"Imagine the heat in your body as a stream of water."
Samuel jumped when he heard the voice behind him. He turned to see the Chieftain standing there, a knowing smile on his face.
"I dunno what yer talkin' about," Samuel said, bringing his knee up and preparing to stand.
"No, no," the Chieftain requested. "Don't get up yet. You were doing well, but you need a little direction."
Samuel shook his head, embarrassment filling him. He had wanted to do this alone; he didn't want anyone else to know. "Eh, this is all a buncha crazy anyway. My people hate magic. It can make a man do terrible things, and we don't see no reason to use it anyway. All we need’s our two perfectly good hands, a strong back, and a good axe or hammer."
