“Your reflexive instinct is incredible,” Therek exhaled, his chest heaving with each quickened breath he took. Satisfied with his victory he stood up, releasing his hold on Kaori’s arm to leave her lying exhausted and defeated at his feet. From where she lay Kaori could see the sweat upon Therek’s brow, his hair dampened around the forehead. Had she really made him work that hard? Throughout the match it seemed so fast, yet now, lying on her back, staring up at Therek’s reddened face, she realized just how long they had been trading blows.
It wasn’t possible. She refused to believe that her success was owed entirely to natural ability. Therek was going easy on her. Feeding her ego for the sake of avoiding discouragement. “It was not all me and you know it,” she huffed, lifting her upper body off the ground slightly to prop herself on her elbows. “You were perfectly capable of disarming me the moment you first struck. Do not try to pretend otherwise.”
“There are flaws in your technique, without doubt, but that does not mean it was a simple task to get you off your feet.” Seeming to only just become aware that he had left Kaori on the ground, Therek took a step forward, extending his hand toward her. She glanced at it, infuriated at first to think that he believed her incapable of standing on her own before realizing how ridiculous she was being. He was a gentleman. There was no insult intended by his actions.
“You are stronger than me,” she argued, accepting his hand to allow Therek to help her to her feet. Cautiously he circled around her, making sure she suffered no injury. Annoyed, she spun to face him, making it impossible for him to complete his examination. “Instinct or not, you could have easily overpowered me. Much the same as any of General Deliao’s men.”
“It is not all about strength. You are flexible. Quick on your feet. Resourceful… and stubborn. The art of combat is one area where that trait can be the difference between life and death.” There was a hint of a laugh in Therek’s tone at mention of her willful nature. “The errors you made were to be expected. Those I can help correct. But your foundation is strong. I have never seen a woman so capable of wielding a blade.”
Silenced by the compliment, Kaori stared down at the ground, unsure of how to respond. It didn’t matter how much flattery he bestowed upon her. She held fast to his admission of flaws in her technique. Errors made during their match. Those were the difference between life and death. If he thought tenacity was enough to save her in battle, maybe he wasn’t the best teacher after all.
“The bottom line is that I lost,” she stated, firm in her opinion. She wasn’t going to let him sway her into believing otherwise. “I will not be satisfied until there are no errors. My technique cannot be flawed. It is unacceptable.”
Therek’s brow rose at her comment, the unusual lightheartedness of his tone quickly dissipating. “This means a great deal to you,” he said calmly. It wasn’t a question. Kaori made sure it was evident on every inch of her face that she meant what she said.
“Of course it does,” she scoffed. “I am tired of being weak. Incapable of protecting myself. In this world, I cannot rely on others to save me. That is not the kind of existence I can tolerate living any longer.”
“No one ever said you were weak –”
“It did not need to be spoken,” Kaori interjected, vehement in her beliefs. “I was weak when I stood there and let the Emperor delude me into trusting him. I was weak when I let General Deliao toss me around helplessly while my parents were murdered.”
“What exactly would you have done? Kill the General?” Therek asked in exasperation. “There was nothing to do. The Emperor had given the order…”
“And I should have fought it! I knew it was wrong. By the gods, even he knew it!”
“You tried to fight. No one holds anything against you. There is nothing for you to prove.”
“No,” Kaori shook her head in frustration. Therek would never understand. It was impossible for a man like him to know what she felt when he had never experienced emotions the way that she did. He didn’t know the pain. He didn’t know how much she suffered at the thought of these heinous crimes being allowed to continue. “I did not fight hard enough. But I will rectify that next time.”
At her words, Therek lifted his chin, a flash of uncertainty visible in the glow of his eyes. “Next time?” he asked. “There cannot be a next time.”
Kaori smiled, taking mild pleasure in seeing Therek’s confidence falter. “Maybe not for my parents. But for someone else’s.”
“Do not be absurd. The Emperor has no reason to create such a spectacle a second time.”
“Really?” Kaori stared at Therek in disbelief. “What about those people arrested simply for their choice of gods? The people taken into custody for continuing to follow the Vor’shai rites and practices? Do you not think he will try to make an example out of them?”
“For what purpose?” Therek’s tone was challenging. Daring her to provide proof.
“What purpose did the deaths of my parents have if not to frighten our people? Would it not serve the Emperor’s goals of stripping us of our culture and faith by killing those who defied his decree?”
Therek pressed his lips together, seeming to have something to say but lacking the words with which to say it. There was nothing for him to argue. Kaori knew she was right. Therek himself had spoken of the Emperor’s volatile nature. Why did he now attempt to deny it?
Giving up the fight, Therek bowed his head forward. There was nothing more he could say which would change Kaori’s mind. “You are a passionate woman, Lady Kaori. I both admire and fear that about you.”
“Fear?” Kaori peered quizzically at him. Why would a man of his strength fear passion?
With a sharp nod Therek caught Kaori’s gaze, holding it steady. The somberness was again visible on his angular features which were now taut, returning Kaori’s tenacity with his own. “I do not disbelieve that these are troublesome times. The future is, and has always been, unknown. Unpredictable. If the Emperor does as you claim and resorts to further violence, your passion could place you at risk.”
“If you truly believe my presumptions regarding the Emperor have no grounds, then you have no reason to concern yourself with my safety. Fear is an admission that deep down you know I am right.”
“Let us say that you are. What then? Are you going to take it upon yourself to rise up against him? An army of a single woman against thousands of the Emperor’s soldiers?”
“I will do what I must. However, it is my hope that our people would not leave me to stand alone.”
A long sigh could be heard as Therek lowered his eyes to stare down at the wooden sword in his hand, defeated. “I have never known a woman like you before, Milady. You leave me at a loss for words.”
“It is only fair,” Kaori replied quietly, the forcefulness of her tone easing. It wouldn’t do her any good to continue fighting. She needed him to teach her. If she upset him too much, it was within his power to return to Avishul at any time.
“Fair?” Therek squinted at her. “What exactly is fair about that?”
“Your very presence tends to leave me at a loss for words.” The admission tumbled forth before she could stop it, feeling the blood rush to her face in embarrassment. The tips of her pointed ears burned crimson, averting her eyes to avoid seeing Therek’s reaction to her slip of the tongue. She didn’t care if it was true. It was never her intention to let Therek know the effect he had on her. Somehow it made her feel as though she was losing some kind of control over him by divulging the truth.
Her discomfort was evident. She knew without having to see Therek’s face that he was aware her admission had been a blunder. “Is that so?” he mused, taking a step forward.
The heat in Kaori’s face intensified, praying desperately that he wouldn’t come any closer. “You… mistake my meaning,” she stammered. If only she could find some way to take it back! Unfortunately, she knew that wasn’t possible. The damage had been done. All she could do now was find a way to minim
ize it. “You are an influential man, Your Grace. From the moment I first heard my parents speak of you, it was never without mention of how important it was that you maintain a high opinion of the Levadis family. I, however, lack the delicate nature of your women at court. During every meeting between us, I say or do something which offends or tarnishes my image in your eyes.”
“I am not offended, nor has your image in any way been tarnished,” Therek replied, the casualness of his voice catching Kaori’s attention, drawing her eyes back up from the ground. He was staring at her. Although she couldn’t read what was going on in his mind, there was no visible sign of humor or dishonesty upon his features. Taking another step he offered the practice sword to Kaori, gesturing toward it with a quick nod of his head. “I think it best we end our lesson for now. I will think over what I observed today and determine where we should start tomorrow.”
Hesitant, Kaori accepted the sword, relieved to hear that she hadn’t chased him away. She felt a long breath escape her lungs, the final traces of anxiety slowly fading. “I will make sure I am better prepared.” Absently, she started to move the sword away from Therek, surprised to discover that he hadn’t already let go of the weapon. Their hands touched briefly, the connection of skin against skin causing them both to look at each other in confusion. She shivered at the sensation of Therek’s fingertips as they brushed along the back of her hand, so gentle and light that she couldn’t be sure if it was intentional.
Awkwardly they both took a step back, averting their eyes. Therek cleared his throat before speaking again, his usual calm somewhat shaken. “Good day to you, Milady.” He leaned forward in a deep bow, extending his arm outward in a flourish. Without letting his gaze meet Kaori’s, he turned away, leaving her to stare after him in the cool afternoon air.
She watched him, confusion building with every step he took toward the house. What just happened? Thinking over the past few minutes, she tried to determine what occurred between them to create such an uncomfortable farewell. Therek was a strange man. He was the only person Kaori could hate one moment and feel strangely close to the next. There was something about him which made her open up more than with anyone else. Not even with her brother could she speak so plainly. Any other man would have been turned off by her straightforward and opinionated nature, yet despite the heatedness of their conversation, Kaori was certain she would see Therek again. She just couldn’t understand why. And given the current circumstances, she didn’t dare question it.
Seated in the comfort of her chair, Kaori stared blankly across the sitting room, her mind filled with so many thoughts that she couldn’t bring any of them into focus. For weeks Therek had come to visit, never missing a day. Their lessons were grueling, pushing Kaori beyond any physical exertion she experienced throughout her young life. Therek was a strict teacher and her slender, out of shape, feminine form was not enough to make him ease up in the slightest. In many ways she was grateful for that. Her strength was already improving along with her endurance. Each match between them became less frantic and more controlled, Kaori’s arms and legs going through the motions with greater confidence. When Therek came to inform her that he needed to take his leave for Eykanua for a few days, she had been disappointed. Now, sitting in the unbearable quiet, she prayed for his swift return. If she had to endure another day of inactivity, she was sure to go mad.
It was unusual for the Levadis home to go so long without visitors. Not even Liurn had passed through their door in days. Maybe everyone has finally come to terms with my parents’ death. The truth was difficult for Kaori to accept, though she knew it was bound to happen. Not everyone would grieve the deaths of her mother and father forever. The townspeople would move on. They had a new Countess in Kaori. Her parents would soon be nothing more than a memory in their minds. If only it was so easy for me…
Miserable, she lowered her eyes to stare down at her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Her fingers fidgeted, each thumb slowly twirling around the other in a constant motion. Anything to keep moving. Every day that passed without practicing was another day wasted which could be spent in preparation for the violent future Kaori foresaw. The Emperor had murdered innocent people before. There was nothing stopping him from doing it again if he felt it served his twisted purpose. And there was only so much she was willing to let him get away with. Even if her people didn’t offer their support, she would fight the Emperor until she breathed her final breath. He deserved to die for the atrocities he committed. She could only hope the rest of her people felt the same.
A commotion from the foyer caught Kaori’s attention, her head snapping up to stare toward the door of the sitting room. Curious, she rose to her feet, each step cautious as she moved slowly toward the hall. What was going on? She could hear voices. Sivar. His words were distinct, echoing through the quiet corridors of the home, filled with similar confusion to that which Kaori felt.
The second voice was harder to distinguish. Raised in a manner Kaori had never heard before. Overwrought. Filled with anger and fear. Tiptoeing down the hallway Kaori silently made her way closer to the foyer, coming to pause just before stepping inside. Back pressed against the wall, she listened to the voices, her closer vantage allowing her to recognize the second voice to be that of Liurn.
“Execution! How can he even justify such a heinous act?”
“Surely there has been some misunderstanding,” Sivar’s calmer tone reached Kaori’s ears, his words intended to comfort Liurn, though seeming to have no effect.
“How could that be misunderstood? I heard him say it –”
“That isn’t possible. There are too many! The thought alone is nonsensical.”
“He gave the order, Sivar. Soldiers have already begun making arrangements.”
“If what you say is true, it would not be execution. It would be a mass slaughter of our people. Even the Emperor isn’t foolish enough to attempt that.”
“He is!” Liurn exclaimed, the frenzied sound of his voice causing Kaori to flinch. “One of the Vor’shai churches raided by soldiers after the Emperor’s decree was within the borders of Tialore. My cousin was among those arrested and is slated for execution in the next few days.”
“Are you certain there is no other reason for your cousin’s sentence?”
“Why is this so difficult for you to believe? The Emperor executed your parents for no reason at all! Do you honestly think him incapable of doing it again?”
Unable to maintain her place of hiding, Kaori slipped around the corner, her steps soft, light on her feet, barely making a sound as she approached the two men. Liurn’s appearance was disheveled, hair untied and windblown, draped haphazardly atop his head. His tunic was wrinkled, dust-covered, matching the dingy shade of his trousers from under the layer of dirt caked onto the fabric. He appeared as though he hadn’t changed clothes in days. “What has happened?” she asked quietly. It was impolite to ingratiate herself into the conversation without an invitation but she couldn’t bear not knowing what Liurn spoke of.
“The Emperor,” Liurn turned to face her, an almost grateful gleam in his eye at the sight of her standing there. “He announced a few days ago that the imprisoned Vor’shai are all to be executed. It seems there are too many of our people who have proven unwilling to follow his orders and continue to worship our own gods. As you can imagine, he is rather enraged.”
Sivar shook his head, waving dismissively. “Maybe he just needs a little time to come to his senses. When his anger subsides…”
“It won’t subside, Sivar,” Liurn interjected sternly. He knew the truth, much the same as Kaori. The Emperor wasn’t the type of man who would back down once he gave an order. “The first execution is to take place in Tialore, in the city of Whitelyn. My cousin will be among the first to die unless we are able to find a way to stop this.”
“How do you propose we do that?” Sivar scoffed, rolling his eyes heavenward. “Our best hope is that the Duke of Avishul can convince him to stand down. You
and I have no sway over the Emperor. He would never listen to us.”
“The Duke has already attempted to speak with him. His efforts were in vain.”
“Then we must think of another way,” Kaori chimed in, ignoring the shocked stares cast her way by the men. She didn’t care if Sivar scolded her. In her mind, she was past the point of caring whether he approved of what she said or did. He was in no position to hold her back.
Hopeful, Liurn tilted his head to one side, watching Kaori’s every move. “Do you have any ideas?” he asked, moving toward her, the rich amber glow of his eyes brightening with anticipation. Kaori held his gaze, wishing she had an answer. Sadly, there was nothing. Her mind was blank. Tactics weren’t exactly something she was trained to formulate. She had no formal military training, nor did she possess any knowledge of how to rally the support of would-be soldiers. There were sure to be others who would help in a rescue attempt. The difficult task would be finding them without garnering attention from the Emperor and his men.
“How good are you with a sword?” It was the only thing she could think of to say. Talking to the Emperor wasn’t an option. The only way they could save their people was through force.
Before Liurn could respond, Sivar stepped between them, arms outstretched to his sides, forcing them to take a step away from each other. Shaking his head vehemently, he shot an angry glare in Kaori’s direction. “We are not having this conversation,” he snapped, shifting his gaze to narrow his eyes at Liurn. “It is treason to even think about attacking the Emperor’s men. I will not allow such talk in this house.”
“So we are to just stand back and watch our people die? Our friends and family?” Kaori gawked at her brother, offended. Not that she expected him to react in any other fashion. There was something about the firmness of his tone which dug under Kaori’s skin. It wasn’t just his overprotective nature that caused him to speak out against her and Liurn’s plan for action. It was some deep seeded loyalty to the Emperor that Kaori couldn’t understand. Not after what he had done to their parents.
The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Four: In the Beginning Page 25
