“The Elite are prepared,” Ilfedo said as Ombre and Commander Veil took seats. A fly buzzed by and landed on the table before him. With a deft motion he brought his hand down and squashed it. “Little is left to do as far as building the army is concerned and, thankfully, no military challenges have presented themselves. I suggest that, for the time being, we keep the army busy by using it to construct roads and bridges.”
“We should consider forming a few more patrols for the northern border.” Ombre leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms behind his head. He glanced sideways at Oganna. “I’d hate to see any more Art’en sneak across the border.”
At that moment Caritha walked in. “Now the first task is complete. The Elite Thousand are ready to be incorporated into the army.” Her eyes focused on Oganna. “With your permission, my brother, my sisters and I are ready to begin the training.”
Ilfedo closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, he came to his daughter and stroked her blond hair. “Very well. When do you wish to begin?”
A SWORD CALLED AVENGER
Oganna parried her opponent’s thrust with ease, rolled on the ground, and came up behind. The strength of her youth was reaching its peak now, for she had passed her seventeenth birthday. She slipped her blade around the woman’s neck and held it gently against the jugular. “Surrender?”
“Most definitely.” Laura bowed and backed away.
“Well done.” Caritha stepped from the ring of trees that formed the natural arena. “Not meaning you, of course.” She shook her head at Laura and quietly laughed.
“Oh?” Laura asked with a note of challenge in her voice. “Why don’t you try to best her?”
Oganna smiled and ran the flat of her sword’s blade along her white glove. The metal zinged as she did so, and Yimshi’s light caught its shining edge, casting rivulets of metallic radiance. “Aunt Caritha, you aren’t afraid I’ll win, are you?”
“How long have you trained with us?” Caritha crossed her arms.
Oganna knew that Caritha did not need to be answered—her training had taken seven years. In all that time she had exhibited an affinity for swordplay. No other woman in the Hemmed Land could match her now. In fact she was able to hold her own for some time in bouts with her father—though he won eventually. Of the Warrioresses, only Caritha had never tested herself against Oganna in one-on-one sword fighting, and some people had expressed the opinion that she was as good, if not better, than Oganna.
Caritha pointed at her. “You have trained with us for seven years. Now—at seventeen—you wish to challenge me?”
“Why not? Father and I have challenged each other on numerous occasions.”
“Oganna, I do not fight in the manner of your father. He has strength on his side and size. Whereas he drives his blade like a hammer into his opponent, I rely on my speed and accuracy. Beyond that, I rely a good deal on the power in my dragon blood. To challenge me, you would need to first master your dragon half.”
Levena and Evela emerged from the encircling trees and sat on a log. Rose’el followed them but leaned against a tree instead of sitting. She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. “Humph! Caritha, stop this foolishness. You have put off Oganna’s challenges for too long. I for one would like to see her prove herself. Her father does not utilize all his skills against her and among us you are the quickest with a blade. Give Oganna a challenge.”
“Yes.” Laura, Levena, and Evela raised their eyebrows. “Let’s see teacher and student test themselves against one another.”
Caritha shook her head and faced Oganna. “Stay clear of the ring everyone.” She leaned down to part the fold in her garment wherein the rusted sword was concealed. “What conditions would you like to lay down with regard to this match?” Caritha asked.
“No conditions,” a male voice said from the trees. Ombre stepped out, grinning from ear to ear. “Let’s see Caritha use everything available to her!”
Caritha looked at him out of the corner of her eye and picked at the ground with her blade. “Everything?”
“Yes.” Oganna grinned. “Use everything you can.”
“Oganna, you have not yet learned anything about the true power of dragon blood. But that is my greatest defense. Without it you haven’t a chance in this world of beating me.”
There was a thick chuckle from Ombre when he heard that, and Oganna glanced at him. Would he be able to keep secret the reason for his confidence in her long enough to let her surprise the Warrioress? She watched him move to Caritha’s side.
“How about a little bet?” He brushed his nose against her cheek, and she flushed. “You say that Oganna has no chance against you, but I think you are wrong. Dead, dead, dead wrong.” He took a step back.
Caritha cleared her throat. “Oh, and what stakes did you have in mind?”
He leaned over and whispered something in her ear. Color mounted to her cheeks again. When he backed away, she glanced about the clearing into everyone’s faces. “Well, Caritha?” Ombre chuckled, and Oganna thought he sounded hopeful.
Slowly, Caritha nodded her head. Whatever the wager, Ombre seemed happy about it. He walked away, sat on a tree stump, and waited for the match to commence.
Many opponents Oganna had observed tended to circle each other, evaluating before joining in combat. She preferred a different approach; she preferred to strike immediately and thus force her opponents to respond on the defensive.
She stood straight, letting her blue-gold eyes stare blankly ahead as she relied on another sense. Deep within her being she had long ago discovered a source of inhuman strength and drive that she could explain only as dragon power. There were things she could do that were not possible unless she searched for that something within her—things she could feel and things she knew that no one suspected she could do.
Even now she felt the power growing inside her, filling her, and branching out. But she held it back, only using it to block Caritha’s attack. The first strikes, she was determined, would not be won by magic. No, they would depend on her skill with a blade.
Flipping forward, she landed in front of her aunt, and they both swung their blades simultaneously. Metal clashed with metal, and such was the force of their attack that they both reeled backward.
The observing Warrioresses gasped. Even Ombre with his tendency to treat events lightly, narrowed his eyes. Perhaps he’d assumed a ‘friendly’ bout would mean an easy one. But this was her chance to prove her worth in battle.
Caritha swung her rusted blade, and Oganna blocked with her own sword. The force of the rusted weapon buffeted her. It might as well have been her father wielding the sword of the dragon against her. She fell to the ground and rolled to the side, rising again to her feet.
Once more Caritha struck, and once more Oganna fell. Caritha struck at her with rapid strokes, ringing metal against metal until Oganna’s wrists ached. She closed her eyes and let her senses dig deep into that reservoir of energy she’d discovered in her blood. Strength flowed into her arms and her wrists. She opened her eyes and smiled up as her aunt darted to the side and swung her sword for another strike.
This time Oganna had no difficulty absorbing the impact. She swung her weapon up and stood. Their blades clashed, and this time Oganna sensed an extra force behind her aunt’s blade, something strengthening the older woman’s arms and steadying her weapon. But now Oganna’s power matched her aunt’s. Their blades locked against one another, neither giving way.
Gazing between the swords, Oganna met the woman’s eye and laughed. Caritha’s eyes widened, and she gritted her teeth.
Oganna spun to free her blade from the stalemate. She came around and rained blows like hail against the rusty sword. Her breaths came easily, yet she maintained a speed to her movement that was unrivaled by either the Warrioresses or her father. She knew it. She could feel it.
Soon Caritha’s hand no longer held the rusted sword as tightly as it should. Oganna charged, but Caritha rolled out of her path. Tur
ning, Oganna saw her aunt facing her with her outstretched hands, palms up. Suddenly the tree branches grew. From over Caritha’s head they extended to the ground before her.
The branches left no room for Oganna to slip through. She could hack the branches and waste precious time as Caritha recouped her energy. She bit her upper lip. The barrier presented a new challenge of a sort she’d secretly played with on numerous occasions.
She reached out with her mind until the trees’ essence reached her subconscious. Her vision darkened, and in place of the normal world she saw the root systems of every tree and the skeletal forms of her aunts and Ombre. For a moment the comical appearance of things made her want to laugh. Then she reached out with her hand and pulled at the tree roots with her mind.
The roots stabbed out of the ground, wrapped around Caritha’s feet, and grew six feet high. She held her palm toward the branches, willing them to return to their lofty abodes. The branches shrank away from the ground. Oganna closed her eyes and held the back of her neck. A feeling of weightlessness washed over her for an instant. When it passed she blinked open her eyes to find Caritha suspended in the air by her feet.
“You were harder than I thought you would be.” Oganna curtsied to the disheveled woman. “Are you ready for me to let you down?”
For a moment it seemed Caritha would admit defeat. Then Ombre stepped closer with a smug grin on his face. “Well, my lady, it looks like you will have to live up to your end of our bargain!”
Caritha grunted, struggling to free her feet. She shook her head. “Not yet, Oganna. I’m not finished yet.”
Oganna’s strange perception faded. People were no longer skeletons. Sizzling purple energy appeared on Caritha’s body. It wove around her in a web of sparkling light, and the tree roots started to recede.
Oganna walked up to the roots. Her hand glowed blue as she touched the forest growth. Her soft light spread up the roots. Her vision returned to that of an ordinary person. The tree roots spread around Caritha’s ankles, then her legs.
Caritha’s struggle resulted in a partial release from the branches. One of her feet fell loose and dangled in a most undignified position.
The woman was strong, Oganna was forced to admit. She could feel Caritha’s resistance through the roots. She held one of the roots, reaching deeper, manipulating the trees and using their direct contact with her aunt to read her intentions.
Shocks of energy coursed from Caritha into the roots. But Oganna cancelled the attacks with her own power. The trees shook violently as if unable to contain the powers struggling within. Cracks appeared in the bark. Water failed to feed the leaves. No longer could the plants function as a whole—the pressure was too great. The green leaves browned, the bark burned, and large sections splintered.
Her powers were coursing through them. Oganna could feel it happening. It coursed through them, over them, and at last her powers overwhelmed Caritha’s resistance. The branches exploded, and the woman dropped to the earth.
The alarmed observers hastened to remove the debris. “Caritha, are you all right?” Laura felt for a pulse and heaved a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness! I thought you’d killed yourself with that display.”
Dirty and sputtering, Caritha sat up. Turning her sword, she held it pommel-first toward Oganna. “I give up.”
Oganna sat in the grass. All around them lay splintered and smoking wood. “I must admit you put up quite a fight. I had no idea you knew how to manipulate trees.”
“And I had no idea you could use your powers, at least not with such control. Oganna, we did not teach you. Who did?”
“No one.”
This reply did not appear to satisfy the woman. Standing, she glanced doubtfully at her and said, “It is impossible to learn how to use the power in dragon blood without an instructor. Responsibly, that is.”
Oganna did not know how to reply. How could she deny the woman’s wisdom and yet maintain the truth of what she said? Albino had taught them the use of their powers. “I’ve been tinkering with my ‘abilities’ ever since I discovered that some creatures talk.”
Evela gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. She glanced at Caritha. “Just like Dantress!”
“Oganna is only half-dragon, Evela. The rest of her blood is human. I’m only assuming, but doesn’t that mean she does not have the same potential? Dantress caught on more quickly than the rest of us. Her ability to manipulate her dragon powers was beyond anything we are able to do, so I suppose that is in Oganna’s favor. Yet the limit of her power cannot be any more than ours. It may be less, but not more.”
“Humph! You say that after she soundly thrashed you in fair combat.” Rose’el waved her hand in dismissal and walked off. “Don’t feel so certain of yourself, Caritha. I for one think my niece has great potential.” She looked over her shoulder and winked at Oganna.
Oganna smiled back. “Thank you, Rose’el.”
Ombre grasped Caritha’s shoulders and gently turned her to face him. “I do believe this settles our little wager, my lady. Are you going to honor our agreement?”
“Rose’el, where are you going?” Laura called after her.
“Humph! Where do you think?”
“Oh! I almost forgot. Come along everyone,” Laura said. “We should return to town and get these two cleaned up before dinner.”
Oganna grimaced. “Ugh! I hate state banquets.”
“No, you don’t,” Ombre said.
The tallest sister laughed as she stopped in mid-stride. She spun to glance at him. “Oh yes, she does.”
He furrowed his brow. “What makes you say that?”
She raised her eyebrows knowingly. “One word of explanation, my dear friend.”
Oganna watched Rose’el’s amused expression, for Ombre was twiddling his thumbs as he waited for her to finish. “And, and—” he demanded. “What word?”
“Men.”
“Men?” He looked confused. “Men aren’t a problem. They love her.”
Rose’el nodded. “Let me be more precise. Young men.”
“Nonsense!” He rested a hand on Oganna’s shoulder. “Oganna, if any of the young men behave improperly, just slap them in the face!” He raised his eyebrows. “But if you find one of them appealing—treat him nicely and just flash your eyes in his direction from time to time.”
“Ombre!” Caritha scolded. “That would be no way for the future queen to behave.”
But Oganna smiled to herself, amused. She mulled it over and pictured the consequence of such an action. Ombre winked at her, and she winked back. Though she loved her aunts, Uncle Ombre was closer to her than they. Even though she was not his blood relative, she knew that she had adopted a few of his mannerisms.
“Come now, everyone,” Evela said. “The mayor of Gwensin will be looking for us at the table, and we mustn’t keep Ilfedo waiting.”
Emerging from the trees, Oganna sighted the city of Gwensin. It was now the fastest growing town in the Hemmed Land. Centrally located, it had been designated the national capital. She followed Ombre and her aunts along one of the broad dirt roads that led past prospering farms to the city itself. Rows of corn stood guard on either side, waving their long leaves in the wind as if in respectful acknowledgement of her passage.
Ahead rose the tall stone structures of Gwensin—spacious homes and businesses painted shades of blue and some of white. At the city’s center lay the castle-like residence of the mayor. She turned a corner into the main street. Cheering people lined the way, waving streamers and shouting to her and her companions. She quickened her pace and hid between Evela and Levena.
They turned to her quizzically, and she put a finger to her lips. “A princess must never appear in public when she is filthy!” They understood and kept pace, shielding her from the crowds’ stares.
The roadway was cobbled up to the open iron gates of the mayor’s residence. Passing through, Oganna was struck by the manicured flower gardens. They were beautiful, broad, and disappeared aroun
d the building’s solid corners as if they circled the entire mansion. Stone pathways formed a maze through them, with intermittent fountains and park benches placed along the way.
“Welcome to the State House.” She acknowledged the butler, noting his yellow and black suit as well as his tall black hat.
“If you will follow me, Princess?” He led her away from her companions up one of the wooden stairways flanking the foyer. He took her to a large bedroom where he introduced her to three maids. “These girls will tend to your needs,” he said.
She thanked him, then greeted her assigned helpers as he departed. “You work for the mayor and his wife?”
“Yes, my lady. We serve Master Vortain and his lady,” one of them replied, dipping in a low curtsy. The other girls followed her example.
“Um, no. I will have none of that,” Oganna said. “I do not keep servants.”
“But, my lady, that is what we are—”
She chuckled. “Maybe you were, but you are no longer. The mayor knows I do not approve—of servitude, that is. I will see to it that you are given wages for your services. Understood?” They nodded, but they still looked confused. She opened a nearby closet and surveyed the elaborate dresses. A delightful idea popped into her brain, and she stifled a laugh.
“Please,” she said to the girls, “go tell the staff to set three more places at the table for this evening.” They left to carry out her instructions.
“Now let me see,” she said when they’d gone. She laid the elaborate dresses on the bed. “Which four shall I choose?”
At the sound of a knock on her open door, she turned.
“May I enter?” Ilfedo stepped in, dressed smartly, with the mighty sword swinging from his belt. His creased, white pants were tucked into his freshly shined black boots. He wore a black shirt embroidered with gold, and long white gloves were on his hands.
After an affectionate embrace, he pointed to the bed. “Having trouble deciding which one to wear?”
“Not at all, Father. I think I’ll use the crimson-and-white one.”
Offspring (The Sword of the Dragon) Page 16
