Making of a Warrior

by Frank David

  “I am sure it will all be fine, Stela,” Charity needed to go speak with Daniella to find out what happened. “Do not worry about cousin Robert. You will be able to explain it all. I do not think he will blame you. Setting someone on fire is not something you would do. He will understand that.” She was not sure who would do it, but her dream had her concerned. “I need to go prepare for the day if you do not mind.”

  “No, of course, go. I am sorry you will not get to see him brought to justice for Rupert. Hopefully, this news relieves a bit of the pain you suffer. I would think he suffered greatly.” Stela stood to say goodbye to her cousin.

  Charity hurried out of the room and rushed to Daniella’s room. She needed to know if Daniella had set the two on fire. She arrived at the door and knocked and entered, not waiting for a response.

  “Did you do it? Did you burn them?” Charity found Daniella dressing.

  “Burn them, no. How did you know there were two?” Daniella figured the bodies must have been discovered.

  “Stela just informed me, two burned bodies were found in the cell.” Charity moved toward the Magister.

  “The guard must have heard Samuel’s screams. He entered the cell and I crushed his skull. Once he was dead, I took the pain and did the same to Samuel, then left them both for dead. Their bodies appeared untouched. I removed all evidence of what I had done to them. I promise you, I did not burn them.” Daniella continued to dress.

  “What do you know about other powers? Do Magisters have control over fire, as you can heal?” Charity was becoming hysterical. Did she have some hand in the fire? No, it was only a dream, a desire she had. She had never left her bed. She could not have had a hand in their deaths aside from asking Daniella to kill Samuel.

  “Yes, there are Magisters who control fire. The Empress’ Scientia, Thomasine, she is a Magister Ignis. Do you think she burned them?”

  “I do not know. I just find it odd that they were burned after you killed them. It makes no sense,” Charity needed to find answers but who could she ask? Who could she trust? “Thank you again for what you did. I will leave you to dress in peace. I will see you in court. Stela is worried about her uncle. She will need our support, Daniella.”

  “Of course,” she answered as Charity closed the door.

  Charity returned to her room. She needed to prepare for the day and figure out what had happened. Did something in her dreams cause the fire? None of it made any sense. Her dream showed her two bodies. She had no way of knowing there were two. She closed the door behind her and fell back against the oak.

  “We need to talk,” the voice broke the silence.

  She saw the man standing in her room. “Who are you and what are you doing in my room?”

  “I am Braynard. Master Scientia. I have come to help you understand what you did,” he approached her.

  “You were there the night Rupert was killed. I saw you talking to Stela,” she remembered seeing him and Thomasine that night. “I did nothing. There is nothing for me to understand. Now please leave,” Charity tried to avoid the man.

  “You know what you did. I know what you did. I also know how you did it,” he moved quickly forward, catching Charity off guard. “The question is, do you want to know? I think you should sit, Imperial Highness.”

  Charity took a seat, keeping an eye on the man as he followed behind her. She was shaking. She wanted to know what happened but at the same time, she wanted to remain ignorant.

  “You have powers, powers of your line,” he sat next to Charity. He wanted her to know he could be trusted.

  “I think you are mistaken. I have no powers and never have. I am a simple woman, nothing special about me.” Charity did not trust the man.

  “You have abilities, but you have no knowledge because the powers were bound as are the powers of all Imperial children.” He placed a hand on Charity’s shoulder. “You burned those two men last night. It would seem your anger and hatred toward Samuel was stronger than any you had experienced. I unbound your powers. You wanted Samuel dead, so your mind made sure you got what you wanted. You were in that cell with them when you set them ablaze.”

  “You are crazy. It was a dream.” Charity was not sure what he was trying to do, but she refused to believe she had any hand in the events of the previous night.

  “In time, all will become clear, Charity. Trust me, I mean you no harm and I will not tell Stela of your involvement in Samuel’s death. You were justified in your anger. Your subconscious was able to separate itself from your physical form, another power. It traveled down to the dungeon. You found Samuel still alive. You finished the job the healer had started.” He moved from her giving her space to come to terms with what he had just told her.

  “So, I am a Magister Ignis? I can set things on fire at will? You do understand how crazy this sounds, right?”

  “You are a Magister Ignis, but you do not have control of your powers.” He watched her.

  “Will I eventually have control? I do not want this power harming innocent people.” Charity suddenly realized how dangerous she could be to those she cared about.

  “You will learn to control the power. The raw power is good. It is stronger than if you were properly trained, but you do need to learn to focus. The guard was an accidental death due to your lack of control. When you have proper control, you will be able to focus on just those you want to hurt or protect.” Braynard knew she would learn quickly.

  “No, I do not want access to the powers. Can you remove them completely? Is there some way you can just do away with them?” Charity did not want the responsibility of such power.

  “I could but I will not. You will need the powers. Stela will need them. You will prove very valuable to your cousin. You will need the level of raw, pure power you will harness.” With that, he vanished, gone as suddenly as he had appeared.

  “You cannot tell me this then just vanish. I have more questions. Why will Stela need my powers?” she called out in the empty room.

  “You will know when the time comes,” the voice filled the room though she remained its only occupant.

  Twelve

  Felicia and Harris arrived in the port city of Denton in Shoudfield. Still, the two remained silent. Felicia sat quietly upon her horse as they approached the docks. They would need to find a ship to take them to Jascaessau.

  “I have money. I will secure our passage. You wait here with the horses,” Felicia said as she dismounted. She headed toward the ships lined along the pier.

  Harris was glad to see she had not lost her ability to talk. She just chose to keep her thoughts to herself. He worried that her refusal to talk might cause her issue. He did not want to force her to talk, but at some point, he would need to push the subject.

  She returned. “I found a ship that will be leaving shortly. We cannot take the horses. They will need to stay here. I paid a vendor to tend to them until we return.” She led Harris’ and her horse toward the man who would keep their horses. She handed him the reigns, then headed to the ship that would take them to Jascaessau.

  Harris followed closely. He watched her. He could sense her anger in her movements. She was stiff. He knew she was struggling with what had occurred. He followed her up the plank to the deck of the ship.

  “I could only get us one cabin. I trust you will be a gentleman. I do not want to have to cut you down at sea, though the body would be easier to dispose of if you force my hand.” She walked to the door leading to the cabins below deck. Harris just followed silently. He feared anything he said would release her rage.

  Felicia entered the small cabin. Only a small bookshelf, desk and chair, and the bed filled the room. She looked at the books on the shelf. She grabbed one and got comfortable on the bed, leaving the chair for her traveling companion.

  “Find something to entertain yourself. I am going to enjoy this book. We will be in Jascaessau in a few hours.” She turned her attention to the book.

  “I do not want to disturb you, but I ha
ve to ask, are you okay?” Harris needed to know how she was handling the attack.

  “I am fine. He got what he deserved. If a man chooses to see me as some object of pleasure, the pleasure will be my sword meeting his flesh.” She did not take her eyes from the book. Her response lacked emotion, and this concerned Harris.

  “Felicia, you need to talk about what happened. You cannot allow it to go unaddressed.” Harris kept his distance as he spoke, fearing she may lash out.

  “What is there to talk about? He tried to take me, and I took him instead. I am just thankful you were there. If not, who knows what may have happened. I will never be without my sword again,” Felicia continued to read as the two spoke.

  “I do not think the sword would have helped you. He took you by surprise. He was on top of you. There was no way for you to reach for your sword.” Harris was right, her sword would not have served her well.

  “Perhaps I rely too much on my sword. You should teach me to fight with my fists.” She put the book down and sat up. “Yes, teach me how to fight. Then I will be able to protect myself better should my sword be unavailable. You knocked that man out with only your fists. Teach me to do that.” Felicia’s eyes grew wide with the prospect of beating a man with only her hands.

  “I do not think that is wise, highness. Fighting is a man’s sport. Women do not take to fists. Then again women do not take to swords either. Perhaps I can teach you a few tricks,” he laughed at his blunder. Felicia was not the type of woman Harris was accustomed to meeting. “When we dock in Jascaessau, I will begin training you. It will prepare you better for the tournaments. Speaking of the tournaments, what happens if we are meant to face one another?”

  “If we are paired against each other, I will defeat you. It is nothing personal. I need to show the Empress I am a capable warrior, regardless of my gender. Promise you will not take the defeat personally.” Felicia was sincere in her response. She believed she would defeat Harris.

  “Promise you will not take it personally when I defeat you. We have not seen each other’s skills. It is hard for me to know who might be victorious. I have heard rumors of your exploits throughout Raamsfeld. Your opponents have mostly been drunkards attacking women. The tournaments will truly test your skills. I hope you have prepared yourself for the possibility that you may not win. The men that will be competing have been doing so their entire lives. The games are very different from the fighting you are accustomed to, highness.” He believed she was a skilled fighter, but she had never faced a truly skilled warrior. He worried she had not properly prepared herself for what she was facing.

  “The men competing in the games fight for honor and prizes. I fight for survival. I fight to protect women. I believe, while they may be better trained than I am, they do not fight for the same cause. I fight with heart against every lowlife I face. The two styles cannot be compared.” She turned her attention back to the book. She took offense to his words.

  “There are rules during the tournaments. You fight, as you say, with heart, but the games are not about heart, they are about skill. I do not mean to upset you, but you need to realize there is a difference, one for which I do not believe you are prepared.” He saw her return to the book and knew she was bothered.

  “I will learn the rules, that is easy. My opponents will not have time to learn to fight as I have. I wish to return to my book now. I would prefer this part of our trip be as silent as our last.” She refused to look at him.

  He moved the chair to face the small window looking out over the bay. He could not imagine the trip just staring about the room. At least this gave him something to stare at.

  ****

  Robert Dorman, Imperial Archduke of Stratton, arrived at the palace. He wanted to spend time interviewing Samuel before the trial began. He needed to have the boy found innocent of all charges. He did not agree with his niece’s laws protecting the deviants and believed Samuel did what was just. Even though Rupert was his cousin, he felt shame toward the young man. He did not agree with the life he chose to lead. While he was not happy Rupert was killed, he was glad the shame he brought to the family had ended.

  “I have come to meet with the prisoner, Samuel Roberts,” the older Imperial announced to the man who greeted him. “I wish to prepare him for his day in court.”

  “Imperial Highness, please let me show you to the library. I will have the Empress join you shortly,” the young footmen led Robert to the room, knowing he would not be meeting with the prisoner. He was not going to be the one to give the man the news.

  “I do not wish to speak with my niece. I have come to speak with the Roberts boy. Bring him to me.” Robert was stern in his tone.

  “I am sorry, highness. Please let me get the Empress. She can explain the situation to you.” The footman left quickly before Robert could object once more.

  “Situation? What did that girl do now?” Robert said to himself, being the only person in the room. “If she did something to that boy, I will see her pay. She cannot administer justice without proper cause.”

  “Uncle, how very good to see you,” Stela could hear part of his words as she entered the room.

  “Stela what situation must you explain?” Robert knew the girl would come up with some elaborate rouse to protect herself.

  “I see we are skipping the pleasantries and getting right to it.” She detested her uncle but needed to try to remain cordial. “It seems an accident befell the murderer Roberts.”

  “Alleged murderer, niece. What have you done to him?” Robert pressed.

  “I have done nothing. The guards are still investigating. Somehow, he was burned to death. I have no idea what happened. I was only informed of the situation this morning, shortly before you arrived.” Stela went and sat on the couch, inviting her uncle to join her.

  “So, you saw justice served, then?” He knew it was risky making such accusations, but he believed his niece had a hand in the deed. “You ensured he would be punished. You knew you would have a struggle convincing the people he should be punished, so you killed him to avoid the public trial. You do realize when word gets out that he died while in your care the people will question your integrity?”

  “The people may question what they like. I had nothing to do with his death. I can provide you with proof that I had nothing to do with this. You have to be open to magic.” Stela could ask Braynard to come and prove to her uncle that her hands were clean.

  “Magic,” he laughed. “So, you will prove your innocence through magic. I am sure you used this same magic to do away with Roberts.”

  “Uncle, I have never lied to you. Magic will prove that I had nothing to do with this. I wanted him to submit to a trial. I wanted him to be dealt with fairly. If he were found innocent, I would have had to accept the verdict. Just as you would have had to accept if the verdict was guilty. I do not take any pleasure in seeing any of my people punished unjustly.” Stela did not like being accused when she was innocent.

  “I find it hard to believe you would have accepted him being found innocent. I know how fond you were of the deviant,” Robert was pushing her, hoping she would lose herself.

  “I would not have been pleased if he were found innocent but I would have accepted it. Why do you insist on referring to your cousin as a deviant? He was a person regardless of what you think. He was a good man no matter who he loved. He was a kind soul who would have done anything for anyone. He deserves some level of respect, uncle.” Stela was surprised she was able to maintain her calm facing her uncle’s ignorance.

  “I would not have accepted a guilty verdict. Roberts was justified in his actions. Rupert only had himself to blame for how his life ended. He ruined that young man’s life. Roberts reacted as I believe most would have,” Robert paused to think of Rupert. “We have two very different versions of Rupert. He spent many summers of his youth in Deal, with myself, my wife, and our children. He was part of our family. I loved him dearly until I realized he was not the boy I believed him to
be. I could not condone the path he was heading down. I tried to fix him, but he refused my assistance. It was then that I decided I could not allow him around my children, especially my son. I could not allow him to corrupt Kendric.”

  “You do know that Kendric supported my laws. He did not appear to have an issue with Rupert. The two seemed to get along quite well. Kendric never appeared to be repulsed by his cousin. I have to wonder why you were so opposed to him.” Stela watched her uncle. He seemed uncomfortable.

  “Excuse me, Majesty,” the voice was immediately familiar.

  “Master Scientia,” Stela greeted him. “How is it you seem to always know when you are needed?”

  “It is my job to know these things and come where I am needed.” He smiled as he joined the two.

  “Uncle, this is Braynard Duine. He is the leader of the Scientia,” Stela said as she introduced the two. Her uncle did not seem impressed.

  “Is this the man that will prove your innocence, Stela?” Her uncle was skeptical of the mysterious man that sat next to his niece.

  “I can prove many things, Imperial Highness. If you will allow me,” he motioned for Robert to join them on the couch.

  Robert stood and sat next to Braynard. “What parlor tricks will you use to save the Empress from ridicule?”

  Braynard placed his hand on Robert’s shoulder. He placed his other on Stela.

  Robert saw that Stela was asleep when the fire occurred. She had had no knowledge. She was in fact innocent. “This proves nothing. You are showing me what you want me to see. You are protecting the Empress as is your job.”

  “Here, perhaps this will help you believe what you saw was true.” He kept his hands on the two.

  Both saw visions of a young Rupert. He was at Fordstram Palace, Robert’s home in Deal. He was playing with a young Kendric. Robert called out to Rupert. He wanted to speak with the boy. He took Rupert to his study. Robert moved away from Braynard’s touch, breaking the vision.