The Eventide Child

by C. A Hines

  “I don’t really think I can do this, Cass. I just want to go home.”

  “Corruption is rife within the remains of the Empire. Tyrants lord over the west, the Shah destroys everything he claims. People are dyin’ in droves all across the length of the Empire. I’m sure ya have seen some yourself. Tripolis was just the tip of the iceberg. The people need hope. Somethin’ to believe in again. The Imperial family wasn’t much to look at, but your father had ambition. He had grand dreams to reclaim the lost territories.”

  Alexandra was quiet. She needed time to think. Without a word she pulled away from Cass and departed alone into the ruins. There was just too much weighing on her in that moment. She had seen the devastation at Tripolis first hand, had seen the way the refugees languished and were mistreated for the benefit of the rich and corrupt. She also saw how quick they were to abandon the Empire, to try and make a deal with the Shahzad Empire in exchange for their own power. Soldiers and politicians, in her brief experience, were all corrupt liars. Petros lied to her. Tullius betrayed the empire. It took sometime before Alexandra had remerged from the depths of the ruins.

  “My people suffer, Cass,” she began, a sigh escaping her lips. “I suffer. I have so many questions I wish to ask my father...”

  How could he have lied to her all her life? Had he died in Tripolis? She had so many questions still that she had wanted to ask him. Everyone seemed pretty convinced that she bore Imperial blood. She still wasn’t sure what to think herself, but Cass was correct about the people needing someone, anyone to lead them.

  “Just because there wasn’t any blood between ya, doesn’t mean he loved ya any less, ya know. He lost his sons in the war, ya know.”

  “It helps,” she allowed herself to admit. To think, not even a week ago and all she could concern herself with was the prospect of marriage. Now, the weight of a crumbling Empire weighed heavily on her mind. Chaos encroached upon the lands that evidently rightly belonged to her, and no one would likely even recognize her claim. She didn’t even believe it, honestly.

  “We sail south, then.”

  Chapter VI

  The very Gods themselves seemed to rage against their endeavor.

  Their entire journey was met with rough water and unfavorable winds, the ship rising up high on waves, only to be dropped once again upon the violently shifting waters. It took two days for Alexandra to stop losing her stomach, bile spewing from her mouth and into the harsh waters below. Cass seemed genuinely worried about her, but by the fourth day of their cramped voyage her stomach had calmed. By the fifth day the storm had passed them by.

  “Finally awake, eh, Princess?” An all too familiar voice echoed, followed by a toothy grin of yellowed teeth.

  Whether by misfortune or sheer luck, the two women had managed to catch the Captain just as his ship was ready to depart. They’d all felt the release of magical energy and not a one of them liked the idea of staying on the island longer than necessary. She learned on the second day of this fresh new hell that his name was Titus, and she only knew that because one of the sailors yelled it in a rage when she had thrown up all over him while asking to see the Captain. Their discomfort aside, Cass had refused to tell Titus what had happened on the island, it was probably for the best.

  She glared daggers at Titus, hands upon her stomach. Gods how she’d wished the journey was over already. He wasn’t the noblest of men nor had the journey been terribly soothing.

  “How much longer is it going to take?” Alexandra demanded, hand covering her mouth as she felt the retching urge to vomit once more. This time she fought it back.

  “Depends on the weather.” He shrugged. “Neptune’s not been favoring your crossing. The men think you’re cursed, Princess. Saying that we’re all going to drown. Some even whisper that the Kraken is hunting you.”

  “That’ll do, Captain,” Cass interjected as Titus threw his hands up in a gesture of surrender.

  “Ah! It’s just superstition, Cass. I pay it no mind, neither should she.” He jerked his head toward her.

  Alexandra paused, glaring at the two. She hated it when people spoke of her as if she weren’t in the room. It was an odd habit that adults always seemed to have. She just kept glaring. Superstition or not, with everything she had seen she was starting to believe she might truly be cursed.

  “Anyways, we’ll be in port within the next four hours, actually. When the storm pushed passed it gave us some good wind,” Titus added, rasping his knuckles against the wood of the ship. Just as soon as he’d gone below deck, he reemerge topside again.

  Alexandra shot a glance to Cass, mouthing her concern over whether or not Titus was reliable. He was crass and he seemed the sort that would sell her up river given the chance and the right offer. The red maned woman offered a kindly shrug.

  “Titus is a wee bit rough ‘round the edges, but he’s reliable.” Cass answered the unasked question. Alexandra kept her reservations about Titus, but she would follow Cass’ lead.

  Four hours seemed to pass by quickly for Alexandra. Her body mostly curled in the fetal position on the cheap burlap sacks that they had called a bed. A far cry from the comfort Tullius had offered her. And yet, even her simple bed at home seemed worlds more suitable than this. For all things Alexandra had to admire Cass. The woman never uttered a single complaint the duration of their voyage. Cass did not grow sick, and she did not have trouble sleeping like Alexandra had.

  Soon the ship pulled into harbor—a harbor in yet another distant land. The farthest Alexandra had ever been from home. She rose above from the lower deck, shielding herself from the sunlight again. A city far larger than any she had ever witnessed bled into life, its immense size dwarfing even Tripolis by comparison.

  “Welcome to the Jewel of the Nile Valley, Alexandria” Cass whispered into her ear, a chill running up her spine.

  “It’s amazing,” She replied in barely a hushed whisper.

  “Not so amazing, really. Used to be the Empire’s breadbasket, but the first sight of trouble and they turned traitor,” Titus interjected, spitting off the side of the boat. “Sooner we’re out of this dump, the better.”

  “We’ve friends here, Titus. The Frumentarii maintain a strong presence in the Nile still, even if we don’t take to braggin’ about it. We’ll be safe for a while, but as much as I hate to say it, ya do have a good point. The sooner we’re able to leave, the better.”

  Alexandra paused. "'We’re?' What did he mean by 'We’re’?” A distressed look crossed her face as she stared Cass down. The fierce redhead was, for once, left in silence, only mouthing 'oh' as a response.

  “Ooooh!” Cass suddenly blurted, “I forgot to tell ya. I had a word with Titus here when you were indisposed. He’s been a loyal servant of the Empire, even if he’s a bit of a pira—”

  “I prefer the term ‘freelancer,’” Titus Interjected

  “Right, even if he’s a bit of a freelancer. My people’ve had their eyes on him. He’s agreed to serve ya.”

  There was a grin on the man’s face, a grin that Alexandra couldn’t quite say she appreciated. He stared upon her as if she were something otherworldly, a look that made her want to withdraw into herself. She wasn’t special. She was just a shepherd girl. Regardless of whomever's ill begotten child she happened to be.

  “Never really thought you’d actually be a Princess,” Titus uttered, still grinning.

  “Don't-call-me-that,” she hissed in reply. The Captain laughed as his crew berthed the ship and Alexandra retreated to Cass’ other side. The redhead simply chuckled, her head shaking in amusement.

  “It’d be best if ya didn’t tell the crew yet, Captain,” Cass added as she draped an arm around Alexandra’s shoulders.

  Look how they flock to you already. They see a light in you. They see a savior. But a savior isn’t what is needed. Light isn’t what is needed. Untempered strength. That is what this world lacks. Direction. The voice inside her mind was louder than ever. What was once a faint whisper had
grown louder. It was an old voice. A wise voice. A powerful voice ... and yet, a familiar one. The voice was part of her now, and while it had once seemed a disconnected, distant, echo it felt now as if she had known this voice for all eternity.

  “So what will we do at this fort?” Alexandra asked, slowly stepping onto the dock. Cass followed close behind her, flocking to Alexandra’s side. Titus brought up the rear as he dismissed his crew but made sure to tell them not to wander too far.

  “Well. That’s a bit of a trick, see. We’ve got to make sure you’re safe first, then we’ll probably bring ya up to speed on certain important bits. Unfortunately, we cannot simply coronate ya. One, you’re still a spot too young. And two, ya lack the required instruments.” The woman spoke in a quiet voice, and Alexandra listened. Titus didn’t seem to pay any mind to the conversation, he was too busy looking for treachery.

  “What do you mean instruments?” Alexandra asked

  “Well, you weren’t born in the purple and nobody knows who ya are outside of us. That creates a bit of a problem in the line of succession. We’ve got to legitimize your position, see?” Cass muttered, eyes keeping a keen watch over them as they continued down the crowded street.

  She paused at those words. Legitimacy. Right. She had gone from the trueborn daughter of a Legionnaire—a simple shepherd girl—to the illbegotten daughter of an Emperor. How quickly the tides had changed. She longed for the homestead again.

  Press on.

  “So what do we need?” she finally asked.

  “The Imperial Regalia. Worn by Emperor Septimius Secundus, the Great Unifier. Technically the shiny things that used to belong to your great-great-great grandfather. None have really needed the regalia ‘til now, but it’s said that only someone of true Imperial blood will be able to retrieve ‘em. Men have died on this quest. Hell, half the claimants clamored off on their great quests only to get their heads lobbed off. The Regalia has a magic nature to it, in that only those that actually have Imperial blood can use it. It rejects anyone else, supposedly.”

  That’s because the Regalia is fiercely guarded.

  “So the Regalia is fiercely guarded, then?” She echoed the words that had drifted into her mind. Her speech gave paused to Cass, the woman turning to face Alexandra.

  “That’s ... most definitely the case, yes. Is there something I should know?” Those emerald eyes seemed to peer into her very soul, but her own eyes did not waiver.

  Do not speak the truth to her. She need not know yet.

  “No ... nothing,” Alexandra replied, head shaking. “I just figured if all of these men had gone off and died, surly there must be some great peril. Especially since you said we had to prepare.” It was an elegant explanation, and for a moment it seemed to waylay Cass’s suspicion.

  Titus, however, gave a grunt from behind them. “That’ll be the truth. I heard a great monster most foul was guardin’ the Regalia. Heck, I’ve even heard that the Emperor became an undead spirit, his Praetorian Guard standing eternal, undying vigil over the Regalia as he plots to overthrow the whole of society.”

  It was obvious Titus thought little of these stories, his voice shifting and changing to dramatize the retellings. It even made her giggle the way he carried on, his final act resulting in him plunging a fake sword into his chest and feigning death.

  “That’ll be quite enough, Titus,” Cass chided him.

  “Jupiter’s beard, don’t they teach the Frumentarii to have fun?” Titus said.

  “No,” Cass replied without pause. Though Cass had been entirely serious in her reply, Alexandra couldn’t seem to help but laugh. It was nice to be able to laugh. Moments like these had been few and far between for Alexandra ever since her journey to Tripolis. Petros. Was he still alive? Should she even still think of him as her father? He raised her. He quieted her fears. He taught her so much, but now her position had taken her far from his side. It was cruel that she was saved while others were not.

  It is foolish to feel guilt for surviving. You’ve a call to higher purpose.

  She hardened herself against those emotions, forcing the thoughts from her mind. As they walked through the streets of Alexandria, bustling with life, Alexandra was drawn in with every sense to the displays around her. Foreign sounds and smells caught her attention while merchants with wares more exotic than anything she had seen in Greece caught her eyes. Cass had to constantly remind her to keep up as she became distracted. Titus continued to make her laugh and giggle with his stories and bizarre antics intended to draw a smile from her. He knew she was struggling with the recent events and she appreciated his attempts to distract her. As they neared the market, the magicians caught her attention. It was a sense of wonderment for Alexandra whom had never seen so many people before, let alone so many different people. Magicians plied their trade craft in the streets. Snake charmers willed cobras from baskets. Merchants tried to sell their wares, and priests cried about an oncoming darkness that would engulf the whole of creation. The clamoring of the priests had given her small pause, their words reminding her of the Abbot make in Arkadia who had often warned against a coming darkness.

  Their journey brought them deep into the city until they finally came to a stop outside a villa. It was humble and modest in design, no bigger nor smaller than the homes which surrounded it. Cass rapped against the door and a slide opened at eye level.

  “What is it?” A voice spat.

  “I was looking to buy some violets,” Cass said.

  “How many?”

  “Two and one specially wrapped.”

  There was silence and Alexandra watched with interest as the wooden slide slammed shut. A series of clicking sounded and the door opened to reveal a man. He was old in age, eyes sunken and his face gaunt. He stretched out his hand, beckoning them to hurry inside. She didn’t waste any time, chasing right behind Cass as they poured in.

  “This her?” the man abruptly asked, a bony finger jabbing Alexandra square in the forehead.

  “In the flesh. Could ya maybe not prod her, Samar?” Cass replied with a hint of annoyance, a hand promptly pushing the stranger away.

  The one Cass called Samar was an interesting sight to behold. He stood easily a foot taller than the rest of the group, his skin a shade darker than her own and several shades darker than Cass’. A wide smile crossed his mouth as he stepped back and offered a gracious bow.

  “Samar is at your service!” he announced with a cheerful voice. Alexandra was unable to help her surprise at the sudden expression of loyalty.

  “Alexandra, this is Samar. He has been one of our most valuable agents in the Nile since their separation from the Empire. Ya can’t do much in this town without Samar knowin’ it, and his loyalty is unflinching.” Cass nodded.

  “Yes! My clan is ever loyal to the Eternal Throne, ever since our cousin, Emperor Septimius sat upon it. We swore to serve his descendants faithfully,” Samar explained, grinning ear to ear.

  “So ... that makes us family, then?” Alexandra asked, suddenly finding herself uncertain. Samar, however, kept on grinning as he slowly nodded.

  “Indeed!” He embraced Alexandra as if they had known each other all their lives.

  The loyalty of family can be a treacherous thing. Be wary. Do not forget that it was his own brother that deposed Septimius Tertius.

  Forget it? She’d never known it to begin with. The voice, however, had not given Alexandra a reason to doubt it. It had promised to save her, and it had done so. Perhaps she was being naïve to so fully trust a voice inside her mind. She knew not from where it came or if it was even real. Was it just her own mind playing tricks on her? She could not be certain. Everyone else had lied to her. But not the voice. Never the voice. The voice had remained ever faithful and ever present, she just merely had to let it in. Perhaps she had truly lost her mind.

  “Alright, alright ... I look forward to getting to know you,” she finally spoke, gently removing Samar from her person as she breathed out a little sigh. She’d s
omehow managed to gather quite the band of followers, though she knew none of it had been of her own doing. Her eyes fell upon Cass. The older woman’s messy red hair framed her pale face with those emerald eyes constantly prowling, constantly seeking. It was all because of her.

  This one has ambition.

  Chapter VII

  The days passed by like grains of sand passing through the hourglass. Days dragging into weeks and weeks into months as they waited for news about their quest.

  Alexandra rushed forward, the dulled blade clutched in her hand as the fiery haired figure elegantly avoided her attack.

  “Too obvious,” Cass said, her eyes narrowing as she watched for the riposte. Drawing her practice blade back she parried the quick strike. The sound of metal continued to ring throughout the halls, the two forms dancing back and forth, ebbing and flowing as they avoided or parried the others attack.

  “Too slow,” Cass instructed, as she sidestepped Alexandra's lunge. The redhead wrapped an arm around her own, stopping the swing of her sword before suddenly slamming into her shoulder with her own. The force of the blow caused the sword to topple from her hand and clamor on the ground with a terrible racket. Alexandra grunted as Cass swiveled around and brought the sword against her neck.

  “Feh ... I yield.”

  Cass looked a mixture between pleased and disappointed as she stepped free of their little embrace, a blade slung over her shoulder. Clad only in simple leather armor, Cass had tossed her black cloak and robes away. Likewise, Alexandra was dressed in a similar style of leather armor.

  “You’re better than most beginners, love,” Cass said with a grin. “But still not good enough.”

  “The journey is going to be dangerous,” Alexandra said. “And I don’t want to find myself faced with murderous priests unable to defend myself again!” She lunged forward, shifting hard to the left as she thrust the sword toward Cass who moved with all the grace of a dancer to avoid the blows. Each step Cass made was calculated, but Alexandra was learning. Her senses were keen and every mistake she had made over the past month was etched into her body with pain and bruises. The clanging of metal upon metal echoed again, the two women parrying and dodging each other in their deadly dance.