by C. A Hines
“The Regalia is supposedly in Kush,” Cass suddenly spoke, the column slowly marching along the road. “It’ll be a week or two following the Nile, my source said. Samar’ll have camps prepared and waiting for us.” She continued, nodding.
“I appreciate it, truly,” Alexandra said, Cass giving a little chuckle and waving the compliment away.
Titus had broken away from them and assumed his position at the front of the column of troops, even beginning to lead the men in a marching chant as they proceeded down the road. Cass and Alexandra were safe, positioned optimally in the middle of the formation, so that should anything happen, the men could collapse and surround the two in defensive positions. Not that Alexandra thought Cass needed defending. She was actually pretty sure the woman could take on most Legionnaires she’d met, let alone bandits. She didn’t have such high hopes for herself.
You think too little of your power, the voice murmured in her head. It was a devil on her shoulder, always tempting her with the power to accomplish her goals. She wondered at what cost she had agreed to use such a power in the first place. Alexandra knew she was trading something for that power, but she knew not what. Cass had said that Old Magic had a way of eating people up, but she didn’t know what that meant. The voice, however, did its best to quiet such thoughts.
Alexandra was particularly amused in her riding at the banter between the Legionnaires regarding their destination. There were many stories about what was waiting them, though none seemed to have substance.
“They say the temple’s cursed, that an entire Legion once tried to claim the regalia only to have their souls sucked out and now they stand as vigilant mindless statues.” One Legionnaire piped up.
“If the whole bloody Legion died then who told the story?” Titus grunted.
“…Yea I s’pose that’s a good point.
“I heard there’s a venomous snake and that the only way to claim the regalia is to let the snake bite you on account of the fact that the Imperial bloodline makes them immune.” Another Legionnaire spoke.
“That’s stupid, Cato.”
“Yea, well, I heard that as he was dying the Emperor cast a dark spell that summoned evil spirits. He bound his entire Praetorian Guard to guard his tomb for all eternity and they kill anyone not of Imperial blood what opens the tomb.”
Hours on march passed by, Alexandra sat atop the horse as they continued on their path, listening to their stories until Titus ultimately forbade the men from telling more absurd stories. The men had changed songs several times on their march, and even Cass and Alexandra had joined in their joyous singing. None of them could really carry a tone and the sound they produced was rather unusual thanks to the addition of Alexandra and Cass’s voice. But after hours on the move, all revelry had left them. Fatigue was definitely starting to settle in with the men, and even she shifted uncomfortably atop her horse. Cass didn’t seem to have such a problem, but Cass was likely used to long rides and harrowing adventures. What a life that woman must have lived, serving as spy and assassin for Emperor’s. Her age hardly showed though Alexandra had ascertained she must be at least thirty-five years of age.
“We’re almost there,” Cass called out, taking notice of her obvious discomfort.
Alexandra gritted her teeth as she straightened in her saddle, giving a defiant huff. Was she so easy to read? Her men endured, and she would endure silently as well. She dismissed the suggestion that she was exhausted and instead urged her horse into a faster trot.
The camp Samar had established was lavish and filled with everything the tired column could hope for, their ranks dispersing into the hastily established palisades. Alexandra gritted her teeth as she dismounted the horse and landed upon the hard ground below. A fire already burned, and the first thing she reached for was the gourd of cold water. Without a pause or concern, she gulped the water down, wetting her parched throat before giving a relieved sigh.
“Drink.” She held the gourd out for Cass who had just dismounted her horse as well. The redhead quickly snatched the gourd as Alexandra gave a shaky step before turning toward Titus.
Titus just grinned as he pulled his helmet off, his large hand clasping her shoulder, giving a jovial laugh. “Not bad for your first march, Princess.”
She smiled as he assigned watch details before allowing the men to fallout and enjoy themselves for the rest of the night. It had been a long day and she was more than a little sore.
“Samar isn’t here,” she said suddenly, realizing that her ‘cousin’ wasn’t actually at the camp, despite having set it up.
“He’s hours ahead of us,” Cass replied, cutting a slice of apple she ate with relish. “He’ll be at the next campsite before we head out in the morning.”
Alexandra gave her a wary look, but her stomach growled at the sight of the apple. Without a word she stole a fresh slice from Cass’ knife and enjoyed the crisp coolness of the fruit, “He’s resting too, right?” she asked.
“Once he sets up the camp, he rests for a bit before headin’ out,” Cass said. ”He left a day or so before us. His Bedouin roots make him perfect for this sorta thing.”
“Bedouin?”
“Aye, they’re desert folk. They don’t really settle down, they wander from place to place livin’ a nomad’s life,” Cass explained as she flicked another apple slice toward her. Alexandra deftly caught it and nibbled as they walked.
“...Until recently, I couldn’t even imagine leaving Arkadia.” She cast her gaze out to the setting sun. “And here I am, leagues away from home. Is home even there anymore, I wonder?”
“From what the reports said, most of the rural countryside went unharmed from the attack,” Cass tried to reassure her as she discarded the apple core, “So it’s more than likely the same as you remember it.”
It was probably a blessing that she had grown up as a shepherd instead of a Princess in a palace. She was used to sleeping rough. The lack of luxury in the camp didn’t bother her, and the men seemed to respect her for not demanding any special accommodation. Cass, however, had something else entirely to say about it.
“We’ll be havin’ our own tent, Titus, and that’s final,” Cass barked back, the Legionnaire groaning. No matter how much Titus tried to argue about morale and respect, he couldn’t change Cass’ mind. "Legionnaires don’t have the best reputation around nubile young women," she said. It was better for them to separate her from the crowd, Cass had argued until Titus threw his arms into the air in a defeated groan. Gender. It was the first time she’d really considered the difference her gender afforded her. Had she been a male heir, she would have been expected to share quartering with her men and to suffer alongside them, but because she was a girl she was given a degree of special treatment that set her apart. It annoyed her slightly, but at the same time, she could understand the concern Cass had.
In the end, she would share a tent alone with Cass. “It’s kind of roomy,” She sighed. The tent was devoid of anyone save the two of them. A desk with a map had been placed inside, and Cass was currently leaning over it. Bedrolls had been laid out for them to sleep on.
“Nights get cold,” Cass said. “You’ll wanna keep bundled,” she added, tossing another animal skin to the pile “Get some sleep.” Her emerald eyes fell on Alexandra, making her feel like a child scolded by her mother again. She grumbled as she retreated into the bedroll, hiding beneath the animal skins.
Silence filled the tent for several minutes, their breathing punctuating the silence “Do you ever sleep?” Alexandra finally asked. The sound of the guards changing shift gave her an excuse to speak up. The redhead looked amused, turning to look over her shoulder.
“Not when there’s work to be done,” Cass replied, wearing the same cheeky little grin that she so often wore before turning back to the map.
Alexandra grumbled as she rolled over in the bedroll, tucking herself down, yawning wide. Fortunately, the long ride had exhausted her and it didn’t take long for the young girl to quickly
fall asleep.
Hours passed by while she slept, her dreams carrying her back to Arkadia and to the farm. Her haunting dream had left her, replaced now with only nostalgia and dreams of parading through Arkadia with a Legion behind her. In those dreams she was this grandiose heroine that saved the people. Those dreams were always fleeting, dancing just outside of her grasp. Alexandra awoke deep into the night at the sound of a guttural howling, followed by men screaming out in a tongue unfamiliar to her. The panic outside her tent was quite apparent as she quickly shambled up, torches alight all across the camp.
Titus blew powerfully upon his whistle, rousing the troops. “C’mon lads, fall in!” She heard him shout before he blew the whistle once again. Their only saving grace was the palisade that surrounded their camp. True to the heritage of legionnaires, they hunkered down. She hadn’t even the time to panic before she felt a leather glove clasping over her mouth to silence any words she might speak.
“Relax,” the familiar voice whispered into her ear, her eyes fluttering a bit as she tried to steady herself. She felt a tugging, a pulling inside of herself slowly subsiding before the gloved hand carefully withdrew from her mouth. Cass’ figure was a welcome sight.
“Quietly,” Cass instructed in a whisper, her hands quickly pulling her traveling clothes on and fastening her sword. Outside she could hear the battle had already begun, arrows whizzing through the air only to plink harmlessly off the legionnaire’s shields.
The two women created a make shift exit and slipped out the back of the tent and made their way to the paddock where the horses were kept. It had all been part of their security plan. If it looked like the troops might be overrun, Cass and Alexandra were to escape on horseback while the men fought to their last. A noble sentiment.
But a foolish one, the voice murmured in her mind as she stroked the horse's mane with a soothing hand. She heard the men in the distance screaming again, followed by a blinding flash of light and an impossibly loud bang. For now the battle was of an even pitched, no need to go dashing into the night thus far.
“They’re Hashashin,” Cass said, catching her attention. “They proclaim their faith in their one true God before throwing themselves into battle, seeking death as their prophet had done. They don’t wear armor, they smoke an herb that clouds their mind. They say it brings ‘em closer to their God and provides them with visions and robs them of fear. They believe that dying in battle is the greatest testament to their faith they can give. They’re not the sort ya wanna cross. How do you beat an army that believes they win if they die?” Cass asked as she watched the oddity of the battle unfolding. The Legion didn’t break ranks, but the strangers continued to shout their faith as they charged the line. Most likely the Hashashin had been hired by the Shahzad Empire to put an end to their endeavor.
The line held, but it seemed the others had been a diversion as soon three figures clad entirely in black had managed to scale the palisade, cutting off the path they were meant to escape by. They dropped one after another before her as they rose up, their leader pointing his curved blade forward as he spoke again in that tongue she didn’t comprehend. Cass thrust an arm out, blocking the way between Alexandra and the men. “Run to Titus.”
Alexandra hesitated. Fear clenched at her mind, and that voice in her head whispered for her to do something. Anything. Her heart pounded “Go NOW!” Cass pushed her, sending Alexandra stumbling backward. Just as it had always been, the choice was made for her. She turned and ran, ran as fast as her legs could carry her as the sound of metal against metal filled the air. But she still had her own sword.
You mustn’t run. Watch, child. The voice compelled her to stop. A sense of dream washed over her body as she slowly turned around. A hand fell to the hilt of her blade as she watched in the distance. Cass moved like an elegant dancer. She fought the three Assassins off, her entire being focused on the deadly dance she was engaged in. She parried, dodged, and struck back. One assassin was quick to misstep in his zeal for his scimitar to find purchase in its target, only to be met with a gut full of steel as Cass thrust her blade through the man’s stomach. She pushed him away quickly to avoid another attack.
Alexandra's sense of dread was steadily replaced with hope and excitement as she watched in awe while Cass fended the remaining two men off.
Those feelings quickly perished as one assassin lifted a hand up, his scimitar resonating with a strange energy as the blade burst into flames. Cass dispatched his crony with relative ease, but she was driven back by the relentless offensive of the lead assassin. Cass was losing her footing, Alexandra could see it. She wanted to help, but something inside her stilled her hand and her body. She didn't even blink as Cass crossed blades with the strange man, only for that strange man to lift his hand up and a bolt to fire shot from his wrist. Cass reeled backward, stumbling before the man brought his scimitar down, the fiery sword cleaving her in twine.
“No!” Alexandra shouted, tears welling in her eyes as the men of the Legion rallied to her position. It seemed as if Titus had seen the situation and ordered the men back. She tried to run, to strike the man dead, but a strong arm wrapped around her, restraining her from advancing as a wall of shields surrounded her. It seemed the attack had ceased. The remaining assassin cast a series of small explosions from his flaming sword and the area filled with smoke. She trembled as she collapsed to the ground, tears rolling down her cheeks. Her mentor. Her friend. In the stroke of an instant, she was gone. Alexandra’s fingers balled into fists as she beat them against the ground until everything seemed to stop, as if time had suspended around her.
The world took on a haze, a figure clad in ornate black garb with long flowing white hair stood beside her, arms held regally behind her back. “Remember this feeling, child,” the voice spoke. The voice which had long haunted her mind was now given form. “Clutch it within your hand like the ember of a fire, hold it tight until it burns you up inside. Then you may have a chance to weather the oncoming storm.”
Alexandra choked back her tears, baffled and mystified by the sudden change in the world. Everything around her seemed as if it moved in slow motion. Her attention turned toward the mysterious woman. “They can’t...”
“...See me? No. I would think not,” the voice replied.
“What? Who? Are you?” she finally asked as the stream of tears subsided. The woman stared into the distance, veil covering her face. The form didn’t show the faintest hint of emotion. It was unmoving even as it observed the smitten ruin of Cass’ body. In that moment, she hated that woman. She hated the voice inside her head, the voice that had long warned her of danger yet never gave her means to act.
“What I am is unimportant, for you will learn in time,” the voice said. Her head turned for the first time, the translucent veil revealing an astonishingly beautiful form with skin as pale as the moon. Alexandra had never seen anyone who sounded so incredibly old look so astoundingly young.
“As for who I am...” There was a pause in the voice’s words, as if she debated whether it best to inform Alexandra. “...I am your mother,” she finally said. "These men were sent by the Shah,” she continued, not stopping to explain her previous statement at all. “Ironic, as the Shahzad Empire are the ones who killed their leader, but they are not picky customers. This means the Shah is aware of our presence and we must be prepared for what may come. You will have to be strong. These are your people, and you are their leader. Regardless of what artifacts you gather, everything we have worked to accomplish will wither away if you do not put your mind to the task.”
It felt strange to be scolded by her "mother" in such a way. There were so many questions she had to ask, so many things she wanted to know but she decided against it.
“Mankind turned away from the Gods because they believed the Gods no longer spoke to them and Magic departed from the world. Prophets rose up, claiming to speak to one true God, and men flocked around them. Faith is what sustains Gods. Faith is what gives them power. Robbed of Fai
th, the Gods retreated. When their new God proved less reliable against the Shahzad onslaught, the Empire began to turn back to the Old Ways. A deal was made.” The voice explained as her arms finally came out from behind her, a hand stretched out to give Alexandra the smallest of pats to the head. “Rest, for the journey shall be long and perilous.”
“But....” Before she could finish her sentence, sleep overcame her. In the next instant, day had risen and Titus stood vigil at the entrance of her tent. It all seemed like a dream to her.
Chapter IX
She didn’t say a word.
The men had attempted to speak to her, to comfort her in some way, but she did not respond to their attempts. Titus must have thought it wise to back away from the subject, and per her instructions, had ordered the men not to disturb her.
It felt like an eternity of silence before she stepped into the blistering sunlight. Wood had been gathered, stacked neatly atop one another. She didn’t let the men touch the body, however. No. She would handle that grim task on her own. Alexandra had done nothing for Cass in life, but perhaps there was something she could do for her in death. The face of the man that killed her was etched into her memory. She wouldn’t—couldn’t—forget that face. The wicked smile he bore as he pointed the scimitar at her, the words he uttered. She remembered all of it even as she carried her mentor’s lifeless body to the alter of her final resting place. It shifted from the weight, a gust of wind causing Alexandra’s cape to flutter behind her as she moved carefully. She removed the gloves from her hands, Cass' signet ring followed next. The men stood in perfect formation before the pyre as she lay with coins upon her face.
“Rest,” she whispered quietly before leaning down to plant the gentlest of kisses to her protector’s cold forehead. “Know peace at last, friend,” she murmured again as she drew back. She removed the woman’s necklace slowly before withdrawing. She lifted her hand and a legionnaire stepped forward with a torch, which she gladly took. She ran the fire along the length of the pyre until it was lit, the kindling quickly spreading the blaze until Cass’ body became entirely engulfed in the flames.
