She ignored the glances and how the people moved back when she came closer.
Alric watched her, “How is your arm?”
“He’s making me wear this,” she said, looking down at the sling.
“If you let me heal your arm you won’t need it.”
“I’m fine.”
He nodded and then sighed, “Were you in the orchard this morning?”
She froze and her eyes grew wide, “Yes.”
“I said she could have the apples,” Finn told him.
“I’m not worried about the apples. Did you threaten children playing there?”
Kyrin smiled, “Yes, and your welcome.”
“Why did you threaten to remove their heads?”
“The vile little beasts were playing.”
A soft murmur ran through the crowd.
“Children are allowed to play in the city orchards,” he told her. “And they aren’t vile beasts.”
Her brow furrowed, “You allow them to run free?”
“They’re children.”
“They’re repulsive, and an embarrassment that should be hidden.”
“Just those children or all children?” Alric asked her. He knew Sithias would be quite interested in this new development.
“The whole idea of children.”
“Sire,” Trox called out to them. They all turned and watched him walk up. He had a natural presence that demanded respect. Kyrin figured he’s the oldest person she’d ever met and his eyes held wisdom and understanding beyond her comprehension.
“Is there a problem?” Alric asked him.
“Yes, may we speak in private?”
“Sure, let’s go to my office.”
Trox and Alric left, and the others resumed their decorating. Kyrin walked over to stand beside Finn, so she wasn’t in the way of workers.
“So what are they preparing for?” she asked after a few minutes of silence.
“A wedding.”
“Alric and Genessa?”
“No, it’s two folks from the city, but Alric is performing the ceremony.”
She nodded and watched as flowers were brought in, “Why the decorations then?”
“I told you, it’s a wedding,” Finn said, and turned to her. He wondered at the curious look on her face, but was still feeling the effects from the fight and didn’t want to chat with her.
They watched as decorations were finished and guests began to arrive.
Finn finally looked down at Kyrin, “I’m going to go get ready. You might as well go change.”
“Into what?” she asked.
“I would assume into a dress.”
“Why?”
“Do you know what a wedding is?” he asked.
“Yes, I’m very much aware of what it is.”
“Well in Valhara, we dress up for it.”
“I’m dressed more than appropriately for a wedding,” she said, irritated. He looked down at her blood-red tunic and pants, and then shook his head and left to get ready.
Kyrin watched as more and more people began to arrive. When one young man from the town smiled at her and started toward her, she backed into a shadow away from him. He frowned slightly and then moved off to talk to a man at the other end of the room.
It was obvious when the bride and groom arrived, and Kyrin couldn’t help but glare at him. He looked happy and pleased with his choice of brides, but Kyrin noticed that his bride seemed nervous and on the verge of tears.
Kyrin looked around to see who was going to help the bride. When Alric appeared, he was wearing a deep purple tunic that fell to his knees. He also wore a golden sash, and medals lined his left side. No one was helping the bride, and Kyrin watched carefully as Alric started to make his way to the front. When the people saw him, they began to sit down to get ready for the wedding.
She started to panic, and she couldn’t sit by while no one helped the bride. Once the bride and groom took their places at the front of the room, Kyrin maneuvered quickly to the front. The people fell silent as they watched her, and Alric moved quicker to get to them. He caught Finn’s eye, and Finn was also trying to get to them.
Kyrin moved up to the bride and whispered to her, “Here.”
The bride looked down at the tiny vial in Kyrin’s hand and then took it and smiled, “Thank you.”
“You better hurry,” Kyrin said, glaring icily at the groom.
“Drink it?” the bride asked.
“Yes”
“What is it?” she asked, pulling the stopper out of the top.
“It’s ok… it’s not a painful death. It’ll be quick.”
Alric heard the last part and quickly took the tiny vial from the bride as Finn pulled Kyrin away from her. The bride was now in the groom’s arms as he snarled at Kyrin.
“What are you doing!?” Alric yelled, looking down at the harmless looking vial of clear liquid.
“She doesn’t have a mercy killer!” Kyrin said angrily. “So I’m helping her.”
“You tried to kill her.”
“So?”
“Get her out of here,” Alric ordered Finn. Finn nodded and pulled Kyrin from the room amid gasps and whispers from the audience.
Finn pushed her roughly into her room and then followed her in and slammed the door behind him, “Why would you try to kill the bride!?”
Kyrin calmly sat down, “I was doing her a favor.”
“By killing her?”
“Yes”
“How is that a favor?”
“I realize that as a man you aren’t aware of this… but death is favorable to being the property of a man.”
“Do what?” he asked in a whisper. He’d never heard anything like this, and it concerned him how casually she spoke about it.
“I know what marriage is. You’re given to a man, so he can beat you and do what he wants with you. I’ve heard the stories of how all a man wants it to shove a baby into you.”
Finn didn’t know what to say, so he just watched her.
“Then for nine months you get to hide in shame, too disgraced to so much as show your face to anyone. The man gets off easy. His deed isn’t known to others, but the gods punish the woman by displaying her humiliation. Then when the baby comes, you have to give it away before anyone finds out you even have it.”
He could hardly breathe as what she said began to sink in.
Kyrin reached over and pulled another small vial from her pack, “I was simply acting as her mercy killer, because I didn’t see as though she had one.”
“How many of those do you have?”
“I have 7 left, but I can make more.”
“You carry poisons?”
“Some”
With the final proof Finn needed that Kyrin was an evil, he backed out of the room and locked the door from the outside. He called in two more Knights to watch her door, and then left to talk to Trox.
Kyrin wasn’t surprised that she was locked in her room. She was surprised she hadn’t been beaten first though. Mercy killing a bride was frowned on by men. It was invented by women and passed on by women to offer an easy out for women about to be bound as the property of the husband.
Knowing that Finn would be back to take her small stash of poisons, she carefully hid them deep inside the mattress. She could make them most of the time, one of the things Creteloc had shown her. The problem was she wasn’t born a rogue, so the poisons sometimes didn’t turn out well, and could often have the opposite effect. These poisons were from Creteloc though, so she had to hide them to keep them safe.
Once she was sure the poisons were safe, she sat down to re-wrap the handle on her flail. She carefully unwrapped it and then began the meticulous process of re-wrapping it tightly. Proper weapon care was ingrained in her from youth, and she knew that she had to keep good care of it if it was to save her life.
When night came and no one came to punish her, she spread out her blanket on the floor and was soon asleep.
***
“Ok, I’m here,” Alric said as he walked into the room with Trox and Finn.
“Finn told me about the poison offer,” Trox said. “We’re both convinced that Kyrin is an evil.”
Alric sat down and sighed, “I know.”
“She’s dangerous.”
“In her defense… she didn’t attempt to murder the bride.”
“She handed her a poison and told her to drink it,” Finn reminded him.
“As opposed to simply killing her. She gave her the option. I just want to know why.”
Finn leaned forward and told Alric about Kyrin’s views of marriage and everything that was said in the bedroom a few hours before. Alric listened carefully as his heart constricted.
“She is an evil,” Trox said.
“I know.”
“To protect Valhara, she must be destroyed.”
“She’s 17, Trox,” Alric said, sitting back in his chair.
“So she will grow stronger.”
“Sithias wants to study her. We can’t kill her until he is done.”
“Sithias must know by now that she’s an evil and will want her killed. We can’t risk their return.”
“Maybe she’s not really an evil,” Finn said, deep in thought. “Evils chose that way of life above that of honor and civility. She’s been forced into her ways by years of abuse and misguided rules and customs.”
“It doesn’t matter how she came to be an evil. She’s still dangerous,” Trox said.
“I can’t kill her simply because she’s an evil. She’s innocent and doesn’t know any different,” Alric told them.
“There’s no such thing as an innocent evil. Her heart has hardened already. We've seen it.”
“Why don’t we try to help her?” Finn said. “She’s savage and barbaric. She doesn’t trust and is prone to fight, but maybe that’s all she knows. If we can show her other ways to do things, calmer, peaceful ways, then she can make an informed decision on how to lead her life.”
“She will choose the dark path.”
“Maybe,” Alric said, looking out the window. “I will ask Sithias what to do.”
“Bring her before him,” Trox said.
“Why would I do that?”
“He’s watching your interactions with her, studying how she reacts to you and those around her. Maybe he would learn from how she interacts with him directly.”
“She has a god though. He may not like her being brought before mine.”
Finn shrugged, “She’s an impressive specimen. I’ve never met one with her skill or passion for fighting. We train our Knights, but they’ve never seen the kind of fighting that was common for her. She could teach them.”
Alric smiled at him, “She’s also 13 years younger than you are.”
Finn grinned and shook his head, “I’m married, plus, I get the impression she’d have the head of anyone who tried to marry her.”
Trox scowled, “Stop talking about her like she’s a young girl who simply needs proper guidance! She’s an evil, and we should be weary of being anywhere near her.”
“Trox…” Alric sighed.
He stood up, “No! I was around the last of the evils, and I know what they can do and what they are like! I won’t have one living in Valhara, free to roam. She should be killed immediately!”
“I’m not going to kill her simply because she displays some of the evil traits.”
“Not traits… she is an evil.”
“Sit, please,” Alric said calmly.
Trox sat down and lowered his voice, “I’m your advisor for a reason.”
“My trusted advisor, but sometimes your logic gets in the way of your humanity.”
“Logic never gets in the way. I’ve seen the evils, and you can’t imagine what they are capable of.”
“My Grandfather spoke of them often,” Alric said. “I understand how dangerous they were. Then I see Kyrin and realize how she’s lived and what she’s been told, and I’m not convinced she’s a true evil.”
“She is.”
“I wonder if she should spend time with Genessa,” Finn said unexpectedly.
“Why?” Alric asked.
“She views men as tyrants.”
“Can Genessa defend herself if Kyrin attacks her?” Trox asked Alric.
“She’s handy with a bow…”
“Kyrin would have her for lunch. That girl can hand-to-hand with the big boys and always has her flail with her. By the time Genessa drew a bow, she’d be dead,” Finn said.
Alric nodded, “She’s also not shot a bow in years. Since she moved to the castle she doesn’t fight.”
“So it’s too dangerous to have them together,” Trox said.
“I don’t think so. Finn has a point that Kyrin won’t be as defensive around Genessa.”
“Genessa can be harsh though.”
“Yes I know. It seems to be getting worse.”
“If Genessa oversteps, Kyrin will fight back.”
“Why don’t we put guards on Genessa, in case Kyrin attacks her?” Finn suggested.
Alric thought for a few minutes before speaking, “Let’s do it then. We’ll put two Knights with Genessa, and we’ll ask Genessa if she can help Kyrin with some basic manners.”
Finn grinned, “She is lacking a lot of social etiquette.”
“A lot of? She has the social graces of a goat.”
Chapter 5
“Come in, Kyrin,” Genessa said, smiling. She stepped back and let Kyrin and two of the Knights into her ante-chamber.
Kyrin looked around the room. It had too many decorations for her liking, but the bow on the wall caught her attention. It had been used, but was now covered in dust and being used to display flowers. The couches were soft and made of blue velvet, and a small table sat between them with tea set out.
“Please, have a seat,” Genessa said as she sat down and crossed her ankles. Kyrin couldn’t imagine wearing a long dress all day, but Genessa always wore them and often had matching jewels and elaborate hairdos to go with it.
Kyrin sat down awkwardly and looked over at the Lady, “So whose bow is that?”
“It’s mine.”
She raised her eyebrows, “You any good?”
Genessa smiled, “Ladies don’t carry weapons. It was from my younger days, and I was quite good.”
“Why can’t women carry weapons?”
“Not women, Ladies… as in the woman over the city.”
“Oh”
“Did Alric tell you why you are here?”
“Yeah, he thinks I need help with acting proper or something.”
“Yes, mostly. What do you think about that?”
Kyrin sat back in the chair, “I think I’m fine. It’s a waste of time if you ask me.”
“I see, well… as you are to be in this castle for the next year…”
“Eleven months.”
“Ok, 11 months, then you’ll need to act like you belong here.”
“Ok”
“I’d like to start by making you look like a proper lady.”
“You mean like dresses.”
“Yes”
Kyrin tensed, “Is he trying to get me ready to sell?”
“No!” Genessa said, shocked.
“Yeah well look what dressing up got you.”
“It helped me find the love of my life.”
Kyrin rolled her eyes, “Right… I’ll ask you again on your wedding night.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning nothing. Let’s just get on with it as I don’t have a choice.”
Genessa briefly tried to figure out what Kyrin meant, but then wrote it off as savagery, “I had a dress made for you. Please step into the parlor and change into it.”
Kyrin sighed and then stood up and walked into the next room. She saw the burgundy dress hanging from a clothes rack and walked closer to it. The skirt was long, as expected, and hung open at the front to expose another dark-blue skirt beneath it. A gold strip trimmed the neck and then met
at the middle and followed the body down to where it split. The sleeves would be tight on her arms, which she knew would hinder any chance she had of fighting in it, but she didn’t have a choice.
She changed and then looked in the mirror and shook her head. The skirt was fuller than she’d seen and would trail behind her a bit as she walked. She was relieved that the neck was high enough it completely covered her neck and chest, and the body was loose and not constricting.
Kyrin hated her figure, and hid it beneath thick shirts and baggy pants. Nothing in her life had been harder than when her body began to mature and the feminine curves she despised began to show.
“Are you coming out?” Genessa asked after a few minutes.
“Yeah, I guess,” Kyrin said, and then walked out into the room with the others.
Genessa’s smile faded and her words were insincere, “Lovely, Dear. Simply lovely.”
Kyrin looked down at the dress and shrugged.
“You’re quite scrawny though, aren’t you?”
“So?”
“Have a seat.”
Kyrin sat down on the couch with her legs far apart and her arms awkwardly at her side. She was obviously alert and ready to stand at a moment’s notice.
“Relax,” Genessa said.
“I am.”
One of the Knights laughed and Genessa silenced him with a glare before speaking, “No you aren’t. I have been in battle, and you are tense and ready to fight. As a proper lady you should be relaxed and calm.”
“Then you become a sitting duck.”
“No, you aren’t. You would then have men around you to fight if anyone attacks.”
She smiled suddenly, “You want me to sit here and let the men fight for me?”
“Well… yes.”
“No chance.”
“We’ll deal with that later. I actually want to look at your hair.”
Kyrin frowned, “What?”
“I’ve only seen it done up in a bun and in a braid. I want to let it down so I can look at it.”
“Why?”
“Please?”
Obviously not happy about it, Kyrin stood up and then began pulling her hair out of its braided bun. It took a while, but she finally dropped it and let it fall.
“My word it’s long,” Genessa gasped. She walked behind Kyrin and saw that her thick brown hair would easily have touched the back of her knees.
Dimension Shifter Page 7
