First of Spears

by Billy Wong

  He made one more attempt to convince his parents, telling them this time of Claire's relationship with the Hierarch and the likelihood he would be angered by their treatment of her. As expected, they weren't moved. "Are you suggesting we should pardon a person who might have murdered one of our royal line to appease a foreign sovereign?" his mother asked.

  "But she didn't do it," Theo said in despair. "Can you not trust me even now, when to do otherwise might lead to a war we can't win?"

  His father replied firmly, "Your defeatism ill befits a prince. Besides, if we are to be brought low, better for it to be while standing up for our principles rather than cowering before the strength of others."

  Theo slunk away, discouraged. Why didn't Claire accept his offer to help her escape? At this rate, they seemed on the way to a war between their kingdoms. Over the next weeks, he continued to visit her in her cell, often holding her hand in an effort both to comfort her and maintain their bond. She spoke to him less now, clearly upset that he'd failed to get her released legitimately so she could leave with Lily. He visited the cook in her room after a particularly quiet and depressing meeting with Claire, hoping she would be able to help him sort things out. She opened the door looking tired and frail, no doubt affected by the stress of staying in a hostile environment as he and Claire were by their problems.

  "Good afternoon, Prince Theo. Is Claire well?"

  "She's holding on." It wasn't the most encouraging way to put it, but set up his next words. "I've been wondering something. Do you think you could help me convince Claire to flee, if I aided her?"

  "Flee, without me?"

  "I don't know, I guess you could go with her if you want, if you decide it isn't too dangerous to risk."

  Lily averted her gaze. "I don't think I should go with her. If I got hurt or otherwise couldn't keep up, she would slow down for sure over abandoning me. I don't want to endanger her like that."

  "It's admirable how both of you look out for each other's safety. But then, could you leave first so that once you're out of the country, Claire will be free to escape without worrying about you?"

  She seemed to consider. "I suppose we could try that. I didn't want to go not knowing her fate, but if it looks like you won't be able to get her acquitted and a war might be looming, this is probably the best course."

  Theo told Claire about his idea, and she reluctantly agreed to it. Letting Lily travel alone must not appeal to her, but they had few other options left. After Lily departed they waited for her to send word she had gotten to safety, so that Theo could set his plan into motion. Before they received any message from her, however, they got more troubling news. The Hierarch had crossed the border from Fian with an army, and demanded that his envoy be brought to him personally by the king lest there be consequences. Theo marched with King Darius and all the troops they could muster to meet him, Claire walking in chains among them. Feeling bad, Theo left the front of the column where Gunther and Sophie flanked the king, and dropped back against his father's wishes to accompany her.

  "You okay?" he asked, falling into line beside her. She looked filthy covered in dirt and grime, not being allowed to bathe after leaving her cell. Darius had ordered she be kept that way to symbolize Egrent's power over one of High Waloros's own, which Theo hoped wouldn't backfire.

  "It's a little tough to march far after my imprisonment," she said. "I tried to get what exercise I could to keep my strength up, but couldn't do anything about the food."

  She'd lost noticeable weight, in fat and muscle alike. He assumed the amount and quality had both been lacking, and handed her a bun and piece of jerky from his pack. "Here. They're not the best, but they'll fill your belly up at least."

  She raised both chained-together hands to her mouth and took a big bite out of the bread and meat at once. "Cold, but it tastes better than the hot food in prison still. At least they're bringing me to meet with the Hierarch. I was scared they might refuse to even do that."

  "But if they kept you in the dungeon, you would've escaped by now and been on your way home." Theo looked anxiously into the distance where they and the forces of High Waloros would presumably meet. "I doubt my father intends to let you go easily. He probably means to give the Hierarch a piece of his mind, and make some kind of demands."

  "I don't see that going well. Does he really think I killed your brother? If so, the odds of this having a good outcome..."

  He sighed. "I suspect we've put some doubt about your guilt into his mind at least. But royalty is stubborn, and won't let go of their beliefs easily unless they're proven completely wrong. I just pray this pride won't be our downfall."

  "Will you stop it?"

  "I'll try."

  On an open field near the border, they met with the Hierarch. He certainly hadn't held back from putting forth an impressive presence. The Gold and Silver Generals stood with him, and behind them rank after perfectly aligned rank of well-armored soldiers. Their army this time was far larger than the one he had used to threaten Ailune's forces into withdrawing, and dwarfed Egrent's which mostly wore simple leather armor. Depending on supplies, they looked more than sufficient to subjugate the country. Theo resolved then to prevent his father from dragging them into a battle that would doom them as a nation, though he wasn't sure yet how he'd do it.

  "Where is my envoy?" the Hierarch boomed. "Bring her forth so I may see her." Thankfully, Darius went along readily enough with that. He motioned for her to come forward, and she and Theo did. "You have been fine hosts to her, I see." His sarcasm wasn't lost on Theo. "You accuse my representative of such a heinous crime as murdering your prince?"

  Darius replied, "She is the chief suspect, yes."

  "Hand her over. I vouch for her innocence."

  "We cannot simply release her on your word, when there is more evidence for her guilt than the opposite."

  The lines of the Hierarch's face deepened with annoyance. "She would not have committed such an act except under my orders. If you accuse her, you accuse me."

  "And what if I do, great and mighty Hierarch? Is it not plausible you desired to put us under your thumb, without overt aggression that would make other lands wary? My gullible younger son"—Theo cringed—"is quite smitten with your warrior. But now more than ever, now that he is my heir, I will not allow him to be led astray and ruin our future."

  "Even if she did come to do that," Theo put in, "what harm would it do to send her back to her country now? We wouldn't be together then." Of course, he wanted them to be, but he could ponder how to fix that later when Egrent was out of immediate danger.

  "She may have killed Damon. That can hardly go unpunished."

  "I assure you again she didn't do it. Will you really force us into an unnecessary and surely disastrous conflict just because you think she 'might' have done something?"

  "The severity of the crime demands justice."

  "It would not be a great matter for me to take her back," the Hierarch said. Soldiers of Egrent bristled at his words, and fell to mumbling.

  Darius' voice took on more of an edge. "Such threats do not inspire me to treat you with the courtesy your title demands."

  "I grow ever less patient with the ramblings of a small king. Claire, should I remove this old fool so that you may take his place alongside your prince?"

  Theo feared for a moment she would answer yes in her anger towards his father. It wouldn't even be that hard to understand, given the way she'd been treated. They had wanted to execute her after all, moreso his mother but still. But she said, "No, I don't wish for that. We should leave this land in peace... although it saddens me to leave you, Theo."

  The Hierarch shook his head. "I think you misunderstand me. If you fear to harm your relationship with the boy, there is no need to kill his father in order to remove him. He can simply be stripped of his crown, which will be given to his son while he lives out his remaining days in whatever conditions you see fit."

  Slowly, a smile broke out across Claire's face.
"There seems to be some merit to that."

  Theo gaped. "Claire, what? I don't want to be king, I'm not ready yet. And my father shouldn't be overthrown just because some of his decisions are questionable." Darius looked harshly at him, but this wasn't the time to hold back his thoughts. "If High Waloros decides who sits on the throne, then our country might as well not be a country anymore."

  "But he is incompetent! Time and time again he refuses to believe his own son even with the backing of his champion and logic. He lets his venomous wife dictate his path against all wisdom, ignoring the true murderer while their scapegoat rots in the dungeon. I would gladly see him and her both spend the rest of their lives in squalor. Though I can be more lenient if you ask."

  He sympathized with her anger. Yet, "I can't let Egrent become a puppet of High Waloros."

  "Let?" the Hierarch asked. "What do you suppose you can do to stop it?"

  Darius' nostrils flared as he spat, "We will fight you to the bitter end!" This didn't look good.

  "Wait." Sophie addressed the Hierarch. "You fancy yourself a proud warrior. Don't you think it would be a little unsporting to use that better trained and equipped horde just to crush our little force?"

  "If that is how the strength of our nations compares, you cannot claim unfairness." He looked over the warriors of Egrent, who stood ready to battle despite the odds for their king. "However, I do see much blood would be shed if our armies were to clash, and though most of it would be yours, such a waste of life should be avoided if it can. Then, I have a proposal. King Darius, I will select one of my warriors and you will select one of yours. If mine wins, you will abdicate and your son will rule in your stead, with his love at his side of course."

  "And if mine wins?"

  "I did not feel a need to review such an unlikely possibility. But if he, or she"—he glanced at Sophie—"wins, I will withdraw from this land and leave you in peace."

  "Father I will gladly represent you," Camilla said.

  Darius looked over the Silver and Gold Generals and took a deep breath. "I accept."

  Not sure if he should be asking her given the circumstances, Theo whispered to Claire, "I know they're exceptionally strong. Do you think Sophie has a chance of beating them?"

  "She's quite talented," she replied in a flat tone. "She would put up a fight against the Generals."

  "Does this really have to happen? I told you, I don't want to see my father dethroned."

  "Why not? Don't you want to be free, don't you yearn to be unbound from your arranged marriage and the tyranny of your mother?"

  He hesitated. "I... somewhat, but these things can be worked out through less extreme methods. And, your Hierarch is trying to turn Egrent into a puppet state. You say you want your man to be your equal. Would that be the case if I was a powerless figurehead, with you pulling all the strings with the Hierarch's backing?"

  "Your thoughts would have weight in our decisions." Doubt showed in her eyes. "Although I can see the issue with being ruler of a puppet state..."

  Before they could continue the discussion, the Hierarch said, "Send Lady Claire over."

  "What is this?" Darius demanded. "We have not agreed to any terms of release yet."

  "But how would she act as my champion, standing there in chains without a weapon?" It took a second for the words to sink in, and Theo started.

  Camilla frowned. "Father, you want her to fight on your behalf? She is starved thin and weak, perhaps sickly as well. I have my doubts she can represent High Waloros in adequate fashion."

  "Claire," he asked, "do you think yourself able to fight well enough not to disappoint us?"

  Theo gaped as she replied, "I feel I can, yes."

  "Then I ask again, send her over."

  "Do it," Darius finally said.

  A guard unlocked Claire's chains, and she shrugged them off. She turned to Gunther, who held onto her spear. "My weapon too, if I may have it."

  He handed it reluctantly to her. "Must it be this way? I don't want us to be enemies."

  "We won't have to be. We can be allies again after I avenge the wrongs done to me."

  As Claire walked away, Theo called after her, "You're really going through with this? You can still change your mind."

  She looked back with a scowl. "You don't understand what I went through. I've spent months hungry in a cold, damp cell, with the fear of death over my head should your parents get that whim. All while they should have known I was innocent, but chose to disbelieve you for such petty reasons. I will pay them back for it."

  Claire reached the Hierarch. He patted her shoulder, and she turned to face the Egrent side again. "Now which of you will meet my champion?" he asked. His gaze fell on Sophie, shifted to Gunther briefly, and returned to Sophie again. Theo figured Sophie would answer the challenge any instant now, considering she was after all the king's champion.

  Before she could, he said, "I'll do it."

  Chapter 11

  "Theo, what are you doing?" Sophie asked. "She's beyond your skills, are you trying to get your father dethroned?"

  "Of course not. She may seem better than me, but it hasn't been proven yet. You and Gunther have both already lost, and I haven't. I've sparred with her more and know her better than either of you, so perhaps I can solve the puzzle." There was another reason too. Her assured demeanor notwithstanding, Claire had clearly been weakened by her imprisonment. Sophie's style which relied heavily on single powerful blows could put her at great risk right now, while Theo might have a better chance of beating her without causing severe injury or worse. He looked to the king. "May I, Father?"

  Darius hesitated, then said, "Will you truly give this your all?"

  "I'll do my best to preserve our country's independence, even if it means standing against the one I love." The conviction in his voice surprised even himself, and he felt as if he might really be able to defeat her.

  "I would be proud for the legitimacy of the crown to be defended by one with my royal blood. Very well son, I entrust this to you."

  Gunther's voice followed him as he stepped forth to meet Claire in the gap between the armies. "Best of luck to you!"

  "Good luck," Sophie added, but she sounded awfully worried. He knew he was the underdog against Claire, yet her condition and him having trained quite a bit specifically to beat her gave him hope. He could do this—he had to do it, and he would.

  She watched him coolly with her spear held pointing down while he approached. "Don't think by offering yourself up as a sacrifice, you can make me change my mind out of pity. It's not like I have to kill you to beat you. A bit of humbling won't do you any lasting harm."

  He understood more now how others could view her negatively, for the arrogance she displayed somewhat irked him. "I'm not trying to 'sacrifice' myself or garner your sympathy. I'm going to prove to you that we're worthy to rule not as figureheads, and Egrent deserves to remain a sovereign nation."

  Claire smiled then. "I do like it when you show the fire like this. Come, and let's see if you can show it as well with your blade as with your tongue." Theo advanced carefully, testing her with some slashes from the limit of his range. She dodged them easily without raising her spear, just gracefully moving and bending her body to avoid them. He wondered what she was doing—trying to show off, embarrass him? Irritated, he swung faster and chased her harder, but his sword didn't seem to get any closer to touching her as it whooshed past her body. Suddenly she darted in after a missed blow and punched his shoulder, the impact even there enough to wobble him back. "I thought you wanted to show me something."

  He stretched his joint, testing it. No major injury, yet. "Stop patronizing me and use your weapon."

  The spear rose. "If you really wish."

  Well, he had practiced more to deal with her spear than her unarmed attacks, so his request wasn't entirely motivated by pride. He wasn't so sure facing her armed would go better for him, though. What scant confidence he had mustered before quickly dissipated. She closed
in jabbing at him, her movements somewhat familiar yet different—faster, and less predictable than they'd been in sparring. He parried one thrust and sidestepped another as she moved in close. He slashed at her, thinking her open only to be pulled forward by something thin and rigid across his back. Her crossbar, turned sideways after her spearhead passed by him. She ducked and his blade went over her back while he stumbled into her. She heaved up, and he could feel her bony shoulder against his flesh as she tossed him over herself. He seemed to fly far, spinning round and round heads over heels, then slammed down hard into the dirt.

  He rolled away, came to a crouch facing Claire and shook his head to clear it. So quick and strong even in her outwardly frail state. Maybe if he lasted long enough her endurance would begin to wane, but even that seemed like wishful thinking. She came on again, Theo trying this time to keep a better sense of distance between them. He didn't want that spearhead behind him again, or anywhere else where he couldn't see... He ran back, back, waving his sword frantically to deflect her flashing point which looked almost to be in multiple places at once. All of a sudden it disappeared from before him. What? Instinctively, he turned to block just as she whipped it towards him from the side. The impact of pointed crossbar against his blade knocked the flat of it into his face, making him yelp and totter momentarily dazed.

  "Theo, what are you doing?" Rory said. "Don't just stand there defending. Attack, attack!"

  Hard to do that while being buffeted by the storm that was Claire's offense. But he wasn't going to win just by warding off strikes. He took a risk stepping forward as he dodged her next poke, sparks flying as the tip of the crossbar scraped along his mail, and chopped at her. She leaned away, slapped her pole against his ribs so that he stumbled sideways. Her spear rose high and swept down. He raised his sword to catch the shaft on it, but she jerked the spear towards her, hooking his crossguard so that he was yanked forward off his feet. He landed facedown inches from her boots, flipped over onto his back to block a downward kick on his forearm. He felt pain and numbness at once, attempted to smash her ankle with his hilt but hit nothing. Scrambling up, he lashed out with a backhanded cut. She appeared to flow away from it, features serene while the blade parted the air before them. Damn, he was really in over his head.