by Radu Aldea
“You two are going to stay here for a short time because I have to leave soon.”
She heard the loud no screamed in her head. That was the downside of being a senator. Humans under your control didn’t need to speak to argue with you. Cecilia and Amelia had made their feelings known with clarity. Some humans would not dare contradict a senator, yet her humans had no qualms about it. Kara was glad about it. She had never wanted to scare them into silence, but the number of ways they found to voice their refusal was impressive.
“I need you to stay. You’d be safe here and I wouldn’t have to worry about you.”
“We are not a burden,” Amelia said aloud when she saw the silent method didn’t work.
“I didn’t say you were. It will be very dangerous where I’m going. You can’t help me there, but I can let people know if something happens to me through you.”
“At least let us go to Marcia. We would be safe there, wouldn’t we?” Cecilia asked.
“I think you would be safe, but I have a very good reason for keeping you here.”
“She wants Marcia to attack Cuttland,” Matilda gave the reason although Kara preferred not to let them know. There wasn’t much damage done, anyway.
“So order her to attack Cuttland! You can order her, can’t you?”
Amelia asked a very good question and Kara had no answer. She didn’t know if Marcia would accept her leadership. The powerful senator might consider Kara too young.
“She doesn’t have a good reason for attacking Cuttland,” Matilda spoke again in her place. “And Marcia would probably accept her order, but she might ask why they are attacking Cuttland and not Essland. And because Kara doesn’t have a good answer for this other than her intuition she is creating a situation where Marcia has a reason to attack our neighbor.”
“I am not going to change my mind. You either stay here and do what I ask or you don’t. It is your choice to make after I leave. I hope you trust me enough.”
“I will do as you ask girl, but you better be right. Because if you are wrong you’ll pay for it.”
Kara knew through the connection that the girls accepted her orders. The two of them at least didn’t doubt her, they just didn’t like being left with Matilda.
They went outside and prepared the horses for the journey. It was a quiet endeavor, as nobody seemed to have anything else to say. It was a way of saying goodbye.
“So where are we going?” Michael asked when they were alone.
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“It certainly looks like we are going to Essland.”
Kara smiled. It was exactly where they were going. That was when the rain started. It would destroy most of the tracks. That was very good.
Chapter ten
Aleyna admired the view from the mountain peak. It was a beautiful day, no clouds in the sky, and she could see far away. Cuttland, in all its immensity, lay before her. Somewhere far to the north was the imperial capital, Veneguard, the city forbidden to senators. The Conclave, especially the sorceresses who could resist senatorial power, protected it.
Cuttland was the largest province of the empire by far, almost twice the size of Suttland. When the empire was created for the first time from the seven kingdoms, the conquest began here, on Cuttland’s plains and plateaus. The first wizard fielded immense armies against the rest of the kingdoms who were finally defeated after many years of bloody battles. Riffland fell first, followed by Wessland, Essland and finally Suttland. The animosity between Cuttland’s senators and Suttland’s was well known and perhaps that was the moment it started. Or maybe it went farther back to a time when the myths had been born.
Aleyna didn’t know exactly where the border between the two provinces was located. She suspected she was in Cuttland. Somehow, without even knowing, she had crossed the border. She and thousands of soldiers! It was a declaration of war and there was no pretense.
For three days they had searched for any sign of the soldiers in every direction. The perpetual rain of the previous days made the search difficult, but they found tracks that led to Cuttland. It was incontrovertible proof the soldiers had come from here. And now, after all that rain, the sun was shining. A god or goddess seemed to have an acute sense of irony.
As the news of Kara’s and Rufus’s deaths traveled across Suttland, more and more senators joined Marcia. She was the incontestable leader of the house now and all the senators acted like it. They all had soldiers with them, apparently the news they had to militarize got to everyone. The house could raise a force of more than ten thousand soldiers, if you counted all their clients and the clients’ clients.
Although if it came to war against other houses, only a tenth of the senators counted. Yet that tenth could control half of the soldiers the house could field. For now, Marcia used everyone. For now, they were just searching and weren’t at war. All could change in an instant.
In the first day after Kara’s death, most of the garrisons of the mountain fortresses that guarded the passes were supplemented while trackers kept searching. The first senators made their appearance, wearing their masks and accompanied by soldiers. Aleyna was not able to function at the fullest of her abilities, yet she understood how serious the situation really was. Kara was a loss not only for her but the entire family. While Rufus could be replaced, his daughter was more important. The senators may not have cared about Kara as much as she did, but they felt her absence and the decrease in power of the house.
By the second day all the garrisons of the mountain fortresses were supplemented. Trackers had found proof that the soldiers had crossed the Serelians from Cuttland, yet none of the soldiers who attacked them were found. As her thinking became clearer and less muddied by grief, Aleyna was convinced they would never be. She was still grieving but she was able to think. It surprised her and she figured she was stronger than she thought. And somewhere deep inside she still harbored the hope Kara was still alive. The messengers sent to Julia would not arrive there for another three or four days. A lot more senators joined them that day and for the first time in a very long time, armies from Suttland crossed into Cuttland. There were only small search parties, but it was enough. They managed to find more tracks of her attackers, or at least they thought that was what they had, yet Aleyna knew the endeavor to be futile. Whatever tracks they might discover after all the rain, there was no sure way to attribute them to anyone. For now, there was no reaction from Cuttland senators, but she knew it was only a matter of time before it came. Presumably, it took them longer to gather an army. Cuttland’s size had its drawbacks. Yet sooner rather than later an army would show up.
Now, on the third day, Marcia Antonia was giving serious thought to invading Cuttland. Aleyna thought that was reckless at best. Cuttland senators may be divided, and brother didn’t even trust brother as was the case with Robert and Roger Castus, but they would unite faced with Suttland’s aggression. And if Aleyna knew this Marcia knew it too, considering the female senator had access to her thoughts. Not that Marcia needed Aleyna to tell her what the situation was. All this strategic thinking made Aleyna realize just how important her friend was to the family. Kara’s power gave them an advantage and there was a good chance they would’ve been able to defeat Cuttland. Kara and Julia together, families behind them, would rip Cuttland to pieces. As things stood right now they needed allies. Mostly, they needed Julia.
Christian came up to her. Just like Aleyna, he wore armor and still he managed to move silently. The young senator was quiet as a feline stalking its prey. Useful for sneaking up on girls. It was probably not the first time Christian did this.
“So this is Cuttland,” Aleyna began the conversation. “I’ve never been to Cuttland.”
“You’re going to see it now. Although it probably won’t be the most pleasant journey.”
“Do you really think we are going to invade it?”
“We’re already here. Moving north a few miles won’t make any difference.”
“
I guess you’re right. What if we are making a mistake?”
“We’re not!” Christian answered with a certainty that surprised her.
“Do you think they know we are here?”
“They know! We’ve seen a few of their scouts. We let them go, there’s no point detaining them. Their masters already know everything the scouts have seen.”
Senators had sent them to keep track of their movements. Caught or not, they still reported back to their masters through the link. The senators were probably many miles away hiding in fortified villas. By now, they were all panicking.
“They could crush us!” Aleyna spoke mostly to herself.
“I seriously doubt that. They’re unprepared. We could probably eliminate half of them before they decide what to do. And when they do there would be too few of them to resist.”
“You think so? Robert and Roger Castus would put their differences aside and act very quickly. We are the only people they hate more than each other.”
“I think we can defeat them both, but mother agrees with you.”
That wasn’t a surprise. Marcia was cautious and wouldn’t drag them into a hopeless war.
“Then we will wait here, look towards Cuttland and not move forward.”
“Julia will come. Then you’ll get a better look at Cuttland.”
Aleyna was almost sure Julia would come, but that won’t happen for another week. Marcia’s messengers won’t get there until the day after tomorrow at the earliest. It was more likely it would take them another three days. Maybe Julia had found out what was happening and militarized sooner. Her army would be ready the moment the messengers arrived there. It would still take Julia another week to get her army here. Unless she crossed into Cuttland at a point further east, although it was unlikely Julia would act without being sure of what happened. She might’ve done it if Kara had asked, but she wouldn’t accommodate Marcia. There was also the question of what Julia’s father would do. He might decide to sit it out.
“What if Julia’s father won’t come to our aid and won’t let his daughter come either?”
“Our houses have had an alliance for a very long time. It is in his interest to help us, otherwise we will fall one by one. If we show ourselves to be weak and divided we will perish,” Christian told her. He was definitely wiser than his age, as was usual for most senators. “Anyway, I don’t think he could stop her. I know you and Julia didn’t get along, but she cared deeply about Kara and Kara about her. I don’t think she is behind the attack and she wants to punish those who were. So she’ll come. Kara is probably with her already.”
“You really think she is alive, don’t you?”
“I do! Don’t you?”
She shook her head. There was some circumstantial evidence which supported Christian’s theory, but that was not enough for her. She had said it before and had not changed her mind.
“We’ll see who is right. We could really use her right now.”
Aleyna was about to answer when she heard the commotion coming from their camp. Something was happening there and they made their way back. First she saw the hundreds of soldiers and then the two female senators who were in their middle. At least they came from the south, so most likely they were allies. Christian recognized them before Aleyna and he didn’t seem very happy to see them. There were only two senators, so if they had control of all those soldiers they must be powerful, maybe as powerful as Marcia and Christian.
“That’s all we needed right now, a challenge of leadership,” Christian snorted.
“I thought Marcia was the head of the family now?”
“She is, but that doesn’t mean her leadership cannot be contested. I have the feeling that’s about to happen. Don’t you recognize them?”
Now that she was looking more carefully she did recognize them. They were Kara’s aunt and cousin from her mother’s side. For some reason they were not close to Kara and that was the reason Marcia raised her and not Reyna Levilla, her aunt. It was also the reason why Aleyna had only seen them on few occasions.
“Can they actually challenge your mother?” Aleyna asked.
“They can certainly try, but I don’t know if they have the backing.”
Christian was right, the last thing they needed now was a challenge of leadership. Surely, Reyna would see that. Aleyna was more comfortable with Marcia in charge, probably because she knew her, than with Reyna. And she could not understand how she had kept her distance from her niece. They were family, after all.
Aleyna and Christian moved closer to Reyna so they could be in a position where they could see what was happening. Sure enough, Marcia came to meet them and there was tension in the air. The way the two female senators faced each other after Reyna climbed off her horse told Aleyna there was going to be a confrontation. And she wasn’t wrong.
“Is my niece dead?” Reyna spoke abruptly in a very harsh tone.
“We’re not sure,” Marcia replied trying to keep calm.
“Is Rufus dead?” This time it was Sarah Levilla who asked the question. Sarah was seventeen, tall, lithe and brunette just like her mother. She was actually very pretty and some would say she was beautiful. Aleyna thought bitterly that almost all senators were good looking, which was unfair. Their power should’ve been enough.
“Probably, but we’re not sure!”
“What do you mean you are not sure?” Reyna was growing impatient.
“It means we haven’t found the bodies, that we found Rufus’ mask and some ashes in his urn in the crypt, and that we received a message that could only have been written by Kara or Rufus. So if someone isn’t playing a very clever mind-game, Rufus is dead and Kara is alive.” Christian answered this time and he was more annoyed with the questions than his mother.
“I think I may have received a similar message. I am not convinced. So if my niece is alive, where is she?”
That was a very good question, Aleyna thought. Marcia and Christian hoped she was with Julia or on her way there. If she wasn’t there they would have to admit she was not alive, because there was nowhere else they could think of where she would go.
“We don’t know. We’re hoping she went to Julia. We sent messages and men there.”
“What happened?”
“Rufus was assassinated in the villa by two senators who posed as guests and Kara was attacked by almost a thousand soldiers. The bodies of the soldiers who attacked Kara were burned, while at the villa the bodies of the servants and guards were left undisturbed.”
“When I heard what happened I went to see the battlefield by the lake. You know what I saw, Marcia? Incompetence or treason because I cannot fathom how you were stupid enough to let the same thing that happened to my sister happen to my niece. I have never found my sister’s body to cremate and now I bet I won’t find my niece’s body either. So tell me, Marcia, are you simply incompetent or did you want to be the head of the family?”
“How dare you? You abandoned your niece when she needed you the most. I raised her! She was like a daughter to me. And now you dare accuse me that I had her killed?”
“I apologize! That wasn’t completely my fault. I share a large part of the blame, but it was difficult for me losing my sister. Kara reminded me of her and for a long time it was too painful for me to see her. But Rufus didn’t want me around and made it quite clear. He was her father and the head of the family. I could’ve gone against him, I know, but I didn’t and when Kara was old enough she though I didn’t care about her. She kept her distance and I can’t blame her. I don’t think you had anything to do with this, but how could a thousand men get so close to her? When I first heard it I thought it couldn’t be true.”
Unfortunately, it was. Aleyna had thought about it a lot. There was an explanation other than treason. One Aleyna didn’t particularly like: wizards or sorceresses. Although it was clear some of them were involved in this mess. It surprised her Reyna backed off and apologized for the accusation. She also understood the senator better. K
ara was like a real sister to her and Aleyna knew how painful it was losing her. Reyna must’ve felt the same way about her sister. Still, she should’ve made more of an effort to have a relationship with Kara.
“We were unprepared and reckless. We should’ve been more cautious,” Marcia spoke.
“What about the soldiers? Tell me at least you’ve got some of them.”
“We didn’t! I think someone managed to kill them at the lake. We found very few tracks that left that field. We kept searching, but I don’t think there is anything to find.
“Wonderful! So all we have to go on are the two senators and there is little chance of finding them. By now, they are probably home,” Reyna spoke. “All we can do is take one senator at a time and establish where they were. And to do that we will have to send senators all over the empire since it is unlikely they will be accommodating.”
“That’s about it! Perhaps we should establish where we were when the attacks took place. I know you must have some soldier who was with you at that time.”
“I believe you and I hope you believe me to, so it’s not really necessary. On second thought, we should do this with all our senators and eliminate them from the list of suspects. This will only show them that all of us went through it.”
They had to start somewhere. Marcia and Reyna exchanged control of two soldiers. When, after reading the soldiers thoughts, they were both convinced of the other’s innocence, the two senators exchanged the soldiers again. Four were cleared, that only left four thousand more. They should search from top to bottom, Aleyna thought. It was highly unlikely a pleb could be behind the attacks. They had nothing to gain, unless a more powerful senator put them up to it. That was a reasonable option, although most of the senators still wouldn’t have dared attack the most powerful senatorial house even if they had backing.
“So now that we’ve been cleared, what do we do?” Reyna asked.
“Go through all our senators and make sure they are all innocent!”
