by A L Issett
“Go secure that first catapult and let it move nowhere” Tanner said to his men as he made a dash towards the other weapon. He was still powered up from his earlier draining of the mage and after shoving a few unsuspecting soldiers aside made it to the weapon as enemy soldiers were trying to push it off the field. Tanner raised his axe to strike at a man when a spear shot by him and hit the man in the stomach. Tanner was stunned briefly as the rest of the enemy looked him over and decided the catapult wasn't worth it.
“Take the catapults back to the camp” Tanner shouted as he stopped any soldier he could to help him move the weapons instead of following the enemy. The separatist were not lined up correctly to begin the fight, now that they were retreating they were in tight groups with shields locked and swords held high. Men started cheering around Tanner as teams started pushing the two captured catapults. Tanner joined in with one team and the weapon started moving a bit more easily on its wheels. Tanner had missed the fight, his body ached for war and he missed it even more than he had thought after his time with the barbarians. Tanner looked at his armor and could see all the nicks and gouges it had from fighting in such close quarters. His axe was nicked up and took a little beating but was still serviceable. Tanner made his way back into the camp where men started slapping him hard on shoulder as he passed by. He had quite a few offers for free drinks and one of the female soldiers even offered him something else. Tanner still felt somewhat energized but despite the thrill of battle he was worried about Carolina. It felt right, but the men around him were not his friends or his allies. They were the enemy and would be treated as such whenever he got Carolina back. If he made friends and allegiances it would not only be more difficult to kill them but he would feel like a snake for attacking them in the first place. He would be a friend turned enemy, something he despised Golden for. Tanner took off his helm and was thankful the darkness had taken him. Unbuckling his armor was a lot easier than putting it on and soon Tanner had a pile of dinged up metal at his feet.
“You fought well, at least that is the word around camp” Captain Valero said as he approached Tanner.
“I did okay, but I can tell you that was a small sample compared to what is going to happen if my niece has even the slightest bruise Galero” Tanner began. “I am not known by anyone as an understanding man and I always collect any debts owed to me in thrice.”
“She is well and is being cared for” Galero replied.
“She better be, if the enemy gets a hold of her I am holding you lot responsible” Tanner finished. “Now what brings you out here, don't say you were in the area because I make it a point not to relax in front the enemy which is the only reason I’m here.”
“I just came to show my appreciation on the catapults” Galero began. “Rumors say you rushed through a cone of fire, split a mage open then took two lightning bolts directly to your shield. They say the mages that hit you were so shocked you got back up that you killed them both before they could even react. Your countrymen though were not so lucky trying to capture the third catapult but all sources say they killed quite a few of the enemy.”
“Well good for them but my niece is the only thing I care about, not some competition or some rivalry,” Tanner began. “I think I am going to pull myself out of combat until the rest of my countrymen get here.”
“Of course your decision will be respected” Galero said and sat down next to Tanner. “The Queen has invited you to dine with her and all of her top staff.”
“Tell her I decline but thank you anyway” Tanner replied. “I think my countryman has his eyes set on her and I will only be in the way.”
“I believe that is that exact reason she wants you present” Galero began. “I am not her advisor except on military matters so I cannot be too sure but I think I can read people well. Your friend has been charming but it comes off as being too smooth. You on the other hand say exactly what you mean and don't care for any of the consequences. I know your first priority and also know you mean to keep your word if your niece is injured. After fighting you and hearing about you in battle I am wondering if you are more trouble than you are worth. I also think the reason you are way out here by yourself instead of drinking, eating or any other such activities is because you don't want to get too close to us. You see us as demons and do not want to have a conflicting conscious in case you have to kill anyone of us. You are an easy person to read, the Queen probably has read you as well and knows your ultimate goal is not to manipulate her into anything. The same cannot be said about the rest the people surrounding her.”
“You have insight” Tanner began. “But that don't mean because some lad spoke his mind that I am suddenly going to see you as anything other than who you are. There are a lot of secrets here that are being kept, you may think me one drink short of a good time but I am not daft.”
“I was wondering when this would come up” Galero replied. “Our fight has been playing over and over again in my mind. You were a lot faster than I anticipated, despite your size and considerable skill you moved nimbly. I had never fought anyone other than another wielder more than a couple of passes, my speed is usually too great. Now from the ending of our match I can tell you have fought another wielder before, you never really committed until you saw that I was getting weaker. I was under the impression that wielding was a Quetian secret, but it is obviously not. You gave yourself up when you greeted me with the handshake of the barbarians. You are rough around the edges but how could a barbarian become a Ketian noble? If you wouldn’t have felt my brace I would still be unsure.”
“Then you don't deny you were receiving assistance during our little fight?” Tanner asked.
“Of course I was receiving assistance” Galero replied with a slight cough. “But you knew that already.”
“I am just amazed you would say it so openly, especially to me” Tanner replied. “Your secret partner is going to be madder than a noble in peasant’s clothes you told me your secret.”
“What secret partner are you talking about” Galero replied confused. “I don't walk in any shadows when it comes to my dealings.”
“I know you have something going on with Perry” Tanner replied. “I just can’t figure what it is and why you would be so stupid to fight me knowing I could possibly find out you have one of the braces. I am sure he told you all about my fight with him.”
“You are confusing me” Galero replied. “I will speak plainly, you know how I get my power and the source of it. Everything else you are talking about makes no sense, maybe I was wrong when I said you don't play games.”
“You think I’m daft?” Tanner asked. “We both know Perry is a wielder or whatever you call it. We both know he is much stronger than you or I when he is connected to all of his mages, I think he is your inside man on how my niece was kidnapped. All this because he has a plan to marry that Queen of yours and become king. I doubt my niece or the other woman will be willfully harmed, that would bring down the full force of Ket upon you and turn this place into rubble. Even if the other four kingdoms join your cause King Golden would not stop until this place was raised to the ground.”
“A wielder?” Galero said surprised. “That is impossible, the secret for wielding was only discovered a little over two summers ago. There is no way this Perry of yours has the talent, every brace in existence has had a careful eye kept on it. The only one unspoken for is believed to be in the hands of General Torrin of the separatist.”
Tanner eyed Galero not sure what to make of his words. It was unlikely that Perry and the Quetians both discovered the secret on their own, but Galero seemed adamant that the secret of wielding had not been shared.
“How are your braces made exactly?” Tanner asked. “Is this something anyone with skill can do or is it made in a select place with the secret heavily guarded?”
“Only one person can make the braces” Galero replied. “And the technique is such that creating one involves sacrifice, I think you must be mistaken about your cou
ntryman.”
“How was the technique suddenly obtained?” Tanner asked. “I doubt someone pulled it out their arse one day and called it magic.”
“A number of different ways” Galero replied. “The tools to do it we already had, the knowledge though came from the other kingdoms, that along with trial and error allowed us to recreate the lost weapon. There are only six in creation, one in the hands of the separatist, two that used to belong to wielders who lost their life in service to the Queen, myself and two others.”
“Whose idea was it to kidnap my niece” Tanner said bluntly. “You don't seem like the kind of knobber to snatch women and your Queen seems like the idea was fed to her and she was desperate. If I had to put this puzzle together I think her advisor, the old man with the smooth words was a part of it but I am sure he had help feeding this idea to the Queen.”
“I cannot give out that information” Galero replied. “I have already given out too much information about being a wielder. I have spent too long out here talking to you, my Queen awaits me.”
“Wait up” Tanner said as he got up. “I’ll stuff my face and keep an eye out. I believe your shock about Perry, I thought you were in this like a pair of thieves in a rich man’s home. I think Ket is being manipulated in ways that has nothing to do with Carolina, she is just means to an end.”
Tanner followed Galero back to the main army and left his armor and weapons where they were at. The Queen took her meal in another bigger tent that had a long wooden table inside of it. She was already seated, as was Perry who sat on the side of her. None of that mattered though to Tanner, on the Queen’s right was Carolina and the girl Jessica. They were seated and looked to have been given fresh clothes. Tanner walked over towards his niece as he could see all conversation stopped.
“Have any of these goat fuckers slapped you around a bit?” Tanner asked as he started searching his niece’s face and hair for bruising. “So help me if some knobber tried to show you who’s boss I’ll tear this place apart like a hungry dog on a steak.”
“I am fine Uncle, just still a little shaken” Carolina replied.
“You better stay that way” Tanner said with a sigh of relief. “The Jinx Flinger wanted to come but I had him stay back, he is going to lead my people down here, shove a boot in someone’s ass and get you home. I would right now if I could but a stray arrow could take you down in the process so you are just going to have to wait here a bit until whatever war this is completes itself.”
“She wasn’t the only one taken!” Jessica said as she stood up and faced Tanner.
“No I suppose she wasn’t” Tanner replied. “But she is my niece and your father and his lot are a bunch of tossers. No offense to you, you seem like a good enough sort but apples rarely fall from the tree.”
“I-I don’t know how to take that” Jessica said confused.
“Take it how you want” Tanner replied. “Besides, I am sure Perry showed his gratitude at having you here. The way your father’s get along I am surprised you haven’t been matched already.”
“Jess is a friend Uncle” Carolina replied. “She does not scheme like the rest of them, we grew up together.”
“Is that a fact?” Tanner replied as he then looked at Darlene. “You’ve upheld your part of the bargain Your Majesty, my niece is safe and it came from her own mouth. I’ll respect this small peace we have and not do anything foolish. When then the Jinx Flinger gets here though, I make no promises for the boy.”
“The Jinx Flinger?” Queen Darlene asked confused.
“It’s what he calls my husband Your Majesty” Carolina replied. “He is the High Mage of Ket and is every bit as uncivilized as my Uncle Tanner. Jinx Flinger is a slur for mages used by the lower class in Ket.”
“Can we talk about something less dreadful” Perry said butting into the conversation. “Things were going well before you barged in here Earl Tox. Two catapults have been captured and the enemy was finally the one to retreat from the field. Let's settle down and let the Quetians enjoy their victory without all the talk about politics.”
“I know two catapults were taken” Tanner replied. “It was my ass who took ‘em. But if you ever tell me to settle down again there is not going to be enough of you to scrape off the dirt we are standing on. You save your tone for others who are impressed by you, leave me out of their number.” Tanner eyed the man until Carolina pulled him away, Tanner could tell he had changed the entire mood of whatever they had going with his outburst and tried to calm himself.
“Your mood has changed rapidly Tanner” Queen Darlene remarked.
“Many people look at battle as some sort of game, fun while it is happening but no one looks at the end game” Tanner replied. “How many widows did I make out there today? How many families are going to starve because their breadwinner is now lying cold on the ground? How many sons and daughters won't ever see their old man again? Is that really something to be celebrated or shrugged off? Their only mistake was being put on a battlefield and having me opposite of them, which is why I don't understand why fools would readily put themselves in that position.”
“Did you just call me a fool?” Perry said as he stood up shaking.
“If I called you a fool you would know it” Tanner replied as he stepped up to then looked down at the smaller man. Tanner enveloped Perry in his anti-magic field, his mages were nowhere around to feed him power but Tanner could not be sure if one of the Queen’s mages were a part of the conspiracy.
“This dinner was going so pleasant” the Queen’s advisor remarked. “Can’t we have this day? We never know when our time will come, when our families will hear we didn't make it. Let us ignore any perceived slights and enjoy the food.”
Tanner broke eye contact first and nodded at the advisor and went to go take a seat on the far side of the table and stared out at Carolina then started eating the food that was brought to him angrily.
“So Tanner is really your Uncle?” Tanner heard the Queen ask Carolina. “He certainly has to be interesting to be around at social functions since he hardly ever cracks a smile and only has infrequent bouts of contentedness.”
“Uncle Tanner hates noble functions your Majesty” Carolina replied. “He had not been to one in four years including my wedding, with everything that has happened I doubt he will go to another.”
“Why does he hate such functions so much?” Queen Darlene asked. “I know right now because of the circumstances he may not be at his best, but why would he hate attending them in his own country?”
“Oh Uncle Tanner is at his best alright” Carolina laughed. “He says it is no better feeling in the world than to shut a fat mouth. But at this point it is probably well known that my Uncle and my Father do not get on well stemming from actions before I was born. The gap has never been bridged to the point I only met my Uncle four or five years ago. But my Uncle is a good man that does great things for his people, forgive me for saying so Your Majesty but I am glad I am not in the position you are all in. My Uncle hates bullies and fraudsters with a passion, I really cannot see any way your country comes out of this unscathed. If you keep your word and release me unharmed, I doubt my father could stop my Uncle from paying back any and all who had a part in me being here. It would consume him until he feels that the wrong has been righted.”
