Traitor to the King: A Tale of the Benaga Sisters

by Clare SM Keating

  Seven: Damara’s Plan

  Herr der Schatten was a western god that told a lot of lies

  He sold many silly stories and tricked peoples minds

  For all he ever wanted was to cause a bit of trouble

  So he could watch the world burning and dance in the rubble

  So all my little children should listen very well

  Never speak a secret you should never tell

  - Herr der Schatten Rhyme for Children

  The dreams that came to the young elf maiden lounging upon the bed were no longer the wretched memories of the stones but a blur of frightening shadows. This was not a peaceful sleep but one of exhaustion and finally her muscles were able to regain energy and push out the remaining pall of darkness that had been harming the poor woman. Damara gave soft moans and motions of her lips as if she were speaking, but her face wore a smile and she was very happy. It was probably the best sleep she had held in her life and yet there was a sudden sensation towards the end of the sleep of darkness. It was a darkness that hurt her, but she fought it back!

  Her head was spinning with pain but somehow Damara managed to sit herself up in the comfortable large bed and rub her ears into life. Her body felt no longer drained of energy and though dizzy she was sure her whole form was back to how it had been before. For a moment she tried to recall what had happened and recollected the removal of a strange dark pain that had been crushing her by the strange efforts of Karayan. Realising this she swung herself out of the blankets wrapped about her and looked to a clock on the wall… the water-based clock was showing that it was already into the morning of the next day and Damara was shocked. She noticed that the room was tidy too and the house quiet, but she was dreadfully fearful of what she had missed out on.

  Just what had happened to her?

  As if realising she was awake and worried, the door of the room was opened delicately and Droy stepped inside with a glass of water and a soft smile upon his face. The sudden arrival of the member of the Core caused her to catch her breath before her body sagged in relief to see him. He stepped straight to Damara’s side and even sat himself upon her bed with a beaming smile as he watched her grasp the glass and drink up the fluid in vivid, heavy gulps. She was pleased to see a familiar face in the room and only as she cast her eyes about did she realise that she was in Droy’s room. Recognising the paintings of wild deer and the starry skies that she knew he had painted himself from memory on canvases he’d bartered the traders for, Damara looked to him with a thick blush as she realised she was in his bed and therefore he was probably sharing someone else’s.

  Damara did not want to state her concerns about his activities with… other men… within this bed but it was obvious the fear was there. Although Droy was very, very careful about how he acted and what he was going to do, Damara was in his private room. In fact, he’d been incredibly lucky to have been an orphan, so he had no family to shame and in his training days he’d been selected by Martum for friendship and that more aggressive elf had done his best to protect them both. Martum had been accused of the forbidden love before, but the other elf involved had been a noble’s son and they had managed to claim the situation to have been a dare, so Droy had been in safe hands if anything happened. It had been perhaps fate that the pair had always ended up working and patrolling with one another and it had been as a pair that Damara and Karani had met them and been rescued by them from other more boisterous members of the core.

  “I’m with my lover of course; you don’t have to worry about that Damara, my dear friend nothing’s happened the bed has clean sheets. The Karayan was very well informed of the matter and stated he had no fear or care for how Martum and I expressed our affections within his household, although it was a shock when he just sort of, came out with it when the servants were gone. His only condition was to be cautious of those servants and around guests who are not on our side. Startling isn’t it?” Droy chuckled with his rich, beautiful voice as he gently patted Damara’s hand and then took the glass from her hands. He then looked about the room with a sigh and even produced a soft little chuckle. “Ah… if Higatso’s eyes hadn’t been taken up to the sun his head would be screaming about it.”

  The words startled Damara greatly, to hear them mentioned so openly spoke volumes of the Karayan’s tolerance but it was also dangerous. Though she and Karani knew the truth and did their best not to let anyone else figure it out, if seen to be a couple in public the two men would be executed as blasphemers to Nabuto’s natural order. After a brief worry Damara dove forward to hug him in thanks and Droy just chuckled, he urged her to go to sleep again and that everything would be dealt with when the Karayan woke up. When she asked where he was, Droy stated that he’d ‘gone upwards’ into the high roof of the mansion that touched the earth above. Somehow it made Damara feel very guilty, but she settled back to sleep and once again her dreams fixated on the one shining stone, sitting all alone in the middle of the swamps. She could swear it was calling to her, but she still needed someone else to have seen it there.

  When morning came Damara was met by Molwesa, who’d already checked on her after the event during her sleep and stated she could not be removed from that bed. Apparently, Anouk had come back to the house before going on patrol to check on her sister but pulled back the moment she’d realised it was in the Karayan’s home. The fact her sister was still on edge over Damara’s safety was worrying enough although today Molwesa was pleased Damara was awake and able to return to Anouk. After forcing the healer to join a simple breakfast of bread and water the elder elf decided to leave, visibly uncomfortable in this household and glaring at Droy as if he’d done something bad. Damara could only assume it was because she had slept in his bed, which was not appropriate for an unmarried woman! If no one had seen her seizure the previous day, then it would have opened a door to some unpleasant rumours. Damara was not too fussed over the matter either, however as she knew Droy had been very kind and would never do anything to hurt her or sully her reputation she ignored the thoughts. Instead breakfast ran smoothly, and it would have been an appropriate time for Damara to leave if the Karayan had not suddenly appeared.

  His complexion was oddly pallid, and his expression drained, his eyes remained stark but everything else seemed lacklustre. His brown hair seemed dark and greasy, tatty and unkempt rather then its usual smoothness and his posture was pained and staggering. When he sat down in his black shrouds like a corpse at the table, more bread and some fruit was brought out for him to eat. Damara stared at his weakened form with a sudden pang of guilt and then fear; for a brief moment he’d smiled to see her and she’d wondered if perhaps the Karayan had only weakened and hurt himself because he had feelings for her! But she brushed the panic at that thought away quickly as she recalled his attempt to talk with Anouk at the party and the strange connection they held. Sometimes she tended to over think her friendships with males when people were being suspicious about it.

  Silence reigned at the table but the food, though they never quite caught a glimpse of how he ate it, seemed to help the giant recover. The two Core members and Damara thanked him after their meal and would have been on their way to start preparing the Core for another training session had the Karayan not requested the two men took charge of training for the day. Both were so shocked and delighted that they forced him to put it down in writing so no one could doubt them and the Karayan rolled his eyes. His straightforward manner and honesty had begun to win him the hearts of the Core now that the original fear was starting to subside, but he did not usually make a habit of missing training sessions. However, it just proved his own exhaustion from what had happened and Damara was reminded of the strange contorted shadow she had seen in the room. Droy and Martum departed swiftly, leaving the petite Damara in the presence of the giant stranger and his cloth covered mouth.

  “Did… uh… did you see anything in your mind last night, Karayan, about a stone in the swamp?” Damara asked the question without really checki
ng for trouble and when a servant came in to clean up, the short silvery-coloured figure swiftly backed away into the kitchen in apology for interrupting. Damara did not notice him but the Karayan did and gently he pulled himself up from the table and ushered her toward the nearby Reading Room. Once there he bolted the door with a grunt, checking every window and opening whilst Damara could not help but feel strangely on edge.

  “You should be more careful talking about such things, I don’t know these servants well enough to think they’re not spying on me.” The growl he produced made Damara grimace at first, but then she shook her head with a gentle laugh. She tried to encourage the Karayan that this was simply a matter of paranoia, but his face remained unpleasant and Damara felt oddly upset. She had never thought that a servant could have loyalty for anyone who was not their master, it would be sinful, yet she recalled Talon stating that some butlers were the worst gossipers around and how Higatso used to pay off servants for sordid details to blackmail nobles with. She had always believed it to be paranoid, pessimistic grumbles about how people perceived themselves to be treated when they were doing wrong, but somehow the Karayan’s statement was more believable and there was indeed cause to it.

  “Who do you think is spying on you?” Damara questioned, hardly able to name anyone in the council she felt couldn’t be trusted… save Gahlvrod. But spying on the stranger for the fact he was a cursed being, well Head Mage Zehna and Head of Police Floryas would be likely candidates; but this Damara did not truly consider spying when it was a normal thing for a foreigner to experience. When Karayan gave the name Yeruell, Damara’s jaw dropped and she appeared truly gobsmacked over the revelation. “But… there is no way he could! I mean, why would he do that?”

  “Easy, he’s making sure I don’t hide information the King needs to hear, and I don’t speak about the king like I know everything about him. The Yeruell line is curiously protective of your king considering they know that he is the main cause of the attacks for using the stone’s energy to keep alive.” The Karayan snorted, but Damara was not pleased with this thought and wished she was a child again so that she did not have to think about these kinds of problems. To her, Karayan was talking as if Yeruell might be some kind of traitor to the people and that could hardly be the case. She knew the man well and although his uncle was in every way an ass, the family was not one for secrets or the current lord’s ears would have been trimmed off!

  But… just maybe they were spying on Karayan because they feared what he was – no one could be blamed for being that cautious at least!

  “So, tell me Karayan, did you see the stone?”

  “If you must know then I have seen something of a stone. When I held you, I saw that same glow in the swamp and on my travels, I did sense something that way, but it is not wise to think this is true when a Hive Demon causes your visions.” Karayan snorted but in truth he was only being protective over Damara. Upon his trudge through the swamp he had passed the glowing rock and felt it talk to him then, promise to help him with his issues. But he had pushed the idea from his head as he had not known the item for what it was – in hindsight he would not have needed to decapitate Higatso if he’d brought the stone with him.

  But for this confirmation, even though he was telling her not to be interested in the item, Damara’s eyes lit up. She had what she needed to convince Anouk and yet she knew it would probably not be enough. She knew she would not be believed unless she got it herself, but the Karayan noticed this hunger flash in her eyes and he gave a cough.

  “You’re thinking of the glory and the possibility to say, ‘I told you so’ isn’t that the sin of pride under Nabuto?” Knowing Damara’s faithfulness to the codes and creeds of this land, the Karayan knew he could quell her passion by bringing it up. She looked suddenly remorseful and then she pondered over what affect the demon touch had held over her body and she was scared. But the Karayan stretched out a hand and patted her head very delicately before giving a soft grunt. “You’re still young Little One, your time for glory is not now and there would only be pain if you chose this path. Listen closely to me Damara; you are not your sister and that is not a bad thing.”

  “But she is so fearless! She practically raised me as her own to always do what’s right. I know this stone is there and I want to help our king. I want to be worthy of my family name and the kindness everyone has shown me.” Damara sighed pitifully but inside her mind was ticking away with a plan. Despite Anouk’s thoughts and the Karayan’s, Damara could go out and get the stone, but she wouldn’t go alone, and she’d ask advice from the one person she knew would help her out, even if he had to go with her.

  Outside the steps of the great gate and the marble library, two proud nobles stood staring down at the bustling market plaza beside the statues of their ancestors. They had been involved in a long discussion regarding what to do and yet they had not come up with anything solid. In their white and lilac robes, they appeared almost holy as they strode back and forth through the great figures and continued to discuss their thoughts. Their patience was only broken by the sudden appearance of a short, silvery, huffing and puffing servant that dropped to his knees grasping Lord Yeruell’s soft grey slippers.

  “My lord… I have urgent news!” The servant gasped and Yeruell’s eyes widened in surprise as beside him Lord Lutas beamed menacingly. Although the speaker was not generally eager for his spies to reveal themselves in public, he knew that only a truly important matter would cause such boldness. Gently he bent down and grasped the servant calmly at the shoulders to ease his breath. Once the figure was back in control he gave a soft cough then smiled. “Apparently, the Karayan is aware of a stone in the swamp that can be retrieved… but he was only made aware as Damara Benaga is seeing visions of the stones. She will not keep this secret to him though, I believe she will seek out someone she trusts for advice.”

  “Damara is not a glory hog, so she will of course be asking for Karayan’s help. She will also seek your advice Lutas, so we must help her out. The credit for finding the stone deserves to go to a noble household, not a beast like him.” Yeruell stated in a calm and gentle manner although it was obvious he did not like what he was hearing. As he turned toward Lutas, his friend appeared startled and perhaps a little affronted by the suggestion that he should be involved. He did not want to say anything of course, but he gave a slightly indignant look as the servant was sent away. “You don’t approve of my words?”

  “I can’t say spying has ever brought me anything of worth – old favourites for one master tend to do whatever they can to sully the new. Gossip and rumours are killers looked on as sins by Nabuto, old friend.” The disdain was clear but Yeruell had not chosen Lutas’ friendship in hopes of gaining a lackey so his opinions were always counted. The pair had chosen their alliance purely for the fact they both wanted to change Virenheim’s old manners for the sake of the Deep Elves… but only for the Deep Elves. They knew there were problems within their system and yet they did not see acceptance of the outside world as part of the many things needed to maintain their seemingly weakened society.

  “She’ll look for her teacher’s advice of course, so I would suggest you find some of your most trustworthy servants and soldiers to assist her. If anything should happen to her however I would hold you personally responsible and make sure Anouk knows who facilitated it.” Yeruell stated with a gentle grunt of irritation as he realised that the accident with Kaloon in the forest might have been intentional because of a slight the young man had made against Lutas’ family in the past. In fact, as he thought it over he noticed the wicked flicker in the teacher’s eyes and gave a soft snort of irritation, causing a hideous grin to split the figure’s handsome face into something uncannily demonic.

  “Don’t worry… Long Ears… Damara is too valuable to lose as you well know.”

  Anouk had found herself waking up during the middle of the day with a headache and a need to find someone to talk to. With Talon out to fetch Damara from the Karay
an’s household and her anxieties calmed by reassurance from Molwesa, she did not feel a need to look for her sister today. Instead Anouk found her eyes following the calendar beside the clock where she noticed it was a safe day to visit Loteg. She did not know if he was aware of everything that had taken place within the kingdom but when she arrived and slumped into his cell, lounging on his bed as he continued to scrabble away in contentment, Anouk found her worries being met with understanding and gentle nods.

  “I would be concerned… Damara’s always been a little too sensitive to the vibrations in the rocks and I am sure that there is some ‘divine’ reason behind it, but it is worrying. I have wondered over the matter of the stones since my father suggested the almost vampire qualities they bestow upon Otzell… it sounds slightly demonic the way he describes it but of course such a thing is a heresy and a reason I’m here.” Loteg sighed gently but when he turned and looked at Anouk’s grimacing features he stood up and stretched a hand out to rest upon her forehead, making her sigh. “I have always looked at Damara in the same way I see my sister and from what Annaballa suffered I am very afraid for her. Hive Demons are dangerous, but they do not cause visions unless they had a particular reason to.”