Traitor to the King: A Tale of the Benaga Sisters

by Clare SM Keating

  There was a high-pitched scream that caused Anouk to sit up in surprise on the stone before the Karayan swiftly covered his mouth before she could see. He held the black shroud over his mouth nervously as he turned to her, gasping and telling her nervously that the creature was burnt and Anouk was stunned. She remained perfectly still upon the rock however as she watched the bones burn away into blackened ash, her eyes wide with shock and confusion. Her mind began to ping with questions as she realised just how much she was feeling good despite the fact she should have been close to death. Anouk only had to look down at her slightly ragged clothes to realise that someone had healed her… rage bubbled white in her heart as she realised some fool had dared touch her flesh but before she could lose her temper, Damara appeared screaming.

  “Anouk! Anouk! I thought you were dead! You saved her Karayan… thank you!” Tears were spilling out of Damara’s big blue eyes, smearing down her mud coated face as she ran with the stone stretched out towards them. She rushed straight to her sister on the rock and wrapped her arms about her with a whimper of sorrow. Anouk was able to give her a gentle hug but to Damara’s surprise, though Anouk’s body touched the stone, she gave no reaction to it and gently shook her head at her sister. The Karayan then stepped towards them both lifting his hands gently as he watched Anouk’s soft greyish eyebrows knot together with her anger.

  “It was necessary to save your life… I did not do anything else… now we should go back to Virenheim, so your sister can present her find.” Karayan stated, making Anouk grimace in frustration as she tried hard not to grind her teeth together. Her rage was starting to boil over at the idea that Damara was going to openly be throwing the stone to the fools and making herself a target for the nobles Anouk did not want to touch her sister. Anouk’s brain began to ping in frustration as the rage finally reached her and she pushed her sister away to scream at Karayan.

  “Necessary? I’m willing to die for the sake of my king… you should not have done something that would prevent my sister from getting to the kingdom faster! You should have gone with them not stuck around to fuss over me!” Anouk snarled angrily, lunging forward to stand before the shrouded figure as if she might just punch him. However, she retained the physical wish to hurt him for the fact her body felt a little strange and swiftly she snapped one more time. Her pride was wounded worse than her body, for she realised in her need trapped in the demon’s jaw, she’d asked him to help her get out… she’d practically begged him, and she could not accept that kind of weakness. “You’re an ignorant monster who has no idea the rules and traditions of our people – why don’t you just go back to where you came from?”

  Damara was shocked, she had never heard her sister act so angrily before and by the laws of their kingdom she should be punished for speaking up against a man. But as Damara realised that the Karayan must have had to do something embarrassing to have caused such comments, she shook her head gently. She tried to turn to the Karayan and apologise for her sister but there was an evident fury in his yellowed eyes as he turned about and strolled off. Damara, realising that the figure was upset and the danger over, suddenly turned about to her sister with a vicious glare.

  “Why did you say that? He had nowhere to go but here… he’s been kind to us Anouk and he just saved your life! Stop acting like you’ve got a stick up your backside and apologise now!” Damara barked almost wanting to slap her sister as Anouk finally slid off the stone. Anouk grasped her sister by the wrist and tugged her to go towards the others. She wanted to give her sister a lecture, but she knew it was not going to be fair and with a sigh she rushed after the Karayan, ignoring the squelchy manner of the swamp as he marched toward the trembling figures in the distance.

  “Wait Karayan… I’m sorry… I was being ridiculous!” As she hurried after him there was a sound from nearby that warned of other beings approaching. Anouk froze for a moment until she realised that it was in fact a group of the guards heading towards them and would mean the fountain of praise would fall upon Damara for being with the stone. In that moment Anouk realised that there was a hidden benefit here that would keep Damara safe from unwanted attention and help Anouk’s overall wish for change within Virenheim. Swiftly she caught up to the Karayan’s stomping form and stated her apology again until he turned about to stare at her.

  “I didn’t come here to be insulted by you, I came because you asked me to help you and I have helped you find your sister. If that’s all you wanted from me then I will gladly leave!” Karayan snarled, but there was a bitter edge in his voice as if the hurt was more then just surface irritation. As he shrugged his shoulders and turned to leave them all to the matter at hand, Anouk knew she had to stop him. Although the contact was forbidden, and she would be seen and scolded for it later by everyone that dared to speak to her, Anouk bolted to his side and grasped his arm, pulling it into her chest as if to hug it or as if to beg. The moment she touched him an electric fizz jolted within her body and she became very afraid.

  The giant froze at the sensation of her touch, turning about steadily to look at her. Anouk was fearful as she held him, grimacing as she realised that she was feeling things she really should not. As she released his arm gently, Anouk gulped heavily as she investigated the curious citron eyes of the stranger. For a moment he bent down towards her, not sure if he wanted to attack her for grabbing him or perhaps something else. Karayan could feel himself wanting to ignore precedent and grasp the strange, volatile woman to his body and press his lips against hers. He had been longing for such closeness between them since the moment he’d seen her but swiftly Anouk turned around and straightened herself with a grunt.

  “I mean… the way things are going I want this place to change and become more open to everyone, so its best you take the credit here… not me and not Damara.” Damara almost screamed in upset at the words before rushing to Anouk’s side, gently tapping her shoulder and giving a soft growl. She was about to tell Anouk something about it when she noticed the way Karayan’s eyes had softened. In fact, the moment she realised that the figure was looking at them both with a sadness and delight as if it was the first time he’d been permitted such praise, Damara lowered her head. She fussed at her sister to keep encouraging as Karayan seemed to make a muttering sound as if to disagree with them both. “Even Damara agrees, and she has great faith in you. She chose well to sponsor you Karayan; we’ve needed someone like you around.”

  “If that’s what you want… and if you don’t mind me saying I took Karani and Damara out so their trouble can fall on me…” The Karayan began but gently Damara pushed the stone towards him and he seemed a little cautious. Damara noticed this and swiftly she grasped Anouk’s scarf from her sister’s robe pocket, making Anouk snarl with the realisation it had been there all along, and wrapped it about the stone before slowly placing it into the Karayan’s great talons. The figure gave a grunt of surprise but there was a hollering sound from nearby as Alard called them over. Anouk gave a sigh before grasping the Karayan’s arm once more and looking up towards the figure with a curiously soft expression.

  “I mean it Karayan… it’s good to have you around.”

  Eleven: Celebration

  “It would seem that in my offspring I have managed to bequeath a sense of loyalty not only to their king but to those they have been chosen to marry or have taken on. Of my eight sons they have all shown no interest in any other women but their partners and for that I am grateful. To know no bastard exists to bear the Klangschwert title of my father has meant that the bloodline will stay pure and adhere to the rules of our king… no blood and no name means no link to the noble families. I wish only that my eldest grandson will teach this to his heirs so that a Klangschwert will never be made of anything but Deep Elf.”

  - The Private Will of Lord Silvont Benaga, the Second Klangschwert

  From the moment they reached the First Dam the surface adventure for Karani and Damara was over. All those involved were ushered down a different tunnel pa
st the flood barges to a series of deep dark pits bathed in the blue light of audibly humming crystals. Here the females and males were separated with the Karayan fiercely grasping the stone in the head scarf within his vicious talons to prevent the quivering guardsmen taking it away. All parties were stripped, save the terrifying being, their clothing burnt and their bodies lathered in thick brown clay despite their protests. Invasive female hands touched them in awkward places with this cold muck as any spores attached to their flesh were smothered and killed off. It was standard cleansing for Ling and Anouk but too much perhaps for the young girls.

  They were then bound up in great white leaves of some warty water-dwelling weed from the deep that survived on crystal light. Once wrapped up they were forced to lie in corpse-like position for an entire hour before the clay dried and was to be chipped away. Once most of the layers were off they were ushered, naked, into a tunnel where a deep grate in the roof and floor permitted the Viren River to rush through in a torrential shower where they could scrub with soap and rest up. The water was freezing but Anouk took the role of mother and forced the pair to wash, helping them clean away clay they'd missed or simply reassured them of the routine as they shuddered in the cold.

  “Anouk... would you consider this ordeal enough to work as punishment for our... adventure?” Karani squealed as she dove through the freezing, gushing, thundering spray of water. Her soft greyish body exploded in Goosebumps and she shook violently beside Ling, who was grinning at her in total amusement. She was reminded of her first cleansing upon her arrival and acceptance into the Virenheim Society and how she’d needed Anouk present to stop her beating the living daylights out of the Sacred Women.

  “Punishment? Didn’t you girls know that most nobles outside of Virenheim do this to relax? There are Sun Elves in Amber City willing to pay fortunes for this kind of cleansing ritual.” Ling scoffed in amusement as she slouched on a large flat stone with a box of healing paste to put on her leg wound. The great slice down the back of her calf stung badly and the muscle was starting to ache and pinch from the shock; her back-flipping with the boar had not happened without a price and the blood was probably what had attracted the Gefafood. “It's only done for an attack in the swamp where blood's been spilt so consider yourselves very privileged that you weren’t the ones bleeding through that.”

  “Privileged? You're going to joke over everything after six men just died horribly... we were all nearly killed, and goodness knows what's going to happen next? Seriously Ling, we've basically found out that traitors were involved in Kaloon's death and we therefore have no idea who else is evil or if that Hive Demon was killed! This is serious!” Damara snarled from her position huddling from the freezing water beside her sister. It was not normal for Damara to be so rude, but the sight of Anouk's scar looking reddened and sore made them all nervous.

  Ling sneered at Damara for her attitude, but even Karani had been drawn to Anouk’s wound. They had all seen it before, committed its shape and cause to memory and the cause always sickened them. However, the wound was very red and sore as if the scab was growing again but there was something missing in it. Even Anouk could see the missing section of scar in the middle of her abdomen and she was frozen to the spot in the shock of seeing her image in the reflected water.

  Having long ago given up hope in ever being free from the ragged red and white crease in her body that seemed to always grow a fresh scab each month, Anouk had never seen a clear patch before. Her mind recalled the last image of her body and yet here she was with a section broken and the skin looking healthier then ever before. She still could not believe that the punctures in her leg were gone and only bruising remained either, but it fuelled her suspicions instead regarding her strange ally. Whatever the Karayan had done it was terrifying but more then that was what she had seen... the tattoos upon his mouth....

  ... She’d seen them on a teenager bleeding to death from a wound in his heart in her broken memories at least….

  “Anouk?” The mention of her name coming so tenderly from her sister encouraged her to blink out of that thought. Before they could ask a question the red-head dove into the fountain of chilly water and gave a laugh. The other three stared at her in confusion and Damara cleared her throat. “How did Karayan manage to heal some of the scar? Do you remember how he healed you?”

  “No clue; I was out of it and in truth I should be dead already. Whatever he did, he did it on our side and currently he’s holding the stone for us. I know it takes some glory from you and Karani, but he’s made me promise no punishment for you two and no aggression over the event. Right now, I think I’m too overwhelmed by the fact I’m alive to bother with it. But I will say this much to you both... never do that again...” The harsh glitter in her eyes said it all and there would be no further discussion on the subject or what had happened. In fact, there was a distinct edge in Anouk’s expression that warned off any talk about the strange healing in case Molwesa got involved. There was an unspoken agreement to it, but then Karani chose to speak up about some other matters that were bothering her as she scrubbed her pink locks.

  “So how come Jarl got you to come after us Ling? Why did he even come after us?” Karani chuckled as she peeled a piece of the weed off her backside with a slapping sound. Her nonchalance in asking the question came as some surprise to the Benaga daughters, Anouk had not put much thought to it as Sarag had gone straight to her, but Damara was practically upset by it. She wondered if Karani was trying to pull up information that should just be ignored and yet Ling’s silence was fear inducing. Damara craved to know what was going on and yet she was too afraid to let there be an answer.

  “Are all fights that slow?” Damara questioned mournfully and this time the Blood Elf answered, although she appeared sombre.

  “No, you were bleeding lucky it was the middle of the day and that demon was crappy. Your party had stirred up chaos for me and Jarl but thankfully Alard saved me from being croc chow.” Ling grunted swiftly checking the drying paste on her leg before grinning. Her eyes became soft and thoughtful suddenly, as if she were only just remembering what fear was like. “The truth is a slow battle where the enemy hesitates and you can make plans is too damn rare. In most attacks you’re constantly leaping out of danger, like with the Bulgas attack. If you’re lucky you can stand fast and take them down but if you’re unlucky then you’re alone and trying to survive.”

  “That’s what concerns me...” Anouk growled in frustration, catching the attention of the others as she stood up and shook her body firmly. “It’s like the demon wanted to die, so who knows if Ynvirius had some control or if it was suddenly of no more use to it’s master... but we’re going to be attacked soon there’s no doubt in that.”

  “What do we need to know about going to see the council then Anouk?” Karani sighed in frustration, although she was secretly happy to be going to meet the king. In truth she was a little frustrated also that the Karayan was going to get the bulk of the credit, but Anouk had already explained they were to follow his lead and not hers. At the question Anouk gently shrugged her shoulders and then stood up with a sigh before strolling towards the tunnel entrance and grasping a white robe to wrap about her body. The others followed her, eager to get going and finally see the council and get the praise they deserved.

  The moment the gentlemen came up to meet the girls they followed a new route under the First Dam to the underground bridge of the Second Dam and across through the magic barrier. With the Karayan holding the stone ahead of him in some thick black fabric pulled from his own clothing, Karani and Damara walked right behind with Jarl behind them, Ling and Alard behind him and Anouk right at the back of the queue with the guard. Yeruell met them at the great metal door and gently opened it to allow them in, only to try and pull a grimace into a smile as the stone was introduced to him within the grasp of the Karayan’s talons. It was obvious he had no love in the sight of a foreigner’s claws about such a sacred item, but it was clear he was communica
ting with the king mentally and stretched his hand out to touch the Karayan’s shoulder, only to pull his hand away at the sight of the shroud writhing.

  “His majesty thanks your loyal actions, Lord Karayan and the fact you protected all within your party and revealed traitors. The king is waiting to meet you all within the council chambers, so I request you follow me and prepare for the adoration of the people.” Yeruell’s usually deep and wonderful voice was broken as if he were holding back his rage but the Karayan bowed his head in response and paced beside him. The Core were waiting on the other side to line up alongside the group and escort them through and straightaway the sight of Droy and Martum almost made Damara squeal in delight, except for the stern determination upon their faces.

  She and Karani had to hold in their excitement greatly as they marched between the shadows and realised that they were being led out in order of praise with Anouk at the back to take the least amount. The pair grasped hands and grinned vividly at each other as they thought over what kind of adoration would be given to them. It barely went passed their minds that such adoration and celebration was being arranged within two hours of their return to the kingdom. To Anouk, who knew how such things were usually run, there was haste to this celebration that hinted someone higher up had been involved in releasing Damara and Karani to the swamp… and it would not have been just Lutas.