Bobabano groaned and rubbed his head as he woke. The smell of smoke wafted over him. He turned to see his men stationed around a roaring fire. He sat up and felt the large bruises on his side. The blanket fell from his chest, and he looked at the beautiful human sitting next to him. She blushed as he winked at her and gathered his bearings. He remembered that he wasn’t waking up in a soft bed at an inn, but rather out in the wilds.
“Oh, Lady Mira!” The young woman in priestess robes stood and called, “He’s awake!”
“Lady?” He groaned.
Mira walked up coldly and stood behind the healer, “Thank you, Healer Vespe. Please, allow us a moment in private.”
“Yes, Lady Mira,” She curtsied, “I will be nearby in case you need me.”
“I will not,” She waved the woman’s politeness away, “We are close enough that someone can carry him if we need to.”
“If you are certain,” The healer nodded.
“Find Val for your payment,” She pointed a thumb towards the fire, “And feel free to join if you’d like.”
“I must return to the temple, Lady Mira,” The healer cleared her throat, “I left the tonics you wanted with Amethyst.”
She shrugged casually as the healer walked past her. Bo gripped the edge of the cot he laid on in confusion and looked back up to Mira. She stared down at him with cold yellow eyes.
“Why didn’t you kill me?”
“I do not need to,” Her eyes scrolled down him with disinterest, “You have grown up into a naval captain? Suiting.”
He chuckled until the spiking pain in his head caused him to stop, “You kill my parents and that’s all you have to say to me?”
“Bobabano, if I wanted you dead,” She turned from him, “I could easily do that. Val stated you were looking for Isaan. Is that true?”
“Yes. To find you,” He laid his head back down, “You have to pay for what you did.”
“No.”
“What do you mean?” Bo shot upwards, “You—”
“I was ordered to kill your parents. I killed them. If you are that angry, find out who paid my master,” She looked over her shoulder at him, “Though, your men think you already know.”
Bobabano closed his eyes and sighed. He knew, deep down, who wanted his mother dead. The only person that would gain from her death sat on his mother’s throne. Everyone in Agrowl knew Yteva pined for the throne, but nobody could find any evidence that she had her sister killed.
“Do you have proof?” He threw the blanket off his lap.
“Do you have someone to verify my word?” She quirked an eyebrow, “Because that is the only way someone like you will believe me.”
“What exactly does that mean?” He scoffed and plucked feathers from his hair.
“Bobabano, you are the son of a former queen. You spent your life surrounded by thralls with no intention of seeing them as their own people. People like me might as well be pets to you,” Mira narrowed her eyes, “You expect me to believe that you would take my word? That your court’s advisors would take my word?”
He frowned and rubbed his hands down his face, “Why do they call you Lady? Did your master sell you to some rich chump that didn’t know any better?”
“There’s what I expected,” She smirked and shook her head, “No. I am free from almost every tether.”
“Almost? What’s that –”
“Lady Mira, your order –” An older orc winced and grabbed her chest as she approached.
“Amethyst, I forbad you from speaking to him. Don’t try to come up with an excuse to come up here now,” Mira sighed and waved her away.
Amethyst flinched as she stepped closer, “My lady, he may cooperate if—”
“Who is it?” He tried to lean past Mira to see where the woman’s voice came from.
“Please,” Amethyst’s voice softened, “I haven’t seen the boy since my sister died. If his friends didn’t remember me, I don’t think he would either. Just let me see him.”
“If this is an attempt to make you seem kind,” He scoffed, “It isn’t working.”
Mira scoffed at hearing this, “Bobabano, I was kind to you. I did not kill you as you charged me.”
She stepped towards the woman and pointed a finger up at her sternly.
“I did not kill him because you asked me to spare him. You are in charge of him,” She scolded the older woman, “I want nothing to do with this. Get rid of the nuisance.”
“I will convince him to join us,” Amethyst clasped her hands around Mira’s, “Then, we will have more allies.”
Mira looked back at Bobabano one last time before she walked towards fire. The sinewy older orc stepped towards him. She smiled when he gazed into her purple eyes. He only saw those eyes in one other person.
“Aunt Aldi?” He shook his head in disbelief, “I mean Elder Aldreanna.”
“Little Bobo,” She grabbed his hands happily and shook them, “You do remember me! You were barely knee high when I last saw you.”
“You still have the haunting eyes,” He gripped her forearm and gave it a friendly squeeze, “Why did you leave us?”
“Your grandmother and I disagreed on my favored lover. I would not stay where she was not accepted,” She patted his hand lightly, “I know my leaving broke your father’s young heart. He hoped I would stay and train you like I did him.”
Bobabano frowned, “All that… over a woman?”
“Over a woman that used to be enthralled by your great-grandmother. One day, when you’re in love, you’ll understand. I just hope it is with whatever woman claims you first,” She eyed the muscular man, “Though, you could champion for anyone’s right. You look so much like Gremel, just your mother’s skin.”
“Auntie,” He narrowed his eyes, “Why do you call that woman a lady?”
“Because –”
Pain singed her chest as her first thought nearly crossed her lips. The woman forbad her from calling her a queen. Even speaking of it would apparently anger the fiery Vessel if she wasn’t around to hear it. Amethyst couldn’t say the real reason or the pain from her own mark would.
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“I cannot say, my boy,” Amethyst grinned proudly, “At least, not yet.”
“Is she your new lover?” He eyed her skeptically.
The aging orc burst into a fit of laughter that got the attention of everyone around them.
“Goddess, no. She’s far too young and too ornery for me,” She paused to think of an acceptable explanation, “She is considered a ward of someone I closely follow.”
He leaned towards her to whisper, “The wraith?”
Amethyst paused a moment to ponder, “I assume you have heard of it?”
“It? Is he not a man?” Bo looked at her cheery demeanor in confusion, “Have you met him?”
“In a sense, yes,” She titled her head side to side, “But, you need to treat that woman with respect going forward. She was a thrall when you met her. Now, she is a lady with a reputation that would strike fear in many. After all, how many have faced Isaan Naybellos, and the wraith, then lived to tell the tale?”
“She fought them both?” He looked to Mira as she threw her curls over a shoulder and coldly talked to one of his men, “I know she killed mother, but—”
Amethyst’s eyes grew wide, “That’s true?”
His face contorted in anger, “I saw the final blow. Stabbed her in the chest.”
She tapped her chin in thought and a sly smile spread across her face, “You wish to dethrone your Yteva, correct?”
“If she is the reason my mother is dead.”
“Then, you can use her,” Amethyst tapped a finger against his chest, “Think, boy, how exactly did our family come to rule Agrowl?”
“Your grandmother killed –” His eyes widened, “The queen and took the throne.”
“If that girl killed your mother, then she has a claim to the throne,” A malicious grin spread across the woman’s lips, “After all, do you think your mother would lose to a child on purpose? Lady Mira was stronger.”
“She worked for another, though” Bo scratched his head thoughtfully, “Wouldn’t it still be Yteva?”
“The technicalities can be argued later,” She waved the thought away, “But if Yteva hired her master to kill your mother and he sent the girl, then the girl has a claim to the throne. Why else would Yteva not claim to have hired an assassin? That’s happened countless times in our history.”
“I must work with one devil to kill another?” Bo leaned his head back on the healer’s cot and sighed, “Fine. If you think she has any chance of usurping Yteva, then I will at least be respectful.”
“Why be respectful,” Amethyst pointed to Mira, “When you could be claimed by the strongest woman in history?”
Bo watched Mira for a moment and thought of his aunt’s words, “What do you mean?”
“Quillia was her people’s queen. She was adored by many across Agrowl. Yteva is… not,” She opened her hand to see the sight of his men clamoring over themselves to speak to Mira, “You are clearly a wonderful captain, and she is desirable.”
“I’ve slept with a number of women, but—” He grimaced at what she insinuated, “I don’t think I can do what you’re suggesting. Even if she didn’t kill my mother, she’s not my type.”
“Travel with us. You’ll see what I mean,” Amethyst clapped his shoulder and laughed, “Besides, you do not want my lady as an enemy.”
“I don’t necessarily want her as an ally either,” He contorted his face and watched the woman.
The woman was slender with nearly nonexistent curves. Her form reminded him of a small elf, only her features were much softer. Her amber eyes seemed to bounce the light from the fire pleasantly and his men chatted with her. Orcs in Agrowl sought after red curls like hers, as it was once favored by the fire elemental the land was named after. Her dark armor was well worn, but her skin was disgustingly flawless.
“She does not look like a warrior,” He peered at his aunt.
“She knocked you out, didn’t she? From what your men have said, there’s not many that can,” Amethyst smirked, “I’m sure I can convince you she is. She’s stronger than any man you have on your ship, at least.”
“Are you willing to bet?”
“Oh, my boy,” She shook her head, “I don’t think you have enough money to lose.”
“Fine,” He placed his feet on the ground and stood to face his aunt in full height, “If you prove me wrong, then I will pay for your way until we part. If I win, you help me kill her.”
She burst into a fit of laughter and gripped her aching sides. As she thrust her hand towards him, he grasped it and shook.
“You’re on.”
The two walked over to the campfire. Mira narrowed her eyes as they approached her. He bowed at the waist in front of her.
“I apologize for my behavior earlier,” He gritted his teeth and looked to Amethyst, “My elder has informed me that I was misinformed of your station.”
Mira’s eyebrow raised in disbelief, “Really?”
“Yes, milady,” Amethyst grinned, “I told you he would see reason.”
Thesson stomped over from the fire, “Can we continue the pretense that I am taking you in for questioning now?”
“Thesson,” Amethyst hooked an arm around the man much short than she, “Live a little. Your men are having fun. Besides, Mira gave you her word she would come willingly.”
“Yes,” She said coldly, “I doubt any ships in Berkshire are looking for boarders this late at night. Without accommodations, we will have to camp either way.”
“Leader,” Val stepped lightly towards her, “Poppy found an inn for you to sleep in, should you want that.”
Mira tapped her then in thought before Thesson interjected, “A prisoner cannot sleep at an inn.”
“If that would ease your mind,” She shrugged, “Val, see that you all stay in the room.”
“Yes, Leader,” Val bowed deeply, “Again, I am deeply ashamed of my lack of judgement. I should have known better.”
Mira hated the attention everyone gave her. The skin crawling sensation of eyes all over her turned her stomach. She craved to run through the city in the shadows as she had before.
“Thesson, one moment while I speak to Amethyst alone,” Mira held up a finger then looked at Bobabano, “Alone.”
He nodded, “Of course. I will be at the city gates when you’re ready.”
As the dwarf walked away to corral his men towards the city, Mira turned to Bobabano without a word. He stared at her intensely and waited for her to speak. Her eyes flashed white, and he blinked in disbelief.
“I said alone.”
“Run along now,” Amethyst playfully smacked his rear, “I’ll catch up in a bit.”
He grumbled at his aunt’s actions and walked back towards his men. Mira looked to the older orc with tired eyes and waited for the woman to stop smiling.
“Out with it.”
“You killed his mother,” She punched her shoulder lightly, “You actually did it, didn’t you?”
“Yes,” She took a deep breath, “What exactly does that have to do with what you wanted to do with him?”
“You have a claim to the throne,” The older woman bounced jovially, “This is GREAT news!”
“I do not want a throne. I want to kill Isaan,” She frowned, “And what exactly does that have to do with him?”
“Oh, that,” Amethyst rolled her eyes, “He has yet to see you as anything but a thrall. Though, we have a bet that I am going to win.”
“What bet?”
“He doesn’t think you are stronger than any of his men,” Amethyst laughed.
Encante chuckled in her mind as well. Mira took a deep breath and turned away from her.
“They will not want to fight me. Many have asked me to claim them. One asked to marry me right away,” She pinched the bridge of her nose, “Sunodagh warned me that I would catch an orc’s eyes without wanting to. I didn’t realize exactly what he meant.”
“Strong warriors breed stronger warriors,” Amethyst clapped her hands together and rubbed them eagerly, “But, if I win the bet, then he pays for our travels until we part. Think you can handle it?”
“Obviously.”
The lack of humility in her voice made Amethyst grin.
“Are you really going to sit in a cell all night?” Val asked, “Or should we arrange for you to be broken out?”
“I am more than capable of getting myself out,” Mira held up a hand to stop any objections, “I want to spend the night alone.”
“What? Why?” The orc pouted, “I can’t allow that.”
“I’m not asking. I’m ordering you to leave me alone,” She narrowed her eyes at the orc then looked to Val, “Book a room for all of you to stay in. I want you out of trouble.”
“Can we at least go out to the taverns?”
“If any of you end up in a cell, you will be left here,” Mira warned, “Besides that, do what you want with your free time. In fact, gather some information if you are so inclined.”
“At least let me be useful to you. What are you planning? Tell me,” The orc crossed her arms.
“I plan on being alone for the first time in months,” She narrowed her eyes, “If you want to make yourself useful, then babysit the bandits and keep them out of trouble or find information.”
“As you wish,” She nodded, “I do not like that you are going out alone.”
Encante cooed in her mind, “She worries about you, Little One.”
“I want one last night of freedom before we get to Hangral,” Mira shook her head.
Encante knew what she wanted to do. They had discussed it in depth in her thoughts throughout the entire trip. Now that they could communicate, she wanted to experiment with their powers together. In order to do that, she needed to be alone. Only then would she practice without worrying about other’s safety. In fact, the idea thrilled her.
“If I catch either of you following me,” Mira turned to walk towards Thesson, “I will not hesitate to attack you.”
Val squeaked at the thought, but Amethyst had a different idea.
“Of course, my lady,” She nodded, “If you wouldn’t mind, I would like to spend time with my nephew.”
“Yes, fine,” She waved, “Meet me in the morning at the docks and I will give orders from there. Now, leave me be.”
Val nodded and headed to the rest of the Wilted Rose. The ex-bandit group cheered on the night off and headed into town, past the guards. Mira waved callously at their jeers and allowed Thesson to place handcuffs on her again.