Hallelk
Hallek wanted to curl up closer to the fire, but if he tried that he'd have to by lying inside of it. That almost sounded like a good idea. The sky was a black curtain pierced with stars, which sounded all poetic but it was also cold and the mood was grim. The three of them—Verris was still unconscious—sat staring at the campfire like it would have some answers, instead of just smoke and heat. And pain.
Hallek had no idea what he was even thinking at this point, it was like he'd wandered off into that awful trendy “dark” poetry he saw in the market stalls. Maybe he should throw himself in the fire.
“I hate to be the jerk,” Krazzek said, “but what the hell exactly are we going to do?”
“For someone who hates the job you're pretty good at it,” Hallek grumbled.
“Hallek, he's kind of got a point...” Dyryl said.
“I know I know, I'm sorry. Well I'm going to go and get Shylldra back. Somehow. So that means heading towards the city. I don't know what you're planning, but...”
“Same,” Dyryl said. “I'm not abandoning my brother. What about you?”
Dyryl turned to Krazzek and there was something...strange, about it. A challenge. Hallek had noticed them getting closer over the few days, but he'd been wound up in his own business. Now around this campfire he had a feeling Dyryl had just issued some kind of ultimatum.
“Where the hells am I going to go?” Krazzek shrugged. “If Jajess got taken down I lost my job. If he managed to weasel out of it, well...he left me to die. And sure he sent me out to die before but there's a world of difference. What the hell, I guess I'm a rebel now. Just don't expect me to be any good in a fight.”
“Rebels have a cause,” Hallek pointed out. “We're just criminals.”
“I see fire and I hear Hallek whining,” Verris groaned, struggling to sit up. “Is this the hells?”
“It’s the forest,” Hallek said. “Let me help you up.” Verris tried to struggle and argue, but when Hallek got him to a sitting position he gave out an “Nnngh,” which was a lot closer to a thank you than Hallek thought he was going to get. “What happened to you anyway? I thought you ran.”
“I considered it,” Verris said, without a trace of shame in his voice. “But then I thought how convenient it would be if I could kill the emperor. Then if I met back up with my father, carrying his head and maybe the ax if it did that accepting-it's-master's-killer thing you read about...”
“Except he beat the living crap out of you,” Krazzek finished the story.
“Yeah,” Verris slumped. “Yeah he did.”
“But wait,” Dyryl said. “How did you end up where we found you? We ran away from...anywhere we saw the emperor go all battle.”
“Not sure, I....” Veris slapped his fist. “That guy! Did any of you see that guy?”
“Which guy?” Hallek asked. “It was a battle, there were lots of guys.”
“The one with the skin like paper and the big sharp black teeth,” Verris said. “He came and dragged me off somewhere right before I passed out.”
“I don't remember anyone like that,” Krazzek said.
“He said something about...needing me....” Verris looked nervously into the shadows.
“Well whatever happened you're alive,” Hallek said. “What do you plan on doing now?”
“Kill my father,” Verris said. “After that, we'll see.”
“Lekarik took Shylldra. I'm going to get her back.”
“Good for you. Keep her warm for my coronation, alright?”
“He means we could all use allies,” Dyryl snapped. “I've got a score to settle with your father myself. All of Birdfang does. And the emperor.”
“I don't,” Krazzek said. “Particularly. I'm just short on options. Don't get me wrong I'm all in on the helping thing just don't expect me to be super enthusiastic about assassinations.”
Verris looked around the campfire and shook his head.
“I still don't care about your damn princess.”
“No,” Hallek nodded. “But Lekarik smacked you around like a peasant. And you just hate him for that, don't you? So it sounds like we've actually both got the same targets.”
“Fair enough,” Verris shrugged. “So other than heading in the general direction of the city, how do you plan on finding your princess? He might have her out on a balcony like a caged cuspi but he might have her down in the deepest dungeon, too.”
“Quiet,” Dyrly said. “Something's coming.”
And something was coming. Later Hallek wondered if they'd summoned it. Shylldra would have said it was an answer to their prayers. It was an eoraptor made of smoke and lights, a hazy form of mist that darted through the trees carrying something in its mouth. Hallek and Verris reached for their weapons but Dyryl stopped them.
“NO! It's from my mother!”
“The shaman with the tits?” Verris said.
“Yes that's one way you could possibly describe her,” Hallek sighed.
“Like you hadn't noticed them.”
Hallek chose not to comment, at least partially in self defense. The smoky form dropped its parcel on the ground in front of them and turned to Dyryl.
“Daughter.” The shape didn't speak, exactly, but Maukra's voice seemed to echo from deep inside of it. “I'm safe. I've brought the remaining villagers back to Birdfang itself. We've sent emissaries to the other tribes. I don't know what's going to happen. And I would love to have you here, and safe, but I know you. You're going after your brother.
“I know you don't trust yourself Dyryl. But I trained you, and I know you're ready. I've had this prepared for a while now. Take it, and find your brother. I can't do it myself. Good luck, and I love you.”
The shape shimmered and disappeared. Dyryl picked up the thing it had brought and Hallek saw it was a belt with a leather pouch designed to go over one hip. Inside the pouch were bone tubes, stopped with cork.
“What is that?” he asked.
“Everything I need summon a projection like the one she sent,” Dyryl said. “Damnit, mother, you know I don't trust myself with runes!”
“If she knows that why didn't she send that thing after your brother instead of making you do it?” Verris asked.
“Because she didn't have everything she needed. The power is in the blood. She used her own to send that to me, but Norak and I have different mothers. Her blood couldn't find him. Mine can.” She clutched the pouch to her chest and turned to Hallek. “Assuming I can paint the runes right I can find Norak. Let's just hope Lekarik's keeping them in the same place.”
Shylldra
Shylldra sat in her cabin, curled up on the bed.
Gylldrianna had never been much of a mother. Shylldra remembered her mostly as cloud of feathers and perfume that would swoop in, drop off a few expensive gifts, and more often than not swoop right back out again. And when she stayed it was to bring Shylldra along to some imperial function where children were an accessory, just like her gaudy jewelry. There were servants at the palace who had been a thousand times the mother to her Gylldrianna ever was. All that without taking into account Gylldrianna had been more than willing to help the emperor execute her own daughter if it meant climbing another rung up the royal ladder.
But still.
She was awful, selfish, vain, spiteful, and mean. So totally self centered she became a danger to those around her.
But still.
Shylldra wondered if her mother had gone to the hells. She'd done more than enough to earn her ticket, at least the way mortals measured things. She'd been warned that the gods kept their own account of sin and virtue, and those granted visions of the afterlife were sometimes very surprised by who they found where.
So maybe there was a chance that in some grand cosmic equation her mother's soul wasn't quite as tainted as it appeared. She hoped so. When she'd been training at the temple she'd fought down the urge to curse her mother to the hells so often it was something of a surprise to learn she really didn't want Gylldrianna to end up there.
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She sat cross legged on the bed and rested the staff across her knees. The souls inside chittered calming noises in her mind as she turned her thoughts to Maia.
Maia, she said. I don't know the proper prayer for this, but please...look after my mother's soul. She was horrible, I know, but...
But still.
She's couldn't think of anything else to say. She'd just have to trust the goddess to understand, while her thoughts wandered elsewhere.
Hallek is alive. Or he was alive enough to escape the battlefield. I don't know about anyone else, but I have to hold on to that. He'll probably try to rescue me. Should I stop him? Can I stop him? I just want everyone to be alright. Oh Maia, please let them all be alright.
She could feel her thoughts going wild again, panic and worry stirring up her mind, so she retreated back to old formulas, to familiar prayers.
Maia protects. Maia is the mother of all that lives. She nurtures without controlling, protects without coddling. Forgets nothing, but forgives all, because even the most wayward child might still return home...
Which was the part of the prayer where Lekarik walked into the cabin.
What's the opposite of remorse? Shylldra thought bitterly. In fact Lekarik look so hideously pleased with himself she wanted to take a swing at him with the staff. His eyes sparkled as he pulled up Sa chair and say across from her.
The most wayward child, Shylldra suddenly thought. Oh no, Maia, you can't mean...he killed my mother!
But still...
Shylldra came to the horrifying realization that she had to try. For her own sake if nothing else. Because if she didn't, if she didn't hold to Maia's teachings now, then Lekarik would have taken her mother and her calling in one swing of his ax.
“Lekarik,” she said, as politely as she could manage. “I'm not going to pretend it’s good to see you.”
“Oh I understand!” Lekarik said. “I just wanted to make sure there were no misunderstandings about what happened on the deck up there.”
“There's no misunderstanding,” Shylldra said. “You made me watch you kill my mother to punish me for letting Hallek go.”
“Oh! You really did understand it right away!”
“I did. It was petty and small, but I got the message anyway. Why did you do, it Lekarik? I remember you being a bully when we were little, but this...”
“Emperors have to make tough choices. Set examples! Besides, I wouldn't call it being a bully I'd call it being...ruthless.”
“I would too. Ruthless like a tyrannosaur.”
“Exactly!” Lekarik said happily. “Maybe the histories will call me Lekarik the Ruthless. That could be a lot of fun...”
“Are you sure it was your own idea?”
“What?” Lekarik blinked. “Of course it was my own idea! Whose idea would it have been? I didn't even have time to talk with my advisers I decided it right there on the deck. I'm decisive like that now.”
“Except you've got an adviser who's always with you, don't you? How did you get control of the ax, Lekarik? What happened to your face?”
“This is the result of the new, deep bond I forged with the ax!” Lekarik declared.
“I don't buy that for a second.”
“Oh alright,” Lekarik sighed. “Go ahead, be boring. You had it right back at the battle. I hired a new Imperial Infuser who can do incrediblethings with runes. Apparently he infused himself a little to cure an illness when he was younger, and when he found out about me and the ax he offered to help. Dalluth said...”
“Dalluth?” Shylldra said sharply.
“Yes,” Lekarik stared at her. “Master Infuser Dalluth. Why?”
“I've just...heard of him.” In a book written by a dead man in a village full of dead people.
“I'm not surprised,” Lekarik shrugged. “He really is amazing. I was surprised I hadn't, when he showed up. He infused me with some of the tyrannosaur blood in the treasure vaults, like you guessed. And now...now I can really be an emperor.”
“Mhm,” Shylldra said. “Have you been craving raw meat lately?”
“What's that got to do with anything?” he asked.
“And you always liked girls,” Shylldra pressed. “But its different now isn't it? Now every woman you see you want to have. And you want to kill the man they're with for touching one of your women. Am I getting it right?”
“How did you know that?” Lekarik said. “I haven't told anyone--”
“Because they're tyrannosaurus instincts,” Shylldra said. She might not know much about the other three Fangs, but anyone growing up in the palace learned about tyrannosaurs, if only from the family history. “They're something you picked up from...”
“I know that!” Lekarik cut her off. “I'm not stupid, Shylldra. I knowI've got...urges, from the infusion. I grew up in the royal family too, I know what sounds like something a tyrannosaurus would do!”
“Hallek went through the same thing when he bonded with his Fang. It was more obvious for him because his fang died in grief and fury, so he lashed out at anything that moved. He had to fight to stay in control, Lekarik. It almost killed him. Even now he's got control he's different. Almost the same, but different. And he still has a few instincts the Fang's soul gave him, just like you. And you're different now too.”
“Better!” Lekarik insisted.
“Really?” Shylldra shook her head. “The tyrannosaurus is the symbol of the monarchy, but they're not really emperor material. They're short sighted bullies who live alone and push each other around for food, for mates, for all of it. They're powerful and strong and majestic and dangerous but they're not leaders, Lekarik. And I think the tyrannosaur is more in control than you are. The only reason no one's noticed yet is because you were always a little bit like that, so now that you've turned into an actual monster it isn't easy to tell the difference.”
“What do you know?” Lekarik snarled at her.
“I know you can beat it if you want to,” Shylldra said. “I think you haven't even tried yet, because the tyrannosaur is just pushing you farther down paths you already like to take. But if you keep letting it hold the reigns it will get you killed. A monster can't run the empire. Not really. You're strong sure, but there's always poison in the night or a knife in the back. Those are still the old court standbys, right? Either that or Hallek or Verris or someone else with a powerful infusion will...”
“I'm not worried about them,” Lekarik snapped. “I'll slaughter them if they even try to get near me! Besides, I've got their fucking girlfriends. Verris's bitch ought to be in Balrok Prison right now. I'll put the barbarian down in the hold there soon enough too. And you listen to me you holier than though little whore. I'm not worried about any overpaid court assassins either. No one's getting me off the throne. The empire is mine. IT'S MY TE....”
Lekarik's mouth snapped shut and he glared at her.
“You were about to say territory,” Shylldra almost whispered. “Weren't you?”
He roared at her like an animal, the same eerie effect as when Hallek made noises his human body shouldn't be capable of. When it was done he stood there stiffly, glaring at her.
“When we get home,” he said, “we'll begin preparations. Our marriage will be the grandest spectacle the empire has ever seen. We will be married in the Arena, before all the gathered crowds, at the Forging of the Sun. And once the whole empire knows you're my bride I won't have nearly as much reason to keep you alive. You'll learn to behave then, or you'll die.”
He leaned up close to her, lips pulled back to bare his fangs.
“If I were you I'd begin practicing before the wedding.”
He whirled away from her to storm out of the room, and Shylldra collapsed on the bed. A few seconds later she remembered to breathe.
She'd been so sure she was going to die.
In her mind the ax struck out and her head fell from her shoulders over and over again. Sometimes the head that fell was her mother's, splashing into the water. Was Lekarik really so totally controlled by his fang? Or had he always been like this? And now that her mother was dead, how was Shylldra supposed to feel? Happy? Sad? The feelings were forming a knot in her gut, twisting around, stretching tentacles out into the rest of her body like a swarm of bees....
That thought doesn't make any sense, she realized, clutching her stomach. She could almost physically feel the emotions there, clawing through her gut like a thing alive. I'm losing my mind.
It was like she'd fallen off a cliff and realized she was falling. The knowledge did nothing for her, gave her no way to correct the situation. The day had been a nightmare, from the battle to her capture and her mother's murder. And on top of it the weeks of running from assassins and fighting battles and trying to figure out what Maia wanted from her. The stress on her shoulders had finally grown too heavy, driving her to her knees and threatening to crush her to the floor.
Something flew in through the cabin window and landed on her chest. Feathers wrapped around her face, squeezing her cheeks, and a pair of slit pupiled green eyes stared into hers with concern.
“Tchweek?” the microraptor asked worriedly.
Shylldra burst out laughing.
The laughter shook her whole body. She clutched her gut as she rolled on on the bed, dropping T'challi to the blankets with a squeeking protest. With each tremor of her gut it felt like she expelled poison from her system, laughed the chaos out of her mind until she could think clearly again.
“Oh thank you,” she sad, reaching out to pet the microraptor's feather head. “I'm sorry I don't mean to laugh but you're just so feathery and cute and you just looked so concerned...I'll be alright now, I promise. You brought my mind back when it was spinning out of control. Just like you did for Hallek. You're good at that, aren't you?”
The little dinosaur climbed onto her lap and cuddled up to her, and she stroked the feathers of its back thoughtfully.
“Maia must have sent you.”
T'challi glared glared at her and turned around with an offended chirp, though she still accepted petting.
“Oh right, I'm sorry. Wrong goddess. Microraptors are sacred to Iikwii, aren't you? I forgot.”
It's just a smart animal, Shylldra scolded herself. Don't read too much into what it does.
“If he's waiting for the Forging of the Sun,” Shylldra said out loud, still stroking the microraptor, “I've got at least three weeks before the wedding. And I doubt I'll be in much danger before then. Lekarik may have gone savage, but he's still got his eye on the politics. I think he's actually smarter than he used to be.”
T'challi gave a noncomittal chirp.
“Besides,” Shylldra said. “I'll have resources in the capital. Friends. Contacts. Especially in the palace and the temple of Maia. I'll actually be stronger in the city. I can finally fight my kind of battle. The stakes are a lot higher than I'm used to, but I won't be sitting on the sidelines watching everyone else fight anymore.”
The microraptor shifted in her lap to face her again, apparently forgiving her for whatever her earlier insult had been.
“Hallek and the others are going to come try to rescue me,” Shylldra continued. “But I'm not really the one who needs rescuing. Norak is. And this other hostage, Verris's girlfriend. I think I remember Jajess mentioning her too. For all I know she's innocent.”
T'challi gave Shyllda a confused look.
“Alright so she's dating Verris and that's a bad sign but I don't know her so I can't judge.”
“In the city I'll be fighting my way, with politics and rumors and sneaky little alliances. If Hallek tries to rescue me he'll barrel into all of that like...well, like a giganotosaurus.
“And he needs to know about this Master Infuser Dalluth. Not just because Lekarik has a powerful infuser on his side, that name can't be a coincidence. I think we're missing something. Something important about what happened at Tivek, and with the sword. He has to know, right? About all of it. That I'm alright, the date of the wedding, where they're taking Norak, and Dalluth...”
The microraptor snarled. It was adorable, but had she done that every time Shylldra said Dalluth's name? Ridiculous. As was the idea that had just popped into her head.
“You seem like you can get around. You come and go as you please, that's for sure. I don't suppose you could get a message to Hallek for me?” she asked the microraptor.
T'challi looked up at her, very seriously, and nodded yes.
Is she really just a smart animal? She asked. How smart are microraptors? Maybe they're like troodons, almost as smart as we are. Or maybe Maia blessed her to...no, no, better not say that out loud she might get offended again.
“Alright then. I think there's a stylus and paper on the desk over there.”