Once the ‘Barony’ was secured, the bodies were ordered to be cremated and then buried in a mass grave, as Aldric and Daveth didn’t think they had time to properly bury seven hundred people before other people came knocking.
Audra got her punishment, a vicious flogging and two weeks in the stocks. The next fuckup of hers would result in either execution or expulsion, depending on the severity.
Aldric was happy at the surprising cache of gold, gems, and steel ingots the “baron’ had accumulated. There were a number of bits and baubles that Nicola had identified as being magical in nature, but she wasn’t able to determine their function.
Daveth would have been happy to stretch out in a real bed for once, even if his legs did hang off the sides of the bed, but one of the first things they did was destroy the baron’s supply of drugs.
That was too much of a temptation for the soldiers; neither Aldric or Daveth wanted the soldiers stumbling around bombed off their gourd and unable to walk a decent perimeter, so the boxes of the dried and powdered leaves were tossed into the bonfire at the center of the city.
“Don’t get me wrong, Daveth, I don’t mind getting fucked up as much as the next man, but there’s a hard difference between booze and... whatever that is. I’m not willing to experiment, either. Burn it all.” Aldric had advised, and Daveth had obliged him.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t the best decision.
Daveth restrained Alysia as she approached the bonfire. “Don’t go over there.”
She gave him a baffled look that slowly replaced itself with anger.
“Is there a specific reason?” She argued coolly. She had been increasingly cold with him since they’d left Tannit, and tended to avoid him as much as possible.
He nodded, and jerked his thumb at Lynnabel, who was sprawled in an ungainly heap in the dirt. She occasionally giggled to herself.
“In hindsight, burning the baron’s drug was a bad idea. A lot of soldiers... including your sister were affected by the smoke.” Daveth explained.
“To reach her, I will have to go through the smoke, regardless.” Alysia replied, and took several deep breaths in preparation, then plunged into the smoky area and returned with Lynnabel.
“Take her inside and find yourself a room for the two of you to bunk in.” He suggested, and Alysia nodded, carrying her giggling sister on her back.
Daveth eyed the half-dozen or so soldiers that had been overcome by the smoke, and in a sudden inspiration, rummaged through his saddlebags for the enchanted cloth that they’d used back on the Shaper’s island when they went into the volcano. Surely there wasn’t too much difference between toxic gasses and drug-laced smoke?
Daveth was laying down, about to drift off to sleep, when he heard footsteps outside of his room. Initially he was going to write it off as one of the guards on patrol, but whoever it was had an uncertain or perhaps a cautious tread.
They’d take a few steps, wait a bit, take a few more, pause again.
He slid out of bed, scooping up his magic pouch and selecting a long knife. A sword wouldn’t do in these tight confines. He needed to be quick. The self-professed baron had had a population of mostly mages. Those without magic tended crops and the like. It was wholly possible some of the mages escaped the purge.
His door was kicked open so hard the top hinge broke off, and Alysia marched in, a familiar look of anger plastered on her face, but Daveth was already moving to lock her in a grapple before he recognized her.
He grabbed her, looping his arm across her upper chest to trap her arms, but she did something, twisted with her body somehow, and suddenly he flew across the the short length of his room- upside down- and slammed into the wall hard enough to knock all the breath out of his body.
He slumped to the side, coughing and choking, desperate to yank air into his lungs as he scrabbled on the floor trying to pull himself to his feet.
Alysia grabbed him by his vest and half-hauled him off the floor singlehandedly. Her eyes seemed to glow in the uncertain light, and he could definitely see fangs in her wild-eyed grin where there hadn’t been any before. She drew back her fist and punched him in the face several times.
Each blow was like getting kicked by a horse. He was pretty sure one of his cheekbones broke under that assault.
Spots swam in front of his eyes, and his ears rang as he spat blood and tried to rise, tried to stay conscious, fought to overpower the madwoman that had beat down his door.
She hauled his head up and bizarrely, dragged her tongue up the side of his face. She was saying something, but he couldn’t hear her. She gripped her breastplate in her hands and tore it off, the metal clasps and buckles tinkling against the hard stone floor like little bells.
Daveth gritted his teeth, but he was still at her mercy; she grabbed him and slammed him against the wall again and his already-burning chest gave a stab of pain in warning. Was it his ribs? His shoulderblade? He couldn’t tell. It was all he could do just to try and stay awake.
Alysia dragged his head up and slammed hers into his and Daveth inwardly winced in expectation of a headbutt but instead of the expected headbutt, instead she kissed him, forcefully. He could hear the click of her teeth against his as she clumsily tried forcing her tongue into his mouth.
What the fuck was going on?
She pulled away from him, a spring of bloody saliva hanging from her lip. Whatever she saw seemed to please her, her nails, which had grown much longer and thicker, tore through his leather vest and shirt, baring his skin. She lunged forward again.
She bit him hard, on the shoulder, digging her fangs into the meat. He found the strength and breath to let out a scream as she worked her jaw as if trying to chew off a piece of him. Blood splattered down his arm and chest in freshets.
The thought that she was literally going to eat him alive was like an icepick of clarity. He shoved her back with all his might and blinked; wasn’t she wearing her armor when she came in?
She struggled to her feet and rushed him; this time he was prepared, her movements were fast, savage, but easily telegraphed, he caught her and flipped her, much the same way she’d done to him, and she slammed into the wall.
Blood continued to pour down his arm. He screamed for help as loud as he could as Alysia picked herself up. Half-naked, eyes glowing, claws growing out of her fingers, she looked wild, uncontrollable, and completely out of her mind.
“You never look at me.” She panted, and took a careful step forward. “You never talk to me.” she complained. Her eyes scanned the room. Was the judging distances? Thinking of a new way to attack him? The burst of adrenaline that’d allowed him to overpower her was fading fast and he was bleeding badly.
“I keep trying to talk to you, but you never let me.” Daveth retorted.
“Not like that!” She yelled. “Not the way that I want you to!”
“How the fuck am I supposed to know what that is?” He shouted back at her and she drew herself up with drunken gravitas. “You should know what that is, Lord Commander.” She wobbled on her feet.
...wait, was she drunk? Or perhaps was it the drug they’d burned?
“By the fucking Void, you’re drunk.” He breathed.
“And? So?” She spat contemptuously. “You humans are always drinking to excess. What should it matter if I do the same?”
Very carefully and very slowly he offered, “Most people don’t go around on a rampage and assault their commanding officer, Alysia.”
She blinked a few times in confusion and rubbed the side of her head, brows drawing down in frustration as she tried to concentrate.
“I... did... something.” She muttered to herself. “Lynnabel left. And then I was angry...” She trailed off and looked up at him, a certain urgency in her eyes. “Did Aurene teach you of the Frenzy, Lord Commander?!” She suddenly begged of him.
He racked his brain; came up with nothing. “I have no idea what you’re going on about.”
A stricken look passed her face. “I’ve really done it now. Please help me... Daveth...” She slumped to the floor limply.
It didn’t seem like help was coming. It didn’t seem like Alysia wanted others to know what’d happened, and he had a passing familiarity with discretion. He shouldered the broken door closed and scooped up the Wolf girl.
“All right, tell me what I need to do.”
It didn’t matter how many generations there were, it seemed as though some part of the beast blood within them survived, passed from mother to daughter. That remnant of the beastblood was what gave them their strength, their enhanced senses, their enhanced healing. But it also carried with it a burden: the Frenzy. Push a sister too hard, and the chains of discipline would snap and the Beast would take control. Strength and speed would be multiplied, but it was cannibalistic; it damaged the body through its use. Frenzy for too long, and death was a guarantee. It seemed that alcohol and intoxicants- things that loosened inhibitions- were forbidden to the Wolf sisters, because it roused the Beast and made the Frenzy easy to slip into.
Alysia wasn’t certain how long she’d been in a frenzied state, and so she had Daveth watch over her, to keep her awake, so that she didn’t slip off the edge of mortality and into the Void of Oblivion. It was telling that she didn’t at all offer any apologies, excuses, or explanation for her assault.
*****
Daveth spotted Aldric on the wall, and hurried up the steps to meet him as dawn bloomed in the sky. He eyed Aldric curiously. “You look... horrible.”
Aldric twisted to look at him and hissed and rubbed his lower back. “I could say the same for you, man. Were you attacked?”
“In a way. I learned that I should have buried or found some other way of destroying the baron’s drugs. Burning them was a bad idea. I’ve got a dozen men that’re insensate... and it seems it’s not a great idea for the Wolf sisters to be exposed.”
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Aldric shot Daveth a look of shock, surprise, and something else Daveth couldn’t immediately decipher. “...you too?” He asked ambiguously.
“Wait. You and-” Daveth began, but Aldric shook his head.
“Never kiss and tell, m’boy.” Aldric advised. “Have the Tross set up some breakfast in the hall. Though I think I’ll eat standing, if you don’t mind. I find it hurts less to stand.” He paused before going down the stairs. “Send a scout back through the pass and pick up the Yamato. I think this’ll do quite nicely for a forward operating base.”
Daveth went down to the inner courtyard; in the far corner Audra sat uncomfortably in the stocks, head and hands sticking out of one, feet secured in the other. She twisted her head uncomfortably to look up at him.
“With all due respect, Commander, you look like I feel.” She observed.
“How’d you like a reduction in your sentence?” Daveth offered.
“What do I have to do?” She asked.
“Ride out back to where the Yamato took up refuge- the first village we arrived at- and let them know we’ve set up base here. Escort them back.”
She slumped in the stocks. “I don’t really like the Yamato, you know.”
He squatted and patted her head. “Professionally or personally?”
She thought for a moment. “Both. They’re arrogant and secretive. They’re also kind of creepy.” she admitted.
He nodded. “Well, I wasn’t planning on sending you out to pick daisies. Ride out there, fetch them up, ride back. Hopefully without any trouble.” He unlocked the stocks and helped her out of them, and rubbed her shoulders helpfully. She leaned back against him for a moment. “What happened to your shoulder?” She asked, eyeing the bandage.
“Got into a scrap with Alysia.” He muttered.
“I can kill her for you, if you like.” Audra offered. Daveth barked a laugh. “No, I don’t think so. I need you up on a horse, heading out as quick as you can.”
“On my own? In this land?”
Daveth rubbed his chin. “You have shown you can be sneaky as fuck.” He reminded her.
She sighed. “I’ll do it, but I want something for the scout files.”
Daveth gave her a careful look. “What is it that you want?”
“Guns. The scouts are usually the first in the fray. Our chances of survival go up if we have guns.”
Daveth nodded. “I can’t outfit the whole scout squadron, but I have some.”
Audra gave him a suspicious look. “When did you get your hands on guns?”
Daveth pulled out the rifles he’d taken from the dwarves in the Shaper’s lands. “When we were pinned down in the killbox in the volcano.” He pulled out fistful after fistful of bullets for the rifles until a little mountain of ammunition piled up on the ground between the two of them.
“I could kiss you, Daveth.” Audra murmured as she picked up one of the rifles and poked and prodded it curiously.
“You’ve already done that before.” Daveth replied with a small smile.
“I could have your children.” Audra offered while studiously not looking at him.
Daveth barked a laugh. “From a kiss to having my children? That’s a serious escalation.”
She gave him a half smile. “Yeah, I suppose it is.”
“Besides, Aldric would have your ass out of the Seal faster than your head could spin. ‘The battlefield-’” Audra cut him off. “-is no place for children.” she finished.
Daveth nodded. “Just so.” He paused and then added, “I need you. You took our scouts and made them amazing. You’re a good soldier... when you’re not shooting people we don’t want to shoot.” He stood up and cracked his back. “You’ve got a long ride ahead of you. Best get to it quick as you can.”
*****
Breakfast was something of a drawn-out affair; the former baron’s town was large enough to support a population of about a thousand people, and so soldiers were coming and leaving at all times since there was so much ground to cover and only two hundred soldiers to do it.
Alysia and Lynnabel ate together quietly, not speaking to anyone, and as soon as they finished with their meal, they vanished.
Aldric had Morden and the other file leaders section off an abandoned part of town and had them running drills in preparation for future conflicts.
“I kind of wish we had more numbers.” Daveth muttered to Aldric. “It’ll be downright impossible for us to hold this town against even the slightest assault.”
Aldric nodded. “We’ll close all the gates except for the main gate; but ultimately you’re right, we won’t be able to hold this without more men.” He then contradicted himself by saying, “We’re not going to get more men. I made mistakes, mistakes that were costly. I think two hundred is the limit that I can command nowadays.”
“So what’s our next move, then? Abandon the city and go looking for more trading partners?” Daveth asked, clearly frustrated.
“I’m not sure yet, man. Let me think on it a while.” Aldric complained irritably.
*****
A soldier picked up half a dozen trades during his career. Daveth himself could fix a saddle, do some simple smithing, shoe a horse, mend his clothes, and hunt, clean, and cook his own food. Before he’d been promoted, he’d also taken a turn in the medical tent, but he was “too hamfisted for the kind of delicate work needed” and was never rotated back in, despite the fact that everyone took a turn in the medical tent, stitching the inevitable wounds, applying poultices, setting bones.
It was important for a soldier to be as self-reliant as possible. Likewise, it was important to be able to take up the slack in a pinch if the resident expert went extinct. Daveth was replacing the leather straps on the bit and bridle when he spotted Alysia and Lynnabel walking nearby, having a quiet conversation. He nodded to himself and called them over.
“Saddle up. The three of us are going for a walk.” He informed them. They traded looks in that silent communication of theirs, and he suddenly knew they were going to refuse, nevermind the fact that he was their commander.
“Lord Commander, we-” Lynnabel began diplomatically, but Daveth waved his hand.
“That was an order soldier. I want the both of you suited up and saddled up in ten minutes. You’re already in the shit as it is.”
Another one of those silent communicative exchanges took place, and without warning his anger bubbled up from inside, frustrated and angry at their unwillingness to obey. He should grab each of them by their- He ruthlessly squashed the thought, took the heat from that flash of anger and growled at them angrily.
“I gave you two an order. Hop to it!” He barked, and they both jumped and saluted, fist to heart, and trotted off. Daveth rubbed his head wearily. Lately it seemed as though his temper was on the verge of exploding, even if there was no apparent reason why. He’d no idea how he’d managed to keep it when Alysia had kicked down his door. It was like a perpetual hangover, something had settled within him that made him feel irritable and cranky. He stalked off to find his horse, only to remember that he’d been standing right next to it the entire time.
After replacing the straps on the bridle, he swung into the saddle and took a few minutes to review the meditative disciplines the monk had taught him in an effort to beat down his temper. After a while his breathing slowed as he calmed himself down and once he was confident he was in control once more, he urged the horse forward with a touch of his heels.
He rode out past the pickets, past the scout patrols. He eyed the cloudless sky, felt the sun on his face, and breathed in the air. He nodded to himself. It was almost idyllic. He scanned the area to pick out a spot to stop and have his talk with the wolf sisters. The grove of trees was no good; that was likely a good spot for an ambush. The dip between two hills looked inviting, but was a perfect killbox under the right circumstances. After some contemplation, he chose a hilltop bare of trees; at least they’d have a chance of getting away if they were ambushed.
He swung down from his saddle and flexed a bit. Despite Nicola’s magical healing, he felt stiff and sore. He stared up at the wolf sisters, who’d yet to dismount. He frowned at the two of them. “Do I have to order you to dismount, too?” He asked, feeling his temper rise.
The two of them dismounted, and Daveth nodded. “Better. Do you know why I brought you out here?”
The two exchanged glances, and again Daveth’s temper flared. “Don’t pull that shit. I asked the both of you a fuckin’ question, and both of you are going to answer.”
Lynnabel shook her head. “I don’t know.” Alysia took a breath and hazarded a guess. “That night when you burned the drugs.”
Daveth quirked an eyebrow at that. “Yeah, you could say that.” He reached into his saddlebags and pulled out a small sack and sat down, pulling out some bread, meat, and cheese.
He offered them some. “Food?” They shook their heads in stereo.
“Clearly you’ve never heard of offering a last meal for the condemned.” he muttered, and barked a short laugh at their startled look.
“You know the rules that we follow- the Seventh Seal.” Daveth began while folding meat and cheese and tucking it in the bread. “So tell me, what’s the punishment for third offense for fighting?”
The two traded looks, and again it infuriated him. “I asked you both a fucking question. Don’t pull this shit, or I swear to fuck that I’ll rip off one of your arms and beat you with the wet end. My temper is running mighty fuckin’ short and I’ve no time for your bullshit.”
He pressed the heel of his hand against his temple. By the Void, the more he talked, the angrier he got. If he wasn’t careful he really would end up losing control. He closed his eyes and started his breathing exercises.
“Lord Commander, are you all right?” Lynnabel asked uncertainly.
“I’m trying not to lose my temper with you two. I’m having a shitty day and it’s a struggle to keep it together. The more you cooperate with me, the less likely it is that I end up killing you.” He explained, forcing himself to breathe evenly and calmly. “Now answer my question, please.”
“Expulsion or, in the case where someone in the Seal dies, execution.” Lynnabel answered.
“You were already on your second offense back in Bel-Arib.” Daveth reminded them, and then added, “I’ve no proof, but I suspect that you probably fought with Orelia and Arcene when we were in the lands of the Shapers.” He paused, keeping his eyes closed. He gave them a half-smile. “Your silence speaks for itself.”
He took a deep breath, held it, and let it out slowly. “Attacking the commander or the captain is grounds for execution, no matter how many offenses you have. I don’t think I need to remind you about keeping discipline.”
“But Lord Commander-” Alysia began, but Daveth cut her off.
“I hope you’re not going to try to excuse yourself by saying that you were drunk or drugged. There are plenty of people in the Seal that drink and yet you don’t see them fighting each other. They know the rules. And even if they did fight, it wouldn’t exempt them from the punishment. You can’t expect to say, “I was drunk at the time” and be forgiven like, “oh, okay, I totally understand, you’re forgiven, because you were drunk.” Shit doesn’t work that way. No matter what, order must be maintained.”
Alysia and Lynnabel nodded together, though Daveth kept his eyes closed as he practiced his meditation exercises.
“I am prepared.” Lynnabel stated simply.
“As am I.” Alysia added.
Daveth frowned a bit. “I didn’t drag you out here to kill you.” He explained. “All punishments in the Seal are public, you should know that. Everyone needs to see the price of disobedience, and the one being punished needs to understand that everyone in the Seal knows what they did.”
He opened his eyes and looked at Lynnabel. “Whatever happened between you and Aldric... that’s none of my business. Since he didn’t call for your head, I can’t charge you with anything.” He shifted his gaze to Alysia, and held up one of his hands. “You attacked me, though. You were out of control.” He paused and lifted the other hand. “But we’re in hostile territory. Triple red. We’re in a keep we can’t possibly hold with the numbers we do have. To take your head would be suicide for the whole Seal. Frankly, we need you too much to kill you. Or expel you.” He bobbed his hands as if weighing things.
“Unless you told Lynnabel what happened, then only you and I know.” He glanced at Lynnabel, who looked away a little.
“Ah. You did tell her.” He confirmed. “We have a third option: We can agree to forget it happened- never bring it up, never speak of it. But if you attack me- or anyone- in the Seal again, I will take your head.”
He let out a long breath. “I thought I could trust you.” He paused again. “The third option is best for the Seal. We don’t lose our fighting strength.” He got up and climbed back into the saddle and turned his horse back towards the barony and headed back to the keep.
Alysia and Lynnabel watched him ride away.
“He’s right; I was out of control. I didn’t think the drug would affect me. I held my breath when I went to get you.” Alysia muttered. “But ... I frenzied and attacked him.”
“You know why you did it.” Lynnabel replied. “You chose him.”
Alysia nodded. “I haven’t ... lost myself like that since I was a child.” Alysia muttered. “It was so easy.” She shook her head. “Now I understand why we’re not to drink. It seems that drug- whatever it was- should be prohibited as well.”
Lynnabel nodded. “You broke faith with the Lord Commander. He won’t trust you easily anymore.”