Chapter 46: Proxies

“Are you okay, Gillen?” Tergin Givens asked his former apprentice as he slowly eased himself down beside her. The woman in question was seated on a fallen log, but her eyes were unfocused as they stared off into the distance. She’d wandered off after setting up camp and Tergin had grown worried. “Are you sure you should be wandering from the camp like this? There’s no telling how many more Red Guard there might be.”

“A calculated risk,” Gillen responded, a sigh drawing out her words. “I needed to get away for a few moments.”

“What’s troubling you?” the retired knight asked as he steadied himself on the log.

“Just trying to figure out exactly when I lost complete control of this entire mess,” Gillen Hawksley replied somberly.

“I think your time would be better spent examining what led you to believe you ever had control over any of it,” he chuckled, trying to inject some levity into the conversation.

“Truer words might never have been spoken,” Gillen admitted morosely. “I’ve got one knight who is beyond skilled but who I can’t control. I might – maybe – be able to point him in a direction and hope he doesn’t break too much. I’ve got nearly a score of men who want to play at being knights but don’t have the training, equipment or capacity. I’ve got a young girl who claims to have a goddess living inside of her and who refuses to do damn near anything I ask. Finally, I have a charge who I need to guard with my life but who insists on making my life as miserable as possible by saddling me with impossible demands.”

She sighed. “I swear, the only two I can count on are Syl and Uud.”

She glanced at the man next to her. “Well, and you. I guess I can count on you.”

Tergin shook his head. “You’ve forgotten one of the first things I taught you.”

Gillen looked at him blankly until he continued. “There are only two things you can count on – yourself, and for others to follow their nature.”

Gillen shook her head and resumed staring off into the distance as Tergin continued. “Yren – for all his gifts with sword and shield – is not a knight. At least, not fully. Oh, mark my words, given different circumstances he could easily become a great knight and I dare say there would be few who could best him – but he’s still just a blacksmith. You have to remember he’s a young man who has been neither a page nor a squire. What little discipline he has is taught, not lived. As I said, given the opportunity, I think he’d grow into being a knight – but he’s not there yet.

“As for the score of men,” Tergin continued, “they’ll never be knights. They’ll never be more than what they are – but they’re skilled in the basics of battle. You need to adjust your strategy accordingly – use Uud and Syl for their skill, the Knottline Guards for their lack of same.”

“And our young High Priestess?” the knight asked. “Or our Princess?”

Tergin shrugged with a grin. “I never claimed to have all the answers.”

The young woman shook her head as Tergin chuckled. “Hasp is a small town, so I know Bena. Or rather, I knew her. I won’t insult your intelligence by saying she hasn’t changed recently. However, she was never a willful girl and she always seemed nice enough.”

He paused a moment before continuing. “As I said, though, the Bena in our camp is not the same. She’s ... matured, might be the best word. I’m just not certain if she’s crazy or if she really has a goddess living inside her. I think we should be wary it might be the former but act as if it’s the latter.

“As for Princess Ataya...” His voice trailed off and he shrugged. “There’s not much you can do. She’s the Crown Princess. Our duty lies with her as well as her mother and we have to remain cognizant of the fact she will take over one day. So, within the boundaries of her mother and father’s authority, we accede to her wishes as much as possible. If her demands are too unreasonable, we try to talk her out of them.”

He frowned. “Or, maybe, talk to her champion, since she’s supposed to listen to his council.”

The two sat for a while, quietly enjoying the comradery.

“Empress-an Audette,” Tergin breathed.

“I’ll admit I didn’t see that coming,” Gillen shook her head, then rubbed her face with her hands. “Do you really believe she’s just an envoy from her father?”

“To discuss an alliance by marriage to Prince Gesper or Princess Ataya?” Tergin asked. “I’m not sure. I know little of the intricacies of royal courtship. The timing seems like a pretty coincidence. You’re attacked by the Red Guard intent on taking Ataya, they fail and the emperor’s first daughter just happens to be on the road to Callisto to tell everyone it’s a mistake and the person leading the Reds – as well as that faction of Reds themselves – are imposters? It stretches credulity.”

“She is practically alone,” the younger knight offered.

“Which makes it more suspicious, not less,” the older man countered. “Shouldn’t she be attended if she’s coming to discuss a betrothal? Someone to discuss her interests?”

“She says, as a full member of the Red Guard as well as the Empress-an, she can negotiate for the interests of the Empire herself,” Gillen explained.

“I don’t know,” Tergin replied, shaking his head. “Moves and countermoves. It’s why I was happy to retire. Politics makes my head spin.”

He paused, taking a deep breath. “If I were a betting man, I’d say she’s telling the truth about the Red Guard who attacked you. I don’t think they were sanctioned. Her presence – it seems almost to be a peace offering. Considering it from a particular angle, if the emperor - or even her mother or one of his other brides - came with her, it would look like a political maneuver. Sending only her and a minimal guard unit? It screams of a move to allay tensions. And surrendering herself to Ataya as a show of good faith? It’s a brilliant move.”

“You are a betting man,” Gillen snorted. “Although I hate to admit it, I also think you’re right. I never had time to think of it while we were running, but the attack makes no sense. I could possibly see killing Ataya as a political maneuver, though what Emperor Invar could hope to accomplish by such is beyond me. Kidnapping her? It’s too high a risk for too little gain. What did they hope to accomplish? A ransom? Other than to increase tensions between the kingdom and the empire, I see no reason behind it. The only result for either action would be to start a war and killing her would be easier than trying to drag her away. It makes no sense.”

“Someone had another agenda,” Tergin agreed. Then he sighed and stood. “But that is for heads higher up than ours to ponder.”

-- ∞ --

“ ... and I say she rides in the wagon with me,” Ataya said firmly. Firm was something Ataya did awfully well. The princess’s face was set in a scowl. “They surrendered to me so I will keep an eye on them.”

Yren remained silent for a moment, his eyes rolling to the heavens. He took a deep breath and released a long sigh as he turned to the Princess. “No.”

Ataya drew breath, her scowl deepening but Yren raised his hand to forestall the argument. The princess did willful better than Issa, but she lacked his sister’s vitriol. He decided to try reasoning with her. He prayed he had more luck reasoning with her than he’d ever had reasoning with Issa. “Princess, you claim as your champion one of my duties is to advise you. My advice is the prisoner should not be left near you. She knows how to ride, and we’ve come into sixteen new horses. We can tie her to a horse and make other arrangements when we reach Knottline.”

“As my champion, it’s your job to advise me,” the Princess said through clenched teeth. “It is my job to assess your advice and determine how things shall be. I’m making that judgement now. She’ll ride with me, in my wagon.”

Yren’s hands closed into fists involuntarily. He was not versed in the etiquette of court, but he knew it was worth more than his life to yell at royalty. He was getting to the point where he’d be willing to risk it.

“You just spent how long running from the Red Guard?” he questioned harshly, his teeth grinding on every syllable. “Now you’re going to invite them to sit next to you?”

“My choice, Yren,” she replied hotly.

“Deia says we need not fear her, Yren,” Bena spoke up from beside the two. At least the Princess’ maids, standing on the opposite side from Bena, had the good sense to stay out of the argument.

Yren’s head – and ONLY his head – turned to look at his youngest sister. Bena saw the angry scowl on his face and the cold rage in his eyes and gulped drily. To her credit, though, she held her ground. She did start considering the fastest escape routes – just in case.

“You, too?” the young man growled. “First you rub my nose in being the Princess’ champion, then you tell me to save two people wearing the uniform of those trying to kidnap her, at best. Two people of the same ilk as those who killed our father. Finally, you side with putting those same two people dangerously close to the person I’m sworn to protect. You can’t have it both ways, Bena – and neither can Deia.”

He turned quickly back to the Princess. His face was dark with anger. “You’re right. It’s your choice. I’ve voiced my concerns and you’ve over-ridden them. I hope you don’t come to regret the decision.”

Before Ataya could say anything else, Yren moved past her to the two young women in Red Guard uniforms standing behind her. The women’s hands and legs were bound, the hands tightly together and the legs with enough room to let them walk but not run. Before anyone could stop him, he grabbed the redhead by the front of her green shirt with his left hand and lifted her off her feet. He pulled her until her eyes were only inches from his own, her feet dangling nearly two feet off the ground.

“Her highness’ word is my law, and I must obey her,” he rumbled, his eyes burning into Audette’s. His hand shook in anger and his teeth were clenched tightly. “But know this, I will do everything in my power to protect my Princess. I may fail but I swear upon Order and Chaos themselves, if I do fail, I will find you, I will catch you, and through to the end of time, men will scare children with stories of what I do to you. Tell me you understand.”

Audette was not used to being talked to in this manner, but she understood it. She’d seen feats of strength before, but this was more than she could credit. The brute was lifting her easily, without strain. She wanted to scoff in his face, but there was a quiet power behind his eyes, a strength of will beyond anything she’d ever seen or ever known.

As she gasped, she could almost see the fate the young man promised reflected in his cold, blue eyes. There was malice there and an intensity which caused a cold shiver to run up her back. She had been scared at various times throughout her life, but this was the first time she was terrified beyond the bounds of common sense. His wasn’t an idle threat. It was a promise.

“I understand,” she responded quietly. It was the only thing she could think to say.

The cold, blue eyes stared back and forth into each of her own and she felt like they were looking right through her. Finally, though, the young man nodded and far more gently than she expected, set her back down on her feet.

“There was no need to threaten her,” Bena said quietly as Yren turned around.

“You’re wrong,” Yren replied as he walked past.

Ataya opened her mouth to say something – but no sound would make it past her lips. She could feel the tension roiling off of her champion. She could feel the malice in his words to the Empress-an, an underlying current promising extreme violence. She was ... enamored she had a champion who would promise things like that and even more that she was sure he could carry out those words. She wanted to say something – anything – but nothing would come out.

“I swear to you, she means no harm,” Bena called.

The young man in blue armor stopped immediately. He paused, unmoving, for the barest of moments. Then, he turned. His face was a blank mask as his eyes met those of his betrothed.

“Maybe you’re right. Maybe you’re wrong. I’ve been overruled so I guess we’re going to find out.”

He made to turn around but suddenly turned back. “Tell Deia, though – I’ll do my duty. I’ll stand by my word – and gladly. I love you, Bena.”

He shook his head almost violently. “But I won’t be a puppet for anyone. Not a man or woman, not a god or goddess. If such is her intent – well, she’d better strike me down now.”

Then he turned and walked back towards the front of the wagon. Bena watched him sadly as he pulled himself up into the driver’s seat.

“I wondered how long that would last,” Tergin said conversationally from just inside the tree line. His voice was low so only Gillen could hear him. “I’m glad the boy spoke up. Bena can’t expect him to blindly follow her order – or those of any other voices living within her.”

They’d arrived just as Ataya was giving her decree. Gillen had started forward, but Sir Givens had held her back. They’d watched the scene unfold.

“Why’d you stop me, old man,” the younger knight intoned harshly. “There’s no way I’m allowing either of those two ... two ... two assassins near the Princess.”

“Oh?” Sir Givens asked, his brows raised. “And how are you going to stop her? She’s the Princess ... and I thought we’d just discussed how we have to accede to her wishes within the mandate of her mother and father.”

“You can’t be serious,” she gasped. “I’ve just lost my entire platoon getting her to safety from those Reds. I’m not about to let one sleep next to her. That’s like driving off the wolves to let the mountain lion feast.”

Sir Givens shrugged. “It’s out of our hands. She’s made her decree and she’ll stick by it no matter what argument we use now. We can adjust the load so they’re not right next to each other and we can have Syl or another guard ride inside and protect Ataya. Chaos, we have Yren driving the wagon and after his words I know I wouldn’t think to try to harm Ataya. Honestly, it actually solves a few logistical problems.”

“Logistical problems?” Gillen scoffed. “You’d risk the princess’ safety to solve logistical problems?”

“She’s made her decree, Gillen,” Tergin replied. “Quite publicly. I’ve seen enough young women her age, and I’ve raised two of my own, to know chaos itself could not get her to change her edict now. Fighting her on this is a losing proposition and you should know by now you need to pick your battles.”

“Besides,” Tergin continued before Gillen could interrupt. “We can use this. We’re spread too thin with too many ‘green’ troops. We’re barely holding together right now. Putting the Empress-an and her friend on horses would be a liability. One we can’t afford if we run into any other complications.”

Gillen’s head dropped. She knew the older knight’s words were true. Her past experience with the princess told her he was right. Right or wrong, the princess’ pride would force her to stubbornly stand by her command. There was no way the Empress-an and her companion would be anywhere but within the princess’ wagon now.

She felt her command spinning out of her control, but in truth her control had slipped as soon as most of her knights were killed. She suddenly felt inadequate to the task before her, and it had been seasons since she’d felt inadequate. Not since the fight with the Tylnanari brigands, the fight which had brought her to the Queen’s and King’s attention and ultimately to the post she now held.

“What of the other two?” Gillen asked.

Tergin’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. His trainee had changed in the years since he’d taught her, but he still remembered her well enough to know what was going through her mind. He could still see the indecision and lack of confidence echoed in her features. Either attribute was worrisome in a knight and deadly liabilities in a knight commander.

“What do you think we should do?” Tergin asked carefully. He’d been an instructor for a long time and knew how to deal with indecision and confidence issues.

“I’d like to leave them in a shallow grave before we break camp,” Gillen admitted.

Tergin shrugged. “Then do it. It’s honestly one of the best ideas I’ve heard lately.”

-- ∞ --

“You were pretty hard on Bena,” Teran said quietly as she pulled herself into the jockey box where Yren had retreated.

“Bena?” Yren questioned, turning to her stiffly. “Not Bena. Deia.”

“Deia?” Teran asked sharply. “You were speaking like that to a goddess?”

“I was upset,” Yren winced ruefully. He shrugged. “Actually, I was frustrated. With all we’ve gone through, to let a Red Guard unfettered access to the princess seems ... wrong, somehow. It was probably not my finest moment.”

His older sister stared at him for a moment. Her head was tilted in question and her eyes were narrowed in thought. “You’ve changed. You were never very frivolous but ... you seem more ... serious, suddenly.”

The young man looked at her. His face was startled. “Mom said something similar this morning.”

He looked away with his brows drawn in thought. “She said I was quieter now. You say I’m more serious. I say I’m confused.”

“Confused?” Teran asked.

“I’m not sure who I’m becoming,” Yren admitted quietly. “I’m not sure I like who I’m becoming.”

“Who do you think you’re becoming?” the young woman asked carefully.

“A warrior,” her brother started. “Maybe a mage. A blacksmith, of course.”

He sighed. “Order knows, all I want is to be a blacksmith. I’m just not sure I have the choice anymore.”

“Nonsense,” she replied. “You decide who you’re going to be. You’re the only one who can.”

Yren chuckled. “Mom said much the same thing this morning.”

Teran grinned. “Where do you think I got it from?”

The grin faded slightly. “Yren, you are who you are. You’re a blacksmith...”

Her voice trailed off and her grin turned to a frown as her eyes lowered. “Like dad.”

She shook her head and turned back to her brother. “Being a blacksmith doesn’t mean you’re only a blacksmith, though. You can be other things. You can be whatever you want to be. You will be whatever you want to be.”

Yren laughed in spite of himself. “Now you’re just showing off. You sound just like Mom.”

-- ∞ --

Audette moved the meat around her plate thoughtfully. The smell of the stew brought trembles and some slight shooting pains from her midsection, but her mind was preoccupied. The heat of the day was easing, though she knew it would only go so far. The night would not be cool, just less hot.

Her captors had made camp in a small clearing. It was just off a little trail a brief distance from the main Wenland road – the King’s Southern Road, she corrected herself absently. Both her Aunt Vondi and the arch-mage Werten had cautioned her on using the correct names for things. ‘Sloppy thoughts lead to sloppy mistakes,’ they’d often chided her when she was younger. For all that they didn’t get along, it was amazing how similar the two were.

A small fire had been started in the middle of the clearing and a few logs haphazardly placed around it. She knew the fire was not for warmth – the night was warm already – but rather to keep animals and some of the more vicious insects at bay. She was seated on one log far enough away from the fire that she couldn’t feel much of its heat, thankfully. Ilzu was directly across from her, seated on an almost identical deadfall. A guard was stationed at each of their backs.

She’d camped in forests before, of course. The majestic oak trees, leafed arms stretching towards the fading daylight, were familiar to her, though there were fewer around Kortho City. She could even see a few familiar birch trees which grew in abundance beyond the tree line surrounding the palace. She could almost, if not for the bindings on her legs, fool herself into thinking she was still in the woods around Kortho.

Simpler times. She found she longed for the simpler times.

With a sigh, she directed her gaze surreptitiously to the princess, who was sitting on a log off to her left. She was a little surprised to find the princess toying with her food as well, her eyes often flicking over to her champion. Audette’s eyes narrowed as she considered the young woman and the large man. There was something going on there, something which went beyond a contest of their wills. There was a connection there that was just in its infancy.

She glanced over and considered the blue knight, now with his armor removed wearing a gray cotton shirt and rough, brown pants. He was younger than she’d first thought, surely no more than early twenties, if that. His blue eyes were intense, and his face was honest and serious under a rather unkempt mane of deepest black. He was extremely muscular, if anything even larger and more foreboding without his armor. His forearms were corded muscles ending in hands bigger than her head. He was a mountain of a man and it appeared that his entire body was made of dense muscle. She admitted to herself that he was handsome ... but still, he frightened her, and she didn’t like to be frightened.

She watched as the eyes of the princess’s attendants, seated to either side of the young woman, would flicker to their mistress before dropping back to their plates. The two women were watching their mistress, and the puzzled yet worried looks on their face spoke even more about the recentness of the princess’ infatuation. She continued watching as they fed themselves, their bites of food seeming more mechanical than from any real desire to eat.

Thoughtfully, she looked back to the princess and was surprised to see the princess’ eyes on her. Their eyes met and she felt a strange comradery pass between them. They weren’t so different. They both were heirs, her to an Empire and Ataya to a kingdom. They both were young, too young for the pressures piled upon them.

Audette came to a quick decision. Maybe she could play on their similarities. Maybe she could use it to gain an advantage. She considered her predicament and prioritized her needs.

“Your highness, I know I am your prisoner, but it is imperative I question the two guardsmen you captured,” Audette said tentatively, after a few moments of the two regarding each other. It was more a question than a demand.

“You’re not exactly my prisoner,” Ataya responded after a moment’s thought. “You’re more like my guest.”

The Empress-an looked down pointedly at the shackles on her legs.

Ataya frowned. She closed her eyes, trying to determine what the protocol was for something like this. The problem was, there really was no protocol for a situation quite like this. She wondered if anything like this had ever happened before.

She combed her fingers through her hair as she considered her options. She was fairly certain keeping the future leader of another country prisoner was unlikely to be a diplomatically sound policy. However, the young woman was a member of the Red Guard and the Red Guard had attempted to kidnap her.

Unfortunately, she had to think as a future leader instead of as a wronged girl. She considered asking her champion his opinion, but she was fairly certain she knew what he would say. He would not be happy.

Her eyes drifted to him automatically. They always seemed to be searching him out, even when she wished they wouldn’t. It was a bit maddening, actually. There was just something about him the kept drawing her eyes. Even when she was lost in thought, her eyes seemed to seek him out.

She finally shook her head ruefully and turned to the Knottline Guard immediately behind the Empress-an. “Remove her restraints.”

Her eyes shifted to the Empress-an’s companion. “Both of them.”

Suddenly, Gillen Hawksley was there. She’d been on her way to slay the Imperial Guards they were holding prisoner when she’d heard the princess’ completely insane command.

“Ataya, no!”

Ataya bit her bottom lip for a moment before straightening in her seat. “We can’t keep a visiting dignitary in chains, Gillen.”

“We can’t say for certain she is a visiting dignitary,” Gillen squeezed out through clenched teeth.

“She has the papers...” Ataya started before Gillen interrupted her.

“Papers can be forged!”

“Not the private Imperial Seal,” Ataya said calmly. “Yes, the public Imperial Seal can be forged. But every King, Queen, Emperor and Empress – at least, all of the ones my mother knows – has a private seal. It is one of the most guarded secrets of any kingdom because when it becomes public, it has to be changed. My mother made me learn them all and keeps me updated when they change so I can learn the new ones, just in case. She also makes me memorize the signatures of the leaders for every kingdom and empire with which we have business. I’ve read the Empress-an’s diplomatic papers and looked at the private seal and signature. The papers were sent by the emperor.”

“This is madness,” Gillen said, her voice shaking. She was trying to force herself to be calm.

“You’ll be happy to know your opinion mirrors that of my champion,” the princess rejoined. “However, it doesn’t change the fact we cannot and should not keep the Empress-an chained.”

Princess Ataya turned to the guard behind the Empress-an. “You have your orders.”

The Knottline Guard looked a question at the First of the Third, but he was already moving when she marginally nodded her head.

“Princess,” Audette started as the guard undid the leather bindings around her legs which connected her legs to the chains, then stopped herself. “Ataya, if I may call you that. The men and women with me were supposed to be my guard. They were supposed to protect me on my journey. For them to turn on me, to attempt to kill me ... For them to actually kill people I thought were my friends, it speaks of a larger plan. I need to know how high the plan goes and if ... if my father is in danger.”

“You need not fear them, Empress-an,” Gillen declared tightly, putting peculiar emphasis on Audette’s title. “They’ll not bother you again. I was on my way to dispatch them when I came upon this ... this ... when I came upon the princess’ orders.”

“NO!” Audette gasped in horror. “You can’t kill them. Please. Not before I get the answers I’m looking for. I need to know how far the plot goes. I need to make sure my father is safe. I need to get word to him so he can be on his guard.”

Gillen bit back the first three responses that came to her mind. She closed her eyes, trying to find her center.

She knew she’d lost this battle. She was even willing to admit the young redhead was likely who she said she was. While she was uninitiated into the secrets of royalty, she did have some experience and a wealth of training. The papers had looked genuine, one of the reasons she’d allowed the Empress-an to accompany them. Also, there was the Empress-an herself. Her bearing, young as she was, bespoke of command and privilege.

As she calmed, she tried to put herself in the young woman’s place. She tried to look beyond the foul robes the Empress-an wore.

If her words were genuine, and there was nothing about the earlier scene of betrayal that looked false or staged, she had a point. Taking out a country’s future ruler was rarely limited in scope. The Emperor could very well be at risk. It was one of the myriad reasons she wanted to get back to the capital without delay. The attempt on Ataya was unlikely to be limited to just Ataya. When someone started taking out future rulers, it usually meant there was a similar plan for the current ruler as well.

When she re-opened her eyes, she was calm and steady. “We don’t have the time or facilities to foster many prisoners, Empress-an Audette. Any prisoners, really. Keeping them is a liability and a drain on our time and meager resources. Quite honestly, we just can’t afford either. I can give you the remainder of the evening, but by morning’s light, I will have them dead.”

Audette nodded. She knew this was likely all she could get – and, honestly, it was all she could ask for. These were not her people. Her former guard were not her prisoners. She also knew she’d pushed the First of the Third as far as she could.

“Thank you, Honor Hawksley,” the Empress-an replied graciously. “I appreciate both the time and your candor. Am I allowed to question the prisoners?”

Gillen drew a deep breath, pondering both the question and exactly how to answer it. She didn’t like the affairs of the court but, as First of the Third, she’d attended court functions fairly often.

“Contrary to how you’ve been treated,” she started slowly and carefully, “you are not our prisoner but our guest. I hope you will not hold the way you’ve been treated against the princess or the Queen or King. Your treatment was at my orders, and I bear full responsibility.”

“We’ve had an ... incursion ... of the Red Guard,” Gillen continued, her words measured. “This incursion caused significant casualties to my platoon and a small town to which we’d fled. As my primary responsibility is to the princess, I needed to ensure you were the person you claimed. As her highness vouchsafes your credentials, I sincerely apologize for the manner of your treatment.”