Chapter 05

Vondi found her brother leaning with both hands on a hardwood windowsill, his eyes staring down far below. Her brother was so engrossed, he never even heard her approach, jumping with a start as she got near.

She paused for a moment as she drew near. At twenty-nine, her brother was still a handsome man. He kept his black hair longer than he used to, pulled back into a pony tail. She wasn’t sure why he’d changed but she suspected it was because he didn’t really care about his hair. Radu was relentless and resourceful with things that mattered to him. He could be negligent and forgetful of things which didn’t.

He was still the thin, wiry young man he’d always been but there was a hint of steel in him now. He wasn’t as playful as he’d been when he first took over the throne over a decade ago. He didn’t slouch as much either, constantly standing to his full five-feet, ten-inch height – present circumstances not withstanding. It was only now, in places like this, where he wasn’t busy being the emperor, when he let his guard down – just a little.

“What are you contemplating today, Radu?” Vondi smiled.

“How much fun it would be to be a wandering minstrel,” Radu replied with a wide smile. “Think about it – going from tavern to tavern, people showering me with coin as I sing for them. That’s the life for me.”

“You’d starve,” Vondi said flatly, though a slight smile took the sting from her words. “I’ve heard you sing – you can’t carry a tune in a bucket.”

“Well, there is that,” Radu admitted. “I’m sure with practice, I’d get better.”

“Before you starve?” Vondi asked, eyebrows raised. “Brother, I love you, but I’m not sure there’s that much time left in the entire world.”

Radu chuckled as he glanced back out of the window. “I’m sure you’re right.”

“I know I’m right,” she laughed back.

“Oh?” Radu said, his eyes glancing at her slyly. “Is that why you and Prince Keblin of Osset didn’t get along? Is your voice no better than mine?”

Vondi shook her head. She was getting tired of her brother’s constant attempts at playing matchmaker. She needed neither husband nor wife and wasn’t looking for either. She was too important as her brother’s Right Hand to even think about taking time for romance.

Instead of answering, Vondi looked out to see what her brother was watching. Far below, a young man, black hair shorn close, garbed completely in black save for a red sash around his waist was sparring with a smaller figure with long, red hair.

“Audette?” Vondi asked her brother in surprise.

“Yes,” Radu sighed. “I told her this wasn’t a good idea but you know Audette. I explained as my oldest heir she would be Empress someday – to which she replied it was a good thing she wanted to learn to fight now because she probably wouldn’t be allowed to do it later.”

“And you caved,” Vondi laughed before turning her attention back to the scene far below. “She has you wrapped tightly.”

“Apparently,” Radu agreed forlornly.

“I will admit, it’s a strange way to celebrate the anniversary of her birth,” Vondi mused. She watched silently for a short time before speaking again. “Who’s that training her? He looks too small to be Joric.”

“Arlade,” Radu replied tightly, his lips pursed in displeasure. “I whole-heartedly agree with the anniversary comment, however. I told her she had to quit early today for the celebration.”

“You allow Arlade to teach her?” Vondi asked in abject surprise.

Radu looked over at his sister, tilting his head back and forth. “More like I was persuaded,” Radu suggested, turning his eyes back to the two down below.

Vondi’s eyebrows rose, her question not needing to be asked.

“Joric says Arlade is the best,” Radu explained. “He explained Audette is fast and nimble – a natural for the Ko’Natu training. He claims she could be one of the best he’s ever seen – but to be the best, she needs to be trained by the best.”

Vondi considered her brother’s words. “You decided on calling it Ko’Natu?” She asked absently, her face still deep in thought.

“It wasn’t my decision,” Radu shrugged, turning back to the window. “Joric came up with it – and since he found the trainer who adapted the Natu training for our use, I decided he should be able to name it. It’s easier than calling it the ‘Kortho variant of the Natu Way’.”

“I suppose,” Vondi said finally, her eyes still on her brother. “I still don’t like him.”

“Arlade?” Radu asked, glancing at his sister before returning his eyes to his oldest child far below. “I can’t say I’m overly fond of him either. Not even Joric likes him – and I thought Joric liked everyone. He calls him an entitled brat who follows no one’s orders save his own.” He turned to his sister and sighed. “Joric also says he’s taken to Ko’Natu like a fish to water. Even the trainers Joric brought back with him can’t best him. According to Joric, Arlade’s the best fighter he’s ever seen – and he says with Arlade training Audette, she’ll be even better than Arlade some day.”

Radu shrugged and turned back to the tableau far below him. “So, I’ll let him train her – on the off chance she needs that training someday. Heck, I’ve had Joric training me on some of the simpler forms. But I’ll watch Arlade like a hawk while he trains her – or have someone watch him for me.”

“Why do they always train in black?” Vondi asked absently, raising her eyebrows as she saw the young girl far below whip her legs out and take the man she was fighting to the ground. Audette was only seven but she was thin and wiry. Vondi was fairly certain Arlade had allowed her the move – she wondered if the man knew he was being watched.

“It’s customary, evidently,” Radu replied, his eyes never leaving the training below. A crooked little smile adorned his mouth. “When they go out, they carry a few different sets of clothes depending on where they’re going and the weather – things like that. The clothing looks identical but they have a green set, a brown set and even a white set – for snow and such; it’s supposed to help them blend into their surroundings. Like one of those kava lizards. I’ve heard they’ve started making sets that are both green and brown in patchwork.”

“So they’re not always wearing black,” Vondi remarked needlessly.

“No,” Radu replied. “From what I understand, they only wear black on formal occasions and when they’re training.” He paused a moment, his voice trailing off. “At night, as well, I think. It’s good luck or some such nonsense.”

Vondi looked at her brother sharply but couldn’t tell if he were joking or not.

“How’s Vilka?” She asked, turning back to the window.