RE: Monarch

Chapter 20. Crossroads III

I jumped to my feet and drew my sword. Tamara stirred above me in the tree, pulling her bow and nocking an arrow. I saw Cephur slowly reach his hand to his pommel.

A shadow panther stepped into the firelight. My heartbeat picked up. I held my hand out and prepared to summon the spark. Then stopped. There was a section of burnt fur around its neck. In the panthers mouth was a bloody rabbit. My mouth dropped open.

"Well, I think we found our follower." Tamara said quietly from up in her perch, arrow still held to her cheek.

"Friend of yours, kid?" Cephur asked. He looked deceptively relaxed, face neutral, but body ready to spring forward the second it was required.

" Acquaintance" I said slowly. I kept my sword out but didnt make any sudden movements. The panther approached me carefully, eyes never leaving mine. It opened its mouth and dropped the rabbit with a meaty plop. Then it rolled the small animal towards me with its nose. It rested on its haunches, ears flat.

"Take it," Tamara whispered, "Its offering tribute."

"Is that normal?" I asked.

"No."

I reached forward and took the rabbit. It was wet and sticky in my hand. Somehow, despite being completely lost, I knew what to do. Taking out the small hunting knife Cephur gave me earlier, I began to skin the rabbit. The work was shoddy and unpracticed but that didnt seem to matter. The panther looked on in quiet intensity. I cooked the rabbit over the fire, a bead of sweat trickling down my forehead. Operating purely on instinct, because it felt right, I halved the meat and placed a portion in front of the beast.

The panther watched me silently. You first, it seemed to say.

I dug into the rabbit. It was a bit overdone and still raw in the center. Only after I took the first few bites did the panther begin to eat. My companions were all awake now, watching the scene in reverent silence. The panther consumed its portion greedily, then rose to its paws, slinking into the forest with deadly grace.

Cephur let out a long breath. "Aint that something."

I woke at the crack of dawn. True to his word, Cephur was already up. He polished his saber, the burnished steel shining in the early morning light. Wordlessly, he shifted his head, indicating behind him. I stood and followed him into the forest. For a man so verbose he was quiet now, almost reverent of the forest around us. We entered a small ring of trees. The ground was uneven here, but for the Everwood it was as good of a training area as one could hope to find.

Cephur drew his sword, and I followed suit.

He then proceeded to demonstrate exactly how poorly prepared I was. He moved swiftly with the grace of a dancer. I could barely touch his sword, let alone him. Every exchange ended with the flat of his sword whacking against a newly tender section of my body. In casual conversation, it felt like Cephur could speak forever without tiring of the sound of his own voice. In training, his words were as efficient as his swordsmanship.

Thump. The saber smacked painfully into my side.

"Square your shoulders."

Thump. The saber cracked against my ribs.

"Dont telegraph."

Thump. The saber bounced off my lower leg.

"Keep your guard up."

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

The last strike bounced off the point of my elbow, sending a shock of pain up my arm. I growled and walked to the side, trying to shrug it off.

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"Youre angry." Cephur observed impassively.

"Frustrated," I answered, shaking out my arm, then returned to square with him again. We were drawing a small crowd. Orben had wandered over to us and smacked loudly on some rabbit meat from last night. Maya watched from his side, arms behind her back.

Another flurry of blows too quick to track and the flat of Cephurs saber smacked painfully against my lower back. I walked it off, glowering.

"Why are you angry?" He asked.

Instead of answering, I darted forward with an upward swing. Cephur sidestepped easily; the saber smacked against my wrist on the way up and added to the force of the blow, unbalancing me and sending me tumbling backwards.

"Because I held my own against a revenant. I should at least be able to keep up with you."

"Apples to oranges, kid. Sparring and fighting for your life are two entirely different things."

That didnt make sense to me. Functionally, the muscle memory and effort were the same. Sure, there was adrenaline to account for, but that should be moot gain as it affected both sides.

"I dont really follow," I admitted, fending off an overhead strike only to be tripped with a sudden sweep. To the side, I saw Tamara wander in, stretching. That left only Lucius sleeping in, a noble through and through.

"A demonstration then." Cephur sheathed his sword in one smooth motion, easily stepping out of the way of my incoming stab. He turned to Maya. "Little purple, short of cutting Cairns head off, if I wound him, youll be able to heal most serious injuries, correct?"

Maya nodded slowly, not looking happy about it.

"Let me clarify. Will you stop him from dying?" Cephur pressed.

"Yes," Maya said, her accent thick and voice throaty from sleep. "I owe him that much."

"Well, you heard the lady," Cephur said, turning back to me. "Try not to die."

Cephur unsheathed his sword. But it was different from before. Something intangibly shifted. Something about his form, the surrounding air. Then his sword flashed incredibly quickly.

Down.

My mind suddenly kicked into overdrive. I ducked beneath his blade, rolling backward, trying to retreat. Cephur closed on me with a series of brutal stabs. I batted them away and stepped inside his arc, swinging my blade at his face. He took a quick step backward and I called the spark, going to one knee to set the grass on fire.

But Cephur just smiled at me. Tamara was clapping. I recalled the flame sheepishly. The strained numbness in my chest flared, then faded. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Maya breathe a sigh of relief.

"Hot damn. Benny, you ever see a kid move that fast?" Cephur asked.

"No," Orben spoke with spoke through a full mouth, "Hes a quick one."

"Thats how you beat the revenant, kid." Cephur put his hand on my shoulder. "Instinct. A lotta men train for half their lives only to crumple when they see real combat. Some handle it fine. Others excel. Youre the latter. Improvisation and instinct will only go so far though." Cephur winced. "We need to get you a heavier swordone thatll build more muscle, then work the seven hells out of your form."

It was such a small moment. And it felt strange, being praised. But I would replay it in my mind time and time again, every time I hit a wall. In a way, Cephur was my first real teacher, and I took his words to heart.

We spent another hour training.

Tamara brought the staff out from our campsite and tossed it to Maya. I hadnt realized it before, but Maya was adept with the staff. She ran through a practiced kata, moving faster and faster until the wooden staff disappeared in a brown blur. Tamara used a small curved short sword in a way that made her opponent look slow by comparison, but Maya still put up a respectable fight. Tamara was a much kinder teacher than Cephur, pointing out openings without immediate corporal punishment. When Lucius had finally risen, as he was lacking a sword, he seemed content to just watch, stretched out on a nearby boulder.

By the time we got back on the road, the ice had been thoroughly broken. Everyone had bonded over the sparring. We continued a similar pattern over the next two days. The shadow panther showed up again in the evenings, carrying a pheasant as well as another rabbit. On the second night, it let me stroke its head and went to sleep in the camp with us. Tamara started cracking an endless string of jokes about me being a druid.

It was around the third day when it happened. The trees grew sparser and sparser, the road became more uniform and cleanly paved. All at once, the tree line ended, opening up into nothing but green. We made it to the other side.

I glanced at Cephur, asking the silent question.

He rolled his eyes and nodded.

I dug my heels into the horses side. He picked up the pace, accelerating into a swift gallop. The wind tore at me. I raced forwards, hooves of my horse beating against the ground.

Faster.

We tore off the path, curving towards a lake to the east. The small silver gem expanded, growing wider and wider across my vision until all I could see was blue.

Behind me, the wall of trees shrunk until they were nothing more than a distant memory.

We were finally out of the Everwood.

We took some time to clean off the muck and grime from the traveling. I couldnt get over how much better I felt. So many terrible memories left behind. The claustrophobia of the Everwood became commonplace, but now everything just felt so open and free. Cephur complained until everything was packed back up, and we returned to the road.

Traveling went exponentially faster now that it was far easier to spot hazards. In less than three hours, we crested a hill, and caught our first sight of Kholis.

We paused at the hilltop. Cephur passed Maya his hooded cloak. "Probably best if you wear this. No need to ride in and cause a stir."

I was about to speak up in protest when, to my surprise, Maya took the cloak without complaint and thanked Cephur for it. With Tamaras assistance, Maya wrapped her arms in bandages, until the last of her violet skin was within the hood itself. The image was capped off when Maya pulled a white-gray mask, bearing the crescent of the moon, from her bag of supplies, and placed it over her face. She was used to this. It occurred to me that I had no idea how the people of Whitefall would react, let alone Kholis, if an infernal were to ride into town and walk into a bar. For the life of me, I couldnt remember ever seeing one within the city walls. Humans with Demi-human blood were fairly common, though admittedly looked down on in high society.

It all felt wrong somehow. I caught Lucius making a similar expression of displeasure.

It was impossible to not compare Kholis to the capital. I had lived there all my life, and it was naturally the measure I saw all other cities by. Still, it was great to see civilization again. There was a line of farms before the main gate. Swarthy men worked the winter-sparse fields, already beginning to lay the groundwork for the coming season. They seemed the friendly sort, stopping to wave at us as we passed, then returning to the task at hand.

The city itself was rustic, about the size of Topside with better pathing. Cobbled roads were framed with quaint buildings, most white with brown supports, few larger than a single story. Most of the roofs were thatched, Kholis being one of many smaller cities that had not yet adopted tiles or shingles.

Our party was stopped by a pair of guards at the gate. There were the beginnings of rust on their chainmail, their jerkins were lopsided and seasoned. My father would have pitched a fit.

"State your business," The guard said. He took us in, his gaze pausing at Maya briefly before sliding away.

"Kings rangers," Cephur answered. "Found a little something Duke Desiric might be interested in."

"Oh?" The guard asked, in a voice that sounded as if he very much doubted that.

"Rufus, you salty old bastard," Lucius maneuvered his horse to the front of the party. "Why arent you out there looking for me?"

"Young sir!" The guard cracked a smile and bowed immediately. "You finally made it home."

"No thanks to you lot."

"The Duke assigned his best men to look for you, sir. Id just slow them down. Weak bones and whatnot."

"Im sure he did." Lucius scowled.

"Oi!" The guard turned back towards the gate. A small boy peeked his head out, no older than seven. "Go tell the duke his son has returned. Quick now!" Nodding curtly, the boy scampered off towards the only building big enough to be a Dukes home.

"Well, come on in, sir." Rufus smiled a gap-toothed smile. "Bring your friends. Take em to the night market this evening. My wife will be there with the last of the winters crop."

"Osellas got honeyed yams this year?" Lucius asked.

"You know it, sir."

"Wouldnt miss it for the world then."

Lucius waved at random folk as we walked through the town and they crowded around him.

It occurred to me, then, that Lucius would make an excellent leader. He was haughty and full of himself with other nobles, but so approachable to the guards and common folk that he knew the names of their wives and details of their businesses. There was a surge of jealousy. For me, there had always been a separation. I could blend in Topside as a commoner, but only disguised as a commoner. If I went as Cairn, the Crown Prince, everyone gave me a wide berth, guards included. Perhaps it was my fathers reputation.

Or maybe it was much more likely that I had been an asshole.

We were ushered into the Dukes mansion. It really was garishly big in comparison to the other buildings in the town. A butler came to take our coats. Maya shied away from him.

"Shes fine," Cephur and I said simultaneously. The butler shot us a queer look but did not comment. A minute later we were shown into a seating chamber.

"My boy!" Someone roared. Everyone jumped. Duke Desiric was a colossal, boisterous man with arms like tree-trunks. His massive belly hung over a long-suffering belt, and he was shockingly red of hair. He picked up Lucius and swung him around, laughing. Lucius face remained completely stoic.

It didnt track. This was Barions fellow contact in the dark guilds shadow society? I couldnt imagine this man hurting a fly, let alone approving of human experimentation. Then again, I thought back to my initial impression of Barion. It was difficult, as Id seen him as a monster for so long. He had seemed totally innocuous. An eclectic researcher, plying his trade.

My mouth turned downward. Perhaps I was too trusting. I would not be taken as a fool twice.

Desiric plopped Lucius down. "Are you well, my boy?" He asked.

"Quite well. Father, these are the people who rescued me." Lucius indicated Maya and I. The Duke somewhat blindly turned to Cephur, grabbing his hand and shaking it enthusiastically. "I cant thank you enough, kind sir."

"Actually," Cephur rubbed the back of his neck, "We were just responsible for the escort. The Crown Prince and Maya rescued your son."

"Crown Prince?" Desirics presentation subtly changed in a way I wasnt sure I liked. He turned to me. "You? You are Cairn, son of Gil?"

"Greetings, Duke Desiric." I offered him a false smile. "Thank you for your hospitality."

"The gratitude is mine, my Prince." Desiric bowed low, his belt creaking mournfully. "Had I known I would be receiving guests of such high regard, I would have made better preparations. And for the prince himself to save my boy I offer my deepest thanks."

"It was nothing," I lied. "However, my role in this was limited. Were it not for my companions healing and intervention, your son would have passed long before I stumbled into that accursed grove." Next to me, Maya shifted uncomfortably.

The Duke bowed to me once more, then studied Maya. "Take off your mask, child, so I may look upon the face of my sons savior." The tension in the room suddenly grew. Maya glanced at me, her blue eyes terrified. I nodded. She need not disguise herself in this place. The Duke wouldnt dare mistreat the guest of a prince. Maya took a moment to settle herself, then removed her hood and mask.

The butler gasped. Duke Desirics face paled. "An infernal," He breathed.

Maya curtsied before him awkwardly. The Dukes eyes flitted from her face, to her horns, to the bandages on her arms, completely taken aback. Then he sat down on an oversized chair that must have been designed specifically for him with a groan, rubbing his face.

Lucius started to speak "Father-"

Desiric held up a tired hand. "Very well, child. What price must I pay to recover my fool sons soul?"

I bristled. The Duke was referring to something that anyone with sense discounted as an old Uskarian wives tale. Several legends followed the same basic plot. The infernals ransomed the souls of kidnapped children. The parents paid massive amounts of gold or traded their own souls in exchange. But they were clearly tales devised to frighten children.

Were these bumpkins really that superstitious? Slowly, the many ways I could leverage my authority to monumentally fuck up the city of Kholis began to run through my mind. My ire grew. I was about to voice it when Maya spoke. Her voice was measured and polite.

"I would settle with a loaf of bread and a room for the night, my lord."

I looked at her, surprised.

The Duke was silent. Then he began to laugh, and, to my companions credit, none of them joined in. "You shall have it my dear, you shall have it. There is room enough in my home for all of you. But we shall dine on more than a loaf. We must celebrate!" Desiric snapped his fingers. "Ganthar, have the maids make the preparations for a banquet. No, a feast!"

"Yes, your grace." The butler bowed curtly, all but running out of the room.

"We will need to restock before we set off on our journey tomorrow, your grace," Cephur said.

"Let me cover that. The Dukes credit goes a long way in these parts." Desiric winked. Cephur bowed shallowly. We were shown to our rooms on the upper level. Once out of Duke Desirics sight, I saw Tamara grasp Mayas shoulder approvingly.

As I unpacked my things, Cephur walked in behind me. "What did you think of our host?" He asked, tone pitched low.

So, he had seen it too. Duke Desiric played the part of a kind-hearted noble well. He was the picture of countryside hospitality and politeness. But no matter how animated he was, no matter how he laughed and smiled, his ash-gray eyes never changed.

They were the eyes of a dead man.

"The sooner we leave, the better," I answered.