The Sword Maiden

Council and Redwar's Plan

If meeting Mayor Barclay had been nerve-racking, meeting a council full of little mini Barclays was even more so.

Until I remembered that I'd faced down Ravagers and lived. This men were nothing compared to them. I clasped my hands behind my back.

Six men stared down at me from seats on top of a platform. Mayor Barclay was in the middle behind a desk. He banged a gavel down. "Council for the town of Ladris had been called! Ms. Stanley, are you ready to make the record?"

I glanced to Ms. Stanley, who was seated to my left with a quill, ink, and parchment. She glared at me a moment before nodding. "Yes, Mayor Barclay."

The man directly to the mayor's left spoke up. "Mayor Barclay, you better have an important reason for calling council." I already didn't like him.

"Who's he?" I whispered.

"Mr. Brown, he's the town's treasurer," Redwar replied.

"Oh." I refrained from rolling my eyes. No wonder I didn't like him. He was the taxman. And he had a very very boring common last name.

"I assure you, Mr. Brown, I have a perfectly good reason," soothed the Mayor. "Ms. Ravine SwordCleaver has some important information that I think you should all hear."

Mr. Brown snorted. "We know she's a SwordCleaver. Everyone here is. What's her family's name?"

"I don't think that's important right now-"

"Nonsense." Mr. Brown brushed away the Mayor's protest with a flick of his hand. "Miss, what is your family name?" he asked me.

My fists clenched behind back my back. For stars sake man, it doesn't matter! I stepped forward.

"Forget it. I have something more important to say."

Mr. Brown huffed. "What could you, a mere child, have to say to us?"

I licked my lips and restrained my temper. "Your town is in imminent danger of being attacked by Ravagers."

Now that caught their attention. The man I recognized as the sheriff of the town sat up straighter. "What?"

Quickly I lined everything out. Mr. Brown started to object when I mentioned the spies having light skin but I shut that down immediately. When I finished they were silent for a solid six seconds. I should know, I counted.

Finally the Mayor cleared his throat. "Gentlemen, in case you should doubt her, the man behind her is Redwar Volan. He can back up all her claims."

Redwar gave one curt nod of affirmation. Then he spoke up. "Council, she has given her testimony. Consider it carefully. If you fail to heed it, your blood is on your own heads. We are clear of it."

With that he grabbed his shoulders and steered me around out of the Council chamber. When the doors closed behind us they erupted in a flurry of voices. "What are they going to do Redwar?"

He shrugged. "You have done your duty to them Ravine. It's their choice what they do. We've got other things to attend to."

I furrowed my brow. Somehow I felt that I should go back into the Council and try to help them. After all, they were in quite a spot. I voiced my concerns to Redwar.

That's when Redwar slowly grinned. It just kept getting wider and wider. It was the grin of a man who had a duty to perform and was going to love every second of it.

"Oh, we'll help them. We'll help them by catching the traitor in their midst."

He began walking down the hall. Valeria and I followed. "There's a traitor in the Council?" asked Valeria.

"Where else would one be? He'd have access to everything."

"Do you know who it is?"

He tapped his sword hilt. "I have an idea."

We emerged outside of the Courthouse. Redwar glanced around a moment. Then he untied Ladine. "Mount up."

I untied Axe and vaulted onto his back. Months of practice had paid off big time.

"We'll head home now," said Redwar. Valeria started to open her mouth to protest but caught herself. She and I exchanged puzzled glances.

Redwar turned Ladine and headed back the way we'd come. I nudged Axe to follow. The crowd had thinned out, so I didn't fear hurting someone as I had before.

We exited the city and I breathed deep. Ugh, it felt so good to be out of it! All those people and sights and sounds were just too much for me.

Unfortunately, it didn't last long.

When the road was clear with no one but us on it, Redwar suddenly turned off the the side into a small grove of trees and bushes. Still puzzled, Valeria and I followed his lead.

Redwar dismounted. "Ravine, go back to Ladris's Courthouse. Hurry! If you get there in time, you should see the Council members leave. Watch all of them. You'll know who's the traitor if you're observant."

I turned Axe around abruptly. He tensed, sensing something was up. I grabbed mane and stared down the road as I firmly asked him for a gallop.

Surging with power, he snorted with delight and sprung into it. I gave him his head, but at the same time made sure to watch for civilians. I didn't want to run anyone over.

Within two minutes the city loomed before us. I pulled Axe down to a stop and hopped off. I lead him to a nearby tree and tied him. "Stay," I told him. "You hear me? Stay right here."

I knew I would be faster in the city if I wasn't riding him.

In a dark alley I grabbed a ladder and pulled myself up onto someone's roof. I hoped they weren't home as I lightly skuttled across the roof to the edge.

Perfect. The view of the Courthouse's doors was right in front of me, and it didn't look like any of the Council had left yet.

I knelt down, the rush of fire in my veins making me shaky. The feeling was too familiar, and not in a good way. It felt like when my brother and I had barely fled the Ravager.

My brother. In our haste to warn the Council I'd forgotten to look for him. Oh well. That could not be remedied now.

AN: Hey guys, this chapter is really rushed and not the greatest. Thanks for reading through it anyway! Happy Resurrection Sunday!