Daughter of Ice and Fire

Nine

"The mines? He sent her to the mines? Why not just kill her and be done with it?"

"He wanted to. I talked him out of it."

"You did this? You sent her to Harrowvale? Why? I thought you wanted her to live."

"It was the only way I could keep him from beheading her. I convinced him this was a far better punishment."

"As a scullery maid? Or some other serving wench?"

"No, she's not going to be any of those. She's going into the mines. With the men."

Gauthier was absolutely shocked. His mouth worked but no words came out. Picking up the flagon of wine, he drained it, then slammed it on the table. Averit was gazing into the distance, apparently not at all concerned with his friend's fit of temper.

Looking away for a moment, Gauthier gathered his thoughts. Turning back, he leaned forward and lowered his voice, not wanting to be overheard. "Let me get this straight. You want the girl, even more than you did before you knew she wasn't a boy. And despite knowing your father would insist she be executed for what she did. But instead of granting her mercy by allowing him to kill her, you convinced him to send her to the absolute worst place in all of Crusseria. And you convinced him to not only send her there but put her in the utmost danger by forcing her to work alongside the worst humanity has to offer. Here I thought you were better than the King." Gauthier sat back and crossed his arms. Anger radiated from every pore, and he glared at his friend, eyes flashing fire.

"Please hear me out before you go passing judgment, Gauthier." Averit brought his attention back around, leaning forward as well. "My father was going to kill her. He beat her to within an inch of her life. If I hadn't stopped him, he would have killed her right then and there. Even after he broke her ribs, broke her nose, and broke Gods knows what else, he sent her out into the square to be given thirty lashes.

"I had to come up with a punishment that would seem crueler than just beheading her. One that he would accept without feeling like I'd challenged him. But it had to be one that I thought gave her the best chance to survive. This is all I could come up with on such short notice. And even then, I had to get him roaring drunk before he finally agreed."

"She won't survive, Averit. Those men will tear her apart. If she survives what they'll do to her first."

"She's being forced to masquerade as a boy. It was this last part that finally convinced my father. He saw it as a huge joke as well as a just punishment. A girl who dressed as a boy to break the law now has to dress the part just to survive. Not that I believe he will actually honor the second part of our agreement, but I believe it will amuse him to see how she fares. And to see how long she can pull it off."

"Why, Averit? Why do this to her? Did she say something that upset you? Spurn your advances? Because I never imagined you could be so cruel as to sentence someone to a fate worse than death."

"You didn't see her at the sentencing. She defied my father. Not only defied him but smiled as she did so. And she refused to yield even as he was beating her to a pulp. She will survive Harrowvale. I'm absolutely certain of it."

"At what cost, Averit? Even if she does, what kind of person will she be? Because there's no way she's going to come out of this unscathed."

"She'll be a weapon. The perfect weapon for what we need." Averit smiled a ferocious grin that sent a shiver down Gauthier's spine.

Gauthier left soon after, muttering darkly and grabbing another flagon of wine from a passing servant. Averit remained where he was, waving the woman off when she asked if there was anything she could get him. He knew his friend was angry and didn't blame him. But more than that, he knew his friend was upset. Gauthier had spent time in the King's guard and was no stranger to the King's cruel nature. And he had more than a passing acquaintance with death. But he also had a strong moral code, one that wouldn't allow him to kill in cold blood. He felt very strongly about punishing those who didn't deserve it. Or sentencing those that did to punishments far outweighing the actual crime. It was why Averit had asked to have him as Captain of his personal guard. Not only had he saved Gauthier from a fate that would eventually have cost him his soul, but he also would never have to worry about having to discipline the man for stepping outside the rules that were set for him.