To Imagine...

Chacda (3)

"There is nothing that we can do, Tetherel. I've spoken with the others and so far we've no word. We have to move on, Meyak and Ukit are waiting. We haven't--"

"We will wait or you will cooperate more fully. Else, find me someone who will." With that Tetherel turned away from the girl, and her eyes met mine. I tried to shut them quickly, but it did not escape her notice.

"It seems you never cease to cause trouble." I continued to feign unconsciousness, though we both knew I was awake. "Given the recent attack, questions have arisen and my advisers urge me to move on."

She made a pause and I heard her walking.

"I am on a campaign to gain the favors of the great clans," she went on. "Since the meeting I have arrangements to meet Itir and Shuzak in hopes to win their favors. I fear Shuzak's pride will end unpleasantly, and Itir will have some ulterior motive within his consent."

"What are you getting at?" My voice surprised me as very quiet, a whisper. My eyes cracked open just barely, lashes weighing them to the floor.

"I'm to wage a war on the Zaiken like no other they have seen before." Her obstinance was impressive, though I let out my breath almost in a sigh. "You don't believe me."

My eyes flicked to hers. "Many leaders have risen and fallen over the past hundred years."

"And yet none have brought together Schak and Kitiki to look each other in the eye without a war in a millennia,  might I add."

"Perhaps the most impressive alliance of the century. I have pondered that greatly. What could you have possibly offered them?" She smiled.

"There is a reason that I chose Schak, Uskt of Kitiki, and Lintira of Pteuli to kick-start my expedition. I plan to take the tribes by force if necessary, but by starting with great empires, I will have a stronger verbal influence. Leaders flock to my step as it stands."

"You are arrogant."

"And yet there is something that I do not understand." I chose not to ask what, so we sat in a moment of silence.

"I want you to join my cause." I let out a huff of air at that, like a sarcastic laugh.

"We spoke last night; I pledge my allegiance to no one tribe."

"And yet you showed to the formalities;  you show interest in the cause. The life you live is a dangerous one, wanderers do not survive long."

"Neither do people who rise to power. Do you usually express desire for those who attempt to slaughter you behind your back?" Her face twisted at that, growing dark, her entire body emanating disdain. To my disbelief, she stomped directly to me and shoved her face right before mine--I jumped back and stared, astounded, into her dark chocolate eyes. She had stepped straight across the shaivon to stare into my face, undaunted by the fact that I could harm her even in my chains.

"I express desire for those with great power." Her voice was low and laced with poison, so piercing that I would not meet her eyes.

"I have none of this power you speak of. I am a wanderer. I wander because I could not survive in a tribe." It must have sounded so rehearsed that she laughed in my face and turned away, straightening and walking to the wall to my left, leaning against it next to the chain that suspended my arm... though she did not leave the shaivon.

"Likely because it would be destroyed." She spoke over herself before I could even say a word. "The two men with me earlier were the men who saved me from your spell, and only thanks to them did I have the chance to protect myself. I keep them with me at all times; twins, I have found, are a rare oddity that I wish to investigate further."

"Your men knocked me out, I never had a chance to even harm you." I spoke with a small voice, wincing and avoiding her gaze. 

She stayed silent for a moment, and I felt a tickling--to my shock, I was bleeding from the nose. I looked to her too quickly--double vision took over and I felt as my lungs began to constrict... I squeezed my eyes shut, face slumping to face the floor. My arms burned again and I struggled against the pounding headache, a small noise of pain accentuating my suffering. My hair began to whip at my skin, the crusted ends stinging irritably as a cool breeze kicking up began to calm the sheen of sweat across my body. I heaved my head up to look to her again, breathing heavily, and to my shock realized the weight of the situation: gusts of winds blew in circles around the room, kicking up dust and blowing her hair across her face. She did not move however, instead leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. She continued to watch me critically and I panicked, the breeze settling quickly and dissipating. My mouth hung silently open to the smallest degree.

She didn't speak for a long time, too long to hold off the anxiety building in me.

"...how long has this been happening for?" I squeezed my eyes shut again as the headache subsided slowly, a pressure lifting relievingly.

"You blasted the twins across the room, last time you blacked out. I sent them off on different matters and looked after you myself. We doubled up on the shaivon, but you don't seem very phased by that. People are asking questions. They didn't walk out of here looking prettied up."

I made another small laughing noise. "I never should have come here," I muttered.

"On the contrary, I believe that you could be a most valuable character in this campaign."

"I am not a part of this."

"Name your price." I looked to her, but her face said nothing.

"I do not de-"

"Name your price."

I laughed and looked away. "I don't have a price, lady."

"Everyone has a price. Word of what happened at the meeting has not gotten out, your identity is safe." I looked back to her then, an almost-humored look on my face.

"And what really did happen at the meeting, Tetherel?" I demanded, the impertinence in my voice surprising even myself. She grew quiet again.

"You killed a lot of my men, boy." She said quietly. "That's why word hasn't gotten out yet. Some of them were savable, but whatever you did has caused a lot of confusion, lucky for you. I won't be letting you go without a pledge to me. You owe me that much."

The discomfort was evident on my face. "How many?"

"Twenty four. Twenty four good men. You owe me a lot for not killing you, boy. A lot for their lives as well. You have a blood debt."

I let out a breath and turned my face to the ceiling, staring straight up. "How many of them were there?"

"More than that. We were outnumbered. We are still searching to find how so many got so far into the heart of Schak undetected." Her voice got a little tight and I looked to her out of the corner of my eye, still facing up.

"I didn't feel them coming either, it's not your fault. How many got away?"

"None."

I smiled. "Seems I did something right."

"And there it is," She snapped definitively, pushing off from the wall to stride in front of me. "You do have a dedication to the tribes, to Astaroth. You aren't full rogue, boy, there are still pieces of you that know where your loyalties lie. Don't let yourself push you away."

"I pay no allegiances."

"And I am not leaving without your pledge." Her arms crossed in front of me again, knotted muscles and veins tight beneath her braces, and I noticed she was in full battle gear--her great sword, thick as her bulging forearm and nearly as long as she was tall stood strapped to her back. I wondered how uncomfortable that must be to lean against. I caved painfully to her will.

"What's in it for me."

"Anything you ask for."

"Then I must ask you a favor you cannot refuse."