GENESIS - THE BEGINNING. Book 1

CHAPTER 21 ... What's Done Is Done

"Sigal."

He turned at the softly spoken voice behind him to see a nightmare figure covered in dripping gore and blood.

The two swords slid from hands that had wielded them to such perfection only minutes before. Tobor sank to her knees and bowed. Coagulated blood hung in darkening strings of matter. Pieces of unknown flesh clung to one cheek. She reeked of sweat and blood.

"I have failed Sigal."

"Failed?"

"I have failed in the task you ordered me to perform Sigal. I regret that I could not protect the one called Adelia. She is dead."

"Dead?" he stared numbly at Katya who was clearing the area of corpses and hacked off limbs from around Adelia's body.

"I remember," he said softly as he watched Katya mourn. "You are mistaken warrior," he said, looking at the nightmare figure bowing her head in supplication before him. "You are seriously mistaken. Adelia wanted to die and there was nothing you could have done to protect her. All you did was prolong her existence by supplying her with extra training . There is a difference, warrior, to following instructions or commands and serving one's sentence. Neither of those were applicable here were they?" The silence indicated either she understood what he was saying or maybe not.

"Let me clarify. You reluctantly performed your sentence. A sentenced judged by me - whether right or wrong - that would entail you seeking an honor that you discarded as so much rubbish." Her shoulders seemed to shrink at his harsh words. "That reluctance soon turned into something else, didn't it warrior McIntosh of the clan Monumentus? I know, for I watched the two of you closely. Your honor was redeemed long before this day. It was redeemed the moment she became your friend. Today you confirmed it. Your clan shall hear of your exploits here this day, this I promise."

She lifted her head.

"There is one other matter I wish to discuss," he stood up from where he had crouched at Megan's broken legs. "Rise warrior, for what I have to say has much import to your future." Tobor stood proudly before him. Her head no longer bowed in dishonor. A new look had entered her eyes, pride.

"I place before you a choice, a choice of two worlds. Either choice shall have my blessing. The Princeps Margareta's and mine. The choice is yours to make. You can go home, and replenish our world as the Metal Worker said you would. Take a husband and be happy. Have your offspring by the dozen and be happy until your dying days, or... and I do not give this acknowledgement lightly, you have my blessing to commence with your own clan." She gasped in surprise. For permission to start one's own clan was seldom given if at all and, when it was, it was accompanied by much pomp and ceremony.

"There is a catch to this which you must consider carefully Tobor McIntosh, for your clan will not be a family but a warrior clan as in ages past. Do you understand?"

The silent, wide-eyed nod accompanied by a pearly-toothed grin said it all. "You will swear blood oath to the Emperor, you and your clan. Your clan will consist of one hundred females in one year and five thousand in five, no males whatsoever. Tenure will be five years. You, including your sensei, will train your clan members for should they be as disciplined and skilled in the arts as you are, they will be formidable opponents." He stared at her and his face became stern. "Only the best of the best will do, those who fail a test will not be accepted, for your life and your clan's depend on it. War is coming. When?" he asked. "We do not know but I believe the Metal Worker for he has never been wrong." He gazed about the battlefield. "There is no time. I require your decision now. What will it be?"

She was looking towards Katya as emotions roiled within her. The world had opened its doors wide. This was more than a dream come true. "The Metal Worker?" she said, nodding at Katya.

"I believe so," he answered.

"Then I accept, Sigal Earp." She went down on one knee and bowed.

Wyatt drew Katya's sword and tapped Tobor on each shoulder as he spoke. "Tobor McIntosh of the clan Monumentus ... due to exceptional conduct on and off the field, I, Sigal Wyatt Earp release you from your clan's affiliation. From today, your clan status will be elevated to War Princeps of the clan Centurion. Arise, Princeps." They smiled at each other. "One hundred in one year Princeps. Five thousand in five, only the best of the best." At her nod, he pointed a finger at her then at Katya. "From now onwards, you do not answer to me but to the Princeps Margareta of Hades and most of all, to your Empress. I require your blood oath within ten days from today."

"I will deliver it personally ten days from today Sigal, possibly sooner. It depends on our new Emperor." She lifted her two swords. "But receive it, you will." She walked off towards Katya.

"Princeps Tobor?" Wyatt called after her.

"Sigal?"

"Why did you accept?"

The easy answer would be – to have a clan of her own. That was the easy answer, but she knew the Sigal was not interested in easy answers. "Because she mourns Sigal."

"Explain if you will, for they were childhood friends."

"Yes. So I was told." Tobor said whilst gazing at Katya walking towards a flitter parked close by. "Because she not only mourns a friend but also the death of the weakest of us all. If she could accept a weakness such as hate, and without that person realising that she is being manipulated into a certain direction, then this woman is going to be a formidable Emperor."

Wyatt nodded his acceptance of her reasoning. "Does she not also hate then?" he asked.

"She does Sigal. It is channeled in one direction. She has set her mind on becoming Emperor."

"She will be a cruel master, Princeps."

They watched as Katya worked her way over or around the corpses strewn across the battlefield. She carried in one hand a fold up shovel and in the other a pickaxe. "And because I am a warrior." The Princeps Tobor said, "Motherhood is for another time, another place." She mumbled softly to herself as she stepped over a bloody armless corps, "Whats done is done"

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