Kingdoms of Caelum; Autumn of the War Queen

Chapter 27

The mood the next day was sombre and awkward to say the least. Bane had slept by the fire again and left as soon as the sun had risen. Katla had barely slept, despite the comfort of the feather mattress. Instead she had watched him most of the night battle with his inner turmoil, tossing and turning, sighing and groaning in his sleep. When he did wake, he glanced at her with dark, uncertain eyes before leaving. She wasn't sure what the look intended, but the tension between them had not left, even after all their revelations; it seemed as though he was more distant now than ever. Katla tried to shrug the feeling off. For the majority of the day she pottered about inside the little tin hut, contemplating a seemingly bleak future. She desperately wanted to write to Amya, but wasn't sure what to say, or if it would be a pointless exercise anyway. She would not be able to hear back from her and it may even put Amya in danger; her life living alongside Ragan would be precarious enough. Then the thought occurred to Katla, she had a purpose in life now and that was to get strong, physically, mentally strong... she must become her reflection; a real warrior like Bane. Then one day she could fight to be with her little sister once more. The metal door swung open making Katla jump, the wild daydream fizzled into nothingness.

"It is done. You have a home and a trade," Bane said loudly, as he thrust a sack full of dead white hares on the table.

"Pardon?" Katla was taken aback by both the dead animals and what he'd said.

"They're to be skinned," he elaborated, "When in Fortis I help the butcher. Every man and woman works in Fortis, human or Elf. You work or you die."

"And me?" she asked cautiously, the emotional upheaval of the previous night momentarily forgotten.

"Yes, and you," he replied coldly, "A widower, Dark Elf by the name of Shelm a'vak runs a tavern down near the mines. She is willing to take you in, shelter and feed you if you work for her."

Katla stood for a moment, her heart racing as a surge of anger shot through her body. Like at the harbour, he was abandoning her, after all she had done for him and all they had discovered and been through. Somewhere deep down she thought she had made a connection with this stony-faced warrior; especially now since realising their paths had crossed before, that their destinies had violently altered and clashed again. But no, there was no connection; it seemed the years of hate had made him incapable of any kind of feeling, she reeled inside. On the outside however, she took a deep breath and gathered her bow and quiver. Keeping composed, she forced a thin lipped smile,

"You can show me the way."

The tavern was situated on the edge of the fourth ward, a stones throw from three flimsy bridges that criss-crossed into the mountain mines. It took the best part of the day to reach and, as if laced with a layer of dust, Katla felt the air become heavier the closer they became. The streets in the fourth ward also became busy with mining activity. There were mules pulling carts of rubble, men of many sizes trudging backwards and forwards, filthy with black dirt; they even passed a line of slaves. Chains clunked at the ankles as they solemnly followed a Hybridee. Katla had never seen one before and the creature terrified the life out of her. A human looking figure, but three times the height of even Bane, naked except for a thin loin cloth. Inhuman muscles bulged on its arms and thick rolls of fat slapped together in its movement behind its bald head. Katla gasped as it turned to look at her with a single, giant eye that sat in the centre of a deformed face. It smiled, but it wasn't pleasant, then it began to crack a five tailed whip, already crusty with dry blood, at the slaves. She stopped until they had passed, and felt her stomach flip unpleasantly, hoping she would never have to encounter one of those creatures alone. It wasn't long before they reached the tavern, which was desperately gloomy; a two tiered wooden building standing alone, many years worth of grime and dust clung to its body. Katla turned her head from the tavern and across the bridges where a constant din of hammering, shouting and an occasionally dull boom blasted through the smog.

"Do the mines ever stop?"

"Never", he replied, gazing over to the mountains.

Katla was not impressed as they came to stand before the tavern. She noticed a faded sign hanging outside, swaying gently in the breeze. It read: "The Blood Stone".

She frowned, remembering the childhood stories read to her. 'Nothing was more precious to any living creature, than a blood stone.' Encrusted in red amber and forged from the blood of the last Golden Dragon, a blood stone was old magic. There was said that only six had ever been found, and once upon a time those six had been given to the Six Kings of Caelum. They were said to posses Volvian Spirits and give energy to the once powerful mages; immense power to those that possessed magic. Kings and high priests had lusted after them, wars had been fought and the stones had been lost... The picture painted on the wooden sign long ago was worn and peeling, covered in dirt. It bore no magnificence to the story of the blood stone now.

"Shelm a'vak will be inside. I bid she will keep you safe. Goodbye Katla." Bane's words were detached and they cut through her like a cold knife, but she didn't let him see she was upset. She looked him up and down and began to feel pity. Despite his strength, he was weak, consumed by bitterness and resentment; his future would surely hold nothing but loneliness, a darkness nobody would ever be able to penetrate. With no option she held her hand out for his and they shook.

"I bid we part as friends? I wish things could have been different for you," she said truthfully. Bane understood.

"For you too," he gave a quick nod and then turned, back up the road into the heart of the Kingdom.