Vendetta's Rise (The Dragon Realms Saga: Book 1)

Chapter 39

"Are you sure you don't want me to come? You two might get hurt," Jetta said, her medic satchel was packed up and slung around her shoulder. She stood in the First Blade's quarters already prepared for another mission.

Elucard placed his hands on her enthusiastic shoulders. Inle stood in the archway leaning against the frame. Elucard removed her satchel and placed it on the ground, "Not this time, Jetta. Master Legion told me this is to be a special test for Inle. He'll need to be able to take on this mark with little assistance from even me." Elucard smirked as he watched Jetta's disappointing eyes lower, "Cheer up Jetta, we three will still have plenty of missions together."

Jetta watched as the two boys walked out of the quarters, she waved them goodbye. "May Alue watch over you, Elucard," she whispered.

***

Jetta carefully dug into the ground with a small spade to extract the delicate feverroot from the cool soil. Clipping the thin tendrils off the root with her shears, she put what she gathered into her bag. She brushed off the dirt the best she could from her trousers. She then pulled out her waterskin and poured a small amount of water onto the dirty hands to wash them.

She looked around the quiet forest, and shivered in the brisk evening air. A cluttered sound in the trees directed her attention. She peered into the tall pines to see a large crow cawing at her. The oily black feathers sheened in the rapidly falling sunset. Two more crows sailed into the tree to join the first. Each cackled at her before moving closer to another tree near Jetta.

"Oh bugger off, I'm leaving." Jetta muttered. Jetta took account of what she was able to gather up, slightly disappointed that she was unable to find any emberwart to make new blistercloth, but the several bushels of feverroot was a lucky harvest.

Jetta walked through the woods as the shadows grew longer and the air grew crisper. She picked up her pace to make her curfew, knowing full well a Rabbit unaccounted for would be a punished Rabbit. However she slowed down to a slow walk as she approached the small bridge that went over the creek. This bridge is where she first reunited with Elucard. It was where she vowed to be a stronger person for him. For her friend. She rested on the banister and lazily watched as a leaf moved chaotically around the rocks and into slower waters.

Its how she felt these days. That she struggled with the Black Rabbits trying to fight back against the current, but anytime she was with Elucard, she knew he and her would someday find their slower waters. That one day they would find peace.

"You're out late."

Jetta quickly looked to her side, startled by the sudden appearance of Legion. She always liked Legion. They didn't know each other well, but Elucard always spoke with admiration about his Master.

"Forgive me, my High Blade, I was-" Jetta clumsily hobbled over her own words, knowing it was nearly past the curfew.

"No need to forgive yourself. I know you were out gathering medical supplies." Legion walked closer, smiling faintly. He leaned over the same banister and mused over the gentle stream. "I come here when I want to think about what weighs the most on me."

Jetta turned back to watch the stream, "Weighs most on me...I often think about that as well."

Legion glanced at the young elf, "What weighs on you now, young one?"

Jetta furrowed her brow as tears slowly swelled in her eyes. She rubbed her eyes with her sleeve, "High Blade, I was never meant for such a life, and even its goddess rejects me. I feel like I am a leaf caught in a storm, endless floating lost and alone. I seek my tree."

Legion nodded, 'her tree'. Her tree was Elucard. He let out a heavy sigh and put an arm around the grieving elf, "Jetta, Elucard is but a leaf in the storm too. Do you know why he flourishes though?"

Jetta looked up at the scarred man, "Why?"

"Elucard does not seek an end to the storm, because he knows as a leaf he does not matter. Some day he will fall to the ground and wither into the soil like any other leaf."

Jetta looked away, a metaphor she couldn't have articulated better herself. Elucard was at the mercy of the Black Rabbit storm.

"Jetta, the storm will always blow, no matter if you are trapped in it or not. What you must realize is that just because we are in it, doesn't mean we are 'trapped'." Legion grasped Jetta in a long hug, "I am sorry if you always felt trapped. I am sorry your were always so aimless, that you couldn't find your peace or happiness." He slowly unsheathed a dagger.

Jetta clenched her eyes shut, tears dropped over and down her cheeks, "Please-Please let Elucard go. He deserves to be free from your storm. I'll stay in his place," her words were a raspy whisper now. She tightened her grip on Legion's cloak as she pleaded.

Legion pushed Jetta off of him, the dagger brandished in his hand. "Jetta..." he spoke shaking. Of all the lives he was ordered to take, this was the one he regretted before taking. Even when he killed his own father, he had no remorse. However, staring into the eyes of this young woman, he knew this death would set a chain reaction of events that would bury him in sorrow for the rest of his life. "Jetta, someday I'll save Elucard for you. Someday he'll be set free, but he will have to be in this storm without his tree...without you to be his beacon. Without you to show him his way home."

Jetta stumbled backwards, but then stood still. She knew the Rabbits would one day try to separate her from from Elucard. She lifted her chin not in submission, but in defiance. "I'll pray for you, Legion."

Legion swiped cleanly across her throat and threw the knife into the wooden planks in anguish. Jetta gurgled trying to breath as blood gushed from her wound. She fell to her knees but kept her chin up, tears streaming from her eyes. She shakily held her hands in contrition.

Alue can you hear me?

Jetta collapsed at Legion's feet. His head bowed in depression. He crushed Elucard's last breath of hope. His last tether to his past. His last piece of himself. Crushed beneath the feet of the Black Rabbit. He would either rise to be the soulless assassin the Silent Master would want him to be, or he would become the withered leaf on the ground. Either way he would be lost without guidance.

Alue I want to go home.