Snowblind {complete}

Wet - Duty

Lanna elbowed her way into her hut, leaning on Durrick for balance. As ordered, Hemil packed for her. He bowed to them, his expression neutral, then returned to his task. A slight tremor caused his fingers to twitch as he opened a chest to remove clothing. They sneered at Hemil in unison and Durrick lowered Lanna to the ground.

'Sit and ignore shaft-for-brains in the corner,' he said in a rush, the Southern words soothing her tattered wits. 'I have something that might help.' Durrick well-nigh stepped over Hemil to rummage around his sleeping mat. From under it, he pulled a folded and yellowed calfskin, spreading it over Lanna's knees. He knelt beside her and gave a rakish grin.

'Look – it's a map!' The symbols were incomprehensible. What good was a map to someone who couldn't read?

'I know, I know,' her brother said hurriedly. 'But it still shows the direction of the roads, rivers and mountains.' He clasped his hands over her shoulders. 'With it, you can get away – right now.'

Lanna moistened her lips. 'Ma and Da – they're talking to the—'

The hands on her shoulders tightened. She felt an urgent shudder pass through him. As if he held himself back from shaking her.

'Lanna, don't be stupid – this is your only chance.' He took a deep, shuddering breath and she realised he was on the edge of tears. 'I know you're tired; I know your head hurts. I know you can't go far...' His voice grew smaller as he spoke, years falling from him. Once again he became her baby brother. 'You could get far enough to throw them off. Hide till night, run in the morning when you have your strength back.'

He glared over his shoulder as Hemil snapped the chest shut.

'These coddled fools cannot hope to match a Southerner.'

She wanted to believe him; she wanted to have faith in his plan. But desperation tinged his words with a manic edge.

'Durrick, they're trained soldiers.'

'D-Don't you do this to me.' He waved a finger in front of her face, voice breaking, lips trembling. 'Don't you dare give up on me.'

'And what of the village? That woman said...'

'Who cares about this place?' he roared in her face, spittle flying from his lips, eyes burning with cold determination.

'Enough.' The rolling Imperial cut through the Southern. Hemil straightened from his task and gave Lanna a blank-eyed stare. 'I know what you're thinking. Your words are unknown, but your intent is not. Don't try it.' Hemil clenched his hands and inclined his head.

He addressed Lanna. 'Misra, the chemist has twenty guards with her and ten battle-trained kelen. Leave and they will run you down. Refuse to go and there will be consequences. You swore an oath of service, or have you forgotten that?'

Lanna hissed between her teeth. He had called her Misra, the same title as the official. In Hemil's eyes, were they no longer equal? She gripped a fistful of her tunic, pulling it from her chest. It felt as if there was a band constricting her breath.

None of this made sense. Why did her seizures make her useful to a chemist? She burnt to act. To do something. Inhaling, Lanna steadied herself. If she couldn't run, so she would stand firm.

'I won't leave,' she said, raising her chin and glaring at Hemil. Her head throbbed. Why could he not understand? She needed his help. His support.

'I won't run, but I won't leave. I've done nothing wrong. They can't make me.'

'Well said,' her brother growled. He looked up at Hemil and scoffed, echoing her thoughts. 'Why are you not fighting to keep Lanna? Do you not think she's worth it?'

Lanna's eyes burnt to shed tears. Did all those words of desire and need Hemil had whispered in her ear mean so little to him? Did Imperial men view their women as having such small worth? Her stomach clenched. No, she would face the truth, as she always had. Lanna raised her chin again and searched Hemil's face for a reaction.

He swallowed, eyes darting away from her scrutiny, voice taut and strained when he spoke. 'I fear, Misra, that you have no choice in this matter.' He glanced at his feet. 'This is not what I want either,' he whispered.

When he looked back up, emotion drained from his expression. The soft curves of his face became rigid. 'I have a duty I can't abandon, as do you. Do you only fulfil your promises when convenient?' His voice grew in strength, his posture straightened. 'I am Imperial. If the Emperor's favoured wants what I treasure most, then I give it to her gladly.'

He glanced around the hut, then fixed them both with his own glare. 'Without the Emperor and his servants, we would have no order, no peace. We would be divided and leaderless, forced to turn on each other. We would be just like the blighted ice block you were so eager to flee from!'

She flinched back, her heart stinging as if his words had pierced her. Pressing a hand to her chest, Lanna rose and stumbled out of the hut.

Durrick shouted.

She blocked her ears.

She wanted no more! Her head pounded in a fierce warning.

No one could protect her from Imperial will.

***

Half an hour later everything had changed.

Durrick needed to be restrained when a plumed guard lifted Lanna onto a kelen. She wailed with grief and fear. The bird scared her. Their wild cousins were vicious, and every instinct told her not to be near them.

Her heart burnt, torn at by rejection, betrayal and her own weakness. Was this real? Were they really taking her? Even now, she could run. Break her vows; be exiled. The result would be the same. No matter what she did, her fate was to leave Eight-Nine-Two.

'I'll get you back,' Durrick screamed in their tongue. 'I won't let these fools keep you!'

Lanna couldn't see him for the tears blurring her vision. She caught no sight of her mother or father in the crowd of villagers around Chowa's entourage.

Mika stood at the front of the group, hands clasped. She smiled, but her generous lips wobbled.

Lanna wanted to leave with her head held high – show these people true Southern fortitude and pride. But her breaking heart refused to cooperate and wretched sobs shuddered through her. The faces of the guards blurred into watered shadows.

Hemil approached her bird, his eyes still lifeless. He paused, her knee at his eye level. Lanna bit her tongue to prevent herself from pleading with him. A flash of hatred scorched through her flesh.

He reached for her hand and pushed something round and cold between her fingers. His touch lingered, and he dipped his forehead to rest on her knee. His breath puffed hot and moist on her skin, and he shuddered.

A guard mounted behind Lanna and the bird stepped forward. Something in her pulled, threatening to fray and snap.

She looked back over her shoulder. Hemil's strained face was the last thing she saw, Agami's hand on his forearm, clamped, fingers white with pressure. The people of Eight-Nine-Two stood on the single road through the ramshackle village Lanna had called home, watching.

The powerful flightless bird under Lanna picked up speed and she clung to its saddle in wild-eyed terror. The guard's arm pulled her tighter to his armoured chest and a cheer erupted from the crowd.

'Glory to the servants of the Emperor!'

Lanna closed her eyes as tears tumbled down her cheeks.

Part of her knew she would never see the village again.