The Azimar Archives Book One- The Book of Death

Ajax

Ajax sat alone in his room, a book lying open across his lap and the fire across from him eating away at the chill in his body. The weather had turned cold quickly, and Ajax suspected the coming winter would be a tough one. It was as though Areanath's death had caused all the warmth in Etritia to slowly bled through the cracks and crevices of the city's walls.

Ajax pulled his gaze from the fire and tried to recall his place in his book. He read the last several lines over again, unable to concentrate, his mind kept drifting to thoughts of Nevina. He was sure she was in the city somewhere, but he had searched all over for her. Where is she? Where are her girls? And what did Ferrand do to her?

A heavy pounding on his door pulled his gaze away from the fire again. Startled, he stood and hurried for the door, but not before whoever stood on the other side could beat against the wood a second time. Ajax opened the door just a crack, not sure who might be waiting on the other side. He certainly wasn't expecting the flaming hair and red rimmed eyes that stared at him from the hall.

"Silvana, what are you doing here? What happened?"

"Did you know?" Silvana asked, her voice low and hoarse. "Did you know what Ferrand was doing out on the farmlands?"

Ajax's gaze flicked down the hall, but it was empty. He opened the door wider, ushering his sister inside. Shutting the door firmly behind him, he turned to see her standing only a few steps away, angry eyes watching him. "Tell me what happened," Ajax sighed. He looked his sister over more closely as she stripped off her outer cloak and stood to warm herself by the fire. Her cheeks and ears were red, and her hair had been whipped from the neat plait she kept it in. Most disturbing was the tear streaked face and the vacant way she stared into the flames. He handed her his own glass of wine, warmed from its time by the fire, and she took it in shaking hands.

"Ferrand has been attacking the farmers." Silvana brought the wine to her lips, sipping at its warmth eagerly. "I went to Martyn, as you asked, and they told me about the Matriarch." She fell into Ajax's chair, one hair nervously smoothing her hair.

Ajax took a knee, working on the lacing of her fur-lined boots. Silvana gave him a grateful glance, and he nodded for her to continue.

"I had only been there for a few minutes when we heard a horse on the road." Her gaze returned to the hearth, as Ajax's had been drawn only moments before. He knelt beside her, hands wrapped around one of hers. Her fingers were cold, the tips a dull shade of blue.

Silvana's voice continued on in a low monotone, and she paused periodically to sip from the warmed wine. "Nana took me by the hand and led me through the house. She hid me in the wardrobe in their bedroom. She was frightened, though she tried so hard to hide it from me. Martyn stayed in the front room, and welcomed the Knight that had called on them. But he hit Martyn over the head, knocking him unconscious. Martyn told me later that the Knight had come to the house with only one thing on his mind, and was already prepared to beat Martyn to get it."

Silvana downed the last of the wine, sitting up as if to fill it again, but Ajax took the empty g;ass from her trembling fingers and filled it for her, then nodded again for her to continue talking. He was sure he knew where her tale would lead, but she needed to unburden the story onto someone else. And he wanted to better know the monster that was the new commander.

"The Knight came into the bedroom, and I recognized his voice then. Ferrand hit Nana, tossed her onto the bed, and..." Her voice wavered, and she pulled her hand from Ajax's grasp to wipe at her cheeks.

"Silvana..." He slid closer to her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pulling her tight against him. "You don't have to say it."

Silvana sobbed into his shoulder, and he stroked her hair, murmuring to her as she wept.