The Northern Tribes

14

I wake up to Karia and the two slave girls again. I want to ask her so many questions. But I know how she would respond. She would not answer, and only reply with cruelty. So instead, we are all silent as the girls help me prepare for the day.

They get me presentable and we leave, headed to the dining area. After I eat, Karia escorts me again to Nox and Lux, who continue our lessons without explanation or discussion of last night. I notice they both have new bruises, and Lux even has bandaging around his arm. But I don't ask questions and they don't offer any answers. I know the one person who might provide answers for me. I just have to be patient.

Nox continues to lecture me on Bryanorda. She shows me literature and artwork from the tribe. She tells me their long history, beginning with the first tribe Chief, named Mayanada. He was a brilliant tradesman and tactician. Nox gets up and paces while she tells me about the southernmost tribe, and I can tell that although she's here in body, her mind is far away.

It's like she's going through the motions, telling me about this tribe. But her dark violet colored eyes betray her. Her mind is preoccupied and I would wager her distraction stems from the incident last night. When I glance at Lux, I can tell he is the same. He is silently watching and listening from a corner of the room, but his demeanor is even more brooding than usual. And when he interrupts his sister by standing, it isn't in the same decisive manner as yesterday. He, too, is going through the motions.

When we go to the connected training room, he hands me a wooden sword and tries to show me the basics. I attempt to copy him, but he eventually has to show me how. He stands behind me and adjusts my grip and my stance, also grabbing my waist. At first I am surprised and embarrassed, but he shakes me slightly.

"You're too wobbly," Nox tells me, acting as the voice for her brother. She stands in the large entryway, arms folded and now looking slightly amused. I can smell Lux, who smells like earth and pine trees. It isn't a bad smell and I realize suddenly how close we are. I feel my cheeks get hot.

I look away and distance myself slightly from Lux, wondering why I am suddenly feeling bashful. And for the first time since I've been here today I can see the usual playful mischief in Nox's eyes.

"Don't worry, you aren't the first girl who's noticed my brother," she teases. "It's only natural. And you're very pretty, but you're not his type." My cheeks get even hotter as I can feel the blush intensify. My blood boils at the mere suggestion.

"How dare you! How could I be attracted to any of you?!" I ask her, now angry. "You're barbaric and capture slaves to do your bidding!" My angry outburst gets her attention and now her expression turns solemn. Lux only watches me calmly, but Nox now approaches rapidly and menacingly. I am nervous from her aura and her gait and I back away as she approaches until she has me pinned against a wall.

"That's right," she says darkly, but now with another hint of amusement. "And don't ever forget you are a slave. You may think you are safe because you are in the Reth's favor, but if the day comes that you fall from favor and lose his protection, I will kill you without hesitation."

She holds a knife up to my throat for a long, tense moment before Lux puts his hand on her arm. After glancing at him, she gives me a half-smile and backs away. My blood is pumping fast and I can hear my heartbeat in my ears. I realize now that my fist is clenched and I glare at them both before I feel tears welling in the back of my eyes. I am terrified I might cry, so I run from the room without warning, resolved to get away as fast as possible.

I hear Nox call my name as I run out the door, dropping my wooden sword on the ground as I run. But I don't stop. I don't stop until I have ducked down hallways and turned corners and am certain no one is following me. I don't stop until I am alone in a small, deserted hallway and then I retreat to a corner and let the tears flow.

I hate it here. I want to go back to a home that doesn't exist anymore. I want to be with my family. I don't want to wait and plan revenge. But I know I have to try, for my family's sake. For my town's sake, for my country's sake even. I have to try to get revenge and redeem my cowardice. I know I have to try. Even if it's difficult. Especially when it's difficult. I have to die feeling like I did everything I could. I refuse to die as a coward.

So after I calm down, I try to find my way to somewhere familiar. I begin with trying to find my room. But I don't recognize anything. So I broaden my search and try to find that huge courtyard. Even that doesn't work. And every tribesman I pass seems to be busy heading somewhere. My pride keeps me from asking for directions or help.

Thus, I end up wandering around for an unknown period of time. And I wander until I turn the corner and collide full-on with another person. The other person proves to be more solidly grounded than I, and I fall backwards onto my butt. When we make eye contact, I blanch.

It's Karia. She glares at me and grabs my arm, yanking me upright.

"Moorian Karia," I begin to say, but she cuts me off.

"Where the hell have you been?!" she hisses at me, squeezing my arm so hard I think she might completely cut off the blood supply.

"I...I..." I start speaking before I've thought anything through and she drags me down the hallway in the direction from which she just came.

"Nevermind that, just keep up," she tells me sternly.

"W-where are we going?" I ask timidly.

"You'll find out soon enough," she answers without so much as a glance.

And she's right. After a few turns and a couple different hallways, we end up in the main hall, standing in front of the large throne-room doors. I look at her questioningly and she glances at me with impatience.

"Reth Valaric wants you to have your first exposure to some tribe politics," she tells me, clearly unhappy about it. I am surprised to the point of speechlessness, but end up not needing to speak anyway as Karia peeks inside the room. She glances at me with contempt.

"You won't be able to understand any of it but you may pick up on some decorum... although I doubt it. The Reth overestimates you. Stay completely silent the entire time, do you understand?" she asks. I nod, feeling that responding to her with words would be a trap I don't want to fall into. She sees my nod, and then pulls me inside the room without a moment of hesitation.