Admiral's Lady: Eyes of Ice, Heart of Fire Read online

  “At first I thought it would pass over the mountain and out of our lands, but I am certain that it came to rest on our side of the pass no more than one hour ago. I only delayed my informing you because of the hour, and I did not want others to learn of this event before you could compose your response,” Nazoraios said stiffly.

  “How many others can know of this?” Nykator demanded, his voice rising above a whisper for the first time.

  “The watchmen of our signal towers may have witnessed it, but we cannot be certain due to the heavy rainclouds between here and the mountain,” Nazoraios mused. “The farmers at the mountain’s base will have seen it, and most certainly have dispatched their emissaries already, to beseech our aid. At this time of year, they could arrive at our steps within two days, if the weather holds. It would be three days if the weather continues to build and the rivers overflow.”

  Akantha remembered reading about two occasions in the last two hundred years of recorded history when it had been reported that Sky Demons came to the world. The more recent event was widely believed to have been part of an elaborate hoax orchestrated by the rival state of Lyconesia, as they used the sighting of a strange falling star as an opportunity to burn several farm holds and a season’s worth of grain production. The stories spread far and wide, and before anyone could examine the evidence, it seemed the entire world believed it was genuine.

  The older event was less well-known. Riders had arrived at the spot where the demons had supposedly made their way into the world, and had found nothing at all. There were no trees, no crops, and no life of any kind anywhere in the farm hold, when there should have been fields full of newly planted crops and dozens of people, along with their livestock. All that remained were empty buildings which yielded little information.

  The written record indicated that the warband dispatched to deal with the threat had found no sign of fire, or any other telltale signs of how everything and everyone had been removed. The leader of the expedition wrote, ‘It was as if the sky had opened its maw and swallowed everything which interested it, leaving behind nothing but broken dirt and empty building.’ That particular passage had stood out in Akantha’s memory, as it was generally believed to have been the origin of the name her people had given to the phenomenon.

  “So if we sent a team now, it would be at least two days before they arrived,” Nykator mused. “If we wait for their emissaries to arrive before sending a party, it doubles the delay before our warriors could respond to a minimum of four days. It could be as long as seven days with poor weather and enough fear to cause extra deliberation at court over the notion of battling nightmares from children’s tales.”

  Nazoraios paused before replying. “Surely my Lord wishes to deal with the threat expediently,” Nazoraios prompted. “If word were to spread, it could cause months or even years of unrest among the populace, should the doomsday prophets be allowed to spin their webs of lies and deceit.”

  Nykator snorted. “No, we wouldn’t want old fools to be spinning lies and causing unrest, would we?” he said derisively. “If this is a real threat and the end times have indeed arrived, there is no need to rush off foolishly to face them. If the Sky Demons are actually the harbingers of the end times, then a handful of warriors exhausted from a forced march will not be enough to stop their incursion.” He paused for a moment, then continued, “If, on the other hand, this is not the beginning of the end of things, then causing public alarm and panic will serve no one but our very real and very dangerous enemies like the Lyconese.”

  “I would caution my Lord against dismissing this threat,” Nazoraios warned. “If there is even a chance that the Sky Demons have returned, then we must prevent word of their arrival from spreading!” The old man’s voice croaked more loudly than it had previously, as he obviously pleaded with his Lord to heed his warning.

  “I believe in the threats I can see, and those I can fight,” scoffed Nykator. “What is the sense in worrying about demons and faeries? If they appear on the field of battle, I will crush them as I have crushed all who oppose me. If they do not appear, then I have more pressing matters to attend.”

  “So my Lord will await the arrival of the emissaries, then?” Nazoraios asked with defeat in his voice.

  “Yes, old man. We will await the arrival of the emissaries before composing our response” replied Nykator in a threatening tone. “Perhaps your eyes have aged more poorly than the rest of your ancient body, and rather than leading my men in the glorious slaughter of an invading demon army, I will instead content myself with the public execution of one hysterical, would be soothsayer.”

  Akantha heard the footsteps of her uncle as he exited the dining hall, his impromptu meeting apparently concluded, and she made her way quickly to cross the Great Hall as quietly as possible. Persus followed, and they made their way to her chambers as quickly as they could without drawing attention.

  This could be the answer she had been looking for.

  A few minutes after Akantha had left the Great Hall, the oldest man in the Citadel stepped out of the doorway which led to the room in which he and Nykator had just conversed. He moved quietly, and his motions were not those of an old man, but those of a man not long out of his prime. Every year of Nazoraios’ long adulthood had been spent in preparation for what must be done, and he was closer to achieving those goals than at any other point of his life.

  But there were certain issues which must be settled before those plans could proceed, and it required the delicate handling of very sensitive matters. Men like Nykator were invariably a part of the process, but they could not be trusted with any more than was absolutely necessary, even if their loyalty was without question. There were always secrets hidden in the shadows, and it was among those secrets where Nazoraios had found his calling.

  It was in those shadows, here in the midnight darkness of the Great Hall, that he found came upon what he was looking for: proof that his plan was proceeding as he required.

  He bent down lithely and picked up two simple objects which would not have meant much to anyone except for himself. He turned them over in his hands and a smile crept across his face.

  Yes, he thought to himself, all is proceeding as it must.

  He turned toward the hallway which held his private chambers and tucked the fine leather slippers into the fold of his tunic. Only two residents of the Great Hall wore such fine footwear: the Hold Mistress and her First Daughter, Akantha. Identifying who this rather large pair belonged to was a simple matter, as the Hold Mistress’s feet were far smaller than her eldest daughter’s.

  Chapter Four: A Course of Action

  As she returned to her chambers, Akantha beckoned Persus to enter and he did so without argument. It was only the second time he had ever been inside her chambers, and it was against tradition for a bodyguard of the Daughter to the Hold Mistress to enter her chambers unless it was a true emergency.

  This, they both knew, was one of those.

  Akantha quickly roused Leonora from her slumber, and after she was awake they sat in the chairs located in the entryway to her more private chambers.

  Leonora listened intently as Akantha described the conversation between the High Protector and old Nazoraios. To her credit, she only blanched once during the telling, and it was at the mention of a slow-moving green star. Akantha was proud for a moment of her best friend’s attention during history lessons.

  “So Nazoraios clearly believes the Sky Demons have returned,” mused Leonora. “And Nykator does not wish to cause alarm or panic in the populace, which would most certainly accompany the public deliberations regarding how many troops to send, and how to compose the battle strategy.”

  Akantha nodded. “Or so he says. Uncle Nykator has never shown any sign of fear in the years I have known him, but the mention of Sky Demons seemed to unnerve him,” Akantha said. “Perhaps he is beginning to lose his warrior’s heart,” she spat.

  Persus chose this time to interject himself. “My Lady
, if the High Protector is as concerned as he appeared to be, then the threat is grave,” he warned in his smooth, unusually deep voice. “Your Mother chose his sword to bear over others because he is unquestionably the most fearless man in the known world and his accomplishments are without equal, outside of fanciful legends told to little boys to make them feel inadequate.”

  Akantha was momentarily stunned. Persus had always been reluctant to participate in conversations such as this one, and he had never openly contradicted her as far as she could recall. She drew her breath slowly, her eyes darting this way and that as her mind worked frantically to untangle this mess of information.

  Leonora nodded. “I agree with Persus,” said the freckle-faced handmaiden. “If Hypatios Nykator does not eagerly don his armor in the middle of the night at the opportunity to yet again prove himself the greatest warrior who ever lived, then we must also give heed to caution. We would be fools to do otherwise,” she said flatly.

  Akantha actually agreed with her, but this was too great an opportunity to pass by. “I have come to value your insights, Leonora. And yours, Persus,” she said with a meaningful look at each of them. “I would hear your recommendations now.” She shifted her gaze to Leonora first, prompting her to go first.

  Leonora slowly nodded for a few seconds. “My Lady is correct in believing this to be a great opportunity. The value in merely chronicling a sighting of these Sky Demons would be immeasurable, as describing them and their behavior could help future generations deal with their malignant threat.” She paused for a moment before continuing, “And if it is possible, then we must try to protect your mother’s loyal subjects, even at the cost of personal safety.”

  Akantha nodded, trying desperately to contain the surge of emotion she was feeling. She had to remind herself that this was not the time for brash actions. She needed to keep a level head and do as she was raised to do. She shifted her gaze to her bodyguard. “And you, Persus?”

  Persus chewed his cheek, as was his habit during contemplation, Akantha had learned. “Leonora is correct: this is a great opportunity,” he said finally. “I do not believe we can defeat the Sky Demons without the support of multiple free warrior bands at the very least. But if we could learn of these monsters and their ways, we could bring back valuable information which could help in the development of defense strategies for the Hold.”

  Akantha nodded, a savage smile spreading across her lips. At last, she thought to herself, an opportunity to force Nykator to remove himself from his position as Protector of Argos.

  Persus sighed, a barely perceptible sound that snapped Akantha from her thoughts.

  “What is it, Persus?” she inquired.

  Persus paused before replying. “If Nikomedes had not left, he would be ideally suited to this task,” he said cautiously.

  Akantha blinked, “What do you mean?” she asked.

  “He sought to prove himself worthiest among warriors to become your Protector,” he continued. “This would have provided him a far better opportunity than questing after a long-lost artifact.”

  Akantha finally took his meaning and her smile disappeared, being replaced by a hard look which hid behind it growing anger. “You think we are not capable to undertake this task, Persus?” she began coldly. “You believe Nikomedes, or Kapaneus or even that preening fool Kallistos would be better able to deal with this?” Her anger was rising, but she worked hard to keep her thoughts clear.

  Persus sighed again, and this time it was a louder sound which carried with it resignation. “My Lady, I believe that the three of us are every bit as capable as whatever band Hypatios Nykator would assemble to deal with the threat,” he said earnestly.

  Akantha waited for him to continue, but when he failed to do so she prompted, “But?”

  “But, you are the First Daughter of Argos, and the only member of House Zosime’s inheriting line who did not spring from Nykator’s loins,” he said levelly. “You are more valuable to Argos than any band of young warriors ever could be.”

  Akantha raised an eyebrow at this. “Am I more valuable than the farmers who plow our fields? Or the craftsmen who fashion the arms and armor which make our warriors the most fearsome in the land? Or the women who bear and raise our young, those who will one day take their places in our society?” She paused as she held her bodyguard’s gaze with eyes which contained pure fury. “No, Persus. I am not more valuable than they are. What I am is responsible to them as their First Daughter and Land Bride; responsible to lead them, to care for them and in difficult times, to protect them,” she said in a voice which did not invite argument.

  “Akantha,” began Leonora, only to be cut off.

  “No!” Akantha yelled, jumping to her feet. Her handmaiden and bodyguard sat there in silence for a while.

  She reined in her emotions for a moment, took a breath and continued when she was sure she had control of her temper. “We owe it to our subjects to take action on their behalf, and not hide behind excuses or fear. It is our duty as their leaders. If we fail them in that regard, we are little better than savage animals wandering the land in search of our next meal,” she said, feeling her face flushing as she struggled to explain herself to her closest advisors. I shouldn’t have to tell these people this! she thought to herself angrily.

  Leonora opened her mouth to respond, but Persus held up a hand which quieted her. “My Lady,” Persus began, “I am sworn to your service, not to the Citadel or even House Zosime. My oath is one which I did not take lightly, or without understanding of what it might one day mean.” He stopped as he visibly struggled to compose his next words. “You asked our advice, and I only offered what I thought was best for Argos and her people. But if you are committed that we are to undertake this task personally, then I am eager for the opportunity to serve my Lady.” He cracked a smile and continued, “I would offer to undertake this mission personally if I thought you would accept, but I know you well enough that to do so would be a waste of air and, more importantly, precious time.” He stood and held his right fist over his heart, “Shall I retrieve your armor and prepare travel gear for three?”

  Akantha smiled and looked to Leonora. Her best friend grinned and nodded, and Akantha had to fight to keep the mist in her eyes from forming tears. “Thank you, Persus. We should meet somewhere we will not be noticed by prying eyes. Secrecy is of the utmost importance,” she said in a more commanding voice than she would have liked.

  He nodded. “The old lodge house just outside the Citadel walls, then. I will have everything behind the livestock stables there within the hour.” With that, he turned to the door, opening and closing it almost silently as he made his way down the hall.

  Akantha breathed out, and felt the tears that had been forming fall down her cheeks. Shedding tears was not how she had intended to start this adventure, but the avalanche of emotion was just too much for her to bear at the moment.

  “Akantha,” Leonora said softly, striding over to where Akantha was sitting and kneeled in front of her. “What’s wrong?”

  Akantha laughed and quickly wiped away her tears. “Nothing’s wrong, Lea. I’m just so proud! We can finally make a difference for Argos,” she gushed, then her visage turned hard. “And if we can ruffle a few feathers among my Uncle’s men, so much the better,” Akantha said icily. “I will not stand by while those whose sworn duty it is to protect our people hide in this fortress. If Nykator refuses to take up arms at the opportunity to do battle with our enemies, then he is not fit to be Protector to my mother! When we return with evidence of his cowardice, my mother will have everything she needs to dismiss him from his post. What she does with such evidence is her choice, but I intend to bring it!”

  Leonora nodded and then chuckled. “Of course, there is no harm in the First Daughter and Land Bride acquiring her own battle honors in the process, right?” asked the red-headed handmaiden.

  Akantha glared at her for a moment, then shrugged her shoulders and let a hint of a grin play out over h
er features. “Who am I to argue with my lady in waiting?” Akantha asked playfully.

  They laughed for a few moments before going about the task of preparing themselves for the journey ahead.

  Chapter Five: The Driving Rain

  Akantha cursed under her breath as she lost her footing on the muddy slope she was climbing. The weather had indeed become worse, as Nazoraios had warned Nykator was possible. The three of them had been traveling for nearly a full day, and while the physical exertion was not as exhausting as Akantha had feared it would be, the never-ending series of rocky hills and muddy slopes was enough to tax her mentally.

  Persus took up his position several meters in front of her, and Leonora was bringing up the rear by the same margin. Persus had gathered plenty of supplies for the journey, including breads, cheeses and skins full of pure spring water. In addition to their heavy skin cloaks, which warded off the worst effects of the rain and cold, he had managed to retrieve Akantha’s formal armor from its pedestal in its place of display without being noticed, which was a significant boon.

  Normal armors were crafted from thick plates of various kinds of steel, but being the First Daughter and Land Bride, Akantha was awarded a suit of custom-fitted Stone Rhino armor similar to the one Persus himself wore. This kind of armor was far stronger than the standard metal plate construction which most warriors of Argos wore, as it was many times as strong and possessed a flexibility which allowed the armor to absorb much of the force of an incoming blow, often resulting in a death blow merely staggering its wearer. Such armor was rare, and reserved for only the highly honored of Argos’ society. Harvesting the skin of a Stone Rhino was no easy task, especially since the best skin comes from a fully mature bull during the peak of mating season, as his body prepared itself for battle with rival males by forming a nearly impervious layer of protection.