Chapter 15
The evening meal
was well under way as the Warlords listened to all Marin reported. “Then it is
truth,” Ramar stated quietly.
“Yes,” Marin drunk
deeply of his cider before continuing. “Three years have gone past. The warriors
are lazy and have no care. It was easy to gain access to the strong hold. No
sentries guarded the gate. Thenl resides in Vaan’s home as if it were his.”
Tolan slammed his
mug on the table, drawing a few stares from the Raasa. “You should have slit
his throat while he slept.”
“I thought of it,
brother,” Marin confessed, “But his bed had a woman in it each night I stayed.
I wanted to harm no female in my vengeance.”
The others nodded
their agreement. Vaan soaked in his anger. Thenl and Dakar ruined all he worked
for and did not have the sense to keep the standards Vaan had once insisted
upon. “What of the Warlords remaining?”
Marin shook his
head and paused as Assa came by to take his empty plate. Though they spoke in
their native language, they all waited until she left before continuing. “Only
a few Warlords reside there. They have no loyalty to Thenl and are bidding
their time to take over when he fails.”
That made no sense
to Vaan. He’d commanded hundreds of warriors and at least fifty Warlords. “Do
they not respect him as Overlord?”
Marin snorted.
“There is no Overlord.”
He had all their
attention with that statement. “What say you?”
Marin reached over
and slapped a hand on Vaan’s shoulder. “None will call Thenl, Overlord. They
respected you too much to disgrace the title. And it burns the hapfe dung. It
burns deep that none will address him as other than Warlord Thenl.”
Vaan could only
think of his men. Friends he’d commanded. Warriors who’d followed him through
faith and honor alone. “Where are the others?”
Marina swallowed
and his eyes dropped. “Some have died, Overlord. Thenl sent them on pointless
battles with little warriors for support. A year ago, he launched an attack
against the Desani and the Queen was killed. King Tarik raged and his army
decimated dozens in retaliation. It caused the alliance to be irrefutably
closed. Tarik has sworn to kill all warriors who hail from Kaban soil.”
“Blessed One,”
someone murmured.
Vaan stood to his
feet abruptly and paced away. He’d met the Queen once during one of his
numerous talks with Tarik. She had a pleasant way about her and it was clear
theirs was a love match. Tarik would suffer her loss greatly.
Vaan’s hands
fisted at his side but still his anger soared. Thenl took much from him with
his greed. Vaan returned to the table, his blood hot. Reaching out with a
shout, Vaan upended the entire frame and tossed the large table to the floor.
His men jumped out of the way and the servants cried out before running to the
kitchen. Dishes shattered and food spilled. “This is why he wants Mikayla. He
needs to get on Raasa land to place him closer to the Desani to continue this
pointless war.”
Mikayla. Vaan
searched the hall in need of his mate. He had to touch her to reassure himself
that she was safe behind the walls he’d fortified. His gaze drifted over
familiar faces but no Mikayla. He faced Argan. “Where is she?”
His Warlords,
already on their feet, searched the hall. They all knew whose presence he
sought.
Impatient for
answers, he headed for the kitchen and burst through the doors. More screams
and broken dishes. Startled glances flew in his direction. Vaan cared not.
“Where is Mikayla?” Vaan narrowed his gaze on the ones he knew. “Sera, Vesa.”
He singled each of them out, his breath coming in pants. “Where is your Su-Su?”
Sera and Vesa
wrapped their arms around one another, tears streaming down their cheeks in the
face of his anger. Vaan had no time for this. He turned away with a vicious
curse and went back to the hall. “Find Balal and Kavan, now!” he roared. His Warlords
leaped to obey. Vaan stood at the center of the room, his heart thumping
against his chest. He cared not for the stares. This did not feel right.
Mikayla loved being at his side. The evening meals were their time, she’d once
declared.
His hand went to
the dagger on his thigh and the familiar grip couldn’t calm him. Why had he not
noticed her absence and her kisses? Her noan watched with worried eyes. “Have
you seen her, Eran?” Vaan forced his voice to remain calm. The old man shook
his head in the negative.
Vaan’s men
returned, Balal walking slowly down the stairs with Tolan holding his arm and
Assa curled to his side. Vaan remained rooted to the spot. A linen bandage
lined Balal’s torso. “What happened?” Had someone attacked his Warlord?
Balal flushed and
tightened his hold on the small female. “It is a minor wound, Overlord. Your
mate wanted to learn how to use a sword.”
Vaan pinched his
nose and steadied his breathing. Those questions he’d deal with later. He could
not relax. “Where is Mikayla?”
Now his Warlord
frowned, sensing the serious nature of Vaan’s inquiry. “She asked Kavan to take
her to Luall. They should be back.” Balal looked worried and well he should.
Vaan’s only task for him involved keeping his mate safe and instead she was
missing.
Vaan paced.
Anything to keep him from throwing the young Warlord to the floor. The others
gathered around, seeking a means to calm him.
It was Argan who
asked. “What is Luall?”
“A nearby village
where we purchase goods. Miki likes riding there.”
The quiet voice
had Vaan spinning. Assa stood at his side, worrying her bottom lip with her
fangs and wringing her hands but she continued. “She told Warlord Kavan that
you promised to have someone accompany her.”
Vaan had ordered
no such thing. “Ready the hapfe. Argan stay here.” Vaan trusted no one but his
top commander to guard their home with Thenl planning to return. “Tolan and
Ramar are with me. We ride tonight.” Kavan had a lot of explaining to do and
Mikayla was in for a severe punishment.
“I would ride with
you, Overlord. This is my fault.” Balal straightened and ignored Assa’s
tentative touch to the bandages.
“No,” Vaan
snarled, “the blame lies with Mikayla.”
“Who opened the
outer gate?” Balal asked.
Vaan’s abrupt halt
caused Tolan and Ramar to stumble.
“Tesai is on the
gate tonight.”
Vaan growled. He’d
deal with the Raasa later.
***
Miki huddled down
in the bushes where Kavan stashed her. Insects croaked and buzzed around her
head. Every creak or moan from the trees increased her worry. Fear coated her tongue
and she wished she’d never left home. Going to Luall had seemed simple. Vaan
was distracted with his men and she hoped to return before he noticed her
absence. But nothing had turned out the way she wanted.
Earlier in the
evening, after much begging, Balal agreed to teach her to fight. She’d
accidently cut him with his own sword when the weapon proved much heavier than
she expected. Kavan had begrudgingly decided to escort her alone to the village
to shop. In her excitement, she’d let the hapfe, they rode on, run off. The
trip home would take twice as long on foot.
Everything took a
decided turn for the worst when Kavan grabbed her arm while she admired a
leather tanned necklace dyed a dark shade of blue and told her they had to
leave. The shopkeeper had no time to talk prices with her as Miki hastily
handed it back. She still didn’t understand Kavan’s sense of urgency but his
brief orders and short commands scared her as he hustled her on the path for
home.
Now she hid in the
woods where he told her not to move under the threat of death. Sounds came from
her right and she stiffened. Her hands clutched tight to the dagger she
carried. Vaan wasn’t the only one who could be cautious.
A large palm
covered her mouth and Miki jerked upright. “Silence. Warriors approach.”
Her eyes
brightened. “Is it Vaan?”
Kavan pushed away
from her and went to one knee. “If it was the Overlord, we’d never hear him.”
Miki shivered.
“Why do we hide? They might help us.”
Kavan stared at
her and growled. “Are you that lacking in wit? First you stab Balal in your
clumsy efforts with the sword, then you lie to me about the Overlord’s approval
for this trip and to make it worse, you forget to tie down the hapfe, leaving
us to walk home.”
A lump clogged in
Miki’s throat. She blinked at the burning sensation in her eyes. “I’m sorry.”
They’d already been gone half the day and then some.
Kavan stood. “Your
apologies matter not to me. Come. They already follow our trail. We must keep
moving.”
Miki got to her
feet and tried to move as quietly as he did through the trees. “Do you know who
they are?”
“Yes.” He put his
hand at the small of her back and hurried her along. Miki didn’t like it. He
wouldn’t face her and now she picked up on the fear that directed his
movements.
Kavan was the
Warlord least likely to show fear and this elevated Miki’s panic until she
couldn’t control her steps. He cursed when she stumbled for the third time.
Miki swallowed
thickly. “Sorry. It’s dark and I can’t see well.”
“Stay on the path
and keep your head down.” He pushed on her shoulder blades and Miki picked up
her pace.
If she didn’t need
Kavan to find her way home, she’d stab the rude Warlord in the back. He made
his feelings of dislike very clear. She tried hard to like him since Vaan
assigned him as her guard but Kavan resisted her every overture. Even Balal
told her to let it go.
Kavan stopped
suddenly and Miki walked into his back. His left arm came behind to wrap around
her.
“Well what do we
have here?”
Miki peered around
and saw the cause for Kavan’s abrupt halt. Six large men blocked the path
they’d been following.
“Raasa,” one of
the men glared and came closer. Kavan half stepped backward with her.
The man squinted
in disbelief. “Warlord Kavan?”
Kavan nodded and
released Miki. “Morid.”
“Blessed One, how
is this possible?”
The others closed
in, forming a half circle. Miki did not like the leering glances sent her way.
Kavan seemed to relax with the recognition. Now that they stood in a shaft of
light, Miki identified them as Kabanian warriors. Long dark hair in varying
shades, chest bared and swords visible over their shoulder.
“The Blessed One
favors me,” Kavan said.
The warriors all
nodded. “You speak truth. We thought you dead with the Overlord.”
Miki looked up at
the sound of Vaan’s name and met the eerie stare of one of the other men. Morid
appeared to be the leader since the others deferred to him when he spoke.
“What are you
doing so this far from Kaban?” Kavan walked toward Morid and extended his
forearm. They gripped arms and the others joined in the greeting with broad
smiles.
“We seek to take
the Raasa.”
“What news is
this?” Kavan asked. “We have never made war with them.”
Morid’s gaze
strolled to Miki. “Thenl has a plan to force the King to bow down to us if we
rule the land that borders Kaban and Desani. Raasa land.”
Another warrior
spit on the ground. “Who do you have with you, Kavan?”
Kavan turned cold
eyes on the new speaker. “Warlord Kavan to you, Thorin, or have you forgotten
all your warrior training in the Overlord’s absence?”
The offender flushed.
“I thought I had leave to call you by name.”
“Are you Warlord?
Did you make status while I was away?”
The others
laughed. “No. Only Morid is Warlord among us. Thenl holds not with the ways of
Overlord Vaan. Until he is acknowledged as Overlord, Thenl will grant no one
else Warlord status.”
Morid waved his
hand around them in an expansive gesture. “Sit, Kavan. You will tell us your
story.”
The men opened the
packs on their backs and spread mats on the ground. Morid tossed a spare one
Kavan’s way. He accepted and dragged Miki to sit at his side. She aimed a frown
in his direction but his focus remained on the warriors.
“Why do you travel
with a Raasa?” Morid asked. He propped an elbow on his leather clad knee and
gave them a long stare. Miki curled inward and avoided his gaze. He made her
skin crawl.
Kavan shrugged,
his shoulders bunching with the motion. “Not by choice. She is ever a thorn in
my side.”
Morid’s laughter
this time rolled with menace. The pit in Miki’s stomach widened. Kavan and
these men knew one another. She sensed the easy camaraderie among them. Would
he betray her?
“Thorin, start the
fire. While my old friend tells us how the Blessed One smiled upon him.” The
atmosphere lightened after that announcement.
The disheveled
warrior Thorin grumbled but did Morid’s bidding. Miki slid her knife in her
lap, folding the hem of her tunic over the edge. Their seating formed a loose
circle. A large blaze sparked in the middle causing Miki to flinch. Someone
pulled wine from a pouch and passed it. To her horror, Kavan drunk heavily
before handing the container off.
No one offered it
to Miki and though she thirsted, a part of her rejoiced to not have their
attention on her.
“I’ve never had a
Raasa female.” Thorin rubbed his crotch. “Is she yours?”
Miki held her
breath.
“No.”
Kavan’s one word
answer ruined whatever hope she had of counting on his help. Would he so easily
ignore Vaan’s wishes for her protection?
They chatted and
laughed, sharing stories of past battles. After finishing the first bottle,
another appeared to take its place. At one point Kavan stood. “I must piss.”
His statement made
them laugh uproariously.
“Good. When you
return, we will all enjoy her toque this night.”