Hammer and Feather Ch. 41-51

"What do you see?"

"She broke her word. My mother discarded me as yours discarded you." The specter in front of her shrank.

"There is something still salvageable within you, Itia. I will offer you the same bargain as I offered my thieves, my rooks. If you serve me, go above and attach yourself to an elf to aid him-"

"You want me to betray her." Itia trembled.

"Is it a betrayal to side against one who warped you and then discarded you? Is it a betrayal to do to her what she has done to you? She chose her own interests above yours. One small thing that should have been easy to do, harm no children, and she chose cruelty over your peace. I would send you to my brother, you would help guide him to where he needs to be and keep him safe. If you choose to do more for him I will take it as redemption and strive to do more for you but if you guide him and keep him safe I will grant you peace. You don't have to strike at her or show yourself to her, you don't have to steal from her or cause any harm to any human. I am not cruel."

The girl looked thoughtful for a long moment. "What do you mean, 'do more' for me? More than rest?"

"Vezjahehdhethrah is the god of rest, peaceful rest. His slumber sweetly and find the peace they didn't have in life. Zhetrahmihethrah is the god of perfect reward, those in his care find joy here, they are free and content. They have a world much like that above but better, that they enjoy as they wait to be reborn. My husband, Syvezar, lets those who are ready go back after they are purified and made new. They have no memory of this place or of any life before it. I have offered peace but I can offer more if you earn it. I'm allowed to send people to them."

Itia closed her eyes and then nodded. "I accept your bargain. I will guide your brother where he needs to go and keep him safe. And... And if I do well..."

"You can rely on a Rook. I keep my word, Itia. Redeem yourself in my eyes and you are redeemed."

"I want to start over. I want to be reborn." The specter straightened and looked determined, "And I don't want to remember any of this. None of my life before."

"Redeem yourself and I will send you to Syvezar. Are you sure you don't want a little rest or joy before you go back?" Syr smiled, arching a brow and the girl returned it ruefully.

"I'm sure. I want to live."

"You have work to do first." Syreilla lifted her hand and the specter began to contort until it had become a plain black rook.

The bird seemed surprised and began inspecting itself.

"You should be able to speak to Magpie. Be careful. They're looking for my birds now."

"Why not send her as a songbird? I know you kept a few before." Imos asked curiously.

"I have rooks, ravens, and crows above, a songbird didn't occur to me."

He laughed and shook his head, "You are like my father, you get too focused at times on the way you want things and set in your ways. Allow me."

Imos lifted his hand and the rook became a small brown sparrow. "Your father is clever, he makes the uncommon look common and, I think, a small bird should be able to hide more easily if it should need to."

"That is true." Syr smiled and dipped her head, "Thank you, Uncle Imos. I see why Hammersworn was so fond of you."

He winced and inclined his head. "I regret what I did and that it took such lengths for my son to correct me."

"One of the things that Father taught me was that everyone, absolutely everyone, makes mistakes. You pay for them, you learn from them, they belong to you. Keep it close to your heart so that you don't do it again."

"I have rarely seen you make a mistake." He smiled warmly.

"Have you ever seen a bird stumble on landing and then strut, pretending it meant to do that?" She grinned and he began to laugh. Itia fluttered and then managed to fly in a small circle coming to land on her shoulder. "I'm not a goddess of forgiveness, it's true, but righteous vengeance allows some room for redemption."

Something tugged at a thread in her mind and she turned her head. "Magpie?" Inclining her head to Imos, she opened a door just before the threshold stepping over it and through another door she opened just on the other side.

She stepped out into the woods a short distance from a wagon and a group of frightened people being held by armed men.

"What kind of coin is this?"

"It belongs to my sister." Magpie sounded nervous and she grinned stepping out and into view.

"Why are you letting people rob you, little brother?"

"It wasn't my idea." He gave her a look that was both relieved and annoyed. "I lack your talents if you recall."

"That's an elf!" One of the armed men pointed his crossbow at her and she started to laugh, turning out of the way of his sloppy shot before casting a ward at his feet. There was a mine not far from them, as Orefinder had said, and she could feel the pool of magic there like a cool damp breeze in a desert. Syr tossed out several more wards, killing most of the would-be robbers but catching two of the men alive.

The people with Magpie looked terrified.

"Is there a reason you all came out to be robbed today?"

"W-w-w..."

"They were going to the city for business or to join the army." Magpie smiled wryly. "I was lucky enough to get a ride with them."

"The luck was theirs." She nodded to the humans, "Your business can be put off for a few days and I would advise you not to join the huntress' army. She's angered all of the gods including myself."

"What-who..."

Syr grinned and one of them fainted. "I am the Golden Rook."

"She's the goddess of righteous vengeance and the protector of gentle souls, the daughter of Odos." Magpie interrupted her. "She, ah-" He hesitated.

"There was a mage..." One of the older men looked at her and blinked, "He said the Lady Rook in the army wasn't the real one. The real one served Hevtos."

"My uncle sends me to fetch him the lost and lingering dead. Yes." She dipped into a bow. "I've been... tethered. He was a little sour with me for stealing from him but I am a daughter of Odos. It's in the blood." They relaxed with her small shrug. "I've been untethered to bring vengeance to the huntress and her soldiers. They've upset all of the other gods. My misdeeds are small in comparison."

The old man nodded and studied her cautiously. "And you're telling us... why?"

She looked them over with both eyes. These were simple people who didn't deserve to be harmed. Syr pointed out a few things she saw. "I see things differently than most. It's why my uncle allows me to intercede for those who know how to ask despite our disagreements. You, old man, knew a mage because you were an apprentice. You chose to take up business and live a different life when the magic dried up instead of chasing after what scraps the huntress might give you. For you, it was a blessing in disguise.

"The boy there has his head filled with dreams of glory and slaying worthy enemies. That one there is a father who thinks he can provide for his family better in the army. You're not bad people and I don't want to harm you. If you go to the city I can't offer you any quarter. Anyone who serves her will be punished in life and death.

"I can't command you, but I advise and suggest that you go home and consider all of your other choices before you venture out again. These men are deserters. Look at them. They may have been good men once but they've become... this." She gestured to one terrified man in a holding ward and released it. He slumped and began to weep.

"Tell them why you deserted."

There was nothing but sobbing for a moment, "Tell them or I'll start burning bits off of you."

"The-the pay! The pay is shit. Vouchers and-and lead slugs. There's no money for our pay but the officers and priests have elvish whores and gold!"

"Not because you felt badly about murdering and mutilating little elvish children on command, but because you weren't allowed to rape the women and you weren't happy with your pay for days spent committing acts so foul all the gods have looked down and cursed you with me?" She gave him a wide mirthless smile and the man fell silent with a shudder, his eyes wide.

When she looked up, the humans looked a little ill and Magpie had his hand over his mouth. He cleared his throat and she thought he was suppressing a laugh.

"We... we'll go back to the village, Lady Rook." The older man offered a stiff bow. "What will you do with them?"

"These two men are going to escort my brother and I to the city. I have business there." She grinned widely, "We'll see if it's still standing after my visit."

"What will happen to those men after that?" He looked at the lump groveling at her feet with pity.

"That will depend on them. My husband, Vedhethrah, is the god of pain and punishment. If they never want to meet him and be shown our home in the sunless pits or see my smiling face again they'll run far and fast after they do as I've told them to and learn to be good men. If they died tonight they would go to him and be on the receiving end of every foul thing they've ever done in life before he starts letting them experience the things their brothers in arms have done. I'm no goddess of forgiveness but righteous vengeance leaves room for redemption."

"Y-you're wearing points on your ears to show them the gods don't want the elves wiped out?" One of the young army hopefuls swallowed and stared at her ears.

"No. They don't want them wiped out but I was born to a mortal. Odos likes to have children with them, lots of children. I have points on my ears because I'm half elf. I have a few drops of dwarf blood in my lineage too, I think it's why he chose my mother." She gave him a wry smile as the boy blinked at her. "Some of us become more but most are just excellent thieves or poets."

"A child of three races." The old man looked at her speculatively and then offered another bow. "Thank you, Lady Rook, for the warning and the advice."

The back of her neck tingled.

The humans managed to turn their wagon around in the road, heading back the way they'd come, and she set the other wretch she'd spared free from his holding ward. He hit the ground and trembled.

"Are you sure they'll be able to take us there?" Magpie looked at them with amusement. "They look like they might weep like babes the whole way."

"They will. And if they don't I won't give them the chance to run and change their fates."

Itia flew back to her and looked down at the men curiously. Both seemed to hear something in her words and they staggered to their feet leading the way into the woods.

Why do you need guides? The bird asked, still watching them.

"A good question, we need to know where to go once we're inside the gate so that we seem like hopefuls or normal travelers. Knowing what to expect is helpful."

"I didn't ask." Magpie looked at her oddly.

"My new bird did, or I should say, your new bird did. Give me the coin? I'll fix my sigil on it for you."

"It shouldn't be much further, they said we would arrive at the city before dinner."