Queen Yavara Ch. 55

The city criers yelled from every street corner, their voices baying their repeated message into the night, "Lady Straltaira, surrender yourself, and no harm will come to you or those who aid you! To those who are aiding the Lady Straltaira, you will not be punished for turning her over! You will be rewarded! Lady Straltaira, surrender yourself and no harm will come to you or those who aid you! To those who are aiding the Lady Straltaira..."

"What do we do?!" Catherine hissed. We were secluded in a dark space between two shops, the width barely enough to allow us to turn our heads without scraping the walls. It was claustrophobic to say the least, but it provided the necessary cover from the passing patrols; at least until dawn broke, and the sun illuminated all.

"Cast an illusionary spell." I whispered.

"I told you, the royal mages are using seeking spells!" She hissed back, "Using any magic will bring them right to us!"

"Lady Straltaira, surrender yourself and no harm will come to you or those who aid you! To those who are..."

"Maybe you should just give yourself up." Catherine whispered.

"What?!"

"I mean, they said if you—"

"They killed Feractian and his wife in the fucking streets!" I hissed, "What do you think they'll do to me?!"

"...Lady Lydia Straltaira, surrender yourself and no harm will..."

"Me?!" Mom gasped.

"Take one for the team!" Catherine whimpered.

"Shut up!" I snapped.

"We need to get inside," Mom whispered, pointing to a door across the road, "we're too exposed out here. If the guards don't find us, we'll surely freeze to death."

"Go inside where?" Catherine snapped, "I can't cast a lock-picking spell without altering the hunters!"

"I can lockpick." I whispered, "I just need a pin."

Mom fished into her gown, and pulled out one of her bra pins. She passed it to Javi, who handed it to Catherine, who tried to hand it to me, but her fingers were shaking so much that she dropped it right into the two feet of snow we were standing in.

"Shit!" she squealed; her voice shrill with panic.

"Shh," I whispered, putting a calming hand on her shoulder, "it's alright."

I didn't have room to squat between the walls, so I had to shimmy outward toward the dangerous light of the street, then stand on one leg, and lean down. I braced myself as best I could against the walls, and gritted my teeth against the sudden dizziness I felt. The maneuver would've normally been as easy as tying my shoes, but tying my shoes was now a task that seemed to require as much dexterity as playing a piano concerto. I didn't know how I thought I was going to fight in a battle later that day; it would take at least a month to fully recover.

With the utmost concentration, I peered into the dim mound of snow, and found the tiny hole the pin had fallen in. Careful to control my breathing, I reached into the snow. The cold had made my fingers numb already, and the snow offered nothing but more of it. The dull burn of frost suffused my fingers, and I could feel nothing past the second knuckle. Still, I daintily fished through the slushy mixture, closing my eyes to bring more sharpness to my other senses. Finally, something interrupted the homogenous bath of cold, and my numb fingers managed to grip it.

"Got it!" I hissed, plucking the pin from the snow. I wheeled myself back upright, and shuffled down the wall until I was at the edge of the shadow. I could see about fifty feet of road on either side, but no further. I listened for the sounds of marching and heard only the distant footfalls and the crier's call.

"Elena?" Catherine whimpered; her voice tight in her throat.

"I'm going to go across. If I get caught, all of you run the other way."

"No." Mom hissed.

"Don't be selfish!" I snapped at her, then turned back around. I took two breaths through my nose, turned my hips, planted my front foot, and dashed forward. I made it two steps before I fell flat on my face. The warm lamplight above illuminated me like a spotlight. I scrambled onto my hands and knees, and frantically crawled across, then flattened myself against the wall, my breath heaving from me. I looked to the left, then to the right. The only men in eyeshot were the criers on the corners, and they were both facing the other direction. I looked forward, and could clearly make out the bulging terrified eyes of my comrades from between the buildings.

"Get over here, quick!" I hissed. Catherine collected her skirt, and sprinted across the street. Javi deftly navigated the road without any incident, but Mom stumbled before she finally flattened herself next to us. I didn't have time to worry if we'd been seen. I knelt before the door, and placed the pin into the keyhole. My fingers were so numb. They slipped on the pinhole, twisting erratically. My hand was trembling with the cold. I had to steady it with my other hand just to line up the pin well enough, but my fingers were still so clumsy, void of any feeling. The sound of marching boots became louder. From my periphery, I could see the faint glow of torchlight being cast on the buildings down the road.

"Elena!" Catherine squeaked.

"Shut up!" I snapped. I fumbled with the lock for a few more seconds, then cursed my fingers, and put the pin between my teeth. Carefully, I guided the point back into the keyhole, and slid it forward with my tongue. I felt the resistance of the first spring. I pinched the stem of the pin with my thumb and forefinger, but not too much to rely on my hand for guidance. I bit down hard on the pinhead, and pressed my face forward. The first spring disengaged.

"Elena!" Catherine whimpered, more urgency in her voice. The footsteps were louder now. The torchlight glow became brighter, and the shadows were cast onto the walls, a row of heads and feet connected all by a mass of shadowed torsos, spearheads poking from it like spines on its back. It was deformed now, but it was becoming clearer and clearer with every second.

I turned my tongue, and the pin notched into the second spring. My finger and thumb came around to brace into place once more, and I gritted my teeth, and pushed my face forward again. The spring disengaged, leaving only the third spring.

"Elena!" Catherine sobbed, squirming against the wall.

"...surrender yourself and no harm will come to you or those who aid you! To those who are..." The criers called, the marching became louder, the shadows became clearer. My heart was beating in my throat. My blood was pounding in my ears. I closed my eyes. Carefully, I angled my tongue, and even more carefully, I placed my thumb and finger before it, and bit down on the pinhead. I pushed forward. The pin snapped in half, jamming the lock. My eyes flashed open. The shadows had taken form down the road. The marching was practically upon us. I could see the glint off spearheads. Someone was yelling. An order was suddenly given. The marching turned to running.

"Oh god, they found us!" Catherine screamed.

Javi slammed his hand on the door, and cast a spell. The lock clicked. Just as soon as it had happened, a great beam of ethereal light surrounded him. "Go!" He yelled, and shoved his mistress through the door. I dove in after, and dragged Mom with me just as Javi slammed the door behind us. From the window, we could see him sprint down the street, the ethereal beam of light following his every step, a beacon for all to see. A rush of footsteps followed after, accompanying the clanking of armor and the barking of orders. The sounds faded away. Then, there was a scream.

"Oh, Javi!" Catherine sobbed into her gown.

Mom put a comforting arm around her, and Catherine wept into her breast. I caught my breath, and assessed our surroundings. We were in a butcher's shop, though since the trade embargos, there'd been little in the way of meat even for the nobles. Cobwebs spanned the meat hooks that hung from the ceiling, and dust had collected everywhere. My eyes fell upon the knife-rack behind the counter. They were brutal blades, more tools than weapons, but they could cut through meat just fine. I struggled to my feet, went to the rack, and picked out knives for Mom and Catherine. If it came to it, their best bet was to just stab at the enemy with the pointy end, and so chef's knives would do just fine. I selected a pair of cleavers for myself.

"Here," I muttered, passing them their weapons, "remember what I told you last night. The man who strikes first, kills. Don't hesitate."

Catherine and Mom stared wide-eyed at the knives in their hands. It occurred to me then that the pair of them were likely the two richest women in the entire kingdom, and had about as much experience in the kitchen as they did in battle. They didn't even know how to hold the knives. They looked from me, to their new weapons, an expression of utter helplessness and hopelessness in their eyes. It would've been cute if I wasn't just as terrified as they were.

"Hold on." I muttered, and pulled a sharpening strap from the counter. I took the knife from Catherine's hands, and wound the metal handle with the leather. "There," I said, "that'll keep it from slipping when you stab."

"W-w-w-when I s-s-stab?!" She stuttered.

I placed my hands gently around hers, and adjusted her grip. "Push through with your shoulders," I instructed, "everything from your elbow to the tip of the blade should be a straight line. Just thrust, thrust, thrust, you understand? Don't stop thrusting until they're down, then back off. Always strike first, remember?"

"Elena, I c-c-c-can't d-d-d-do this!"

"You'll do fine, Catherine." I smiled, "Don't worry, I'll be right next to you." I patted her cheek, then turned to Mom. She was practicing the thrusting motion I'd just showed Catherine, her face set in a very grim mask. "You got it?" I asked her.

"Just keep stabbing them until they go down," she muttered, more to herself than me, "I got it."

"Good." I said, and leaned back against the counter, "But only if it comes to that. We just have to wait."

"Wait for what?" Catherine hissed.

"Feractian's barons already paid off the rioters. The noon bell will toll, and they'll come out no matter what."

"You think Ternias will give a shit about some rioters?!" Catherine exclaimed, "He's uncovered a fucking conspiracy! He'll have all five-hundred men of the watch up here until Shordian comes with the army tomorrow. The lower wards can burn for all he cares."

"She's right, Elena." Mom muttered, "There will be no watchmen for the rioters to attack. The mob will form, then crash uselessly against the gates. After a while, they'll just quit."

"We're fucked." Catherine whimpered, "We should use these knives on ourselves!"

"If it comes to that, Catherine, I'll just kill you." I said softly, "You won't even see it coming."

She blinked at me. "Um... thanks?"

I snorted. "You're welcome." I looked out the window, assessing the eastern sky, "But until that time comes, we're just going to wait."

"For what?"

I smiled, and shrugged. "A miracle."

ADRIANNA

The sun touched the top of Bentius's ramparts. I dismounted Sasha, and adjusted the straps of Dog Meat's carrier. The wargs moved from my path, bowing their heads respectfully as I walked through the orc ranks.

"Do you see that city?" I asked them, my voice projected commandingly, "That city is a fat whore. She hasn't been fucked in ages, and she's been pining for a good, hard cock. Now she's just naked, laying in the snow, waiting for someone to finally give her what she deserves. She even took off all her clothes. The army? She took that off ages ago. The Royal Guard? She took it off just last week. The city watch? She's still got it on, but it's just barely hanging onto her fat ass by a strand. I mean, the poor whore isn't just asking for it; she's begging for it."

Sardonic laughter sounded from all around, and I smiled with them. Dog Meat wiggled her stumps, all worked up with excitement. I opened my robe so that all the orcs could see the magical high-elf I wore like jewelry. "The fat whore needs a good fucking, gentlemen." I said, "She needs it hard, fast, and rough. Who's gonna give it to her?"

"We are!" They roared.

"I said who's gonna fucking give to her?!" I yelled.

"We are!" The roared even louder.

"Then go fucking give it to her!" I screamed, and the orcs brandished their swords in a symphony of steel, kicked their feet into their wargs, and charged out over the hillside. I watched them ride into the basin, then I closed my cloak around Dog Meat, and hurried down to the adjacent hill to where Esmerelda and the elves were anxiously waiting.

"Now?" Esmerelda asked, her voice pitched high with anxiety.

"Not yet!" I said, grabbing the reins of my new horse, and mounting it, "Wait until they reach the base of the walls. The watch will keep them pinned there for enough time for us to close the gap. We need as many of those wargs dead as possible before we hit them in the back. Even with surprise on our side, it's going to be tough."

Esmerelda pursed her lips, and gripped her reins tightly. "I hate this," she muttered.

"You've trusted me this far; don't falter now." I put my hand over hers, "We're only one step to the end, Your Highness."

She flinched at the honorific, though she did also blush. "Don't ever call me that, Adrianna."

"Then what should I call you?" I smiled.

She tried to conceal her smile by gnawing on her lip. "'Ma'am' will do fine."

We watched as the company of wargs formed a crescent formation in the basin. It was a crude rendition of the winged cavalry formation, but it was effective. It concealed their true numbers, made them look more numerous than they were, and presented an easy counterattack to any flanking maneuvers by the enemy. By the time it was halfway across the basin, the formation no longer seemed like a conglomeration of individuals, but a strange shape moving rapidly across the flatlands.

"Shouldn't an alarm have been sounded by now?" Esmerelda asked.

"We might not have heard it." I muttered, narrowing my eyes at the wall. The ballistae were static in their positions, the great iron bows relaxed and pointed at the sky.

"Adrianna?" Esmerelda asked, her voice tight in her throat.

"Wait." I muttered, holding up my hand, "Those weapons are ranged for the Bentius River. They don't want to tip their hand too soon."

The crescent coalesced at the bridge, and thundered across it. It took them a minute to traverse the whole span, and they flowed from the end of it like spreading water into the basin.

"Adrianna?!" Esmerelda exclaimed, nearly squealing.

Dog Meat stuck her head out of my cloak, and assessed the situation. "Uh-oh." She said in her babyish voice.

"Adrianna?!" Esmerelda screamed at me.

"Goddamn it, Ternias, you stupid bastard." I muttered, and drew my sword, "Now!" I kicked my heels into my horse's flank, and charged into the basin. The rebels flowed after me, all of us riding at full-tilt. The thunder of hooves sounded from the snow-covered ground, and the war-cry of the women carried after it, propelling us ever faster. It didn't matter. These might've been the fastest thoroughbreds in the Highlands, but they were nothing compared to wargs. The black crescent became smaller and smaller before the walls of Bentius. Then it was just a line along the wall's base. For a moment, it was if they'd disappeared. Then I saw little black dots moving up the wall. One, two, three, four; they shot up the side of the wall as if they were running on flat ground, and one by one, they disappeared over the top. A minute later, all of the black dots were gone.

I looked at Esmerelda as we thundered toward the bridge. She looked back at me with horror writ across her face.

YAVARA

The stadium was silent. The streets were empty. Every able body was put to work building the city's defenses. Soraya commanded Alexa's old construction crews as they worked nonstop to erect walls along the river banks and before the docks. Zander cast defensive spells all over the city, while Titus and his black-cloaked vampires laid traps in every corner. Faltia hastily organized thousands of new recruits, while Furia and Eva trained them in sword and bow combat. Brianna ran the supplies crews up and down the newly-built ramparts while Kiera and her crews rushed to get the food from the silos in the fields, to the safety of the castle.

"I can see the Highlanders now." Arbor said, standing beside me atop the tower, "The horse-riders stand at the edge of the forest. They could be here by nightfall."

"They'll wait for the rest of the army and arrive tomorrow." I muttered, "The same day the Lowlanders come, just as Leveria planned."

"They will have to go through my woodlands first." She answered, "I will take my children with me deep into the Pines, and we will thin the herd before it arrives." Her green and pink eyes seemed distant as they looked out upon the wintery landscape, "None of us will return."

"Thank you for your sacrifice."

Arbor regarded me with a clinical and impassive stare. I'd seen her emote nearly like a mortal with Zander and the hybrids, but I only ever got the emotionless forest spirit. I looked back at her, waiting for her to finally break the silence.

"What?" I finally asked.

"I joined you because Elena and Zander convinced me that you would defend my children against the elven invaders. Now all of my children will die defending you against them."

"I'm sorry."

"Yes, you are." She said coldly, "Fifteen-hundred years ago, I rejected Alkandi's allegiance because I did not want to be thrown into the teeth of mortal wars. Still, Alkandi staved off the imperials for centuries. You could not even last the winter. Now I am a marked enemy of the Highlands, and the imperial rangers will hunt my children just as they did the orcs."

"Not if we win."

"There is no victory here. You will die, your city will burn, and then the Highlanders and the Lowlanders will chase your people back into the forest, and cull them like animals until they become as savage as they were before. You have changed nothing."

"I tried to do what was right!"

"What was right for whom?" Arbor cocked her head, "Your people? If you wanted to do right by them, you would have destroyed their enemy when you had the chance. The Highlands? If you wanted to do right by them, you would have extended your hand in peace at the cost of your pride. No, you wanted to do what was right for you, Yavara."

I rubbed the exhaustion from my eyes, and sighed. "Maybe I don't know what's right, Arbor. I just guess who's right."

"A tree that bends with the winds will topple to them eventually, but an oak that stands strong will only be strengthened by them. I should have seen what you were before."

"And what am I?"

"A young palm on a sandy beach. My children deserved so much more."

I looked into her dispassionate eyes, and smiled. "Fuck you."

Arbor blinked. "What?"

I laughed. "Fuck you. Fuck. You. You don't get to judge me. You think you know what's best for your children? You've stunted them completely. They can't even write their own fucking names. You fostered dependency because you're a psychotic tree ghost who enslaves her own children and calls it 'love.' So go ahead and blame me for their deaths, but blame yourself for their so-called 'lives.'"

Arbor actually scowled at me. Her purple face turned slightly darker, and her mouth twitched a little. "I have a great desire to hit you right now, Queen Yavara."

I snorted. "If I struck a nerve, it's because you know it's true. You like to speak in candor, but you don't like to hear it. Do you know what that makes you? A pussy."