Shalandra's Peace Ch. 01

I would like to acknowledge Misself1 who helped write/edit this. Without her there would be no story.

All characters are over 18. I don't condone the use of magic and sex to entrap someone's soul in a gem.

**************************

Jin and Gerald followed the drunken noble along the darkened streets. The two ten year olds were orphans, but they had learned how to survive without parents. As soon as the rich noble turned the corner, Gerald would chase Jin as if playing a game. They would bump into the noble and pick his pockets as he shouted his annoyance at the pair.

Gerald preferred to be the one to chase. He was able to keep an eye on Jin if she was running in front of him and he would then be able to spot a problem and protect her if things went wrong with whomever they targeted. He often watched over Jin, his best friend, as if she was his sister. He knew it was hard being on your own without family. Even though the two of them lived at the orphanage, they still didn't really have anyone. All they had was each other, and to them that was all they needed.

Gerald looked at Jin and gave her the signal to start the game. She knew she was supposed to squeal in delight to startle their target, as she ran into him, knocking him off balance. Gerald would then follow with his own bump to contact their mark, but he would also alleviate the said mark of their coin pouch. Then the two would continue their run disappearing into the darkness.

Jin took off running, squealed loudly, startling the man, and bumped the man with her hip. He was already drunk so she didn't have a hard job. Gerald followed grabbing the coin pouch as he slit the cord tying it to the man's belt. Then he shoved the man hard and kept running shouting out something about Jin cheating in their game. The man stumbled and fell. It took him a while to get up in which time the kids were long gone. The noble had not seen their faces and he probably would not remember the kids at all after he sobered the next morning.

The two kids ran into a dark alley. It was a familiar area and usually empty as it was tonight. Gerald peeked out to make sure nobody had followed them. No one had. Then he took her hand walking toward the orphanage. They stopped at a stream near their home. The two walked over to a fallen tree and found a large flat rock. They picked up the rock and uncovered a tin. The two sat down and counted the money they scored that evening.

They had two gold coins, seven silver pieces, and three copper. It was a great hall. The two smiled. They each kept two silver pieces. Gerald took a copper and gave Jin the other two. He often tried to give her a little more when the coin could not be divided evenly. Then he placed the rest of the coins into the tin and replaced the rock. They kicked dirt over the rock to make it less conspicuous. He knew they had almost collected what equated to nine gold pieces. They were saving for when they were older and could no longer live at the orphanage.

The priests who ran the orphanage arranged for the older kids to start working in the village to earn coins. They expected the children to purchase extras, including clothing if they didn't want to wear what the orphanage provided. The pair currently worked at the inn helping serve customers. That is how they explained any extra coins they might have. They just said it was from customers. It also provided a way to mark easy targets.

Gerald and Jin traveled back to the orphanage. They crawled up the vines to the second floor crawling through a window that opened into a hall. They dropped silently to the stone floor and both departed in separate directions to their rooms. They needed to get some sleep. The next morning an important priest was going to visit the premises and all the children were supposed to make a good impression on him.

***

Gerald woke up when the sun streamed through his window. He jumped out of bed and ran down the hall to make sure Jin was up. She wasn't. She often overslept in the mornings after they had "earned" some coin. He woke her so she could get ready for the day reminding her of the visiting priest. Then he ran back down the hall to his own room. He poured water in the basin and used a piece of cloth to wash his face and to give his body a quick scrub. Finally, he dressed into clean clothes and went into the hall to wait for Jin.

He didn't have to wait long. Jin joined him and the two of them ran to the communal dining room to eat breakfast. They would go to their lessons and after lunch, they would go to the inn and serve customers. First, he had to make sure Jin ate properly. She often didn't eat enough and he worried about her being too skinny. He made sure she put plenty of food on her plate and encouraged her to continue to eat until her plate was empty.

Then they went to the room the older children used for lessons. They sat waiting for the priest to come in and start the lesson. Gerald heard the door open. In walked the priest who always taught the lesson, but with him was the visiting priest, the one who would ensure the orphanage continued to receive funding.

Gerald felt his heart flutter as he saw the girl who walked with the visiting priest. He thought she was beautiful and appeared to be about his age. She sat at one of the desks, pulled an ink bottle out of bag, and unrolled a scroll. She pulled out a quill and nodded to the priest.

Gerald saw the new priest smile at the girl and quietly tell the other priest that he had trained his daughter to be his scribe. She was a kind and generous soul. Gerald heard the visiting priest say that her name was Shalandra. Even though he would not see her again for many years, Gerald would be haunted by images of Shalandra through the years. At first, she visited him in his dreams. Later as he got older, he would think of her and then wondered how much she had changed, where she was, and what she was doing.

Jin knew of his fascination with the priest's daughter. She had seen the goofy look on his face when he first saw Shalandra. She had teased him later that day when he messed up a food order at the inn asking if his mind was on the pretty scribe. He had blushed and she had laughed harder.

Gerald knew that she wasn't being mean. He had often teased her about the various boys that she had noticed and now it was his turn to be on the receiving end of the taunting. He had talked about Shalandra a couple of times with Jin knowing that she wouldn't tell anyone about his interest in the priest's daughter.

***

Gerald looked over at Jin. She stood in the armor of the Rogue King as did he. It seemed like such a long time ago that the two were children living in the orphanage. They were no longer poor. They were no longer helpless. They no longer had to pick the pocket of drunken nobles as they left the pub.

They were generals in the Rogue King's army. They had wealth. They had influence. And they had status. People looked up to him and Jin. People showed them respect.

Gerald and his best friend had found the Rogue King soon after they had left the orphanage. The Rogue King had admired the talents and tenacity that he had seen in the duo. The Rogue King believed that the two would be a great asset to have within his ranks. He was correct. The two were able to accomplish nearly every assignment given to them.

Gerald and Jin soon rose within the ranks of the Rogue King. They were his shining stars and he often bragged of their accomplishments. He often rewarded his two protégées well for making him look so good. He had no regrets when he gave them the ranks of generals in his army. Any man or woman that the duo trained tended to be outstanding in performing their duties.

The Rogue King craved power and money. He had been wealthy before the introduction of the two orphans into his ranks. With their help, he grew richer. With their help, he grew in power. The Rogue King was living the life he always believed he deserved. He just wanted more and he chased that goal, always. Gerald and Jin always delivered when it came to wealth and power. They didn't just deliver coins. They had delivered objects, people, and even compromising contracts which helped the Rogue King to amass his power base.

One such contract revealed the treachery of the mayor of the city of Norwich. The mayor was trying to secure the backing of other influential men in the kingdom to manipulate the king into cutting their taxes. The mayor had planned to threaten a revolt with the support of unnamed individuals if the king didn't comply. The king didn't have unreasonable taxes, but the mayor had a lifestyle that required a great deal of funding. He didn't plan to reduce the taxes to his people. He just planned to cut the king's share so the extra money could be used to support his own elaborate lifestyle.

The Rogue King was quick to exploit the knowledge of the contract and the possible revolt. It was because of his knowledge of the mayor's unscrupulous behavior that made his current location possible. The Rogue King and his army were living in the forest outside the city of Norwich. They did not have much to fear from the local city guard. The mayor had downplayed the danger of having such a presence in their forest. The Rogue King's army actually controlled much of the surrounding area as well.

Gerald and Jin had kept the danger to the locals low. They had ensured that their men knew not to harm the locals. Any tribute given to the Rogue King was strictly voluntary. The tribute though would ensure that the giver's interest remained safe. Even though the locals were safe, trade caravans delivering goods to the locals were not. Messages sent to the locals were not. Visiting dignitaries and family members traveling to the locals were not. As long as the locals were supportive of the Rogue King, their lives would prosper.

As long as a tribute was given, the Rogue King's army ensured the safe travel of anyone through their territory. The locals began to depend on the Rogue King's army to protect them and didn't mind paying the tribute as they were guaranteed not to be robbed or assaulted. The city guard and private mercenaries were not able to do that before the Rogue King made his presence known. Even unwed women were safe to travel alone through the forest if they had to, which wasn't often, but did occur.

Gerald had been summoned to the Rogue King's home. He had walked into the structure and headed to the office where the Rogue King often spoke with members of his army. Gerald arrived at the door to notice it was opened a crack. Without meaning to, he saw his commander buttoning his shirt over a gem embedded within the commander's chest. Gerald was a bit startled, but would not ask about what he had witnessed. He had learned long ago not to question too much. He also would not be surprised by anything unusual. He had witnessed many strange things in his life. This was just another one to add to the list. Gerald stepped back and knocked on the door waiting for his commander's acknowledgement.

"Enter," called the Rogue King. The man sat at his desk. He placed his feet on the desk crossing the ankles, reclining in his chair.

"Hello, my king," Gerald said with utmost respect. He had called his leader that title ever since he was accepted into the ranks of the Rogue King's army. Soon, the Rogue King had encouraged others to use the same title for him feeling as though he deserved such high regards.

"Gerald, my man, I have an assignment that I can entrust to only you. You know how the local priests have been a thorn in my side by defying me or refusing to acknowledge my power and influence in the area." The leader spoke with disdain in his voice.

Gerald nodded. He was quite aware. The Rogue King had been quite frustrated with the lack of progress with the priests.

They have claimed that another priest has told them to resist us. Well, I have discovered he is coming to visit the local priests within the time of the new moon." The commander was bristling with excitement as he shared this bit of news.

"And you want me to eliminate the visiting priest so you can demand compliance from the local priests. I understand." Gerald realized.

"No, no. If we eliminate him, he may be replaced by someone worse who is trying to prove himself. No, I don't want you to do that. I want you to kill his daughter as a warning of what will happen to him if he does not demand that his priests work with us. They will be traveling together. She will be one of the few women traveling with him, so I hope you can figure out which one she is. Otherwise, eliminate all the women in his company. You are bound to get her then." The Rogue King spoke with malice.

"Of course, I shall take a troop out with me to maintain watch over the main route in the forest." Gerald said as he stood to leave.

"No, I want this to be kept private. It is less likely to get out and be prevented if only you know of it." The Rogue King commanded.

Gerald nodded and left the room. He went to the supply quarters. He chose his equipment, including a tent, sleeping blankets, and rations enough for a month. He packed his supplies on a second horse and then went to speak with Jin.

"Jin, I have an assignment. I need to travel and will be gone no more than a month. I will see you when I get back." Gerald informed her.

"Sure, Gerald, stay safe." Jin responded. She wasn't surprised. The Rogue King often sent people on various missions from murder to vacations. This was nothing unusual.

***

Gerald was hidden in the shrubbery on a small hill overlooking the trail. He had his dry rations and his water skin. His tent was set up at the bottom of the hill on the side hidden from the trail. He had chosen this spot because of the hill that hid his campfire from the path. He was also close to a small stream which provided his water.

He had been in the location nearly a fortnight and expected the priest's arrival any day now. His sharp ears picked up the sound of heavy hoof beats, many hoof beats. He assumed this would be the people he was waiting for. He had one arrow off to his side. It had a note tied to it with the Rogue King's demands and the consequences of defying the leader. That was the arrow to be shot near the priest after the killing of the man's daughter.

Gerald pulled an arrow from his quiver and knocked it in his bow. He aimed through the bush towards the trail. He had picked a spot that gave him a wide range of targeting on the trail. He knew his escape time might be limited after he assassinated the daughter. He would have to send the note quickly. Then in the chaos that ensued, he would grab the horses and make his escape. The supplies would be left behind. They would not lead back to the Rogue King or the army.

Gerald saw the guards first. He knew they would be interspersed within the travelers. He saw a man dressed in fine robes and determined he was the priest. There was a trio of young women around the man. He was talking to one of them.

Gerald's felt the icy hand of dread squeeze his heart. He recognized the priest from when he was a child. The woman he was talking to had features similar to the girl he remembered as Shalandra. He needed to hear the name. Perhaps that priest had more than one daughter. If not, he would fail in his mission because he would not be able to kill the girl who had haunted his mind for so many years.

"Now, Shalandra, my dear, surely you cannot believe that murderers have a moral fiber in their soul. Why would they take another's life if they did?" The priest asked the woman riding at his side.

Gerald accepted the fact that this was truly the girl from his youth. He lowered his arrow and dropped his head. He was torn. He knew his leader was never pleased with those who failed their missions, but he knew even more that outright opposition to an assignment was met with a slow painful death. The Rogue King did not tolerate defiance.

He only had two choices. His first choice was to kill his target, Shalandra. His second choice was to be killed. He preferred death over killing the daughter of the priest. He preferred living if he could at all do so.

"Father, I am saying that it is not that simple. I believe that anyone is capable of the vilest deed if pushed far enough. If someone killed another, we need to investigate the reason why. A king who feels insulted can order the death of another without any fear of reprisal, but a peasant who kills a king's guard in defense of his family is hanged as a rebel. I believe both scenarios to be a travesty of justice and I believe that men of your fiber need to guide others to a more justified rationale of what constitutes murder." Shalandra remarked to her father with conviction in her voice.

Gerald grimaced. Even her voice was enticing. He would have to warn them and prevent them from traveling to Norwich. He climbed down from the small hills. He tossed his bow and quiver toward the tent. He also unbuckled the belt with his weapons and dropped them as he walked through the small crevice that lead to the well traveled path the priest was traveling on.

The guards saw him enter the trail and drew their swords halting their horses and those of the travelers behind them. Gerald laced his fingers placing his hands on the top of his head.

"I have come to deliver a message to the good priest about the safety of his daughter, Shalandra." Gerald spoke wondering if he would live long enough to deliver his message that would save the daughter of the priest and seal his fate.

The priest did not move his horse and when Shalandra tried to ride closer to the stranger on the path, the priest reached out and grabbed the reigns preventing her from closing the distance. Then the priest motioned for the guards to stand down so the stranger could talk without fear of dying.

"Why would you share this news with me? I do not know you and wonder why I would believe anything you say." The priest remarked as he prepared a spell of lie detection.

"You could always cast a divine spell to determine if I am lying," Gerald said as he noticed the beginnings of a priestly spell being cast. Then he said, "Or you can take the word of one of your wards that you provided for as he grew up."

The priest stopped his casting being startled by the stranger's last declaration. "I have not provided for anyone's care except my daughter, Shalandra." The priest spoke with confidence.

"No, sir, you are mistaken. I was one of the orphans that lived in the orphanage. You visited when I was ten summers old and it was your approval that would ensure that we continued to receive the funding from the church. You had been training your daughter to be your scribe and she took notes of your visit to our home." Gerald explained feeling that he would live past this encounter as he saw realization dawn on Shalandra's face.

The priest paused to consider the stranger's words, "Oh, wonderful. It is nice to meet those who we helped so long ago. How has your life benefitted since you left the orphanage?"

"I left and joined the first group of thieves that found me." Gerald was careful to not include Jin in any of his statements. He may go to the gallows for his admittance, but he would not take his dearest friend with him.

"Why should I believe anything you say after admitting that you are a thief?" asked the priest.

"If you don't, then your daughter's life is forfeit. I mark myself as a man with a death sentence on his head for telling you this. I have nothing to gain by ensuring the safety of your daughter." Gerald admitted.

Shalandra caught his eye and spoke, "Sir, please tell us how you come to know this information so we can judge its validity."

Gerald tried to hide his shame, but failed. He said in a lowered voice as he looked to his feet, "I was the one sent to kill you." At that declaration, the guards raised their weapons again.