The Silence Within (The Young Ancients: Tiera) Read online

  Young Ancients: Tiera Book Two

  The Silence

  Within

  P.S. Power

  Orange Cat Publishing

  Chapter one

  Overall, the town of Benton was a nice enough place, Tiera had to say, even if no one had asked her. It was small, compared to some of the great walled cities, but then, what wasn't? It made her tiny home village of Two Bends look like... Well, a tiny village. It was also decently clean and well cared for, which several of the other places she'd seen in the last weeks simply hadn't been.

  She smiled at the thought and looked around, trying not to stare at the scene that was going on in front of her, not fifty feet away. There, beside a shop that had a nice brown sign with an actual name on it, proclaiming it to be a leatherworking place, behind some crates that were providing a tiny bit of cover, a decently hard worn looking woman was trying to convince two men that she could provide better services for them than the younger girls down the street, even if she wasn't dressed like a prostitute ought to be. She didn't have the tall leather boots for it, for one thing, so if she had to get on her knees, it wouldn't work too well on the rough stones the street was made out of.

  "Think about it. With them you get a pretty face and pay for it through the nose. Give me two coppers each and I'll make your toes curl. I may not look it now, but Counts and Barons have begged me to perform for them." She wasn't exactly a wizened old hag, but the long and horsey face she was wearing had to make the men doubt her, and more than a little. The unclean and very primitive canvas shift that she was wearing couldn't help with that a lot either, or lend her greater appeal.

  It was nearly comical to watch, the woman trying to act like a street vendor as the men walked away, lowering her price with a harsh look that the men, both merchants of some kind, couldn't see, taking their leave already.

  "One copper for you both! I need to feed my little ones..." It was a desperate attempt, and one that the two potential clients didn't even hear, it seemed.

  It wasn't so much that the woman was truly horrid looking, though she could clean up a bit, if she had a chance. Her hair was stringy and gray, with a bit of black in it to show she wasn't ancient, and her front teeth protruded a little, but a brush and some soap, along with new clothing, would have her looking ready to work in a kitchen in no time. Or perhaps in an ale house?

  Tiera normally would have either walked along, or, if she had the funds, shared some with the woman. After all, her line about having serviced noblemen clearly meant she was insane. Or normally would have, if she wasn't just telling the truth.

  After all, despite her current appearance and slightly wild eyed look, she actually was a Baroness. One truly noted for her great beauty too. Carol Coltress, to be exact. Tiera had last heard that she was in a rest facility for the deranged, since that was the line that everyone was using on her at the moment. It had been a bit of a dirty trick that the others had played on her, making her look like an old ugly woman like they had, to punish her. Of course, come to think of it, that had sort of been Tiera's idea, so she really couldn't say that much about it.

  The lady kind of deserved it though.

  For years she'd tormented Bonita, her step-daughter, using players to pretend to love her, and then having them leave in increasingly spectacular or cruel ways. It had been so bad that the woman had admitted that she nearly killed herself over it. More than once.

  There had been a time, not even a month prior, that Tiera would have been livid, just thinking about that fact. It was a monstrous thing to do, especially to someone as nice and gentle as Nita. It was still kind of tempting just to leave the woman and let her suffer, having to service passersby in an alley like that. Just hoping that the other street girls wouldn't drive her away, or that their handlers wouldn't beat her too badly for taking work away from the honest professionals. Tiera shook her head a bit though and moved closer, knowing that the woman wouldn't know who she was at all. She was taller than the last time they'd seen each other, and that situation had been so tense that she really doubted that Carol would remember her at all.

  She wasn't particularly disguised, even if she had been off spying on troop movements the day before. After all, she looked like a young girl, and even at five-four, she was small enough that most couldn't really be afraid of her. It had literally been a matter of picking some flowers and standing on the road side, passing them to the men, women and boys that had been mustered to fill the ranks. That and some counting. It was almost depressing, to see how sorry the opposition was. Really, they would have been better served by simply giving up.

  The woman saw her and looked hopeful for a few moments, then smiled, an almost sweet thing, and shook her head.

  "I don't suppose you need my services, do you? This isn't your alley, is it?" Normally that would have been rude to ask someone, especially since she was lacking tall boots too, but the clothing she was wearing was kind of common looking, being a light tan dress with a vest over it. It did nothing to flatter her form really, since she was kind of small and flat at both chest and hip, but her very short hair was kind of a giveaway that she might like women. It was a modern fighters cut, and was so short the black hair stood straight up, but functionally couldn't be pulled. Some women that enjoyed other women had that kind of hair too. A lot of them also were fighters, so it kind of worked.

  "No, not today, thank you." It was tempting to just leave, but she had a few hours before she had to do that. The silence drew out and the woman actually kept smiling at her, looking hopeful. After all, even if she didn't want sex, there might be something else in it for her. Food, or a job mucking stables.

  Tiera knew that because the woman muttered it, not realizing she was speaking out loud. Because that showed a healthy mind, didn't it?

  "Or, who knows? Maybe she'll just kill me and end this nightmare? Either way." The words weren't addressed to anyone in particular, but she got the idea. The woman was almost totally convinced she was mad.

  If you woke up one day looking like someone else, and no one would admit to even the possibility that you were yourself, then that might just do it.

  "I was going to get something to eat, would you care to join me? My treat." It was such an odd thing to say that the older woman in front of her frowned for an instant, then had to shake her head.

  "I'd love to of course, but... I'm not certain why. Not that I'm above charity anymore. The things I've had to do lately to get a crust of bread... Well, you saw, didn't you? And those fellows were clean and polite. Not the sort that would stop to spend time with me, I'm afraid. Have to try them all though, or else how would I know?" She almost seemed nervous for some reason, but didn't break eye contact.

  She was tall, for a prostitute. Really, that in itself would have been enough to have her claim looked into, if she'd thought of it before being sent away. No peasant topped six foot and with her six-five or so, most would have believed her if she simply claimed to be some Baronetta twenty-five, or what have you. Far enough away from power that she might have fallen on hard times, but close enough to it that people would be willing to take her in, if only in a servant's capacity. A ladies maid or something like that. Even if they couldn't trace the family line at all.

  Tiera didn't answer, since when she did, it would most likely cause a scene. Instead she just smiled, trying to make it look happy, even though she didn't feel that way at all, and then turned to walk away, to go and get that food for them.

  Carol followed shyly, her face looking like she expected a trick, or perhaps a beating to come of it, eyes searching the street like a wild animal, uncertain if the prize before them was a meal or a
trap. Since most things like that were the later in real life, Tiera didn't blame her at all. Honestly, she didn't really know what she had planned yet herself, to tell the truth.

  They stopped at a sausage vendor, one that sold his wares on sticks so that they wouldn't have to touch the greasy roasted bits of meat with their possibly less than clean fingers. His wooden cart had wheels, and a clever little metal fire on legs that had a rack he could do the cooking on. It wasn't anything that she'd seen before, herself. The man looked clean and tidy though, with a nice mustache that was a deep brown, and he couldn't have been two inches taller than she was. That was a bit strange for a city, but she'd noticed more commoners in the larger towns than she'd thought would have been there.

  "Hello!" She tried to make it sound bright. Chipper. Like a real girl might, if she were just out with a friend. Even if her friend did need to move down wind a bit, to prevent her body odor from making the food taste bad. "What kind of meat is this?"

  It was mainly dark, but the man smiled and pointed at some of the pink bits in the casings.

  "Ah! A discerning eye. This is a mix of beef and roast chicken, with herbs and spices. The special ingredient is squirrel. Fresh too. My boys caught a dozen of them just yesterday." He seemed proud of the fact, rather than hiding it.

  Tiera nodded, but next to her the tall and rather homely looking lady swallowed. At first she figured that would be in distaste, because nobles didn't eat things like that at all, did they? It wasn't the case though, she realized, as Carol practically salivated at the sight of it.

  "That sounds good, doesn't it?" There was just a bit of hope in her voice, enough that she looked away after saying it, as if she wouldn't be getting any nice food like that at all.

  "Four of those then please, sir."

  The man beamed at her, and started to collect them as she pulled out the coin for it. She had enough on her to buy a whole lot of things, hidden in a secret pocket, but at the moment she pulled two copper out, the man nodding.

  "That will do. Normally I'd charge more, but it's rare to see such lovely women as yourselves here." He was laying it on thick, but some men did things like that. He wanted return customers after all, and a bit of flirting, in a place like this, probably wouldn't hurt anything.

  As they walked away Tiera handed two of the large meat sausages over to the other woman, and took a big bite of hers before going on. It really was good. Just the right temperature and still juicy, even though well done. The spices were a nice touch as well. Most people made food too bland really. This was just about right.

  Carol seemed to think so too, taking a bite and then stopping, to close her eyes. When she swallowed she smiled and then bowed towards Tiera. It was too deep for a simple gift, but she held it for a long time.

  "I don't know what you want me to do, to earn this, but I'll do it. Short of killing anyone, I mean. Maybe even that, if I can do it without being sent away again." She didn't even shy away from admitting that. It was nearly heartbreaking.

  What she did however was the sensible thing, and eat nearly as fast as she could for a while, until all that was left where two carved sticks, matching the ones that Tiera had. They didn't talk, just getting the food inside of them. Her fingers and mouth had been left a little greasy, but she resisted wiping her hands on the sides of her dress, since only little children did things like that. Even if the clothing was magical, it still paid to keep to good habits. Finding a waste bin, she tossed the wood in, watching Carol until she did the same.

  The woman sighed and shook her head, a small smile crossing her face.

  "Well, if you don't have anything for me to do right now, I need to get back to my alley and see if I can entice anyone. To think, I used to make fun of people for not being attractive. Like that makes a person better than anyone else? I was a fool back then." The words were correct, and even polite, but she winced and shook her head. "Not that I'm saying you aren't pretty, or better than me for it..." There was silence then, but she just looked down. Defeated.

  Tiera had to like that, didn't she?

  "I need to go and see some people, would you like to come with me? I have a brother that might be looking to hire on a maid or cooking woman. His place isn't huge or anything, but he's very nice. I'll help you get cleaned up first and all that, if you want. You have to give your word that you'll be on your best behavior though, no matter what comes. Do that, and I can help you a lot. Without it..." She didn't shrug or bother to even give a hard look at all. The woman was either ready to go back and live her life, or didn't deserve to at all. What she'd said so far that day seemed reasonable, to tell the truth, but could be an act.

  Really, Tiera didn't care.

  If the Baroness kept that up, even as a seeming, and truly lived it, then that was enough. If she didn't, or couldn't, then she could be dropped off somewhere. Say from a few thousand feet up in the air, without warning, from the back of a Fast Craft? That made sense to her, even if it was a bit rough.

  "Really? This isn't a game or... I don't know. I guess I have to trust you, don't I? I don't have anything else. It would be awful if you didn't mean it. Getting my hopes up only to dash them... Oh." Then, without warning, the woman stopped walking, sat down on the side of the stone street and cried.

  It was a bit annoying, since people were starting to look at them, and even though Tiera wasn't afraid that the guard would take them in, it was just possible that they'd be remembered by someone later. This was County Morris after all, and frankly, if the people here knew who she was, they'd probably either flee, or try to attack, so that the others could escape.

  She did what anyone would though and moved in to hug the more than slightly ripe woman kneeling beside her to do it. Taking shallow breaths through her mouth.

  "There, there..." It wasn't exactly brilliant speech on her part, and she felt annoyed, but not angry. Was this what real people felt all the time in situations like this? It was nearly relaxing. She was so used to being hammered with anger and rage at almost everything, that a mild bit of bother seemed like a true treat.

  Tor, her brother, had used his magic to change her pattern, so that she wouldn't be vastly angry all the time anymore. It had only been a few weeks ago, but it still amazed her that it worked. That was also what was making her taller. She used to be five-one, and have been growing at nearly an inch per week so far since he'd done it. That would keep going, she thought, for a long time. It would be painful too, according to Tor, but that was fine. It would pass, and leave her a giant, which would help with her weapons practice.

  Carol didn't explain, even though Tiera already knew the whole story about Nita and could figure out that, in that moment, the woman got the idea, finally.

  She stood after a few minutes though and dried her eyes, held her head high and nodded.

  "Forgive me. I just realized that I... Need to apologize to some people." She followed again, not questioning where they were really going at all. It was chilly out, and the paved street gave way to first loose rocks and then bare dirt not half a mile from the end of Benton. They didn't chat as they walked, but after a while it was clear that the woman with her was getting tired.

  "Would you like to sit for a bit?" She had a Fast Carriage with her, but didn't want to risk getting it out until closer to dark. Her flying away might just alert people to the fact that a spy had been there, and that would be a little too generous on her part. True, she'd left the Count alive, but only because he'd thrown in with the traitors so fully. In most areas the troops had all been dying off from the Gray Plague, but for some reason her little brother Timon hadn't seen fit to hold the healing amulets to fix it back from this place too. She was certain it wasn't kindness. She'd have to ask though, because nothing else made sense to her.

  "Oh, thank you, dear." She didn't stand on ceremony, just walking off the road a bit and sitting on a patch of ground that didn't look too soggy. "Oh! My manners... I'm Carol. Carol Coltress. Baroness, even though that's probably too hard
to believe. I think..." She stopped dead and sighed, but Tiera just sat next to her, close enough to listen, even if she did sound insane.

  She nodded a few times, trying to get the woman to go on.

  "I... think that the Wizard Tor put a spell on me, to change me into this woman. I look like our old nanny, Nan. I don't know why though. I mean, I had insulted him, which might be the reason, but it seems like a lot of work. He could have just told me to apologize. I hadn't known that he was, well, him. I also might have mentioned something about the man being only good enough to lick the Queens nether regions..."

  Grinning suddenly she let her eyes cross and then stuck her tongue out, making a face that looked like something a tiny child might do for fun.

  "Clearly I needed to be better informed. If I go to him and beg, do you think he'd fix it?"

  Tiera debated drawing things out and having a big and comedic reveal, but then shook her head once. It got the woman to give her a hard look, but she didn't explain for a few moments, trying to plan her actions instead of just floating along like a loon.

  "It wasn't Tor. It was Count Lairdgren. He's the Green man of legend, did you know that? Most nobles don't get that about him, since he's so short."

  There was a moment when nothing happened and Tiera triggered her shield, just in case the woman decided that she was a threat, or needed a beating. Instead she just sighed.

  "I'm hallucinating all this, aren't I? You aren't really here and my mind has finally broken from the strain. Well, that's something at least." She poked at her own face, and then laughed a bit, sounding like something was actually humorous in the situation. "At least you're a pretty enough vision, if that's the case. Should I just follow you or what?"

  Tiera rolled her eyes.

  "That's a bit silly. This is all real and we're both here. I was just sent to get you, so that I can return you to your life. By the way, this is all about you having hired those people to torment Bonita, nothing else. It never was. If you want things to be normal again, I suggest you find her first and pound your head on the floor for a while. She might beat you a little, or possibly a lot, but you kind of deserve it."