A Simple Darkness (The Young Ancients: Tiera) Page 18

  She didn't add the rest and Tiera could only guess at it without asking. She was still angry about the whole thing, but the subtext seemed to be that Karen felt she was being an idiot and would probably make the situation worse. For some reason she didn't feel that she could just call her on it though.

  The girl sat at the front gate of the palace for a minute, not knowing what to do. The guard on duty walked over to her door and she opened it, looking down for a few seconds. Then she asked him what to do about it.

  The man blinked and blew a whistle, before answering.

  "If you were in the wrong, admit it. If you weren't, then stand your ground. If it was both, let everyone know that clearly and if you have to fight, make certain no one you love is harmed by it."

  She nodded, it probably didn't really help, but seemed like good advice anyway.

  "I'll try to do that, if it's allowed."

  Then the man handed her a Truth amulet, because no one got into the palace now without answering some questions first. Not anymore.

  Chapter seven

  The woman that led them to the room where everyone was waiting for her was just a maid, Tiera thought. Not that her occupation made her less than anyone else, but they'd been met at the front by a Princess, who left them to go do something else, making a polite enough excuse, but leaving so quickly it almost felt like she was already passing judgment on her. The only thing there was that, as far as Tiera could tell, she hadn't really been in the wrong.

  Possibly over sensitive. That was true. The man at the door had been a bit abrupt and didn't listen to her, but that Count... No, it really wasn't just her. By the time she was led all the way to the correct space, winding through seven different hallways, even though there was clearly one built into the center of it with passages that led to hidden doors all around them, she was ready to fight again. It wasn't the best thing in the world but she knew that people had better treat her pretty darned well in the coming minutes or there was going to be blood. Not all hers either.

  When the door opened, to a real space that held several large chairs at the front, with the King in the one on the right and the Queen on the left. Alphonse and Karina on either side, all dressed in fancy clothing, things that included crowns, or at least metal bands for the younger ones. It seemed over done just for Tiera though, but no one else was in the room except Karen. For some reason everyone seemed a bit angry and glared, at her.

  That was just a bit too much. Hands going to her hips she huffed at them, stopping halfway down the long red carpet on the floor.

  "Don't you sit there looking at me like that! That... moron, Count Morris is responsible for this. Tell him that if he doesn't want to wake up with his house falling around him he might want to apologize. Today." She growled the last word and stomped her foot. She had the weapons she needed and if she used her Fast Craft for it they probably wouldn't be able to touch her at all. It was a good enough plan that she nearly threw up her hands and went to do that at that moment, not even bothering to listen to them first. "In fact... Tell him to send his Countess away so I don't accidentally kill her and I'll meet what forces he wants to die with him in two hours in front of his house. If he thinks he can survive a fight with me then he's even dumber than he looked."

  That wasn't really fair, since the man had looked just fine. His words were the issue, but she wasn't taking back what she said. Her breath was coming in deep waves, and she knew that her skin had gone pale. No one called her on it, just looking at her, as if they were shocked or something.

  "What? Did you think I was coming to simper at you or beg protection? That isn't the situation here at all. I wasn't even going to come here, except that Karen Derring asked me to. I don't know why. If you don't have anything to say, then... I'll be on my way." She went so cold that the Queen blinked at her, and then shook her head just ever so slightly.

  "I... You aren't in a combat rage, are you? I know that your brother Tor can seem strange at times when it takes him, speaking like this, but few can manage that."

  Tiera shook her head once, hard and stomped her foot.

  "I don't have to be in a rage to know when people are trying to abuse me. I've had enough. This will not stand!"

  The King looked behind her and spoke over her shoulder, like she wasn't there. That was his right, but she didn't think it was very polite of him.

  "Burks, is this... Normal?"

  There was a low voice from behind her, sounding almost as if he were just waking up from a nap or perhaps slightly drunk.

  "Perhaps. Laurie always had a temper as a child, but she didn't have the ability to take that level of fight to a person. Tiera isn't her however. From what I've heard of her she is often a bit... raw." He waved to her when she glared at him, her fury still on her face. "Like that. She isn't a bad girl however, perhaps if you'd relay the tale to us, we could better understand it? Would you do that for us Miss Derring." He held out his left hand to Tiera, to stop her from speaking. "It isn't that I won't believe you, of course, granddaughter, simply that Miss Derring might have a more remote view of what transpired."

  Karen didn't mince her words however, though she did seem to think Tiera was going a little overboard. After she related the story she made a face that said she was more than a little upset herself.

  "The man did rather misstep. Part of that is on Tiera, for not announcing herself with full title off the knock, but who treats people coming to their doors like that? In fairness the doorman didn't give her a chance to address things in any other fashion. She doesn't do meek well. Maybe you've noticed?" That was said directly to the King who very carefully didn't nod. "What she does do well is fight. She won't give up. At all, as far as I've seen. I don't know if she could take out Morris like she said, but I know if this isn't fixed we'll need to fight her here if we don't want her to try."

  Then she went silent, with Count Lairdgren walking up to her and putting a single hand on Tiera's upper arm. She didn't shrug it off, since he wasn't trying to harm her, she didn't think, but after a minute he turned and shrugged at the royal family.

  "I have to say that I don't feel this is what I'd want my grandchild to be going around doing, but it does seem that almost anyone would be proclaiming this as a problem at this point. One of the negative parts of our system. Perhaps we should call Count Morris and allow him to present his side of things? It might not help, but he did lodge a complaint already, and I have to say while a trivial matter over all, both clearly have reason to be aggrieved. If nothing else he should at least know why he's coming under attack." He spoke with a certainty on those last words that got Alphonse to stand, shaking his head.

  "No. Tiera... I hate to pull rank, but we simply cannot have you going around executing nobles, even if they are being morons. Do you agree to let me deal with it for you? I promise I won't make you humble yourself too much. There may be some and if it comes I expect you to at least act like you mean it. Understood?" He said something then that got her to wince and glare at him. "Remember, I'm your brother's friend, so it's my job to make sure things work out for you, if I can. Right now that means you have to do what I say."

  The Prince didn't stand on rank even, just going to the communications device himself, which was on a low table between the King and Queen. He hit the Morris sigil, or at least one that had the very man himself screaming at them not ten seconds later. For that to happen he must have been hovering over the thing, Tiera realized.

  "Is she dead yet? I demand satisfaction, that gutter-snipe insulted me and... dereliction of duty. No ex-whore is going to treat me that way! I want her dead by nightfall and better get a dispensation for travel time. I'm paying good gold to travel and not waste weeks doing it, I expect service! I-" The voice was cut off suddenly, as Tiera moved about ten feet closer to the little flat plate on the table.

  "Whore? " She looked at the King and pulled a weapon, it was an explosive, which got half a dozen liveried guards to come out of the walls. She tapped her shield an
d that got everyone else in the room to do it too. "How dare you, sir. That's it. I'm not taking any more of this..."

  "Shut up. Tiera, be silent!" The Prince actually thundered at her, sounding angry, which was something she'd never seen from him. Before the Count could start talking again he cut him off.

  "Morris, if the next words out of your mouth aren't an apology I suggest you give up talking." It was good advice, but the man didn't bother being sensible.

  "I'm sorry Prince Alphonse, is she your favorite whore perhaps? I have to admit I did think she was pretty enough in a slightly short haired way. Does she charge extra to do her up the ass, or is that part of the set price?" There was a wicked sounding laugh then. "You know, forget it. She can't be worth the price if she doesn't know her true worth. These uppity bitches with their flying machines think they're worth something now, but once a fuck-hole, always one."

  The Prince growled.

  "Shut it you moron! She isn't a whore, she's Conserina Lairdgren and more to the point, her brother, the Wizard Tor, has seen fit to outfit her with weapons that you can't match. Worse, she was already planning to come and kill you for your previous insults. I had to pull in her brother's name already to get her to let me handle this. Are you trying to die? Do you think she's too small to do it?"

  Apparently the man really did.

  On the good side it was only about two more angry rants in before he suggest that he'd deal with her himself.

  "I'll put a switch to her backside and then make her service me until she learns who her betters are. No whore is..."

  "Alright." That came out sounding clear, but also relatively calm and sweet. So much so that the room went silent and Karen actually grabbed her, pulling her back, away from the speaking device.

  The large girl looked freaked then.

  "No. We can't afford to have a war right now."

  Tiera shook her head.

  "Sorry, but it can't be helped. He challenged me to a duel. One with sticks? I take it that we meet without shields or other weapons then? I have them, but as mentioned, that won't help you. You against me, with three foot long clubs. To the death. I'll come there, we'll do it in two hours."

  It was stupid to do it on his ground, but the man wouldn't be able to come to her. She'd just have to make it work, then leave before anyone could stop her. Turning suddenly she started to walk out, only to stop when the baffled man on the other end of the magical device made a strange noise.

  "Excuse me?" At least he only sounded baffled and not abusive now. "This girl plans to do what?"

  That got Count Lairdgren to clear his throat and state his name.

  "As for what she's doing, well, you said that you'd beat her with a switch and then rape her. I believe she took that as a challenge to a duel. One without shields, but armed with sticks. Her intent seems to go to you and see to it. I'm not certain, but I think you may want to clarify your position on that. I would, if it were me. The young lady seems rather intent."

  The Count didn't really do that, calling her names again. It was clear he felt wronged, but so did she. There wasn't a lot to do about it, was there?

  The King put his foot down then, at least on part of it.

  "No, we'll do it here, in the Capital. So four hours? Miss Derring, if you see to retrieving him? If this is a battle to the death, then at least the girl should have the chance not to have dishonorable behavior win the day. After her treatment by you earlier, I have to say it surprises me she was willing to go back there at all."

  "I... It wasn't a challenge to a duel! This is ridiculous. She should just apologize and-"

  Tiera sighed and shook her head, eyes closed, when she opened them she stepped in a bit and spoke loudly, trying not to be sassy.

  "Fine, I apologize for any mistakes my anger drew me into."

  "Hah! There I told you, now we can just go along on our day and forget all this."

  That wouldn't work though, would it, she shook her head again, her breath short.

  "Oh, no. I apologize, but you challenged me, even if you want to claim you weren't now. You're coming here like the King said, and we'll see who survives the day. I honestly don't think Sandra loves you enough to go to war to avenge you, and this is just between the two of us. Come to your death. You have less than four hours now."

  The man hung up and she looked at Karen.

  "Do you need to borrow my Fast Craft?"

  "Um, no. I have my own. Tor gave it to me. I... should we do this? Tiera, this is a mistake. Even if you win and there's no war, it changes a person to kill another. I'm asking you... No, I'm begging you, don't do this."

  Tiera frowned and just shook her head. "I have a choice? You heard what he was saying about me? Even after he knew who I was he kept goading me. He wants this and I'm not waiting for him to come back at me in two years, when I'm not ready. Ducking out on this only serves to help someone like him, who will have time to bring in assassins or his military forces. This is the best way, maybe the only way that I survive this." Or at least take him with her.

  She had to presume he was an excellent fighter, because doing otherwise was always a mistake. He looked a bit soft, but it wasn't like she had years of training behind her, so if he was skilled enough it might make a difference. Short sticks would be a good weapon to pick, since she'd used them before, and he probably hadn't spent his life doing that. If he had, she might just lose and badly, but there really wasn't a lot else she could do about it. It was a duel and a fight to the death. He might try to get out of it, but if he did, well, that really did mean he'd just have a chance to come after her later with a lot more force.

  After thinking it through, out loud, she just shrugged.

  "That means that, one way or the other, one of us has to die today, doesn't it?"

  The only person in the room that even nodded was the Princess, who had short hair that was about halfway to her collar, in about the same red color that the Prince and his father had. Tiera looked back at her, still feeling the rage of all the insults, but trying not to take it out on the royal family. After all it wasn't their fault. Alphonse had even tried to salve the whole thing over, but Count Morris wouldn't let him.

  "Can you win this Tiera? You shouldn't throw away your life over it. He was a bore, but that isn't worth death." The Princess sounded reasonable then. Calm and collected as if she were just asking questions and not trying to lead her to a specific conclusion.

  The thing there was that Karen Derring answered for her.

  "She's stronger than she looks and not just a little. Stronger than Baron Havar, I think. Fast too. So much so that I honestly don't think the Count will survive if she really goes for him. She isn't a great fighter yet, but she's aggressive and doesn't quit. If Morris were a real fighter? Then maybe not. But he holds no extreme skill in that area that I've ever heard about." She shuddered then. It seemed like something real too. "This isn't about that. This shouldn't be happening at all. If the Count... What the heck he was thinking I don't understand."

  Count Lairdgren looked at them and then focused on his granddaughter, his face blank and relaxed. "He probably thought that Tiera was one of the regular transport pilots. Most of their original number were indeed prostitutes, and a few of them still maintain both professions. It might explain the reaction of his man as well, if his own Count had been referring to such women in that manner. Then, when she became angry, they couldn't allow themselves to see it as justified, since who listens to whores?"

  It made sense when put that way, not the man's actions, but how it might have arrived at them to begin with. Now he couldn't back away from what he'd said, or he'd lose face. Tiera gestured at Karen to go, adding the word please to the movement as an afterthought.

  "After all, he has an appointment, doesn't he?"

  Just after she left, Tiera felt herself at loose ends for a moment. There were things to do though, like walk the area they were fighting in, so that she'd understand what obstacles might be in her way.

>   "I need some heavy sticks." That was muttered as she wandered from the room, no one following her. It took a while to trace her steps back to the front door, but when she turned it was clear someone had indeed followed her. George the Royal Guard.

  She smiled at him, feeling a little sad.

  "Some days it's not even worth getting out of bed. Have you ever noticed that?"

  The man was silent for a moment, then nodded, his face stern and slightly disapproving.

  "On several occasions, to tell the truth. My job generally requires it of me anyway however, and we can never know what the day will hold, good or bad. My fellows are seeking those staves you asked for. Where will you be holding your duel? There's a nice flat area a way past the pond garden. Flat and covered with grass, so it will distress people less later, if one of you dies there. Off to the side where no one goes most days." He gestured toward the left side of the building with a bow, and walked with her to the place. It would do, she decided. It was very flat, but as she walked it she noticed a very slight dip in the turf. It wasn't enough to help her fight, she didn't think, not that she was an expert in the subject.

  Her whole plan was to rush the Count before he knew what was happening and flail his knees to take him down, then beat him in the head until he stopped moving. Not sophisticated at all, but it might work. Or she'd die herself. That was a real danger, she knew. No one offered her pointers or anything, but there probably weren't a lot of things that would help at that point.

  She spent nearly two hours trying to work out exactly how to approach the whole thing, and practiced it at a walk, covering everything she could think of, including an ambush, both before and after she took her shield off. If the man had no honor, sending in a military hit first would make sense. There would be less danger to him that way. She wasn't an expert on duels, but that seemed about right. You normally wouldn't do it, cheat like that, but he was the jerk that had started it all, so who knew what might make sense to him?