A Simple Darkness (The Young Ancients: Tiera) Read online

  That was one thing that Count Overland had been correct about. If it had been her father out there, Tiera would have done the same thing, wouldn't she? Even if it meant breaking the rules. It was what you did for family. She could almost forgive that, but she still felt ready to kill them all. Even Countess Morris and she'd only tried to fix things, not make them worse. Twice even.

  It bothered her a little that the King was so clearly siding with the bully though, as if he were the one in the right and she was the mean one that had started it all and then used his family and armed forces to cheat. No one was even requiring them to say they were sorry. It was galling. She felt her own anger start to rise again, even though there probably didn't seem to be a reason for it as far as anyone else could see.

  Finally, after about fifteen minutes of that, the King left the room, along with Count Lairdgren and a few others she didn't know. Probably to plot against her. She followed them then, her eyes hard, rage just about as bad as it could get without her boiling over. She wasn't subtle about it, just walking at the back of the group, going unnoticed until King Richard turned around and looked down at Count Lairdgren.

  "Oh, Tiera. I didn't really mean for you to be in on this part, perhaps you could find some refreshments." He waved his hand and pointed at her, which got two people to step out of the wall, each with Royal Guard liveries and uniforms, as well as weapons in their hands.

  She ducked and pulled her own, her back going to the wall behind her, ready to take them out.

  Count Lairdgren rolled his eyes and spoke slowly. "Calm. Everyone stand down. Richard was simply asking for Tiera to be taken back to the gathering, I'm certain."

  At least the King nodded at that.

  "That was my intent. I was going to suggest a bit to eat perhaps?"

  Tiera shook her head.

  "No. You're just letting them go. You've picked your side and chose the bullies. Loyalty has to go both ways you know. If you won't back a loyal subject against people like that, then it's no wonder people want to overthrow you! You didn't even tell them to apologize or anything." She stomped her foot, so angry that she didn't care if she looked like a ten year old girl at the moment. "Fine then. If you won't be my friend, then I'm not yours either. Don't come to me for help when you need it. If you can't be friends with a single person, you don't deserve to be King."

  Then she left. Everyone stared at her, until she got around the corner. She didn't wait, running for the door then, choosing to go out the front, since no one sane would expect her to. She didn't stop to work the handle, just kicking it open and heading out. It broke, but was faster and they were rich enough to be able to afford a new door. It didn't matter anyway. She'd have to break a lot of doors before it hurt them at all.

  It did give Tiera an idea however.

  Instead of fleeing, or even just going to Tor's house or back to school, she made herself remember the town map she'd seen earlier. It had directions to the Morris Capital house right there on it, marked in red, almost as if it were a sign. True, that had been so that she could find it to deliver them for the meeting, but it let her work out how to find it, even now. She didn't get her Fast Craft out or anything, she put on her flying rig instead, and flew out over the northern wall. It meant going over the magic river on the top of it, but she left that alone for the time being. She was only going after Morris after all, unless pushed to do more.

  If no one was going to help her, she'd do it herself.

  It took about half an hour to drive in low mode through the gate, her vehicle made to look like a happy pink and orange glowing globe of translucent glass. It got people's attention, and most of all didn't seem to be angry or anything like that.

  When she walked to the front door she made herself a dress of light blue that glowed ever so slightly, and a pair of the tall boots in dark brown leather that the street prostitutes wore to work. She was a whore? Count Morris would regret those words until he died, if she had her way.

  Then she very properly knocked on the front door. There was a bell, but the chain for it was well out of reach, meant for giants, not people her size.

  When the man came, he saw her instantly, glowing as she was.

  "Oh! Good evening Miss. I fear that no one is home to receive visitors at this time. Might I take a message? Or, do you need assistance perhaps? Refreshment or directions? I'm sure we stand at your service." He wasn't old, possibly in his mid-twenties or so. Decent looking and not as tall as all that, only a little over six feet. He had nice solid brown hair and a cream colored uniform on that had little buttons on the front.

  "Hello!" She tried to sound happy and cheerful, since this door man wasn't being rude to her at all. Then she explained what she needed, quickly. "There was a duel earlier, Count Morris and I. He's still alive, because he cheated and used his military men and his wizard daughter to save him. Very low of him, don't you think? Cowardly and craven. I'm going to destroy this place, but I thought that I'd give the servants a few minutes to get out. How many are in there? We'll want a head count. I really can't take long with this however..." She got out her explosive and took out part of the far portion of the large structure, but just a corner, so no one innocent would be harmed.

  That got the man to run, screaming for an evacuation. It was quite helpful of him and everyone left without their things. She waved at them and suggested they get at least their personal belongings, since she wasn't after them, not as individuals.

  It took about twenty minutes and the fifteen people stood, several crying and pleading, as she very carefully knocked the place down. That got the attention of the city guard, but she just ignored them, since they couldn't touch her at all anyway, shields were good for that. Then, waving sweetly, she blew a single kiss, and set up her Fast Craft, taking off without warning. She thought some of the men tried to fire at her, but nothing hit that she noticed.

  Then she headed for County Morris.

  That took longer, but by the next morning they no longer had a house at all, anywhere in the kingdom. Then she went through the town of Morrisberg, taking out any businesses that were identified as being owned by the Count himself. Luckily he liked to put his crest on things he owned personally. It made them easier to find. It was a sparrow in gold on a black circle. It was actually pretty enough, she reflected, as his personal tannery was turned into nothing larger than hand sized chunks. She had to run, when his forces came, since she doubted she could fight hundreds of men, but they couldn't catch her at all.

  Noon found her back at school, since she was making decent time. She wasn't even tired yet. She had to ask where to find Sandra's room, which was, humbly enough, above a shop on the far side of town. She was an graduate after all, not just a fellow student. Instead of taking the place down, since it was a rental, Tiera used a Force Lance on the door and collected up all of the things inside. Then she made a pile of them in the street, and purchased some lamp oil as people came to watch what she was doing.

  She had to use a match, which meant going back to the same shop and buying an envelope of them, but soon she had a nice fire going. There were a lot of amulets too, but those weren't going to go up like the old dresses and bedding, being on metal for the most part. She stuffed them into a chest and then flew off to the coast, dumping them all into the ocean, standing in the back of her vehicle, with a nice ocean scented breezed rolling over her

  She'd have to keep doing that for a while, to make sure it really hurt them, but she had the time now, didn't she? It wasn't like she could go home or anything. That thought made her feel sad and want to rush off right then, but she needed to get a nap and then get back to work. The Morris family wouldn't destroy themselves, would they?

  She made a base of sorts, hiding in a deep forest to the far north. No one would look for her there, she was nearly certain. Making the windows go away, she waited, changing one of the seats in the back into a large flat bed. She needed some water, but that was easy enough to take care of, a clean stream trickl
ing not too far from her for that.

  After she drank and washed up, the water cold at first, but her heat equalizer, a gift from her brother, keeping her toasty after the first flash of coolness. Then, exhausted, she laid down and slept for hours. When she got up she was a bit hungry, but that didn't matter. She flew back to County Morris and stopped in the first large town she saw. It was bigger than Two Bends, but not so huge they'd heard about an insane Conserina bringing war to them yet. She bought some bread and cheese, and ate it sitting under a covered awning near the store. A man walked out, wearing a blue uniform that marked him as the town guard. They probably only had the one. He looked to be about forty or so and sat near her, but not at the same table.

  "You're not from here, are you?" It didn't take a lot to guess at that, since she was still in her slightly glowing outfit and long leather boots.

  "I'm not, actually. Are you the Guardsman here?" She tried to seem polite and mainly managed, the man nodding, as if interested in what she might have to say.

  "Ah! Wonderful. I'm looking for any businesses owned directly by Count Morris and any military bases as well."

  The man made a slightly sour face and looked away.

  "In order to set up business? Well, I can see that going to a military base is a fine plan, but if you need coin, couldn't you sell that gown? It must be worth a small fortune."

  That got her to follow his eyes to her boots, which she changed then, feeling a little embarrassed, the man actually jumped back for a second.

  Tiera giggled.

  "Sorry, magical clothing. I'm Tiera Baker. Conserina Lairdgren? One of them at least. The Wizard Tor is my brother, so I get these things for free. Anyway, could you aid me? It would be a tremendous help. Thank you." She waited and instead of seeming like he was stalling he fingered his chin and thought before speaking. It was good to know that people from County Morris could do that and weren't all massive morons.

  She realized that she might be just a tiny bit upset still. Tiera smiled at the thought, and the man told her about all the places he could think of in the northern section of the County.

  It took six days, since they were starting to pick up on who she was, and the military was chasing her the whole time, but she'd taken out just about everything that the man owned personally. Including his tree farms. She reduced them to bark-dust before anyone could report it and was gone, spending each night in a different location, thousands of miles away.

  That being the case, she was a bit shocked, when on the seventh morning, when she went outside to see to concerns of nature, she saw another Fast Craft sitting next to her own, facing it, about fifty feet off. At first she didn't see the man, who was plain dressed in brown, like a student or workman, and had about a month's beard growth.

  She blinked and for a moment thought it was Count Lairdgren, come to punish her. It wasn't of course, since he couldn't possibly have that much beard yet.

  It was Tor.

  "You're alive!" She ran to him and found her shield bumping into his, making them both smile.

  After a few seconds he shrugged and looked off into the forest.

  "Nice place. I heard a rumor that someone was wrecking the economy of County Morris and I knew it either had to be Sandra or one of my siblings. No one has died, so it's kind of telling. I followed you last night. You probably need to check behind you more often."

  There was a blandness to the way he spoke, but it held something she wasn't used to under it. A cold and harsh sound that wasn't exactly the brother she remembered. He'd always seemed a little soft and almost too sweet for the world. Whatever had happened to him, that was gone now.

  She explained the whole mess with Morris and what Sandra had done. After a bit he nodded.

  "Makes sense then. You should offer to allow them to surrender soon. That or kill them. I know, you can do that when you take a package to the Capital for me. Take care of two things with one trip. It's a great plan. I have some presents for people."

  More than a few, the back of his vehicle was full of things. Some of it for people in other lands.

  "That's... I'm not the one doing that kind of thing. Timon has the Fast Transport business. I was going to Lairdgren, but I imagine I've been kicked out now, don't you think?" Her smiled was a bit wry, but not bitter, it had been her choice after all.

  Amazingly he shook his head.

  "Probably not. It's only been a week and you had off days in there. So what, five real days missed from classes? People will understand. Besides, it isn't like when I went there. You're a Conserina. I was just a scholarship boy. Go to Hardgrove and knock your head on the floor and explain and he'll probably let what you've been doing count as life experience. It isn't like you've been off drinking or something."

  She nodded.

  "Sir Kolbrin should let it count, but Instructor Crane won't. He's my singing Instructor. We probably have a new song already and I don't even know the words yet."

  Her brother smiled and stretched, standing up.

  "So, has everyone been safe? I've been a little out of touch. It had to be done, but I miss everyone. You'll tell them that, won't you? The family, Trice. Rolph and the rest of the Royal family?"

  "You mean Prince Alphonse? I guess. I'm not letting them arrest me or anything. The King, I said we aren't friends, because he and Count Lairdgren are backing Count Morris against me. It's petty, especially with this rebellion going on, but I was pretty angry at the time. I've cooled a bit, but I don't know if I can really just go back after that. Ma always said that Kings and high nobles played by their own rules."

  "What?" Tor shook his head and kept talking, waving at her to not interrupt. "Rebellion. Richard isn't that petty, and you are, like it or not, just a schoolgirl. He isn't going to make a big fuss over what you said once, in anger. Especially after he sees what you have for him. I wrote out instructions, the papers are in each box. Anyway, who's rebelling and what's being done to stop them?"

  He didn't like the answer, since she didn't really know it all. She had a partial list of people on their side, but not the bad ones.

  "I know that the Larval are in on it. One of them and Countess Alan, they took Timon a few weeks back, so that they could use his communications device to get you to come out of hiding. They tortured him the whole time, Tor. Some Austran medicine that's said to be the worst thing a person can feel. For days. The Countess... raped him too. He won't really say what she did, but it was worse than it sounds like I think. They're dead. He killed her, and Count Lairdgren took out the Larval." She just went silent then, not knowing what to expect from Tor. Anger. Rage maybe, or tears. All of those would have been right and fitting.

  Instead he nodded and sighed.

  "I was afraid that would happen. I'm sorry of course, but it's good it was Tim. He's stronger than the rest of us, in a lot of ways. I can't imagine what it would have done to Taler or Terlee. Or you."

  Tiera nodded herself, trying not to be upset that her brother had become some kind of monster. It wasn't like she was much better, was it?

  "I'm tougher than you think, you know." Her hands went to her hips, but she smiled about it. "At school they even put me in the fighters section properly, not just part time like you were. Mainly to watch me, but I have been trying to learn. I think I'm doing pretty well."

  "Sounds like it. I bet Count Morris would agree at least. Anyway, don't be afraid to go back. Just remember not to let them push you around. I always thought I was seconds from being kicked out and I can see now that was never the case." He paused and then bowed to her, just a little. "That doesn't mean you should be a bitch though. You didn't just hurt the Count, but all the people that worked for him too. The Count won't starve this next winter, they will. Their kids will. It's why you need to let him have terms of surrender. That or just kill him, so someone else can take over. Otherwise you're just being cruel to the people that really do know how to answer doors politely."

  After that he hugged her shield again and helped
her shift all the boxes into her craft, which took a while, mainly chatting about what had happened in the last months. Tiera didn't know for certain, but it seemed like her brother was lonely. He didn't linger even given that, the instant the things had been traded over, Tor got in his own craft and headed to the south, without saying goodbye or mentioning when they might meet again.

  She waited, so she wouldn't see where he was really going. After all, what she didn't know, couldn't be forced from her later.

  Chapter eight

  There was a rocky moment when Tiera landed in the regular spot outside the King's palace. That was probably because she got out and her craft had been made to look different, more like Timon's mirrored rectangle. That was mainly because there was a slight chance that someone might object to her coming in to land like that, if they knew who it was.

  At least the Royal Guard didn't rush her or anything, just standing around her in a half circle, holding various kinds of weapons on her. Knowing only the one man by name, she waved to him.

  "Hi George. I have a letter and some packages for the King. Well, and Count Morris. Terms for their surrender, if they want them. Would you be so kind as to take this in for me?

  She'd written it up herself and while the paper lacked real class, it was legible. Sealed in wax too, since she didn't really care about it that much. You sealed the important stuff with a bloody fingerprint, as least all the old tales her mother had told her had that in it. This didn't even have a seal, just a blob of wax to hold it closed. It wasn't like she had a signet ring or something. It seemed reasonable to her at least, but no one moved for a few seconds, as if not believing her or something.

  "Or... has the King declared war on me personally then? I suppose this is the right place to be, if that's the case, don't you think? Nice and cozy, inside the building's shields and everything." If she could get back in the craft she might be able to take them all out. The things were hard to beat and didn't break as far as she could tell.