<u>Chapter 43 - Conspiracy</u>


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    One Month Later


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    Elizia paced before the gates of Torsdale, praying to the Flames that they spared supplies. Each second spent made it seem her prayers fell on deaf ears. Her unit had arrived sometime after dawn and it was already well into the afternoon given the sun''s position in a spotted sky.


    Guards atop the two story ramparts lounged in their fur lined winter cloaks, leaning against parapets and muttering amongst themselves while staring down at her. She glared in return, sparking smirks from them. Some had the gall to wave with fingers as if she were waiting to select one of them for a betrothal. Fingers Elizia was envious of, sheltered as they were with knitted wool gloves weaved with flexible leather. Her own hands were a pale mess, skin cracking at her knuckles, their sting the only feeling greater than the cold. She constantly flexed them, imagining swinging at those buffoons, imagining the sound of their crunching noses as her fist made contact with their faces. Which would bleed more? My cracked knuckles or their broken nose?


    High House Galadin''s deep green banners bearing a Great Oak at its center hung over the grey stone beside the gates. The Great Oak, a tree at the city''s center, had existed for a number of millenia. Its earliest records dated back to around the fourth century of the second calendar. Its beginnings were a mystery. Legends had been written of it. Why a city was built around it was a question also left unanswered. But House Galadin, a rather newly appointed High House with some five centuries of history, had adopted the Oak as their official mark.


    Elizia winced as snow kicked up from her furious steps and found its way into the small crevice between her high boots and shins. Her feet were already cold. "Ashes become of their stupid Oak," she cursed, carefully pushing aside snow from the path. To not even properly maintain the roads leading up to the city… As if it wasn''t troubling enough to have had to drive horses through snowy fields.


    Poor Valor. The horse seemed more drained by the day. It was hard giving him meals as well with snow covering grass. Elizia inhaled and frowned at the guards on the walls, just about ready to give a piece of her mind. A grocery list of insults aimed at Lord Galadin came to mind, but she kept that boiling water stuck inside her chest, heart pounding. Jasim was a shrewd man who knew to take advantages when they came. A wrong step and his guards could claim she insulted his honor. That would lead to a whole host of its own problems.


    A horse snorted behind Elizia. Azurus was trudging through the snow, fully armored, while Eleanoire pulled him along. He was holding her reins and she was pulling him along. The black mare nudged Elizia with its snout, clouds coming out of its flaring nostrils. Azurus shrugged. "She saw you feeding Valor an apple earlier this morning. She''s a lot smarter than I realize sometimes."


    Elizia crossed her arms. "The horse led you up the path?" The apple in question had been purchased for a whole copper half from a farmer two days past. That amount was worth a small sack of apples. But she''d paid it regardless, craving a delicacy after endless days of broth and jerky and gruel. She''d had half before sharing the other half with Valor.


    "I meant to come alone," Azurus said. "But she followed me. You''ve been pacing here for a good hour, El. It''s clear they won''t give us anything."


    Elizia looked up at the sky again. The sun had shifted a bit more to the west. Her knee joints were starting to throb. Walking a long while seemed well at first after a whole month of riding, but as the cold sunk in, she realized that it was her irritation keeping her going.


    "You haven''t tried calling out after that first attempt?"


    Elizia shook her head. A messenger had been sent early in the morning. The return reply was ''Lord Galadin will meet with you when he is awake.'' It''s Flaming noon already. "I asked them why it was taking so long. They said they spotted Jasim coming down the street. That had to be an hour ago. Probably lied to me."


    Azurus grunted. He turned his ice blue eyes to the guards. "Is this how High House Galadin would treat Xenaria''s Second Princess?" he roared. "You would leave her stranded here in the cold and lie to her?"


    Elizia stared at Azurus'' frowning face. He had veins bulging in his muscled neck that made its way up to his sharp jawline. Something about him being angry on her behalf was… appealing? She was glad to have him defend her. Had she tried it herself, only curses would have escaped her lips.


    "No lie, Sir Queen''s Guard," came the reply from above. It was slight, but there was an accent to his words typical among western Xenarians. "Lord Galadin was approaching, but took a detour, you see? Sides, if the lady was looking to be treated, she could''ve just asked. Lads at the guardhouse would be more than willing to treat her."


    Elizia ground her teeth. He''d said it without any change in tone from his voice, but she could guess just what kind of treatment he was implying. A number of rumors regarding Elizia and her mother supposedly found their origins at western Xenaria. Rumors about why it is two women spent so much time among soldiers. Rumors that went as far as questioning who Elizia''s real father was.


    Azurus drew his sword and pointed it at the guard, eyes wide and knuckles white. "You would insult the lady''s honour? Do you understand the consequence of such an action?"


    "No insult," came the reply. "I said nothing wrong, did I?" he looked at his peers who shook their heads. Their spears were resting against the parapets rather than being in their hands. Discipline was low here. Odd that the last sighting of rebels were reported as moving away from Torsdale and instead marching northward. The walls were hardly manned in such a trying time. A few ladders and Elizia was certain she could have the city captured within hours with just her legion alone had she the mind. "You mentioned treatment," the guard continued, "and so did I. You know, hot meal, warm fire, warmer bed. Hospitality. I meant nothing more."


    They''re still at it. Elizia''s hand moved to her back. Her fingers found emptiness. Thank heavens that they did. Had she her bow and quiver, the guardsman would be seeing out of one eye, assuming he''d survive with an arrow in his head.


    The man suddenly cursed as a subordinate whispered something in his ear. "The Flames does that cripple want?" Elizia heard him say. And then there was a call to open the gates. Rusted hinges creaked as the doors were pulled back from inside. Not heavy doors requiring rotating gears to move like those at Arcaeus, but wooden gates about two inches thick.


    How many hits from a ram would it take to break such a door? Four? Or maybe even two with our strongest infantry?


    There was a lone guardsman waiting behind the opening gates, cursing and kicking at the snow before it. His spear rested on his shoulder and his grip was loose. He bowed and motioned for Elizia to enter, muttering formalities which she couldn''t hear. She glanced at Azurus, nibbling on her lower lip. Iron entered her mouth as she bit a cracked part a little too hard. Her breaths were shallow. She had no desire to enter alone. Not with Torsdale''s guards giving her leery stares. It was like being in the thick of an enemy. A feeling Elizia, an archer, had never experienced. She felt small all of a sudden.


    "Lieutenant Faren will be upset if you go without your guards," Azurus said. The unit was camped not a few hundred paces away.


    Elizia narrowed her eyes. "You didn''t come here on your own. Faren sent you here. After I denied being tailed by guards."


    Azurus turned his head away, admitting to the accusation with silence. "You shouldn''t do that," he said after a while, still not meeting her eyes. "You shouldn''t get upset at him for having a tight watch around you."


    "It''s suffocating," she countered.


    "It''s safety, El. Or would you tell me that life without your mother is not suffocating? That life confined to a bed while wounded from an assassin is not suffocating?"


    "That…" She looked down at her feet. Azurus certainly didn''t take many words when making her see the truth. Nor did he spare her their sharp edge. Arguing further would be of no use. She wanted him behind her anyhow.


    Elizia stepped into Torsdale while the young knight whispered a few words to his horse, sending it off towards the encampment before following alongside Elizia, hand resting on the pommel of his sword. She still had her own daggers at her waist should matters turn sour.


    The city guard led them up a set of stairs to the top of the ramparts. At least they kept the steps clear of snow. So they weren''t stupid enough to not recognize obvious safety hazards. At the top, a man in a wheelchair awaited them. The other guards were glaring at him, making it obvious that someone from among them had carried the man while another had brought up the dark wood chair.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    "Your highness," the man greeted, placing a hand to his chest and lowering his head.


    "Lord Luka," Elizia said, returning the gesture. She''d never seen him before, but who he was was obvious. Luka Galadin, eldest born to Jasim and a cripple shunned by his own family. "My lady will suffice. I don''t quite think honorifics befitting royalty suit me."


    "As my lady wishes. And please, just Luka works for me. I am no lord as I''ve nothing to inherit." The guards snickered at his mentioning that. She flashed a glare their way but they weren''t paying attention to her. They were instead sizing up Azurus who was a full inch taller than the tallest among them. Elizia was just a few hairs shorter than the black armored knight, yet no one took her measure.


    She turned her attention back to Luka. He wore a green woolen shawl over his shoulders which the ends of his mop-like hair touched. A few spots of dried blood marked his chin. Those seemed somewhat recent. A shaving accident, likely. A thin white fur pelt rested in his lap for warmth. The hairs on it were small. Coney fur stitched together. "Did you need something from me, Lo— er, Luka?" Elizia asked.


    He offered an innocent smile. One like a setting sun, withering and without glory. "Would you mind, my lady?" he said, gesturing to the handles of his chair.


    The guards murmured something about how such a menial task would be beneath her. Elizia ignored their flimsy attempts at trying to protect her honor now. She took hold of the chair and pushed Luka along the ramparts to a spot void of any others. Azurus'' heavy steps trailed her from a few feet back. "This is what you wanted, right? For me to push you?"


    "Mm. Alas, if the walls were a few storeys higher to push me from."


    Elizia paused. "What?"


    "Yes. I did wish for you to push me, Lady Elizia. After all, kindness is an act far beneath the guards of High House Galadin."


    Elizia blushed in shame. She wasn''t doing this out of kindness. She was doing it out of urgency, hoping Luka could provide something for her soldiers or give any amount of relevant information.


    "Would you like to choose how you die, my lady?"


    She paused again. She heard Azurus half drawing his sword at such a strange remark. "I''m afraid a soldier doesn''t have the luxury of choosing their death bed," Elizia answered.


    "The luxury of choosing their death bed," Luka echoed, running old seeming hands along the fur pelt on his lap. The skin on it bore more wrinkles than a man his age should have. Hands that likely saw little use and were ruining without ample exercise. "I suppose there are luxuries we all cannot afford. Strange. My younger self envied soldiers. I didn''t consider your point of view."


    "Why am I here, Lord Luka?" Elizia asked again.


    The withered man sighed. "I suppose seeking a conversation partner was too much to ask," he said, looking up at the sky. "I should know better than to let my grief drag others. You''ve an urgent matter to attend to and I''m keeping you here. Irritating, right?"


    "Yes."


    Luka chuckled. "Not a second''s hesitation. Good. I prefer honesty. House Galadin lacks that these days. Strange as it is, my father is somewhat merciful. If a downpour could be considered mercy, father has a single raindrop''s worth inside of him. That''s why I haven’t been completely abandoned. That''s why I still have some degree of authority."


    "And?" Elizia asked, pushing Luka along again. Standing and doing nothing was only furthering her irritation.


    "And it''s just that. Some authority is all I have. I don''t have enough to grant you the supplies you seek. If you must know, father had no intentions of meeting you until evening. Something about inviting you to dinner and meeting my younger brother, Edvard."


    They reached the corner of the ramparts and Elizia steered the wheelchair away from another group of guards drinking while leaning with backs against the stone, not even watching the fields beyond. Thick fur lined the top of their cloaks and an oak was painted on the leather across their broad chests. They raised their cups to Luka to mock him while wiggling their legs to show those worked.


    Luka offered nothing more than that dying smile.


    Seemingly bored that they got no reaction, the guards turned their attention to Elizia, regarding her curves for a moment —a moment that didn''t seem to end for them— like desperate and penniless dogs scrounging for coins before a brothel. She ignored their slurring and vulgar courting words and they reached out to grab her. Sudden silence made her smirk. She took pleasure in imagining their fearful faces as Azurus stared them down while she continued to push Luka along.


    "He''s inviting me to a dinner while the nation is amidst a civil war. I came for supplies. Not parties."


    "Oh you''ll have your supplies," Luka said. "Plenty of them. This assuming you accept the betrothal. And then father will likely skip out on your dowry while claiming it was paid in the form of supplies. Such is his mind."


    Elizia heard a sharp snap as her hands tightened around the wheelchair''s handles. The wood was old. So the House couldn''t even allow their eldest a decent chair. "He can''t even spare us any coal to help run our fires?" she said through her teeth. A large plume rose from far to her left. She squinted, making sure it wasn''t clouds. Her heart hammered as horror struck her. Were there rebels behind from where her unit had come, burning farmlands? Impossible. The scouts wouldn''t have missed it.


    "Coal," Luka said with a touch of amusement. He stared at the same rising smoke that was slowly making its way towards Torsdale with a westward wind. "Don''t be alarmed, my lady. That is nothing more than a massive Corpsefire."


    "A what?"


    "These city folk are a superstitious bunch you see, some still claiming to the old ways of the Flame Bearers rather than accepting Trillia as the true Goddess and creator of Illusterra."


    Elizia twitched, feeling talked down to. So Luka was a Trillian convert, and one with firm enough faith to denounce others it seemed.


    "The darkspawn often found roaming the dark of the Iron Mines, imps and ratmen and the like, their bodies are burned, you see. Burning ensures they stay dead or so the myths go. They seem just as dead when speared through their heads if you ask me. No. Father will not spare you coal. Not even after accepting the Trillian faith himself. But he will spare it for these superstitious bunch, letting them create corpsefires."


    Darkspawn. The Astral Union went around hunting people they claimed were darkspawn. They''d burned down the Papillion Forest and killed all of Elizia''s aunts in the process. That was what her mother had said. All of them, apparently, were darkspawn. There were real monsters roaming unwatched crevices within Illusterra, monsters that Elizia had only seen illustrations of in books, but those generally went ignored by the Union.


    "If I will not be spared any supplies, then why am I here?" Elizia asked.


    "Wasting time?" Luka shrugged. Elizia waited for more but he stayed silent. Despite the need for haste, she felt it wrong to ask if she could leave. Luka was in evident need of friends. "You don''t have to ask me to leave," he finally said, as if guessing her mind. "I wouldn''t curse you at all if you just left silently without my knowledge. You''re good at that, did you notice? Silence I mean. Your footsteps aren''t audible."


    Elizia frowned. She had a habit of being stealthy, sneaking around Arcaeus Peak often during nights as a child. And her unit was trained to be fast and conduct ambushes if need be. But Luka couldn’t possibly be guessing that. Her steps had to be drowned by the sound of his wheels grinding against the stone and Azurus'' steps behind her.


    "Strange how one notices small details when not occupied with other things such as walking," Luka said. "Really, I wouldn''t have been upset if you''d left. Everyone does eventually, using some excuse or another. It''s why I have multiple servants to take responsibility of me. They all find some way to leave me to another person. But you of all people would have had a valid excuse."


    Elizia felt another wave of shame overcome her. Her impatience was drowning her kindness. "May I be pardoned, Lord Luka?" she asked.


    "Again, with the ''lord''," he sighed. "You may, my lady." She began pushing him back towards the gates. His head hung as he stared in deep thought at the many lines on the back of his hand. "I really wouldn''t have minded," he said again, whispering now. "Dying abandoned and alone in the cold wouldn''t have been a bad way to go."


    Elizia felt her mouth dry. "You take your jests too far, Lord Luka." She cringed as she said it. How else did a person respond to such a situation? To her relief, Luka actually chuckled.


    "You know, the rebel forces came within a few miles of the city. A sizeable number of them and not all of them were peasants from what I heard. Some several thousand. But they turned northward."


    "I know of that," she replied.


    "No. You don''t. Does it make sense to you that a poorly guarded city like ours is ignored by our enemies in this civil war? Gaining Torsdale could near be a chokehold for Queen Dahlia."


    Elizia''s breath caught. "You mean the Iron Mines?"


    "Yes. We supply most of the nation with the means for their arms and wares. Not to mention father sent out a legion of about a thousand from here a fortnight ago to aid with quelling the rebellion. Another convenient excuse to not give you supplies you see, as he heard your numbers were coming this way a few days before that. And several days earlier, the rebel group was spotted and they turned north as well."


    "What are you trying to say?" Elizia asked.


    "Don''t trust Jasim Galadin," Luka said. "Torsdale still has some five thousand footmen inside. Poorly trained and hardly ever on duty, as you can see by the empty walls, but well equipped. We have a few thousand more at the Iron Mines, but those are mostly injured men from lower class families that are forced to guard and mine for small pay. What I mean is watch your back. It wouldn''t do well to find yourself caught between two forces while you''re attempting to cross Blackridge River now of all seasons."


    Would Lord Galadin really dare to strike our flank? There''s little benefit and if he fails to kill us to a man, there will be hell to pay. It didn''t make sense. Jasim was known to be greedy, but meticulous also. He wouldn''t take such risks. Something certainly seemed amiss with the timings, but Elizia couldn''t place what it was. "To warn me like this… you don''t have any loyalty to your father then?"


    Luka laughed. Laughed hard and loud —enough so for the guards at the gate to turn their heads as she pushed him towards them. Snow on the walls shone like sugar dusted over a grey cake, shining beneath the afternoon sun. "To actually ask me that question after our conversation. You must love your own father very much, my lady."


    "Yes," she admitted, blushing.


    "You were raised without negligence then. I''m glad. At least Xenaria seems to have a future. Farewell, Lady Elizia."


    "Farewell," she said, knowing he likely wouldn''t. She skipped down the steps and hurried outside past the gate to her unit, Azurus following. She didn''t want to get caught and invited by Lord Galadin''s men. If he managed to invite her to dinner and she refused, he could claim that an insult and raise iron prices again as he seemed to do every few years. "Any idea what might be going on?" she asked Azurus after a while. "About Luka''s warnings I mean."


    "You''ve likely thought of anything that I have," he said. "I can''t guess at what manner of conspiracy is being concocted. We have to be careful in our chase of the rebel group however. Especially careful when crossing the river."


    "Agreed," Elizia said, clutching the two ends of her cloak before her chest, fingers and toes still cold.