Kingdom Born

Chapter 15: Deserving

I woke to find Sanderson propped against the side of my bed staring down at me with a face that betrayed nothing but weighty thoughts. I shifted slightly. "Now that you're awake, I would like to talk about those remarks you said against my homelands."

I tried to think back but any memories after drinking the healing swill was masked from my mind. I shook my head and pushed the heavy covers away. This dress was too warm.

"You said that our women can't hold property, weapons and are nothing more than cattle to be traded or fought for."

Nothing came to mind. "I don't remember saying anything."

"Where did you get this information?

"Karl told me about his homeland. He didn't want to but I begged him to. I wanted to understand what had made him into the man he had become. After he told me how little women are regarded in the Kingdom, I wouldn't even entertain a thought that I would set foot in a land where even a father wouldn't even pay the ransom for his only son."

He stared up at me, face paling grey and a furled brow cutting a deep scar across his forehead, "What ransom? Who are you talking about?"

"A man who leaves his son in the hands of pirates because he is ashamed of him for having talents as a scholar rather than a warrior. If the Goddess would allow me to look into that face of that man I would avenge all the pain Karl has suffered.

"Karl....Karlen Bezer...Thane Bezer's son. Are you telling me that your husband is Karlen Bezer, heir to the Halsem's War Thane?"

"I don't know what land he comes from but he did say that his father was a War Thane. Bezer that is a name that he doesn't acknowledge."

Sanderson relaxed beneath me. "This changes everything." Phara...we're related. Karlen Bezer is my cousin - his mother and mine were sisters."

I searched his facet here weren't any traces of Karl. "Why didn't the War Thane pay the ransom?"

"He did."

"You lie!"

"Thane Bezer sent a chest full of gold to the spot where he was told. When he and his body guards got there, the ransom escorts were dead. They found a boy's body, badly burnt, about the size of Karlen. I helped them bury him.'

'Thane Bezer was never the same afterwards - he just got quiet. If there was some hope that Karlen was alive, don't you think Bezer would have gone after the pirates?" Sanderson paced around the small confines of the chamber.

"Why would a loving father send his much beloved son away in the first place?" There was a sneer in my voice. "I saw Karl's agony when he remembers his childhood. There was nothing his memories of a loving, caring father would have torn across the seas to rescue his son."

Sanderson turned back to me, his face a mass of emotions and unanswered questions. He strode to the side of my bed. He filled the whole room with his presence. "How did Karlen end up here?"

"Karl. He doesn't like the name Karlen."

"Karl... how did he end up here in your lands? There's three weeks of fine sailing between our lands."

"He was taken captive on your side of the sea, but he was brought back by raider ships. He was used as...sport. He felt he had no recourse - there was no one he could turn to for help so he jumped into the sea. I found him on the beach outside of Sandshore. I gave him the love and respect that he didn't get in your kingdom lands."

Sanderson dragged his hand across his short hair. "Karlen...Karl was a child then. He didn't understand. Bezer was sending him to my father's holdings because we had the finest library in the entire Kingdom and all the scholars were studying with us. Bezer had realized long ago that Karl wasn't soldiering material and it was only when Karl showed interest in books that Bezer was relieved that he had found his calling."

Sanderson began to pace the room like a caged tiger I had seen once in a traveling carnival. The room was too small for him to turn around but the beast was too dangerous to face unprotected - such was Sanderson. Anger erupted in Sanderson's face. "She deliberately used me and I was taken in."

"Now you know how it feels."

He stopped his pacing and stood in the middle of the room, legs wide apart and his hands clenching in frustration. "I can't let him stay there. No matter how he was raised he is still heir to the War Thane." He strode to the door and disappeared up the stairs bellowing at the top of his voice for his first mate. I struggled out of bed and followed him up on deck.

"We're heading into battle, men. Bring her about!" The ship began to turn, crashing threw the waves and sending spray over the railings. I almost lost my footing on the wooden deck. "Look lively!"

What ever the Healer had given me had settled my stomach and left this feeling somewhat refreshed even if I was still weak. Sanderson was standing at the wheel directing the men handing from the masts with a mastery that was commendable.

"Give me my clothes and a blade. You are going to need all the help you can get. Misha sent that pirate ship after to you made sure that you didn't return. You will have a battle like you have never seen before."

"No, you stay where you are, you’ve done enough. Now that I know that you're a relative and a mother, it is my responsibility to make sure that you are taken care of."

"I can take care of myself. I don't plan on being defenseless when they attack."

"They won't attack." I could tell he was taking his guilt and anger and transferring to the up coming battle. Anger filled my soul

"Didn't you learn anything?"

He shook his head. "I've learned that the women here are nothing like I've encountered before but I won't have you up on the deck. In the fight my men just might get you confused with the pirates."

He offered me an unfamiliar smile then gestured me back toward the lower chamber as if my problem was already solved. I sucked in my in annoyance. I could handle a sword regardless of my weakened condition. I couldn't fight in these skirts. I turned and hurried down into the chamber. The silks I wore would have to be in there somewhere. I began searching through the drawers when the sound of the door slamming and a key turning in a lock brought me to my feet. I knew it was useless to rush over and try the door but I did it anyway. Sanderson had treated me with a little respect for my talents, now he simply expected me to stand aside as if I was nothing more than his Kingdom women who needed men to protect them. I felt . . . belittled. Who was this man to tell me what to do? I had sworn an Oath on my acceptance in the guard that if any one woman, child or man needed my sword I would give my life to protect them. I had tried to keep true to my Oath and no Man was going to make me break it now.

I headed over the small wardrobe that was bolted into the far wall and pulled out a pair of large breeches and tunic. There were no signs of my silks anywhere. I ripped the length off breeches to fit properly. And tied it with strips of cloth. I didn't need to trip in the heat of battle. I had to do the same for the sleeves of the tunic. Then I began to search the room for a weapon. There was nothing. I wanted to scream out my frustration but that would have been a waster of energy that I would need for later.

The sound of the men hurrying about above my head sends me into frenzy. I had to get out on deck. They didn't know what to expect. They were going up against women with sword who knew which end to hold and if they treated them like a bit of fluff would end up as dead as those who were supposed to protect Karl - so long ago on another sea.

I bashed a small table against the floor repeated until it collapsed into pieces then I shifted through the debris. I found an iron table leg. This would have to do until I could pick up a fallen sword.

I could hear Sanderson and Mitch yelling out instructions to their sailors. I had to get on deck. I took the leg and began to dig into the soft wood around the lock. Time past by quickly. The whole ship shuttered and screamed in the snap of wood as the raiders rammed into us. I was thrown against the wall. I barely had the time to roll away as the door toppled over into the room. The force of the impact had ripped it right off of it's hinges. I took to the stairs.
The ship rocked again as the current locked them together like passionate lovers. Blade against blade as well as the screams of fear and agony clashed together above me. I staggered up the stairs as the ships knocked together again. I gripped the iron leg firmly in my sword hand and stepped into the fray.

The attackers were too well armored for random raiders which only supported my thoughts on who had sent them. I laid out a couple of women before one raider realized that I had nothing more than a stick to protect me. She tried to take my head from my shoulders. I ducked, brought my table leg up so her blade bit deep. She jerked back and the leg flew from my hand. A grin crossed her face as pulled back her arms so she could trust the sword forward. I stepped in close and rammed my elbow flush into her teeth. She staggered backwards dropping one hand from her sword hilt. I had hoped that she would drop it. I glanced to my right and found a man kneeling on the deck with both hand at his gut trying to hold his entrails in place. I leapt toward his fallen sword. He wouldn't need it any more. It was heavier that I was used to but it felt good.

My attacker pried the table leg off her sword and now hurried at me. I blocked her blow, kicked at her knee sideways. She collapsed onto the deck. I ran her threw so hard that the point dug into the deck. I left the kingdom sword there and retrieved the light blade she had used.

Looking around me, I noticed that the raiders fought with discipline. They were well trained soldiers. The ship that they had rammed us with was a finely built schooner, just for this purpose. The schooner had been reinforced at the bow to make it a dangerous ramming ship. They could have overtaken this ship at any time. These were not raiders. My attention was caught by ragged blonde hair waving in the wind. The man the fighter was attacking dropped to his knees and then just sank back as his life's blood drained away from the cut in his neck.

Kayla! Misha had sent her after Sanderson to make sure that they didn't come back to port.
I concentrated on the quickest route to her and rejoined the carnage. A woman came rushing at me, flailing her blade about wildly. She had the dazed look of someone on Smoke. I didn't underestimate her. Those on smoke were sometimes unstoppable. I might have to cut her legs and arms off before she stopped charging. I blocked her first three blows then slipped on the spilt blood and took a shot to my left shoulder with the flat of her blade. It was hard enough to send me reeling to the deck. She screamed again and raised her sword above her head to pin me like a sea crab. Half a foot of steel jutted out of her chest. She looked down at it in amazement before she died.

Mitch hurried over to me as I climbed back to my feet. "Watchcase doing h're girl. The capt'n put you down in the room fer yer own protect'n." Mitch dispatched another attacker by kicking out. He jumped high enough to catch the raider in the face. She disappeared over the railing. "Get down stairs before ye get yerself kilt." Mitch's eyes widened as I flipped a dagger that I rescued from another women who had no use for it over and threw it past his head. He whirled on his heels in time to see the raider right behind him grab for her throat. She dropped to his feet lifeless.

"Don't confuse me with your Kingdom women." I climbed to my feet, brush past him and began a methodological search for Kayla. She was toying with a young man when I came across her. She disarmed him and was about to run a killing blow when my sword deflected it. She whirled around then grinned wickedly. "You always show up when I least expect it. This time you don't get to sneak up on me. I'll enjoy killing you."

Kayla gestured me forward with her short sword. It registered in the back of my mind that she had been using it with a clean efficient technique. Her claims as second daughter were not false. I stepped forward and engaged her. We matched blow for blow ranging from stairs to wheel, back down to the lower deck before we locked blades then shoved each other around forgetting the rules of discipline. She had more strength that I but I had more hatred. The words of caution that I had always told my guards not to allow emotion to rule your mind during battle fled from my thoughts. Emotions lead to a messy end, if the Goddess was willing, a quick death. I shoved Kayla backwards and raked my point across her left cheek. He hand flew to her face then stared down at the blood. "I'll cut your gut open!"

Hatred was a hard core centered deep in my stomach. My mind never seemed clearer. I stepped inside her guard and pivoted on the ball of my foot and sliced the tendons behind her knee of her right leg. She fell to the deck without a sound. Two handed she swung at my ankles. I blocked the slash, using my forward momentum I drove my fist into her face. I fell on her and dug my knees into her bloody leg. She screamed this time. I threw her sword over board listening to the loud splash. I climbed back to my feet and stared down at her. Her face was tight with pain. The skin around her mouth was white. She met my eyes without fear. She knew she was going to die.

"He rides like a well trained horse but I've had better. He ain't at the Arena any more, nor the Palace. Try and find him, Red."

I grabbed her hair back, exposing her neck as I ran the edge of my blade on it lightly. Blood streamed down into the amour. "Where is he?"

She laughed. I pressed deeper, she gritted her teeth but said nothing. I dragged her to the edge of the railing and looked down into the red stained water. The sailors had always told me of how sharks could sense blood leagues away. Now there were fins everywhere.

Kayla tensed in my hands. Tell me where he is or I'll feed you to them one piece at a time." I pulled her head over the railing and bent her double so she could see her fate. "I'll see you hell..." She grunted back then wriggled out of my hold into the sea. Her screaming started before she hit the water. The water splashed wildly for a few moments then she sank beneath the waves

I turned around to silence. Sanderson and his kingdom men stood victorious. Ten raiders knelt on the deck with their hands on top of their heads but the men's attention was on me. I wanted to scream you have no right to judge me. I told you from the first day who and what I was. You ignored me. Belittled my abilities and poked at my talents. I felt the flush of anger stain my cheeks. I drew himself to my greatest height forcing the waves of weariness away from me.
Mitch broke from his dumbfounded stare, "What are ye, woman?"

"What I need to be."

I wiped my sword clean on the nearest dead body then headed toward the captured prisoners. I pulled a dagger from a man's belt disgusted with the ease that I took it from him. If any of these raiders had the presence of mind to attack again, they would have little trouble re-arming themselves. Well scarred women stared back at me with undisguised hatred in her eyes. I chose her first. "What are your orders?"

"I've nothing to say to you kingdom woman." She spat at my feet. I killed her quickly. I moved to the next women down the line. "The first death is quick. Yours won't be. What are your orders?"

I cut her face in a sharp motion. The kingdom men around me gasped out their disbelief.
"Again, what are your orders?" She grimaced and tried to spit at me. I dispatched her as well

The third in line was a young one. Her eyes widen with fear as I waved the bloodied dagger in her face. "Have you got anything to tell me?" She gulped as sweat ran down her face in trails.
"No... may the Goddess have pity on your soul."

"NO!"

"Keep quiet Rosha." I glared over at the other speaker. I grabbed Rosha from the man holding her and forced her to her knees before me. She shuddered as I teasingly ran the blade along her face, smearing it with the blood of her fallen partners.

"What are your orders?"

"We were supposed to follow this ship into open waters...."

"You little...."I pivoted and kicked out at the speaker. Her head snapped back with a crack and she slid to the deck seemingly lifeless. I had kicked her harder than I had expected but that couldn't be helped now. There were seven prisoners left.

"What's going on here!" Sanderson strode into our midst with all the arrogance of a lion demanding his fill from the kill that the lioness had made. I ignored him as I turned back to Rosha.

"You were supposed to follow us to open waters and..."

Her eyes were riveted to the corpse I had just made.

"Tell me your orders and I promise you, your death will be painless and quick. That is the only thing I can promise you."

“As long as the ship kept sailing eastward we were to do nothing...if you he turned back to the mainland we were to attack and kill all on board." The men around us began grumbling with anger. Now that they had seen and felt what a Goddess following woman could do, they began to see just how close they had come to their ends.

"No prisoners?" Sanderson demanded standing beside me.

Rosha shook her head, "We were to take all we wanted from the hold then set the ship aflame."

"My lord." Sanderson's low voice cursed.

"Who sent you?" Rosha shook her head and bowed her neck. We would get nothing else from her willingly. I looked over at the remaining seven raiders and their combined glares should have killed me if they had physical force. I picked my sword up marked my spot then buried my blade threw her back, cutting into her spine and piercing her heart. The point lodged into her breastbone. She was dead before she hit the deck.

I turned toward the remaining captives. Sanderson caught my left shoulder and held me in place.

"Peace cousin. They're disarmed. They can't cause any more trouble."

Have you got a gaol for them?'

"No."

"Then throw them overboard."

"Woman ye haft to be out of yer mind? Hasn't there been enough killing for one night?" Mitch gestured to the carnage on the deck and the stain of blood tinting the boards.

"You have no gaol. You have causalities so you don't have the men necessary to guard them night and day. Mark my words, that if given the chance they would slit your throat like someone cutting into a cooked piglet at the dinner table."

"What's difference between you and them?" Sanderson asked seriously staring me directly into the eyes. his face was splattered with blood which he had smeared with the back of his hand so that it now looked like poorly applied actress rouge.

I returned his gaze evenly, "I kill only those who deserve it."

I cleaned my blades off on Rosha's stained tunic then headed back toward the chambers. Silenced chased after me into the darkness.