EL Official BK5 Chapter 14 - Keeping People on My Side. (Patreon)

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Two arrows shot past with a soft whoosh and I stopped. They struck the tree branch to my right, splintering the wood on impact. A hit from them would have been critical-.. My thoughts were interrupted by movement on the opposite side and I reacted out of instinct. I caught Baltzar by the shoulder harness, dragging him back just in time to save him from the next two arrows.

He sprawled, scrambling to correct himself as I dropped him to the ground, “Don’t you watch where you’re going?” I demanded bluntly.

“I didn’t see-”

“Shhh, we’re being watched,” I silenced him without looking over.

Our opponents were somewhere on the opposite side of the clearing, hidden among the trees. Where I sat perched was the very edge of their range. They weren’t strong enough or accurate enough to hit from this distance, but I was. If I could figure out their location.

Quietly, I readied an arrow, setting it in place and drawing the string taut. A long moment passed with no further movement from the treeline.

“…I think they’ve gone now. We can keep going,” I spoke calmly, motioning for Baltzar to go ahead.

“Why aren’t you moving then?” he demanded, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

“An arrow hit me, I have to heal, I’ll catch up.” Still he hesitated and I sighed, “You don’t trust me?”

“Not particularly,” he muttered, before reluctantly beginning to cross the clearing.

More arrows flew the moment he stepped into the open. I knocked them off course and he hurried back to safety. I had only needed to see where the attacks were coming from, and now that I knew, I tracked their direction with my eyes. The trees were thick, hard to see through the leaves, but I took an educated guess and released a small barrage of arrows.

Two out of three hit. Mathéo dropped his bow with a curse of disdain, and I moved immediately. Keeping my bow loaded I darted across the clearing with Baltzar close behind. We reached the treeline and he sent a blast of magic up at our opponents while I circled to the side to get a better angle. I could have killed them, if I wanted.

Instead, I struck through Mathéo’s shoulder and pinned Wilhelm’s forearm to the tree. They weren’t going anywhere. “Get the target,” I ordered and Baltzar nodded. He moved past as the pair spat insults, and I smiled politely. They were lucky I didn’t choose worse places to shoot.

Winning the match was easy enough, but it was only one of over thirty tests that made up our final score for the exams and I hardly needed the boost. I ranked number one in our class by a margin great enough to put others to shame. I had already guaranteed myself a passing grade, even if I didn’t participate in any additional exams. 

My father would have loathed to see it, and that was exactly why I made sure I won every challenge. I wanted him to know how wrong he was, to prove to him that his cowardice served no purpose. 

Baltzar’s rank was reasonable, he would pass, while Ávila’s was interesting. There were no express laws preventing her from participating and the stir it caused was all the castle could talk about. She was doing well in each of the individual assessments, but no one was willing to include her in team events, so her score for those remained zero.

If her singular results were high enough she could pass without participating in group efforts, it was simply more difficult to do. One missed exam or poor performance would eliminate her completely and she had already misstepped. Ávila had faced Krystian in her short-range weapons combat trial and he was disproportionately larger than her.

She lost the round only because she couldn’t block his attacks well enough to save herself. It earned her a less than half grade, meaning the remainder of her tests would have to be perfect scores—a near impossibility.

“Markos,” she called, running after me as I exited the exam area, although I pretended not to hear. 

“Markos!” she called louder, grabbing my shoulder, “Wait, I need to talk to you-”

“No,” I stated calmly, shrugging out of her hold.

“You didn’t even hear what I wanted to say…”

“I already know what you want, my answer is no.”

Ávila scowled, “You’ve already passed! Help me please, just do one team exam with me. If I don’t get perfect scores on everything else I won’t pass and who knows what will happen. I need at least one group event…”

“If I agree, I might as well admit to training you in open court. No.”

“That villa you want- someone else wants it too. But if you agree to help, I’ll go claim it right now, today, and sign it over to you. Consider it an advance payment.”

“And if you fail the exams regardless? Then what? Our agreement would be void.”

“...Well, you’ll just have to make sure I don’t.”

I snorted, “Ridiculous.” 

“Markos, please,” she begged.

“...Go claim my villa. We can get through the cross-country event together.”

A broad smile spread across her lips but I ignored it. The truth was that Baltzar and I had bet on whether or not she would make it through the exams. He bet against while I had bet for, and if I didn’t help her with a team exam, I was going to lose.

We stepped off the grass onto the concrete and a tall fae with a wide-eyed human pet by his side greeted us. They blocked our path casually and ice filled my veins. “Young Lady Ávila,” he began.

“Lord Edwin,” she curtsied in an effortless movement.

“I hear you’re participating in the exams?”

“...Yes.”

“The outcome will be interesting,” he commented before his attention shifted to me, “And who is your young friend?”

“Markos Bellerose,” Ávila answered with no compunctions.

“I see, a pleasure to meet you, young Bellerose,” he offered his hand and I grimaced to myself remembering the man who threw me into the ocean bound to a chair. Was it too much to hope that he wouldn’t recognise me?

“It certainly is!” I agreed, accepting the handshake as I withered away on the inside.

“Your ranking is impressive, I’ll be sure to keep an eye on you,” as he spoke, he squeezed my hand harder than necessary and I forced a smile.

“I’ll try not to disappoint.” 

Edwin’s eyes narrowed and the corners of his mouth twitched into an entertained smirk as he released his grip. “I’m sure you won’t.” 

The man turned away without another word and I exhaled the breath I'd been holding. 

“You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you nervous before, it’s not like you just met my father,” Ávila commented with a giggle, and I turned to glare.

“Who is he?” I demanded, startling her.

“Lord Edwin is one of Lazarus’s advisors. Why?”

“... Doesn’t matter. I have to go. Get my villa signed for.”

I wanted to follow him to know everything I could, his place of residence, his routine, his acquaintances. How often his damn pet blinked, if she ever did. He knew more about me with my name alone and I was sure he knew it was me he had tried to drown on the ship that night.

Unfortunately, my need for answers would have to wait. There was somewhere else I was scheduled to be.

*** 

I arrived at the Klein quarters before the shadows touched the opposite side of the castle and Peronne was quick to open the door. She waddled with her swollen belly. The second pregnancy was growing fast, she must have already been double the size expected and she looked less than pleased. Her hand was wrapped around Lucinde’s arm as she dragged the girl with her to the door.

“At last, I was beginning to think you wouldn’t come,” she sighed, “This girl is such a difficult child.” 

“It is my duty,” I reminded her with disinterest.

“Make sure she is bathed and fed before returning her.”

“As you wish,” I agreed, as she pushed the child to me.

Her mother’s grip left red lines and she had dirt on her jaw. I could see why Peronne wanted her bathed. The girl was growing like a weed, at this rate, she would be waist height by the time her sibling arrived.

“What were you doing? Playing in dirt?” I asked at last as we walked down the halls.

“No…” Lucinde grumbled in return. She didn’t elaborate and I didn’t ask.

Despite my aunt's assertion that the girl was a difficult child, I found that to be rather untrue. She was quiet and intelligent. Or at least, smart enough that she hadn’t yet given me away for any of the likely illegal things she’d seen me do or been a part of. 

Lucinde held onto the ends of my ponytail as we walked. She twisted the soft curls around her little fingers and was careful not to pull on it. My hair was long enough to brush the top of my hips so she could hold on easily and I left it unbraided for this reason. It gave her something to do and kept her quiet while I skulked about the castle.

We crossed the gardens and I crouched to check for any letters from Hasan. “Keep watch, tell me if anyone is coming this way,” I instructed and she nodded. Today’s letter was vague, but interesting.

‘The Hlaford’s consort carries the twin seeds, but whether the garden grows oaks or flowers, we do not yet know.’

I narrowed my eyes. The letter almost certainly was about Peronne’s pregnancy, but the line about ‘twin seeds’ had me confused. Fae don’t have twins, so why was it referencing two? Was it perhaps simply implying that this was her second time bearing a child? 

“Little one, what do you know about your mother’s pregnancy?” I asked curiously.

She fidgeted, “...If it’s a boy, I won’t matter anymore.”

“Aside from that,” I sighed, “Her stomach is big, does she see the healers often?”

“She saw a healer yesterday…”

“Did you hear what they said?” 

Lucinde shook her head, “Mama wanted me to leave, I waited outside.”

That was less than helpful. 

“I want you to tell me the next time someone sees her about it. I need to know everyone she interacts with. Okay?” 

She nodded and I narrowed my eyes, “Come here,” I ordered pulling her close. The dirt on her chin was shiny and, by the lighting, darker than when I had first seen it. I licked my thumb to wipe it away and she winced.

The girl was too well trained to pull away, but she squirmed giving a small sound of discontent as if I had hurt her. The mark on her skin didn’t wash away as expected and I realised with mild surprise that it was a bruise.

“Great,” I muttered to myself, I didn’t want to be the one to notice something like that, “Hold still.”

Energy stirred at my fingertips, at least this was an opportunity to practice on a Fae. I healed the damage and faded the bruising. Perhaps I shouldn’t have been using the Klein family's daughter to test my skills, but it was fine work.

“You remember what I told you about when you’re at home?”

“...Yeah…”

“Repeat it for me.”

“I should be quiet and stay out of the way.”

“Good, next time do that.”

“…I just wanted to talk to mama…”

I could hardly blame her for that, “Little girls don’t make a fuss. Quiet is better, safer.”

She nodded without saying a word, smart girl. 

“Come, I still need to have you fed and bathed,” I mused, picking her up around the waist, I carried her under my arm like a limp doll. 

“Hey!” she protested half heartedly.

“What? You don’t like the world like that? How about upside down then?”

Lucinde squealed when I turned her upside down. Her hair brushed the ground and her face turned red, but she laughed regardless. It wasn’t as if I cared for her joy. It was simply that the day she realized she had authority over me would be an unfortunate one, so I had to keep her on my side.

My father’s actions had put me in this position. I was to serve the Klein family as he was to serve Ælferic. To wait on their every whim, and do as I was bid without argument. Occasionally Lazarus had me run errands for him personally, but most often I was to babysit Lucinde. I was little more than her nanny.

I attended the evening meal with her in the banquet hall. We sat far away at one end, away from her mother and father. She was still too uncoordinated to use utensils in a clean way, and if she spilled her food where others could see she would be punished. 

Watery red juice leaked from the meat and I diligently mopped it up for her. I showed her how to walk in heeled shoes and how to dance formally. Countless hours were wasted watching her prance around with a cup of water on her head. 

“String pulled taut, puppet,” I commented when her shoulders slouched and she straightened.

I taught her to read in three different languages, and measured her height over and over. Taking care of her interfered with my training so I took her with me. She waited patiently while I beat Baltzar and Ávila into submission. That was probably good practice for her, waiting would be all she did later.

When Lucinde got older my role changed somewhat. I was no longer required to raise her so much as protect her. She got taller. Her skinny little frame moved with forced grace, and she spoke eloquently among others centuries older than her. Peronne paid her little mind, by then heavily pregnant with twins after all. The girl was an afterthought.

“Markos…” Lucinde interrupted my thoughts. 

“What?” I responded blandly. 

She was behind me, sitting in a bathtub full of bubbles while I laid with my arms folded and eyes closed, waiting for her to wash. My hair draped into the water, and I breathed in the steam deeply. I was at least trying to take the opportunity to relax since the time was otherwise wasted.

“Can I braid your hair?” she asked softly.

“If you want.”

A long moment of silence passed, before she spoke again, “...Do you hate me?”

“Hate implies I care at all,” I answered, disregarding her in the hopes she would take the hint.

“...You never look at me.”

“Why should I?”

“Father says we are to be married.”

My lip curled involuntarily, “That’s not happening.”

“Why not…?”

“Because our children would have three eyes, we’re cousins,” I reminded her with disdain. Maybe these weird foreigners thought that was fine?

“But Father says-”

“Your father has a room temperature IQ. I’m not marrying you.”

“When the twins are born you’ll be assigned to them instead of me…”

“Yes.”

“...I don’t want you to go…”

“You don’t need a ‘nanny’ anymore, and a platoon of guards will be better suited to protecting you.”

The girl was quiet and I sighed, “My responsibility is to the Klein family. You are part of it, if you require me, I’m obligated.”

“I want to marry you…”

Lucinde had no concept of what she was saying, it was just the worthless mumblings of a child. Her father must have mentioned it and somehow she came to repeat it to me. She didn’t understand what marriage ment, nor how much of an insult was intended by offering her to me, “I would sooner marry Ávila.”

“…You’re the only person I’m safe with.”

The statement caught me off guard and I faltered before answering, “Safe? Please, I would sell you for a bag of rocks. Unfortunately, no one has yet made such an offer.”

She was quiet again, “Can you live in your room in the castle please?”

This little brat, “No.”

“Why not?” 

I ignored her. The room I had been assigned the day Lucinde was born was luxurious, but it wasn’t something I could share and I couldn’t bring myself to leave my mother behind. I used the room for storage mostly, and to gain access to the daily banquets. Maybe once Ávila signed over the villa I wanted I could move. After all, it was plenty big enough for a family.

“...Please? I just want you to stay near…” her voice wavered as she spoke.

“Don’t cry,” I warned, “And don’t feel so sorry for yourself. You’re the eldest daughter of the Klein family. Figure out what you want, and use your position to get it. You have more leverage than you think. You’re not a delicate flower.”

“But I’m not strong-“ she sobbed. 

“You’re smart, that’s all you need. You already know your parents can’t be relied on. So pick someone more beneficial to be your husband, someone who can hold a title and whose position is influential. Wrap them around your finger, use them to make sure you have whatever you want.”

***

I returned Lucinde, as always in the later evening, and began the walk home. The sky was dark but clear, light from the street lamps polluted the skyline and I combed through my hair with my fingers. The girl had created a single thin braid. It hung oddly straight among the curls and I fiddled with it absently.  

My centenary (100th birthday) passed in the summer some time ago and everything since then had fallen into place. Adelaide was tolerable, she spoke to me more often now. On rare occasions she had even made food. Perhaps she had only hated me when I was young. I hadn’t told her of the villa yet, I wanted to be sure it was mine first, and I had planned to surprise her with it.

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed movement in the shadows of the alleyway to the side. Someone was following me, I thought, and I turned down the next street to double back. Another figure slinked over the rooftops and a third lay in wait ahead.

I slowed to a stop, “Why don’t you stop hiding in the dark,” I called as I reached back for my sword.

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