I hopped over a little flower border. The blooms--ghostly white in the soft glow from the lamps around the park's circumference--ran up the brick walkway and gripped the stone lip of the fountain. I opened my mouth, leaned in, and took a deep gulp.
And heard hooves. Boots.
"You, there, girl! Halt!"
Who in the ever halts when the enemy tells them to?
Of course I took off in the opposite direction, as fast as I could: running across grass, leaping neatly tended flowers. But the park was a circle, which made it easy for the riders to gallop around both ways and cut me off. I stopped, looked back. No retreat.
Meanwhile another group came running across the lawns, swords drawn. I backed up a step, two; looked this way and that; tried to break for it in the largest space, which of course was instantly closed.
There must have been a dozen of them ringing me, all with rapiers and heavier weapons gleaming gold tipped in the light from the iron-posted glowglobes and the windows of the houses.
"Report," someone barked; and then to me, "Who are you? Don't you know there is a sunset curfew?"
"Ah, I didn't know." I smoothed my skirts nervously. "Been sick. No one mentioned it…"
"Who are you?" came the question again.
"I just wanted a drink. I was sick, I think I mentioned, and didn't get any water…"
"Who are you." This time it wasn't even a question.
The game was up, of course, but who said I had to surrender meekly? "Just call me Ranisia." I named my mother, using my hardest voice. "I'm a ghost, one of Galdran Merindar's many victims."
Noises from behind caused the ring to tighten, the weapons all pointing a finger's breadth from my throat. My empty hands were at my sides, but these folks were taking no chances. Maybe they thought I a ghost.
No one spoke, or moved, until the sound of heels striking the brick path made the soldiers withdraw silently.
Baron Debegri strode up, his rain cape billowing. Under his foppish mustache his teeth gleamed in a very cruel grin. He stopped within a pace of me, and with no warning whatever, backhanded me right across the face. I went flying backward, landing flat in a flower bed. The Baron stepped onto my left knee and motioned a torch bearer over. He stared down at the half-healed marks on my ankle and laughed, then jerked his thumb in a gesture of command. Two soldiers sprang to either side of me, each grabbing an arm and pulling me to my feet.
"What have you to say now, my little hero?" the Baron gloated.
"That you are a fool, the son of a fool, and the servant of the biggest--"
He swung at me again, and I tried to duck, but he grabbed me by the hair and then hit me. The world seemed to explode in stars--for a long time all I could do was gasp for breath and fight against dizziness.
When I came out of it, someone was binding my hands; then two more someones grabbed my arms again, and I was half carried back to the street. My vision was blurry. I realized hazily that a gem on his embroidered gloves must have cut my forehead, for a warm trickle ran nastily down the side of my face, which throbbed even worse than my ankle.
I got thrown over the back of a horse, my hands and feet bound to stirrups. From somewhere I heard Debegri's harsh voice: "Lift the curfew, but tell those smug-faced Elders that if anyone harbored this criminal, the death penalty still holds. You. Tell his lordship the Marquis that his aid is no longer necessary, and he can return to Remalna-city, or wherever he wants."
Quick footsteps ran off, and then the Baron said, "Now, to Chovilun. And don't dawdle."
Chovilun…
I closed my eyes.
And heard hooves. Boots.
"You, there, girl! Halt!"
Who in the ever halts when the enemy tells them to?
Of course I took off in the opposite direction, as fast as I could: running across grass, leaping neatly tended flowers. But the park was a circle, which made it easy for the riders to gallop around both ways and cut me off. I stopped, looked back. No retreat.
Meanwhile another group came running across the lawns, swords drawn. I backed up a step, two; looked this way and that; tried to break for it in the largest space, which of course was instantly closed.
There must have been a dozen of them ringing me, all with rapiers and heavier weapons gleaming gold tipped in the light from the iron-posted glowglobes and the windows of the houses.
"Report," someone barked; and then to me, "Who are you? Don't you know there is a sunset curfew?"
"Ah, I didn't know." I smoothed my skirts nervously. "Been sick. No one mentioned it…"
"Who are you?" came the question again.
"I just wanted a drink. I was sick, I think I mentioned, and didn't get any water…"
"Who are you." This time it wasn't even a question.
The game was up, of course, but who said I had to surrender meekly? "Just call me Ranisia." I named my mother, using my hardest voice. "I'm a ghost, one of Galdran Merindar's many victims."
Noises from behind caused the ring to tighten, the weapons all pointing a finger's breadth from my throat. My empty hands were at my sides, but these folks were taking no chances. Maybe they thought I a ghost.
No one spoke, or moved, until the sound of heels striking the brick path made the soldiers withdraw silently.
Baron Debegri strode up, his rain cape billowing. Under his foppish mustache his teeth gleamed in a very cruel grin. He stopped within a pace of me, and with no warning whatever, backhanded me right across the face. I went flying backward, landing flat in a flower bed. The Baron stepped onto my left knee and motioned a torch bearer over. He stared down at the half-healed marks on my ankle and laughed, then jerked his thumb in a gesture of command. Two soldiers sprang to either side of me, each grabbing an arm and pulling me to my feet.
"What have you to say now, my little hero?" the Baron gloated.
"That you are a fool, the son of a fool, and the servant of the biggest--"
He swung at me again, and I tried to duck, but he grabbed me by the hair and then hit me. The world seemed to explode in stars--for a long time all I could do was gasp for breath and fight against dizziness.
When I came out of it, someone was binding my hands; then two more someones grabbed my arms again, and I was half carried back to the street. My vision was blurry. I realized hazily that a gem on his embroidered gloves must have cut my forehead, for a warm trickle ran nastily down the side of my face, which throbbed even worse than my ankle.
I got thrown over the back of a horse, my hands and feet bound to stirrups. From somewhere I heard Debegri's harsh voice: "Lift the curfew, but tell those smug-faced Elders that if anyone harbored this criminal, the death penalty still holds. You. Tell his lordship the Marquis that his aid is no longer necessary, and he can return to Remalna-city, or wherever he wants."
Quick footsteps ran off, and then the Baron said, "Now, to Chovilun. And don't dawdle."
Chovilun…
I closed my eyes.
( Sherwood Smith )
[ Crown Duel ]
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