Chapter 27: Theodora (Part 1)
Cordelia jumped slightly at the sudden intrusion. She hadn't even felt Theodora's presence approach her. Even now, standing next to the tall blonde woman, Cordelia had a hard time finding the woman's energy. It was as if Theodora knew how to conceal her mana. Which piqued her interest. However, right now, Cordelia just wanted to get home and lay in silence for a long while.
"Ah... Lady Theodora. Yes, I need to get home to prepare for tomorrow. I have a few things I need to take care of in the morning." Cordelia looked over at Theodora, who had lit a cigarette, taking a long draw from it before blowing the smoke into the air above her. "Thank you for this evening. I feel like I must apologize to you. Lyonis's outburst this evening wouldn't have happened if I hadn't... teased him so much..." Cordelia stumbled over her words, unsure how she should address the tall, imposing woman, wondering if her bringing up the situation seemed awkward. She did not want to insult anyone, especially those surrounding Lyonis, and she felt like she might've already accomplished that unintentionally.
Soft laughter erupted from Theodora. She drew in a deep inhale from her cigarette before stomping out the butt on the side of the street. "Dear Madame. It was refreshing to see the Commander loosen up a bit. And Troels's greatest pleasure comes in the form of broken noses, closed fists, and clashing swords. He was practically begging for it the way he was laying hands on you all evening. Honestly, I'm surprised the Commander held out for as long as he did." Theodora motioned down the street, encouraging Cordelia to continue walking. "It was an enjoyable evening, do not dwell on it any longer. No harm was done."
A sinister smile flashed over Theodora's face for a split second, "Seeing the Commander come undone like that was exhilarating. I haven't seen that side of him in so long." She sighed, "And to think it was caused by a woman. I would have never guessed he had it in him. If I had known, I would have poked him sooner..."
Cordelia couldn't help but feel slightly relieved and also curious at the comment. It implied that Lyonis didn't give the opposite sex any time of day, but it also implied that side of him was not an off-chance thing. Lyonis had violence in his past. And from the way Theodora talked, it seemed like that violence was welcomed. The ominous smile that flickered across her face just moments before gave away Theodora's dark past. The woman seemed to relish chaos.
"Oh, but of course, I would never imagine putting you under such stress, Madame VonElise. Please don't take my comments seriously." As if flipping a switch, the menacing aura emanating off Theodora disappeared, and she returned to her collected self. Cordelia couldn't help but notice how quickly the energy had changed around the woman, and she couldn't help but wonder if there was more to her than she let on. "Now, don't tell me you lulled the Commander to sleep, tucked him into bed, and then left without saying goodbye?!"
Cordelia stiffened. That was exactly what she did, and as if reading her clearly, Theodora laughed loudly, "I thought he had you firmly in his clutches tonight. The Commander doesn't sleep easily or soundly, and you left so quickly! You must really have the magic touch." She winked at Cordelia before laughing again. Cordelia felt her ears warm at the comment. They hadn't done anything lewd, but of course, one would assume that after the way Lyonis had carried her away ripe with lustful intentions.
"Apologies, Madame. We're both women here. What's the harm in some gossip between friends?"
Friends. The word stuck with Cordelia. It was true she had many in Ville Marais who she would consider her friends. Mauve, Delphine, and even Lady Ambrose, to an extent. But there was always a wall between them, and they always seemed to place themselves on a lower social bracket than her. She would consider Gabrielle a friend, but since the young woman was her apprentice, Cordelia was more a mentor than friend.
She had watched young men and women grow up in Ville Marais, forming lifelong bonds with one another, shopping, partying, dining, and enjoying one another's company. They would cling to one another, laughing and smiling as if they had no worries, sauntering around town arm in arm.
Cordelia had never experienced carefree, uninhibeted friendships like those shared between the people around her. Interations, though genuine, were always cordial, polite, and respectful. She had placed a wall around her that she knew made her less approachable. Her stiff and proper exterior didn't help. And while she felt like she had loosened up quite a bit since arriving at Ville Marais 30 years ago, there was still apprehension in her actions and words that always kept people at respectable distances. The more she thought about it, there was always a small amount of fear that seemed to radiate from those around her and it made everyone that much more wary of her.
"It's such a lovely evening. I should really stretch my legs," Theodora stepped quietly alongside Cordelia and her words pulled her from her thoughts, "Do you mind if I escort you home this evening?"
"Not at all. I'm happy to have company." Cordelia paused a moment, wondering what she should talk about. She had questions, about Theodora, the crew and Lyonis but was apprehensive to ask. But the night air and the liveliness around them filled her with an odd sense of confidence and indifference that suddenly she couldn't help but feel like she didn't quite care what Theodora thought of her questions. It's not like the crew and ship from Gresas would be staying forever. Her and Lyonis's fleeting relationship, if she could even call it that, would come to an end shortly after the festival. Why couldn't she treat herself a little? Why not allow herself a few simple questions? "So Theodora, how did you meet Lyonis?"
Theodora smiled brightly, as if she remembered a fond memory. "Oh... I'm not sure I should be telling you this..." Her apprehension only fueled Cordelia's curiosity. "The Commander would probably give me an earful..."
"I won't tell." Cordelia shrugged, "Your crew will be leaving shortly after the festival ends... what's the risk of sharing a few small secrets..." She glanced at the tall blonde through sideways eyes, mischievousness thick in her voice. "...Between friends. I won't tell if you don't."
"Hmm..." A sly grin grew over Theodora's face, and Cordelia could tell the woman was resisting the urge to give in to Cordelia's request. She laughed again, "I think I can see why the Commander likes you so much. You're a lot like him..."
She lit another cigarette and placed it to her lips, putting the matches and small tin case back in her pants pocket, "We met on a battlefield." The faraway look on her face held a mixture of fondness and nostalgia. "I was sent to assassinate him." She giggled at the memory, "I was owned by a lord in a neighboring country near Gresas. He used my many skills to assassinate important people, lay claim, and weasel his way into acquiring large expanses of land and businesses. Gresas was currently engaged in a war between our country, and the Commander was a... an important person during that time. My previous owner tried to take advantage of the chaos of war and sent me to... take care of him." She sucked on the end of the cigarette, choosing her words carefully.
...
...
Theodora snuck through the treeline, careful to keep herself out of sight. The Gresas legion was camped out on a hilltop along the border. Soldiers had been working non-stop since thier arrival, digging trenches, building stone walls and wooden outposts, and securing the perimeter from wild beasts and monsters that flocked through the woods.
The lean 14-year-old girl wore skin-tight clothes and had covered herself in grass and leaf-covered pelt. Her ashy blonde hair was cut short, and her athletic but slightly starved apperance gave her a boyish look. After scouting out the lay of the vast campsite, Theodora selected the best location to find her target, General Tualon - the Fang of Gresas. Easily slipping past patrolling soldiers, around thier barricades, and throughout the campsite, she made her way deeper into the campsite. Her sensitive ears picked up hints of valuable information as she snuck around in the dark.
"Glad we're posted on this side of camp. I want to stay clear of the General. He's in a fucking rotten mood. Someone needs to get that man a decent lay so he can get off our back. I swear that man never sleeps. He's been going at it for three days straight. It's...." The tired men didn't even bother to check thier surroundings. They all sat around a small campfire roasting a few rabbits over the flames.
Theodora moved silently towards the opposite side of the camp, gathering information about her target as she went. A sinister smile crept over her face, it seemed the General had been up for days straight, and rumors had spread across the camp that the Fang of Gresas was a demi-god or demon in disguise. But Theodora never believed in Gods or Demons. If they were real, then why would they allow such suffering to happen in the world? She spat on the ground in disgust at the thought.
Towards the center of the camp was a massive tent with four large but smaller tents surrounding it. Theodora found a nearby tree and climbed high into it, carefully placing herself out of sight. She watched as men walked in and out of the large canvas tents. She didn't have much of a description of the General but knew he had dark brown hair, dark olive skin, was supposedly as tall as half a giant, had filed his teeth to sharp points, and had fiery red eyes. It was outlandish, and Theodora speculated much of it was propaganda, spread to strike fear into the enemy's hearts. So far, none of the men she saw matched that description. They were all regular men. Stupid, regular men.
After a few hours, a group of men exited the largest center tent. Among them, she noticed a tall, broadly built man with dark olive skin and brown wavy hair. He stood a good head taller than everyone else around him. His very presence seemed to cause the air to bend in his favor, and everyone around him seemed weak and insignificant in comparison.
"General Tualon... I understand what you are saying, but..." One of the other men standing next to him tried to plead with him. The Fang of Gresas calmly stared down at him, silencing him in an instant.
"We've been over this, Commander. Do you distrust your General so much? Are you calling me weak, or do you have such little faith in my capabilities that you think I cannot handle taking care of myself? If you do your job...." The General towered over the Commander, who seemed to cower under him, "Then I will not have to worry myself with such meaningless threats. If an assassin does manage to get through our barrier and makes thier way into my tent, I will be sure to hold you responsible." Theodora could almost hear the Commander gulp in fear, even from her spot high in the tree. "If you're so worried about it, then make the necessary adjustments to ensure it won't happen."
She couldn't help but smile to herself. The General wouldn't be able to hold the Commander responsible - because he would be dead by the morning.
The crowd cleared out, and Theodora followed General Tualon with her eyes. To her surprise, he made his way past the other large tents and walked into a smaller one off to the side. Guards were patrolling the area. She tracked them with her eyes, memorizing thier patterns, and waited until their movements grew sluggish as the night deepened. She slid down from the tree, silent as the wind, and scurried low across the ground, ducking behind tents and bushes as she went.
She looked into the sky and hooted, her voice calling quietly into the darkness. A distant hoot responded, and she closed her eyes. She could see the camp from behind her eyelids as if seen through the eyes of a bird. It flew high above the camp, looking down to her location and showing her where soldiers were patrolling, and giving her the best path of concealment. Theodora opened her eyes and slinked towards her destination, pulling a small dagger from the sheath attached to her thigh, twirling it in her hand before setting off into the darkness.
She heard another distant hoot above her, and she closed her eyes. She could see there was a group of soldiers coming back from thier duties, having traded off posts after thier shift. She was trapped. Along one path was the smaller group of patrolling soldiers - the ones she had memorized; along the other was the group that were heading back to thier tents for the night. She opted to go with the two patrolling soldiers. The pair had been up all evening. They were tired and didn't expect an assassin that night. If she could catch them off guard, she could dispose of them quickly before running to the General's tent.
She rounded the corner, sticking close to the edge of the tent, ducking low in the shadow, waiting until the pair passed her, oblivious to her presence. As soon as they stepped past her, she leaped onto the back of the furthest from her, keeping the other between her and the tent. She slit the man's throat - pulling her sharp blade across his neck deeply. He gurgled and reached up to grab his neck as blood poured from the gaping wound.
She kicked off his back, knocking him to the ground. The other man was quick to react; though disoriented about what exactly happened, he was now on alert. But before he could yell out, Theodora was on him and shoved her blade up through the bottom of his chin, as deep as she could, lodging it into the hard bony roof of his mouth. He grabbed ahold of her, wrapping his fist in her short hair, yanking it hard, but she was quick and slipped another blade from the sheath on her other thigh and sliced his forearm, causing him to release her. Blood splattered across her face as she slit his throat. She grabbed ahold of the blade lodged in his jaw and kicked him backward, yanking it from his face as he stumbled backward into a small tent, knocking it to the ground and causing a commotion.
'Shit'
To her horror, the tent had collapsed and on the other side was the group of soldiers coming back from thier shift. Their eyes spotted her, and they yelled loudly, alerting everyone nearby. She took off. Running fast and hard, dipping into the shadows and hiding behind anything and everything around her. Men were yelling, tearing through tents and upheaving the campsite, frantically searching for her. The more they yelled, the more attention was drawn, and Theodora knew her cover was blown. She was in the middle of an enemy base camp, crawling with thousands of soldiers. If she wanted to get out alive, she needed to be smart.
But first... Her eyes glanced over to the General's tent. Her position had put her behind it, which she could use to her advantage. There was no movement around as everyone ran to the area in search of her, and it didn't seem like there was movement in the tent. She glanced back and forth. Either he left to go help find her, or he didn't bother to leave. Either way... it was a great opportunity.
She slinked over to the tent, listening intently for movement or noises coming from inside. A small glow lit up the space, dampened by the thick canvas, and it looked to her from outside like the General was asleep on a bed. A sinister smile crept over her lips, and she clutched her blade in her hand. If she was successful in her mission, bringing back the head of the General - The Fang of Gresas - her master said he would set her and her brother free. This was all she had to do, and if she failed, well, it meant death, and at least that was better than being a slave. Either way... she would be free.
She crouched down and went to cut the bottom knot on the tent. It would offer her enough space to slip inside. But before her blade could slice through the thick rope, a dark shadow loomed over her. She quickly turned slashing out at the air, but the man standing over her was too quick; he kicked her in the shoulder, knocking her down. A deafening pain rocketed through her arm and caused her to drop her blade, which he quickly kicked aside. She was used to pain, though, and pretended to cower in agony, clutching her shoulder, rolling over into a fetal position. She reached down with the 'hurt' arm and slipped her fingers over a small dagger she had hidden in her boot.
She waited for more blows, but none came from the man towering over her from a careful distance. She heard more soldiers clamor over, yelling and rushing towards them. The man didn't say anything, but she heard other voices getting closer.
She closed her eyes, her owl hovered overhead, and she could see herself from above. Soldiers had noticed what was happening, and she saw them rushing over from around the camp, searching for more invaders. She knew there was none - it was only her. Her position did not look good.
'Oh well...' she thought, 'I'll at least take as many out as I can before they kill me."
"There he is! Grab her!" She felt other soldiers rush past the man who had remained standing near her, unmoving since kicking her. But before they could grab her, she spun around, slashing the hands, arms, and faces of the men that reached for her. She scurried backward like a cat hissing a scratching.
"You stupid little bastard!" She felt a blow to the head behind her, the hit stunned her slightly but not enough to take her down, and when she pretended to be stunned, her eyes shot open, attacking man after man, she slashed and stabbed anyone who went out to grab her. She focused on the important places; neck, eyes, throat, armpits, groin, and heels. Thier fury and obvious contempt for her size made them weak and sloppy. Easy targets. The iron scent of blood and dirt stung the air. She reveled in the glory of the chaos and felt herself soar with every drop spilled.
She leaped on one and jabbed the blade into his eye. He screamed and flailed about, waving his sword at her. She slid onto the ground under him and shoved her boot up into his groin, bringing him to the ground instantly. She climbed onto his back, wrapped her arms around his head, and twisted with all her might, snapping his neck. She spat on him and stood on his limp body, looking around. Her chest heaved. Her muscles ached, and she was certain she had sustained a few broken ribs. Her shoulder burned, and she could feel it swell. The temporary lull in the chaos broke her from her violent trance, and her adrenaline was fading quickly.
Theodora knew her limits. She was strong and fast, but her expertise lay in stealth and evasion. Her energy was quickly depleted after fighting so many soldiers. She glanced around. She was entirely surrounded. Knowing she was done for, she tossed the small dagger blade onto the ground in front of her. She looked up into the eyes of the man who had stood there watching her the entire time. The man she was supposed to have silenced forever. The man who would have brought her freedom. He stood there, arms crossed over his chest, a sly smile plastered to his face. She guessed he would still bring her freedom, just in another way. Before she was rushed by the crowd of soldiers, she gazed into the eyes of the General. Her last thought before she lost consciousness was that she noticed his eyes weren't red... but golden amber. They reminded her of the sun.
Weekly Power Status
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