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38.88% The Maiden of the Sun / Chapter 21: Anatia

Chapitre 21: Anatia

Their swords were locked together and she strained to meet the force of his strength.

"Why don't you use your magic?" The question caught her off guard and for a moment her strength slipped and he gained an inch.

"I can't."

"What do you mean you can't?" She didn't want to show him, didn't want to see the pity, or worse in his face.

"I just can't, okay, no one here can use magic."

"I can."

"Well yes but you came here for Queen Aine, the rest of us.." she paused, considering what she could deal with him knowing. "The rest of us get an iron tattoo to keep our magic at bay." he flinches for a moment.

"Why?"

"Because the king is afraid."

"Of you?"

"No he has other assurances where I'm concerned, he's afraid the magic wielders will rise up." She tries not to give any indication that she doesn't want to talk about those other assurances and he seems to get it because the conversation stops and they keep training.

She faints right and slashes left but he catches it and meets her blow with a forceful defense. The lock swords for a moment and she glares at him before he shoves her off and she stumbles backwards before quickly regaining her composure. The ducks the blow he aims at her head but doesn't see the second to her ribs coming. She lets out a huff of breath at the pain in her side and lunges forward at him slashing with her sword but he blocks it again and again and again.

She goes to visit Lanora later that afternoon after a long day of training with Aspen. The Princess is kind as always and asks her about the lost princess, but Cinis has no answers to give her. When it was nearing the girl's bed time she waved to Suzette where she was seated in her rocking chair and gave Lanora a hug and a swift kiss on the forehead,

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"At the tree!"

"At the tree." she affirmed nodding before opening the door and walking out with one last look at Lanora who was now playing with two of her dolls.The tree was a place Lanora often played near. It was an Oleander tree in the courtyard nearest her room. Once when the girl was small she would climb high into the branches and get stuck and Suzette would call Cinis to climb up and rescue her. Now Lanora was bigger and didn't get stuck but she often invited Cinis to play with her at the tree anyway.

She walks down the spiral stairs of the tower aiming to go back to her room but finds her way blocked at the spiral landing. Aspen was standing there, waiting at the base of the spire stairs.

"Why were you visiting the Princess of Galcinar?" she was too tired to put up with his bullshit right now. She rolled her eyes pushing past him and walking down the hall.

"Because she's my friend." he walked to her side, keeping pace.

"And why are you friends with the Princess of Galcinar?" She tried to speed up and out pace him but he kept up easily. She slowed down trying to duck down a hallway but he adjusted his speed and followed along right beside her. "You know it's rude to ignore people right?" she stopped turning to face him and he halted too.

"Why do you care!" she exclaimed, the exasperation in her voice obvious, she wasn't really looking for an answer and he didn't really look like he was about to give one either so she barreled on, "Why do you care that I can't use magic? Why do you care who I spend time with? And why do you care that I'm here in the first place?" He stayed silent and they stood there for a moment letting the words reverberate around them. He looked a little taken aback by her outburst but she just turned and walked down the hall turning the corner and when she didn't feel him following her she made her way to her room letting out a breath of pent up air as the lock clicked into place and she slumped into a nearby pile of cushions.


next chapter

Chapitre 22: Elexis

Ever since they had found out that Cinis Sarnifease was really Anatia Nalcothy, Airleche, the Rebel's head of Intelligence, had been so busy she had barely managed to get a moment to speak with her. The head of Intelligence had been contacting all their eyes in the palace and at Nightcliff Keep, The stronghold of Alonzo Benitce, Cinis Sarnifease's trainer and the advisor of the king. Using the descriptions and memories she was able to confirm that Elexis's lost sister was indeed the assassin that Airleche had spent so much time working to destroy. Despite both her and Axton explaining to Airleche that it was Ana and recounting their encounters with her, Airleche was determined to piece together a timeline and explanation of the events that had led to Benitce trading the lost princess of Altoness for his place as the King's closest advisor.

"I need to contact Suzette!" Airleche had been frantic when they had first told her the news but after an hour or so it had set in and she had begun packing for a trip to Nocturn. Elexis, Axton and the rest of the rebels that had gone on the mission to Nocturn had returned a few days ago

"It can wait! If Aine has her warriors visiting Galcinar, training Anatia, we need to get eyes and ears in Aine's inner circle." Ominae demanded, the second member of the council and the head of rebel recruitment and combat training had strong opinions about Queen Aine, though she had never bothered explaining them to Elexis. Ominae was Axton's mother, but aside from the nose and cheekbones they didn't look much alike. Elspeth had looked like her mother, the ice blonde hair, and blue grey eyes, the thin frame. But Ominae was getting older, her hair starting to thin. Elexis looked at the thick string of grey that was braided into Ominae's otherwise loose hair. It was a custom of the western mountain tribes, said to have originated with the huntresses themselves. When you lost a loved one, someone you held in your heart, you wove a thick string into your hair, a sign of your grief but also a mark that their spirit would forever be with you.

"We need more information on Cinis-" Airleche tried

"We already have confirmation that it's her and are getting updates on her whereabouts daily from the castle staff." Elexis paused looking for a moment at her head of intelligence. Airleche had been in her late twenties when Altoness fell and the woman was now in her late thirties. Her orange and blonde hair was cut roughly above her shoulders and her eyes were frantic, a wild green Elexis had never seen before.

"Airleche, someone else can meet with Suzette, you need to focus on finding ways into Aine's inner circle." Axton had already met with Suzette, brief as it had been, but they definitely needed someone to go get more information from the nursemaid. They had been able to make contact with some of their other spies and informants within the castle staff but with Suzette also being the Princess's caretaker she was a lot harder to make contact with than most of the other eyes and ears they had.

"Fine," Airleche conceded, "but have Oya and Farlen make contact with Suzette, I want everything that ever happened to the king's blade, everything that maid has seen."

"Farlen and Oya just got back from their trip they need rest-" Elexis started to protest but Ominae was quick,

"Done, now we need to prepare a way to get you to Dianais." Ominae was about to start planning who would accompany Airleche to whatever harbor she would sail from but a messenger burst through the tent flaps.

He was a young boy, messy light brown hair and a pair of tunic and trousers that were likely the smallest they had despite being to large for him, he looked out of breath but they still heard him loud and clear as he said,

"Elspeth, she's alive!"


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