Chapter 7: The Crimson Blade

Shyana and Akiem galloped across the countryside, neither willing to stop until their steeds could endure no more. It wouldn't take long for the castle to notice their absence and if she hadn't angered her sister before, she was certain to have done so now. The more distance they obtained before this happened, the better.

There was no communication between them except for the mutual panting of their horses. Shyana looked up at the first moon which had barely managed to split from its brothers; this meant they'd been riding for three hours.

Her horse breathed heavily, his powerful muscles pulsating with his racing heart. She glanced behind them and then to Akiem, giving the signal to slow down. His eyes, naturally accustomed to darkness, caught her gesture and acted accordingly.

They slowed their gallop to a light trot, much to the appreciation of their horses who whinnied in relief.

Shyana took a quick scan of their surroundings, by the shape of the river; she could see they were on Xhaia's western border. The moss was thicker on this side of the land, vegetation untouched by Xera's perfection meant they were closer to the border of the Thurucaln territory, where Shyana spent most of her adult life.

Akiem patted his horse's neck, smoothing down the wild hair, as if apologizing for pushing him as hard as he did. The advisor felt an innate connection with most animals. While he knew this particular steed loved to race and run free with the night, he didn't enjoy galloping recklessly. Akiem could feel his resentment growing for his master with each mile.

Shyana slid off her mount, bringing her horse to the curling water.

Akiem jumped down to stand by her side. "What now? What path do you wish to take?"

Shyana placed a hand on her back, rubbing away at the pain from riding so long. "We go back to the camp. I'm going to grab at least twelve of our best warriors and leave Pri in command. He can handle the army until I return."

Akiem grimaced. "He may handle them a little too well. I don't trust the way he so eagerly leaps to take over command in your absence."

Shyana nodded. "I'm aware of that, but when it comes to tactical movements and deciding what is best for the majority, there's no one better to leave in my stead. Besides, if he wants my position, he'll have to fight me for it and we both know he doesn't want to do that."

The advisor smiled and chuckled to himself. "Indeed, that would be a match to watch. So, by the location of the first moon, I'd say we have about two days until we reach the camp. Should we rest or continue on?"

Shyana looked to the mountains. "We press on, of course. There's no time to waste now that we have a mission. Once the horses have rested a bit, we'll continue."

Akiem sighed. "So fixated. It's important to rest sometimes, you know?"

Shyana turned to her saddle where a strap had come loose during the ride. "I will rest when the Blood Song is safe within Xhaia's borders. Until then, there is no time to dally around while the Thurucalns get closer every day."

Akiem stepped closer, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It wasn't true what she said, about the King. You know it's not true that he lost favor with you."

Shyana stopped fixing the strap momentarily, her voice softer, more unsure. "I couldn't get back in time."

Akiem nodded and took her gently into his arms, the place no one else would ever find his fiery warrior. "I know that and I'm sure he did as well. Your father loved you both for different reasons. Even when you ran away to join the Xhaian army, though he was angered by the decision, I distinctly remember the small shine of pride in the back of his eyes when we returned from our first victory. King Ry loved you with all his heart; you don't need to prove that to anyone."

Much to her frustration, Shyana's eyes watered. She turned up her face to look at her oldest and dearest friend, the moonlight reflecting in the shine of her eyes. "I'm not doing this to prove anything. I care about the safety of our homeland. But…it would have been nice to show him what I have accomplished so far. Especially if I brought the final peace to Xhaia; then he wouldn't have had to sit through those unbearable courts he hated so much."

Akiem smiled. "Yes, a hatred you both shared if I remember correctly."

She nodded before backing up out of Akiem's embrace. "Okay, break is over; time to press on."

Shyana mounted her steed and kicked his sides to move forward, while Akiem followed closely; a distinct emptiness in his arms from her absence.

By dawn, they'd ridden 12 hours. Despite her protests, Akiem insisted they stop to get a hot meal and rest the horses at the local pub.

They trotted into the rundown village. It was clearly an outskirt of Xhaia, too close to Thurucaln territory. Rather than the overly clean, well-kept streets circling castle Xera, this place had no more than dirt roads and ragged huts. The people didn't display sedated calmness, rather they snuck about, avoiding eye contact for more than a few seconds.

Shyana smiled softly, picturing her sister's reaction to a place that didn't have servants to attend to her every beck and call.

Both she and Akiem tied their dark cloaks around their necks, flipping up the hoods to hide their faces. After tying their steeds, they walked into the pub marked, "Sword and Shield" with cautious eyes to their surroundings.

This close to Thurucaln territory, it was best no one got a good look at her, in case a few spies were hiding within the boundaries. Slitting her throat would be worth a tidy sum to the right person.

When they walked through the door, a smell of smoke and badly filtered Leup filled the air and curious eyes turned to inspect them. Akiem walked beside her, neither giving any signs that they were of interest. Soon, the eyes turned away and the familiar noise filled the pub once more.

Shyana rested herself in a chair against the wall, while Akiem ordered some breakfast. After all this time, he knew what she liked, though pickings were slim in a border village. He ended up ordering them a loaf of bread and a few slabs of salted pork to share with two glasses of off-brand Leup labeled, "Puel".

They didn't speak, barely acknowledged each other or looked about, trying their best not to draw attention. Years of traveling amongst places like this made covert behavior second nature and both advisor and general gave a flawless performance, until an urgent whisper caught their attention. "Did you get the order from Castle Xera? General Makea is under trial!"

"General Makea?! What could she be under trial for?" Another voice inquired while the first continued excitedly. "Desertion apparently. She ran from the castle for some reason and the queen wants her back. If we bring her in, there is a promise of a reward."

"Yeah, but who wants to get close enough to try? They don't call her the Crimson Blade for no reason."

There was a slight chuckle amongst the crowd, until the original voice interjected. "I don't care, everyone has to have a weakness. We just need to find hers and jump her. I could sure use some extra change."

Shyana looked to Akiem with wide eyes, expressing a silent message of outrage which he shared. They quietly gathered the remains of their meal and started to head out the door when a voice cried out. "Hey! Wait a minute!"

Both warrior and advisor froze at the outraged cry, Shyana's hand begging to grasp her weapon, which was tied securely to her side, hidden beneath her cloak. "You two there in the back! Why you shuffling out of here so quick? Show yourselves!"

Akiem cleared his throat and turned with a genial smile that would have made any Xhaian proud. "Forgive me, but are you addressing us?"

The man, who had spread the news of Shyana's wanted order, stepped closer to them. "Yeah I am! Take off your hood."

Akiem shrugged his arms out. "Is there a particular reason you wish to see our faces? We just stopped in for some breakfast."

The suspicious man placed his hand on his cheaply made sword and commanded. "There are some fugitives wanted in this part of the Xhaia. Why don't you show your face and prove you ain't one of 'em?"

Shyana tensed, while Akiem nonchalantly slid his hood from his head, exposing his golden hair to the harsh light. "We don't want any trouble. My wife and I are simply passing through. Now, if that's all, we'll be on our way."

Another man slid closer to her, a smile of sick pleasure melting across his face. "Why don't we get a better look at the Mrs.? Come on, I'm sure you've got a lovely little face, let's see it then."

Akiem reached out to grab the man's hand before it came in contact with Shyana's hood. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. My wife has a very contagious disease."

The two men looked at one other. "Oh yeah, what kind of disease?"

Shyana glared, as Akiem took the stage, making his words sound chilling and forced, as if it pained him to even speak of her fabricated ailment. "Oh, it is something of true horror. It's called the Ember Flower. My wife came into contact with it when we were passing over the mountains. A special type of pollen dusted her skin and brought on the contagious disease… the very contagious disease."

There was an uncomfortable shuffling, as people vacated the nearest space around the infected woman.

The two men who had started the confrontation began to lose their composure. One looked nervously from the hooded woman back to the man with dangerous green eyes. "So that's the plant she got it from? The Ember Flower? I've never heard of such a thing."

Akiem nodded sagely. "You wouldn't, kind sir, because such a plant doesn't exist."

A small level of suspicious calm returned, as they looked to each other relieved. "So, it's all made up. You're jesting with us."

The clever advisor brought his performance to its peak. "If only the fates were kind enough for me to pretend I was! It is called the Ember Flower because of the infectious sores which have spread all about her fair body like fiery blossoms. If you so much as brush against them, the sores ooze and scab over and over and over. They cause her to wail and writhe long into the night, until even I pray for death to find her!"

The interrogator's eyes widened as both of them backed away from the sickly couple, one placing a hand across his face. "A truly wicked ailment indeed! Be gone from this place! Quickly!"

Akiem sighed. "As I expected, we're outcasts even here. Come my love, we've troubled these kind people enough."

Shyana's temper was fuming when he placed his arms around her shoulders and proceeded to lead her from the pub, as if she would break with the slightest movement.

They were almost free from the horror-filled eyes before an irate voice cried. "Hey! If it is so contagious, how do you not have it?!"

Akiem cursed under his breath, visibly searching for an answer.

Shyana purred. "And with such a beautiful performance, Akiem. I think you're losing your touch."

When one of the angry men grabbed her shoulder, Akiem sighed, shaking his head. "Be gentle with them."

Shyana smiled and twisted like a jungle cat, kicking her boot up and nailing the offender firmly in the jaw.

Before he hit the ground, she leapt up in the air and brought her foot down on his stomach, pinning him to the floor with a loud thump. Drawing her magnificent sword, Shyana crouched over the beaten man, growling. "You wanted to see under my hood so badly, sir, what do you think? Am I everything you dreamed I would be?"

"General…. Mak….Makea!" He stammered, terrified of the lethal beauty perching above him, blade to his throat.

She smiled before a pungent odor filled her sensitive nose. Glancing down, the sight of the yellow puddle made her eyebrow arch. "I suggest you clean yourself up before the thought of turning me in crosses your mind. I've seen your face chimbwa and I promise that every rumor you have heard of the Crimson Blade is very true. Trust that I will visit your nightmares long after I've left this sqin of a village."

With that, Shyana stood and removed her hood, extending her blade to the clearly terrified members of the pub. "I am General Shyana Makea. For years I've fought to keep you safe and have succeeded in my quest to eliminate the Thurucalns, which plague your village. Think about that before you plan on counting any reward my sister may have promised."

Akiem shook his head when they both disappeared out of the pub like deathly shadows. As they mounted their horses, he hissed. "So much for keeping out of sight."

She tightened her grip on the reins. "Better to call to the pride in their veins, than hide like weaklings. Give the people of Xhaia some credit Akiem."

The advisor followed closely as she kicked into a gallop, racing out of the village and onto the path they were originally traveling.

Akiem tried to call. "Wait Shy! Wait!"

She galloped recklessly, either not bothering to hear his cries or simply too distracted with this new piece of information against them.

Akiem growled to himself. "Shen ta xen woman! Shyana!"

He kicked his steed to gallop faster, though the powerful beast wasn't pleased with the order. His horse plowed the path racing up a small hill and landing directly in front of the infuriated woman. "Shyana listen to me! What are you thinking of doing now?"

She panted, half furious, the other half surprised by his tone. "What we were going to do already! Return to the army and retrieve a reasonable group to assist us in finding the Blood Song. Was any part of that unclear?"

Akiem shook his head. "Don't you understand? We can't go back. Meia's placed a bounty on your head and for anyone who shields you from her. You've spit in her face one too many times and she's had enough. Now isn't the time to go flying off because your temper deems it necessary. We can't rely on the Xhaian army anymore."

Shyana's eyes widened. "Are you saying my men would betray me? That's ridiculous! I'm their leader, you said yourself that their allegiance is to me."

Akiem pulled his horse closer to her and rested his hand on her armored shoulder. "I don't question their loyalty to you. I know more than half of them would give up their lives if anyone insulted your name, but is that really what you want? Needless bloodshed of the men and women who dedicated their lives to you? That's not the Shyana I know."

She took a breath, eyes searching through her options. What could she do now? Though she didn't want to admit it, she knew Akiem was right. If the stakes were high enough, her presence could ignite a war within the Xhaian army. "What do we do now?"

Akiem exhaled with audible relief that she listened to reason. As much as he loved her feisty spirit, she got tunnel vision if she were infuriated enough. "Well our options are as follows; we could return to Xera on our own terms and make a formal apology to the Queen. You've insulted her, but committed no real crime for members of the royal family, which you still are. Then once we have her pardon, assemble the team you mentioned and proceed as planned."

Shyana shook her head. "That would take far too long. If what the spy told me was correct, the Thurucalns are getting closer by the day. We require speed, not protocol."

Akiem nodded. "I guessed you'd think that way. The only other option is to go into the Fepican Forest by ourselves; just the two of us."

"Just you and I, against the dangerous forest and the entire Thurucaln army, plus the threat of imprisonment upon our return?" Shyana found the right corner of her lip curling. "I like those odds, Akiem."

He sighed, "Practice for the underworld."

The general grasped her reins and turned towards the path that would lead them to the forest where none dared to venture. At the speed they were traveling, Shyana planned to reach the woodland by nightfall.