Taken: The Life of Uktesh Book 3 (16 page)

Laurilli walked over to her, rested her head on her mother’s shoulder, and knew she didn’t need to say anything.  Her mother put her arm around Laurilli and she melted onto her shoulder to have a good cry.  Laurilli didn’t know exactly why her mother was crying so she rubbed her shoulders and back. Laurilli stood there and just let her mother release all the sadness that she’d been holding in.  Heathyr slowly started to calm down, and said, “Oh, sorry, I just get sad at times.  With everyone gone it was so lonely here.  I had hoped for more time with Thulmann before they started to pull him back into army business.  I guess that’s just something I’ll have to get used to.”

Heathyr laughed, gently patted Laurilli on the shoulder, and kissed her on her forehead.

“Supper’s almost ready, go get the bowls and spoons from the cupboard.”

Laurilli found two bowls and spoons and set them on the table while Heathyr set the pot on the table.  Heathyr ladled them both two ladle’s worth of stew and sat down across from Laurilli.  Heathyr asked, “So how did the training go?”

Laurilli said, “I was trained by Six, the only female Number.  She uses a rapier too, so with my previous training with Uktesh and then you, I was able to excel, and got promoted pretty quickly.  During the first month we would wake up, have breakfast, and then we had a solid six-hour block of weapon skill training.  After lunch, we had mock battles for about four hours, though usually we’d only fight one mock battle and watch a lot of others.  After the first month we’d have mock battles once a day and sometimes twice a day.  We’d have to take an objective, or defend one. Sometimes we’d be ambushed and sometimes we’d, well…” she paused,
we never actually got to be the ambushers,
“sometimes we wouldn’t be ambushed.”

Laurilli paused and Heathyr said, “It sounds like you did pretty well. Were Basam and Repus helpful?”

Laurilli nodded and said, “They were, but two new people were really good too, so I made sure to keep them around as our group didn’t really care about rank. I just kept promoting those two whenever I got a promotion.  Then after about a month of the mock battles we had a giant mock war and my team ended up winning that too.”

Heathyr sighed and said, “Wow!  All that while being pregnant! You are a special kid, you know that.”

Laurilli felt her face drain of blood, “I’m what?”

Heathyr took a drink of her tea before she said, “Pregnant.”

Laurilli felt stunned, “I can’t be pregnant!”

Heathyr said, “You and Uktesh were married, did you two ever make love?”

Laurilli nodded and said, “Of course.”

Heathyr nodded, “Pregnant.”

Laurilli said, “Stop saying that like it’s a fact.”

Heathyr said, “You’ve been running around fighting and training for two months, instead of losing weight, or gaining muscles, you gained a stomach.”

Laurilli said, “Why didn’t anyone…” she trailed off as she imagined if Enan had tried to talk to her about her added weight.

Heathyr completed her thought for her, “Told you, that you were pregnant?”

You knew didn’t you!

The dragon--who she just realized--had been silent for long stretches of time she realized thought,
of course I knew. I tried to bring it up several times, but you didn’t want to hear it.

You could’ve tried harder.

I’ve been busy insulating yours and Uktesh’s kid from the fact that both of his parents are Afflicted.  Also I don’t mean to alarm you unduly, but you’re about to reach your six thousandth day of life.

Already?  I thought I had about three weeks! 

The dragon sighed and thought,
yes about three weeks. It’s not like it’s always exactly six thousand days. It can be a few more or a few less.

I’ve been keeping up with my meditation for this purpose!  I’m ready. 

You’ll have to be. I’ll have to devote all my attention to your son’s health while you change.

That’s the second time you’ve called my baby a boy.  Are you certain?

She felt him mentally nod at her,
fully certain.

Heathyr’s voice cut into their conversation, “You’ve been quiet.

Laurilli said, “I’m Afflicted!  I’m going to change in a few weeks!  If I’m pregnant there’s a high chance of my kid coming out evil. If I change while I’m pregnant who knows what’ll happen!  And my pants are too tight!  I’m going home to change!”

She fled from her mother’s house to her own. 
The one I should be sharing with Uktesh!
  She slowly stripped out of her clothes and looked at herself in her full-length mirror.  Now that she knew, it was obvious.  She rotated her hips and looked at her stomach from several different angles.  She changed as slowly as she could, which with one arm was truly slow, as she tried to think of a plan to bring back with her to her mother. 

Other than continue as planned and hope for best she couldn’t really think of one. She swallowed, trying to moisten her suddenly dry throat, and tried not to feel the sudden cold sweat on her forehead.  She walked back to Heathyr and Thulmann’s house and went right in.  She walked to where she always sat on the loveseat.  She faced Heathyr and said, “So, here’s the plan.  Become Afflicted.  Have the kid.  Wait to see what happens.  Don’t panic until then.”

Heathyr smiled and said, “That sounds like a fine plan.  I’d add to it stop doing these silly war games.”

Laurilli nodded and said, “I’m sure Dad can get me out of it.”

They stayed up late into the night talking about names, getting a nursery set up, and how Laurilli would handle the Affliction change.  It wasn’t until they were both yawning widely that Laurilli called a halt to the conversation and said, “There will be enough time later to continue this discussion.”

Laurilli walked warily back to her house, fell face first onto her bed, and rolled over in a panic.
I can’t do that anymore!  I have to be more cautious. 

When she woke up she Walked to the top of the watchtower and even though the sun was already up she spent about an hour meditating before her day began.  When she was done she sat on the roof and thought about Uktesh and tried to ignore how much she missed him. She also realized that his birthday was coming up soon, and that she’d miss it. 
I wonder if he’ll miss my next birthday too, or even the birth of his son.
  She cried, then; for how long she didn’t know.  She felt much better when she’d finished. She Walked to Heathyr’s to find that a plate of food was laid out for her.  Laurilli ate, washed the plate and fork, and put the clean dishes away.  The first thing that those who’d returned from the Isle de Tramonto had insisted on, and fortunately Larut had visited early and had started the process, was running water inside the house, and in door bathrooms.

Laurilli did something that she hadn’t done in over three months.  She watched Pippy chase the boys around the compound.  It was apparently common knowledge that she was pregnant as all the adults stopped by to congratulate her and talk about it for a few minutes.  Laurilli didn’t really mind. It helped the day pass quickly.  Now that she knew she was nearly six months pregnant, she didn’t really think training or running around was a good idea.  The two-week rest passed almost too quickly and Thulmann never returned so Laurilli packed her sword, knives, and joined the rest of her fellow trainees as they headed back to Bainbridge to finish their training, this time against other countries.

1.                   
   An Accusation in the Life of
   

Five months and a week apart from Laurilli

Uktesh woke up with a start when Talia burst into the cell he shared with six others.  He’d been downgraded from champion to the lowest possible rank and therefore no longer had Talia, his own cell, or his comfortable bed, pillow, or blanket.  That knowledge made the fact that Talia was in his cell startling.  She shouted, “Uktesh wake up!  It’s Ceftin!  Follow me!”  She turned, shuffled away, and Uktesh Walked out of the room as the others in the cell woke up and followed at a slower pace.  Talia was already halfway down the hall so he Walked to her and continued with her.  Her pace was as quick as she could go after she had recovered from her night at the hands of the Storm lord and his sons.  Duktesh thought,
it’s your fault.  You had to be noble and spurn her for months, then you basically slapped the Storm lord in the face by freeing Ceftin.

Uktesh thought back to himself,
I didn’t know that was going to happen!  If I had I would’ve tried to do things differently.  I would’ve freed myself and then bought Ceftin and Talia!

Duktesh thought,
why save a girl only to spurn her affections for the rest of her life?

Uktesh thought,
shut up.

Uktesh asked, “What’s going on?”

She took a turn, bounced off the opposite wall and then took another turn at the same speed.  Uktesh followed her, but just Stepped around the corners to avoid an injury. 
Which reminds me!  I’m supposed to still be recovering from my injury! 
Uktesh began to do a limping run as he followed her.  She lurched into the medical room and said, “This is what’s going on!”

There standing,
crouching maybe sitting,
in the middle of the room was Ceftin! Alive!  Uktesh Rushed to him and wrapped him in a bear hug.  He released the naga and asked, “How is this possible?”

The medic said, “He hasn’t regained his voice yet, but I noticed that his teeth grew back after I pulled them that first day you brought him here.  I figured he’d be a gold mine for teeth sales, but after a day I saw that his wounds were also healing. Yesterday they were gone.  Today he woke up.  He’ll probably be talking tomorrow.  Not that I missed his weird rhyming speech impediment.”

Uktesh said to Ceftin, “I did!  There are a few things you need to know.  First off, the Storm lord was killed.  Second, you’re no longer a slave.  Third, I’m giving you my prize money, with the stipulation that you buy, then free Talia and split the remaining money.”  Uktesh ignored Talia’s, “hey,” and continued, “Lastly, I need you to join a Dungeon House so that when I get out of here in three more, ‘kills,’ I can join you and we’ll make some serious money.  Though I doubt it’ll equal my money back home, we sure can try.”

The man asked, “How much did you have back in your homeland.”

Uktesh said, “Between my wife, mother–in–law, and myself we had somewhere around six million gold coins, but our home what worth over sixty million.”

All three people in the room stared at him in awe. Talia said, “Were you an emperor in your land?”

Uktesh said, “No, just very good at what I do.”

“Better than good I think,

to have more money that water to drink.”

Uktesh shouted, “Ceftin!  You spoke!”

Ceftin said,

“It wasss only a matter of time,

I know you missssed my rhyme.”

Uktesh nodded and said, “I did!  I really did.”

The man said, “Well now that he’s able to speak, I have other things I can be doing.”

Talia excused herself too.  Ceftin said,

“The Ssstorm Lord isss dead?

My reassson to ssstay hasss fled.

I will do asss you asssk,

to find a Houssse is my tasssk.

Though to find one that would accssept me,

I might have to apply to one hundred and three.

It would be easier to create one ourselvesss,

then we could invite people in by the twelvesss.”

Uktesh grinned at the use of twelves to signify dozens.  Uktesh said, 

“If you think that wise,

we should do that, so that we can hire not only guys.”

Uktesh thought he’d made up a fine rhyme even if it was heavily lopsided toward the second line. 

Ceftin said,

“Your rhyme isss weak

while mine isss peak.

Like a sssqueak,

againssst a shriek.

You should be meek,

or risssk your ssstreak.

Try to be unique,

maintain some myssstique.

Ssso your words don’t reek,

like bowelsss that leak.

Havoc will I wreak,

againssst your cheek,

if you continue to ssspeak

it will make me pique.

I’m a sssleek freak,

don’t copy me weak geek.

My wordsss bessspeak,

A mind of power and physssique.

Your wordsss use the technique,

but are beyond antique.”

Uktesh clapped at the clever rhyme and gave up trying to beat Ceftin at his own game.  He knelt on the ground, raised his hands in surrender, and said, “I give up!  I’ll never rhyme on purpose again!”

Ceftin said,

“It’sss good to know,

that your wisssdom can grow.”

Uktesh said, “Ok hopefully we’ve gotten that out of your system.  The reward ceremony was delayed because of the Storm lord’s death, but hopefully I’ll get my money when it takes place tonight.  Then I’ll give it to you and if you could, please also buy the three surviving dragons that came with me, I owe their grand masters a debt I can start repaying now.”

Uktesh walked to the doorway, looked around to make sure they were alone, and whispered, “I was the one who killed the Storm lord.  I thought that he’d killed you and remembered what you said months ago about him tripping and their being your sword tip.  He made a huge mistake and I made him pay for it.”

The naga nodded his approval and they got down to the business of creating a House.  They weren’t even halfway done with their plans when the dinner party started.  Uktesh stood and said, “I have to be there.”  He hurried out to the training sand and found the gladiator lined up.  For the first time Uktesh realized how depleted their numbers had become.  There were the three dragons, Uktesh, Destus, and four others who were so new Uktesh couldn’t remember their names.  Uktesh was led up to the party and the others were told they weren’t invited so they dispersed.  Uktesh was told to stand on a podium and not move.

Uktesh spent the next three hours being poked and prodded, kissed and caressed, and worse discussed like a tool that was extra useful.  Finally came the time he had been made to wait for.  The Storm lord walked forward to stand on the podium with Uktesh.  Neftalix muttered, “I know it was you who killed my father. I don’t know how, but I know it was you.  If you think I’m ever going to let you get three more, ‘kills,’ and earn your freedom you’re mistaken.  You’re going to be my slave for the rest of your life, short as it will be.  Now smile and wave, champion.”

Uktesh smiled, waved, and said, “Beware.  I may only be your slave for as long as you live.”

Neftalix laughed like Uktesh had made a joke.  He threw his arm around Uktesh’s shoulders and whispered, “You may have killed by father, but he was no Dungeon master.” 

Uktesh said, “I’m confident that sooner or later you’re going to make a mistake and because you won’t let me go, I’ll be there to reunite you with your father.”

Neftalix removed his arm and announced, “Here he is the Rumble champion!  Ninety-seven ‘kills’ are awarded to him!  Is there a challenge that can be made that would be worthy of his skill?  We’ll just have to wait and see. I want his last fight in the arena to be a tribute worthy of the champion of the Storm ludis.  However, before then were of the Storm ludis award Uktesh his hundred platinum marks!”  He handed Uktesh a bag full of coins that Uktesh assumed were platinum marks. 

Neftalix reached out for the bag, but Uktesh pulled it away with a grin, “I just got this. You’re not going to let me savor it for a little bit longer?”

Neftalix smiled woodenly and said, “Of course. It’s yours to do with as you please.”

Uktesh smiled and said, “Then I wish to give it away!”

Uktesh smiled wider as every jaw in the crowd dropped.  Uktesh said, “I freed a slave during the games, and I would like to give the money to him.  The Doctore of the Storm ludis Ceftin!” 

Neftalix frowned and said, “We would be honored to give it to Ceftin.”

Uktesh said, “Good. He’s waiting for his rudis to be freed to leave. Since you’ve had a week to prepare it, it should be ready.  Right?” 

Neftalix clearly didn’t know where this was going, but he said, “Of course it’s ready.  Just show me his body, I mean, just let me present it to him.”

Uktesh said, “A slave earning his freedom is a rare thing. A slave being given his freedom by another slave, who would then stay behind must be the rarest of freedoms.  I’m sure your esteemed guests would like to see something like that.”  Uktesh turned to the crowd and asked, “Wouldn’t you like to see that?”

They cheered and Neftalix walked to the balcony with the rest of his guests to find that Ceftin was standing,
crouching, sitting maybe,
on the sand.  The naga said, “

Great Lord of the Ssstorm,

I await my rudisss to head sssomewhere warm.

Uktesh took that moment to throw the bag of money to the naga and asked innocently, “So where’s his rudis?”

Neftalix spoke to one of his guards, who left, but quickly returned with a wooden sword with the Storm lord symbol branded into both sides of the blade, and carved into the hilt.  Neftalix held it over his head and said, “I present you your freedom.  The Storm ludis thanks you for your years of loyal service.”  In an impressive display of not only power, but control, the new Storm lord floated the rudis to Ceftin.

Ceftin grabbed it from the air, held it high, and said,

“Let it be shown,

and forever known,

that the Ssstorm ludis,

would do this.

Would honor their word,

only becaussse far and wide had heard.”

Uktesh felt his jaw drop and fought a grin from forming on his face. 
Way to go Ceftin!
  The naga smiled his disturbing full-of-teeth-smile and Walked away.  Uktesh had a brief humorous thought of,
Slithered away?
  Uktesh took that moment to said, “I hope you weren’t planning on stealing the hundred platinum marks from me at some point, because if you had, they just left with him.” 

Neftalix said, “Do you think I’m stupid enough to lose my temper and chase him into whatever ambush you have set?”

Uktesh grinned and said, “Well, not this time, for sure.  I guess next time well have to do more than take your money and insult your House.”

Neftalix grinned at Uktesh, and for the first time Uktesh worried about his plan, not because of the risk of death, he’d worried about that for months.  But because in Lord Neftalix’s eyes Uktesh saw controlled madness that was slipping into uncontrollable madness.  Neftalix said, “Be assured if you do somehow kill me, I will take you with me.”

Uktesh grinned right back at Neftalix and said, “I’ll take that bet.”

Neftalix said, “I thought you might.  You’ll be interested to know that I am the Storm lord.”  Uktesh felt confused,
where’s he going with this?
  “I am the commander of the armies of the Empire.  The day after you murdered my father, I sent my brother with seventy-nine of our ships to your Five Kingdoms.  I’m certain that those who got away in that cart won’t be able to escape the fate that will arrive on their shores in little over a month.  From what those who came with you have told me, if they are to be believed, you’re from a small town called Manori.  It’s the first place my brother is going to destroy.  Perhaps he’ll bring you back a gift, your wife’s head perhaps.”

Uktesh couldn’t wait to kill him, but knew he wasn’t skilled enough yet.  With a start he realized,
well happy seventeenth birthday to me.

1.            
   Well they are on our side
   

Six months and one week apart from Uktesh

Laurilli glanced behind her, looking at the men under her command. They were in the middle of the reserve army heading to Jubay to join the battle.  They were just one part of the massive army that was headed to the fight, and Laurilli had been told pointedly, that she was no true leader. That she was a publicity stunt in peace times and a disaster in the current wartimes.  The two majors in charge of the other six thousand men and the major general over all three of the majors were of the mindset that she could wear her major uniform, but that she hadn’t earned it. Of that they were in agreement.

I can fight, I’m ok at leading, but I’m not remotely prepared to lead three thousand new recruits against the likes of the Imperial army!
 

You’ve got the smarts to be able to make good judgements.  The only thing you lack is experience.

You’re not just saying that?  Right?

No way!  You’re probably better than Uktesh is when it comes to strategy.

They’d heard, as soon as they came back from leave, that they were going to the front lines.  Since then they’d been travelling, in Laurilli’s opinion, slowly, for the past week and a half, and every agonizing second away from her mother was wrenching to her.   

They’d been given a day of rest after the tournament, for those that went.  Then the next day they were ordered to Bainbridge.  The first days into their march away from Bainbridge the troops had been highly vocal in their thoughts about this year’s tournament.  Someone had almost achieved the Titlist title from Arme.  He had won every category in the tournament, and like the rules stated, he’d instantly become the ruler on Arme.  Had he been able to do the same at Sinai, Beletaria, Grange, and Cratoa he would’ve become the ruler of the Five Kingdoms.

From what she understood about the tournament, he’d made it to the finals of every category before he was stopped by Thulmann.  He had left, refusing to fight in any of his remaining matches.  He vowed to be back next year to claim Sinai as his own.  Needless to say those who’d been there had spent the first several days of the march retelling the story, each retelling had Thulmann either inflicting more damage, or receiving more damage, than he actually had.  Laurilli hoped Uktesh was back in time to stop that man personally.

Yesterday they had gotten the report that the enemy had landed nearly one hundred ships and had taken Jubay in less than an hour.  Again she sighed and thought back to her time together with her mother. It seemed like a whirlwind of moments that had passed far too quickly. 

I had expected to arrive at Bainbridge and turn around.

I had expected smarter leaders than the three you were saddled with.

Enan growled, “Ye sigh one more time an aye swear to me moth’r’s grave, aye’m gonna reach inside o’ yer head, an pull out all dem ‘appy mem’ries dat’s maken you t’ink about t’ings odder dan dis war we heading to.” 

“I can’t help it. We passed no more than thirty miles of my house when we started out, and with this slow-moving army, and the winding path that we’ve been taking, I could be home tomorrow or the day after at the latest.”

Enan said, “Ack, sure ye could, an ye’d kill da ‘orse that carried yer bum de ‘ole way dere.” At nearly seven months she was clearly showing her pregnancy.  She’d tried to get someone to relieve her of her command, but as much as her three superiors disliked her and didn’t think she could do the job they also saw that her troops trusted her implicitly, even if she wasn’t going to be leading any charges for a while.

“Well, you have a point there, but it’d be worth it to not have to worry about giving birth on the field of battle.” 

“For the last three weeks dat’s all you been t’inking about.”  Enan shook his head, then nodded up to the head of the column, “Anan dere’s a rock, ain’t no one gonna kill dat one, not wit me around at least.”

Laurilli said, “Sure you say that now, but when we walk through that canyon up ahead, if we get ambushed we’ll never get to him in time.”

Enan looked ahead, and saw what Laurilli was talking about, “Aye t’ink I’ll just mossy up on te de front, if ye don’ mind.”

Laurilli said, “I was kidding. We’ve scouted that area. The scouts would’ve warned us if someone was there.”

It was too late however. Enan was already making his way to his son’s side.  Laurilli once again let her mind wander to Uktesh.  She thought back on the day by the ocean when they had sat under a tree wrapped in each other’s arms.  Laurilli came out of the day dream as they passed under the shadow of the cliffs rising on both sides of the canyon ahead. She thought about the scouts.  With a panicked shock and sudden clarity, she realized that they had walked into a trap.  The scouts, should have sent one person back, to let the army know that it was safe to travel on, but they’d been silent. 
Unless those three didn’t inform me.
  She thought that possible, but also had a bad feeling so she shouted, “Company halt!” She yelled again at the top of her lungs, “About face!”  She quickly searched for the trumpeter who could sound the retreat, and as she found him, she heard the rumble of hundreds of rock rolling down the sides of the canyon. 

A boulder come rolling down at her and she jumped off her horse straight into the air, as the boulder rolled where she had just been, crushing her horse.  As she landed on the ground she rolled to her feet to absorb the impact of the fall.  As she stood up she was clipped in the shoulder by a bouncing rock, and spun to the ground.  Her shoulder was bleeding, but miraculously her remaining arm was intact.
It would have been impossible for me to fight with no working arms
.  Spilled around her were broken bolts.
Where had those come from!
 

Get down!